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Beginners Guide To Making Affiliate Marketing Websites
More and more people are making an honest go of it as online affiliate marketers, and with website builders becoming more user friendly, it's no wonder so many people are searching for Building Your Own Affiliate Website.
However, a steadily rising demand, also means a steadily rising cost for the platforms that build them, but in this article I'm going to show you a step by step guide on How to Make Affiliate Marketing Website For Beginners.
As well as show you where to get access to a support system to help you with any technical issues you may run into along the way.
Affiliate Marketing is one of the Best Proven Ways To Make Money Online For Beginners and essentially all you have to do is sell someone else's stuff and earn a commission from it.
Which, is why knowing how to build your own affiliate site is so important, because when done right you can easily start your own online business from it.
You see building an affiliate website gives you the ability to promote a product in a way that you think would sell the best and allows you to be creative as you want.
If you can make your site stand out in the SERP's than you will have unlimited access to traffic which could lead you to very big pay days.
Before you can capitalize on all of this money that can be made online you are going to need to learn these affiliate website building steps to success.
In my opinion the best, easiest, and fastest way to build any kind of marketing site is to install and use WordPress.
So let's get to the website building process using the WordPress Content Management.
How To Make Affiliate Marketing Website For Beginners
Keep in mind that these steps have been created in regards to you already being signed up with an affiliate program and you knowing which niche you are diving into.
Would you like to know more about some of the best affiliate programs to use or is it help finding a profitable niche that you need?
Alright now that you have your Niche and Affiliate Program than lets move on to step 1.
Step #1- Choosing A Domain Name For Your Affiliate Marketing Website
In the first step of how to make an affiliate marketing website it is important to consider the keyword that best describes your niche and try to use it with in the domain name.
The reasoning for this is that it will help your SEO rankings in search engines such as Google,Yahoo, and Bing.
OK once you have chosen a name for your website you need to see if it is available for purchase.
You do this by finding a domain registry of your choice and simply following the on screen instructions provided and instantly you will see which domains are available for the name you chose.
When choosing your domain name it is best to choose one of the more commonly used suffixes (i.e. .com, .org), with the best being dot com name and if that is not available than the next best would be a dot org.
After you have chosen the new name for your website than you are going to want to purchase it so that you can move on to the next step of affiliate website creation guide for beginners.
Step #2- Finding Beginner Friendly Affiliate Marketing Website Hosting
Buying web hosting is going to be the next step on your journey to building the perfect website, and just like in step 1, there is also a lot of hosting companies to choose from as well.
For the most part, you can usually get hosting from the same business that you bought your domain name from but doing so can be pretty expensive.
You just need to choose your personal preference here as well and all hosting services are slightly different so I would suggest doing a bit of research in to which one you think would be best for your budget.
To assist you in this step I have provided you a list of the most popular hosting services on the web today:
Prices and services vary between each.
However I would recommend using Namecheap or Hostgator because these are the ones that will give you more bang for your buck.
On a side note:
I just want to take a sec and turn you on to a hosting service that will also include step by step video and textual training tutorials for any and every aspect of creating your own website.
Whether it be as an affiliate marketer or an online entrepreneur.
OH, and most importantly, it just so happens to be the same training site that taught me how to make money online as a beginner and it's also a membership that I still carry to this day.
Now, let's move on to the next step in the site building process.
Step #3 – Making Affiliate Websites WordPress Ready & User Friendly
Now it is time to install WordPress on your website, but nowadays, this step of the process is pretty much obsolete – depending on your hosting provider.
As I said before I recommend WordPress for the ease of its use and that it is pretty much ready to go once you download it.
After you have WordPress installed go to the dashboard so we can get a few basic things out of the way.
First upload the plug-ins and themes.
Then go to your plug-ins page and install them but if you do not see them there than click to add new plug-in and search for the plug-ins you need.
After you have your plugins activated you need to repeat this process for your theme by going to the themes page.
You will also need to go into your WordPress settings and erase all of the generic filler content such as the hello world filler and title and tagline filler.
Now that it is a blank slate (so to say) start filling in the fields with your content but be sure to change the title and tagline as to represent your new domain name (Site Title) and a catchy slogan of what your site is all about (Tagline).
Be sure to save all setting after any changes or they will not take effect.
However you can make the process of installing WordPress and building a website easier by finding an affiliate training program that offers free web hosting, training, and support to its members.
If this is something that you are interested in than you can read more about the online marketing program that taught me how to build an affiliate WordPress site.
Step #4 – Researching Profitable Affiliate Marketing Niche Related Keywords
This step is vital for the SEO optimization of your own affiliate website.
There are all kinds of different paid and free versions of keyword research tools that will tell you the level of competition for a specific keyword or keyword phrase.
These tools will also give you information as to how many times a certain keyword or keyword phrase gets searched for in a month or a day.
When you are just starting out it is best to find low competition keywords to write your articles around.
This will give your affiliate site a much better chance of getting ranked higher in the search engines.
Low competition keywords or long tail keywords are keywords or keyword phrases that have a respectable amount of search traffic each month with a low number of competing pages and there are also tools that will help you find these little SEO gems as well.
It is important to take your time on this step because this will be the heart and sole of everything you do from here on out.
The best keyword research tool in my opinion and one that I use myself to find low competition keywords is called Jaaxy but there are many more equally good tools out there that you can do this type of research with.
Step #5 – Creating Content & Generating Traffic For Your Affiliate Site
First off congratulations for all of your work so far and know that with this step you can make it all pay off as long as you complete it (and step 4) on a regular basis.
First thing we need to do here is to create a page that will essentially tell anyone that visits your site what your site is all about. When doing this you can add your own personal spin on it through your point of view.
Next part of your content creation is an about me page, which is pretty much how it sounds.
You can name this page whatever you want as long as you are describing yourself to your audience.
This is just giving them a little insight as to why they should take your advise by showing them you are an expert in your niche.
You will also want to have a privacy policy and a affiliate disclaimer page because many affiliate programs such as Amazon require you to have one to be eligible as an affiliate.
There are also plug-ins that you can get for WordPress that will help you get these sort of pages.
Now that you have that out of the way go ahead and start creating content using the low competition keywords you found in the previous step.
Don't forget to and add your affiliate link with in the page or post because without this you will not be making any money. Just don't go overboard and put your link in your content to many times or your site will not be seen as a quality site and Google won't rank it well.
When creating content it is very important to maintain relevance between your content and what you are promoting as an affiliate.
It is important that when you are writing your content for a particular keyword that you do not fall victim to keyword stuffing.
Keyword stuffing is when you add your keyword to many times with in a post/page or when you are putting your keyword in places that causes your content not to make sense.
Google will punish your website for these errors by giving you very low search rankings.
When you are satisfied with the content that you have created it is time to share it with the world by clicking the magical publish button.
Step #6 – Continue Making & Growing Your Affiliate Content & Reach And Content Revisions
Now that you have your basic site structure completed it is time to make it a bit more user friendly and on-page SEO ready.
There are dozens of other On-Page SEO best practices and tactics that you will have to implement but the one that matters most right now is adding a user friendly menu.
This navigational element will help ensure that your visitors are able to find what it is they are looking for no matter what their entry point may be.
A good rule of thumb here is to make it so that a user can get anywhere they want to go on your site in 3 clicks or less.
For more help and detailed insights about site navigation I would suggest you enroll yourself in an online marketing/money making training course.
As you move forward with growing your sites content, and begin to understand more about what makes a post or page rank, you may find yourself wanting to fine tune some of your earlier work, aka content revisions.
Anytime you want to revise a page/post or just make a few simple changes you will need to be sure that you click the update button to ensure the changes take effect.
Repeat this step often so that you stand a better chance of getting your articles ranked highly in search engines like Google.
High rankings will lead to an enormous amount of free traffic and as we have all figured out by now traffic equals money.
Build Your Own Website For Affiliate Marketing
OK, now you don't necessarily have to have a website in order to be successful with affiliate marketing but it will go a long way for increasing the amount of money you can make from it.
As well as help you be approved for most affiliate programs.
In this day and age of online money making, it is becoming a universal standard to have your own website if you want to qualify for the highest paying affiliate programs.
However there are still some that will let you get by without it but now that you know what to do to make your own you would be better off in the long run to do so.
There are plenty of platforms that you can use for free so your budget will not be an underlying issue for failure.
After all, Failure is not an option!
Now, get out there and start working on your new money making website because who knows you just might turn it into a full-time profitable online business that generates commissions for you even while you sleep.
Thanks for reading our guide on How To Make Affiliate Marketing Website For Beginners and if you have any questions about Building Your Own Affiliate Site feel free to leave them below – we look forward to hearing from you.


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Introduction: Bacon Blue PB&J
Not your mom and dads PB&J sandwich. This is an ultra rich and heavy sandwich that you may want to share with friends.
Step 1: Ingredients
1/2 pound of bacon
2 slices of grain toast
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup raspberry preserve
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup blue cheese
Step 2: Render Bacon
Cut bacon into small pieces and cook on medium for 12 minutes. The cook on the bacon is really up to you. If you like chewier bacon then give it less cooking time. If you like crunchier bacon then cook longer.
Drain away excess bacon grease. Preserve a small amount of the grease and mix into the butter.
Step 3: Butter Bread and Assemble
Butter your bread and put butter side down over medium heat. While you wait for the bread to toast, spread peanut butter and raspberry preserve on one side. On the other side, put crumbled blue cheese and bacon pieces.
You will notice the peanut butter and preserve side softening and becoming runny. The blue cheese side will become soft but will not melt. Cook until you begin to get a nice crust and golden color on your toast.
Step 4: Combine Halves Into Sandwich
Combine both halves into a sandwich. Continue to cook over medium until you have a nice golden crust. Do the same for both sides adding more butter as needed.
Step 5: Cut and Serve
Take sandwich off heat. Cut diagonally and serve. Enjoy with your favorite beer of coarse. I poured a nice brown ale with mine to cut through some of the richness of this ultra heavy dish.
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Thanks for the comment ColinS3. If you change the cheese, I would stick with something that's creamy such as a goat cheese or fontina. Let me know how it goes.
That's awesome. Please comment when you make it to tell me how he liked it.
Sounds extra delicious and I will make this for my son who is coming home from Univercity in August.
He is use to Yuppie food.

subset: commoncrawl


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chronic kidney disease
Is it Time to Rethink the Traditional Renal Diet?
The renal diet is commonly recommended for those with late stages of chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. The
Alkaline Diets and Kidney Disease
Many dangerous fad diets exist that purport to treat diseases such as cancer by manipulating the pH of blood with


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Detox and soothe your skin! This mud mask in a sheet mask form makes for an easier and cleaner application and removal. This mud mask is enriched with various minerals and amino acids to help soothe skin and calm irritations. Natural Clay and Bentonite removes dirt and oil and exfoliates dead skin cells while controlling sebum production. AMF (Artificial Moisturizing Factor) consists of nanoparticles that has the ability to slow down moisture evaporation, which guarantees 120 hours of moisture retention.
Size: 0.61oz
Remove the plastic film from one side of the sheet mask. Place that side of the sheet mask on a freshly cleansed face. Continue with the bottom half of the mask. Smooth out the mask to make sure there are no gaps between the top and bottom part. Leave on for about 30-40 minutes until the mask hardens. Remove sheet mask from bottom to top and rinse well with warm water. Follow with your usual skincare regimen.
You may feel a tightening sensation while the mask dries. This is completely normal and expected.
Water, Kaolin, Butylene Glycol, Bentonite, Polysorbate 20, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sea Silt (10,000ppm), Sodium Polyacrylate, Betaine, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Trideceth-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sarcosine, Silica, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Lecithin, Xylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Polyquaternium-51, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Root Extract, Abronia Villosa Leaf Extract, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Yucca Brevifolia Root Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Flower Extract, Fouqueria Splendens Stem Extract, Larrea Tridentata Extract, Potassium Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate, Glucose, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Glycoproteins, Glutamic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Threonine, Valine, Sodium Metabisulfite, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance.


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Compile Heart has released new information, screenshots, and video of Death end re;Quest, its upcoming PlayStation 4 RPG set in an online game corroded by bugs.
The new video, dubbed "Save the Enigma Company! Death end re;Quest Pre-Order Campaign," introduces the in-game developer Enigma Games, which created the virtual reality MMORPG "World's Odyssey" in which the game is set. In the game's story, the director of "World's Odyssey" suddenly disappeared and the project came to a halt. Now faced with a shortage of funds, the company is on the verge of bankruptcy. However… (here's where the pre-order campaign speak comes in) a new RPG project called Death end re;Quest was brought in from a certain publisher, and if it does well, Enigma Games will be saved.
The pre-order campaign runs from November 27 to January 31. Here are the ranks, which we assume are based on pre-order numbers:
- Rank D: Big Deficit – Bonus: None
- Rank C: Deficit Reducing – Bonus: PC wallpaper
- Rank B: Somewhat of a Deficit, Still Doesn't Want to Die – Bonus: PC Wallpaper + Item Set DLC
- Rank A: Recoup Surplus, Managed to Survive – Bonus: PC Wallpaper + Item Set DLC + PS4 Theme
- Rank S: Big Surplus, Death end Completely Avoided – Bonus: PC Wallpaper+ Item Set DLC + PS4 Theme + Swimsuit Costume DLC
- Rank SS: Super Surplus, Project a Huge Success!! – Bonus: PC Wallpaper+ Item Set DLC + PS4 Theme + Swimsuit Costume DLC + Compile Heart to Release the Virtual Reality MMORPG "World's Odyssey"
(Editor's Note regarding Rank SS: Your guess is as good as mine as to whether that means Compile Heart really plans to release "World's Odyssey" as its own, separate game.)
Here are the new game details:
■ Story
◆ Tips
House of Beginnings
The place where Shina awakens at the beginning of the story. It is a small house on the outskirts of Heartis where Shina awakens and loses her prior memories. Although the scenery outside of the house is peaceful, if you look up to the sky, the sky has split as if a giant hole had opened, possibly caused by bugs.
Heartis Royal Palace
The palace where the royal family of Heartis, the greatest nation in the world of "World's Odyssey," lives. Even after it was corroded by bugs, it luxury and glamour remains preserved. However, there does not seem to be any people remaining within the royal palace, and with the Martyrs becoming rampant, there are some who were originally Heartis soldiers, but were transformed and have come to attack. Lily Hopes is the princess of Heartis, and seemingly lived in this royal palace, but it appears that it cannot be said that she was very happy.
Strufil Royal Shipyard
A shipyard located in the ocean nation Strufil. Built on the coast, it is a large-scale facility that docks many ships. Before the world was corroded by bugs, the shipyard was overflowing with energy and many workers worked here, but now there is nobody here and the shipyard has an ominous appearance. While it is a shipyard, the facility also has various functionalities, and new paths may open by making skillful use of them.
Rhizaria Forest
A forest where the elves live. The forest was made to make those who visit lose their way, as the elves who oppose other races live deep within the forest. For that reason, it is difficult to reach the elf settlement unless you are an elf. At the center of the forest is a giant tree that is the source of their magical power. And within the forest are the remains of a legacy inherited by the elves from ancient times that operates with magical power. This legacy exists in various locations all over the world and is rumored to be related to the "Sky City" that adventurers aim to reach, and is also Shina and company's final objective.
■ Sound
Background Music
Compile Heart has shared samples of the following tracks:
If you didn't catch them before, Compile Heart previously shared these tracks:
Death end re;Quest will launch for PlayStation 4 in Japan on March 1, 2018 for 7,776 yen at retail and 6,912 yen via download.
View the screenshots at the gallery.


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District 59 looking for two more principals before start of school year
Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59 is looking for two more new principals to replace school leaders who announced at the end of the academic year they were taking jobs elsewhere.
District officials this spring already appointed three new principals ahead of the 2019-2020 school year, and say they plan to have the two additional hires made in time to ensure a smooth transition and preparation for the first day of school in August.
Ben Grey, the district's assistant superintendent for innovative learning and communication, said there are hiring processes in place for the administrator openings at both Brentwood Elementary School in Des Plaines and John Jay Elementary School in Mount Prospect.
Brentwood Principal Mike Merritt -- named the 2019 Illinois Elementary Principal of the Year in March by the Illinois Principals Association -- is leaving after being hired as superintendent in Gardner Elementary District 72-C, located in Grundy County. He spent five years at Brentwood after working at schools in Wilmington, Plainfield and Romeoville.
John Jay Principal Laura Sandoval was hired earlier this month as the new principal at Rollins Elementary School in East Aurora District 131, after spending years at John Jay and Salt Creek elementary schools in District 59.
Last month, District 59 hired Mark Rasar as the principal at Holmes Junior High School in Mount Prospect and promoted Michael Wall to principal at Forest View Elementary School in Mount Prospect. In April, the district promoted Bill Timmins as principal at Friendship Junior High School in Des Plaines. Their appointments take effect July 1.
There are 11 elementary schools, three junior high schools and an early learning center in District 59, which includes portions of Elk Grove Village, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights.


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Another shipyard is being turned into condos with an expensive view of a harbour front, following the trend across Canada that is seeing our ship repair business dwindling to a few survivors.
Dartmouth Marine Slips started business in 1890, though a marine shipyard was located at Dartmouth Cove beginning in 1830.
I found the aerial photo, below, online, which shows the yard in the 50s.
I joined my first ship there in the 80's. It was sitting on a slip on the end of the facility, 90˚ to the rest of the slips. The ship had been there for months having bottom damage repaired.
( Legend had it the the 2nd engineer, who was afraid of heights, would leave and rejoin the ship through the hole in the bottom, coming out in the engineroom and frightening the on-duty oiler half to death). On the first slip nearest the railway tracks, a fishing vessel sat for months. It had slipped off the blocks while the dock was being winched from the water and laid against the dock wall. Then one day she was gone, I never found out if they broke it up there or gambled that it would refloat and launched her.
The yard hummed with activity back then, with several smaller ships being hauled and undergoing refits at the same time. The machine and welding shops were busy and the fitters would go to ships throughout the harbour to do work.
As the years went by, business dried up and the workforce was laid off. In 2003 the Dartmouth Marine Slips was closed for good. The last ship they had worked on was the CCGS Parizeau in 2000, before that the CCGS Cygnus life extension. This was a far cry from the 40's when the yard was flat out doing repairs to naval and other ships.
Today the slips are gone, the marine railways pulled up and bulldozers and dump trucks are busy infilling. In a few years only housing for the wealthy will be on this locations.
In the picture to the right, the red brick buildings and dock, is the Maritime Regions Canadian Coast Guard base. Cutbacks over the years, have left those docks in bad repair and with the movement of the last two large icebreakers to Newfoundland, this base will be closed and the remaining ships based out of BIO. It is coincidental, I am sure that while this is happening, Quebec had a huge influx of cash to facelift their CG base, for the 400 anniversary of something. This waterfront area will be the next expensive condo development.


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The Christmas special is done and dusted and here are some updates on it.
Alexander Armstrong tweeted this filming picture with him and Matt Smith and it's turned out that his character is an RAF Officer named Reg Arwell. So, presumably that means that Madge (Claire Skinner) isn't a widow after all. Both Bill Bailey and Arabella Weir's characters have been confirmed as Mysterious Harvesters A and B so far. Whether that means they're good or bad is unknown.
Another filming picture of the Doctor and Madge Arwell. The Doctor's wearing a space suit, including the helmet backwards. Before the Christmas special, there's also a new video game on the BBC site from late October called The Gunpowder Plot with the Doctor/Amy/Rory battling Sontarans/Rutans and meeting Guy Fawkes. Ralf Little and Emilia Fox are amongst the cast for it.
Meanwhile DWM have their tribute issue for actress Elisabeth Sladen ready for October 20th. The issue will interview the likes of Tom Baker, David Tennant, Matt Smith and many more on the late actress and this week coming is also the airing of the final story for The Sarah Jane Adventures called The Man Who Wasn't There.
Last but not least, the complete sixth series of Doctor Who will be getting it's release on November 21st. There are supposed to be commentaries for the episodes The Impossible Astronaut, The Doctor's Wife, The Rebel Flesh, A Good Man Goes To War and The Wedding Of River Song as well as condensed versions of Confidentials, the prequels, the Comic Relief scenes, trailers, four Monster Files (Silence/Gangers/Antibodies/Cybermats), A Night's Tale and five new scenes as well.
The Christmas special airs on Christmas Day. Times have yet to be confirmed.


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Last minute group getaway in Bulgaria from £133pp - 7nts 4* hotel, flights, luggage & transfers
Ahoy pirates, these last minute bargain holidays keep coming, this group getaway in Bulgaria is coming in at under £140 per person for a week in a 4* hotel. The holiday is based on 5 sharing but the prices are still great for smaller party sizes. Holiday details Travel duration: 7 nights Example date: 14th… Lola


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US retail property giants joust over fate of takeoverRead more →
World property W12Feb20 – Simon buys control of Taubman
Simon Property Group Inc is set to buy 80% of The Taubman Realty Group LP.Read more →
Taubman sets up Asian venture
Published: 24 April 2005 Taubman Centres Inc, a US reit which beat off a takeover bid by Simon Property Group & Westfield in 2003, has formed a Hong Kong-based division to expand into Asia. It will be headed by Morgan Parker, an Australian who spent 7 years with Lend Lease Corp & Macquarie Bank in […]Read more →
Taubman loses management contracts on 9 centres while buyer Mills looks at productivity gains
Taubman Centres Inc, the US mall owner which fought a long & ultimately successful battle last year against takeover by Simon Properties (which was joined by Westfield Group in a joint bid), has lost a large chunk of its business through the sale of 9 properties it managed. General Motors Asset Management Corp swapped out […]Read more →
Mall owner Taubman upbeat
Taubman Centres Inc, the mall owner which beat off a takeover bid from Simon Property Group & Westfield last year, increased funds from operations 46.7% in the June quarter to US44c/diluted share (but up 7.3% if the costs incurred in fighting off the bid in 2003 are excluded), cut its net loss allocated to common […]Read more →
Taubman defeats Simon/Westfield takeover bid
Hostile bid withdrawn after law change US shopping mall owner Taubman Centers Inc has successfully fought off a takeover bid begun last November by Simon Property Group Inc and joined by Westfield America Inc. Simon bid $US20/share for Taubman, a company controlled by the Taubman family although it didn't own a majority of ordinary shares. […]Read more →


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Remy Ma Addresses Speculation She Disses Nicki Minaj In Her Music (VIDEO)
by Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY)
News, Videos.
(AllHipHop News) It has gotten to the point that whenever Remy or Nicki release a song or verse, people comb through the lyrics to see if there any subtle shots directed at the other.
Remy and her musical partner Fat Joe recently stopped by The Breakfast Club, and the interview included a conversation about the supposed subliminal feud with Minaj.
"If you look at the history of Remy Ma, whenever I've had a problem with any female in the entire game I will say your name," declared the "Money Showers" spitter. "I do not want you sitting there thinking, 'Oh my god, is she talking about me?'"
She continued, "I'm going to say your government [name]. I'm going to look it up. I'm going to say your mother's name, your father's name, your kids' name. I want you to know that I'm talking about you."
Rem went on to question why she constantly gets put in the same discussion with other female rappers.
"I don't even know why they keep comparing me to these girls. I feel like I'm better than a lot of these guys. I will rap circles around them with no problem, with my eyes closed," added Remy.
The joint Remy Ma and Fat Joe album Plata O Plomo is scheduled for release on February 17.
Remy's sophomore solo LP Seven Winters & Six Summers is expected to be released later this year.


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… Almost unprecedented war, pitting a country against itself on an epic scale. It's impossible to predict how history will judge this conflict, but however it does, it will be tinged with a profound sadness that I suspect we've only just begun to realize…
DMZ, Vol.11
When DMZ was first released in 2005, its concept – while grounded – would still have been considered slightly outlandish. Written by Brian Wood (Channel Zero, Demo, X-Men), the comic takes place during a second American civil war, where runaway government spending and burgeoning foreign conflicts have caused the rise of a secessionist army calling itself the Free States of America. Between the FSA and the United States government is the Island of Manhattan – the titular demilitarized zone – and its denizens, who have become little more than political props: whoever controls Manhattan controls the perceived heart and soul of America.
Within this larger geopolitical story is the tale of rookie photojournalist Matthew 'Matty' Roth, who gets abandoned in Manhattan during his internship with Fox stand-in Liberty News. Matty is, put delicately, an arsehole: he's selfish, childish, and not really smart enough for us to put up with those first two flaws for long. When he does good, it's usually to change the opinion of somebody close to him rather than as part of a guiding code of morals and ethics. Matty is a mercenary, in the literal and emotional sense. But that's what makes him so fun – he's not a hero. He's just the protagonist.
The Manhattan DMZ isn't far removed from Baghdad or wartime Sarajevo – it's a kind of city-wide Sniper Alley. Whole sections of the island are no-go zones, controlled by tribal warlords and FSA insurgents, and everyday life is often punctuated by the kind of violence westerners aren't used to seeing. But it's not all doom and gloom; New York is still New York, complete with block parties and various countercultures. Brian Wood spent a lot of time in New York, graduating from the Parsons School of Design in 1997 and later working for Rockstar Games, and his 'local' credentials are on full display in detailed descriptions of the city's various locales.
Halfway through DMZ's 72-issue run, Wood started to branch out with one-shot tales about Manhattan's other residents. These stories, drawn and inked by a range of incredibly talented artists, are just as important as the story of Matthew Roth – they give us the little slices of life that Matty can't. Random Fire, about a world-renowned DJ who comes to play a set in the DMZ, investigates the various ways people profit off war and how it affects those already trapped in it; Wilson chronicles one man's journey from low-level gangster to warlord ruler of Chinatown; Free States Rising shows how a grassroots movement that wants to fight the man can become just as bloated as the system it's working against.
Brian Wood's writing is staccato and prescriptive, turning Matty's innermost thoughts into an easily-digestible wire service dispatch, and where it really shines is in its examination of modern journalism: Wood takes us through the various dilemmas that Matty and his loose band of colleagues and rivals face while doing their jobs, and it's not always easy to stomach. Kelly Connolly, from CNN stand-in Independent World News, takes photos of orphaned children and bloodstained soldiers with chilling ease. Matty is a first-responder to suicide bombings and mass shootings, but he's not there to help: he's there to capture it for the 6 o'clock news.
Of course, a comic isn't a comic without images. Main artist Riccardo Burchielli does a terrific job of illustrating; his work is grimy and dirty, full of hard edges and worn down faces that tell us as much about the state of the DMZ as Wood's writing does. In some sections of the book, Burchielli employs a layout meant to mirror the actual photographic journalism that the main character conducts: single images – the wounded being carried to ambulances, a man holding his dead child – are placed alongside text from Liberty News, evoking the feel of a nightly news report in progress.
When it was first written, DMZ was about the post 9/11 world and the (unlikely) possibility that all of America's unjust wars might come back to bite them at home. Looking back on it now, the comic seems eerily prophetic, especially in regards to the rise of the Free States of America. They're a loose collection of sovereign citizens, hard-line Republicans, Nazis, and people who are genuinely concerned about the state of their nation. The FSA act as a kind of case study in how populism can unite disparate and dangerous groups – groups that otherwise might not get along – against a common enemy; in this case, establishment politicians and people from other countries.
It also shows, when widespread inequality and acts of racism are becoming more common, that strength comes from unity. The inhabitants of the DMZ come from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds, but they're shown to be the only group that can actually stand together. They help each other out pro-bono, offering food and medical attention and shelter to anybody, including Matty – a total outsider who might well have come to exploit them. The United States government is crumbling, and the FSA is rife with factional infighting, but Manhattan is almost a country unto itself – where the people speak a different language and conduct themselves by the rules of the city, not the rules of the country.
justify;">In a time when America is still fighting overseas wars and the nation is embroiled in political and cultural turmoil, DMZ is more relevant than ever. It tells a story that could very well take place next Sunday, and shows us a world that isn't so different from our own – a world where people couldn't get along and everything had to be put back together. When I first picked up DMZ, it was an enjoyably ominous what-if. Now, it's "what's next?"


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These questions were adapted from an excellence book on money management by Carl Richards–The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money. Richards was dealing mainly with investment decisions but I tweaked them a bit to apply to any decision. I look at them almost everyday; they are: If I take this … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: November 2017
Check Your Sources
Whether it is your drinking water, directions, promises, guarantees, or anything given—the source makes all the difference. Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. John 14:27 (NKJV) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the … Continue reading
Am I Okay?
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened." _Winston Churchill _______________________ Have you ever seen a little child running and suddenly trip and fall? Almost invariably they will get up look themselves over to see if they are okay and if everything … Continue reading
How to get your people to buy-in to you
It is easy to think of our people either being for us or against us. However, the reality is, most often our people are neither for us or against us—they are neutral. Who they are for, is themselves. When they say, "We had a great service!", what they're saying is, "The service ministered to me … Continue reading


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The conductive chambers inside the robot's artificial muscles can be loaded with fluorescent dye (as shown in the video accompanying the study and this release). In the future, the fluorescence could be used as a kind of signaling system. (Credit: University of California San Diego, https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/168795.php?from=391968)
Like a strangely plump, foot-long, glowing ribbon, a translucent soft robot is swimming silently through saltwater tanks in California. The robot is a product of the Bioinspired Robotics and Design Lab within the UC San Diego (UCSD) Jacobs School of Engineering.
"This design was inspired by the eel larva, also known as leptocephalus," UCSD engineering PhD student Caleb Christianson explains to EM. "These eels are transparent and are able to swim silently through the water."
The robot is 22 cm long, 5 cm tall, and 1.5 mm thick. Instead of using an electric motor to propel itself, the robot moves using water-filled artificial muscles and an electronics board that stays at the surface of the water. "It has six artificial muscles (based on dielectric elastomer actuators) in it that we activate in a controlled sequence with a microcontroller," adds Christianson.
Most robots deployed in the world's oceans today are like tiny submarines, rigid and moved by propellers, relatively noisy for marine creatures. This technology represents a step away from this kind of intrusive monitoring.
"Two key advantages of soft robotics over traditional, rigid robots are their improved safety and adaptability," details Christianson. "When working around fragile objects or living creatures, soft robots provide a safer alternative because of their inherent compliance. In addition, since they are flexible, they can more easily adapt to changing, uncertain environments."
The research is also unique in its incorporation of the environment into the robot's design: the salinity of the water is what helps the robot generate power to move. Cables feed voltage to both the pouches of water inside the robot's artificial muscles and the salt water it's immersed in. The muscles activate when the robot's electronics deliver positive charges inside of the robot and negative charges in the water around it; the muscles bend, causing the robot to swim with an undulating movement.
"The microcontroller sends a signal to high voltage converters, which put out 7.5 kV across each of the muscles, with respect to the outside water which is grounded," Christianson clarifies. "Despite the high voltage, the actuators work at very low current, which allows them to be used safely. While many other researchers use an opaque conductive material for the electrodes (e.g., carbon grease or carbon nanotubes), we use water, which is conductive enough to charge and discharge the actuators."
Other researchers have created robots using similar technology, but always with semi-rigid frames inside to maintain tension to power the robots. This study proves that a much softer robot is possible since the frames are not needed.
"The artificial muscles that we use in this robot are called dielectric elastomer actuators," states Christianson. "These are essentially stretchable capacitors, in which two parallel conductive materials sandwich a non-conducting, elastomeric (rubber-like) layer. One way to improve the performance of these actuators is to pre-stretch the dielectric layer, which requires the use of a rigid frame to hold that pre-strain. This imparts some amount of rigidity to the structure. In our design, we use non-prestrained elastomers, which means that the entire structure is soft."
Since the team is using water and transparent dielectric elastomers, the entire structure is translucent.
"This allows the robot to have 'passive camouflage,' which allows it to blend into the environment naturally," adds Christianson. "It also enables us to use different dyes in the fluid electrodes, such as the fluorescent dye shown here."
In fact, one future application may involve filling the conductive chambers within the artificial muscles with fluorescent dye for signaling. The fluorescent dye is what causes the glow in some images of the robot.
"It was recently found that certain eels will fluoresce," Christianson describes. "While the real reason for the fluorescence is up for debate, one purpose may be to help the eels locate each other during full moon spawning events. Since it's challenging to use radio waves for communication underwater, an alternative may be to use some sort of visual signaling. In this paper, we've demonstrated that the approach is feasible but the implementation and development is reserved for future work."
Also coming in the future for the research team will be increasing the robot's lifespan, equipping it with sensors, and enabling it to dive deeper.
"Improvement of the fabrication approach to increase the lifetime of the robot is reserved for future work, as is further optimization of the artificial muscles (e.g., their geometry) and their actuation sequence based on the natural motion and performance of the eel," remarks Christianson. "In this work, we have only tested in aquariums. Development of a robust ballast system for deeper dives is reserved for future work, but may involve the addition of weights or air bladders depending on the desired depth and the relative densities of the materials."
Eventually, the researchers anticipate housing a suite of sensors in the robot's head—and maybe in different locations on its body.
"It seemed to me to be a natural choice since many creatures have sensors (e.g., eyes, ears, nose, etc.) in their head," states Christianson. "There is also merit in distributed sensing, which will need to be explored in future work. We have not yet explored which sensors to include, which should be based on the needs of those who are interested in underwater exploration."
Ultimately, that's the hope of Christianson and the research team in a nutshell: an innovative soft robot that can be put to many different monitoring uses in the oceans.
Top image: Instead of propellers, our robot uses soft artificial muscles to move like an eel underwater without making any sound. (Credit: University of California, San Diego, https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/168796.php?from=391968)


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- Description
DetailsThe polarised Lenz Optics Rogue Discover Sunglasses give fly fishermen style and edge when out on the water, whilst providing premium eye protection and stellar performance to enhance your fishing experience.
The frame is constructed from highly durable TR90 (polymer plastic) materials that offer strength, toughness and help keep the frame light in weight for comfort. There is also nose and ear rubber inserts for excellent grip and comfort and the wrap-around and wide temple design keep light out and protect the eyes from all angles.
The ZEISS polycarbonate lenses are impact and scratch resistant for long lasting durability and are also light in weight. The lenses are also 100% polarised and give 100% UV protection for guarding your eyes against harmful rays and providing safe eye comfort.
The 100% polarisation helps to reduce and eliminate reflections off the water's surface when you are fishing. This will help keep your vision clear at all times, help reduce eye strain and give you crystal clear, relaxed viewing.
The Lenz Optics Rogue Discover Sunglasses have a medium/large sized fit and are supplied with an oil-resistant cleaning cloth and a foldable hard case in an exclusive blue colour.
You can choose your choice of frame and lens colour from our drop down menu.
Extremely lightweight and strong TR90 frame
ZEISS Polycarbonate lenses, lightweight, impact- and scratch-resistant in angular shape
100% polarised for elimination of water reflections
100% UV protection for safe total eye comfort and relaxed vision
Wrap-around and wide temple design to keep light out and protect the eyes from all angles
Nose and ear rubber inserts for excellent comfort
Includes oil-resistant cleaning cloth and foldable hard case in exclusive blue colour
Medium/Large fit
- Size Charts
- Specifications
Additional Information
Gender Male Brand Lenz Optics Stock Location L091
- Reviews
- Why Shop With Us?


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Wizards Tourney
Rating SummaryBased on 3 critic reviews
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
General Information
Developer: a bonfire of souls
Genre: Action
Wizards Tourney Reviews
Hobby Consolas
A simple, yet fun, party game (local multiplayer for up to 4 players) based on a magic tournament. An "indie" game made in Spain with the help of PlayStation Talents program.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
PSX Brasil
With a simple proposal for a competitive local game, Wizards Tourney captivates more by the art and use of various cultures in creating the characters and in the fun it provides when played with friends. Unfortunately it is a game that you can not enjoy solo and lacks more variety of content and new game modes. However, it is the right choice for fun along with friends and parties.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
DVS Gaming
Wizards Tourney doesn't boast the best graphics or soundtrack on the market, but what it does supply is worth way more than any of that. It provides a wholesome and experience for the entire family to enjoy.
Where to Buy
MediaView More
Wizards Tourney - Steam Trailer


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About TD
Join the new survival match in TD game and build up the strongest tower defense as soon as possible! It will create deadly weapons that can stop or destroy the enemy's waves before they invade your most important area and steal your gem. You'd better roam around and select the best place to drop blocks. Aside from that, you can purchase upgrades from the shop when you level up and save enough the skill poitns. However, you will have the chance to check more abilities. Good luck!


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McDermott International, Inc. announced a contract award for concept and engineering services for Talos Energy Inc. for the Zama field development project the first offshore Mexico block awarded to a private operator. The contract award is for engineering services, including concept selection and follow-on pre-FEED.
McDermott will execute this contract award with io oil & gas consulting, a joint venture between McDermott and Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE). McDermott will manage all phases of the engineering services process and will workshare engineers and designers in Mexico City and will receive continuous support from io and input from the customer. Based on the final concept solution identified by io, McDermott will provide the follow-on pre-FEED services for the Zama development. Work on the concept selection has begun with expected completion in the third quarter 2019.
"The Zama discovery is a significant and historic project for Mexico, and our customer, Talos Energy," said Richard Heo, Senior Vice President for North, Central and South America. "Early engagement during the conceptual and pre-FEED phases is a strategy that is proving beneficial to our customers. With high estimated oil production, designing an efficient concept solution, in combination with the integrated pre-FEED studies, allows us to help Talos maximize the value of this important greenfield project."
The Zama field is located in Block 7 of the Sureste Basin offshore Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico and has a water depth of approximately 540 feet (165 meters). The field was discovered in July 2017, and Zama-1 was the first exploration well drilled offshore Mexico by a private sector operator. Talos estimates the field has 400-800 million recoverable barrels of oil equivalent (MBOE), with an estimated peak production of approximately 150 MBOE/day. Appraisal activities are planned for late 2018 with two additional wells and first oil is expected by 2022.
The Zama field development project has shared participating interest among Talos Energy (35%), Sierra Oil and Gas (40%) and Premier Oil (25%).
The contract award will be reflected in McDermott's fourth quarter 2018 backlog.
About McDermott
McDermott (NYSE: MDR) is a premier, fully integrated provider of technology, engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. For more than a century, customers have trusted McDermott to design and build end-to-end infrastructure and technology solutions to transport and transform oil and gas into the products the world needs today. Our proprietary technologies, integrated expertise and comprehensive solutions deliver certainty, innovation and added value to energy projects around the world. Customers rely on McDermott to deliver certainty to the most complex projects, from concept to commissioning. It is called the "One McDermott Way." Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott's locally focused and globally-integrated resources include approximately 40,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world.
About io oil & gas consulting
io oil & gas consulting is a strategic consultancy created to provide greater certainty and higher decision quality to operators and help bring more projects to sanction by disrupting traditional approaches. io is unique with its integrated strategic-techno-commercial capabilities ensuring a balanced approach between commercial, technical and strategic priorities capitalizing on multi-discipline capabilities in subsurface, drilling, subsea, marine, facilities, decommissioning/life extension and environmental alongside economic modelling. We are a joint venture between Baker Hughes, a GE company, and McDermott and are unique in having their know-how, expertise and data 'hard coded' into our DNA.
About Talos Energy
Talos (NYSE: TALO) is a technically driven independent exploration and production company with operations in the United States Gulf of Mexico and in the shallow waters off the coast of Mexico. Our focus in the United States Gulf of Mexico is the exploration, acquisition, exploitation and development of shallow and deepwater assets near existing infrastructure. The shallow waters off the coast of Mexico provide us high impact exploration opportunities in an emerging basin.


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It is hard for mommy and daddy to believe that today you turn 8 years old. From the moment you were born, we loved you very deeply. Holding you for the first time, you cried and cried. And never closed your eyes. We had read all the baby books that said after babies are born, they are so tired, they sleep for several hours. But not you - no you stayed awake almost the whole night. You slept very little during those first days in the hospital. You were a fast delivery - only 4 hours of labor and 2 pushes before you came into the world. But the nurses warned me that you would have some fussy days because of that, and they were right.
You didn't want any pacifier they offered you. No, you wanted the ugly pacifier that a friend of mine had given me as a joke. A big, brown, soft binky was all you would take. But that was okay - it soothed you, and that all that mattered.
Happy Birthday Arlington Monkey Princess. We love you with every inch of our hearts.


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The following links show GIS and GIS related courses.
Esri Virtual Campus courses are free to UBC Faculty, Staff and Students. Please contact me or Paul via e-mail with the course name from the web link below. Remember, only courses Authored by Esri are available for free. Here is a list of courses you can take for free if you are a member of UBC.
For a full listing of all Esri courses to ESRI Virtual Campus Catalog
Here is a PDF file of Esri Virtual courses available for free using our site license and grouped by areas of interest: Esri Virtual Campus Learning Tracks 2014.
Still not sure what course to take? Esri has this cool page where you can drill down using categories to find individual courses: Recommendations Just remember not all of these courses listed are free from our site license. Some are instructor-led so check the list above to be sure the course you want is available. Also, some short courses are free so not listed.
There are also videos from the Esri International conference seminars which are excellent tutorials and are all under an hour in length. Check out the Tech Videos tab above for the current listing of seminars you can download for free.
SpatiaLabs 2013 –
Esri Press SpatiaLABS are standalone activities designed to promote spatial reasoning and analysis skills. Covering a wide variety of subject matter useful in standard computer-lab sessions and longer-term projects, SpatiaLABS illuminate relationships, patterns and complexities while answering provocative questions like "How might visibility have affected political boundaries in ancient civilizations?" or "Is there a connection between ethnicity and exposure to industrial toxins?" or "How worried should I be about the stagnant pond a quarter mile away?" Lab descriptions and downloadable material are available here.
Forestry GIS
The Faculty of Forestry has GIS as a part of its undergraduate and graduate programs. The Conservation program has a one term course introducing students to the design, development, and application of GIS. The Forestry undergraduate program has GIS in a number of courses, primarily in forestry measurements: FRST239, and FRST339. GIS is also a key component in Forestry course based masters programs: Masters in Sustainable Forest Management, Masters of International Forestry, Masters of Geomatics for Environmental Management.
Forestry Remote Sensing is taught primarily in one course FRST443. Forestry graduate research in remote sensing is centered in the IRSS lab.
Geography GIS


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Two lives of devotion intertwine
When we met in October 1995, Lilly was 66; I was 63. We were in New Jersey for the annual meeting of the Well Spouse Foundation -- an international organization where caregivers of chronically ill spouses shared their experiences. Lilly was president of the foundation.
My wife, Carole, had been ill since 1968 with multiple sclerosis. She was also bipolar and suffered from paranoia. I had written a book, "The Other Victim," about caregiving, and was asked to talk about the book.
Lilly heard I was in public relations and asked if I would help with the organization's publicity. During the following months, we were in constant touch and managed to meet a couple of times when I came to New York, where Lilly lived and where the organization was headquartered. I lived in Potomac, Maryland.
As the months passed, our communications increased. Both of our spouses were in a downward spiral; George, Lilly's husband, had also been diagnosed several years earlier with MS. Lilly was the only person I wanted to talk to about what was happening, and I was the only one she wanted to discuss her problems with, too. Family and friends could not begin to comprehend our daily burdens as caregivers.
In the winter of 1996, Carole attempted suicide and I had to commit her to an institution. At the same time, Lilly's husband was exhibiting signs of mental deterioration. Lilly and I kept each other together and able to cope, although we lived 250 miles apart.
One day, I called Lilly to tell her that I was coming to New York. She picked me up at my sister's house in Bayside and drove to Jones Beach, where we walked the boardwalk and talked about our families. After lunch, we went to the movies; I instinctively put my arm around her. Lilly nestled into me, and when we left the theater, she told me, "Something's going on here." I had no clue.
At dinner, in a restaurant near her home in Roslyn, I felt so normal. And so did she. But when I returned to Maryland, I was confused and told my therapist about Lilly. The therapist said, "Maybe there's something more going on here," echoing, in a sense, what Lilly had said. Later, I learned that Lilly had also seen her therapist, who gave her the same diagnosis as mine had given me.
The next time I saw Lilly, there had been life-altering changes for both of us. We had been advised that our spouses belonged in a nursing home; we could no longer manage their care at home. After dinner, I asked Lilly if I could kiss her. There was no hesitation. She suggested we take a walk in nearby Christopher Morley Park in Manhasset. We held hands, and I told her that I loved her. To my relief, she said she felt the same.
Despite my joy that my relationship with Lilly had reached a new level, I felt guilty. When Carole and I married in 1955, I was in love with her and still loved her. But I knew I loved Lilly. When we were together, I never felt as if I was cheating. As time passed, Lilly and I managed to spend some precious time together, almost monthly. The one aspect of our relationship that bothered me terribly was lying to Carole. On balance, I believed it was better than telling her the truth.
Although Lilly and I had talked often about being together sometime in the future, after George's death in 2001, I realized Carole's life in the nursing home would probably go on for years. I suggested to Lilly that it might be prudent if we ended our relationship so she could meet someone to fulfill her life. To my relief, she said emphatically, "No!"
Carole lived for nearly 14 years in the nursing home and died in June 2010. Over the years, my three children had met Lilly, and I had met her two children. However, while her grandchildren got to know me after George died, my grandchildren didn't know about Lilly while Carole was alive. Several months after Carole passed away, I wrote emails to my four eldest grandchildren. I told them that despite my relationship with Lilly, I was always there for their grandmother and was a strong advocate for her care.
I told my three younger grandchildren about Lilly in person. My grandson, who was 15, said, "So, I guess you were having an affair." His father, my son-in-law, quickly told him that I had been a caregiver for Grandma for nearly 42 years and that I deserved some happiness.
And, I have found that happiness with Lilly. A year and a half after Carole died, Lilly and I had a formal commitment ceremony. We had wanted to get married, but a major impediment was that, if one of us had to go to a nursing home, the spouse would have to pay the bills. I had spent more than $1 million on Carole's care, and it had taken a severe financial toll. Also, when Lilly and I die, we want what each of us has in savings, etc., to go to our children and not to each other.
As far as I am concerned, we are married. After our commitment ceremony before 75 family members and friends, I told Lilly I wanted us to wear wedding bands, and she heartily agreed. She's my wife in every aspect possible, except for a piece of paper certifying a marriage.
We live together now, and though we are in our 80s, we feel so fortunate to have each other. Sometimes we feel like teenagers -- only a bit more experienced and a lot wiser.
Alan Drattell,
Floral Park
LET US HEAR FROM YOU Letters and essays for MY TURN are original works by readers that have never appeared in print or online. Share special memories, traditions, friendships, life-changing decisions, observations of life, or unforgettable moments for possible publication. Email email@example.com, or write to Act 2 Editor, Newsday Newsroom, 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville, NY 11747. Include name, address and phone numbers. Edited stories may be republished in any format.


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Magento Web2Print Reviewed
A common challenge for many Magento store owners who use Magento to sell Digital Printing services online is receiving and handling customer artwork. The challenge is actually multi-tiered as there are many different ways for customers to order digital print products online. For example, some products only allow "print-ready" graphics to be uploaded to the product prior to checkout, other products allow the customer to upload an image or artwork source-files after checkout with the option of having a proof sent back prior to production, while other products are completely customizable online in the web-browser – these are the true Web to Print Magento products – and customers can dynamically configure size, text and colors, insert clipart or upload their own images, etc. to create completely unique print-ready graphics online.
To overcome the various complexities mentioned above, we have created several web-to-print modules for Magento – ranging from incremental extension solutions to complete Magento web2print packages. The following article briefly summarizes several tools that we think will change the way Digital and Offset Printing companies use Magento to drive new business online.
Smart Front-end File Uploaders: Flash, Silverlight, HTML4 and HTML5
Our latest file uploader for Magento – Mico Upload Ultimate – is the best front-end upload tool for Magento yet. It comes loaded with features that every Digital print shop needs to successfully capture and manage customer file uploads. Some features include:
Smart Runtime Detection
The new line of Mico Upload extensions use smart browser detection to serve up the best uploader runtime available based on the capabilities of the customer's bowsers. This means if the customer's browser does not have flash, a HTML4, HTML5, or Silverlight runtime is served to them instead, and the module has graceful degradation so it will keep trying runtimes in a selected order until it can find one that the browser can use. It is fully supported on most android mobile platforms and we are even working on iPhone/iPod touch/iPad compatibility for a future release.
Dynamic Image and Image Source-File Previews
The Mico Upload Pro and Ultimate version take advantage of industry standard PHP libraries to enable real-time image and source file thumb creation to let the customer know "visually" what file they just uploaded to the server. This feature greatly enhances the customer experience factor and helps ensure the wrong files don't get uploaded to the customer's order.
Custom File Handling – Post Checkout Server File Management
A huge task that often gets overlooked prior to launch is the default file handling of Magento for customer uploaded files. The default filing structure in Magento (behind the scenes) for uploaded files can be rather cumbersome for the pre-production team as it organizes the files into several directories based on the state of the order and actual filename, putting files in a structure like:
And then into two more child directories based on the first two letters of the actual file-name. So in the end, customer file uploads with the names like Image_012.jpg and Source_ART_FINAL.psd end up in the Magento file structure like this:
/media/custom_options/orders/i/m/filename.jpg (or hex number for filename)
/media/custom_options/orders/s/o/filename.jpg (or hex number for filename)
This default method makes it almost impossible for any Magento store owner to access the server via FTP to download all files related to an order. Our solution to this problem was to provide a way for the store owners to override the storage location for completed orders to make it easier to follow and manage. A common file structure most clients prefer is: /orders/ordernumber/filename1.jpg ...
Along with changing the file save location for completed order, our new uploader allows for filename manipulate as well. The store owner can add product details directly to the filename so that they can instantly tell how to use the file just by looking at its name. Options like sku, quantity, option-title, etc can be inserted directly into the filename to make it is easier for pre-production and other pre-press scripts to set up files respectively. Click here to learn more about the new Mico Upload Ultimate file uploader for Magento
Pre-press and Image Proof Integration Directly in Magento
A vital and much needed integrated feature for all Magento-driven Print stores is the ability to engage with the customer directly from the Magento back-end/Admin area. By default Magento provides a method for store owners to offer comments and status updates related to an order but it currently does not allow the customer to comment back or upload files, and especially not approve or decline proofs associated with orders. As a result we have developed an extension called Advanced Proof Systems (APS) for Magento.
Magento Proof System with Customer Comments and Approval Actions
When installed, the Advanced Proof System allows Magento store managers to submit proofs directly to an order with comments and with a way for the customer to approve or decline the proof, comment back, and even upload a new file if necessary. This extension takes advantage of the built-in comments stream on the front-end of Magento in the customer dashboard area so all comments and proof details related to an order can be visible to the customer at any time. The APS extension also has the ability to change an orders status based on approval or decline, and even the ability for the Magento store to email a specific manager address when a customer uploads a new file for a proof or approves or declines a current proof. With this module, the workflow from order capture to production is significantly improved as all details are contained and managed from within Magento. Full details on the APS are coming soon. The module is completed but the documentation and public sandbox examples are currently being built.
Complicated Magento Pricing Made Simple with XLS and CSV Spreadsheet Price Solutions
By far one of the most challenging hurdles for any print store in Magento is the pricing structure. So many products, so many discount tiers, so many variations and algorithms for materials, inks and other production tasks to consider. Our solution for this challenge is a spreadsheet strategy. Everything from custom price tiers based on quantity and square footage or both, to variable product based add-ons, to dynamic weight based on size. Our goal is to allow Print shop owners to configure and manage their pricing in the same fashion they normally do, in a spreadsheet.
CSV Pricing per Product or Group of products
Some clients prefer to set price sheets for each product in their store. We offer modules that use industry standard commas separated value (CSV) to set the pricing for products with all their variations. CSV price sheets can be uploaded individually to each product or uploaded globally and then assigned to one product or a group of products.
XLS Pricing for All Products in One File
Other clients prefer to have one complete Excel file that encapsulates all the products they offer in the store. The advantage to this is simply all data for pricing is in one locate, one file. Each product can be its own sheet within the Excel file and options and variation for the products can be set differently per sheet. When prices or variations need to be changed, the store owner simply opens the Excel sheet, makes the needed changes, and then re-uploads the file to the Magento store and the updates go into effect immediately.
Turnkey Web to Print (W2P) Extension for Magento
Lastly, our capstone product for Magento is our new Mico Web to Print (W2P) extension. This module is the most advanced module we have created yet. It allows customers to customize text, fonts, colors, sizes, and graphics directly online and then saves the design in a print-ready format that can go straight to pre-press for review and production. Store owners can upload templates to each product that can be used as the base design for customers to start out with. They can be layered and have images and text. The module will prepare a PDF proof for the customer and also a print-ready design file for the store owner available in the order review area in the backend or via FTP in an organized file structure.
The advantage of the Mico Web to Print extension is that it does not require any third-party processing server, images are processed on the same server as your Magento server. There are some minimum RAM requirements and Linux module requirements necessary for use but they are usually met on 90% of the hosted platforms available. More information and formal documentation on the Web 2 Print module will be available soon. Email email@example.com for more details or to request a demo.


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1995 Princess 480 with 2 x Volvo Penta TAMD A 430hp engines, bow thruster, generator and a huge array of extras. She has a total of 8 berths in 3 cabins and 1 x Crew cabin.
1995. GRP construction with white topsides and superstructure, aft cockpit, steps to flybridge, teak cockpit, bathing platform, twin engines and bowthruster.
Marine Projects / Princess. HIN: MPPGB084C595
LOA (Metres): 14.83m 48'8"
Draft (Metres): 1.22m 4'0"
Beam (Metres): 4.32m 14'2"
Air Draft (Metres): 5.87m 19'3"
Cabins: 4
Fuel capacity 1800 approx ltr Total - 2 Tanks
Water capacity 700 approx ltr Total - 1 Tank
2 x Volvo Penta TAMD 72P-A-EDC 430hp inboard diesel engines with shaft drive to fixed propellers.
Fuel consumption (approx) 90.0 ltr /hour At Cruising Speed
Cruising speed (approx) 20 knots
Max speed (approx) 28 knots
Engines serviced July 2020, propellers polished, new anodes fitted, seacocks serviced.
Bow thruster with controls at both wheel positions.
10KvA diesel generator. 240v shore power with battery charger. Charging to 12v battery system with 6 x 12v batteries.
Stainless steel pulpit and rails, cockpit canopy, flybridge tonneau, bimini top, stainless steel davits, horn, windscreen wipers, deck shower, anchor with chain, electric anchor windlass, mooring warps and fenders.
Plastimo compass, Autohelm log/speed, Autohelm echo sounder, Autohelm multi and GPS repeaters at flybridge, Shipmate RS8300 VHF radio, JVC FM/AM radio with speakers, Autohelm ST6000 autopilot with controls at saloon and flybridge, Furuno Navnet plotter, Standard Horizon plotter at flybridge, Furuno radar, Clipper navtex, navigation lights.
Fire extinguishers, electric bilge pumps, manual bilge pump.
Eberspacher diesel hot air heating system throughout. CruiseAir air circulation system. 240v shore power and on-board diesel generator with 13 Amp sockets throughout. Her galley has a Neff hob with 2 electric hot plates and 2 gas burners, Panasonic microwave, large front opening refrigerator, twin sinks with hot and cold pressure water supply.
She has 8 berths including;
Owners cabin forward with en-suite heads, wash basin and shower
Guest cabin to port with 2 single bunk berths
Guest cabin to starboard with 2 single berths
Guest heads with marine toilet, wash basin & shower
Crew cabin aft with 2 single berths and separate heads
Purchased by her present owner in 2016, "Azzaro" has sumptuous accommodation with owners cabin forward, 2 guest cabins plus crew quarters aft. Fully equipped for life aboard including heating, generator and well fitted galley. She is currently lying afloat on her hammerhead berth at Tollesbury Marina.
Tollesbury Marina
Woodrolfe Road
Tollesbury, Essex CM9 8SE
United Kingdom


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News and Stories
LIVE FROM THE FIELDS: Oxnard Strawberries
March 11, 2019
Please click here to view a Markon Live from the Fields video about strawberries in the Oxnard, California growing region.
- Several recent rain events have diminished supply and caused quality challenges for California strawberry growers
- Harvesting crews have been working to strip damaged fruit from plants, preventing them from reaching normal volume
- Better weather is forecast for the next several days
- Minor water damage will linger through the middle of next week, but color, quality, and size will improve
Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.
John Galvez
Quality Assurance
©2019 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.


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I never write the lyrics first.
Usually I start with the chord progression that I work out on my piano.
I then create a singable melody.
Then I find words and phrases that naturally match the rhythm of the melody.
I reinforce whatever imagery those initial bits inspire.
So what are the lyrics about?
None of them are love songs.
For me they fall into several possible categories:
–Wacky conspiracy theories that date back centuries
–Questionable advice from doctors and/or psychiatrists
–Movies or musicals that never got made or did but remain obscure
Feel free to suggest what you think Motor Ballet songs are about.


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At Adogable Pet Services we're launching a new line of exciting luxury services to kick off the New Year! We already offer more than premium grooming and with our highly skilled and experienced staff, we go above and beyond to make sure your dog or cat is finished looking, show ready, prize worthy and Puparazzi perfect. Adogable's award winning stylists offer top notch AKC grooming for any breed, with skills to fix any garage-groom you may have had in the past. We are now proud to announce our newest high-end spa services; a full time "Spaw" so that your pets can enjoy the luxury and pampering they deserve! Services include a warm Therma-Wrap treatment, Spa-Paw; pad re-moisturizing, relaxing massage and blueberry facials, all of which re-introduce essential oils and moisture back into your pet's skin and coat. Only the highest quality, all natural conditioners and treatments including soothing lavender. All our services are especially beneficial for older dogs that suffer from arthritis and hip dysplasia, even though all pets will enjoy and benefit from these luxury spa treatments. The same relaxing and silky soft feeling you get after a day of indulgence is now available for your favorite, furry family member. We invite your fur kid to come to Adogable's and get the undivided attention and TLC that our caring staff will provide.
At Adogable We Care About Your Pets Wellness.
Schedule a pet grooming appointment!
One of the Exciting New Spaw Services at Adogable!!
~Because we care about your pets wellness ~
-Luxury Therma-Wrap-
Our Moisturizing Therma-Wrap adds elasticity and restores damaged coat, while soothing and moisturizing the skin. This is pampering at its finest. First your pet is bathed in one of our specially formulated all-natural, soap and detergent free shampoos. After rinsing, we apply a luxurious remoisterizing conditioner, rich in essential fatty acids and oils, Aloe Vera and oatmeal, onto your pet's coat, massaging into the skin. Next, your pet is wrapped in a warm, moist towel for 15 minutes, with lots of affection from your pets stylist throughout this relaxing treatment.
-No Cage Drying- is ever used! It is always a one on one experience here at Adogable Pets.
The results are therapeutic, especially for older dogs with arthritis, sore muscles and hip dysplasia. Most importantly your pet will feel fantastic!
X Small- $15, Med-$20, Large $30, X Large $35
This add-on service is in addition to the price of a bath or groom.


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Capital Area Housing Partnership (CAHP) joined forces with the REO Town Commercial Association to unveil community painted murals today at the historic Walter H. French school. The large-scale paint-by-number mural was designed by two Lansing based artists – Joy Baldwin and Eric Schantz. The concept portrays influential artists, musicians, and world leaders such as Oprah Winfrey, Gandhi, Janis Joplin, Dave Chappelle and Lansing's own Burt Reynolds. The murals now adorn the ground floor of the building south of REO Town.
At the annual REO Town Art Attack event on Saturday, August 25, 2018, neighbors and community members had the opportunity to participate in the completion of the murals. "Partnering with CAHP for this year's REO Town Art Attack was a huge opportunity for both organizations. The Walter French mural project is the largest impact project we've ever taken on and we're so proud to have our community be a part of it", said Ryan Wert, RTCA executive director.
CAHP acquired ownership of the former Walter H. French Junior High School, located at 1900 S. Cedar Street in Lansing, in December 2017 via a donation made by the Louis J. Eyde family and the George F. Eyde family. CAHP, a local nonprofit development organization, plans to pursue a mixed-use redevelopment of the historic Lansing building, to include a variety of residential options.
"We are excited about the potential of the Walter French building and transforming it into a wonderful new place to live in Lansing", said Mikki Droste, CAHP executive director. "At this stage in the process we are working to solicit community input on the use and design of the property. Partnering with the RTCA to unveil these murals will help raise awareness of our efforts. The building has a rich history and unique architecture that has played a significant role in Lansing's educational history."
Additional recognition should be extended to the project sponsors including – Home Depot, TriCounty Regional Planning Commission, O'Leary Paint, Trumble Group, Michigan Realtors Association, EXIT Realty Home Partners, REACH Studio Art Center, Lansing Board of Water & Light, and the Arts Council of Greater Lansing. The murals are now on display. ###
About Walter H. French Building:
Constructed in 1925, Walter H. French Junior High School was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015 based on its architectural significance and contributions to the field of education. The National Park Service noted in its review that the building is one of the largest and most decorative pre-World War II public school buildings in Lansing. Designed by local architect Judson N. Churchill in the Arts-and-Crafts style, with Tudor-inspired detailing, the school is noted for making important contributions to the field of education in Lansing with the development of a progressive curriculum.
About CAHP:
CAHP is a nonprofit Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) that believes in strong neighborhoods, housing choice and vibrant communities. We recognize each community is unique, with many populations calling it home. We strive to create a balance between owner occupied and rental housing, as well as providing affordable housing options. We believe strong partnerships between local government, neighbors, businesses and organizations like ours are best able to achieve these results. www.capitalareahousing.org
About RTCA:
The REO Town Commercial Association is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit established in 2001 by a group of business owners and neighborhood residents to promote cultural and commercial development in REO Town. Originally home to the R.E. Olds Motor Company, today REO Town is known for its vibrant arts scene and is home to a dynamic and diverse community of restaurants, retail shops, and professional services. We are a thriving community where people meet to create, experience, and share art, food, and culture.
Source: Press Release


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Daniela Falecki from teacher-wellbeing.com.au has been called the 'Keep-it-real Teacher' because she is passionate, energetic, funny and most importantly realistic. As a teacher for more than 20 years, she knows all too well the stress, frustrations and struggles teachers face.
You might remember Daniela from Season 3 where she shared her journey from teacher to coach to PD presenter in Episode 2. She's also one of the sponsors of the podcast so I'm thrilled to welcome her back as a repeat guest!
In this episode, Daniela shares how teachers are faring at the coal face, what she is hearing from teachers around Australia and some really valuable advice about time management. She also explains some important questions you need to be asking in order to support yourself, as well as evidence-based strategies for your wellbeing, and some great resources too.
You can connect with Daniela @teacherwellbeing for Instagram and Facebook, @dfalecki on Twitter and LinkedIn.
This episode is brought to you by Daniela Falecki's teacher wellbeing cards. These 52 cards give you simple daily reminders to help better support your wellbeing. Find them and Daniela's other resources at www.teacher-wellbeing.com
Listen via the Whooshkaa player below, on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.
Subscribe to make sure you won't miss an episode, and please leave a rating and review so more people can find the show!
Enjoy the podcast!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Be awesome like Kirsty and Jane by becoming a supporter of the Teacher Wellbeing Podcast on Patreon here!
- Book a spot for the Toowoomba Teachers Time Out mini-retreat on Saturday 20th October, 2018 here
- Find out more about B J Fogg's Tiny Habits that Daniela mentions here
- Martin Seligman's PERMA model of happiness
- Mindfulness apps Daniela Mentions are Calm and Insight Timer
- Daniela's Book Recommendation is First Aid for Teacher Burnout, by Jenny Grant Rankine, which you can find in most online bookstores such as Amazon
- Follow me on Facebook.
- Follow me on Instagram.
Questions, comments, episode ideas and to volunteer to be a guest on the podcast, email me: ellen [at] selfcareforteachers [dot] com [dot] au
Remember: you are a person first and a teacher second! Be well!


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Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Teaser Tuesdays
Okay, I know when we talked about memes last week I said I was only doing one and that was enough. Well, I might have been wrong. Teaser Tuesdays is just too much fun to pass up. Here's how it works:
● Grab your current read.
● Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
● You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
● Please avoid spoilers!
So, here are my sentences for today, from my current book, Confessions of a Contractor...
She was a rust-bucket on her last legs, no doubt about that, but I couldn't bring myself to part with her. She was an old friend who never let me down on a single job, and now she was in the hands of someone else." Page 92.
Want to know who "she" is? Check out the comments!
Labels: Teaser Tuesdays
7 comments:
- Lisa said...
Henry Sullivan is talking about his father's truck, which was recently stolen.
Also, my copy of the book is an ARC, so pages may vary in the final version.
- August 12, 2008 at 1:00 PM
- Erin said...
I've heard people talking about this book. It sounds interesting! Thanks!
- August 12, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Thanks for choosing to play along in the TEASER TUESDAYS event! :)
- August 12, 2008 at 1:30 PM
- Literary Feline said...
What a great teaser!
- August 12, 2008 at 1:42 PM
- LisaMM said...
Fun! I did one on my blog too.
- August 12, 2008 at 5:44 PM
- Joanne ♦ The Book Zombie said...
Great teaser, I love how the author gives such personality to the truck.
- August 12, 2008 at 6:20 PM
I like this! I am a hoarder!
Check out my teaser
- August 13, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Choose your room
Located in East Melbourne, Georgian Court Bed & Breakfast is minutes from Fitzroy Gardens and National Sports Museum. This bed & breakfast is within close proximity of Melbourne Cricket Ground and Parliament House of Victoria. Featured amenities include luggage storage and laundry facilities. Free self parking is available onsite. Make yourself at home in one of the 30 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available to keep you connected.
Useful information:Other names for Georgian Court Bed & Breakfast:
Georgian Court Guest House


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From a couple of days of research, we found that you people are searching for the best chest workout routine. You are also looking for a way to gain more mass within a period. Then you are here at the right post. As in this article, we are going to share the best workout routine.
In Google, you will find many such articles who claim that they are providing the best workout routine but trust me most of that article are none of use. Here in this article, you are going to learn perfectly and somewhat unique from others.
The chest is the most important part of the body for man. As well as it is also an attractive body part. So those who don't want to make there chest a good one? You need to just follow the chest workout routine which we will mention below of this article. A good and strong chest improves the overall physique of the body. For increasing the level of adjustability and the level of pressure control for chest region then you must workout with dumbbells and an incline-decline bench.
Now let me discuss with you some of the most important chest workout routines, which will help you to build a strong and robust chest.
1:- Dumbbell Press- this exercise it's quite easy and basic to do. If you are performing this exercise it does not only help you to grow your chest but it also helps in growing your upper arms and shoulders. The normal way to perform this exercise is on a flat bench but don't worry with the time pass the variation is also available to build your chest quickly you can do this exercise in incline and decline. While doing this exercise you must keep in your mind, that you should not drop the dumbbell very quickly as it could damage the shoulder and the rotary cuff.
2:- Dumbbell Fly- is also an important exercise you must do. Dumbbell fly helps you to build your chest and to gain muscle in your chest very quickly. This exercise also increases the strength of the whole body which includes deltoids, biceps, and triceps. Dumbbell fly is a simple exercise but it is an exercise which is very effective as it improves the flexibility of the body part also. You have to do this exercise like dumbbell press on a flat bench as well as variation is also available.
3:- Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover- this exercise is very risky but on the other hand is also a very effective one. The reason I am saying risky because when you are performing this exercise you must have right weight knowledge to use if you will use overweight then it will push muscle fatigue at a rapid pace which will damage your muscles. The reason I am saying effective exercise as because this exercise activates the muscles in the chest, arms, shoulders and the back. While you were performing this exercise you must keep someone who will observe your exercise, if you do something wrong so that he can help you to correct it.
4:- Incline Dumbbell Fly with a Twist- this exercise is similar like regular dumbbell fly. It activates all muscle which is active at the time of normal dumbbell fly. But the best part of this exercise is that it acts on the rotary motion of the shoulders. Instead of doing traditional bench press you can do Incline Dumbbell Fly with a Twist.
5:- Around the World- this is an exercise which is mainly made for chase workout, this exercise is done to build better chest strength and endurance. During the movement of this exercise, it also activates the muscle of the shoulder. This is the ideal exercise and easy exercise to perform for the beginner and amateur trainer.
6:- Flat Bench Dumbbell Press- You can activate numerous stabilizing muscles as well as can do the movement of muscle, this is the reason why this exercise is so popular for a chest workout.
If you follow all of these above-mentioned exercises in your chest workout then trust me you can see a great change in your chest as well as the whole body part. If you get the success then visit our site and share your thoughts with this article.


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Private equity investors have long sought access to direct, asset / transaction level investment opportunities that bypass the traditional private equity fund structure.
At Energy Finance Partners, that's exactly what we provide: Direct private equity investment opportunities with best-in-class oil and gas operators with differentiated strategies and skillsets. More specifically, our platform provides:
- Access to differentiated assets.
- Financing vehicles optimized for the asset and the specific investment thesis, investment horizon, and management objectives and constraints.
- Ability to execute a series of separate transactions with selected management teams.
- All the benefits of a private equity investment model without the private equity fund superstructure and inefficiencies.
- End result for the LPs is a high-quality portfolio of E&P assets with real-time risk and valuation monitoring capabilities.
Each of our dedicated financing vehicles is structured for delineated assets and targeted, aligned capital partners, inclusive of consideration for efficient cross-border investment into US real assets.
As EFP participates in the economic upside of delineated assets — in a junior position versus the LPs — our compensation structure aligns us with managers/operators of the assets.


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Release Date: 11/01/1992
Usually ships within 24 hours
Price: $23.38 - $42.50
The complete condition of pre-owned Lemmings includes Case, Manual, Box
NOTE: DLC or online access codes may not available and may require additional purchase on preowned games. Product images are stock photos and may differ from what are available. If you prefer to receive a specific version of the same title, please use "my message to eStarland" from checkout page.
Thousands of Lemmings™ are on the loose, marching towards extinction unless you can save them. Without minds of their own, they are completely helpless, faithfully following their leader through 100 levels of blazing fires, endless canyons, deadly tunnels and ancient ruins.
One thing's for sure: their future lies in your hands, because beyond every obstacle awaits certain disaster. Lose one Lemming and you risk losing them all!
You can command the Lemmings to dig, climb, tunnel, float and build their way to safety. But you have to be fast, because with each moment you hesitate, more Lemmings may drop from above!
What does "Complete" mean?
The buy and sell value of Lemmings (Nintendo/NES) is based on how "complete" it is. When in the "complete" condition this used Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game includes:
Current Sell Price: $42.50
12 Mos Average Sell Price: $42.5
36 Mos Average Sell Price: $42.24
Lifetime Sell Price Range: $11.95 - $42.5


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Sep 14, 2018
SalesTech Star Announces Phobio's Partnership with MarketSource
Phobio recently announced that MarketSource, the proven alternative to outsourcing sales, has selected Rodio (an AI-powered bot) to help build its Representative Engagement Platform (REP). The partnership was initiated to drive workforce communications, engagement, and execution across tens of thousands of retail locations.
Check out SalesTech Star's coverage of the partnership here.