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By Blamuel Njururi, Kenya Confidential Editor-in-Chief – Nairobi, October 22, 2017
Coincidentally, on Maraga's bench were two women one arguing that evidence before the Supreme Court was falsified and the other contending IEBC servers were not open to NASA scrutiny and possibly falsify data therein
Our Sermon this Sunday is on the Biblical most famous King Solomon. As Solomon took over as king, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and offered him anything he wanted. So there he was, confronted with a huge appetizing buffet. Solomon could have asked for absolutely anything, and yet instead of asking for riches, or power, or for a long life, or for the death of his enemies, the Bible tells us that Solomon asked for an "understanding heart" so that he would be able to judge God's people and that he would be able to "discern between good and evil."
One day he was confronted with a very taxing case. Here are two prostitutes living together who each gave birth to baby boys within three days of each other. But in the night, one mother accidentally rolled on top of her baby and smothered the baby to death. She then switched babies in the middle of the night, giving her roommate the dead baby and taking the living baby as her own. But when the other woman woke up to nurse her son, she then realized that the dead baby was not her own.
God granted the King wisdom. Solomon was able to make such a wise decision because he loved the Lord, because of the good example that had been set for him by his father, King David, and because he approached the situation with great humility
As the Bible says in James 1:5, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." And so, like King Solomon, we can also ask God for wisdom.
And so, if you will, please look with me at 1 Kings Chapter 3:verses 16‐28.
16 Then two women who were harlots came to the king and stood before him. 17 The one woman said, "Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house.
18 "It happened on the third day after I gave birth, that this woman also gave birth to a child, and we were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, only the two of us in the house.
19 "This woman's son died in the night, because she lay on it. 20 "So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom.
21 "When I rose in the morning to nurse my son, behold, he was dead; but when I looked at him carefully in the morning, behold, he was not my son, whom I had borne." 22 Then the other woman Page 2 of 5 said, "No! For the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son." But the first woman said, "No! For the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son." Thus they spoke before the king.
King Solomon with two prostitutes claiming baby's ownership
23 Then the king said, "The one says, 'This is my son who is living, and your son is the dead one'; and the other says, 'No! For your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.' " 24 The king said, "Get me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king. 25 The king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other."
26 Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!" 27 Then the king said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother."
28 When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the King, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
As we look back over the Scriptures, I would like for us to apply it to our situation today by considering several aspects of what happens in Kenya. One of the first things we notice is King Solomon is presented with what appears to be an UNSOLVABLE DISPUTE – the way repeat Presidential Election has been made to appear.
King Solomon decided to give the baby to its rightful mother without much ado judging from the bravado displayed by the lying pretender. Kenya's Chief Justice David Maraga killed the baby he was begged not to by lawyer PLO Lumumba even without looking at it by way of determining how many physical votes the two presidential contestants Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Amolo Odinga had polled.
Kenyans are now being told that Maraga presided over a majority of four judges who based their judgment on falsified evidence and forged document. Coincidentally, on Maraga's bench were two women one arguing that evidence before the Supreme Court was falsified and the other contending IEBC servers were not open to NASA scrutiny to offer opportunity to falsify data therein. What greater damage can a judge do to his country and fellow citizens than to force open sensitive servers and flood gates for ethnic chaos that would push Ksh 12 billion of a poor country down unrecoverable drain?
What conscience keeps such a judge in office today? That is the same judge who showed no mercy over victims of January 1, 2008 Kiambaa Church by setting free those who set fire upon innocent babies old women and men any many saddled in clutches as cripples. What God does such a judge pray?
It is difficult to tell how Maraga could do that, how he could recognize irregularities and illegalities through electronic system his entire bench knows nothing about – knowledge of which he denied the Kenya Communications Commission an opportunity as an Amicus Curiea. Maybe I will be accused of being unfair to Justice Magara and his ICT illiterate bench, but my basic understanding of electronic systems tells me voters' verdict cannot be wholly determined on the basis of electronic transmission system. Votes that are cast can in a recount.
Maraga set free Kiambaa massacre suspects charged before him on the basis that prosecution witnesses could not identify them. His verdict came after the women, who escaped the brutal carnage, fainted on seeing the men who burnt their children, husbands and friends in Kiambaa Church. Maraga did not see any sense in adjoining the hearing until the traumatized women were adequately counseled to partially overcome the lifetime trauma.
Maraga's Supreme Court is now fighting to subvert investigations by the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) into claims of evidence documents falsification and perjury by NASA witness affidavits. Why would a Court purporting to be beyond Ceasar's wife reproach fear such investigation?
See Related topics:
Supreme Court Staring at a Scandal of Monumental Proportions
International Conspiracy to Topple Kenya Government?
Raila plans to use United Nations, American and British support to…
When those creaming loudest condemning the August 8th Election are MCAs, Members of Parliament, Senators and Governors drawing salaries as products of the same election, I cannot tell what colours selfish thieves of public coffers come in. To me, they are both small brained and deviously greedy without shame. But somehow they are not able to tell the difference. Voters have the ability to do that.
And that is exactly what happens every election cycle because Kenya politicians do not respect the National Anthem. They have no decorum in dealing with those with different view pints and hold no societal values.
NCIC – Dear Kenyans, Kenyans Embrace Peace
The picture emerging from current political turmoil following Maraga's judgment is that NASA should have preferred Uhuru's victory swapped in the night and given to Raila. Uhuru strongly insist that the living baby is his but he is willing to go for a repeat election. But as the case with the woman who was stealing the baby she was so insistent that she was even willing to lie to the King, to commit perjury – even to the point where she would allow her roommate's child to be butchered right there on the spot. This is messed up situation Kenya is in with claims that Supreme Court said Uhuru stole the Raila votes!
There is so much that is wrong with this situation, we hardly know where to start. King Solomon faced two prostitutes living on their own! We can imagine that they probably have no idea who the child's fathers are, and so there is no one they can call in to testify that they recognize one of the children. They were not living with family, and so there are no witnesses to what happened.
And since both women are prostitutes, it was not as if you could call in any character witnesses to testify that one of the women was an upstanding member of society, but they were both of questionable character. And then, of course, this takes place in the days before DNA testing. There were no CSI teams to come in and take swabs to sort out the truth here.
On top of that, it appears that both women were too poor to have attorneys, so they end up appearing before King Solomon, arguing back and forth with what appears to be an unsolvable dispute. As we let this sink in a little bit, we realize that sin can lead us into some really messed up situations. That is quagmire Maraga landed Kenya into despite having the benefit of all technological and scientific ways of detecting forgeries introduced in the Supreme Court petition evidence.
Sin has the ability to warp the truth even to the point where it seems impossible to sort it all out. Sin can cause things to get so twisted that we may be tempted to just throw our hands up in despair. That is the kind of situation that King Solomon is dealing with here in 1 Kings 3. II. That is what Independent Elections & Boundaries Commission (IEBS) chairman Wafula Chebutaki finds himself today with unsolicited advisers calling for dialogue and negotiations.
Before him is a case of a Presidential candidate who wins a petition yet turns around and pulls out of a repeat poll after imposing conditions almost impossible to fulfill, very similar to splitting a living baby in two halves the way one the prostitutes wanted. Indeed, NASA is already advocating for secession led by its political charlatan David Ndii, that would see Kenya mutilated into two pieces, to create Luo Nation for Raila to be president.
Mutilating Kenya to create a country for Raila Presidency
There is a second aspect of this account that I would like for us to consider, and that is: God CARES. In fact, we could take it even further and say that God is interested in granting access to justice, even among the poor and immoral, the desperate and hopeless. So here is Solomon, one of the most powerful kings in the world, and yet he takes the time to judge a dispute between two prostitutes in the Bible and judges in Kenya throwing their country to hell.
We have no idea what the mother of the living baby had already tried up to this point. We assume that she appealed for justice locally, perhaps with some kind of local magistrate, perhaps her case was dismissed at several levels due to a lack of evidence, but due to this woman's persistence, eventually the case makes it all the way to King Solomon. That was not the case with Presidential petitions since they fall under the armpit of the Supreme Court.
And so we find that two prostitutes in ancient Israel had access to their government. They had that access because God has always been concerned about justice. God wanted the truth to come out, regardless of any moral failings that these women might have had. In the New Testament, you may remember that Jesus also dealt with people of questionable moral character.
God does not ignore our problems, but God is concerned for us because of our problems. In the same way, there are so many other things that Solomon could have been concerned about as king, and in the big picture, nothing really bad would have happened to the nation if Solomon had not stepped in here, but Solomon was concerned that justice should be carried out, just as God was concerned and blessed Solomon with the wisdom to handle this particular case.
As Solomon looked at this situation, he knew that somebody was lying. Either the story was true that one mother had switched the babies, or one mother was lying to try to get a baby that was not hers. One way or the other, somebody was not telling the truth. And so faced with this case, Solomon starts to figure that one mother truly cares for her son and one mother is merely cold‐hearted and selfish, grasping for a child that was not truly hers. Instead of giving her child a decent burial, one of these women was a selfish kidnapper who was trying to steal a child and was willing to lie about it all the way to the top.
Solomon, therefore, in an effort to cut through to the truth, calls for a sword and orders that the living child be cut in half so that each mother could have a piece of the boy who was left. Immediately, of course (in verse 26), we find that the real mother is "deeply concerned."
She has a gut feeling that only a mother could have, she gets "hot in the womb," and she says, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." And then, as we might expect from a lying, selfish, kidnapper, the other woman says, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!" Now, we know that it makes no sense to divide a child. And yet when greed and envy get involved, we know that making sense is not really a part of the equation anymore. That is where Kenya is today with some people calling for negotiations founded on lies, threats and street demonstration in which innocent lives are lost.
Street demonstrations demanding more than Supreme Court gave
Those who do evil do not always make sense. Solomon knew this, and so he used this knowledge to his advantage, and his threat of using the sword actually worked. The real mother spoke up and asked that her son be spared. Instead of watching her son be sliced in half, the real mother was willing to give him up; she was willing to let her son be raised by another woman.
We cannot imagine what a difficult decision that must have been, to think that she would allow her son to be raised by an evil, conniving fellow prostitute. How hard that must have been. But it fits in with what we know, that being a parent is hard work. There are some difficult decisions involved, and sometimes it's not fair, especially to parents.
What Kenyans are faced with is a little like wrestling a Gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired, you quit when the Gorilla is tired. How is that for an interesting mental picture of what it means to be a real parent? It involves sacrifice even when we do not feel like it. Nevertheless, by using this test, by threatening with a sword, the case was solved, and Solomon demonstrated the wisdom of God, giving the boy back to his real mother.
Kenyan voters must not allow their country to be mutilated by ethnic warlords threatening secession if elections take place on October 26th 2017. Turn out with your swords in form of VOTES, and cast them to protect Kenya your Motherland. Choose your next President without fear or favour but through your God-given Solomonic wisdom. Remember, people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care – especially for your fellow human beings and your country. Election offers citizens the opportunity to do just that.
May Peace reign upon Kenya. Amen.


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If you ask about the best electric skateboards among the ones which are super small in size, my answer in a moment would be Acton Blink.
It is appraised as the world's lightest electric skateboard that arrives in a quick and minimal bundling.
Out of the crate, this skateboard is prepared to utilize. No mind-boggling fixes, no advanced controls. Simply trust over, get the remote control, and you are good to go to make the most of your ride.
Since it utilizes lithium-particle batteries, it gives you more reinforcement time when contrasted with the other batteries. This battery controls an electric engine mounted on fluorescent back wheels.
In spite of the fact that you can step by step increment or diminishing the load up, in case you need an exciting ride, this can speed up to 15 mph in a few moments. Nonetheless, its mileage is really unremarkable, just 6 miles, yet it is reasonable when contrasted with its size and cost.
It barely takes an hour for a full revive, so you are never late for work and can simply make the most of your ride.
The remote control interfaces by means of Bluetooth, fits pleasantly in your grasp and is anything but difficult to utilize. If you are as yet befuddled, you can have a look at Acton's instructional exercise video. This RC has three settings:
- Appropriate for Normal
- Left for Pro
- Focus kills the control
Acton Blink Board Pros & Cons

subset: commoncrawl


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The dirt on NASA's clean room
New Atlas' Michael Franco finds out what it takes to enter a clean room at NASA. It involves a german shepherd, booties, a room filled with airplane spray nozzles and a line he definitely shouldn't have crossed. Oh, and no nylon. Definitely no nylon.
The heat from the Florida sun is a force searing its way through my skin in search of bone to bake. Not only does it drop from above, but it radiates from the hot black tarmac on which myself and a handful of others stand uncomfortably. Our belongings have been lined up in a row alongside us. And then the dog arrives.
It's a beautiful specimen of a german shepherd, long and enthusiastic, being led by a sturdy military-type with a buzzcut wearing what looks like mercenary gear. The dog is led down the row of belongings once. Then twice. Then he and his owner head back to their truck and drive off. We have passed. We are free to go into the blessed blast of cool air on the bus that's been idling alongside us for what seems like hours, but has really only been about 15 minutes.
No, this isn't the plot from some tourist-runs-into-trouble B-movie. It's how my recent press trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Titusville, Florida began.
Myself and a small cadre of other journalists were there on Saturday to get a sneak peek at the space agency's new OSIRIS-REx satellite. Among a few other mission goals, the spacecraft will be obtaining a pristine sample of the regolith – or soil – from an asteroid known as Bennu. Because of that pristine part, precautions for the visit were high.
OSIRIS-REx is currently in a clean room at the KSC and NASA has every intention of keeping the room free of potential contaminants. The reason is simple – anything that's introduced to the satellite at this point could travel to space on its surface and get mixed up in the pure sample of space-rock dirt it will be bringing back to Earth in 2023. When that sample returns, NASA will be analyzing it for amino acids – one of the basic building-blocks of life – and if the satellite gets a bit of human on it before it goes, it could blow the whole thing.
So, while we're on the bus to the clean-room facility, our guide reiterates what we all received in an email prior to the trip:
Long pants and closed-toe shoes must be worn. No tank tops, shorts or skirts will be permitted. Full clean-room attire must be worn and will be furnished. Attendees may not wear perfume, cologne, hair spray, nail polish or makeup. Those wearing makeup will be required to remove it prior to entry. No piercings of any kind are permitted in the PHSF (Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility) … Photographers will need to clean camera equipment under the supervision of contamination control specialists … Non-essential equipment, such as suede, leather or vinyl camera bags, carrying cases, camera straps, accessories with Velcro and selfie sticks must be left outside the clean room. No notebook paper, pencils or click-type ballpoint pens are permitted; clean-room paper will be provided.
After a safety briefing in which we are told that the satellite is loaded with hydrazine fuel and has small explosives on board, we are finally allowed to begin the entry process.
First, I have to put my shoe-clad feet in a cleaner that's similar to those found in classic hotel lobbies. It sucks my foot in and brushes down all the surfaces. Next, we are asked to put blue booties atop our shoes and enter the staging area.
Here, a team of NASA employees, all of whom take "pristine" very seriously, help us get dressed. Face mask and hairnet first, followed by a hood and full-body suit. Another set of booties go over the blue ones and get tied, and I put nitrile gloves on both hands, which are then secured to the suit with orange tape. As I'm dressing, another NASA worker wipes down my camera and recorder.
We will only have 30 minutes with the satellite, so the pace is snappy.
Once we're all prepped, I am allowed to take my camera and recorder back, and myself and a colleague step into a long narrow room where air nozzles like those found above airline seats stud the side walls. Once the door shuts, the nozzles turn on and we are encouraged to take an air shower.
Finally we're let into the clean room where the satellite sits at one end, and the even more impressive fairing that will carry it into space sits at the other. We are required to wipe our gloves down with an alcohol solution and then set free to explore.
Unfortunately, I wasn't told about the orange line on the floor. So while I was practically crawling inside the fairing, marveling at how amazing it was that I could be so close to the inside of something that will soon be hurtling into outer space, I get a tap on my shoulder asking me to step behind the orange tape on the ground. The mission team members who ask me to back up made a bit of a joke about how I would now have to be eliminated, and we all laugh a little nervously.
I go about my photo-taking tour, this time being obsessive about staying behind the orange tape and soon I am visited by one of the mission members. Turns out, I really wasn't supposed to step over that tape, so I'm now being asked to delete the photos I took. Gulp. After happily complying, I'm allowed to wander – supervision free – through the facility and even interview the mission's principal investigator, Dante Lauretta. Thankfully, the NASA folks are a pretty forgiving lot.
Not only does the space agency take great precautions with the people who enter and exit the room, but they had to take precautions with the facility itself.
"This facility had housed lots of things with amino acid properties that you never think of: tie straps, velcro – all over the crane consoles, boxes and everything," NASA's Linda Lee Matthias told me. "We had to walk every square inch of this room from 12 feet down, purge it all and replace it with stainless steel tie straps, metal mop buckets for the cleaners, or other types of materials. It went on and on and it took a really good collective team that was able to communicate together with one goal – and that's mission success."
So what, in the end, is the big deal about nylon?
"It's kind of like an incubator for amino acids," Matthias said. "It's primarily a touch-transfer hazard." So in other words, if someone touched a piece of nylon where some amino acids were hanging out and then touched the satellite, those aminos could get mixed up in the return sample and give a false read.
Matthias also revealed that the craft had received its final wipe-down and was ready to be moved into its fairing. Once there, the capsule will be closed and the bottom will be sealed with a temporary barrier that will be removed once it's placed atop the Atlas V rocket that will carry it skyward on the planned mission launch date of September 8.
So there you have it. If you ever get invited to a NASA clean room, be sure to leave your nylons at home, be prepared to look a little silly, and do not – no matter what – step over the orange line.
This video provides more details about the trajectory of the OSIRIS-REx satellite.


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Basic Rafting & Kayaking Training Camp
Kundalika River, Kolad
Contact us for more info
A white-water Rafting and kayaking course designed to impart the foundation skills to a novice white water enthusiast. The kayaking and Rafting lessons would focus on developing the basic skills and to practice the same in white waters with safety ensured by our professionals.
The plan would include theory sessions on white-water kayaking and rafting and lot of river practice. After completing this course we would present you with a souvenir certificate, and would introduce you to the vast world of kayaking ahead. We have exclusive kayak river trips which you can join in the future, once you have successfully completed the basic course.
Get into the driving seat, and experience the challenge, adrenaline and satisfaction of white-water Rafting and kayaking and pursue a new passion.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Introduction to the gear and the basic paddling strokes.
Reach Kolad by 10.00 am. A brief introduction to the kayaking and rafting equipment, before we hit the water. Types / importance / usage / maintenance of Equipment. Our session would start with basic paddling strokes, turning strokes to get the basic control and balance of the boat. Long boating session with working lunch. Towards the end of the river time we give the experience of wet exit, and Eskimo rescue to the participants.
Day 2: Learn ferry skills and assisted eskimo rescue.
Today's objective is to learn leaning techniques and ferry glides. Practice of Kayak eskimo rescue would also be high on the agenda. Safety on river - general safety / safety gear / signals. Paddle commands - basic strokes / paddle signals. Basic manoeuvres - ferry / eddy out / peel out
Day 3: River run to experience all the skills in easy whitewater section.
Now is the time to put our basic skills to use, and we would a short river run. We would practice all the skills on the river along with the team of professional kayakers and Experts. Capsize recovery and rescue techniques.
Day 4: River run in class II kind of rapids.
Today we do a river run of higher difficulty level. All the skills learnt would be practiced in gradually difficult waters. The river run would be about 10 kms long, and would encounter 3 rapids of class II+ kind of difficulty level. At the end of the river run we would have a short de-brief and we would introduce the participants to the road-map ahead, to continue their learning in future. Camp ends after Lunch and distribution of certificates
COST : Please ask for the price for your group
Certificates will be issued by : Wild River Adventures and Water Sports Asso'n, Roha - Raigad
Accommodation on multiple sharing basis in Non A/c. (A/c accomodation can be made available on request), All meals as per itenerary, use of kayaking and Rafting gear ( Raft, kayak, spray deck, wet suit, paddle, helmet, PFD stc), instructions, river guides for safety/rescue support, local transportation for river sessions, all necessary rescue and first aid equipment.
Expenses of personal nature, insurance of any kind, anything not mentioned explicitly in the above program. Travel to and from Kolad not included but can be arranged on request. Car pooling is the best option instead of booking a private vehicle as we shall be there for 4 days
Personal torch, quick drying clothes/swimming costumes for Rafting & kayaking, waterproof floater kind of sandals with securable back strap, retainer cord for sun glasses/prescription glasses, cameras, sun protection/block cream, moisturizer, towel, toilet kit etc
- Minimum age for participation is 15 years for our training programs.
- This is not a luxury trip; days would be tiring and intensive.
- People with past history/ailment of heart, asthma, epilepsy should take medical advice before enrolling.
- Weather disruptions may at times result in discomfort or unplanned adjustments.
- Please look at the inclusions and exclusions in the price section.
- Full payment is required 30 in advance to confirm a booking.
- 75 % refund if cancellation happens 20 days prior to departure
- 50 % refund if cancellation happens 10 days prior to departure
- No refund for any cancellation/no show in the last 10 days prior to departure


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Gates gave 'remarkable' interview ahead of vaccine conference
In an interview with the UK's Daily Mail, Bill Gates talked family, friends and global health. The world's second-richest man was striking in his normalcy, sharing how he is teased by his kids, works too much and isn't worried about a personal legacy.
"Legacy," he told the Dail Mail, "is a stupid thing! I don't want a legacy. If people look and see that childhood deaths dropped from nine million a year to four million because of our investment, then wow!"
The Daily Mail acknowledge that Gates gave them the interview, published on Saturday, in order to bring more coverage to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization pledging conference held this past weekend. Monday, GAVI reported that the conference netted pledges of more than $4 billion from government and organizations such as the Gates Foundation.
Gates said his kids tease him by singing the lyrics of the song "The Billionaire" by Travie McCoy and Bruno Mars. About their futures, he said:
"They will be given an unbelievable education and that will all be paid for. And certainly anything related to health issues we will take care of. But in terms of their income, they will have to pick a job they like and go to work. They are normal kids now. They do chores, they get pocket money."
He said while he enjoyed the recent U2 concert in Seattle, he drove his daughter and her friends in the family minivan, he wasn't invited back stage – but, of course, Bono stayed at his home.
About more serious matters, Gates said in addition to working in Seattle on Foundation business, he makes sure to get out into the field to stay grounded in what his foundation is all about:
"It is important to see places. When you go into a ward with kids who have cholera, it's horrific. They are losing their vital fluids and their brains are shutting down. As a father, as a human, it's just horrific."
For the compete interview, check out the Mailonline.


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vines lumbar pillow in blush
You can see why this vines pillow in blush is continually one of our best sellers! Printed front and back in a happy, optimistic, but still neutral, blush tone on upholstery weight, natural slub, Belgian linen/cotton blend base cloth.
The sweetest and chicest pillow to add to your collection. This vines pillow is the perfect subtle pop of pink to add to your living room, bedroom, or nursery.
Pillows are the best way to add dimension and a pop of color to your space instantly.
style number: 1000103-1220-BL
- 12"x 20"
- 15% belgian linen, 85% cotton
- signature brass logo zipper closure
- printed and manufactured in the USA
insert option: pillow inserts are plush recycled poly down alternative in 100% cotton case, made in Brooklyn
wash care
Spot clean with mild detergent


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Nell Tiger Free
Nell Tiger Free is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Myrcella Baratheon in seasons 5 and 6 of the television series Game of Thrones, replacing Aimee Richardson. She has also played as Chloe Crumb in the film version of Mr. Stink, Anna in the film Broken, Janey Carter in Amazon Prime's Too Old To Die Young, and Leanne Grayson in the Apple TV+ series Servant. She will later play Lavania in season 2 of the Apple TV+ series Dickinson replacing Anna Baryshinkov.


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Marta Lolita. Age:22. Passionate cat, which has an incendiary temperament and a beautiful figure, wants to purr and frolic with an insatiable stallion.
Sophie Lynx. Age: 31. EXCLUSIVE PORN STAR ESCORT SOPHIE LYNX available for local meetings. Services: Sex In Different Positions, Oral, Oral With Condom, Kissing, Kissing With Tounge, Cum On Body, Deep French Kiss, 69 Position, Extra Ball, Erotic Massage, Striptease.


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Gift Guide: Head In the Clouds
I really wanted to put together a gift guide with dreamy items that feel transportive and magical for you and your best girls. We're all spending a lot of our days fighting the good fight for our future while trying to just be functioning humans — it's a lot. Here are a bunch of things — with varying price points — that I find happy-making for those times when you take a breath and mentally float away in the clouds for a while. More GIFT IDEAS.
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS GIFT GUIDE: 1. Pink Clouds Print 2. Diamond Suncatcher 3. Stained Glass Triangles 4. Star Lights 5. Les Paillettes Highlighting Palette 6. Splash Out Nail Polish 7. The Prism Oracle Deck & Guide 8. Marbled Ceramic Candles 9. Winking Eyes Studs 10. Blush Silk Eye Mask 11. Moon Dust 12. Painted Wristlet Bag
13. Pastel Twilight Jute Mat 14. Nile Glass Vase 15. Pink Hi-Gloss Tray 16. Dusty Blush Chaise Lounger 17. Blush Linen Pillowcases 18. Pink Marble Coffee Table (50% off!)


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Genuinely Hilarious Things Magic Streamers Have Said
Topical_Island last edited by Topical_Island
A thread to record the collected wisdom of Vintage streamers. (Bonus points if it could actually function as an adage on a fortune cookie... or if you're an original, card carrying member of the Rich Shay fan club.)
Topical_Island last edited by
"If you find yourself at a point in your life where you're not sure if something is a Farmer or a Sheet of Ice, I suggest you put it in a beverage. If it screams, it was probably a farmer."
- Rich Shay
Topical_Island last edited by Topical_Island
"Sometimes you get beaten up by Thalia and her friend the flying horse, but sometimes you set them adrift! Viking funeral style!"
- Rich Shay
Juggernaut GO TMD Supporter last edited by
"rich shay is a robot programmed to get every blue draw spell ever printed restricted."
travis laplante - just now


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Masturbation and self-exploration are natural components of human nature. Not only is masturbating pleasurable, but it helps us look after our minds and bodies while better understanding our sexuality. In addition to helping you get to know yourself better, it can also help improve your sexual relationships overall, by giving you the power to articulate exactly what you want when with a partner.
We spoke to sex therapist Mia Sabat at Emjoy, the sexual wellbeing audio app for women, about the health benefits of masturbation.
Consider masturbation self-care – it's a term that implies attending to your personal needs, and attending to your body without feeling guilt or remorse. Why shouldn't masturbation fall into this self-care category? Masturbation is enjoyable, it enables people to take care of themselves in ways many other self-care rituals don't, and it brings a wide range of positive side effects and health benefits that can improve people's daily lives. Plus, it's free! If you want to masturbate, and are curious to discover more about you and your sexuality, then masturbation can only be beneficial to your mind and body.
Am I masturbating too much?
Masturbating as often as we want is not a problem, unless it ends up being an obsession. If the need to masturbate is constant and we stop doing our usual daily activities to do it or if we can't control it and end up practicing it in inappropriate places, then there is a problem.
Additionally, if we still do it, despite having irritated or broken skin in the genital region, we should consider seeking support.
Many times an addiction can occur because, by masturbating, we release complex chemicals, the most important of which is dopamine. Dopamine is associated with a strong feeling of well-being and it is this feeling that often causes people to become addicted to masturbation. If you fear that you are in this situation, you should visit a sex therapist or your GP.
Health benefits of masturbation
Masturbation releases endorphins
Masturbation offers a wealth of both mental and physical health benefits. One of the best benefits of masturbation is that it comes with the release of endorphins, which are hormones that promote wellbeing and boost your mood.
Masturbation helps to relieve stress and reduce pain
Masturbation further helps your body to combat stress and even reduce, if not relieve, pain. With women, for example, the contractions and endorphins released during the climax can help reduce menstrual pain, with some studies even finding that orgasms effectively reduce migraines and headaches – talk about a natural pain reliever!
Masturbation boosts your immune system
In addition, more and more studies and research are concluding that masturbation and sexual stimulation benefit your overall health: alongside stress reduction, masturbating improves the immune system, helps to exercise the pelvic floor, and helps to improve sleep.
Masturbation helps us connect with ourselves
One of the most important, and often overlooked benefits of masturbation, is that self-pleasure allows us to connect with ourselves. Masturbation gives people the opportunity to understand their bodies, their reactions, and their sexuality, so they can try out new habits and ways to touch themselves when alone. This is crucial because when individuals get to know their bodies better, they are better able to communicate their needs and preferences, which allows them to engage in a more fulfilling sexual experience, both with their partners, and with themselves.
Masturbation gives you a greater understanding of your wants and needs
Masturbation helps us better understand our sexual wants and needs. The more we listen to our body, the more we will appreciate it, boosting our self-esteem and increasing our feelings of desire.
Masturbation increases libido
Both sex and arousal are born in the brain. The more we experience pleasure, the more we want, because we think more about it. When we haven't had sex for a while, most of the time we don't even think about it. One of the biggest queries and concerns is the loss of desire or not reaching orgasm: well, without any doubt, masturbation is one of the keys to changing this. But remember: the important thing is to connect with ourselves.
Masturbation can strengthen your anatomy
Masturbation and pleasure should be enjoyed. It should not be an obligation or feel stressful. In addition to the many mental health benefits, masturbation also helps to maintain the elasticity of the vulva and the vagina's muscles and tissues.
Masturbation improves body confidence
Learning to appreciate and understand the beauty of our bodies is a very powerful thing. Realising that we can make ourselves feel good can help us accept, appreciate and love the amazing body that we have been given, consequently helping us to be kinder to ourselves.
Masturbation can boost our happiness and overall wellbeing
The more you enjoy masturbation, the more you want to do it. This happens because the brain's reward centre is activated by pleasure and causes us to release hormones that make us feel happy, like serotonin or endorphins, for example. Many people mistakenly think that masturbation is a substitute for sex and it is not. Masturbation is a necessary and rewarding sexual practice, for those that choose to find happiness in that way.
Can masturbation cause a decrease in sexual sensitivity?
Definitely not. It is easy to understand if we take a parallel example: when we are in a jacuzzi, the jets of water put pressure on our skin. We may be numb for a little while after, but that does not make us lose sensitivity in that area forever. Exactly the same thing happens when you masturbate, either with your hands or using a toy.
What can occur is that we create an easy routine to climax and get used to it, as a habit, and then when we want to change the way we experience our pleasure, it can be difficult for our bodies and we get a bit nervous. But it is not because of the loss of sensitivity. The idea of losing sensitivity is a myth, and it is very important that this myth is dispelled.
Can masturbation help ease anxiety during lockdown?
The answer is very personal. Each of us manages our emotions very differently, and the same thing happens with our sexuality. During this period of lockdown, three scenarios are happening: people have completely lost interest in sex, people have an increased interest in sex, some have felt no difference. And I would add that this can fluctuate. We must understand that this situation is new, we don't know how to behave and that there is not a personal care guide to what we are experiencing.
For this reason, although I do believe that this period of lockdown presents a great opportunity for use to be attentive to our bodies, we must also understand that there may be fluctuations and that not everyone is experiencing the same thing. If you feel like masturbating at the moment, now is as good a time as any. It can lower our anxiety levels, and allow us to sleep better, but only if our bodies and minds feel open to the experience. Never force it. If you are able to reach climax, though, an orgasm can help to dissipate emotional and physical tension, helping you to feel more at ease.
Last updated: 20-05-2020


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Diageo has reportedly given its global media account to Omnicom Media Group's PHD, another biggie for what was once the holding company's second-string media agency. The other contenders were Carat and Publicis Media. Diageo is a big spender (a minimum ...Read More »
PHD's Mike Cooper takes new top role at Omnicom Media
PHD Worldwide CEO Mike Cooper (below), a Brit, has taken a big step up at Omnicom – becoming group CEO of Omnicom Media Group, APAC and EMEA. This is presumably the reward for a stellar period at PHD in which ...Read More »
PHD set to land HSBC in another media coup for Omnicom
Omnicom's PHD is reported to have won HSBC's $400m global media account, displacing long-term incumbent WPP's Mindshare. If so it's a new headache for acting WPP COOs Mark Read and Andrew Scott, already dealing with numerous reviews including parts of ...Read More »
Cut-price PHD wins back Sainsbury's media – official
Sainsbury's has confirmed what everyone knew: viz, that it's keeping its media account at Omnicom's PHD which is also set to pick up Argos (which Sainsbury's now owns) from WPP's Mindshare. Small earthquake in the supermarket, not many dead then? ...Read More »
All-at-sea Sainsbury's reverses out of T&P's m/Six into PHD
Campaign's Gideon Spanier reckons that Sainsbury's is reversing its decision to move its amalgamated £115m media account (Sainsbury's and Argos) into The&Partnership's m/Six Media and sticking with long-time incumbent PHD. The business moved to m/Six at the start of the ...Read More »
Sainsbury's rethinks m/SIX media win
We all thought the Sainsbury's consolidated media account worth £115m – it now owns Argus too – had gone to The&Partnership's m/SIX media agency with Sainsbury's moving from Omnicom's PHD and Argos from WPP's Mindshare. T&P is 49 per cent ...Read More »
Omnicom's PHD lands £2bn Volkswagen media prize
PHD, for ages the second brand in Omnicom's media empire to OMD, is beginning to rival its big brother with some important global wins: it's now added £2bn Volkswagen planning and buying to Unilever's global communications planning business that it ...Read More »
£6bn Unilever global media for Mindshare and PHD
Unilever has concluded its seemingly interminable global media review and, which won't surprise anyone, it's much as you were. WPP's Mindshare has retained the bulk of the business: US and Europe, in the latter it's added central and eastern Europe, ...Read More »
McCain pioneers 'shoot it, show it' same day ads in new adam&eve/PHD campaign
McCain, now styling itself the "nation's favourite teatime brand," is launching two new linked autumn campaigns. First off is a renewal of its sponsorship of ITV soap Emmerdale to 2018 and also this campaign from adam&eveDDB and media agency PHD ...Read More »


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This looks like an interesting read. I picked mine up. 🙂
Managed to sort out my issues, so the free Amazon promotion is going ahead! My first novel, The Ritual, is now available for FREE from all Amazon websites, and will remain free all the way up to Sunday 16 June.
You can find it here on the US site, or if you're in the UK (like me) you can find it here. For all other Amazon sites you can simply delete the .com or .co.uk in the sites above and replace it with your country's suffix.
I would love it if people would pass on the word by reblogging this post. My book is a blend of Fantasy, Adventure and Romance, and I have actually been surprised at how well it's been received even by people who wouldn't normally read this genre.
If you do not own a Kindle, you can still enter the paperback giveaway I have…
View original post 20 more words


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10 Signs You Should Not Eat at a Restaurant
Eating out is a common occurrence for most people, so it's important to know how to pick the right spot. There are good places and there are bad, and it's likely you've got a restaurant of choice that you frequent without hesitation. But when you're looking for a new place to try, or are stepping into a dining establishment you're not so sure about, there are some definite signs to keep an eye out for. Next time you're dining out, consider these 10 potentially disturbing signs.
1. The kitchen is about to close
If you've managed to sneak in right before the kitchen is about to close, turn around and find another spot. If you do stay to order, it's likely that your food had been prepped hours earlier, and that the kitchen crew is also already in clean-up mode. Besides the fact that you probably won't be having the best entree ever, the restaurant workers might not be the most eager to treat you to an enjoyable meal, seeing as they are ready to go home.
2. The restrooms are dirty
This one should be a no-brainer, yet, it's all too common in dining venues. No one likes a filthy bathroom, and if a restaurant isn't properly taking care of their facilities, there's a good chance the kitchen isn't in pristine shape, either. If they don't have the common decency to ensure the restrooms maintain a certain level of cleanliness, then what hope is there for the space on which they're cooking your food? Next time you encounter a dirty sink, lack of hand soap, overflowing trash can or a toilet that just looks gross, do yourself a favor and head straight for the front door.
3. There's a lack of clear ingredient labeling
According to The Hub, a U.K.-based online training provider specializing in food hygiene, if a restaurant is not clearly displaying product labels, it could be a red flag. While it's typical that food products aren't necessarily visible, it's always worth asking about. If you have any sort of allergy, it's important to ask the server, who should know immediately. Or, nowadays, common food allergens should be listed somewhere on the menu, such as "may contain peanut oil."
4. The music is blaring
Everyone loves a good soundtrack while eating out, but according to an article published on Dr. Oz's website, the louder the music, the more you eat. This theory states that music sets a mood and could affect your eating habits, prompting you to order more and eat faster. However, be careful not to rush through your meal. The restaurant may be playing their music at max volume in hopes of flipping tables more quickly, meaning they're not planning on having to serve their patrons with the same care and hospitality you'd otherwise expect when dining out.
5. It's next to a major tourist attraction
Sure, it's likely that any place worth checking out is bound to have top-notch food to accompany a cool destination, but heed caution when choosing your next meal away from home. According to Matt Kiefer, the guy behind Hostelgeeks, it's wise to steer clear of restaurants that are located right next to a major tourist site. For one thing, it's pretty obvious that such a place is probably a tourist trap, which means sky-high prices and subpar food quality. If you're looking for authentic cuisine, it's best to stray off the beaten path, where you're more likely to find less dumbed-down versions of the local goods.
6. It serves mystery meat
No one hopes for mystery meat, especially when they're spending an evening out. Yet, some restaurants try to pass their meat selection off as top tier when, in reality, it's anything but. According to Thrillist, if a menu that doesn't list much information on the cut of beef, such as the marbling of the meat or how the cow was raised, it isn't a good sign. And if your server can't even answer these questions for you, how much does anyone at the restaurant really know about the quality of the food?
7. Items on the menu are not in season
You don't have to be a self-proclaimed vegan who only eats farm-to-table cuisine to expect a certain level of food freshness. Similar to the case of mystery meat, most people want to know where their food is coming from. And when something's not in season, yet it appears on the menu? That's a sure sign you're not at a good restaurant. Unless you're at a super high-end place where you know without a doubt fresh fruit is flown in daily from Southern California, chances are the food you're eating isn't the freshest, or healthiest.
8. The service is bad
Everyone has an off day once in a while, so it's only natural you'll encounter a less-than-friendly server from time to time. A place that' gets bad reviews for horrible service, however, should be avoided at all costs. Management with a total disregard for any standard of service likely doesn't care much about anything at all. If the entire wait staff is rude and dismissive, do you really think the kitchen staff is at the top of their game? Probably not.
9. It has terrible reviews
Remember how we mentioned customer reviews? Well, they really do matter. Thanks to the accessibility and influence of Yelp, TripAdvisor, and every food-critic-turned-blogger out there, you too can now judge a restaurant before even stepping foot inside. Not to mention, you'll get a pretty good laugh scrolling through some of the reviews. In particular, shout out to Jay R. (No. 7) for admitting cheese sticks were the best part of his meal. It just goes to show you really can't judge a book by it's cover, no matter how fancy a restaurant may seem.
10. Dirty glasses and dishware
The moment you spot a lipstick stain (that isn't yours) on your water glass is the moment your attention to detail is heightened. Now, there's no need to go running out at first sight of this, as these things happen from time to time. However, from then on, you should take note of the cleanliness of all other dishes and utensils. Once is a forgivable mistake, but if unclean dishware is a repeat offense, the cleanliness of the kitchen comes into question.


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US firm found mold long before shipping tainted drugs
A pharmacy tied to a meningitis outbreak repeatedly found bacteria and mold in its facility long before shipping tainted drugs to patients, US officials said Friday as the death toll rose to 25.
The New England Compounding Center (NECC) voluntarily shut down operations and recalled all of its products in the wake of the unprecedented outbreak, which health authorities say has sickened 338 people in 18 states.
The fungus that contaminated the steroids and caused the potentially deadly infections was so prevalent it could be seen with the naked eye.
Investigators searching a bin of 321 vials found "greenish black foreign matter" in 83 vials and "white filamentous material" in 17 others, according to a preliminary report by the Food and Drug Administration.
The firm's own inspection reports also painted a dirty picture.
While internal tests found mold and bacteria on 29 occasions since January 3, there was "no investigation conducted by the firm when levels exceeded their action limits, and no identification of the isolates," the FDA report said.
The company also did not have any documentation of efforts to remove the contaminants.
"Manufacturers and compounding firms know what to do," Paul Teitell, of the FDA's office of regulatory affairs, said in a conference call.
"They have the responsibility to manufacture quality drugs and to have processes in place to make sure there's no breakdown in the supply or processes that would cause contamination."
Federal investigators found visibly dirty equipment and a failure to follow standard practices when they inspected the facility after tracing the outbreak to NECC's products earlier this month.
The pharmacy's staff told them that the air conditioning in the 'clean rooms' was turned off overnight, even though a consistent temperature is needed to prevent growth of bacteria and mold.
Inspectors also found pools of dirty water surrounding a leaking boiler just steps from the clean rooms and noted that the facility's air intake unit was within range of dust kicked up by a neighboring recycling company.
State officials formally revoked NECC's license on Wednesday after citing the firm for significant sanitary violations.
Massachusetts officials also noted that on at least 13 occasions NECC shipped the tainted drugs to customers before internal tests came back to determine if the vials of steroids—which are typically injected into the spine to treat back pain—were sterile.
The FDA said it is too early to discuss consequences, however criminal prosecutors are participating in the investigation.
The outbreak has led to calls for tighter regulation of the loosely controlled pharmaceutical compounding industry.
Critics say drug manufacturers have found a way to sidestep costly and strict oversight by classifying themselves as pharmacies, which are given freer rein to mix drug compounds for patients.
Some 14,000 people in 23 states are at risk after receiving potentially tainted doses of the NECC steroids and the FDA has warned that patients receiving a host of other NECC products are also at risk.
Officials have said it could be weeks before authorities have a final tally of the infections, due to the disease's long incubation period.
Explore further
(c) 2012 AFP


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- "Legend" is such a played out term. Seems every media hoe claims it these days: Viral "Pizza Rats," hair-pulling "Housewives," RuPaul's "Drag" queens.
But when a bona fide prog-rock legend is coming to town, a vocal group of local musicians -- and a few music lovers -- demanded that respect must be paid.
Hey, there's a reason legendary axe-men Eddie Van Halen and Brian May have both acknowledged former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett's influence.
The "progressive" genre innovator headlines the St. George Theatre at 8 p.m. Feb. 15 as part of the North American leg of his "Genesis Revisited, Solo Gems & GTR Tour."
Renowned as one of the most innovative rock musicians of our time, Steve was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Steve's new show features Genesis favorites he co-wrote, such as "Supper's Ready," "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight," "Fountain of Salmacis," "Firth of Fifth" and "The Musical Box," along with B-sides like "One for the Vine" and "Inside & Out," unheard live by many since the 1970s.
His solo set will celebrate 40 years of "Please Don't Touch," and will also include a special GTR number, "When The Heart Rules The Mind," with other old faves and songs from his latest album, "The Night Siren."
Local musicians sent me the following questions: Steve recently took the time to answer from his home in London, England.
How did you develop such a unique guitar style and tone in an era when everyone was trying to sound like the blues-rock guys such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page? Well, you know, I do listen to all those guys. At the time, I was hugely influenced by the blues -- but at the same time I started listening to Andres Segovia. I liked classical music very much. It was just as music was starting to broaden and fuse those disparate influences when groups like Genesis were being born.
I was lucky enough to get a phone call from Peter Gabriel in 1970 when the band was looking for a guitarist. It really made all the difference: I was able to use a lot of those influences because Genesis was a broad-based band influenced by many different things.
I came up with various ideas, including what became called 'tapping' many years later. Our first album, in 1971, featured tapping -- but it wasn't until Eddie Van Halen acknowledged it [in the '80s] that it became part of the dictionary or expanded glossary of terms.
[Another technique] was 'sweep picking,' where you run up and down the strings in the same way a violinist might rock the bow: A fixed position with the left hand while arpeggiating with the right hand, backward and forward, very quickly.
The Genesis albums you played on are among the most progressive of the band's catalog. Which would you say was the most challenging to write, record, or perform? We finished 'Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' in 1974. It was a double album; hugely difficult to perform live. It's much more well-known now, but at the time audiences were extremely divided about whether they liked it or not.
It was more breach birth than immaculate conception. Everyone wants to do a trouble free album -- that was not one of them. But now it's hugely remembered and I think it became very influential.
That speaks to something so rare in today's music industry: Career longevity. How do you last long enough for listeners to rediscover your more experimental work? In the the early days, that first year in 1971, we often played places where audiences would retire to the bar rather than listen to our musical convolutions.
At the time, peopled just wanted singalongs and good-time rock. But those same songs people wandered off from are now regarded with great affection.
In 1973, when John Lennon said were one of the bands we were listening to, things started changing.
In hindsight, I wish we could have tweeted that news and helped the band's success. (Chuckles) It was slow progress in those days. You had to pay dues and play as many places as possible.
How has the industry changed the most since you entered it? Music is regarded differently these days, but I still think it's a world changing force. Where politics has fails, musicians, writers and singers have perhpas been able to bridge the gap.
We are the goodwill ambassadors of the world.
England has started to pull away from the rest of Europe, for some godforsaken reason -- but as musicians we can tour the world. And work with musicians from all over the world.
It's a great joy to play live in front of people, and it seems to be growing. I think progressive music was having a hard time a few years ago. It was out of favor. Those that stuck to it realized that it was films for the ear; changing scenes where things are full of surprise. Inviting in as many styles as possible makes for true adventures in music.
I was always drawn in by that -- and I still am. (Editor's note: At the time of this interview Steve was prepping for a Christmas trip to India to collaborate with local musicians.)
Is it hard to hold on to that unjaded place you started out at? No, it is possible to do that. It's very much possible for people to retain musical ideals. And if they are lucky, they will earn a living at it.
Of course, some bands decide they don't want to do it any more and change. Having hits was no precursor to going back to drawing board. I did that.
And Eric Clapton left Yardbirds when having great success. Why leave? Isn't that a kind of madness? But on the other hand, without that the guitar hero we know wouldn't have shown what he could really do.
So, what's the big takeway here? Sometimes you gotta be unpopular to be popular. Sometimes it's about flying in the face of good advice and listening to youself rather than others.
You have to be looking at something rather than number crunching. Don't over-subscribe to doing it by the rules. Yes, you might have success. But REALLY what you should look for is an audience that might go along with you as you embrace different styles: Jazz, rock, ethnic stuff. Luckily, progressive rock is prepared to embrace all of this stuff ...
I do it all with passion. It's still big deal to me. I like the meeting the audience and seeing the white of their eyes.
Were you bold enough to expect to still be making a living with music nearly 50 years later? When I left school, first of all, I did a number of other jobs before I was a fulltime musician. I got a glimpse of what it might be like doing other stuff. I have to say, I always kept the flame alive. I always had the dream that one day I might be able to make a living at it, all those years ago. Luckily, my involement with music surpassed those early dreams.
I was lucky enough to join a band during a time when you were allowed to be an idealist. In the wake of the Beatles and the Brit explosion during early 1960s, it was a great time to be forging plans yourself.
Luckily, that time meant anything goes. During the '70s, the approach was more disciplined. People weren't prepared to embrace anything just because it came from England. We were lucky to have those guys before us who we regarded as mentors and brothers.
Speaking of other artists, who inspired you as a young lad starting out?
The Beatles at their height did such broad-based stuff: Comedy to tragedy. 'Yellow Submarine' and Eleanor Rigby' were two sides of a successful single at one time. It showed the breadth of what you could do.
Nina Simone trained as a classical pianist. Yes, she had succesful songs, but Nina would still play Chopin in the middle of it. In the present day, Muse is doing something similar.
In Genesis you were the main guitarist, and after that you formed GTR with Steve Howe of Yes. How different was the creative process when two lead guitarists are involved?
We had the band GTR for a couple of years. I still have the gold album somewhere. As part of my live set, I'm doing some GTR, certainly gonna play our hit, "When Heart Rules the Mind," which we re-recorded recently.
Luckily, America really understood us in the mid-'80s -- at that time we were lucky to be on the Arista label, headed by Clive Davis, who was hugely supportive and it's a great memory to me.
Part of my show features both solo material and stuff from Genesis. I try to strike a balance -- to give people what they want depending where they first got on board.
One last question: What's your take on modern Top 40's digitally perfected, Pro-Tooled sound?
Sure, machine-made music is better than played by humans. It's more precise, timing is more correct -- but what's lost is the joy of playing for its own sake and the idea of a band functioning much like an orchestra.
There's nothing quite like it; making a big noise all at once. Keeping music live is my preference. I love playing live. Festivals, arenas, theatres, all of it.
SEE THE SHOW: Steve Hackett takes the stage at 8 p.m. Feb. 15 in the St. George Theatre, 35 Hyatt St.; 718-442-2900. Tickets are $49-$79 via StGeorgeTheatre.com and Ticketmaster.com. Joining the headliner: Roger King (keyboards), Gary O'Toole (drums/percussion), Rob Townsend (sax/flute), Jonas Reingold (bass/12-string) and Nad Sylvan on vocals.
For further updates and show information, visit HackettSongs.com.


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2019 journal article
Oxygen and silicon point defects in Al0.65Ga0.35N
2018 journal article
Doping and compensation in Al-rich AlGaN grown on single crystal AlN and sapphire by MOCVD
Applied Physics Letters, 112(6).
2018 journal article
On compensation in Si-doped AlN
Applied Physics Letters, 112(15).
2015 journal article
Dysprosium-doped cadmium oxide as a gateway material for mid-infrared plasmonics
Nature Materials, 14(4), 414–420.
2014 journal article
Fermi level control of compensating point defects during metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth of Si-doped AlGaN
Applied Physics Letters, 105(22).
2014 journal article
Overcoming the polarization catastrophe in the rocksalt oxides MgO and CaO
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 90(12).
2014 journal article
Smooth cubic commensurate oxides on gallium nitride
Journal of Applied Physics, 115(6).
2014 journal article
The role of the carbon-silicon complex in eliminating deep ultraviolet absorption in AlN
Applied Physics Letters, 104(20).
2013 journal article
Effects of alloying and local order in AuNi contacts for Ohmic radio frequency micro electro mechanical systems switches via multi-scale simulation
Journal of Applied Physics, 113(20).
2013 journal article
Vacancy compensation and related donor-acceptor pair recombination in bulk AlN
Applied Physics Letters, 103(16).
2012 journal article
On the origin of the 265 nm absorption band in AlN bulk crystals
Applied Physics Letters, 100(19).
2011 journal article
Surfactant-enabled epitaxy through control of growth mode with chemical boundary conditions
Nature Communications, 2.
conference paper
On the origin of the 4.7 eV absorption and 2.8 eV emission bands in bulk AlN substrates
Alden, D., Bryan, Z., Gaddy, B. E., Bryan, I., Callsen, G., Koukitu, A., … Collazo, R. Wide bandgap semiconductor materials and devices 17, 72(5), 31–40.


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The Dems have proven time and again that math is not their forte. They don't understand that they cannot spend more than what they have. They may actually believe that money grows on trees, and yet we're supposed to vote for them?
As the House and Senate fight it out for a coronavirus relief package, the Dems continue to get hung up on the $600 extra a week for those who are on unemployment. It sounds like a great package for those on unemployment, but where's the money coming from? More importantly, shouldn't we encourage those people to go and find a job since the economy is starting to open up?
The Dems don't want anyone to have to work for their money. Their bleeding hearts have led to the deficit the country is in – and the GOP is doing what they can to get us out.
Fiscal responsibility is not what the Dems do well. Who knows what their own personal checkbooks look like. It's no wonder why so many of them swim around the swamp to feed their bank accounts. Otherwise, they'd be bouncing checks like rubber balls all over Capitol Hill.
Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer argue with Steve Mnunchin and Mark Meadows to get a deal to work. If anyone knows what won't add up, it's Mnunchin, the Treasury Secretary. He can't, in good conscience, allow a deal to go through that's going to hurt the finances of the country.
Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell is threatening to force a vote on the GOP proposals as a way to move things along.
It's only a matter of days before the House is supposed to go out on their break. And they'll likely go on break because it doesn't affect their pockets.
Pelosi and Schumer want to spend trillions. Where that money will come from, they don't know. But they still want to spend it. Meanwhile, there is a "skinny" plan floated by Mnunchin and Meadows that the Dems don't want to have any part of. The Dems are saying they don't want a "piecemeal negotiation." That boils down to them not wanting to negotiate at all. Every negotiation at its core is piecemealed to ensure that both parties get something they want.
Pelosi and Schumer are acting like spoiled brats that want to buy things that they can't afford.
So, what's the deal going to cost? Right now, the two sides are trillions of dollars apart. It's not a fair question because they can't seem to get even close.
Schumer has said, "There are a lot of issues that are still outstanding. But I think there is a desire to get something done as soon as we can. And so we're continuing to work."
No one wants to give and it all comes down to the fact that somehow the Dems don't know that there aren't trillions of dollars in the bank account to spend. The GOP has always been more fiscally responsible because they know that it's impossible to spend $3 trillion when only $2 trillion exists.
The Dems are eager to talk at the committee level. They're talking about different ideas that can be used to address the $600 a week unemployment insurance – and that seems to be the real sticking point.
The problem is that Pelosi and Schumer want what they want and don't want to give in the slightest. They don't have any respect for the way that government works, and they'll inconvenience every American in the process.
Why use all the money for those who are unemployed? What about a reward for those who have managed to make it work? It ensures that people aren't going to continue to mooch off the system.
Recess is fast approaching, so the Dems will need a quick lesson in math in order to figure out that negotiation is not only inevitable but mandatory.


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Harris: Cubs' Volstad Continues To Struggle
By Adam Harris
WRIGLEY FIELD - Chris Volstad continued his dissapointing season with the Cubs today.
Volstad labored through five innings giving up four hits, and five runs. He was hit hard, taken to the warning track three times by Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, but most importantly couldn't get key outs with runners in scoring position.
"Runners on and from the stretch has been a struggle," Volstad said. "I just have to be better in those situations. That's all it comes down to."
The key to the game for Volstad was the 2nd inning, when he intentionaly walked James Loney to load the bases. After a sacrifice fly by catcher Matt Treanor, starting pitcher Chris Capuano doubled over the head of Joe Mather in center field, scoring two.
"That was the big hit of the game," Volstad said. "I had second and third and one out. If I get out of that giving up one run, I would feel pretty good. He hit that ball pretty well, making it three-nothing instead of one-nothing. Yea, that was the big one."
The Cubs 5-1 loss to the Dodgers brings Volstad to 0-4 on the year with a 6.55 ERA, but it's too early to talk about him losing his spot in the starting rotation.
"It's way to early for that," Manager Dale Sveum said. "For some reason he has trouble getting out of the innings when with runners in scoring position."
Starlin Castro had another three hits in the game, two sharp singles to left and a dying quail to right. Since 2011, Castro leads the National League in multi-hit games with 70.
Another bright spot was Carlos Marmol who gave up no runs in his inning of work. He was wild at first, walking leadoff batter Andre Either, then advancing him to 2nd on a wild pitch to newly acquired Dodger Bobby Abreu. Marmol settled down, retiring the next three batters throwing mostly fastballs.
"Yea I threw more fastballs today. I feel very comfortable with the fastball, and when I need a slider, I throw a slider," Marmol said. "That's what they want me to do and that's what I did today. Throw more fastballs to try to get my slider back."
Tomorrow, Travis Wood will make his Cubs debut in place of Matt Garza who has come down with an illness. Garza was supposed to start today, but the illness prevented that as well.
Wood is 1-3 with a 5.08 ERA at Iowa so far this year.
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Saturday, February 14, 2009
[Insert cheesy annoucer voice] It's Sunday Sunday Sunday!
It's sweater Sunday again! I had a fun time today, since I needed a little "me time", and I got to do one of my favorite things, sweater hunting! As you can see, I found some ;)
I got some great patterns & colors, and
some cashmere (the top gray is 60% cashmere/40% wool, but felt he deserved to hang out with the 100% cashmere).
Here were some of the more fun & unusual ones I found... a felted merino argyle, a green lambswool with little balls down the arms & front, and a felted wool fair isle with little flowers & beautiful colors.
The trip wouldn't be complete without fun goodies for me! I found a great wool blanket, a quality pair of leather sandals that fit my size 11 boat feet, and an awesome purse. The purse is plain, but that's the appeal for me. I plan to embellish it, but i'm not sure with what... felted wool appliques? Scarf through the belt loops? Clip fun keychains to the loops? Any ideas?
Recycled wool hat week was so much fun, but all good things must come to an end ;) This week, starting tomorrow, will be recycled wool diaper cover week. You will be amazed at how cute & fabulous something so useful can be. Make sure to check back!
Happy Sunday all! :)
2 comments:
- Rabbithorns said...
Where on earth do you live that you can find loads of wool sweaters week after week? LOL Southern Arizona is definitely the wrong place for me!
- February 17, 2009 at 5:25 PM
- Resweater said...
I live in the far west suburbs of Chicago. Home of cold weather, & revolving wardrobes! I believe it's a state law that everyone receives a sweater that they don't like every Christmas. Then it gets thrown into the donate pile when nobody's looking.
I lived in Arizona for a few years. I don't recall wearing any wool sweaters while I was there ;)
- February 17, 2009 at 6:02 PM
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Stress-Free Advocacy Days
Advocacy Day Scheduling Services
Stress-Free Advocacy Days
At Advocacy Associates we offer a variety of cost-effective turnkey solutions to all your advocacy day woes.
DC Meetings
Whether it's 50, 200, or 1,500 advocates coming to town, Advocacy Associates can coordinate congressional meetings for your advocates. We schedule an average of 99% of your participants' constituency-based requested meetings. Better yet, our one-of-a-kind online database allows you to watch in real time as your meetings are scheduled! Our coordination services include:
Drafting meeting correspondence
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Maintaining a customized database of appointments
Providing online access to a regularly updated list of confirmed meetings
Providing printed and/or emailed itineraries for participants, upon request
On-site assistance and support during your event
Downloadable AdvocacyDay app where advocates can view their meeting schedules, prepare for their meetings and more
In District Meetings
Getting advocates to connect with legislators back at home is one of the most effective ways to build the relationships necessary to achieve policy goals. Advocacy Associates can help by coordinating all the scheduling logistics for your in-district Advocacy Day event, including:
Assisting in pre-event planning, including identifying key timeframes for a district meeting approach and recruiting advocates
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Research bills of interest by viewing the status of the bill, Current Sponsors and Co-Sponsors, and reading a summary of the bill.
Access social media.
Communicate with other advocates via secure chat system.
Take customized feedback surveys.
Send thank you notes to congressional staff.


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Rental Villas & Apartments, Cyprus
This one-stop site, aka Sara Menicou Rentals, is based in Protaras, providing a selection of carefully hand-picked holiday villas and apartments in the Fig Tree Bay, Protaras, and Ayia Napa areas of the beautiful Mediterranean Island of Cyprus …
Self Catering
If you are looking for a relaxing self-catering holiday, and you need accommodation for the whole family, or even two families, or maybe for somewhere really nice as a base for that amazing wedding you have planned in Cyprus, then you'll love this company …
Stunning Villas
Elite Cyprus Villas and Rental Villas Cyprus are their two web sites, where you'll find an extensive selection of hand-picked holiday properties in Cyprus, all searchable with a map, that you can just zoom into, which btw is well cool. You can choose from beautiful villas, which are just a stone's throw from the world famous and stunning Fig Tree Bay, currently ranked in the top 3 beaches in the world, and they also have gorgeous modern apartments on a unique five-star complex … which naturally are a touch above the rest !!!
Coast to Coast
Sara and Phillip have decades of experience, so expect to find a first class service and carefully selected privately owned properties, that have been lovingly furnished by the owners and are situated in the popular areas of Ayia Napa, Ayia Thekla, Protaras, Kapparis, Paralimni, Dherynia and Paphos.
They also offer the convenience of booking your airport transfers directly to your holiday accommodation, or if you prefer, car hire so you can explore the island at your own leisure. Always meeting their clients in the first 24 hours to walk through the property so you can make the best of your holiday. Accepting all credit cards and bank transfers; with English, Greek and Russian Speaking Drivers on request, providing the best Taxi service in Protaras, you'll pretty much be assured everything will be perfect! Oh, btw, keep your taxi driver's card and he'll look after you during your stay 😉
Property Management
I've known Sara and Phillip for over 20 years, an awesome couple, originally providing property management and maintenance services to meet all their client's specific needs. They now offer a full range of services, from listing your property for holiday, short term rental purposes, advertising and marketing it, to coordinating a complete package, including meet and greet, key hold, cleaning, transfers and 24/7 advice or assistance throughout their client's stay … oh and btw, Cyprus is expecting 5 million visitors next year so you best book early!
Open all year
Daily: 9 am to 7 pm
Trust me, this family business is hard to beat !!!
More …
Here's a few of the properties on their sites, to see them all by click on the links above.


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Obama's Best Jokes At White House Correspondents' Dinner
President Barack Obama took to the podium to deliver a humorous speech at the 2013 White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, the annual Washington event that gathers journalists and lawmakers for a laid back meal. Below, are arguably Obama's top jokes of the night.
One of the news stories that's been getting a lot of attention lately made for a particularly amusing joke for the president – Jay Z and Beyonce's trip to Cuba. "Maybe I have lost a step," the president admitted, "but some things are beyond my control. For example this whole controversy about Jay Z going to Cuba. It's unbelievable. I've got 99 problems and now Jay Z is one of them."
He also referenced the problems and concerns of taking on a second term as president. "I understand: second term, need a burst of new energy. Try some new things and my team and I talked about it. We were willing to try anything, so we borrowed one of Michelle [Obama]'s tricks." Images of the president with thick bangs like his wife starting playing on a screen. "I thought this looked pretty good but no bounce," Obama deadpanned.
When Obama began describing new media during his remarks, Buzzfeed got a memorable shout out. "The problem is that the media landscape is changing so rapidly you can't keep up with it," he told the audience. "I mean I remember when 'buzzfeed' was just something I did in college around 2 a.m." He added under is breath, "It's true."
The president also delivered some quips about politics and his presidency. Most notably was when he started talking about former president George W. Bush's new library. "That inspired me to get started on my own legacy, which will actually begin by building another edifice right next to the Bush library," he said. "Can we show that, please?" An image then popped up on the screen that showed Bush's library next to a billboard featuring an arrow pointing at the building along with the caption "His Fault."
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sofia Vergara and Scandal's Tony Goldwyn were in attendance at this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner.


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For admission in class XI, a student must have passed/appeared for SEE or equivalent from a recognized institution/ board. The student should have scored 60% and above to be eligible for admission. If the results have not been declared, we provide provisional admission.
To book a visit for a school tour, contact 9848051045.


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A recent media story puts a racist slant on the ongoing saga of Johnson & Johnson's sale of its now-infamous Baby Powder and the strong possibility that the company has known of its potential carcinogenicity for two generations. The company, once the face of "America's Most Trusted Brand," now stands accused of aggressively marketing the product to African-American women after white women started backing away from it.
According to litigation attorney Jim Onder, counsel for a now-deceased black woman whose family was awarded $72 million, there are internal documents to prove that Johnson & Johnson has long been aware of the connection between talcum powder and ovarian cancer. Speaking to the Atlanta Black Star, Onder said, "The evidence is real clear that Johnson & Johnson has known about the dangers associated with talcum powder for over 30 years…instead of giving a warning, what they did was target the groups most at risk for developing ovarian cancer" – in this case, black women.
Onder is not the only one to come to this realization. Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley, a professor of African Studies at the University of Texas and contributing writer to Time magazine, points out that "Corporations have long taken advantage of the beauty rituals that African American women love." In a recent article, she writes, "Like pressing our hair and lotioning our legs, douching and deodorizing vaginas is something black women teach our daughters and sister-friends teach our friends." According to research cited by Tinsley, black women employ talcum powder for such purposes twice as much as their white counterparts.
In another article published in a 2011 issue of Advertising and History Review, historian Michelle Ferranti points out that such practices have their origins in racial stereotypes and racist perceptions going back hundreds of years. Tinsley herself adds,
Johnson & Johnson and other companies are ready to profit from these myths of the excessive black vagina. They're willing to capitalize on our internalized misogynoir even if we die in the process. For decades, companies, including Johnson & Johnson, continued marketing to encourage black women to spend money on talcum power, which could cause cancer in our reproductive organs even as they promise to 'freshen' them. Because buyers were women, they were the advertisers' targets; because they were women, they were vulnerable to side effects the companies never exposed.
A recent study from the University of Virginia, published in Cancer Epidemiology, now indicates that women who consistently apply talcum powder to their genitalia run a 40% risk of contracting ovarian cancer. Lead researcher Joellen Schildkraut said she was a skeptic until the recent studies were published. "As you look across all these studies, I would say, why use it? It's an avoidable risk for ovarian cancer," she acknowledged.
Unfortunately, few if any consumers of all ethnic backgrounds have been aware of those risks – and in the case of the African-American community, there is decades of cultural conditioning and expectations passed from one generation to the next. That is something that Johnson & Johnson was all-too-willing to exploit.
Johnson & Johnson is unrepentant, and plans to appeal the most recent ruling. In a statement to the press, J&J spokesperson Carol Goodrich said, "the jury's decision goes against 30 years of studies by medical experts around the world that continue to support the safety of cosmetic talc."


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Learning science through Real-World contexts
King, D. and Ritchie, S.M. (2011) Learning science through Real-World contexts. In: Fraser, B.J., Tobin, K. and McRobbie, C.J., (eds.) Second International Handbook of Science Education. Springer Netherlands, pp. 69-79.
*Subscription may be required
Curriculum developers and researchers have promoted context-based programmes to arrest waning student interest and participation in the enabling sciences at high school and university. Context-based programmes aim for connections between scientific discourse and real-world contexts to elevate curricular relevance without diminishing conceptual understanding. Literature relating to context-based approaches to learning will be reviewed in this chapter. In particular, international trends in curricular development and results from evaluations of major projects (e.g. PLON, Salters Advanced Chemistry, ChemCom) will be highlighted. Research projects that explore context-based interventions focusing on such outcomes as student interest, perceived relevance and conceptual understanding also will feature in the review. The chapter culminates with a discussion of current context-based research that interprets classroom actions from a dialectical socio-cultural framework, and identifies possible new directions for research.
|Item Type:
|Book Chapter
|Springer Netherlands
|2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
|Vol. 24
|Item Control Page


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The group's theme is changing from The "same object" (Zebra) to "unique point of view" this week. So today is a day of transition. First a picture of Zebra from a unique point of view, as he naps after his hard week of modeling. Then I put the phone on the floor for a unique POV selfie to start the week... We will see what happens from here on!
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WSBK 2010 Preview - Suzuki
Crash.net looks ahead to the opening round of the 2010 World Superbike Championship this week by discussing the chances of each manufacturer - next, Suzuki...
As far as Suzuki is concerned, the 2009 World Superbike season never happened.
From Max Neukirchner's injury, to the bike's tricky set-up window, to legal proceedings off the track with an unruly sponsor, Francia Batta's team took, well, a battering in 2009 - a steep downfall from the double podium it achieved in the very first race of the season.
A fresh start awaits Suzuki in 2010 though and the Alstare team has good reason to be optimistic about its chances.
While 'prot?g?' Neukirchner's defection to Honda hasn't been ideal for Suzuki, winning the race to sign Leon Haslam could prove a significant coup for the beleaguered manufacturer.
Haslam's reputation as a 'nearly-man' may have left some to question his decision to graduate to the world championship with a privateer team in 2009, but four podiums and a sixth position in the final standings went a long way to silencing his critics.
Now with the chance to flourish in the surroundings of a manufacturer-backed team, Haslam has sprinted out of the blocks in testing and looks genuinely at one with the GSX-R1000, a bike that has been described as very quick, but a handful at times.
Should Haslam tame the beast, then he is almost certain to be challenging for race wins in 2010. Whether he can launch a title challenge depends on how quickly he gets that first triumph, but when you consider Haslam wouldn't have assumed team leader status had he joined any other factory-backed operative, he stands a good chance of getting Suzuki to work around him.
It may not be the 'dream team' they originally envisaged for 2010, but in Sylvain Guintoli, Suzuki has precisely the right rider to replace Neukirchner.
Still learning the art of Superbike racing following an interrupted first season at British national level, former MotoGP rider Guintoli has learnt fast and is proving to be an adept racer on production machinery.
While the call to world championship level has come earlier than expected - particularly in light of the injury that ruled him out of much of 2009 -, Guintoli has been a confident top ten contender during testing, the Frenchman being aided by his familiarity with the bike.
He is likely to get better too - of all the factory riders on the grid in 2010, he is the least experienced on a Superbike, yet is already out pacing a large majority of his rivals.
On paper, in terms of race wins and experience at least, Suzuki has the weakest factory rider line-up on the grid - and yet it is possibly the most interesting...
Is a title challenge in the offing though? They are outsiders at best, but Suzuki is no stranger to winning and Haslam in particular has shown himself to be comfortable on the international stage.
Most certainly the dark horses of the 2010 season.
Suzuki AlstareLeon HaslamSylvain Guintoli