text: Analysis of the Poem "Letter to a Friend" by Jon Stallworthy As a whole, the first stanza of "Letter to a Friend" by Jon Stallworthy presents a content that occurs relevant to the political state of affairs in turbulence at the time of the speaker. This is quite evident in the third and fourth lines with "The eunuch voice of scholarship, / Or the reformer's rage" for which the tone of resentment is congruous to the word 'rage' which seems present even with the former correspondences. Despite the current absence of the friend in the act of blaming, the friend's anguish can be felt in the writer's remorse on initiating and repeating the phrase "You blame me that …" which equivalently depicts how much their relationship has been strained by the settings of politics and associated concerns. Adding "Truculent nations" somehow directs a reader to the major idea with the cause of misunderstanding that seemingly arises from neglect on the side of the speaker. Instead of growing fondness, the poem's initial stanza develops out of bitter response which hints at some justification to be brought across at a later time. apparently, there emerges huge conflict between the two friends in interactive exchange with each other for a while and the frequent inability to confer in person gets in the way of proper communication in which meaning and purpose are both conveyed to be fully understood by heart. However, it is not merely the lack of physical contact that causes deep trouble on aiming to generate smooth and warm connections but even the expectations that are built yet are not met in the process. Thu, to the same friend who either throws the narrator an accusation or assumption to satisfy, the latter replies "I answer that my poems all / Are woven out of love's loose ends" to express his choice of flexibility prior to taking a relevant action. 'Loose ends of love' must be that sort of real affection that considers more of patience, openness, and perhaps, the readiness to forgive by virtue of true friendship. With the second stanza, Stallworthy exhibits greater degree or intensity regarding matters which the first-person speaker has been unable to accomplish. At this stage, the poet further makes the effort of defining the character behind the narrative voice on detailing at bulk "The banner-headline fact / Of rape and death in bungalows, / Cities and workmen sacked." It becomes clear around this point the reasonable ground or basis with which the friend reserves the right to demand justice via the necessary act or move by the trusted companion. Implicitly, though this portion of the work bears a missing information that could have adequately enabled the narrator to explain certain measures which cannot be possibly carried out, he opts to settle the extremes of sentiment down, stating "Tomorrow's time enough to rant of those." He hopes for his friend to perceive the light of truth in his sincerity to impart contribution yet the occurrences of the period they live in are just too much to deal with that the writer appears to allude no sufficient resources and potentials are with them to acquire the desired resolution for the political struggle. Under these circumstances, he wants his friend to realize the beauty of the uncorrupted world in order to replenish inner strength and fresh good insights as he claims that the facts of life are sought in the idea of the basics or simplicity that may be identified with objects of pure nature as "cloud, star, leaf, and water's dance." Stallworthy comes up with a final stanza where he looks forward for the reader to have gone as far as discerning the profound thoughts of the speaker who strives to allow his friend yield to the complete knowledge of all his conscious endeavor. No matter how largely the other man keeps on blaming his inaction, the writer-speaker is socially aware and sensitive of the reality along with its perils as he numerates with enjambment "At cities, swivelled, from / The eye of the crazy gunman, or / The man who drops the bomb." Towards the letter's conclusion, the poem actually demonstrates that there are two distinct worlds that are very far from each other being marked by the speaker's confession "I have seen fields beyond the smoke" where he intends to mean that he learns to reside in a dimension of affectionate sensibility rather than of philosophic rationality. Indeed, there is ample difference between a looking-glass that can only provide clarity of view and a window that serves as a metaphor of enlightening vision.


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Stumbling Oilers look ahead to tough matchup against Ovechkin and the Capitals
EDMONTON - As match-ups go, the suddenly struggling Edmonton Oilers couldn't find a less favourable one than Saturday's showdown against the Washington Capitals if they tried.
Losers of four straight games at Rexall Place after a 6-3 loss to Nashville Thursday, the Oilers have slipped to 8-7-2 at home. One of the main reasons for that is they can't keep the puck out of their own net. Edmonton ranks 25th in the NHL with 109 goals against.
So what do the Oilers get in Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals? Nothing less than a team with the second-best road record in the NHL at 11-5-3 and a high-powered offence that has scored a league-leading 124 goals.
"They (Washington) have three lines of skill, three lines of guys who can really put up points," said Shawn Horcoff. "I think they've got five or six 10-goal scorers already. It's going to be a big challenge for us.
"It's breakdowns in the defensive zone that are costing us right now. They're breakdowns that are resulting in prime offensive chances, not just second or third opportunities."
When the Oilers reeled off five straight wins on the road with victories in Detroit, Dallas, Florida, Tampa Bay and St. Louis, it looked like they'd have some momentum with four of their last five games before the Christmas break at home.
Key mistakes in 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and more of the same as the Oilers blew a 2-0 lead in the loss to the Predators have changed all that.
"Obviously, we're not happy about the way we're playing right now," said goaltender Jeff Deslauriers. "But we played well on the road and we know we're capable of playing like that.
"We have to get back into that mentality. It's up to us to upgrade our play. We've done it before and we can do it again."
With Nikolai Khabibulin out with a back injury since Nov. 18, Deslauriers has made 13 straight starts. While Deslauriers was on top of his game during the win streak on the road, he wasn't particularly sharp against Los Angeles or Nashville.
"When we were at our best we were keeping things simple and doing the little things," Deslauriers said.
"We were avoiding turnovers. We were avoiding rebounds by myself. The past two games, those things have re-appeared. We've maybe lost our focus on that part of the game. We have to re-group."
Suffice to say, a repeat of the same mental mistakes, turnovers and untimely defensive lapses against the likes of Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green and Alexander Semin could produce truly ugly results.
"He presents challenges," defenceman Steve Staios said of Ovechkin. "He's looking for offence all the time, so you've got to be aware every time he's on the ice.
"Any time you play with that physicality, it brings a different element. As a top player, he brings every facet of the game."
Against the Predators, Edmonton's defence didn't give Deslauriers much help around the net, losing too many puck battles and allowing Nashville forwards too much time and space.
"We're just not getting good, solid defensive play and helping Deslauriers out there," Horcoff said.
"He's played lots of games and we need to make sure that, in the defensive zone, we're solid back there for him and give him as much help as we can."

subset: commoncrawl


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Aldi has latched on to our lockdown obsession: crafts. And their latest buy? A rug weaving kit that's PERFECT. If you've been searching for a new hobby or have been itching to build on your existing creative skills, this is the kit for you. Learning the art of weaving couldn't be easier with this kit, packed with a weaving frame, warp thread, jumbo yarn and instructions, too!
- For more fabulous bedroom ideas, don't miss our inspiring design guide
- 16 home craft ideas: easy makes, bakes and more
Look at the finished product above! This is a great buy if you're looking to give your bedroom a budget, boho makeover – get one for each side of the bed. Boho chic is still bang on trend, and this custom rug weaving kit will certainly offer your place a pop of colour and a little je ne sais quoi. A fab purchase for yourself or the perfect gift for another, it's perfect for adding texture and colour to a room with hard floors. You could even use it as a wall hanging or bed throw...
Aldi Large Circular Rug Weaving Kit, £39.99 (opens in new tab)
More fab rug weaving kits
Micki Weaving Frame | £10.89 from Amazon (opens in new tab)
The perfect budget buy, this is an ideal crafting kit for someone looking for an easy to use weaving frame. Improve your motor skills, concentration and coordination with this rug weaving kit. It comes with one round, wooden weaving frame, warp yarn, one shuttle, 10m extra warp yarn, 10m of colourful wool, 10m of bouclé wool and 3m of silk ribbon.
Latch Hook DIY Rug Kits | £19.99 from Amazon (opens in new tab)
Strong and durable, this rug making kit comes with equipment and materials that are made to last. This canvas is made from polyester and cotton and the pre-cut yarn is soft, comfortable and won't fase. Comes with all of the tools you need to create plush textured mini-rugs: a printed canvas, instructions, yarn and a crochet hook.
Rug Making Carpet Kit | £26.29 from Amazon (opens in new tab)
This kit from Amazon is great. Versatile and easy to use for kids or adults, this home textile kit has an ergonomically designed wooden handle so it's comfortable and easy to hold. Create a gorgeous latched rug at home!
Large Weaving Loom Kit | £57.95 from Etsy (opens in new tab)
Etsy is always a safe bet when it comes to arts and crafts and this tapestry loom is no different. The quality is high, being made from durable beechwood. Plus, the colours are beautiful and the kit is easy for beginners! It comes with a wood weaving loom frame, a heddle bar, two shuttle sticks, a wooden stick (For hanging finished weaving product) and a wooden frame.
Read more:
- Paint deals: the best places to buy cheap paint for your DIY projects
- Head over to our deals hub for more great buys


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Millions of visitors are drawn to Las Vegas each year because of the entertainment and dining options the city offers. However, there are plenty of attractions near Sin City that make for a great day trip. For example, Lake Mead National Recreation Area is about 35 miles southeast of Las Vegas and offers a respite from all the city lights and sounds with 550 miles of shoreline. A little further out is the engineering marvel that is Hoover Dam. Heading west of Vegas will land you in Red Rock Canyon, where you can go camping, hike one of the 19 trails, go rock climbing, and drive or bike on the 13-mile scenic route. 55 miles north is the Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada's oldest and largest state park, with more camping and hiking options, plus areas of petrified wood and 3,000 year-old Indian petroglyphs. And if you have an unexpected desire to see snow while in Las Vegas, 35 miles in the northwest are Mount Charleston and the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, where winter activities such as skiing, sledding and snowmobiling, or a good, old fashion snowball fight, can be had.
With these great fares uncovered by the deal experts at Fly.com , go ahead and start planning your next vacation to the Entertainment Capital of the World, where great outdoor activities are just a short drive away.
If Las Vegas doesn't strike a cord with you, we have more hot deals to other destinations including Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco and more.
Cheap Flights to Las Vegas
The prices below represent a savings of up to $150 on typical roundtrip prices. These fares are not part of an airline sale and may disappear at any time, so book ASAP.
Availability varies by route. Click on the Fare Calendar links below to find the best dates to travel August to November, unless otherwise noted (blackouts may apply). All prices roundtrip, including taxes.
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The prices below represent a savings of up to $175 on typical roundtrip prices. These fares are not part of an airline sale and may disappear at any time, so book ASAP.
Availability varies by route. Click on the Fare Calendar links below to find the best dates to travel August to December, unless otherwise noted (blackouts may apply). All prices roundtrip, including taxes.
Cheap Domestic Flights
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Bhutto and the Future of Islam
RECONCILIATION: Islam, Democracy, and the West
By Benazir Bhutto. 328 pp. New York: Harper/Harper Collins. $27.95
Picture the moment. It is Dec. 2, 1988. A beautiful woman, 35 years old, walks into the presidential palace in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, flanked by liveried and turbaned honor guards. She is wearing a green silk tunic and a white gauzy shawl that barely covers her hair. She speaks flawless Urdu and English, her English perfected as an undergraduate at Radcliffe and then as a student at Oxford, where she was president of the Oxford Union. She is intelligent, erudite and intensely charismatic. And she is about to take the oath of office to become the first woman in history to lead a modern Muslim country.
The idea of Benazir Bhutto has always been more powerful than the reality. Bhutto, who was assassinated last December while campaigning in Rawalpindi, seemed to many of her admirers in the West to be the consummate liberal. But she was also the descendant of one of the oldest and most thoroughly feudal families in the Sind province. The size of her family's landholdings had stunned the British general Charles Napier, who conquered the province for Queen Victoria in 1843. She inherited the leadership of the Pakistan People's Party from her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's first elected prime minister, and ran it like a personal fiefdom. She was president-for-life, allowed no internal party elections and in her will bequeathed her party to her 19-year-old son, Bilawal, who has spent most of his life outside Pakistan.
Benazir Bhutto spent only 20 months as prime minister the first time she was elected. Pakistan's president dismissed her government over charges of dysfunction and corruption. She had few legislative accomplishments during those years, and her second term in office, from 1993 to 1996, was also largely unsuccessful. There are explanations for her lack of achievement—the military establishment gave her little room and maneuvered against her constantly—but still one cannot help but notice the gap between ambition and action that haunted Bhutto for most of her public life.
With the publication of "Reconciliation," Bhutto has—alas, posthumously—closed that gap. Written while she was preparing to re-enter political life, it is a book of enormous intelligence, courage and clarity. It contains the best-written and most persuasive modern interpretation of Islam I have read. Part of what makes it compelling, of course, is the identity of its author. People have often asked when respected Muslim leaders would denounce Islamic extremism and articulate a forward-looking and tolerant view of their religion. Well, Bhutto has done it in full measure. And as the most popular political figure in the world of Islam—for three decades she led the largest political party in the second largest Muslim country—she had much greater standing than the collection of reactionary mullahs, second-rate academics and unelected monarchs who opine on these topics routinely, and are accorded far too much attention in the West. In fact, Washington should arrange to have the portions of the book about Islam republished as a separate volume and translated into several languages. It would do more to win the battle of ideas within Islam than anything an American president could ever say.
In praising "Reconciliation," I am really recommending its largest part, which concerns the future of Islam. There is a second section, about Pakistan and Benazir Bhutto, which takes up about a fifth of the whole. Some of it is fascinating—one cannot help being riveted by the book's opening pages, in which she recounts arriving in Pakistan on Oct. 18, 2007, to tumultuous crowds and then being hit by a bomb blast, the first terrorist attack on her (the second would prove fatal). But beyond that, the sections on Pakistan are a mixture of potted history and justifications of her reign and that of her father. There is little introspection and much spin. For example, she implies that she was always opposed to the Taliban during her term in office and points out that it took over Kabul as her government was about to be dismissed. But the final takeover, in 1996, came after several years of battle during which Pakistan supported the movement—under Bhutto's second prime ministership. It is quite possible that she was not in charge of these matters—the military ran most of the foreign and defense policy during her years—but she chooses not to admit that either.
So these pages are neither fresh nor frank. In their lack of candor, these sections resemble the memoirs of most politicians. But never mind. The other, larger part of the book is stirring and important—and takes up most of the first three chapters. If the reader loses interest by the time he gets to Pakistan, that's just fine.
Bhutto begins the book by saying frankly and unhesitatingly that the Muslim world has many problems and that it has refused to look at them with much honesty. "It is so much easier to blame others,' she writes, 'than to accept responsibility ourselves." She takes on issues that most Muslim leaders have preferred to ignore or avoid, like the sectarian war within Islam. "One billion Muslims around the world seemed united in their outrage at the war in Iraq ... but there is deadly silence when they are confronted with Muslim-on-Muslim violence. ... Even regarding Darfur, where there is an actual genocide being committed against a Muslim population, there has been a remarkable absence of protests."
Bhutto addresses the most backward-seeming traditions in the Muslim world with a knowledge of both theology and history. She points out, for instance, that in many Muslim countries it is assumed that the Koran requires that women be wrapped head to foot in chadors. Actually, the key passage in the holy book merely states: "Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for them. ... And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty." "The passage does call for modest dress," Bhutto concludes, "but for both sexes." It's a clever and progressive reading that achieves an equality between the sexes without denying the divinity of the text. It is a far more effective way to win over a religious community than to denounce the religion as sexist or backward.
Bhutto asks that Muslim societies learn to tolerate differences in faith. "It is my firm belief that until Muslims revert to the traditional interpretation of Islam—in which 'you shall have your religion, and I shall have mine' is respected and adhered to—the factional strife within Muslim countries will continue. ... Those who teach the killing of adherents of other sects or religions are damaging Muslim societies as well as threatening non-Muslim societies." Here again, Bhutto combines theological and practical smarts. She links the need for Sunni-Shiite harmony with the broader need for respect for other religions.
Considering that this book was written while Bhutto was hoping to return to office, perhaps its boldest sections are its accounts of other Muslim countries and their practices. She does not accept some of the conventional wisdom about the roots of Islamic terrorism. She discusses the Palestinian cause and acknowledges its importance but does not claim that it is the source of all Muslim ill will toward the West. She is unsparing in her description of Wahhabi Islam and its home, Saudi Arabia. She recounts the history of Wahhabism, with its repeated destruction of the mosques, monuments and lives of other Sunni sects, as well as its war on Shiites. Given that Saudi Arabia has been a generous patron to Pakistan, it is striking that Bhutto was willing to write things that would surely have caused her difficulty had she become prime minister.
Throughout, Bhutto is responding to the argument of Samuel P. Huntington's Foreign Affairs essay "The Clash of Civilizations?" that the Islamic and Western worlds are unalterably opposed to each other. She is extremely attentive to Huntington, marshals evidence against him and cites almost all the best critiques. In fact she has devoted her book in large part to dissuading Muslims from seeing the world as one in which a clash of civilizations is necessary or inevitable.
Bhutto is a child of both East and West, and it shows. She is imbued with rationalism, tolerance, progressivism. But she also writes persuasively about Iran, Algeria and, of course, Pakistan, from a non-Western point of view, accurately describing the corrosive role of the West in many of these countries and arguing that the pervasive interference, often to support unpopular dictatorships, has left bitter memories in these lands. Her discussion of Pakistan, however, is almost obsessive in its insistence that United States policy has been responsible for propping up dictatorship and undermining democracy there. While there is certainly some truth to these claims, it is worth bearing in mind that Pakistan has developed poorly along many dimensions—social, economic and political—from its birth, and that it usually lapsed into dictatorship without much prodding from Washington. General Pervez Musharraf's coup, for example, was neither engineered nor approved of by the Clinton administration. If Muslims must accept that they are the authors of their own fate and stop blaming outsiders, is it not fair to ask that of Pakistan's leaders, military and civilian?
On the most pressing issue at hand, the rise of terrorism in Pakistan, Bhutto is sure that it is a consequence of the country's military dictatorship. Democracy, she writes over and over again, will rescue Pakistan from its dangerous path. This is, of course, the argument that George W. Bush has often made to explain his support for democracy in the Muslim world. It is a matter of extreme irony—to say the least—that in the most important real-world application of the Bush doctrine, the president ignores his own words, siding with a military dictator rather than with the elected democrat.
Actually, life is more complex than Bhutto's or Bush's rhetoric. Pakistan's terrorism problem is not simply related to its lack of democracy. It has to do as well with recent history: the Afghan war against Soviet occupation, the American use of Pakistan as a conduit for arms to the Afghan insurgents, Pakistan's decision to train jihadis to destabilize both Afghanistan and India, and the broader rise of militant Islam throughout the Muslim world. It also has to do with Pakistan's more fundamental challenge of being, since inception, an Islamic state, and thus vulnerable to religious radicalism.
In any event, over the next few years, Bhutto's theory may well be given a chance to work. The new democratic government in Pakistan might endure and will then have to tackle its country's terrorism problem. One can only hope, for the sake of Pakistan, Islam and the world at large, that it succeeds, and that Benazir Bhutto will be vindicated in death in a way she was not in life.
By Fareed Zakaria
Fareed Zakaria is the editor of Newsweek International. His new book, "The Post-American World," will be published next month.
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With the Blackhawks having claimed their second Stanley Cup in three years – fifth in franchise history – engraver Louise St. Jacques will soon be dusting off her tools. The names she'll be engraving, though, are not yet set in stone. (Or sterling silver, to be exact. )
Eight players returned from that 2010 Stanley Cup Championship club that already have their names on the Cup: Toews, Bolland, Hjalmarsson, Hossa, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, and Sharp. Some other current players were with the team, but didn't qualify to have their names immortalized in the chalice's silver bands:
Corey Crawford was with the Hawks, but appeared in only one regular season game.
Bryan Bickell was on the team in 2010 but only played in four regular season games and three playoff games – none in the Final. He got to spend a day with the Cup in the summer of 2010, but his name is not on the Stanley Cup. At least not yet.
Cup Requirements
Currently, the NHL requirements to have your name emblazoned on the cup are to have either played in a minimum of 41 regular season games or have suited up for one game in the Stanley Cup Finals. Of course, this being a shortened season, the guidelines are pro-rated:
someone asked me earlier today what would be minimum number of games played to get name on Cup automatically. usually is 41. prorated for
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) May 1, 2013
lockout to 24. and teams can petition to include players who didn't meet minimum.
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) May 1, 2013
Last year, we saw Kings players Davis Drewiske and Kevin Westgarth fall short of the requirements. The Kings succesfully petitioned the league to get their names included on the cup. Not so lucky were Trent Hunter, Scott Parse, and Andrei Loktionov, the latter of whom is now with the Devils.
Drewiske didn't play for #LAKings in playoffs, RT @helenenothelen but they petitioned and got his name on Cup. Kevin Westgarth too.
— Tim Wharnsby (@TimWharnsby) April 2, 2013
First-Time Finalists
Bickell, like many of his teammates, saw his first action in the Stanley Cup Finals. Making their championship series debuts were: Brandon Bollig, Corey Crawford, Michael Frolik, Michal Handzus, Marcus Kruger, Nick Leddy, Johnny Oduya, Michal Rozsival, Brandon Saad, Andrew Shaw, Ben Smith, and Viktor Stalberg. Three other players – Sheldon Brookbank, Jamal Mayers, and Ryan Stanton – were on the roster but did not see any action in the series against the Bruins.
Making the Cup
These 23 players are certain to have their names engraved on the bottom band of the Cup. In order of how they'll appear (Players already on Cup are listed in bold): Jonathan Toews (Captain), Bryan Bickell, Dave Bolland, Brandon Bollig, Sheldon Brookbank, Corey Crawford, Ray Emery, Michael Frolik, Michal Handzus, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Marcus Kruger, Nick Leddy, Johnny Oduya, Michal Roszival, Brandon Saad, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Andrew Shaw, Ben Smith, Viktor Stalberg.
Blackhawks Who Barely Made it
- Michal Handzus – He played only 11 games with the Hawks in the regular season, scoring one goal and adding five assists. Of course, the 28 games he played earlier this year with the Sharks pushed him over the minimum. He also suited up for – and played in every game of – the Cup Final.
- Ben Smith – Smith doesn't play often, but when he does, it's in the Stanley Cup Final. He scored a goal in his one regular season appearance – a late April game that saw Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Patrick Sharp watching from the sidelines. (The Hawks had just clinched the west and opted to give their star players the night off.) He showed up just once more – unexpectedly in Game 3 of the Final, which locked him into having his name on the cup.
- Sheldon Brookbank – He squeaked in based on his regular season play. Brookbank's 26 appearances were just enough to qualify him. He played in just one playoff game, Chicago's Game 4 win over the Kings.
Players Who Missed the Cut
This group didn't qualify outright. The Hawks will have to petition the league for their immortalization on the cup.
- Dan Carcillo (23 games played, 2g-1a-3pts, +1, 11PIM) – Car Bomb played in four postseason matches this year, the most recent coming in the Hawks' Game 2 loss to Detroit.
- Jamal Mayers (19 games played, 0g-2a-2pts, +12, 16PIM) – He would've been a shoo-in if he dressed in Hossa's absence for Game 2 of the Finals, but Ben Smith got the call. While he didn't take the ice in the postseason, he did provide a spark in the locker room:
"I just spoke from the heart and I think — this is what I try to tell young guys — if you're authentic about the team you can say whatever you want to the team, or you should say whatever you want to the team, because your heart's in the right place and all you really want to do is win. […] At the end of the day, the guys on the ice did the job and came back, but I think, at the very least, maybe I gave them a little bit of perspective on what it's like to be 38 and at the end of your career."
- Jimmy Hayes (10 ganes played, 1g-3a-4pts, 0, 0PIM) – No playoff appearances.
- Jeremy Morin (3 games played, 1g-1a-2pts, +1, 0PIM) – No playoff appearances.
- Drew LeBlanc (2 games played, 0g-0a-0pts), -3, 0PIM) – No playoff appearances.
- Carter Hutton – The third-string netminder saw action just once all year in a 3-1 loss to the Blues in late April – the same post-Western-Conference-clinching game that contained Ben Smith's season debut. Also making their only appearances of the season were Brandon Pirri, Ryan Stanton, and Shawn Lalonde – all three were held scoreless.
- Steve Montador – The defenseman hasn't played a game with the Hawks since suffering a concussion in February of 2012. He spent the latter part of the 2013 season continuing his recovery in the AHL. Exceptions have been granted for players on long-term injury (Marc Savard was included with the 2011 Bruins), but it remains to be seen if the team would pursue such a request.
- Rostislav Olesz – Rusty was sent to the AHL just five weeks into the 2011-12 season, where he's played ever since. Any chance of a return was dashed when he suffered a serious knee injury in April 2012. He returned to the ice in March – scoring 19 points in 14 games with the AHL's Rockford Ice Hogs – but wasn't recalled by the Blackhawks.
Unlike in past years, it doesn't seem like there'll be much controversy over the exception requests. It seems logical that both Carcillo and Mayers deserve to be included and that both will soon find their surnames forever etched in to the greatest trophy in all of professional sports.
The boys will all get to enjoy sharing the summer with Stanley. They'll just have to set aside some time for engraver Louise St. Jacques to do her magic and engrave their names in to the Cup where they'll live on forever.
Follow Josh on Twitter – @joshsmith29
Josh is a life-long hockey fan. He grew up as a fan of the New York Rangers, but thanks to their general mismanagement and years of mediocrity, has developed a great appreciation for every team across the league.
He's been writing about hockey on various sites since 1995. In addition to his work at The Hockey Writers, he also keeps tabs on the referees over at ScoutingTheRefs.com.


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Apple and The Zoo Party children's coloring book (Printable PDF version)
by Eric Russell[shout]Price Today: $2.97[/shout] Regular Price:
Your Savings: $2.00 [shout ]Your kid will definitely love Apple and The Zoo Party coloring book. Interesting coloring tasks and interactive and developing games will grab attention of your kid for hours. What can be more enjoyable than spending quality time together with your kids coloring characters from lovely story and playing entertaining games?[/shout]
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LB, Danielle, Ben, Emma and I had ourselves a lovely couple of days. Every time I see Emma, I am amazed by how big she's gotten. It's happening too fast, and I feel like I'm missing all of it.
On Saturday, we took her to the zoo. She was terrified of the primates, fascinated by the big cats, and positively delighted by the meerkats. The rest of the time, she was quite content to play with a rubber ball. We followed our zoo trip with a cookout at my place. LB and Ben did the cooking, while they smoked Cuban cigars that LB had brought (Where on Earth did he get those?) and discussed "man things." Danielle, Emma and I stayed in the house.
"You know your brother is giving Ben The Speech, right?" Danielle asked while Emma cooed at her dolls.
"What speech?" I asked, wondering if I was going to be mortified.
"The 'You better take good care of my sister or I'll kill you' speech."
Yup, I was pretty sure I was going to be mortified. We watched them through the window and began narrating their conversation.
"So, uh, if you aren't nice to my sister, I'm gonna kill you and stuff, man," Danielle said in her LB voice, which is actually quite good.
"Define 'and stuff'," I said in my generic guy voice. "Worse than the killing? Better? Does that part happen before or after the killing?"
"Give me back my Cuban," Danielle said.
"No way, man," I continued. "You should give me a whole box of Cubans for marrying your pain-in-the-ass sister."
"She is kind of a pain in the ass," Danielle agreed. "Ah, screw it. You don't have to be nice to her. But you do have to buy me a lap dance at your bachelor party."
We reenacted our fake conversation for LB and Ben over dinner.
"That sounds about right," LB said. "Right, Ben?"
"Eerily so," he said, and then gave me a wink.
He still won't tell me what LB said to him. Clearly Mr. Secrets is going to fit right in with my family.
Posted at 8:02 AM


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NC Ag Commisioner Stresses Importance of Agriculture to the Tar Heel State on This National Ag Day
"In a lot of cases we take agriculture and all it provides for granted. We all need to appreciate the significance that agriculture has in our lives.
Agriculture is NC's leading industry and has an economic impact of $72 billion dollars. It's hard to believe, but with the diversity of agriculture and all that we do that is real, and more than double its nearest competitive industry (the Military at $26 billion).
I have a goal to grow that number to $100 billion dollars. We were able to grow agriculture by about 60% during the great recession, so that goal is well within reach if we do some things right with policy and we get a little luck with the weather.
The population of NC continues to grow and its creating an urban sprawl. We lost 6.6 million acres of farmland between 1970 and 2010. Yet we have been able to grow agriculture and agribusiness. So the state needs a good policy to keep the natural resources. But the growth in population also creates an additional market for our products.
We now have a legislature that is dominated by the cities. What that means is that all of us in agriculture have a greater role to play in education. This week is important that even the people in the city realize where their food comes from.
Agriculture absolutely cannot be taken for granted. If we want to continue to have affordable and available food, agriculture must be revered."


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(Morristown, N.J.)… As previously communicated, Hamburg Süd switched to low-sulphur marine fuel to comply with the IMO regulations that entered into effect on January 1, 2020. The switch will result in substantial cost increases for ocean shipping. At the same time, we also predicted fuel prices to experience increased volatility.
To allow customers and Hamburg Süd to manage the volatility and cost exposure in a fair and transparent manner, the Hamburg Süd quarterly Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) levels will be subject to a monthly review and exceptional trigger if the price of compliant fuel (0.5% sulphur fuel oil), or VLSFO, moves up or down more than 50 USD/metric ton in bunker prices compared to the last review period.
We have seen VLSFO prices increase substantially in recent months and especially in recent weeks. In particular, for a certain period, the VLSFO price in Asia (Singapore) exceeded 700 USD/mt, which is more than 20% higher than the bunker prices used in calculating the previous BAF. As a result, the average increase in January is expected to exceed trigger price of 50 USD/mt.
Consequently, Hamburg Süd will activate the additional monthly trigger defined in our BAF formulas. The new levels will be effective as of March 1, 2020.
We will use Bunkerworld's fuel price index for 0.5% sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) for the BAF calculations. The period used for the calculation will be December 26, 2019 to January 25, 2020. The figure used in the comparison will be:
BAF: Average bunker price from August 26, 2019 to November 25, 2019 (537.99 USD/mt)
The increases will be seen across all trades and will range between 50 USD to 200 USD per FFE.
The actual increases per trade will be communicated by end of January.
We thank you for your understanding and support.
Please contact your Hamburg Süd representative with any questions that you may have.


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I learned to knit and sew at an early age. I think it's in the blood.
My gran sewed sailor's uniforms during the war and although she was too old to use it by the time I
remember her, I loved to sit and "pretend" at her treadle operated sewing machine which stood in pride of place in the house.
to dresses for the Mother and Daughter competition!!!
and ballet dresses for the annual production.
I always had the job of gathering all that netting by hand!!
Although I was a teacher by profession, my last job was in the UK craft industry, demonstrating products and writing magazine projects. I'm now retired and spend more time "making stuff" than ever before. For some reason I always get my best ideas in the shower and I always have many projects on the go at once.
When I haven't got a needle of some sort in my hand I enjoy gardening, trying to live organically, walking and making hand bound journals.
I sell my own designs of patterns on Etsy, Craftsy, Ravelry and LoveKnitting.
You can find me on Instagram @mackandmabel for quilt related posts
If you need to contact me please do so at julietaylor266(at)gmail.com


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For those of you who are enjoying your newest Kindle, iPad, or Note, the good news is that you already have the technology of the future. Google believes the future is in handheld devices with merging Android with Chrome. Google will merge the two platforms to create technology that will lead the future of handhelds and tablets.
The Future of Google (and Tech): Phones and Computers Are Converging
So what does this mean for the personal home computer? Looks likes its already becoming as extinct as the dinosaurs did thousands of years ago. Technology and current social media trends have dictated this move towards portable handheld devices for the last 3-4 years. One day, out of the blue, that "comet" (Google) will take out those big bulky PC's just like the comet wiped out an entire species.
Personally, I believe this is going to happen in a year or two. Don't you dare say you weren't warned! You know who you are; you are the one's who refuse to give up on that home PC, desktop, whatever you want to call it; who also believes owning a flip phone is still high technology. Time to retire those old mammoths and make room for a new Galaxy Note or an iPad.


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Christmas Waterproof Removable Bedroom Living Room Background Wall Sticker
This product is bright color, PVC transparent film material, and the use of imported base paper, both environmentally friendly and waterproof, rich and innovative patterns.
Paste a sheet in the living room, immediately let the plain space emit a dynamic atmosphere, give people comfortable enjoyment!
Customers can also design styles according to their own preferences. You dominate your furniture design.
Color: as shown
Material: PVC
Size: Santa Claus 50 * 70cm/19.69*27.56", Merry Christmas 50 * 60cm/19.69*23.62", Noctilucent Snowflake 21 * 24.5cm/8.27*9.65", Snowflake 30 * 50 cm/11.81*19.69", manual measurement, there may be errors, please understand.
1. If you are pasted on the surface of glass or ceramic tile, because the material is smooth, wipe the veneer with a clean rag before pasting,so that it is easier to paste, and the leveling effect is better.
2. Some larger patches may have a few bubbles after flattening, and you can scrape them off with a scraper.
The small bubbles can be punctured and smoothed by needle tips, which will not affect the overall paste effect.
3. If the pasted wall is damp, aging or just painted, it may cause wall paste to fall off automatically after pasting, or may cause wall peeling fall, you can use a blower to dry the wall or to volatilize the paint for a period of time after pasting, but the effect may be different, so customers are requested to carefully select their posts.
4. If you do not accidentally stick the wall in the wrong place, you can use a small blade to stick the wall to a corner lightly lift tear off, re-paste can be, this product can be used repeatedly under normal circumstances, as long as it does not tear.
5. DIY series products are compact in layout size, you can play unlimited creativity, free combination of layout and location, you can first cut the pattern separately with scissors. When you cut the pattern, be careful not to cut it to the pattern. After that, you can design the general layout, and then create the unique and creative space by hand.
1. Due to the different monitor and light effect, the actual color of the item might be slightly different from the color showed on the pictures. Thank you!
2. Please allow slight measuring deviation due to manual measurement.
Package Content:
1 x Wall Sticker


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We start off with grand ideas,
delusions actually,
of how we perceive
the path that opens up
in front of us.
We idealize,
all the while
the path unfolds
in its own way.
We meet surprise
like a stranger in the night,
that our preconceived ideas,
definites we would have staked
our life on, and did,
were not how it was turning
out to be.
We let go of our illusions.
We drop the certainty
of what it all is,
like a hot potato
burning our hand.
full of wonder,
and not knowing,
we allow the path
to take us home.
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Assistant Editor: Lauren Savory / Editor: Bryonie Wise
Photo: Nikki Hoffman / Flickr


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Nicalis, the company that picked up Cave Story and developing The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, is bringing Yatagarasu to PlayStation Vita. Yatagarasu will be renamed Legend of Raven, but it's the same core game from a team that made King of Fighters titles. Kotani Tomoyuki hand animated the eight fighters in the game.
Legend of Raven has been enhanced for Vita with a new soundtrack, parallaxing backgrounds, and ad-hoc play. Players will be able to battle each other through an ad-hoc versus mode.
Legend of Raven is slated for release later this year via PlayStation Network.


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Professional Women in Building
Fresno/Madera Chapter
The Professional Women in Building (PWB) was chartered in May 1980. Beginning with only seven members, determined to make a difference in the community, it has since grown to over 25 members and raised more than $250,000 for different charities.
The PWB began their philanthropic efforts by raising money to benefit California State University-Fresno and Fresno City College Construction Programs and Scholarships. In 1991, the PWB raised enough money to establish an endowment at Fresno City College to provide funding for construction education programs in perpetuity. The PWB also gave tools to senior students embarking on their professions in the homebuilding and commercial construction industry.
Through the years the PWB has also expanded the efforts to donate time, money, hard work and lots of love to help community outreach programs. The programs include: our own PWB Scholarships, Kids N Cancer, Boys and Girls Club, Hope Battalion Scholarship, Friends of the Library, DARE, Coats for Kids, Skywatch, Stars Behind Bars, Art Kirkland Memorial, Neighborhood Watch, Safety for Kids, Marjoree Mason Center, Make a Wish and Breaking The Chains. One of the PWB's greatest achievements was their donation of 2000 trees in the year 2000 to the City of Fresno through the "HomeBuilders Care" Program and Homes of Our Own."
Fundraising for the many projects sponsored by the PWB is not an easy task. In fact, there aren't too many events the PWB hasn't coordinated to fund their programs and fulfill their need to build longstanding relationships among friends and colleagues in the building industry. Whether it is dinner and dance parties, fashion shows, salvage sales, raffles, building playhouses, bus trips or selling entertainment books the members of the PWB have worked hard and made a difference.


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Unfinished Sculpture
You could hang a dress
from the edge, wrap it
in silk scarves, black trash bags,
a torn bed sheet.
You could glue lost poems
to the frame, hack it to pieces
with a green plastic knife,
stuff it in the attic
on its side.
You could.
But you know
you could never.
First Kiss
Draw a box, he says
2 x 2, and fill it with animals.
Bunnies, frogs, sheep – they all
look the same – lumpy round bellies,
some sort of ears. Snakes too, starfish,
grimacing camels, a cat
on wheels. I have had a first kiss
and a last kiss, but I've never
learned to draw. There goes a pig
smiling in profile. Strange
as a first kiss. Fingers
on a table, reaching, tentative
as unfamiliar lips. Cabin wall,
foot path to the lake. My grandmother
has sinus cancer. Two weeks
after that kiss, she
becomes my exit strategy. She
would like this boy; doesn't know
he has kissed me or even
that he exists. I am done
with his damp kisses.
I am sitting on a bus saying
I can't do this anymore
because I am too worried
about my grandmother. How odd –
the excuses we reach for. Anything
will do. Puppy, bird, tiger. They all
look the same.
I don't know where to look
the morning you scream at me
long distance. The exchange
fits no recognizable pattern –
half-eaten bagel, cabs rushing past.
I am shivering on a street corner
hundreds of miles from home, sure
I'll be divorced within the year. And yet
we circle back. Does anyone even say
long distance any more? Will the bald eagles
return to their power plant nests
near Lake Erie this winter? They have no idea.
I am not making this up. Those eagles
hunt gizzard shad from discharge channels
near the electric lines, which confirms for me
that nothing is ever beyond explanation –
not your hand on my back,
not the way my head
nests between your shoulder and chin,
not our friends' deluxe new kitchen
which leaves us cold, we're so relieved
to still love one another, to be driving
through darkness on this minor highway,
finally headed home.
Susan Knoppow is CEO of Wow Writing Workshop. An accomplished speech writer, teacher and copywriter, Susan understands audiences as diverse as creative writing students, college applicants, worried parents, grant review committees and corporate stakeholders. She has worked with students, businesses and nonprofits for more than 25 years.


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14.00 - 16.00
Took a circular walk around part of the village north to the top of the hill and back via the main village lane.
Black Woody again only heard. Firecrests seen together pre-roost. Female Hawfinch seen for the second time at top of tallest tree near our house giving high pitched call only.
6 Wood Lark over S
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
3 Blackbird male 1st y male & female
3 Firecrest
4 Great Tit
2 Blue Tit
Tree Sparrow
100 + Chaffinch single flock
Cirl Bunting
Hawfinch female


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Energy Transfer Partners has announced that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved its request to put Phase 1A of the Rover pipeline into service.
Phase 1A, the 212 mile section – from Cadiz (Ohio) to Defiance (Ohio) – began its natural gas service on 31 August 2017.
The approximately 713 mile pipeline project is designed to transport up to 3.25 billion ft3 of natural gas per day from the Marcellus and Utica Shale production areas, to markets across the US as well as into Union Gas Dawn Storage Hub in Ontario, Canada.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/01092017/ferc-approves-etps-request-to-put-rover-pipeline-in-service/


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SCI offers carpet designed to fit every flooring need. From soft, comfortable, eco-friendly carpets at value prices to the world's ONLY luxuriously soft carpet with permanent built-in stain and soil protection, SCI gives you virtually unlimited carpeting choices.
With thousands upon thousands of colors, styles, patterns and textures, SCI makes finding your perfect floor easy, no matter what your preference. As the areas largest flooring provider, SCI covers every carpeting application, decorating style and budget. Including yours.
Our soft and stain resistant carpets are designed with advanced fibers, which provide even more repellency to liquids and enhanced soil protection.


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Taylor Hall got crushed again; may be a magnet for devastating hits
Taylor Hall knows that he has absorbed way too many nuclear hits in his career. The Edmonton Oilers star literally told me this over the summer when I interviewed him for a feature in our annual Yearbook:
"You get injured a few times and you start to look in the mirror," he said. "The biggest way to contribute is to hit the scoresheet, so maybe you don't skate into the corner going a million miles an hour anymore."
So far this season, Hall has lived up to that code, suiting up in all 43 games so far for the Oilers and leading the squad with 41 points. But it's not just the corners Hall has to worry about – open ice can be just as dangerous, as he found out against the Panthers on Sunday:
Yeeowch. Was that a suicide pass by good buddy Leon Draisaitl? I wouldn't go that far; the German sophomore made a quick move to get the puck up ice, basically no-looking it. And really, it's not like Hall had time to get his head up. In this case, Gudbranson just clocked him clean in a situation involving bad timing (if you're Hall).
The fact Gudbranson's stick gets tangled up in Hall makes the Oilers star look a lot worse in the aftermath, but either way – that's not a hit I'd line up to take from a big, nasty NHL defenseman.


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Immersive technologies have drastically changed the way people perceives the world, by creating digital objects in the real world or by introducing them in a virtual environment in 3D, where the users can interact with the objects or have a walk among an environment they can see, hear and feel.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality is an immersive experience that transports the users to a different place where you count with a 360-degree vision, where you provide a unique experience in 3D.
To understand how it works, we'll give you an example: the user is watching a car race on TV, this is a two-dimension action, where the action is displayed through a screen, the television. With an immersive experience, the user is inside the car and actually disputing the race, being the main character.
To sum up, virtual reality takes us literally anywhere, in any moment. We can climb the Everest, scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef or visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris, all from our sofa at home.
Augmented reality
Augmented reality, on the other hand, allows us to introduce virtual objects in the real world and interact with them. A well-known example is the game Pokémon Go, where the user had to "hunt" pokémons that kept appearing in the real world, and that he could see through the screen of his smartphone.
Do they work well together?
It could seem that both technologies can substitute each other, but their characteristics are considerable. With virtual reality, the environment interacts with the user, and with augmented reality the user interacts with the objects. This is why the natural tendency of this technology is a mixed model where the environment interacts with the user and the user, at the same time, interacts with the objects in this virtual environment.
A relevant indicator of the evolution of these immersive technologies and how they will impact our purchasing habits is the number of virtual reality glasses sold; it's estimated that in 2020 the benefits will be of more than 35 million euros, a huge increase compared to the 4 million sold in 2016. We must consider that in this prevision we haven't taken into account tablets and smartphones, which can also use this technology. It's confirmed, then, that these technologies will be some of the most significant in the following years.
The future of retail
Focusing on augmented reality, it offers endless possibilities in the great consumption and pharmaceutical sectors. For example, from marketing's point of view, augmented reality allows us to virtually introduce promotional material in the point of sales without actually taking it there, which results in a better go-to-market strategy and more effective promotions.
From the client's perspective, augmented reality lets them interact with a product, like trying on a piece of clothing, and get to know more information on the product, like the ingredients of a product and its benefits.
In retail, this technology is perfect to design physical spaces, and we can visualize the objects on a natural scale so we can see how will the clients interact with our virtual objects. Stands and stoppers will appear in front of our eyes and we'll be able to see if they are appropriate from the promotional point of view as well.
Moreover, this technology lets us implement different options of promotional material in real time, depending for example on the type of point of sales, the available space, the available material or the type of promotion, and this results in a better commercial process, as promotions can be validated in real time.
We can also use augmented reality to improve the retailer's and the users' experience, giving them more information in less time and speeding up their decision-making process. We can, for example, offer a QR code that can be read through an app that offers, at the same time, information on the product, instructions or video tutorials. The supplier can take advantage of this technology as well, as the consumer is more likely to purchase this product.
Augmented reality benefits
Its benefits are basically focused on engaging clients and fostering their loyalty towards a brand, as we immerse the customer in a reality built by us, where our value proposal is unique.
Being able to access information on the product and how it's supposed to be used and being able to interact with it entails a paradigm shift; this technology implies a great number of benefits, such as a better return of investments, an increase in sales because of the improvement of the decision-making process of the client or a better profitability when executing a promotion.


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Punk Rock Straight Shot by Easy Glass
The Punk Rock Straight Shot bong has a really nice wide base and hits like a mosh pit. This piece by Easy Glass features a girly punk rock skull design that is fully wrapped around the entire tube. Regardless if you're a punk rocker or not, this waterpipe will give you some attitude.
- Height: 15 inches
- Joint Size: 18mm Female
- Includes: 18/14mm LoPro Downstem & Matching Bowl


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The Planning Commission maintains a Public Kiosk in their lobby that enables users to create aerial photography plots using digital orthophotography. The Kiosk enables users to choose from the available aerial imagery (1937, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2017) and to select an aerial for any location within the County. The imagery from 1937 through 2000 is black & white while the imagery from 2005 through 2017 is in full color. The aerials created from the digital orthophotography process (since 1990) are locationally accurate to within five (5) feet at all points on the photo.
Digital Orthophotography
Definition: Digital imagery in which distortion from the camera angle and topography have been removed, thus equalizing the distances represented on the image. Orthophotos are processed images depicting terrain features in their true plain positions. The process removes distortions introduced during the capture of an image through the cameras lens. Geometric distortions and relief displacements are optically removed by an orthoprojection instrument connected to a stereoplotter. This rectification process produces a "corrected" image that meets pre-defined positional accuracy requirements.
Ordering Aerial Photo Prints
The kiosk located in the CCPC office, is designed for use by the public to create aerial photos. This program provides new features that were not available when purchasing aerial photos in the past.
Prints are $5.00 for 11x17 and $15.00 for 32x36. We also provide an option to convert an aerial print into a pdf format for your convenience. Acceptable forms of payment are:
- Checks made payable to the "County of Chester"
- Visa/MasterCard
- Cash (Bills over $20 not accepted)
Please note aerials are available Monday through Friday 9:00-4:00.


text: Lifestyle Pets Chrissy Teigen and John Legend's Dog Puddy Dies: 'He Was There for Everything' The couple brought home the bulldog during their first year of dating By Kelli Bender Kelli Bender Kelli Bender is the Pets Editor for PEOPLE Digital and PEOPLE magazine. She has been with the PEOPLE brand for more than eight years, working as a writer/producer across PEOPLE's Lifestyle, Features, and Entertainment verticals before taking on her current role. Kelli is also an editor on PEOPLE's Stories to Make You Smile and serves as an editorial lead on PEOPLE's World's Cutest Rescue Dog Contest and Pet Product Awards. Before joining PEOPLE, Kelli helped AOL and Whalerock launch a pet lifestyle site called PawNation. She is a pet parent to a cat named Wallace, and her professional and personal devotion to animals has taken her to three dog weddings ... so far. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 7, 2018 01:55 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Chrissy Teigen/Instagram Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have been hit with a heart-aching loss. Teigen, 32, announced on her Instagram Wednesday that the couple's beloved bulldog Puddy had passed away. "Today our baby, Puddy, has gone on to the pup heavens. John and I got Puddy in our first year of dating, when I convinced him half-birthday presents were a real thing," Teigen wrote in her goodbye post to the loyal canine. Puddy, who Teigen and Legend brought home 10 years ago, has been with the lovebirds through "every up, down, new house, new city, new tour, new travel. He welcomed new pups and loved on new babies and new bellies." The expectant mom followed up this heartfelt post with an Instagram video of Puddy affectionately doting on the couple's daughter, Luna, when she was just an infant. Teigen first shared news about Puddy's health troubles in November of last year, when she took to Twitter to announce that the pooch was suffering from heart failure. Puddy recovered from this incident, but made less appearances on Teigen's social media accounts following his hospitalization. Puddy, who was there whenever Teigen "needed a taste tester, someone to kiss or needed to sob into his stinky rolls," is survived by his French bulldog wife Pippa, as well as Teigen and Legend's other dogs, Pepper and Penny.


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5 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Hormonal Acne Breakouts
Maybe you're like me and you've had acne as long as you can remember. I was the first girl in my class (5th grade!) to go through puberty. This also meant I was the first to get acne. I experienced crazy, face-covering, deep and painful cystic acne from that time through most of my young adult life. I saw some reprieve after 2 courses of Accutane, but the acne kept coming back.
Years later when I was diagnosed with PCOS after discontinuing the birth control pill, my acne flared up again and put me right back to those days. The embarrassment, the judgment, the insecurity. All while I was back in school for holistic nutrition. I tried covering it with my makeup and hair and scarves, but I knew it was on display and people were looking. I didn't feel sexy in front of my partner and wanted to shy away instead.
Once I was on track to reversing many of my PCOS symptoms, my acne began to disappear. Now I almost never get cystic or deep acne, and if I do breakout, it's on the surface and goes away very quickly. I'm no longer afraid to look at my skin in the mirror, and feel comfortable going out in public without makeup.
I want this for you too, so I'm outlining 5 natural ways to get rid of hormonal acne breakouts below (and what might be causing them!).
What's Causing My Hormonal Acne Breakouts?
Truthfully, there are many causes, but as a woman with PCOS, I'm going to stick with the one most relevant to this condition: androgen excess.
Androgens are a class of hormones. To break it down even more, hormones are simply substances that are created in specific glands (like your ovaries) which have very specific functions in the body, including regulating many processes.
Androgens are a class of hormones often thought of as "male hormones" because men experience higher levels of these hormones as a regular function. Androgens are necessary in us women too, and I'll explain why in a minute.
They are produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands and fat cells for the most part, but may also be created right at the active tissue site (hair follicles, for example). In women, androgens, like testosterone will:
- Be converted into other hormones like estrogen
- Prevent bone loss
- Increase libido and sexual satisfaction
- Regulate other functions including menstrual cycles/reproduction, liver, kidney and muscle health
- Help create lean muscle mass
How Do Androgens Contribute To Acne?
First, one of testosterone's jobs is to increase sebum (oil) production on the skin. If your androgens are going crazy, chances are you're super oily, regardless of how many times you wash your face, and you're breaking out.
Second, testosterone has some really awesome benefits, as you can see from the list above, but it can go rogue. Specifically at the tissue site (IE your skin or even hair follicles in the case of hair loss/facial hair), testosterone and other androgens can be converted into a "bad" form of testosterone know as DHT or dihydrotestosterone. This DHT is much of what's responsible for hormonal acne breakouts.
The enzyme responsible for the conversion of testosterone to DHT is known as 5-alpha reductase, and some androgen-blocking medications aim to reduce levels of this enzyme. When you have chronically high levels of androgens like testosterone, they float around in your blood. Couple this with high levels of the pituitary hormone Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and testosterone production is put into overdrive. A woman's body doesn't need so much testosterone like men do, so when there's excess floating in the blood stream, it will end up binding to androgen-receptors in the skin cells so that your body can get rid of it- through acne lesions on the skin.
If you are a woman with diagnosed or suspected PCOS, this is especially true for you. Women with PCOS often have chronically high levels of LH, which will increase production of testosterone, increasing the likelihood of the extra androgens binding to receptors in the skin cells and creating more acne.
Lastly, insulin plays a role here as well. If your levels of the blood sugar-balancing hormone insulin are too high (from poor diet, stress, etc), this will stimulate your ovaries (and potentially your adrenals) to produce even more testosterone, promoting this vicious cycle. Balancing insulin and reducing stress are key to reducing androgens in women.
Beyond hormonal acne breakouts, there are numerous symptoms of high androgens, so check out my Hormone Imbalance Quiz to see if this is possibly an issue for you.
5 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Hormonal Acne Breakouts
Reduce Androgens
Seeing as we're talking about androgens as a leading cause for acne breakouts in adult women, it makes sense to talk about how to reduce them to possibly reduce your acne. There is a lot involved in reducing androgens, and luckily there are some simple steps you can take to do this yourself- no crazy meds required!
The first step to reducing androgens in women is to balance your blood sugar. If you're not sure what this is or what it means, check out this post.
The main components of a blood sugar-balancing diet (and should be included with all meals and snacks) are:
- Protein: 20-30g per meal and 5-10g per snack
- Fat: 1-3 tbsp added fat per meal and 1 tbsp per snack
- Fibre: 35-45g daily total, going for the lower end of the spectrum if you are trying to get pregnant or don't ovulate regularly.
There are also some herbs and supplements shown helpful in reducing androgens such as:
Improve Liver Function
Your liver is an important organ for hormonal health, for many reasons. One of the big reasons is that the liver metabolizes and detoxifies hormones. For example, estrogen and testosterone. If your liver isn't functioning optimally or is sluggish, it's more likely your blood sugar will be out of balance, your digestion will suffer and you'll have extra hormones floating around that your body couldn't get rid of. These extra hormones could be detrimental to health over time, and excess testosterone often ends up creating more acne as it binds to those androgen-receptors in your skin cells.
An easy way to improve your liver function beyond having a veggie-heavy, anti-inflammatory diet is to gently support detoxification with medicinal herbs. You can often find formulas specific to liver health in capsule or tincture form at the local health food store. Liver rejuvenation takes time, so it's important to be consistent with your chosen way of gentle cleansing for 2-3 months or menstrual cycles for maximum benefit. Look out for some of these herbs when choosing a formula:
- Dandelion root
- Burdock root
- Yellow dock
- Artichoke
- Milk thistle
- Turmeric
Support Healthy Digestion
If your gut health sucks, so will your skin. Coming back to toxins, if a lot of toxins and inflammatory compounds are getting through your gut lining (a healthy gut doesn't allow this to happen), your body will have extra inflammation. It will also have extra toxins that need to be dealt with. If you're eating foods your body is especially sensitive too, the reaction is even stronger. You may not even experience gut problems like gas, bloating, constipation or indigestion if your gut needs help- so don't discount this extremely crucial step in balancing your skin.
Low stomach acid and low levels of digestive enzymes contribute to this, and supporting your body to create optimal amounts of these is incredibly helpful for your skin.
The easiest way I know to help your digestion (besides eating a clean diet, free of food intolerances and processed junk) is to take Bitters. Digestive bitters are an herbal formula that contain herbs with bitter qualities, as the name suggests. Bitter herbs help to stimulate digestive secretions, so your body releases more stomach acid and enzymes to break down and digest your food properly. There are numerous bitters formulas out there, and they often contain liver-helpers like I've mentioned in the previous section.
My personal favourite bitters formula is Canadian Bitters by St. Francis Herb Farm.
When you're stressed, most body processes get suppressed as your body is focused on saving your life! Even though your particular stress (like kids, dirty house or commute) isn't actually life threatening, your body can't tell the difference. When you're in this "Fight or Flight" mode, all non essential body processes are stopped- digestion and sex hormone production (reproduction) being part of that.
So, your hormones go crazy and you don't digest or absorb anything, and you now know that these processes are key to fighting those hormonal breakouts.
Additionally, when you're stressed, the stress hormone cortisol tells your body to create some sugar to put in the blood for quick energy- so you can fight or flee. This adds to blood sugar and insulin imbalances that may already be present- putting weight on your belly, creating inflammation and unleveling the amount of androgens your body produces- all leading to more breakouts.
Stress management is essential, and steps must be taken every single day to manage it in a healthy way. Whether you have 5 minutes or several hours, each day must have some type of self-care.
Some of my favourite self-care activities include:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Spending time in nature (Bonus: being in the sun gives you vitamin D, a clear skin vitamin)
- Walking or bicycling
- Infrared saunas
- Journalling
- Reading a fluff book
- Watching a funny TV show or movie
- Taking a hot bath
- Having a healthy treat like a few squares organic 70% dark chocolate (not the whole bar!)
- Adult colouring books
- Enjoying a cup of herbal tea
- Diffusing calming essential oils like lavender, peppermint, frankincense and cedarwood
Resolve Dysbiosis
Dysbiosis may be a new word for you, but it's explanation is simple. Dysbiosis is simply a bacterial imbalance in the body. Our bodies have trillions of bacteria- there's more of them then there is human cells! We need to keep these bugs happy, because they keep us happy (literally). There is a very delicate balance of these bacteria- we should have more probiotics ("good" bacteria) compared to pathogens or "bad" bacteria (like candida, parasites, etc). When these bugs are in harmony, everything is great.
When dysbiosis comes about, from poor lifestyle choices, use of medications like antibiotics, anti-depressants and the birth control pill (it's actually an antibiotic!), acne can be an embarrassing side effect.
Like the connection between mood problems and acne I've mentioned in this article about probiotics and acne, people with acne are also more likely to have a variety of digestive complaints like constipation, burping, bad breath and bloating. Yuck! While this wasn't something I ever experienced in great amounts (except maybe some bloating), I see this a lot in the women I work with.
The biggest possible reason for this is something known as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth or SIBO. What this means simply is that there's too many 'bad' bacteria and other pathogens in the body than 'good' bacteria. While SIBO can be a severe issue, even a small amount of bacterial overgrowth like candida or even leaky gut can cause digestive and skin disturbances.
Probiotics are 'good' bacteria, and so help to 'crowd out' the bad guys with their body-loving superpowers. The means a healthy gut and healthy skin for the user!
Check out my full post on why you should be using probiotics to help your acne by clicking here.


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Colgate's Thomas Serval in the Digital Health Studio
New Hum toothbrushes from Colgate that is affordable with the newest smart electric technology. The smart toothbrush provides personalized care that allows the user to brush better with the help of a Colgate app.
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Withings smart Body scale provides the user with a segmented body analysis where you one can learn different compositions about their body such as body fat, muscle and water. Body is a clinically tested smart scale.
Abbott's Dr. Beth McQuiston in the Digital Health Studio
Abbott's Dr. Beth McQuiston discusses a new product called i-STAT that can help evaluate if there is brain injury in 15 minutes. i-STAT is the first rapid handheld traumatic brain injury blood test.
Valencell's Steven LeBoeuf in the Digital Health Studio
Valencell's lastest wearable technology is a photoplethysmography (PPG) device that provides a blood pressure reading in 30 seconds. The device provides a valid and accurate reading without being invasive.
Olive Healthcare's Hank Kim in the Digital Health Studio
Olive Healthcare discusses Bello, a new product that scans the body to understand the body's current conditions. Their other new product Fitto, measures muscle.
SleepScore Labs's Colin Lawlor in the Digital Health Studio
How to make sleep better to get the recovery that our body needs. SleepScore Lab's products is backed up by data by using technologies to measure what interventions are needed to improve sleep.
Dassault Systèmes John McCarthy in the Digital Health Studio
Dassault Systèmes combines the real world and the virtual world, by designing a virtual twin to understand how a body system performs in reality. The data extracted then helps design a treatment that works for the specific individual.


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Veterans Employment Services
Providing focused employment assistance for eligible veterans, transitioning service members, and family members. Educating employers on the qualifications and benefits of veterans.
The Veterans Employment Program's mission is to provide sound job coaching and to assist employers with understanding the unique benefits of hiring Veterans so that every Texas Veteran and eligible Veteran spouse has access to long term and meaningful employment.


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On 18 December 2009, the high speed Sapsan train service will be launched on the Moscow – St Petersburg – Moscow route. Ticket sales for the Sapsan trains are now open.
The first journeys will begin at 06:45 in the morning, when two trains will depart simultaneously from Moscow and St Petersburg. The journey time will be 3 hours 45 minutes.
Each train has 10 carriages, of which two are first class and eight are second class. The Sapsan is a high-speed electric train of the Velaro RUS series produced by the company Siemens Transportation Systems, and capable of a maximum speed of 250 km/h.
A contract for the delivery of eight trains of the Velaro RUS series was signed by RZD and Siemens Transportation Systems in May 2006. The contract was worth 276 million euros. In April 2007, a contract was signed for the technical servicing of trains over a 30 year period, to the sum of 354.1 million euros.
With the launch of the Sapsan train, the journey time between Moscow and St Petersburg will be 3 hours 45 minutes. Currently, the travel time is between 4 hours 30 minutes and 8 hours. The average time for a journey from Moscow to St Petersburg by plane (taking into account trips to and from the airport, flight registration, and flying time) is not less than 5 hours.


text: Situated on the bank of river Ramganga, Bareilly has been the centre of cultural & educational activities in the state of Uttar Pradesh in North India. Bareilly was established in 1537. It was earlier known as Jagatpur, having being founded by Jagat Singh Katerhriya. It was often called "Bans Bareilly" because of the fine Bamboo Craft. The city is a major hub for its special Handicraft popularly known as "Zari – Zardozi", which is a form of embroidery. This is one of the oldest traditions of the Bareilly District. Bareilly is the largest producer and exporter of Camphor in India. Apart from this, Bareilly is famous for Surma (Collyrium)


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POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Hurricane Irma continues to hurtle toward Florida's doorstep, threatening to ravage the state with destruction not seen in a generation.
The track of the storm, however, shifted overnight: The eye of the storm is now expected to head up the state's west coast, rather than the middle. Naples, Fort Myers and Tampa are now expected to bear the brunt of the storm. But because of the size of the storm, Florida's east coast remains in danger, including from storm surges that will easily overwhelm some areas. But before the storm reaches the peninsula, the Florida Keys will experience the full force of the storm.
Regardless of its track, all of Florida will likely experience damaging winds, rains, flooding and possibly tornadoes.
"This is a deadly storm and our state has never seen anything like it," Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) said at a news conference in Sarasota Saturday morning.
Scott implored people living in evacuation zones to leave their homes, telling people on in the southwest part of the state to leave their homes by noon for a shelter or elsewhere.
"Once the storm starts, law enforcement cannot save you," he said.
Scott said there are more than 260 shelters open statewide housing at least 50,000 people; at least 70 additional shelters are expected to open today. He said the state desperately needs about 1,000 nurses to volunteer in its special needs shelters. Scott said he has spoken with President Trump and William "Brock" Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who have guaranteed all necessary federal resources.
After days of calm, ordinary summer weather, Miami residents woke to powerful wind gusts and bouts of torrential rain before dawn, followed by calm conditions again under low, gray clouds. Irma's outermost bands appear to have arrived. With the storm still more than 200 miles away, Miami International Airport clocked a wind gust of 57 mph just after 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Nearly 25,000 people have already lost power across the state as of Saturday morning.
"It's not a question of if Florida's going to be impacted, it's a question of how bad Florida's going to be impacted," Long said Friday at a news conference.
Officials in Georgia and the Carolinas — where heavy rains and flooding are expected early next week — have declared emergencies, but attention remained focused on Florida. Forecasts call for up to 20 inches of rain and thrashing winds no matter how the storm pivots before hitting the mainland United States.
"Irma is likely to make landfall in Florida as a dangerous major hurricane, and will bring life-threatening wind impacts to much of the state regardless of the exact track of the center," the National Hurricane Center said.
As of 5 a.m. Saturday, Irma had maximum sustained winds near 155 mph and higher gusts as it moved over Cuba's Camaguey Archipelago as a Category 4 storm, the hurricane center said.
Local, state and federal officials have offered ominous warnings as the storm zeroed in on Florida, making clear how much danger they felt the Sunshine State could face in coming days. Long urged people from Alabama to North Carolina to monitor and prepare for the storm, calling it "a threat that is going to devastate the United States, either Florida or some of the southeastern states."
About 5.6 million people in Florida and 540,000 in Georgia have been ordered to evacuate.
Floridians are familiar with ominous forecasts and hurricane warnings, and many have painful memories of Hurricane Andrew, which made landfall as a Category 5 monster in 1992, and other storms that brought lashing rain and winds. But when asked about people in South Florida who intend to ride out the storm at home, Long was blunt.
"I can guarantee you that I don't know anybody in Florida that's ever experienced what's about to hit South Florida," Long said. "They need to get out and listen and heed the warnings."
Mark DeMaria, acting deputy director of the hurricane center, said Friday afternoon that the latest models showed the storm track shifting slightly to the west, putting southwest Florida in particular jeopardy for the most violent winds, while all of South Florida will have significant impacts.
"We really want to emphasize the very vulnerable Southwest Florida area," DeMaria said.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has warned people that evacuation zones could expand and said that all Floridians "should be prepared" to leave their homes. Scott also has cited the memories of Andrew, calling Irma "more devastating on its current path" and warning that much of the state could be imperiled.
In addition to having intense power, Irma also is an immense storm, with forecasters reporting hurricane-force winds extending some 70 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending as far as 195 miles out.
Airports around the state said they would suspend flights and cease operations. Publix, a grocery-store chain, announced plans to close stores across the state in waves and did not say when they would reopen. Tom Bossert, homeland security adviser to President Trump, on Friday said that people need to have enough food and water to get by during a period when the rain and wind will prevent authorities from getting to them.
"We have pre-deployed and pre-staged, but we can't actually get to that final point of care until conditions permit," he said Friday during a White House briefing.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning covering all of South Florida, where local officials have ordered evacuations along the coast. In Miami-Dade County, the state's most populous, mandatory evacuations were issued for about 660,000 people, including for Miami Beach and Key Biscayne. It was the largest evacuation ordered in Miami-Dade history, said Carlos A. Gimenez, the county's mayor.
Miami City Hall, an Art Deco building on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, an evacuation zone, was locked and mostly vacant on Friday. The only vehicle seen in a City Hall parking spot? A black Ford Expedition in the spot labeled for Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado.
Many people ordered to leave Broward and Palm Beach counties were directed to public schools, which Scott has shuttered across the state so they can serve as shelters and staging areas for first responders. Many public schools across the state canceled classes, while colleges had also closed campuses and rescheduled football games.
Pompano Beach High School, which is just a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean and is normally home to the Golden Tornadoes, was transformed Friday into a haven for about 150 people seeking shelter from Irma. Several volunteers said they expected the school, one of about 20 facilities Broward County is using as shelters, to reach its capacity of 280 people by Saturday.
Those already packed into the school's cafeteria had one thing in common: They were either unable or unwilling to leave the area, despite a mandatory evacuation order for several sections of the county, including anyone close to the nearby ocean. Only those who had registered starting at noon on Thursday were allowed into the school, and once capacity was reached, others who showed up were directed to venues with larger spaces.
Three Broward County sheriff's deputies were at the front door on Friday, inspecting all bags for weapons, drugs and alcohol. Two paramedics were assigned to the shelter in three shifts, and two will be in the building 24 hours a day starting Saturday morning, along with at least a half-dozen law enforcement officers. The men, women and children filing inside were greeted by several volunteers and county employees who will be working around the clock starting Saturday at 8 a.m.
Hurricane Irma hammers Florida
They're staffing a facility that does not quite have all the comforts of home — there are two bathrooms and no showers, cots or WiFi — but there are a few. Two television sets were tuned to the Weather Channel, providing the latest news about Irma's approach — all of it bad. There also were nine microwave ovens, plugs for cellphones and computers and, eventually, a generator.
Many occupants came fully prepared, with a number of air mattresses, chaise longues and sleeping bags set up in neat rows throughout the cafeteria. Three free meals a day will be served.
Someone brought in stacks of books, and others played checkers, cards, watched TV, read or took naps. An elderly couple came in concerned about keeping their insulin refrigerated. They were quickly assured by a paramedic that the insulin would be stored in a cafeteria fridge and be available any time.
Suzie and Renè Wilhelm were in Florida on vacation from the Netherlands. They were staying at a hotel a block from a nearby Fort Lauderdale beach. Renè Wilhelm, a Mercedes-Benz salesman, said they left Amsterdam for Orlando last Monday, not really aware of the huge storm gathering hundreds of miles away.
"We've been coming to Florida since 2000 — Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale — and we had no idea this was happening," he said. "We're used to snow, but not this."
They stayed in Orlando for a day, then drove south on Wednesday, at the time hoping that the storm would veer away from South Florida.
"We didn't know what to do," said Suzie Wilhelm, who works in health care. "As we were driving here, I thought, 'This is a stupid thing to do.' I called our travel agent in the Netherlands, and also the same company here, to see if they could get us out, but they never even called me back or answered my emails. The woman at our hotel tried to book us somewhere else, but everything was filled."
They tried one shelter but were told there was no food and that they could not leave if they went in.
"It was terrifying, so we came here," she said. "You can come and go. People have been very nice to us."
Not far away, Bill and Jane Borum, both native Washingtonians and retirees, were reading to pass the hours. They live in a condo at the Bay Colony high-rise in Fort Lauderdale, just steps from the ocean, and left when an evacuation order was issued. They thought about driving north to get out of harm's way, but traffic was horribly jammed and "we really didn't have any place to go," said Jane Borum, who attended Alice Deal Junior High and Wilson High School in Northwest Washington "many years ago" and retired to South Florida with her husband.
"Our kids in Maryland wanted us to fly home, but we couldn't get on a flight, so now we're here," she said. "It's our first time in a shelter, and the last, I hope."
Some hit the road but did not want to go too far. Joseph "Tony" Vincent, 82, said he has seen many storms and planned to hit the road for Irma, but he was not heading far away from the Naples Mobile Home Park — he has weekend room reservations at a modest motel just outside the park, along the Tamiami Trail.
Vincent said that even if he had the money, he would not leave his home state because of a hurricane.
"Hell, you'd be safer here than taking a car on those roads," he said. "You might be killed before you get to Atlanta."
Some people chose to stay where they were.
Locals packed bars on Friday night in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood, drinking and watching the U.S. Open and the Miami Marlins game. At Happy Wine in the Grove there was a 45-minute wait for a table after 9 p.m.
The restaurant informed people that it was business as usual by writing "We're Open" in big red letters on the plywood that covered its windows. Bartender Edgar Escorche said he had opened at least 150 bottles of wine Friday evening. Parking was even hard to find around the small restaurant.
"It's been surprising to see all the people going out in the night before the storm," he said. "We didn't expect it to be this crowded. I guess it's the calm before the storm."
Alexandra Missagia, 47, said she had been working all day prepping her home for the storm, and wanted one night out before she was cooped up during a storm with a still unknown impact on Miami.
"We've been working our [butts] off for three days, we just want to have fun," Missagia said.
Hazel Lamond, 43, said she couldn't bear to stay home and listen to the news another night.
"I definitely don't want to watch the weather channel anymore," Lamond said.
Flanigan's Seafood Bar & Grill, a South Florida institution, ais known for staying open through holidays and inclement weather. Jimmy Flanigan, the president and CEO of the regional chain, said he decided kept all 23 of his South Florida locations open Friday. They will close Saturday, but Flanigan vowed to reopen as soon as possible.
Business was flush for him on Friday in Coconut Grove, where his restaurant served more than 2,500 meals and drinks.
"All the restaurants slammed and they're having to stop taking names now," Flanigan said. "We stay open as long as we possibly can."
Other Florida fixtures hunkered down. The Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens — otherwise known as Zoo Miami, which sprawls across more than 700 acres and has more than 3,000 animals — closed on Thursday but said it would not be moving its animals.
"We don't evacuate our animals since hurricanes can change direction at the last minute and you run the risk of evacuating to a more dangerous location," the zoo said in a statement. "Furthermore, the stress of moving the animals can be more dangerous than riding out the storm. The animals that are considered dangerous will stay in their secure night houses, which are made of poured concrete and welded metal."
When Hurricane Andrew struck, the zoo was hit hard. Tropical birds were missing, cages torn apart and animals traumatized — although, miraculously, most of the animals were unharmed.
Across the main arteries out of Florida, some trips took more than twice as long as normal. People who fled the state trekked into Georgia and South Carolina, and Atlanta's downtown was turned into a temporary home for many evacuees. In South Carolina, the attorney general's office reported more than 200 complaints from residents about price-gouging related to gasoline.
Updated visible loop of Hurricane #Irma. Continued category 4 strength with winds of 155 MPH. #GOES16 pic.twitter.com/N85QJjBU1h— NASA SPoRT (@NASA_SPoRT) September 8, 2017
Berman and Zezima reported from Washington. Patricia Sullivan in Naples, Fla., Lori Rozsa in Palm Beach County, Fla., Dustin Waters in Charleston, S.C., Perry Stein and Joel Achenbach in Miami, Anthony Faiola in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Brian Murphy, Jenna Johnson, Jason Samenow and Angela Fritz in Washington contributed to this report.
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Drive for the Cure 200 Predictions
The NASCAR Xfinity Series gets a weekend of racing started this afternoon with the running of the Drive for the Cure 200. Here's some of the drivers we like to contend for the win in today's race.
According to the latest oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, Austin Cindric is favored to win, as he is getting +300 odds to win. Other short odds to win are Justin Allgaier (+400), Daniel Hemric (+700) and Justin Marks (+700). The Drive for the Cure 200 takes place today at 3PM ET from Charlotte Motor Speedway's Roval course in Concord, North Carolina. The race will air live on the NBC Sports Network.
Bet on the Drive for the Cure 200
53000 Austin Cindric +300
Cindric is a driver that has some road-course ability and is being brought in for this race. He isn't an Xfinity Series regular, but he has had some good runs on road courses this year. He finished second in Ohio just a few weeks ago. Cindric is favored for his ability to move around road courses and he has more experience than a lot in this field on these types of tracks.
53001 Justin Allgaier +400
Allgaier is having a great season in the Xfinity Series and he has done quite well in road races. He was the winner at Ohio and Road America this year and I think that makes him the man to beat. He has plenty of experience in a series meant for younger races and he has proven he can navigate the races with plenty of turns. I like Allgaier to get the win on Saturday.
53005 Cole Custer +1000
Custer has been a steady driver all year, not matter what the course is. He has finished in the top 10 in all but six races in 2018, including 11 top-5 finishes. Custer finished fourth at Road America, sixth at Watkins Glen and seventh in Ohio. Custer has the ability to stay near the front of the pack and could get to the very front with some help. Given his longer odds, I think Custer has some nice value for this race.