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Today is Tuesday.
That means I'm wearing all black.
You might be wondering why I wear all black on Tuesdays.
Well, it has to do with the oath I swore on November 8, 2016 to wear black every Tuesday until Trump is out of office.
The day of the election, I wore black in anticipation of what I figured was probably coming. I held a shred of hope that things wouldn't go the way they did, but I was almost expecting it. The rise of the Tea Party, the never-ending racist personal attacks on Obama, the fact that Trump managed to secure the Republican nomination in spite of his frequent demonstrations of moral bankruptcy (mocking disabled people, racist rhetoric, constant sexist statements) — the signs were all there; our legacy of vile, selfish, fear-based hatred was alive and well.
When the results came in and he had won, I was angry, but not surprised. And I wasn't alone — many women, PoCs, and members of the LGBTQ community surely weren't surprised. This is the way things have always been for them. We've built a country based on a legacy of failing them in the pursuit of profit. What hope they might have had that things could be different after Obama was snatched away by privileged, selfish, white fear.
If you, like me, are appalled by what you're seeing happening right now, don't just sit there going "but this isn't who we are." Because it is who we are, and it's who we've always been. To insist otherwise is to shit on the suffering of those generations of Africans and African Americans who toiled and died under the brutality of slavery; of the Native Americans whose land was stolen from them while they were shipped to "Indian Territory" (if they were lucky enough to not just be slaughtered); of those Japanese Americans uprooted from their homes and shipped off to internment camps. This is who we are, and it needs to change.
We've now backslid as a country precisely because of this sentiment of "we're better than that." That idea comes from privilege: the white (mostly male) privilege of not having to worry about fighting for respect — or even basic fucking decency — from your fellow countrymen every day of your life. I get it, what with being a white male and all, but it's irresponsible to continue in that way. It's exactly that privileged, inactive, blind insistence that we're "better than that" which led to the unchecked racist fascism tearing through America right now.
If you think the state of the country is awful, and you want to be an ally, don't just shake your head at it; take action. Contact your reps to let them know that this shit will not stand. Even if your reps are already doing the right thing, let them know anyway so they know they're not fighting without reason. Donate, if you can, to organizations trying to fix things. For the love of fuck, VOTE. Just do something.
Like Johnny said: try to make a move to make a few things right.
(Song recommendation by Kevin D. Woodall)


text: For fans of the ZX range, two new adidas ZX 710s will be dropping this month at select adidas Originals accounts. Which is your pick, the navy/mint colourway or the beige/aqua joints? You can't go wrong with either choice, keep an eye out on the size? website this weekend if you don't want to miss out!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
From Fedora Project Wiki
m (PaulStauffer moved to Paulds: Stupid username changed, but no one bothered to migrate the old user pages. Ugh.)
m (Paulds moved to PaulStauffer over redirect: Ugh, put it back and try again...)
(No difference)
Revision as of 23:34, 9 March 2009
Paul Stauffer
Paul is the Manager of Research Computing for the Boston University Computer Science Department . He contributes to the BU Linux Project , a Fedora-based distribution, mostly by whining and complaining on bugzilla a lot. He is a Fedora Ambassador, helps plan the annual Boston ["FUDCon"] events, and preaches the virtues of the Fedora Project to anyone who will listen.
He can be contacted at: paulds REMOVE at THESE bu SILLY dot BITS edu
- Email: [[MailTo(paulds AT bu DOT edu)]
- IRC: freenode ID: paulds
- GPG key: 277D1D68
- Fedora Account: paulds [Category:AmbassadorsUSA]]


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|Skipper Island Fire Wednesday night
MESA COUNTY, Colo - Mesa County Sheriff's Office was notified of a wildfire burning south of I-70 and north of the Colorado River near mile marker 18 around 7:00 pm Wednesday. The fire is burning in an area known as Skipper Island in the Horsethief Canyon State Wildlife Area.
Skipper Island Fire has burned 12 acres and is 0% contained.
Initial response included Lower Valley Fire Protection District, the Mesa County Sheriff Wildland Team and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Firefighters were pulled from the fire at 11:00 pm due to unsafe conditions caused by darkness.
Fire crews are continuing to suppress the wildfire today. The fire is very difficult to access burning in thick brush, tamarisk and trees. Winds are expected to pick up this afternoon. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from noon to 9:00pm tonight.
The agencies working the Skipper Island Fire Thursday include the Mesa County Sheriff's Office Wildland Fire Team, Lower Valley Fire District, BLM, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and Grand Junction Fire Department.
No homes are structures are threatened by the fire.
The fire is believed to have been caused by a campfire.


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12 Celebrity Workouts Worth the Burn
If running has you in a rut or your gym has you yearning for some new scenery, then it's time for a change of pace. Celebs are the ultimate gym bunnies to look to for inspo on what's new and different in the fitness world, because seriously, who has the time to work out more than the likes of Madonna? Beat boredom and seek out some less traditional methods to challenge your body, try something totally new and, perhaps, have some fun doing it. If you're after a healthy bod complete with a booty like J Lo, chiseled abs like Beyoncé and lean limbs like Jennifer Aniston, then you've got to try these celeb workouts that are totally worth the burn.
2. SoulCycle: Talk about a workout — this total body fitness program is sure to get you sweaty and whipped into shape in no time. Katie Holmes is an avid fan, and for good reason. And don't worry if you feel like your soul is literally getting crushed, because the motivational coaching you get from SoulCycle will keep you on your toes and on target with your fitness goals. (via SoulCycle and Bryan Bedder/Getty)
3. Surfset Fitness: Surf's up with this new workout that actually mimics riding the waves — without the ocean. The workout designed by Surfset Fitness is touted by Madonna's personal trainer, Nicole Winhoffer, as an all around, full body workout that can be adjusted for all fitness levels. If you're after stellar abs along with a serious boost in balance, strength and endurance, you've got to get on board. (via Surfset Los Angeles and Jason Merritt/Getty)
4. Aerial Silks: This workout focuses on flying high while defining, strengthening and sculpting your arms, legs, abs and booty. Kim Kardashian is a fan of this fun, efficient and need we say uplifting workout. (via Aerial Physique and Jonathan Liebson/Getty)
5. AntiGravity Yoga: Take your workout off the ground and check out one of Gwyneth Paltrow's tried and true fitness methods, AntiGravity Yoga. She explains that it's a gentler approach to aerials where one can practice all of the yoga moves without needing arms of steel. Get it girls. (via AntiGravity Fitness and Rachel Murray/Getty)
6. Shockwave: Get prepared for a workout that is, quite literally, shocking. We're talking circuits combined with Indo-Row machines, body bars and kettle bells to carve out the best possible you. Just check out Cameron Diaz — she worked hard to chisel those abs, and Shockwave is one of her fitness faves. (via Blaze Fitness Studio and Theo Wargo/Getty)
7. SLT: They say if cardio, strength training and Pilates had a baby it would be SLT: Strengthen. Lengthen. Tone. Don't be turned off by the Megaformer — a machine outfitted with handles, straps and pulls — 'cause it's there to help you get your sweat on while strengthening and lengthening those muscles. Look to Sofía Vergara; she does SLT to maintain her sleek physique along with eating clean by avoiding processed food. (via The Epoch Times and Robert E. Rodriguez/Getty)
8. Ballet Beautiful: Lusting after a sleek but strong ballerina body? Well, you've got to work hard to get it, but professional ballerina Mary Helen Bowers has created the perfect method for people like you and Natalie Portman to work your way to ballerina fit. (via You Beauty and Andreas Rentz/Getty)
9. The Tracy Anderson Method: Work it girl! Make like J.Lo and drink the Tracy Anderson Kool-Aid, because it's a step in the right direction toward transforming your body inside and out. Choose a program that's right for you, and fear not: If there isn't a studio near you, you can train with Tracy right from your living room via the live stream video subscription service. (via Tracy Anderson and Kevin Winter/Getty)
10. Doonya: Dance away the inches with this vibrant, Bollywood-inspired workout. If you can't get to a class, don't sweat it; you can get Doonya'd right at home or on the go. Need a little inspo before you get down with Doonya? Check out Kelly Ripa dancing with Doonya for the first time on live TV. (via Doonya and Stephen Lovekin/Getty)
11. DailyHIIT: Prepare to get your butt kicked with this high intensity interval workout (HIIT) that is awesome because, a) not only do you get results like Beyoncé but b) you can do it all from your very own living room. (via Body Rock and Buda Mendes/Getty)
12. Da Vinci Bodyboard: Brought to fitness fanatics by the pioneer of Pilates, Floery Mahoney, the Da Vinci Bodyboard may look menacing, but it's a powerhouse of resistance training, muscle-toning and strength-building goodness. Miranda Kerr swears by Pilates and suggests incorporating it into your fitness schedule at least two times per week. It's easy when you've got everything you need right at home with the Da Vinci Bodyboard. (via Da Vinci Bodyboard and Neilson Barnard/Getty)
Okay gym rats, let us know if you've tried any of these celeb-inspired workouts before. If so, comment below if it was worth the burn!


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2018 LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture
Sue Gardner to deliver 16th annual LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture
Former head of CBC.ca and Wikimedia Foundation to open 6 Degrees Toronto
TORONTO, August 13, 2018—6 Degrees announces that the 2018 LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture will be delivered by leading digital pioneer Sue Gardner. The lecture will be given on September 24 as part of 6 Degrees Toronto, a project of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
As senior director of CBC.ca, Gardner reinvented the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's place in the world of digital news. Later, as executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation, she played a crucial role in the explosive growth of Wikipedia. The San Francisco–based Gardner continues to be a sought-after global thought-leader: she currently advises media and technology companies, and serves on the boards of Privacy International and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
"Sue Gardner is on the forefront of ideas on technology, democracy, and women's roles in our society," said ICC Co-founder and Co-chair John Ralston Saul. "As we witness the alarming erosion of democratic institutions, I can't think of a more relevant voice to address the challenges ahead. I can't wait to welcome Sue home to Toronto to deliver this year's LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture."
Titled "Dark Times Ahead: Taking Back Truth, Freedom, and Technology," the interactive event will include Gardner in conversation with Saul. Gardner joins an illustrious list of past LaFontaine-Baldwin lecturers, including His Highness the Aga Khan, Naomi Klein, Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, Michael Sandel, and Naheed Nenshi.
"I'm aiming to come and give my take on where we're at culturally, how we got here, and what's next," said Gardner. "As a Canadian woman who's spent the past 10 years in Silicon Valley, I have a particular lens. I also know that everyone at 6 Degrees Toronto will bring a piece of the puzzle, and I'm looking forward to kickstarting the two days of conversation that will follow the lecture."
The LaFontaine-Baldwin Lectures bring together Canadians to reflect on democracy, citizenship, and the public good. Established by Saul in 2000, the lectures honour the architects of responsible government, Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin. This year marks the 170th anniversary of responsible government in Canada.
Tickets to 6 Degrees Toronto, including the LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture, are available here. 6 Degrees drives a global conversation on citizenship and inclusion. Presented by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, it includes an immersive annual three-day event in Toronto, as well as a series of one-day pop-ups across Canada and around the world. 6 Degrees is about connection, conversation, artistic representation, and the power that comes from bringing people together. It counters rising nativism and exclusion, and instead, invites everyone to find a place in our circle. This year, 6 Degrees Toronto will take place September 24–26 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, and The Great Hall.
# # #
About Sue Gardner
Sue Gardner is a special advisor to the Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit that operates Wikipedia. From 2007 until 2014, she was its executive director. Previously Gardner was head of CBC.ca. Her career in journalism also included working in multiple media including the Internet, newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV. In 2012, Forbes magazine named Gardner one of the world's 100 most powerful women. Gardner serves on boards and advisory committees for a half-dozen global non-profit, educational, and grantmaking organizations, primarily related to technology, media, gender, and digital freedoms. She is currently developing a new journalism project, which will be announced in early fall.
About the Institute for Canadian Citizenship
Powered by a passionate and committed national network, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) delivers programs and special projects that inspire Canadians to be inclusive, create opportunities to connect, and encourage active citizenship. Partnering with community volunteers and iconic cultural institutions, the ICC celebrates new Canadian citizens at more than 75 community citizenship ceremonies each year. The Cultural Access Pass is unique in the world, offering new citizens free access to more than 1400 cultural attractions during their first year of citizenship. Ideas & Insights is a leading source of research on citizenship and inclusion — social, cultural, political, and economic. 6 Degrees extends the reach of the ICC's work through a global conversation on inclusion and citizenship in the 21st century. The ICC is a national charity co-founded by the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul.
To arrange an interview with Sue Gardner, or for more information about 6 Degrees and the ICC, contact:
Adrineh Der-Boghossian
Communications Officer
Institute for Canadian Citizenship
+1 647 217-4284
View our full-page ad in The Globe and Mail here.
Photo: Victoria Will


text:
For any and all business card printing needs in the state of Maryland, Launchmark provides the printing services that DMV area (Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia) residents can rely on. Maryland business card printing is a necessity for the employees, sales staff and business executives based throughout Maryland in areas such as Baltimore MD, Laurel MD, Bethesda MD, Rockville MD, Landover MD, Columbia MD, Germantown MD and Silver Spring MD. When searching for printing companies that provide high quality business cards and printing products, get your marketing materials on track with the printing services available at Launchmark.
Business Cards for Maryland Businesses
Maryland business executives and company associates depend on professionally printed business cards for networking purposes and upward mobility. Therefore, with such a wide range of employment opportunities based in the state of Maryland, the demand for the affordability, value and fast turnaround on business card printing that Launchmark provides to the DMV area and beyond is a must for Maryland workers and entrepreneurs.
Maryland is home to multiple successful businesses including: NSR Solutions, ESAC and Startfinder in Rockville MD, Under Armour and Videology in Baltimore MD, AREVA Inc. and Mobomo in Bethesda MD, Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex and Blueline Security Services in Landover MD, ERP International and the Venus Theatre in Laurel MD, Hughes Network Systems and Mid Atlantic Professionals TA/SSI in Germantown MD, Discovery Communications and Special Operations Solutions in Silver Spring MD and W.R. Grace and Company and MICROS Systems, Inc. in Columbia MD.
Colleges and Sports in Maryland
Colleges, universities and sports organizations can all benefit from the networking capabilities that can be established by sharing well-designed glossy business cards among their industry peers and potential colleagues. Maryland is home to three professional sports teams. The Baltimore Ravens of the NFL football league have their home field M&T Bank Stadium based in Baltimore MD. The NFL team known as the Washington Redskins is also based in Maryland, with their home stadium FedExField located in Landover MD.
Baltimore MD has had its own Major League Baseball franchise, the Baltimore Orioles, since 1901, with a popular ballpark called Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore MD. In terms of respected college universities in Maryland, Baltimore MD is home to Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University Maryland and Morgan State University.


text:
The Lower Rhythm has released Equivibe, a freeware modulated equalizer VST effect plug-in for Windows PC.
Designed with electric pianos, strings and pads in mind, Equivibe is a hybrid of an EQ and a vibrato effect. After splitting your input into 9 bands, those relative frequencies are then individually modulated by their own dedicated oscillator — which is, in turn, modulated by an additional oscillator.
Visit The Lower Rhythm for more information and a link to download Equivibe.


text:
Need to open more doors, make more persuasive pitches, and close more deals? Meet your secret weapon.
Make technology work for you and set yourself apart from the competition with TopLine, the sales enablement system that uses AI, qualitative and quantitative research, and strong visuals to advance every stage of the sales process. Log in now.


text:
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Concerning Belmont Club
As many readers have noticed, the Belmont Club site is down again.
Wretchard says: "The Belmont Club is now totally unavailable. I am attempting to get Blogger to resolve the issues but there is no online support and the only replies I receive are canned email replies. Any ideas, anyone?"
In the meantime, he has begun yet another blog, Backup Belmont Club, at http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/.
If he stays there long enough, I'll change the URL for him on our blogroll.
Posted by Baron Bodissey at 5/28/2005 08:55:00 AM
1 comments:
- hank_F_M said...
Please forward to Wretchard.
Last weekend I was trying to adjust my format. I started getting errors. I had to google the error message to get a clue, and eventully rebuilt my template from backups. The problems seemed to mostly go away when I republised from a different computer.
From the way it is behaving now on my blog and others I have visited blogger made a background change in there code for internal linking with no publicity. The link for each post now goes to a tag in an archive rather than an indivdual message. With as much internal links as The Belmont Club has this could be a problem.
Hope that helps.


text: Austin audiences will have the unique opportunity to see a living legend of Czech classical and European jazz music – Felix Slováček senior and also two young stars of the current Czech musical scene – clarinetist and soprano saxophonist Felix Slováček junior, who is likely to replace his father as the top Czech clarinet player and also the pianist Viacheslav Grokhovski, Jr., from the famous Grokhovski musical family. They present a wide range of international works from Tchaikovsy to Schubert to Massenet and from Smetana to Stravinsky to Carl Stamitz. Felix Slováček a Big Band.


text:
The X Satin Baseball Jacket | The Bronx Brand
Shipping calculated at checkout.
For Spring mornings, Summer nights and Fall days. The X Satin Baseball Jacket is perfect for the diamond. Our take on a classic.
- Outer shell of 100% nylon satin
- Lined with 100% polyester brushed tricot
- Water-resistant
- Raglan sleeves
- Snap front
- Striped rib-knit collar cuffs


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Session 7
Grand Review – Hurrah for 150 words!
Hopefully, you now have introduced half of the vocabulary in the initial target of 300 items. There has been an effort to keep reusing old items in new contexts, combining new learning with old learning. However, activities tend to limit the "memory set" from which the GP needs to draw. That is, a given activity defines which vocabulary is going to occur, and GPs don't need to worry about other vocabulary. So it is time for an activity in which "anything goes".
Join the GPA Class Phase 1A HERE
1: Nurturer's familyNurturer shows GPs photos of her family members, saying who is who.
Nurturer brings photos of family.
2: grand review (TPR)The Nurturer makes a point of using all vocabulary covered so far. The things on the table and places and things in the room prompt her. She gives commands or asks "where is" in random order. She can combine commands, "Take the spider and run to the window". Finally, he looks at the log of vocabulary he has been building, in order to be sure that nothing was missed. This activity will take awhile, but it should be fun, interesting, and motivating, as GPs see that they are able to readily understand most words out of a set of 150.
A large table surface comes in handy. Spread out all the objects (or drawings, photos) learned so far. The places in room whose names have been learned are ready at hand.
3: Colors (TPR)Keep in mind that the continuous range of colors is divided up differently in different languages, and some of the colors the GPs know from their native languages may not have names in the language they are now learning. "Where is the red paper? where is the blue paper? ..."
Construction paper cut into small pieces and large pieces (and perhaps middle-sized pieces). Other objects that come in colored sets. These include candies such as Skittles. Colored pencils, sets of small toy cars, paper clips, tacks.


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Psalter 347
1. Unto the hills around do I lift up
My longing eyes;
O whence shall my salvation come,
From whence arise?
From God the Lord doth come my certain aid,
From God the Lord Who heav'n and earth hath made.
2. He will not suffer that thy foot be moved,
Safe shalt thou be;
No careless slumber shall His eyelids close
Who keepeth thee;
Behold He sleepeth not, He slumb'reth ne'er,
Who keepeth Israel in His holy care.
3. Jehovah is Himself thy keeper true;
Thy changeless shade
Jehovah, evermore on thy right hand,
Himself hath made;
And thee no sun by day shall ever smite,
No moon shall harm thee in the silent night.
4. From every evil shall He keep thy soul,
From every sin;
Jehovah shall preserve thy going out,
Thy coming in;
Above thee watching, He Whom we adore
Shall keep thee hence-forth, yea, for evermore.


text:
To accessing Linksys wifi extender, it have a set of extenders to extend the Wi-Fi signal to a longer range. All you have to do is, connect it to your existing router and position it properly. Your office or house might have dead spots where the Wi-Fi signal will be very weak. In such cases, the signal can be strengthened by installing an extender. These extenders can easily eliminate the dead spots and provide strong Wi-Fi signals to all the corners. Linksys currently manufacture several extender models based on the needs of the customer.
Linksys Wi-Fi extenders are range extenders that can spread the Wi-Fi signal to all the rooms and clear the dead spots in your surroundings. Once you connect the extender to your router, the extender will boost your Wi-Fi signal and deliver signal to all the dead zones. Perform the initial setup and you will able to use it effectively. It also comes with Spot Finder Technology which lets you find the best place to fit your extender. Install the Spot Finder software on your mobile and get to know the optimal place and how to accessing Linksys wifi extender.
Firstly, you have to place your router in an open area. Wireless signals will find it hard to penetrate through metal or dense objects. If there any many obstructions between your computer and Linksys router, then the router will not be able to pass through it. Remove the objects that create interference to extend the range. Place it in the central position to avoid weak signals. Try to change the Wireless channel of your router. Your router will make use of a particular channel to send data and receive it. If multiple routers are using the same wireless channel, then it will be difficult for the router to reach every corner. You can utilize a free tool to locate an open channel nearby to accessing Linksys wifi extender. Updating the firmware of your router is another important method to increase the range. A router is also a hardware device that will need upgrading from time to time. Every update released by the manufacturer of the router will have bug fixes and enhanced features. So make sure that you install each and every update released by the manufacturer. Replace the antenna of your router to improve the range. Avoid placing the antenna near your wall because the signal will be lost when it is positioned near walls. Buy a long antenna that emits strong signals to a larger area. Check the router manual that came with your router for antenna replacement steps.
There are two methods to install, setup and accessing Linksys wifi extender.
DD-WRT is a firmware that is based on Linux. It was mainly developed for wireless routers and access points. It was designed for the Linksys WRT54G series, but now even other models have started making use of it. DD-WRT offers more functionality compared to the original firmware provided by the manufacturer. Using DD-WRT, you can boost the signal of your Wi-Fi network and also increase its range. Make use of the below-mentioned solutions to increase the range of the signal.


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This unit is made up of ex-Grenadier High Elven spearmen, from Forlorn Hope Games. There are several styles in the range, and I chose the one with the upswept shield because it resembles a shield in the RAFM Martian Legion.
As is my wont, I replaced the spears with pole weapons made from floral wire. The supplied spears were fine, but wire is stronger and I wanted a variety of cutting blades rather than spears.
There are two types, in equal numbers: A straight blade, and a curved glaive blade. I formed the blades and then hammered them flat on a small anvil. Each has a small tsuba punched from sheet plastic.
The officer is a spearman with his spear replaced with a wire sword. The sword was made like the glaives, but with a short handle. The standard was printed on my computer, and the pole was twisted from the same wire as the spears..
This unit matches two other units and a gashant cavalry unit in style, so they all have similar standards, in different colours. The four units make a good force on their own.


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Named after Sir Thomas Makdougall BrisbaneFrom Southland of the Holy Spirit
Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane was born on 23 July 1773 near Largs in Ayreshire in the lowlands of Scotland. His father, a veteran soldier, had an ancestor who had been Chancellor of the Kingdom of Scotland, while his mother was a descendant of King Robert the Bruce. Brisbane was educated at home by his God-fearing mother and several Presbyterian ministers or tutors, and at the University of Edinburgh, where he developed a love for astronomy and mathematics. In 1789, Brisbane joined the army, and the following year, while an ensign in the 38th Regiment, he met and formed a lasting friendship with Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington. In 1795 Brisbane learned the practical uses of astronomy after he escaped from a shipwreck in a voyage to the West Indies. He served in the West Indies, Spain, France and Canada. He was knighted in 1837, receiving the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath for his part in the Peninsular War, and rose to the rank of General in 1841. In 1818 Brisbane returned to Scotland to resume his studies in astronomy, and the following year he married Anna Maria Makdougall of Makerstoun, Scotland. In 1820, Wellington (and Sir Joseph Banks) recommended to Lord Bathurst that Brisbane succeed Governor Macquarie. The story goes that Bathurst, remembering Brisbane's love of astronomy, said he wanted "one that will govern not the heavens, but the earth in New South Wales". Brisbane asked Wellington if his scientific studies had ever interfered with his military duties. "Certainly not", replied Wellington, "I shall write to his Lordship that, on the contrary, you were never in one instance absent or late, morning, noon, or night, and that in addition you kept the time of the army".
So in 1821, Brisbane accepted the appointment. One of Brisbane's greatest successes was to cut down on government expenditure. As a result of the Bigge Report, Brisbane introduced several reforms. He limited the size of land grants and specified that landowners must employ and maintain one convict for every 100 acres. This policy helped to curb land hunger. "Not a cow calves in the colony but her owner applies for an additional grant in consequence of the increase in his stock", he wrote. He organised convict administration, making it pay for itself by hiring out gangs of convicts to settlers for clearing land, and made the government farms self-sufficient. He abolished censorship of the press in 1824, introduced trial by jury, and reformed the currency.
Another of Bigge's recommendations that Brisbane put into effect was the segregation of convicts of different classes. The more educated convicts of good behaviour were sent to Bathurst or Wellington, while convicts twice convicted were sent to special penal stations. As a consequence of these changes, coastal exploration was encouraged. This resulted in the discovery of the Brisbane River. Brisbane also sponsored the journeys of Hume and Hovell to Port Phillip, and of Allan Cunningham to Pandora's Pass, and encouraged the emigration of young settlers by giving them money. These pioneered the areas around Bathurst, Maitland, Goulburn and Campbelltown, and "squatters" settled the country further west. As a result, the population of the colony increased from 33,500 to 52,500 during Brisbane's administration.
Brisbane, in taking up his post as governor, inherited all the sectarian squabbles, political intrigues, and land wars between the "exclusives" and emancipists. A devoutly religious and a peace-loving man, Brisbane was reluctant to enter into the disputes between the Anglicans and the Roman Catholics or between the "exclusives" and the emancipists. However, Brisbane was not afraid to take a stand on moral issues. In a private letter, dated June 1824, he wrote: "There is no object I have more sincerely at heart, than the advancement of morality in these colonies". He supported Bible and tract societies. He respected "the hallowed rights of conscience", despite the disapproval of certain Church of England clergymen, who had no sympathy for "heretics". Brisbane was motivated by the memory of a kindly paternal Methodist aunt and he believed the Methodists were "a highly valuable and respectable body, who [did] much good". He helped them to establish an Aboriginal mission, granted the Church Missionary Society (CMS) 10,000 acres as an Aboriginal reserve, and arranged for aid for the Roman Catholics to build St Mary's Church. Brisbane would not tolerate a party or a greedy spirit. He refused aid to the Presbyterians when their minister, Rev. John Dunmore Lang, declined to hold a service under the same roof as the Roman Catholics. He angered the Anglicans when he refused their bid to take over the government lands at Grose Farm (later the site of Sydney University), as well as the Domain, and the prison farm at Emu Plains. He told Archdeacon Thomas Scott that the church had "amply sufficient" land.
Brisbane opposed excessive corporal punishment, gave reprieves to many prisoners sentenced to death, and helped the emancipists get land grants--a policy which angered the senior chaplain, Samuel Marsden, who favoured the righteous law-abiding "exclusives" . Marsden, smarting from the Douglas judicial inquiry, trumped up charges against Brisbane and Frederick Goulburn, the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, who was already at odds with Brisbane due to the governor's generous attempts to repair the breach with the Presbyterians. Because of Brisbane's weakness as an administrator, his subordinates often sabotaged his orders. The main offender, Goulburn, used to alter the Governor's orders, or issue his own without Brisbane's consent. As a result of the controversy, fuelled by Marsden's malicious letters to Lord Bathurst, the Colonial Office recalled both Goulburn and Brisbane. However, Brisbane's conscience was clear. He wrote:
I can exultantly state, in the face of the Colony and the world at large, that no human being can accuse me of an unjust, illegal, cruel, or even an improper act, as of all these my internal monitor fully acquits me.
On his return to England, Brisbane devoted the rest of his life to science, philosophy and agriculture. Brisbane's achievements in astronomy brought him more fame than his military career or his accomplishments as Governor of New South Wales. He established two observatories in Scotland and built another at Parramatta. In 1827, he became Vice-President of the Astronomical Society. When Sir William Herchel presented Brisbane with the gold medal of the Astronomical Society in 1828, he called him the "founder" of Australian science. Brisbane was also the first President of the Philosophical Society of Australia. He received honorary degrees from the universities of Edinburgh (1824), Oxford (1832) and Cambridge (1833), and became President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1833, serving in that capacity until his death.
Brisbane died in 1860 in the same room in which he was born. He was survived by his wife. Their four children had died earlier. Manning Clark, in his appraisal of Brisbane, wrote:
From the earliest days, Brisbane had lifted up his eyes away from the world towards the heavens in more senses than one. Those who judged by appearances, and what a man gave out about himself, took him as a Christian, a scholar, and a gentleman.
Queensland Parliament House Bible Verse
The two ground floor stained glass windows feature text from The Bible, Psalm 127-1, stating:
Except the Lord build the house, they labour but in vain that build it.
Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
This text was chosen by Mrs Elizabeth Emily O'Connell (nee le Geyt), who was the wife of Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell, the second President of the Legislative Council.


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As you know, many people and families in the Northeast were affected by Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy and most are still without power. If you don't personally know someone who was affected by this freak storm then you have seen the devastation in the news or on social sites. To help with the relief efforts instead of doing our usual 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow this week I would like to do something a little bit different but I need your help!
I am asking my fellow book blogging friends and authors to donate books and children's books to the families affected by Sandy. I thought, as there is many still without power, that this would be a good way to help pass the time, as well as keep little ones occupied. In many areas Halloween was also canceled, so if you have any extra Halloween goodies or would like to take advantage of the sales this week, this would also be a great way to put a smile on a child's face who wasn't able to celebrate this fun holiday.
I am also including a link below to The American Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief if you would like to make a cash donation or a quick and easy way to donate $10.00 to the Red Cross is by texting REDCROSS to 90999 from your mobile phone.
The wonderful Kelly, who some of you might know from dropping in here from time to time, being my super-awesome friend, or from her own blog, Secrets of a Book Lover, will be distributing the items for us. She was affected by the storm as well in her home state of New Jersey, but thankfully her and her family are safe and only suffered minimal damage and her power is back on. If you would like to donate please click on the Books for Sandy image below and fill out the form. I will then email you to confirm your donation and give you the address of where to send your package to. I know whatever you donate will be truly appreciated! And please help spread the word by re-posting this for the Follow, on your blog, or by making your own post that includes the form link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGpnVGFnOGtVT1pjcWhzOHlzd2ZMLXc6MQ#gid=0
and then linking up to the Follow below if you would like.
Thank you so much everyone! XOXO
Thank you so much everyone! XOXO
Donate to The American Red Cross:


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Marmomac Renews Sponsorship of MIA+BSI Grande Pinnacle Award
MIA+BSI: The Natural Stone Institute
(440) 250-9222
Oberlin, OH and Chestertown, NY, June 6, 2017—MIA+BSI has announced that Marmomac has renewed its sponsorship for the Grande Pinnacle Award for the next three years. Marmomac has sponsored the Grande Pinnacle Award since its inception in 2008.
The Grande Pinnacle Award is presented to the best overall project entered in the Pinnacle Awards. The winner will receive a trip to Marmomac 2018, including round trip economy airfare, four nights lodging, and registration. One architect from the winning project will also receive this award.
In announcing the renewal, MIA+BSI CEO Jim Hieb stated: "We look forward to continuing this important partnership with Marmomac. The Grande Pinnacle represents the best use of natural stone in the Pinnacle Awards, and as such, it makes perfect sense for the winner to receive a trip to Verona to attend Marmomac. We appreciate Marmomac's support of this prestigious program." Veronafiere Deputy Marketing Director Elena Amadini added: "Marmomac and MIA+BSI share the goal of promoting the use of natural stone by engaging the design community and challenging it to use stone in increasingly aesthetic and diverse ways. Our sponsorship of the Grande Pinnacle Award is thus a perfect fit in pursuit of this common goal."
The deadline to enter the 2017 Pinnacle Awards is Friday, July 21. The Pinnacle Awards honor projects whose beauty, creativity, and craftsmanship exemplify professional mastery in the use of natural stone in residential and commercial applications. New this year, applicants may simultaneously submit projects for both the Pinnacle and Tucker Design Awards. The Tucker Design Awards honor architects who have achieved excellence in design through the use of natural stone in building or landscape projects. Additional entry fees apply.
Learn more about the Pinnacle Awards and the 2017 MIA+BSI Awards Program at www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/awards.
About MIA+BSI
MIA+BSI: the Natural Stone Institute serves more than 1900 members in 55 countries who represent every aspect of the natural stone industry, offering them a wide array of technical and training resources, professional development, regulatory advocacy, and networking events. Two prominent publications—the Dimension Stone Design Manual and Building Stone Magazine—raise awareness in both the industry and the design communities for the promotion and best use of natural stone. Learn more at www.naturalstoneinstitute.org.


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Aim - GCSE
Geography is not only up-to-date and relevant, it is one of the most exciting, adventurous and valuable subjects to study today. So many of the world's current problems boil down to geography, and need the geographers of the future to help us understand them.
Global warming, sustainable food production, natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, the spread of disease, the reasons for migration and the future of energy resources are just some of the great challenges facing the next generation of geographers.
Choosing geography at school can open the doors to a huge range of opportunities. An A Level in geography is recognised for its academic 'robustness' and, most importantly, it also helps young people into the world of work.
Central to the GCSE course is a residential fieldtrip to Wales. Here we collect data to be used in Unit 3 (see below) as well as trying out challenges and opportunities in new environments in a team of friends.
Syllabus – AQA :
Paper 1: Physical Geography
(largely taught in Year 10)
Paper 1: 35%1.5 hours long
Paper 2: Human Geography
(largely taught in Year 10)
Paper 2: 35%
1.5 hours long
Paper 3: Geographical applications
(largely taught in Year 11)
Paper 3: 30%
1 hour long
Map work, photo analysis, newspaper articles and IT research are included in all aspects of the course
Person to contact: Mr M Evans


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Two weeks back, Microchip's CEO Steve Sanghi alerted that a semiconductor industry correction has begun. By reading too much into that news, many stock investors in US thought semiconductor industry is heading downwards, which resulted in the fall of stock prices of leading semiconductor companies in US. We had reported saying better not compare the whole semiconductor industry with one company's view or performance. After seeing the third Quarter 2014 revenue reports of some of the leading semiconductor companies, it's not wise to believe that semiconductor industry correction has begun. The semiconductor market is still growing.
The broad-product based (analog and mixed signal, digital signal processing, and microcontroller ) semiconductor device vendor, Texas instrument has reported a revenue of US$ 3,501 Million in the third quarter of 2014, a growth of 6.4% compared to second quarter of 2014.
Rich Templeton, TI's chairman, president and CEO said "We delivered 8 percent year-over-year revenue growth. Analog and Embedded Processing comprised 82 percent of third-quarter revenue." Microcontroller, which is part of embedded processing biz of TI is growing good, as per TI.
To give another interesting sample, NXP semiconductors has reported a revenue of $1,515 million in third quarter of 2014, a 12 percent sequential improvement, and a 21 percent increase year-on-year.
NXP generate significant of its revenue from microcontrollers. Both NXP and Texas instruments are listed in the top 10 microcontroller vendors of the world.
World's 2nd largest MCU vendor, Freescale reported a revenue of $1.21 Billion for the quarter, compared to 1.19 Billion in the previous quarter. Specifically Microcontrollers net sales were $250 Million, compared to $246 Million in the second quarter of 2014.
If you want a sample outside MCU biz, Broadcom reported a net revenue of $2.26 Billion for the third quarter of 2014, an increase of 10.7% compared with the $2.04 Billion reported for the second quarter of 2014 and an increase of 5.3% compared with the $2.15 Billion reported for the third quarter of 2013.
In another 15 days the picture will be more clear on the positive signs in the chip industry.


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"We are only one menstrual cycle into this presidency and there is blood in the water," Samantha Bee said at the top of Full Frontal in a nod to our president having said during the first GOP debate that he could see blood coming out of moderator Megyn Kelly's "wherever."
Trump is keeping us very distracted with reports of his aides having communication with Russian intelligence during the campaign – a situation so serious it caused Joe Scarborough to mention a past event in Washington, on MSNBC, without making it a story about himself, Bee marveled.
But, "while we were all staring directly at the total eclipse of national security and democratic norms, we have been blind to the Republican Congress going hog wild, like Amish twins on rumspringa," Bee warned. Already coal companies have been told they can now dump debris into nearby streams. Also, moving to "modernize" the endangered species list. And, on Thursday, the "great unchecked legislative f*ckfest" will take steps to allow the killing of bears in dens as they hibernate, allow the use of aircraft to scout and shoot bears on wildlife refuges, okay hunting wolf pups in dens, etc. The National Rifle Association and Safari Club International are advocating.
"Trump will sign any animal death warrant the Republican Congress puts in front or before him, as long as it doesn't threaten the Tufted Titmouse," Bee observed, as this message flashed on the screen:
"Swear to god, this is what Congress is voting on tomorrow: H.J. Res 69."
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Ferdinand de Soto
"In the spring of 1541, six years from the discovery of the river St. Lawrence, another equally important river, the Mississippi, was discovered. This honor belongs to Ferdinand de Soto, a Spaniard, who, having projected the conquest of Florida from the natives, arrived from Cuba in 1539, with a considerable force. He traversed the country to a great distance, and in the spring of 1541, first discovered the Mississippi, five or six hundred miles from its mouth.
The object of Soto, in traversing so wide an extent of country, appears to have been to search for gold. The summer and winter of 1539 he spent in Florida. In 1540, he began his tour northeast, and, having crossed the Altamaha, Savannah, and Ogechee rivers, he turned westerly, and crossing the Alleghanies, proceeded southwardly as far as Mobile and Pensacola. The winter of this year he spent with the Chickasaws. The following spring, he made the important discovery above mentioned.
The next year in 1542, Soto died on the banks of the Mississippi river, May 21st, in the bosom of whose waters he was buried. Under the guidance of successor whom Soto had appointed, his followers wandered about the country, in an ineffectual effort to penetrate Mexico. During these wanderings, they once more came upon the Mississippi, a short distance above Red river. Here they encamped, and proceeded to build several large boats, on which they embarked, July 12th 1543, and in seventeen days reached the Gulf of Mexico. Continuing their voyage, in the following September they reached a Spanish settlement at the mouth of the river Panuco, in Mexico."
— A History of the United States, by Charles A. Goodrich, 1857 (edited)


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It is a known fact that tobacco cigarettes are really bad for your skin and health. It seems vaping is not as bad, but obviously not as good as no vaping and no nicotine intake.
Make the switch to vaping at https://www.180smoke.ca/
Tobacco Smoking is bad for skin and hair health!
E-cigarettes are good alternative to combustible cigarettes, if you are trying to quit smoking or reduce combustion. Smoking's immediate effects on the skin are usually not lethal. Nonetheless, it is something that alters the appearance of the smoker in ways big and small, obvious and unnoticeable. It may also lead to chronic skin conditions like cancer.
One of the most reasonable explanations as to how smoking affects the skin is through decreasing the oxygen in the blood and constricting the blood vessels. Also, studies find that the damaging effects of smoking on the skin are increased when combined with UV rays that you get from direct sunlight exposure.
More than sun exposure, smoking also causes wrinkles at an early stage for smokers compared to non-smokers. One study found that moderate smokers were found to have skin wrinkles that were double in the count, while heavy smokers were thrice as likely to develop premature wrinkles. Another study saw that results that indicated a smoker who uses more than 30 cigarettes per day would look like an 84-year old at the age of 70.
Vaping side effects & harm is fraction compared to combustibles!
The e cig vaping industry is booming like there's no tomorrow. According to REJournals.com, The Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA) predicted that the vaping industry would be worth more than $10 billion by 2017. Bloomberg suggested that in the United States alone there were more than 3,500 vape shops in 2013, and that number surely has grown a lot since then.
Most of the side effects are usually temporary and nothing but an initial reaction by the body to vapor. Overall, when your body becomes regular to it, the side effects usually disappear within a few hours or days at most. We are unaware of the long-term negative effects of vaping on the human body.
Fortunately, you can eliminate most side effects of vaping or at least reduce them by taking simple precautionary measures. Since there can be different reasons for different effects, let's talk about each of them one by one.
Dehydration due to vaping can cause dry mouth or dry throat, itchy, flaky, and red skin, and several other side effects. Vapor has the nature to attract water molecules from the surroundings, and you will feel it in your mouth. If you experience any of these issues, drinking plenty of fluids can dramatically minimize the condition. Some of these side effects might be a blessing in disguise, e.g. dry skin in the case of people who have a very oily skin. However, staying hydrated is still essential.


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We were commissioned by the outstanding artist and painter Paul Stangroom to make an introduction film for his website. Paul runs a little gallery from Prudhoe in the Tyne Valley where he sells his artwork and teaches several painting classes a week. Paul wanted a film that demonstrated the synergy between his painting practice and the teaching that he loves to do.
We set out by trying to gain a deeper understanding of Paul and one particular body of work that focuses on abandoned buildings in the North Pennines. The work is called In The Passing of Time and features the poetry of Noel Connor.
Paul wanted to make sure he came across well on camera so we put him at ease and involved him right through the edit process so he could be comfortable with what was being created. An artist's business is themselves, they are their work so we fully understood Paul's concerns and were able to authentically portray the man, his passions and his work.
Being a landscape painter we wanted to get out in the landscape and shoot where some of these wonderful paintings began. We also went back to the source of the poetry that compliments the paintings and recorded several poems so we could bring them into the film.
To introduce the film we began with one of Paul's paintings, we went back to where the painting of two empty chairs. Amazingly the scene was exactly as Paul had painted it, untouched by anything other than the passing of time. We got to work creating some cinematic shots of the scene. We used what we captured with the reading of a poem from the book read by Mike Tickell and the whole piece really sets off the viewer into the emotion of one of Paul's amazing paintings.
With the visuals firmly grasped we had to find Paul's story, his why. We wanted to show the synergy between Paul's painting and the classes he teaches, that he learns from teaching and the pleasure he gets from teaching. So we shot in the studio.
We interviewed Paul in his studio where we could really get to the bottom of his story. From there we shot him teaching using handheld camera work to put the viewer in the class and convey an organic hands on element that Paul uses when he teaches. Finally we got some footage of Paul painting in his studio. For this we wanted to convey the delicacy of Paul's approach to painting so we used sliding camera moves to reflect this precision.
The final piece is a fantastic little portrait of Paul and his gallery in Prudhoe


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Vision of Vets, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your tax-deductible donation helps fund Vision of Vets' mission.
Learn more!
Lisa Pasalich | Vision of Vets
Lisa Pasalich grew up in sunny San Diego, California. She comes from a very patriotic family. Many of her family have served or are still serving in the US military. Both of her grandfathers served in World War II. Growing up hanging on every word of their amazing stories fueled her love for history and America. Her grandmother was a published Christian author and poet. She has always wanted to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and become an author.
Lisa worked in the medical field while raising 3 small children. She spent most of her time volunteering in her children's school and serving as vice president on the PTO board. She loves serving her community by organizing many events and fundraisers. Being so involved in her children's school opened her eyes to the world of education. She now works as an educator for Humboldt Unified School District in Prescott Valley, Arizona. She is a library media specialist as well as a drama and choir teacher. She stays true to her roots, having her choir perform patriotic music at many events including the nationwide ceremony, Wreaths across America.
Lisa loves working with children and teaching them a love for reading, writing, and patriotism. She has started "Letters to Soldiers" at her school and in her community. It is a program where children can get the supplies and help to write and send thank you letters to the soldiers overseas. It is her mission to teach the new generation the importance of our history and of our future. To teach them an appreciation for our nation and for the brave men and women of our military and their families who sacrifice everything to protect it. Most of all it is her mission to teach them that freedom is not free!


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Timothy Corrigan, a Pallasart client, is one of the most celebrated interior designers in the world. He has offices in Beverly Hills and Paris.
Early Days and Reflections
It is with a prayerful heart and memories deep and reverent that I begin to write the story of my long and intimate friendship with Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II, Empress of Russia, and of the tragedy of the Revolution, which brought on her and hers such undeserved misery, and on our unhappy country such a black night of oblivion.
But first I feel that I should explain briefly who I am, for though my name has appeared rather prominently in most of the published accounts of the Revolution, few of the writers have taken the trouble to sift facts from fiction even in the comparatively unimportant matter of my genealogy. I have seen it stated that I was born in Germany, and that my marriage to a Russian officer was arranged to conceal my nationality. I have also read that I was a peasant woman brought from my native Siberia to further the ambitions of Rasputin. The truth is that I am unable to produce an ancestor who was not born Russian. My father, Alexander Sergievich Taneyev, during most of his life, was a functionary of the Russian Court, Secretary of State, and Director of the Private Chancellerie of the Emperor, an office held before him by his father and his grandfather. My mother was a daughter of General Tolstoy, aide de camp of Alexander II. One of my immediate ancestors was Field Marshal Kutusov, famous in the Napoleonic Wars. Another, on my mother's side, was Count Kontaisov, an intimate friend of the eccentric Tsar Paul, son of the great Catherine.
Notwithstanding my family's hereditary connection with the Court our own family life was simple and quiet. My father, aside from his official duties, had no interests apart from his home and his music, for he was a composer and a pianist of more than national fame. My earliest memories are of home evenings, my brother Serge and my sister Alya (Alexandra) studying their lessons under the shaded lamp, my dear mother sitting near with her needlework, and my father at the piano working out one of his compositions, striking the keys softly and noting down his harmonies. I thank God for that happy childhood which gave me strength of soul to bear the sorrows and sufferings of after years.
Six months in every year we spent in the country near Moscow on an estate which had been in the family for nearly two hundred years. For neighbors we had the Princes Galatzina and the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Elizabeth, the last named being the older sister of the Empress. I hardly remember when I did not know and love the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, as she was familiarly called. As small children she petted and spoiled us all, often inviting us to tea, the feast ending in a grand frolic in which we were allowed to search the rooms for toys which she had ingeniously hidden. It was at one of these children's teas that I first saw the Empress Alexandra. Quite unexpectedly the Tsarina was announced and the beautiful Grand Duchess Elizabeth, leaving her small guests, ran eagerly to greet her. The time was near the beginning of the reign of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna, and the Tsarina was at the very height of her youthful beauty. My childish impression of her was of a tall, slender, graceful woman, lovely beyond description, with a wealth of golden hair and eyes like stars, the very picture of what an Empress should be.
For my father the young Empress soon conceived a warm liking and confidence and she named him as vice president of the committee of Assistance par le Travail. During this time we lived in winter in the Mikhailovsky Palace in Petrograd, and in summer in a small villa in Peterhof on the Baltic Sea. From conversations between my mother and father I learned a great deal of the life of the Imperial Family. The Empress impressed my father both by her excessive shyness and by her unusual intelligence. She was above all a motherly woman and often combined baby-tending with serious business affairs. With the little Grand Duchess Olga in her arms she discussed all kinds of business with my father, and while with one hand rocking the cradle where lay the baby Tatiana she signed letters and papers of consequence. Sometimes while thus engaged there would come a clear, musical whistle, like a bird call. It was the Emperor's special summons to his wife, and at the first sound her check would turn to rose, and, regard less of everything, she would fly to answer it. That birdlike whistle of the Emperor I became very familiar with in later years, calling the children, signaling to me. It had a curious, appealing, resistless quality, peculiar to himself.
Perhaps it was a common love of music which first drew the Empress and our family into a bond of friendship. All of us children received a thorough musical education. From childhood we were taken regularly to concerts and the opera, and our home, especially on Wednesday evenings, was a rendezvous for all the musicians and composers of the capital. The great Tchaikovsky was a friend of my father, and I remember many others of note who were frequent guests at tea or dinner.
Apart from music we received an education rather more practical than was the average at that time. In the Russia of my childhood a girl of good family was supposed to acquire a few pretty accomplishments and nothing much besides. Accomplishments I and my sister were given, but besides music and painting, for which my sister had considerable talent, we were well grounded in academic studies, and we finished by taking examinations leading to teachers' diplomas. I may say also that even in our drawing-room accomplishments we were obliged to be thorough, and when my father ventured to show some of our work to the Empress she expressed warm approval. "Most Russian girls," she said, "seem to have nothing in their heads but officers."
The Empress, coming from a small German Court where everyone at least tried to occupy themselves usefully, found the idle and listless atmosphere of Russia little to her taste. In her first enthusiasm of power she thought to change things a little for the better. One of her early projects was a society of handwork composed of ladies of the Court and society circles, each one of whom should make with her own hands three garments a year to be given to the poor. The society, I am sorry to say, did not long flourish. The idea was too foreign to the soil. Nevertheless the Empress persisted in creating throughout Russia industrial centers, maisons de travail, where the unemployed, both men and women, and especially unfortunate women who, through errors of conduct, lost their positions, could find work.
Life at Court was by no means serious. In fact it was at that time very gay. At seventeen I was presented, first to the Empress Dowager who lived in a palace in Peterhof known as the Cottage. Extremely shy at first, I soon accustomed myself to the many brilliant Court functions to which my mother chaperoned my sister and myself. We danced that first winter, I remember, at no less than twenty-two balls besides attending many receptions, teas, and dinners. Perhaps it was partly the fatigue of all this social dissipation which made so serious the illness with which in the ensuing summer I was stricken. Typhus, that scourge of Russia, struck down at the same time my brother Serge and myself. My brother's illness ran a normal course and he made a rapid recovery, but for three months I lay at death's door. After the fever succeeded many complications, inflammation of the lungs and kidneys, and an affection of the brain whereby I lost both speech and hearing. In the midst of my suffering I had a vivid dream in which the saintly Father John of Kronstadt appeared to me and told me to have courage and that all would finally be well.
This Father John of Kronstadt, whom all true Russians reverence as a saint, I remembered as having thrice been at our house in my early childhood. The gentle majesty of his presence, the beauty of his benign countenance had so deeply impressed me that now, in my desperate illness, it seemed to me that he, more than the skilled physicians and the devoted sisters who attended me, had power of help and healing. In some way I managed to convey to my parents that I wanted Father John, and they immediately telegraphed begging him to come. It was some days before the message reached him, as he was away from home on a mission, but as soon as he received word of our need he hastened to Peterhof. As in a vision I sensed his coming long before he reached the house, and when he came I greeted him without astonishment with a feeble movement of my hand. Father John knelt down beside my bed, praying quietly, a corner of his long stole laid over my burning head. At length he rose, took a glass of holy water, and to the consternation of the nurses sprinkled it freely over me and bade me sleep. Almost instantly I fell into a deep sleep, and when I awoke next day I was so much better that all could see that I was on the road to recovery.
In September of that year I went with my mother first to Baden and afterwards to Naples. We lived in the same hotel with the Grand Duke Serge and Grand Duchess Elizabeth who were very much amused to see me in a wig, my long illness having rendered me temporarily almost bald. After a quiet but happy season in southern Italy I returned to Russia quite restored to health. The winter of 1903 1 remember as a round of gaieties and dissipations. In January of that year I received from the Empress the diamond studded chiffre of maid of honor, which meant that, following my marriage, I would have permanent entry to all Court functions. Not immediately but very soon afterwards I was called to duty to the person of the Empress, and there began then that dose and intimate friendship which I know lasted with her always and which will remain with me as long as God permits me to live.
I would that I could paint a picture of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna as I knew her before the first shadow of doom and disaster fell upon unhappy Russia. No photograph ever did her justice because it could reproduce neither her lovely color nor her graceful movements. Tall she was, and delicately, beautifully shaped, with exquisitely white neck and shoulders. Her abundant hair, red gold, was so long that she could easily sit upon it when it was unbound. Her complexion was clear and as rosy as a little child's. The Empress had large eyes, deep gray and very lustrous. It was only in later life that sorrow and anxiety gave her eyes the melancholy with which they are usually associated. In youth they wore an expression of constant merriment which explained her family nickname of "Sunny," a name by the way nearly always used by the Emperor. I began almost from the first day of our association to love and admire her, as I have loved her ever since and always shall.
The winter of 1903 was very brilliant, the season culminating in a famous ball in costumes of Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich, who reigned in the seventeenth century. The ball was given first in the Hermitage, the great art gallery adjoining the Winter Palace, but so immense was its success that it had to be twice repeated, once in the Salle de Concert of the palace and again in the large ballroom of the Schermetiev Palace. My sister and I were two of twenty young girls selected to dance with twenty youthful cavaliers in an ancient Russian dance which required almost as much rehearsal as a ballet. The rehearsals were quite important society events, all the mothers attending, and the Empress often looking on as interested as any of us.
That summer I again fell ill in our villa in Peterhof, and I remember particularly that this was the first time the Empress ever visited our house. She drove in a low pony chaise, coming up to my sickroom all in white with a big white hat and in the best of spirits. Needless to say, her unexpected visit did me a world of good, as did her second visit at our home in the country when she left me a gift of holy water from Sarov, a place greatly venerated by Russians. That winter with its artless pleasures, and the pleasant summer which followed, marked the end of an era in Russia. Immediately afterwards came the catastrophe of the Japanese War, so needlessly entered into. This war was the beginning of a long line of disasters which ended in the supreme disaster of 1917- 1 must confess that at the time the Japanese War made no very deep impression on young girls who, like myself, faced life lightly like happy children. We resigned ourselves to an almost complete cessation of balls and parties, and we put aside our pretty gowns for the sober dress of working sisters. The great salons of the Winter Palace were turned into workrooms and there every day society flocked to sew and knit for our soldiers and sailors fighting such incredible distances away, as well as for the wounded in hospitals at home and abroad. My mother, who was one of the heads of committees giving out work to be done at home, was constantly busy, and we obediently followed her example.
Every day the Empress came to inspect the work, often sitting down at a table and sewing diligently with the others. This was shortly before the birth of the Tsarevich and I have a clear picture in my mind of the Empress looking more than ever fine and delicate, her tall figure clad in a loose robe of dark velvet trimmed in fur. Behind her chair, bringing into splendid relief her bright gold hair, stood a huge negro servant, gorgeous in scarlet trousers, gold-embroidered jacket, and white turban. This negro, Jim, was one of four Abyssinians who stood guard before the doors of the private apartments. They were not soldiers and they had no functions except to open and close the doors, and to signify by a sudden, noiseless entrance into a state apartment that one of their Majesties was about to appear. The Abyssinians were in fact simply one of the left-overs from the days of Catherine the Great, in whose times dwarfs and negroes and other exotics figured as a part of Court ceremonials. They remained not because Nicholas II or the Empress wanted them, but because, as I shall later explain, it was practically impossible to change any detail of Russian Court life.
The following summer the heir was born amid the wildest rejoicings all over the Empire. I remember the Empress telling me with what extraordinary ease the child was brought into the world. Scarcely half an hour after the Empress had left her boudoir for her bedroom the baby was born and it was known that, after many prayers, there was an heir to the throne of the Romanovs. The Emperor, in spite of the desperate sorrow brought upon him by a disastrous war, was quite mad with joy. His happiness and the mother's, however, was of short duration, for almost at once they learned that the poor child was afflicted with a dread disease, rather rare except in royal families where it is only too common. The victims of this malady are known in medicine as hemophiliacs, or bleeders. Frequently they die soon after birth, and those who survive are subject to frightful suffering, if not to sudden death, from slight injuries to blood vessels, internal as well as external. The whole short life of the Tsarevich, the loveliest and most amiable child imaginable, was a succession of agonizing illnesses due to this congenital affliction. The sufferings of the child were more than equaled by those of his parents, especially of his mother, who hardly knew a day of real happiness after she realized her boy's fate. Her health and spirits began to decline, and she developed a chronic heart trouble. Although the boy's affliction was in no conceivable way her fault, she dwelt morbidly on the fact that the disease is transmitted through the mother and that it was common in her family. One of her younger brothers suffered from it, also her uncle Leopold, Queen Victoria's youngest son, while all three sons of her sister, Princess Irene of Prussia, were similarly afflicted. One of these boys died young and the other two were life long invalids.
Everything possible, everything known to medical science, was done for the child Alexei. The Empress nursed him herself, as indeed, with the assistance of professional women, she had nursed all her children. Three trained Russian nurses were in attendance, with the Empress always superintending. She bathed the babe herself, and was with him so much that the Court, ever censorious of her, complained that she was more of a nurse than an Empress. The Court, of course, did not immediately understand the serious condition of the infant heir. No parents, be their estate high or low, are ready all at once to reveal a misfortune such as that one. It is always human to hope that things are not as desperate as they seem, and that in time some remedy for the illness will be found. The Emperor and Empress guarded their secret from all except relatives and most intimate friends, closing their eyes and their ears to the growing unpopularity of the Empress. She was ill and she was suffering, but to the Court she appeared merely cold, haughty, and indifferent. From this false impression she never fully recovered even after the explanation of her suddenly acquired silence and melancholy became generally known.
Tsar Nicholas II


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When you stay at The 10th Green Inn, you stay among friends. You're also within minutes of three lovely lakes.
Enjoy New Hogan Lake, Camanche Reservoir, and, Pardee Lake. All offer great fishing, boating, water skiing, and swimming opportunities.
Hiking, bicycling, gold panning, winery tours, and other activities also abound in the area. Valley Springs has many restaurants with a vast array of menu options. Local restaurants include:
The 10th Green Inn


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The Poser's Guide is a monthly column, by Max Pasion-Gonzales, dedicated to giving a concise summary of the career, discography, narrative, and themes of a particular artist. This information will guide readers in listening to each respective artist in an encapsulating and beneficial way while providing the necessary tools to give the illusion of being "cool" or "cultured" to their peers. If you or someone you know is a poser and would like to learn more about a relevant artist to gain social clout or other forms of cultural payoff, this column is for you.
The Poser's Guide to Prince
Greetings posers!
If there's anything you gather from this first iteration of The Poser's Guide, it should be this: Prince is undeniably one of the greatest music artists to ever live, debatably the second best of all time to The Beatles. An at least baseline knowledge of his legacy and music is essential for any serious music listener.
Approaching Prince's discography can be rather daunting; he has nearly 50 albums across 42 years. Despite being a huge Prince fan, his massive catalogue renders even me a poser, as I have yet to consume even close to half of this music. Still, I've heard my fair share, including all of the solo studio albums from 1978-1988, which is regarded as the prime of his career.
Prince released 10 albums in this glorious 11-year stretch, resulting in an album per year, every year, with the exception of 1983. All ten of these efforts are outstanding works of musicianship and they're almost entirely written, composed, and performed by Prince, who was of course assisted by The Revolution for certain albums along the way. Despite the consistency throughout this period, there is only one proper point of entry, Prince's single greatest and most beautiful musical accomplishment: Purple Rain.
Purple Rain is the defining album of the 80s.
It's a highly stylized and theatrical form of pop, funk, and rock fused seamlessly and performed with an unmatched altruism. It is a perfect album. I could ramble endlessly, but the best thing I can do is to simply implore you to listen. Let the Rain fall down and cleanse you with catharsis and indulgence. Let it flow into your veins and fill you with life. Once you're done basking in the glory and processing the beauty you have witnessed, then move on to the rest of his work. It is all put into perspective by this moment.
Listen to his '78-'81 stretch after that. Prince delivers an extremely dynamic, entertaining, and accessible four album stretch here. Each is around the 30 minute mark, making them excellent for bike rides, work commutes, yoga sessions, or meal preps. You could even knock them all out in a funky two hour marathon. It's fascinating to watch how rapidly Prince improves and develops across these four years. If anything, this run of albums is worth it solely for "It's Gonna Be Lonely," the closer on the self-titled album.
This batch is likely going to be your core day to day listening with Prince, and it's a great segway into 1999, Prince's first monumental, long-form statement.
Refine your Prince palette with 1999, Sign O' The Times, and Around the World in a Day. These albums show Prince leaning more into his experimentation and instrumental prowess, opting to move away from the accessible power-pop gold from his early career. Here you'll be listening to longer works, albums to really meditate on and sit with. Absolutely give these hard listens. Don't be intimidated, they're highly rewarding.
He's a coffee table book, one to continually come back to and rethink, applying to your newer context.
By this point, you'll have a strong understanding of Prince as a creative, and you should naturally want more. Feel free to round out your listening with the remaining two, Lovesexy and Parade or try out some later catalog stuff. Favorites will ebb and flow, with your album power rankings changing with every new pondering. This is absolutely natural. As of now, my only absolute with Prince lies in Purple Rain being his best, but where the rest stack up continues to perplex me. Prince is the kind of artist who will always be in the lives of his listeners. He's a coffee table book, one to continually come back to and rethink, applying to your newer context. He's truly ubiquitous; his influence lives on endlessly in modern music of multiple genres and his albums continue to be revered by millions to this day. But these truths are for you to discover organically. Take the journey whenever your time comes, it's never too early or too late. Prince will always be there.


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Whales, whales everywhere! This was how you could describe the incredible day we had on the M.V. Lukwa. We sailed down Blackney Pass bursting with anticipation. Word was out that the orca were back. We had been patiently waiting for this day and we were delighted when we first caught sight of them this morning.
A group of orca called the A42's appeared ahead of us to our starboard side! This family are descended from the A5 pod and are made up of five members. The mother is called 'Sonora' and she was born in 1980. She has four of her young with her. The oldest, born in 1996 is a male called 'Surf'. He was joined by his siblings 'Current' and 'Cameleon' who were born in 2004 and 2008 respectively. The youngest one was born last year and is yet to be named. This family are 'residents' or fish eaters only and their fish of choice is chinook salmon.
As we were watching transfixed by the sight of these phenomenal pescetarians, humpbacks started to appear to our port side! One of the humpbacks which is known as 'KC' or Kelp Creature breached while we observed the orca! Four humpbacks were seen altogether and another was identified as 'Guardian' by Sophia our naturalist on board. Lots of sea birds were seen milling around the whales, attracted by the glut of food in the water. We observed five Steller sea lions in Weynton Pass, right in the kelp bed. Bald eagles swooped over the sea lions in their watery lair.
The afternoon trip was all geared up and ready to see some orca. We headed south towards Robson Bight Ecological Reserve. We got word from the reserve warden, Marie that the orca were still in the area, close to the rubbing beaches. Marie works for a voluntary organization called 'Cetus' that patrol the reserve and surrounding areas during the summer. They educate and advise local and incoming boaters and help protect the whales from boat strike and entanglement in props and fishing gear.
The orca did indeed reappear close to shore, east of the reserve. It was confirmed that it was the same orca family we had seen this morning. 'Surf' was swimming alone while the rest of his family stuck close together. They began to disperse after a while and we watched awestruck as they dipped and weaved around us.
Cruising past Cracroft Point, Blackney Pass we saw a humpback. It was suspended in the swirling water and rose and sank with grace and ease. For such an enormous creature, it could slink from view effortlessly. Alison, our naturalist identified the wily whale as 'Argonaut'. This whale is so called as it has what looks like to be an 'A' notched into it's fluke. Some speedy Dall's porpoises appeared momentarily after Argonaut disappeared. They looked so tiny after seeing such a huge whale.
So it's a very warm welcome back for our resident orcas. An incredible opportunity to see an orca family thriving in the wild and spending summer in our waters.


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Ecommerce Web Applications and it is Uses
E-commerce is generally referred to as electronic commerce and is understood to be the complete group of procedures that carry commercial or business activities more than a network. Additionally, it further abets in electronic commercial transactions. It is really an entirely new idea in global business community and technologies like electronic data interchange to transfer information or documents digitally are extensively used here. Electronic transactions involve the change in possession or legal rights to utilize a good or service. Thus, we've got the technology continues to be categorized into "Virtual Storefronts" online with internet catalogs.
Based on the recent reports, it's been learned that individuals companies that achieve their patrons through physical avenues like stores have an increasing expanse compared to their revenue. In this shifting business scenario, presently e-commerce has become new method to promote their itemsOrsolutions it may also have a direct link to its clients. Nowadays where individuals always prefer time saving devices like plastic money and mobile technologies, ecommerce is the greatest solution.
The primary advantages of ecommerce are plenty of. It's really a platform for exchanging in addition to money transactions. These transactions are created through online credit payments you are able to both give and get money with this method.
Ecommerce is thus a crucial part of the sales strategy and is among the least expensive mediums for contacting untouched markets. Business could be further expanded and performed with ecommerce applications. Since people have an contact with various online products, they are able to judge correctly whether or not to buy or otherwise. There remains a larger chance for independent selection. In the click of mouse, you can get to determine the planet and obtain preferred things. This is actually the blessing of ecommerce.
A lot of companies offer customized search engine optimization for each individual business making certain the ecommerce solution modules are completely tested from both user's and administrator's perspective. Custom graphics is produced that you can make your personal unique look and layout. They're easy to use and lure the consumer to purchase.
There has to be an advanced of peace of mind in the payment section it ought to be shielded from spamming. There should also be a built-in system of order placement and fulfillment. The machine should also be simple to use to ensure that content could be updated regularly.


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Champs-Élysées by Christianne Serafin
Original Watercolor
$200.00 $150.00
Notify me when it's back in stock.
• Artist: Christianne Serafin
• Title: Champs-Élysées
• Medium: Original Watercolor
• Dimensions: Approx. 5.75W x 8.5H (Inches)
• Title: Champs-Élysées
• Medium: Original Watercolor
• Dimensions: Approx. 5.75W x 8.5H (Inches)
• Hand-Signed. This is an original item (Original Watercolor) and has been certified authentic. A one of a kind! Custom framing available.
Since opening its virtual doors in early 2007, ArtRev.com has helped customers worldwide decorate their living space; one wall at a time! From traditional to contemporary artworks and decorative items, ArtRev.com has something for every taste and budget. Shop with confidence! ArtRev.com has established itself as a leading online gallery; authorized to represent hundreds of artists, fine art publishers, and dealers. Since we purchase our products directly from artists, reputable art publishing houses and dealers around the globe, we guarantee that every item sold on our website is authentic. ArtRev.com is proud to be the first online art and wall décor retailer to offer a "lifetime authenticity guarantee" with every purchase.


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The farm ground to the west of me along the Missouri River had seep water on most of the crop ground. Not knowing what the condition of the timbered pasture was, the decision was made to call the landowner.
His comment was, "Where have you been? We have a lot of does that have moved back into the formerly flooded ground on the west side of the levee, and no one is hunting the ground." With that in mind, I inquired about the best location. It was where I had hunted turkeys and deer in the past.
As I entered from the north end of the farm, I discovered that the seep water from the flood had not reached the pasture. The timber to the north of my intended location did not get any water either. The evidence showed a lot of deer had moved in when the water pushed them out of the river bottom on the west side of the levee. Deer tracks were everywhere. Trying to pick a spot would be a chore. There were runs coming out of the timber all along the edge of the timber. The evidence showed the deer would come to the timber's edge, then turn southeast into a state reserve. The majority of the reserve had been dry during the flood.
There had been no rain for some time and the ground was really dry. My plan was to set up midway between the timber line. In that way a shot could be taken from either side of where my position was. My back would be up against a large tree so I would be able to shoot to either side.
A full moon helped me find my way to the spot the next morning. The first thing that happened was the woods behind me became very excited. The turkeys were there by the hundreds and the hens were really vocal as they came off the roost to the ground. The moonlight helped with the lighting as they flew right out in front of me about 50 yards from the timber line. Hundreds upon hundreds of turkeys kept coming.
|That is the tree line where I will be hunting. You can see some deer in the field I spooked when I was scouting out the position on a turkey hunt last spring.
|Small flock of turkeys that came out of the standing timber to my right.
These birds must have been living on the west side of the levees in the timber along the Missouri River and were pushed into this area by the flood. This location is a venerable meat market. I know where I will be when Iowa turkey season opens, but it is a young tasty doe that will be harvested today.
|Right out in front of me the turkeys kept flying to the ground.
Slowly it got lighter. To my left out of the timber stepped a nice small doe. She was at least 150 yards out, so I decided to wait for a bigger animal. With all the tracks, a hunter could afford to be picky. She slowly moved southeasterly toward the reserve. Soon additional animals slowly stepped out of the security of the standing timber. They were further out than the first one. I waited.
By now it was fully light, but the sun was not up. In excess of 25 deer had been spotted with the majority being does. The feeling was that this might not be a good plan. There had been plenty of traffic but nothing came out of the timber within a good shooting range for a muzzle loader. The expectation was that the majority of the deer would come out on my right and then move across my front to the reserve. This plan was not working.
Finally the sun was fully up and moved above the trees. The sky was perfectly clear and I was looking into the sun. Time to go and adjust the plan for the next day. I needed a cup of coffee anyway so headed for home.
Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck. Hank
Friend us on Facebook at Facebook.com/outdoorswithhank


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'Avengers: Endgame' Dusts Box Office Records With $350 Million Opening Weekend
It's official: the Avengers came to slay not only Thanos, but box office records as well.
Avengers: Endgame did more than delight legions of theatergoers with its three-hour long conclusion to the Infinity Saga years in the making – it also earned an estimated $350 million in ticket sales domestically and $1.2 billion globally. Those are some ridiculous numbers, too. Basically. this movie snapped more than Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.
Studio estimates had previously forecast the film to open between $260 million and $300 million across theaters n the U.S. and Canada, but those predictions were quickly out the window when Endgame managed to beat the previous record of $257.7 million set by Avengers: Infinity War in 2018.
The demand for the movie was huge, too, which contributed to much of the insane amount of money it made over the course of its debut. In fact, Disney had to ensure it would run in more theaters than any movie opening before, with around 4,662 theaters in the U.S. and Canada tapped to host it. Some theaters hosted showings in the middle of the night, while others didn't close to accommodate the amount of fans looking to finally see what took place in the Endgame.
Just like that, Endgame has managed to break records set by films like The Dark Knight Rises, Aquaman, and a variety of others, making more cash than they managed to gross during their entire theatrical runs.
"This weekend's monumental success is a testament to the world they've envisioned, the talent involved, and their collective passion, matched by the irrepressible enthusiasm of fans around the world," said Disney chairman Alan Horn of the movie's smashing success.
And it's only up from here. Can Avengers: Endgame unseat earners like The Force Awakens or Titanic from their thrones? We'll have to wait and see.
In the meantime if you haven't seen it and are trying to avoid the veritable minefield of spoilers on the internet, you can check out our repository of fan theories to see if they end up coming true after your first viewing – you won't believe what actually does happen.


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MoonShine Polo's are a High quality, Moisture Wicking, Navy Blue Polo by Cubavera which features an embroidered MoonShine Logo on the left chest and MoonShine spelled out along with ShineRunner Club on the right sleeve.
One color of embroidery thread is available;
Light Gray logo on Navy Blue Shirt
Manufactures suggested retail price on these shirts is $55.00 with out the embroidery.
MoonShine's price - $39.99
PLEASE NOTE: MoonShine apparel are a non-returnable / non-refundable item.
Cold water wash only!
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Diversity & Inclusion
A diverse workplace comprises individuals with unique backgrounds, characteristics and qualities. An inclusive workplace creates an equitable environment where individuals are respected and where they are welcome. At Fasken, we value a workplace where women are leaders. Fasken is committed to diversity and inclusion in all that we do.
In 2018, Fasken received Mansfield Certification, a designation that confirms the firm considered women and/or visible minorities in 30% or more of at least 70% of all its senior positions.