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This week, the Twitter world was abuzz over Apple's newest product releases at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), the Patriots signing Tim Tebow, and the opening of the movie,"The Internship." At first glance, it doesn't seem as though these trending Twitter topics have much to do with lending career advice to the everyday professional. However, after taking a closer look you may be pleasantly surprised at the wisdom Twitter has to offer.
#WWDC2013 – At today's Worldwide Developer Conference 2013, Apple revealed its new operating system update which was jokingly referred to as "Sea Lion" because as Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering for Apple, put it, "We don't want to be the first software release in history to be delayed by a lack of cats." The actual name of the update will be OS X Mavericks and its new features are sure to please.
So, how can the new OS X Maverick benefit professionals? Apple revealed that the new OS will have a "tagging" feature in order for users to better organize and locate their files, as well as improved battery life (also a new feature on the new MacBook Airs), and will work on multiple monitors and screens (i.e. Apple's AirPlay). The extended battery life is a huge plus, especially for students and professionals who are always on the go. Sometimes, it's a pain to find an electrical outlet to plug your device into while you're out and about, so the longer battery life will help make a mobile office more convenient.
Also worth noting is the much-anticipated iOS 7 mobile operating system release, which appears to be exactly what fans have been waiting and asking for over the years. According to Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, "iOS 7 is the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone." To see more of the sleek new operating system and its features, check out Apple's gallery here.
#Patriots / #Tebow – Tebowmania is coming to New England. The Patriots have signed quarterback Tim Tebow, who was a free agent for the past month and a half, after being released from the Jets. There's no doubt that the Tebow media circus will follow the NFL player wherever he ends up, but who better to take that on than the New England Patriots, who have sported controversial players such as Randy Moss, Corey Dillon, and Chad Ochocinco (who even had his own reality TV show). Will Tebow be able to take a step back into the shadows and watch Patriots quarterback Tom Brady steal the spotlight?
How would you respond if you were in a similar situation as Tim Tebow and reentering the workforce after being let go from your previous employer? Losing a job is hardly ever a positive experience, and many people feel shame and embarrassment once the realities of unemployment settle in. Therefore, it's important for professionals to have a backup plan for themselves should the situation arise.
Should you become unemployed, what financial and employment "plan Bs" have you constructed to ensure that you are able to sustain yourself until you find another job? It's wise to establish a savings account with the equivalent of six months of expenses, and to network constantly, both in person and via social networks. It's also a good idea to keep up to date with the latest in your industry, and to continue producing high quality work to minimize the chance of being fired for cause. Regardless, there's no guarantee that your job will be there tomorrow, so establish a positive reputation and put your best foot forward.
#TheInternship – Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson teamed up for "The Internship," their first movie together since "Wedding Crashers." The film touches on the harsh realities of what happens when you suddenly lose your job. It also does a great job of capturing the difficulties that professionals face in the workplace on a daily basis, like working in teams, managing professional relationships, and competing among peers. Billy (Vaughn's character) and Nick (Wilson's character) find themselves competing amongst a group of interns for the chance to land jobs at Google, but they must do so with their assigned team of "rejects" that just can't seem to get it together. In the real world, you aren't always going to be handed ideal situations when working with teams, so being able to adapt to and accommodate different personalities will greatly improve the chances of a successful outcome.
Tell Us What You Think
Do you have anything to add to the Twitter trends of this past week? If so, share with us on our Twitter page or in the comments section below.
More from PayScale
Today's Most Successful People Had No Idea What They Were Doing at 25
Why Your Social Media Obsession is Good for Your Career [infographic]
3 Ways to Find Out If a Company Is a Good Fit for You
(Photo Credit: webtreats/Flickr)


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786…The Divine Mother, Divine Feminine, & Union of opposites
The Divine Mother
last night eye had a talk with the Divine Mother
believe it or not
SHE was older than God
It was as if eye was talking to my great grandmother
We sat at the kitchen table
Drank tea
And had a heart to heart talk
Eye asked Her
How did eye become God?
She said
U ate the name of God
And became God
Last night eye had a talk with the Divine Mother
She was older than God…..
Divine Feminine
Female Divinity is often times over looked. If the woman is not God, then no man is God!!! In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions the Divine Feminine is well represented. My master Cheikh Betchio once said "the secret of Allah is inside of the woman." My mother was God. When eye started studying the 5% lessons years ago, eye came home and said "mom I AM God." She said "I know that, just don't let it go to your ego."
EGO= ease God out.
From my studies of female Divinity, eye found it best explained in the worship of Shiva and Shakti. The Divine female consort of Lord Shiva is Shakti. Shiva represents the power of God that is transcendent, beyond this universe. When this power becomes active and creates the universe, that power/energy is feminine, and is called Shakti. The creative power of God is a feminine energy. An analogy to explain this is: Shiva is like an ocean of power that is motionless. When that power/ocean takes motion, the waves from the ocean are called Shakti. Thus God is still and motionless. When God takes action, that action is feminine, and is called Shakti
Union of opposites
The sufi path is a journey that takes place on the plane of the soul. The entire journey is a journey of soul transformation. In Arabic the word for soul is (nafs). The word nafs in arabic is feminine. So the sufi journey is of a feminine nature. The spirit in Arabic is called (ruh). Ruh in Arabic is a masculine word. The soul plane nafs is feminine. The spirit plane ruh is masculine. The prophet Muhammad said that "marriage is half of Islam." This statement has a profound esoteric meaning for the sufi. The goal of the sufi is to reach a unified internal state where the (soul-nafs- feminine) is married to the (ruh-spirit-masculine).
In the ancient Egyptian book of the Dead it says "when the Ka(soul) is united with the Ba(spirit) man and God are ONE!!!
In Islam the outward representation of the unification of the Divine masculine(spirit) and feminine(soul) principals is the KABA in Mecca. The kaba of man is the heart. In essence, the Self realization of God, marriage of the soul and spirit, takes place in the Heart. Love and Light—sufi
Posted on February 11, 2013, in ALCHEMY, Amma, consciousness, Dharma, Divine feminine, Divine mother, ENLIGHTENMENT, God, Guru, hinduism, Islam, love, meditation, mystic, OM, poetry, relationships, self knowledge, Self Realization, Shakti, Shiva, soul, spiritual, Sri Ganesh, sufism, tantra, wisdom and tagged advaita, dharma, enlightenment, eternal bliss, God, interfaith, journey of soul, knowledge of self, lord shiva, OM, oneness, philosophy, religion, self knowledge, sex, soul transformation, spirituality, sufism, the heart, true self. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

subset: commoncrawl


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Panel to Present Plans for Major Tax Law Changes
WASHINGTON – Chosen to find a simpler way to tax the nation, a presidential panel is set to recommend two designs that would rewrite virtually every tax law for individuals and businesses.
Under the plan, most deductions, credits and other tax breaks would be eliminated along with much of the paperwork and equations that baffle taxpayers under a drastically simplified income tax (search).
But many, including the nine members of the presidential commission, have said key recommendations will be unpopular.
"The effort to reform the tax code is noble in its purpose, but it requires political willpower," the group said Tuesday in a letter to Treasury Secretary John Snow (search). "Many stand waiting to defend their breaks, deductions and loopholes, and to defeat our efforts."
The commission presents their findings to Snow, who told the Detroit Economic Club on Monday the nation's taxes need "not only theoretical reform, not only academic reform, but actual practical reform."
The President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (search) spent most of the year studying tax designs, including consumption taxes like a national retail sales tax. President Bush tasked the group with finding simpler and more economically productive ideas for taxation.
The commission wrapped up its work last month, and its ideas immediately attracted criticism — some from those who wanted to see more change and some from those who felt the changes went too far.
Both plans lower tax rates on individuals and businesses.
Under one plan, individuals would pay no tax on dividends paid by U.S. companies and exclude 75 percent of their capital gains from taxation. Under the second plan, all investment income would be taxed at 15 percent.
Both proposals would abolish the alternative minimum tax, a levy originally drafted to prevent wealthy individuals from escaping taxation but increasingly reaching into the middle class. They also would eliminate federal deductions and credits for mortgage interest, state and local taxes and education, among others.
The advisory commission would replace those withdrawn tax breaks with simpler benefits, including three savings plans that supplant more than a dozen provisions currently available for retirement, medical expenses and education.
The panel determined that tax breaks for homeownership and employees' health insurance could be changed to spread their benefits to more middle-income families.
The panel would convert the home mortgage interest deduction into a credit equal to 15 percent of mortgage interest paid. The $1 million limit on mortgages eligible for the tax break would shrink to the average regional price of housing, ranging from $227,000 to $412,000.
Taxpayers could purchase health insurance using untaxed money up to the amount of the average premium, about $5,000 for an individual and $11,500 for a family, a change that would create a new tax break for those who do not get health insurance through work.
Bush set certain limits on the panel, requiring that the new plans collect roughly as much tax money as the government collects now.
The proposals also had to retain the progressive system that taxes wealthier taxpayers at higher rates than poorer individuals and families. They were also required to recognize "the importance of homeownership and charity in American society."
The panel rejected frequently touted ideas to impose taxes on consumption, like a retail sales tax.
Instead, the group chose to use one recommendation to push for major simplification of the current income tax system. Its second recommendation makes changes for businesses that shift the nation's tax system toward indirect tax on consumption.
The changes allow every taxpayer to use a simpler tax form, less then half the length of the current Form 1040. Snow said that would also cutting in half the number of taxpayers who need to hire a professional tax preparer.


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As costs go down, #solar #energy is becoming more popular across the globe. But because solar panels don't store energy for later use, a home powered by the Sun is not totally free from the grid. However, researchers have created a device that could store and harvest solar energy, and they are hopeful it could eventually bring electricity to rural areas. This is a huge step in the right direction.
Resolving Energy Storage Issues
There is a known issue with energy storage, but it has led to numerous solutions that are quite creative, such as large batteries. Scientists have developed an integrated battery as they are attempting to improve #solar cells, according to a publication in Chem. Essentially, it can work in a similar way to a typical solar cell by converting sunlight into electricity right away, as per Song Jin, study author and University of Wisconsin at Madison chemist. The battery could store solar energy or it could be charged just like a standard battery.
The benefits of this sort of #solar battery are that it could harvest energy during the day and provide electricity at night when the sun goes down. This solar battery could be used when skies are gray and harsh weather conditions are occurring.
Technological Advances – Great Steps Toward Going Solar
We are looking at a combination of two different technologies. We are looking at a flow battery and solar cells. Lithium-ion, of course, are the most commonly utilized batteries, and they store energy in metals. On the other hand, flow batteries store energy in exterior liquid tanks. For bigger projects, they are simple to scale.
#Song Jin and his team have been the very first to combine the aforementioned features. This solar battery has been in development for years, and has finally reached just over 14 percent efficiency. According to Jin, this is a "round-trip efficiency" which basically means there is efficiency in taking the energy, storing the energy and discharging the energy. Jin is hopeful of getting to 20 percent efficiency, or even 25 percent.
Solar Opportunities
There are still areas which could be improved. Jin, for instance, wants to improve efficiency while also developing a design using less expensive materials. In less-developed areas lacking proper infrastructure and power grids, this invention could really make an impact. Having electricity is so important, and something many take for granted. If you've ever lost electricity after a major storm, you realize how frustrating it can be to be without. Even areas such as health care could be improved tremendously with electricity. This solar battery could allow for so many positive changes.
Regardless of location, a #solar flow battery can be useful. One could have the ability to disconnect and have personalized energy, so to speak, so energy could be stored and utilized locally. A solar flow battery could allow us to become less dependent on other types of energy which are bad for the planet.
Having both a solar cell and a storage system is certainly a game-changer. Imagine how useful this combination would be on a cloudy day or during harsh weather. In terms of off-grid solar applications in isolated areas, this type of device might be the future. Even though the current solar battery is looking quite appealing, there is still work being done to improve its design. When it comes to solar growth, there is no end in sight. Stay in the loop by following solar news. Renewable energy is changing our world, and it is changing fast. It will be interesting to see the developments that will soon come to fruition.


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Remember The Manhattan Declaration, the anti-gay manifesto drafted just last year by Catholic, Christian and Protestant leaders? An excerpt from the homophobic document reads: "Because the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as a union of husband and wife and the freedom of conscience and religion are foundational principles of justice and the common good, we are compelled by our Christian faith to speak and act in their defense."
Back in October, Apple approved an app called The Manhattan Declaration in which users were asked survey questions about same-sex marriage, abortion and gay relationships. The app was, of course, put out by those who issued the manifesto in 2009, so if your answers did not mesh with their own hateful points of view, you scored very low in the survey. In their eyes, or in this case the "eyes" of the app, the only correct answers are the ones found in The Manhattan Declaration.
Change.org set up a petition to ask Apple to remove the app. Looks like it worked. Try searching for the app on iTunes today and you'll, thankfully, come up empty.
The Huffington Post reports that "the creators of the Manhattan Declaration responded to the 'radical liberals' with its own blog post, saying, 'These radicals often pollute the debate with ranting. They rant about 'equal rights,' without explaining how homosexuality deserves it, 'women's rights,' without explaining how women have a right to kill their child, and even 'hateful Christians,' without showing instances where we hate.'"


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On Wednesday, 27 November the P4 classes at Comely Park Primary held a gala event to celebrate the launch of their newly published Gallus and Hooley books, Trouble Bruin and Castle Catastrophe. It all began with a powerpoint presentation showing the long and involved process of writing the books.
A huge audience of P4 parents, grandparents and friends learned how the children had started with their main characters, Gallus the craw and Hooley the hoolet. They had thought carefully about these two characters, making a long list of words to describe their personalities. Gallus is clever and mischievous, and Hooley is silly and likes to have fun. With this in mind, the children began to think up storylines for the books they were going to write.
Next, I was invited to come and do a bit of "brainstorming" with the P4 classes. We had great fun talking through all the brilliant ideas they had for what kind of trouble Gallus and Hooley might get up to! They even let me play with the fuzzy black Gallus puppet and the little grey Hooley owl so we could act out some of their ideas.
The powerpoint presentation then went on to show how the children produced a rough storyboard of each story, working out how the text would look on each page and deciding who would do which illustrations. Judging from the finished books, this was a great deal of work!
After the powerpoint presentation, a big group of P4s sang the "Four craws sittin' on a wa" song, to the accompaniment of a very talented young clarinetist. Lots of children were wearing costumes, including the four above. There were others in charge of security in their smart suits and sunglasses; those on hospitality duty milled around the crowd offering sparkling drinks and delicious nibbles; and other children were in charge of stalls where parents and friends could buy badges and bookmarks or get their copies of the two books signed by the authors.
There was a very good turnout at the event, and the books were soon sold out! The drinks and nibbles were much appreciated, and everyone had a brilliant time. Special thanks must go to Miss Katrina Lucas who had the initial inspiration for this excellent literacy project. To produce two bilingual books (in English and Scots) with full colour illustrations was no easy feat, and the P4 classes have risen to the challenge brilliantly! Congratulations to everyone!


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by Kangna Agarwal
This Ganesh Chaturthi, decorate your hands with beautiful yet simple mehendi designs. Take a look at our recommendations for some inspiration!
Ganesh Chaturthi is round the corner. It is to be celebrated on September 17 this year. Hence, the Ganesh devotees have a reason to smile. The festival is celebrated with great fervor across India. The day denotes Lord Ganesha's birthday, the eldest son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Clay models of Lord Ganesha are made and worshipped for ten days. On the eleventh day, devotees take out the Ganesha idols for a procession and then immerse in water.
Most women and children are seen excited as the festival mood is setting in. After decking up their homes with Ganesh rangoli, it is the application of mehendi that catches every woman's fancy. Nothing can be more fulfilling than decorating your hands with beautiful mehendi designs that lends a conventional touch to the auspicious festivals like these. The tradition of applying mehendi is an age old and a unique feature in Indian festivals. Women love to decorate their hands with mehendi be it any festival. Just like other festivals, they decorate their hands with mehendi on Ganesh Chaturthi as well.
The designs can involve intricate floral patterns, mango motifs or even Ganesha mehendi designs. Ganesha mehendi design is one of the most sacred forms of design that the women love to adorn their hands with. This beauty of a Ganesha design can also instill an unending faith for the lord in you. You can also lend a modern twist to your mehendi designs by adding a hint of sparkle or stones. The Arabic mehendi designs, involving floral art depicted in a vertical flow, may also jazz up the festivity. You could opt for any of these mehendi designs to pay your best form of worship to the lord on the pious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
We bring to you 15 simple mehendi designs you can adorn your hands with on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. Go through all the designs and get inspired to flaunt your hands with these beautiful and simple mehendi designs.
Wishing you all a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi in advance!
Image source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
You might also like:


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There is a lesson I learned a long time ago, the lesson was given in 59BC, the importance of the installation of defences against enemy retaliations. A lesson 2,000 years old and now we see that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was not ready. We can argue how ready they were supposed to be, but the stage is clear, with the attacks by Iran, we see the beginning of an open war with Iran and Iran must be destroyed, we have no other option in this, they played the same game for too long and we have facilitated long enough.
There is an additional benefit for many in the west as well, as we are getting drowned by Corporatocracy, Caesarism opposes that and nullifies it to a larger extent and that is OK too. These corporations will get a direct impact on their bottom line towards government policy facilitation and the impact it has when an actual war is added to the mix.
The problem has become too large to ignore and even when we see people like President Trump shout (read: tweet) loudly, there are no actions, bankruptcy tends to do that, yet we can wage war on Iran. If we get Israel and Saudi Arabia on the path to attack, we will be almost there. Yes, we will get figureheads like Hassan Nasrallah make loud claims, yet like all those corporate types, he wants to shout, an actual full army carpet bombing them is not what he signed up for, he will want to hide behind any UN skirt hoping for talks, yet I think we can all agree that it is too late for that step.
Omar Lamrani, Stratfor's golden boy (a strategic analysis firm) is correct, not only was the use and usefulness of drones underestimated, the fact that there was a 360 degree strategy in play, was equally not anticipated. For the longest time, there was a proxy stage in play, yet the timeline for Iran is ending, the nuclear treaty option they want to hide behind is falling apart in 40 days, 40 days is all they have left to play this game and without that treaty Europe and America will have to turn on Iran and that is what they still fear. As such a direct attack on Iran is what remains. Any person thinking that there is time for diplomacy is too delusional for words. All the papers are now on the stage where I was a week ago; my views have so far been close to 100% correct, in some cases a week ahead of several alphabet group players. I understand that the New York Times is still employing the stage of 'Where the strikes originated remains unclear', I get that, but when we look at who could have done it and who don't have the means and technology (optionally missing skill set too) at that point the list is reduced to one, Iran!
There is one part I had not considered earlier to the degree I see it, the New York Times gives us an indication of 'Approx. orientation of impact points', it gives a larger credibility to my view of 'painting the target', it implies that Iran had boots on the ground (read: tools in place) painting the target, most likely by laser giving the drone operators a clear target to head for, it gives a much larger credibility on the amount of drones, amount of hits and accuracy of hit targets.
In the Guardian article Becca Wasser, a policy analyst at the Rand Corporation gives a good view too (at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/19/how-did-attack-breach-saudi-defences-and-what-will-happen-next) the Saudi infrastructure that was perfectly workable in the past is to be considered a hindrance in this war stage. As the water and oil targets are shown to be visible targets the need for security changes for Saudi Arabia and as such the existence of Iran has become a clear and present danger to the world. The problem in all this is the question becomes: 'Who is willing to stand with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?'
I personally am sick of this Iranian bully, I am unwilling to facilitate to a bully, I never was willing to do that. In this case we agree with the stage of 'a limited military response, delicately calibrated to deter Iran from raising the bar again without sparking an all-out conflict', yet the size of the stage is another matter, I would want to hit several oil fields in Iran, in my view the tactical attacks should include Gachasaran and Yadavaran. If the hits are precise and strong enough the Iranian economy would get a larger hit than they are ready for, more important, any loud noises and threats would give rise to making additional hits at Pars, with Yadavaran phases 2 and 3 out of commission for another 2 years will tighten the economic bolts for Iran considerably. I would hope to test and tinker my solution to sink the Iranian fleet (because I have a sense of humour), yet in all this I believe the message that we have had enough of Iran is clear.
Even now as we see that the EU members are holding off on blaming Iran of all this, all whilst the missiles and sophistication gives rise that they are the only remaining optional culprit (well, the EU could have done it, they do have the technology), we need to act. We see that EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini used the situation to create a photo op with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, yet I think it is too late for photo ops, do you not agree with that point of view?
I find the political position understandable, yet hypocrite, MI6, GCHQ, DGSE and a few other players have the intelligence that gives clear rise that Iran is the only remaining player, until last week there was room for doubt, the last attack was too complete and too high tech for Yemen or most other players and it is time to do something. Even as we agree with the quote: "Col. Turki al-Maliki told a news conference the Houthis were merely "covering up" for Iran by claiming responsibility", we need to see this as a moment to act against Iran. and yes, we can the smallest degree agree with: "Saudi Arabia knows nothing about where the missiles and drones were made or launched from and failed to explain why the country's defense system failed to intercept them", indeed we do not know where they launched from, yet we do know who they were launched by, they were launched by Iran, or by direct guidance from Iran, it squarely puts the blame on Iran and that is where we see that Hesameddin Ashena, an advisor to President Hassan Rouhani is slightly too stupid for his own good.
I am merely baffled on just how desperate the EU is to give this much intentional leeway to Iran. Even now, merely 11 hours ago we see: 'Belgium joins EU mechanism to trade with Iran', so even after the accusations without evidence against Saudi Arabia on the Jamal Khashoggi casse, we see ignorance and facilitation towards Iran with evidence, and if you wonder why politicians have less credibility than several drug dealers, here is the reason and the premise of that lost credibility.
There will be additional escalations over the coming week, yet I am not hopeful that the EU and US will find the courage to keep their word and deal with Iran, it is most likely to become a flaccid watered down response to a case that should never have been able to remain in play for this long in the first place. Even now we see the additional push from Germany to return to the nuclear deal table, the EU is that desperate to ignore facts and hide behind fairy tales. I wonder who the EU will blame when the first Iranian nuke is ready to be launched against Israel, how quickly some peace treaty will be stamped out and no one will deal with Iran. There is an 83% likelihood that such a nuclear event will end up getting labelled as 'an unfortunate collateral event on Israeli soil', exactly how long will such levels of danger be allowed to continue?
In addition, the tactical stage was used by Russia less than 24 hours ago through 'the Saudis Should Buy Russian Air Defense Systems After Drone Attack', I wonder if that is so, there is a clear case that the current stage did not work as the premise of the current systems are not ready for drones, I wonder if the Chinese solution would work. I actually do not know, what is clear is that everyone is hiding behind every piece of useless data so that they can ignore the actual claim: 'Iran has instigated an act of war!', it is a larger stage and in all this we need to accept that war is knocking on the front door of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the politicians on a global scale need to be held to account for what happens next and more important, they need to be held publicly to account for their inaction. I personally see it as a group of people who would have taken any turn to facilitate towards talks with Nazi Germany in 1939, I wonder if they realise themselves just how stupid their point of view is, the old accepted point of view: 'If the answer does not match the policy, change the question to make it match', might be partially optional in market research, in policy that are directly linked to war it is another matter entirely.
The next week will be interesting in several ways and when oil prices rise another 10%-20%, remember, your inaction (read: the inaction from your politicians) created that problem.


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Bosch DLSB1011 Daredevil 7/8 Inch By 16 Inch Spade Bitby Bosch
Product Description
Key Features
- Features a full-cone threaded tip for fast and effortless drilling
- Contoured paddle for fast chip removal
- Hex shank power groove to reduce slippage
- Spur and reamer tips for cleaner holes
- Provides a cleaner hole quality with reduced breakout
Daredevil spade bits are designed for professional users seeking speed, ease of use and hole quality. A full-cone threaded tip pulls the bit through the material with less effort and vibration than other spade bits. The contoured paddle delivers faster chip removal. Hex shank with power groove reduces slippage. Spur and reamer tips for cleaner holes with reduced breakout. Up to 10X faster than conventional spade bits.
Product Information
Technical Details
- Product Type
- Spade Bits
- Size
- 7/8 by 16 Inch
Additional Information
- Part Number
- 000346334722, 000346388879
- Related Departments
- Power ToolsDrill Bits Open StockSpade Wood Bits 1/4 Thru 15/16 Inch
- Shipping Weight
- 1.74 pounds
- Domestic Shipping
- Item can be shipped anywhere in the US including APO/FPO addresses and territories.
- International Shipping
- Item can be shipped anywhere in Canada including the territories.


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Tags: free download The Wonder Stone: Card Merge Defense Strategy Game 2.0.17, free download The Wonder Stone: Card Merge Defense Strategy Game 2.0.17 APK, The Wonder Stone: Card Merge Defense Strategy Game, The Wonder Stone: Card Merge Defense Strategy Game 2.0.17, The Wonder Stone: Card Merge Defense Strategy Game 2.0.17 APK
"A side-scrolling defense game with unique unit creation elements"
Introducing you to the innovative side-scrolling defense game, Wonder Stone!
Recruit and improve various Heroes and pit your strategies against others'.
You're just a tap away from joining this new world of battle strategies!
Strategy 1. Hit Them Where It Hurts
– Warriors, archers, flying units, siege engines—you name it!
Your opponents will threaten you with various units that are tough to beat.
Don't worry, though. Even the toughest enemy has weaknesses. Trust your Heroes and make good use of them, and you'll be victorious.
Knowing your enemy and yourself is half the battle—seize the advantage in a critical moment, and you'll be the winner!
Strategy 2. Gather or Scatter, Depending on Your Strategy
– Pay attention to the random cards that are created by the Hero and Magic cards in your deck. You may merge the same cards to make them turn into a higher-grade card or summon low-grade cards as many as possible to create a huge waves of heroes and overwhelm your higher-grade opponent by force of numbers. Your victory depends on how well you use the cards in your hand. Strategy
Strategy 3. Powerful Heroes in the World of Magic
– The world of Wonder Stone is inhabited by many Heroes of different races and many more spells.
Your victory depends on your Heroes' abilities. Use them with a combination of spells to create an effective strategy against your opponent.
Recruit all the Heroes and spells scattered across the world of Wonder Stone and create a powerful army of your own!
Note: Wonder Stone is currently under ongoing development. We'll continue to add interesting systems and features to keep you entertained.
We appreciate your feedback and suggestions.
* 2019.07.18 update
– Added: New Card
(Rare: Wyvern / Hero: GriffinRider)
– Fixed: Ad bug
– Fixed: Airship fuel bug
– Stage difficulty adjustment
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Go to a Football Match
Tour on request, please contact us
For more availability or custom requests, please ask us Contact Us
AC Milan and FC Internazionale are two of the most beloved football clubs in the World. Come with us to the Giuseppe Meazza San Siro Stadium, share the thrill of the match with other 80.000 people and enjoy a fantastic show at the well known Theater of Soccer.
Football is part of the authentic Italian pop culture, don't miss this opportunity to experience it like a local! Do you think Italians are loud? Just wait to see what they can do during a football match!
- Meeting point: outside hotel or apartment
- Ending point: flexible
- Meeting time: flexible
- Duration: around 4 hours
- Distance covered: depending on your meeting point location
- Physical Condition: normal
- Language: English
- Inclusions: public transport, ticket to the match included *dates are subject to tickets availability
- Suggestions: bring comfortable shoes, umbrella in winter, hat and sunscreen in summer and a credit card 🙂
- Extra hours: please note that every extra hour is 23 Euro to be paid in cash
It is mandatory to book the tours in advance. Please note that reservation must be made 1 hour in advance.
It is mandatory to inform us in advance if you want to cancel your booking.
You will receive your money back if you cancel your booking until 24 hours before the tour.
The tour includes a walk with a local through the city of Milan. For other extras check the tour details
Bring with you water, hat and an umbrella , be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Yes, the tour has a price.
Tour duration is around 3 hours. Distance covered might vary, usually around 2.5 km and 3.5 km.
Yes please discuss with your local for extra hours payments
Yes, everyone can join the tour!
Depends on, we will discuss these details in advance in order to create with you the best possible experience


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The credibility of a "repressed memory" case of child sex abuse has been an ongoing dispute in legal and psychological arenas for decades. But currently the issue is being tackled in a Superior Court in Lodi , California. The victim, a 37 year old man who has regained his memory of his child sex abuse at Cathedral of the Annunciation in the 1980's, is prevailing in a major court trial that will have far reaching impact. The victim claims he was repeatedly abused by Fr. Michael Kelly; who has been kept in ministry clear up to the day of the recent court jury verdict against him.
The case, John TZ Doe vs. Fr. Kelly and the Diocese of Stockton, has gone through the first of two phases of the judicial system. The first phase of the case was a jury trial which heard evidence from the plaintiff, defendant, witnesses and experts; and that jury was to decide if the plaintiffs recall of past repressed memories was accurate, and credible.
The ten woman, two man jury found the defendant Fr. Kelly liable on multiple counts of assault and sexual abuse, based on the victim's testimony of his recovered memories.
Although Fr. Kelly can not be convicted criminally for the sexual assault, because of the criminal statute of limitations, he was held civilly liable, which is governed by a different statute of limitations.
Fr. Kelly has been removed from his position as a pastor of St. Joachim's Catholic parish in Lockeford, California. The leader of the diocese of Stockton, Bishop Stephen Blaire, has stated that he did not believe that the repressed memories of the plaintiff were true, and that is why the Diocese of Stockton stood behind Fr. Kelley, and fought the case in court.
Since the diocese has lost the first phase of the court battle, the next phase has started. The second phase is a trial which will be heard by the same judge and jury as the first phase. At issue now is whether the diocese itself is negligent for having Fr. Kelly in ministry during the time period the plaintiff was sexually abused; and the evidence for this kind of negligence is usually based on whether or not the diocese had prior complaints, or knowledge of the priests conduct- before the victim was assaulted.
If the Diocese is found to have prior knowledge, or "should have had knowledge" of Fr. Kellys capabilities or tendencies towards child molestation, the Diocese could be held responsible for damages, which has sometimes resulted in the monetary award to plaintiffs in similar cases to be several million dollars.
This particular case is sure to stir controversy, as experts witnesses on opposing sides of the "repressed memory" debate have testified adamantly concerning the differences in professional opinions on the existence of falsely claimed repressed memories.
The Catholic diocese of Stockton insists that false memories dominate the accusations by clergy abuse plaintiffs in such cases, as do many psychologists and paid expert witnesses, who claim that the majority of the plaintiffs suffer from "false memory syndrome".
Countering this opinion, are many expert psychologists who state that repressed memory of child sexual abuse is common, and that this case is a prime example of a credible claim of recovered memory. They dispute the theory that false memory is common.
As the jury in this case has overwhelmingly decided in favor of the plaintiff, there is an indication that at least in this trial the 12 peers have decided that the evidence for the existence of accurate repressed memory is substantial.
Many supporters of Fr. Kelly were very vocal about their disapproval of the jury's decision, and made no effort to suppress their disappointment and anger toward the court, jury, and plaintiff. The local newspapers in Stockton and Lodi have been inundated with conflicting comments and views on the issue of the accuracy of repressed memory; and the decision in this case will affect many pending claims against the catholic church based on similar repressed memory recollections of clergy child sexual abuse.
As a clergy abuse victim myself, I can understand the pain the plaintiff in this case has endured during the trial, which is a very difficult process to endure. However, my case was not a case of repressed memory, which I can imagine may be even more difficult to experience; as the plaintiff has not had the time to process the emotions, effects, and the healing process is harshly interrupted.
As the outcome of this trial approaches, I anticipate that there will be a whole new battleground of conflict erupting concerning the validity of repressed memory cases; and there will be numerous new arguments by psychological experts and attorneys regarding this case, and pending future cases.


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Chinese insurer has global ambitions
BEIJING (AP) — Young, privately owned and ambitious, Anbang Insurance Group stands out in China's staid, state-dominated insurance industry.
Founded just 12 years ago, Anbang made a splash in the United States in 2014 with its $2 billion purchase of New York City's Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
Since then, it has plowed more billions into acquiring insurers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Iowa and South Korea. Last week, it agreed to pay $6.5 billion for Strategic Hotels & Resorts, an American hotel chain.
On Monday, it went after even bigger game, launching a surprise $14 billion bid with partners for the Starwood hotel chain.
Anbang makes no secret of its global ambitions. It aims to become one of the "top 10 comprehensive financial groups in the world," its website says.
That is a break with a Chinese industry in which bigger, older companies have stuck to their home market. But it reflects the growing space for innovation as regulators loosen controls in hopes of making Chinese financial industries more competitive and productive.
The driving force credited with propelling Anbang's rise is chairman Wu Xiaohui, who news reports say got his start in the rental car business before founding Anbang in 2004. He rarely talks to reporters or makes public appearances.
Anbang started with a single outlet in Beijing. Its biggest shareholder, at 20 percent, was state-owned car maker Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp. The following year, a state-owned oil company, Sinopec, bought a 20 percent share.
Since then, the company says it has expanded to more than 3,000 branches with 30,000 employees worldwide serving 35 million clients. It has diversified into life insurance, banking, asset management, leasing and brokerage services.
Its global expansion coincides with encouragement from the ruling Communist Party for Chinese companies to "go abroad" to diversify away from dependence on a slowing domestic economy.
The Chinese business press has compared Wu to Warren Buffett for following the legendary American investor's approach of using the cash flow from insurance operations to buy other businesses. But rumors also have swirled about whether Wu's success is built at least partly on family ties or help from influential figures on Anbang's board.
According to the Chinese press, Wu is married to Zhuo Ran, a granddaughter of former supreme leader Deng Xiaoping, though the business magazine Caixin reported last year the couple had separated.
Board members have included Zhu Yunlai, the son of former Premier Zhu Rongji and a successful banker in his own right, and Yong Longtu, China's chief negotiator in talks that led to its World Trade Organization membership, according to news reports.
Last year, the newspaper Southern Weekend reported Anbang's real owner was Chen Xiaolu, the son of late Chen Yi, a member of the ruling inner circle that founded the communist government in 1949.
Chen, 68, told Caixin in a separate report he had no ownership stake in Anbang but served as a consultant. He said he had been Wu's business partner for 15 years but did not intervene in company operations.
Chen told Caixin he recommended Wu buy U.S. assets because China's economy was slowing but America's was recovering.
Anbang's rapid growth in a heavily regulated economy is built partly on Wu's skill at cultivating ties with regulators, Chinese media say.
To pay for its buying spree, Anbang raised 50 billion yuan ($8 billion) from investors in 2014, taking on dozens of new shareholders.
That reduced founding investor SAIC's stake to less than 1 percent. It also increased its registered capital fivefold to 62 billion yuan ($9.5 billion), the biggest among Chinese insurers, even though the company doesn't rank among the top 10 property insurers or in the top 30 in life insurance.
That, combined with buying the Waldorf and other assets outside its core insurance business, has prompted suggestions in the Chinese press the company acts more like an investment fund for which insurance is a sideline.
The lightning pace of acquisitions also has prompted Chinese financial analysts to question whether it is sound or sustainable.
In a rare public appearance in December, Wu stressed his responsibility to ordinary policyholders.
"Insurance money is ordinary people's pensions and life insurance. It must be invested in the best companies," Wu told a business conference, the newspaper China Business Journal reported on its website. He said insurers must "protect small investors."
Anbang's global expansion has not all been smooth sailing.
Last year, Anbang paid a symbolic 1 euro for Vivat, a Dutch insurer that was part of a financial company that had been nationalized, and agreed to pump in 1.35 billion euros. Vivat's Dutch CEO left, reportedly after disputes with Anbang about his role in the company.
Last year, Anbang's offer to buy South Korea's Woori Bank in a sale analysts had valued at $2.7 billion fell through after the government failed to attract the legally required minimum of two bidders.
Also last year, Anbang withdrew from an attempt to buy Portugal's Novo Banco SA. The Chinese suitor and the Portuguese government, which created Novo Banco out of another defunct bank, gave no reason, but the complex acquisition bore a 5 billion euro ($5.5 billion) price tag and the cancellation followed turmoil in Chinese financial markets.
Anbang Insurance Group: www.anbanggroup.com


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The association of music experience, pattern of practice and performance anxiety with playing-related musculoskeletal problems (PRMP) in children learning instrumental music
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There is evidence supporting the social and cognitive benefits of music education. However aspects of music practice, such as an increase in frequency and intensity of practice, are associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems in adult musicians, though with limited evidence in children. The aim of this study was to describe the music practice of child instrumentalists and determine their associations with playing-related musculoskeletal problems (PRMP), accounting for gender and age. A total of 731 children learning musical instruments (460 females) ranging in age from 7 – 17 years were surveyed; music experience, music practice and intrinsic factors (e.g. the experience of butterflies in stomach before a concert/exam) were investigated. Logistic regression evaluated the independent association of these potential correlates with PRMP. Music experience (number of years playing main instrument) was significantly negatively associated with PRMP (OR 0.88, p = .003). Pattern of playing was significantly associated with PRMP, specifically playing less than usual (OR 2.1, p = .002) and playing more than usual for longer and more often (OR 2.7, p < .001), compared to playing about usual. The experience of butterflies in the stomach during exams/competitions most times (OR 2.1, p = .029) and always (OR 2.4, p = .027) compared to never, was significantly associated with PRMP. Music inexperience, changed pattern of practice and performance anxiety are associated with playing-related problems in child instrumentalists and are therefore important issues for music education. Evidence-based guidelines may be recommended to help prevent problems and optimize music performance and music education development.
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text: Xanadu, what an utterly unique and radically awesome (at least according to the 1980's musical...Where time stops and the magic never ends.) word. It's origins tend to come from Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem "Kubla Khan; or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment". In it He describes Xanadu, the the summer capital of the Mongol… Continue reading Word Nerd: Xanadu


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My first pull!
I decided to sleep in as much as possible thinking that I would need the rest for when I was to pull later on that evening. At about 5 p.m. I started getting ready because I knew that I needed to pick up film and get my stuff ready for later.
I talked to Resa and we went to wake Iota's lazy ass up. Afterwards, we went to CVS to buy some film. I wanted to take pictures of the pull later. About an hour later talked to Iota and found out that we might not be pulling because our piercing friend said he was feeling under the weather. Iota was determined to pull that night, especially since Stretchface and him had called off work specifically for that night to do it. So Iota quickly got his car and went to go see our friend at the shop pleading with him to work things out. After much begging he talked him into letting us come over to his house after he was off at work and do it there. Later Iota could pierce Stretchface to complete the pull. When leaving the shop Iota picked Tanzutskitten and I up to go to the piercer's house. We went to the grocery first because Tanzutskitten wanted to get some oranges in case of low blood sugar. We had some time before meeting the piercer, so I got some gum to chew so that I could get my mind of the pull.
We got to the piercer's house and it was really cold outside. I knew we were going to freeze after getting hooked up. I was the last person to get pierced. Iota went first and then Tanzutskitten after him. I was slightly nervous because it isn't an everyday thing that you get your back pierced with hooks in it to pull at the flesh against another person's body weight.
Tanzutskitten described it as being more painful that she thought it would be. I am not sure if she was doing that for my benefit or because it really hurt, but her telling me that made me have high expectations. For when it was my turn I took it like a champ. I thought it wasn't that bad considering how much I was thinking about it before hand. I didn't even flinch, I was so proud of myself. It wasn't any worse than the rest of my piercings. I have never really had a problem with piercing pain, so it was pretty easy. So we had the hooks in and got on as much clothing as possible and went for the car. Mind you that this whole experience can only be more traumatic when you have to pee really really bad.
When we finally got situated in the car, not being able to lean back and it being freezing we were off to Stretchface's. I wasn't able to wear a seat belt because of the hooks so I told Iota not to get into a wreck. Unfortunately I wasn't too smart when mentioning the possibility of a wreck while we were in the car and being hooked to the wreckage. I don't think that put good images into people's minds.
When we got to Stretchface's we had to get things ready to pierce him. Iota watched the piercer do it closely and he showed him a few tips. We drew on Stretchface's back for a while and got the correct markings. I held up his skin in a roll as Iota pierced it. Iota did a surprisingly good job considering it was his first time. However, being new to the whole pulling concept, I would still feel more comfortable being pierced by an actual piercer. That is just my paranoia acting up again.
So Stretchface was all ready to go. We all enjoyed some delicious glucose tablets before starting. We took them in case someone was feeling lightheaded or didn't have enough body sugar. Nothing like pure sugar to get your going.
Iota and Stretchface made sure that Deanna and I got a good start before they began to pull, so they gave us some tips. They said to start pulling slowly and then put your body weight into it. Also, to put your pelvis forward to lean your body, putting more weight to the center of the hook.
Tanzutskitten and I slowly got into it. The feeling is so weird to describe and you are always afraid you are going to lose your footing. Also, it just feels as if your skin is coming together in the middle of your back with a slight tingly feeling. It is really hard to keep your balance based on the other person's weight. You can never be sure if the slightest movement that they make could cause you to fall. You really have to trust the people you pull with.
Things seemed a little off, Tanzutskitten was having trouble getting used to it. I honestly think she was having a hard time being on 5 hours of sleep and expresso beans to keep her awake. Her body couldn't handle it for very long. I am just glad that she attempted it despite feeling a little odd.
Tanzutskitten took her hooks out first after about an hour. Stretchface and Iota seemed slightly bored with the concept now that they have done it. Their giddy selves only want to reach more heights of body torture while they are still young, hehe.
Stretchface, Iota and I all attempted a thee-way pull in the kitchen. We used Stretchface's 00ga septum piece to hook the ropes together. However, I think everyone was getting some weird pull sensations and it just doesn't feel as good without direct pulling from another person. I know the pulling was unbalanced because you have people of different body weights pulling at separate hooks. So I told Stretchface and Iota that they could pull while I took a small break and listened to the music. Also it gave me a chance to rest while talk to Malliekat and Tanzutskitten while they were in the other room not watching.
After they were done pulling we decided to order some Papa John's pizza. So after ordering Iota and I hooked up because we had nothing better to do while waiting for the pizza to come. I found it to be a lot easier with him than Tanzutskitten. I wasn't sure about how she was taking it before since she was describing odd sensations so I was afraid to lean down far on her. But with Iota I knew he had leaned hard before and that helped me to feel comfortable with him. So we pulled in the kitchen and it worked out really well.
Iota and I only have about a 10 to 15 pound difference in weight since he is twig boy. I got to get some good pulling in and even went down at a really good angle leaning on the kitchen sink. The pressure just flows into your body and it feels so good. An amazing feeling that I had never gotten before with piercings because that pain is only temporary. When we were done pulling I could still feel the pressure of the hooks in me. The coolest thing was that for some reason the way that I was pulling my back seemed to make an A. A for Alexis is what I said. I know I am retarded. Besides that fact, it was awesome.
After Iota and I stopped we all took out our hooks and waited on the pizza to arrive. The only thing that really creeps me out about the pulling thing is the aftermath where people have to get out the air bubbles. Everyone else was either having none or very little, so I was optimistic about getting very little as well. Boy was I wrong. I had so many air bubbles in me it wasn't even funny. It was really freaking me out hearing the noises of the air coming out that I had to plug my ears. They couldn't even get out all the air bubbles because there were so many. They were going down my side and into my arm pit. Basically everyone there attempted to get them all out and knew in a little while that it was hopeless. It was only on my right side too. I think the fact that my hook was so close to my shoulder blade and that I have very little fat in my back made it easier for the air to get in. Plus I could feel the right one pulling a little more than the left one. I still had a g ood time and when we were done with hooks the pizza guy arrived. We got to eat pizza, watch Simpsons and just channel surf while coming down from adrenaline highs.
I loved pulling, it was a great release. I wasn't sure exactly how it was going to feel, but once I knew it was something I could really get into. I have joined the suspension and flesh pull group ihung at ihung.org. Hopefully we are going to be performing for
bands or at shows. Also, although I have only pulled once, I am planing on doing it a lot more in the future. Maybe I'll fit a suspension in later in life too.
One last thing, I have several body modifications already. Sixteen piercings in all and I have done a few sessions of play piercing. I chose to write to BME about this experience over all the rest. I have been looking on BME for a while now and I noticed that a lot of the stories were basic stuff that I had and I felt my story wouldn't make a difference in that category. I decided I wanted to contribute to a part of BME that I felt would help, so people could use my story as advice on how to do their first pull.
I am also going to submit some pictures with the pull if you would like to check those out. Just look for ones labeled Stretchface, Iota, Tanzutskitten and me (Alexis). Anyone who does read this and looks at the pictures, you are welcome to email me about any questions.
submitted by: Anonymous
on: 08 March 2002
in Ritual
Artist: a+friend
Studio: at+Stretchface%27s+house
Location: +


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Parenting doesn't come with a manual. No one said it was easy and no one is always a 100% a perfect parent. Everyone makes mistakes and it's normal, what isn't normal is trying to shame parents for sharing their stories and hopefully making others realise that they are not alone.
I recently featured on national TV in the UK and have been asked to appear again to discuss the trials and tribulations of living with a teenager who is hooked on playing on a games console. I made a point of not reading the comments and not replying to those messages that have managed to end up in my personal inbox. I knew there would be harsh opinions about my story, and everyone has a quick fix measure as to what they would do instead.
But, my point of stating, this happened, I was a crap parent at the time for not realising, but you know what? I've realised what the problem is and I have handled it in my own way which now has given my son a better understanding of technology and addictions.
I was, at the time, unaware of Fortnite and how addicting it could be. Micro transactions were something I thought were limited to the likes of candy crush and other mobile games. I was unaware of the peer pressure that surrounded the game as it was something that did not interest me. I am now fully aware of the game and everything that has evolved from it, from the rise if free-to-play games on console to the overtaking rise of Epic Games (The creators of Fortnite) on the games industry which is causing waves within the online gaming world.
Does this make me a bad parent and someone who should be called out by other parents telling me that I should, give my son up for adoption, force my child to go to mainstream school, smash the Xbox, that I should expect to be linched or attacked in the street if I am seen, or even kill myself for sharing my story? Keyboard warriors who look in from the outside with a 12 minute look into my life who know nothing about my full story and why I agreed to go on TV – and no, it was not for the money – the TV appearance fees are not amazing, trust me.
No, it makes me human. It makes me normal. I was slated for letting my child play with computer games at a young age, how many parents give kids an iPad or tablet with ABC games, games or interactive Paw Patrol or Peppa Pig? I am guessing at least 70% of parents do this at some time or another. Go into many pre-schools and there will be interactive whiteboards at kid height for toddlers to play with. How many parents let their kids play with Snapchat filters and take silly selfies with them?
I also was slated for allowing my son to play other games which were not age appropriate and that this was my downfall as a parent and why I should do harm to myself. I actually pride my late parents with educating me about age related content in movies games and tv from an early age. I was raised in a very liberal household where no topics were taboo and I have continued this parenting method on with my son. He is aware that games are games, movies and games are made by teams of people and that watching the national news or being on social media can actually be more frightening than the make believe of games and movies. Only the parent knows the maturity of their child and will know if they should or should not play a game or watch a movie. Others can judge, but when that judgement comes at telling you to take your own life, it's going a step too far.
Instead of judging, try understanding. Listen to the message which is being discussed and it is from instances like mine that now games creators like Epic Games and EA are being pulled in front of the UK government to answer questions as to allegations that they have created games with addiction and micro transactions in mind with the view to deliberately suck a young audience in and by using public figures on YouTube to promote the games, it creates an even greater pull for younger audiences.
Maybe it should be the games companies that answer to the internet trolls and keyboard warriors who think I should have killed myself?
Love, hugs and games controllers
V x


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For some time, I had been conflicted about what to do with my Easter egg palette of Sheep Shop Sheep One. Sweaters for children would be a good option, but honestly, I want to knit this stuff quickly, as this acquisition broke Stash Restraint 2007. How about a blanket in garter stitch?
Thanks, Rebecca, for pointing out that the yarn did not necessarily have to be worn.
- See whither SPA 2008 for responses to Mishka, AntiToast, Dorothy, Claudia, Heather, Brenda, and Julie.
- See picky, picky, picky for responses to AntiToast and Rebecca
- See dawn for responses to AntiToast and Heather
- See essence for some relatively generic responses, and specific responses to Mishka, Emily, Claudia, and Heather.


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Bernard Fisher, President Rob Monroe, Editor 7300 Ann Cabell Lane 2416 Edenbrook Dr. Mechanicsville, VA 23111 Richmond, VA 23228-3040 email@example.com email@example.com
November 2007 PROGRAM Thomas P. Lowry "Confederate Heroines: Southern Women Convicted by Union Military Justice" Thursday, November 15, 2007 Annual Holiday Banquet Meeting 24th Floor, SunTrust Bank Tower, 919 E. Main St. 6:00pm cocktails; 7:00pm dinner; 8:00pm program Thanks largely to their self-promotional autobiographies, the exploits of a handful of Southern women - Rose O'Neal Greenhow, Belle Boyd, and Loretta Velasquez come to mind immediately - are familiar figures in Civil War lore. But certainly there had to be other women who spied, smuggled, and otherwise aided the Confederate war effort. Where can we turn for reliable accounts of new Confederate heroines? Tom and Beverly Lowry have found such accounts in sources they have mined for other valuable insights into human behavior and misbehavior during the Civil War: U.S. court martial records. Among the more than 80,000 court martial transcripts that they read and abstracted for their massive data base, the Lowrys found accounts of 120 Southern (primarily border state) women tried by U.S. Military Commission. Their stories are told in Tom Lowry's latest book, Confederate Heroines, published in 2006 by the Louisiana State University Press. A retired physician and psychiatrist and U.S. Air Force veteran, Tom Lowry is best known for his best-selling 1994 book, The Story the Soldiers Wouldn't Tell: Sex in the Civil War. He and his wife Beverly moved east to pursue their court martial research, which has provided the material for other books including Tarnished Eagles: The Courts-Martial of Fifty Union Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels; Tarnished Scalpels: The Court-Martials of Fifty Union Generals and Don't Shoot That Boy!: Abraham Lincoln and Military Justice.
Museum of the Confederacy Announces Exhibition and Online Gallery The Museum of the Confederacy recently announced that the most complete collection of Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's wartime effects will be exhibited to the public together for the first time in a over a century. The Virginia Historical Society's collection of Stuart items will be on special loan to the Museum of the Confederacy until 2010. The collection will join the museum's already extensive collection of Stuart artifacts currently on display in The Confederate Years, the museum's permanent exhibit. New items on special loan from the Virginia Historical Society include Stuart's Whitney pistol, uniform jacket, vest, trousers, and the blood-stained sash worn at the time of his mortal wounding at Yellow Tavern in May of 1864. Those items join the museum's regular Stuart display that includes his French-made hat with ostrich plume, LeMat pistol and holster, saddle, boots, gauntlets, French cavalry saber, sword belt, Calisher & Terry carbine, and field desk. "This exhibit is one of the most complete exhibits of personal effects of an important Civil War general ever on display," stated Robert Hancock, the Museum of the Confederacy's director of collections and senior curator. "It combines the two separate, venerable collections of Stuart artifacts and has an impressive presence in the Museum." The Museum of the Confederacy is also launching of an online exhibition featuring letters, photographs, and artifacts of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. "The Lee and Jackson Resources" section features 30 gallery pages with 450 images. Virtual visitors to www.moc.org will be able to view a wide selection of Lee and Jackson items in the museum's collections. The Letters and Documents galleries offer images of official and personal correspondence, telegrams, and orders sent by the two Confederate generals. The Photographs and Portraits galleries include copies of the few images taken of the two men from life. Brief narratives introduce visitors to the galleries' themes and highlights. The Lee and Jackson Resources will serve as an online exhibit and a research and educational resource for students of all ages.
Library of Virginia Program Examines Civil War Soldier and Sculptor On Wednesday, November 14, the Library of Virginia will host a program featuring Col. Keith Gibson, director of museum programs and architectural historian at VMI, and Stan Cohen, author, historian, and publisher. They will discuss and sign their new book, Moses Ezekiel: Civil War Soldier, Renowned Sculptor. A native of Richmond, Ezekiel was the first Jewish cadet enrolled at VMI. As a young cadet he fought in the Battle of New Market in 1864 and served in the Confederate army. After the Civil War he trained as a sculptor, studying at the Royal Academy of Art in Berlin and creating numerous well-known sculptures. This free event begins at noon and is offered in partnership with the Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives. A small exhibition of pieces by Ezekiel will be on display in conjunction with the talk.
Speakers Announced for 2008 Richmond Civil War Round Table members can look forward to another year of outstanding speakers in 2008. Ed Wooldridge has put together a roster that includes a blend of authors; academicians; and National Park Service historians, both active and retired. Looking ahead to next year, here's the line-up of speakers who will be presenting to the RCWRT. January 8: Nelson Lankford "Cry Havoc: The Crooked Road to Civil War, 1861" February 12: Robert K. Krick "The Myths of the Won Causes" March 11: Scott Patchan "Jubal's July" April 8: Patrick Schroeder The Battles of Appomattox May 13: George Rable "God as General; Was There a Religious History of the Civil War?" June 10: Craig Symonds Lincoln and the Union Navy July 8: Frank O'Reilly (topic to be announced) August 12: John Quarstein "Ben Butler and the Contrabands" September 9: Ed Bearss "The Battle of Shiloh" October 14: Jeff Wert Topic from his new book on J.E.B. Stuart November 11: Ed Ayers (topic to be announced - annual dinner meeting) December 9: R.E.L. Krick (topic to be announced)
Gordon Rhea to Speak at ACWC In early May 1864, Ulysses S. Grant initiated a drive through central Virginia to defeat Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. For forty days, the armies fought a grinding campaign from the Rapidan River to the James River that helped decide the course of the Civil War. On Saturday afternoon, November 17, author Gordon C. Rhea, a leading authority on the Overland Campaign, will be at the American Civil War Center to discuss his latest book, In the Footsteps of Grant and Lee: The Wilderness through Cold Harbor. A unique blend of narrative and photographic journalism, In the Footsteps of Grant and Lee also features stunning contemporary images of the battlefields taken by photographer Chris Heisey. The program will begin at 2:00 with a book sale and signing to follow. The event is $10 or free with museum admission and is free for ACWC members.
American Revolution Round Table Meets November 14 The next meeting of the American Revolution Round Table - Richmond will occur on Wednesday, November 14, beginning with dinner at 5:30 in the Heilman Dining Center of the University of Richmond. John Nagy will speak on his new book Rebellion in the Ranks: Mutinies of the American Revolution. He has documented hundreds of such mutinies during the war. For specific details, check http://arrt-richmond.org/3.html or contact Bill Welsch at 755-1809 or email@example.com or Jerry Rudd at 323-1759 or email@example.com. Reservations are not required. All are most welcome to attend and participate.
Pamplin Park Offers Detailed Map of Petersburg Campaign Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier now offers visitors a detailed map of the Petersburg Campaign. Commissioned by Trailhead Graphics, the map is a guide to historic and modern features that commemorate the Petersburg area Civil War battlefields. The map details such locations as Five Forks Battlefield, Reams Station Battlefield, the Eastern and Western Fronts, Pamplin Historical Park, and Grant's Headquarters at City Point. It also indicates Virginia Civil War Trail Sites, locations of earthworks, monuments, markers, and visitor centers around the Petersburg area as well as other Civil War points of interest. Trailhead Graphics (also known as Battlefield America) has been making detailed custom cartography since 1991. Their maps enable the user to identify and interpret historic landmarks. These maps are highly recommended by historians, park rangers and Civil War authorities who suggest that these maps are the best way to get around when you are visiting a battlefield. They are "simply the best maps available," said A. Wilson Greene, President and CEO of Pamplin Historical Park. The map is the same size as a standard road map and folds easily to fit into the glove compartment of your car. It is clean, easily readable, full color, and printed on waterproof and tear-resistant paper. It is meant to last through countless travel adventures. The Petersburg Campaign map is the latest addition to the Battlefield America Civil War map series, which also includes Gettysburg National Military Park, Antietam National Battlefield, and Shiloh National Military Park. The maps are designed for the dedicated battlefield enthusiast as well as the casual visitor. Petersburg Campaign maps are available in Pamplin Historical Park's Civil War Store for $7.48 each. Contact the Civil War Store at 804-861-2408 or purchase maps online at: http://www.pamplinstore.pointshop.com/IBS/SimpleCat/Product/asp/product-id/36744033.html
RCWRT Monthly Speakers for 2007
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Richmond Civil War Round Table Newsletter Rob Monroe, Editor 2416 Edenbrook Dr. Richmond, VA 23228-3040


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I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. I even went to university here.
I've always wondered what it's like to live in different cities.
My parents were refugees from Vietnam. Eventually, they decided to move to Atlanta because one of my Dad's cousins was out here. When you're in a new country without any money and you don't speak the language, that one connection can make the difference.
So that's how I ended up in Atlanta.
It's crazy to think I could have a different personality if my parents decided to settle in Vancouver, Los Angeles, or France instead.
One of the best parts about being an affiliate marketer is that you can work anywhere you want.
As long as you have great wifi, then the world's your oyster.
If you've been following me for a long time, then you should know that the Four Hour Work Week and Tim Ferriss has made an impact on me.
One part I've always loved is the concept of long-term travel. I'm not talking about constantly vacationing.
I've always been fascinated by the thought of living in completely different cities with completely different cultures.
You can only scratch the surface of a city on a vacation.
So ten years ago I decided to leave Atlanta and go exploring. I had no idea how long I'd be traveling for—I just knew I needed to scratch this itch before I settled down one day.
That decision has led me to spend several years living in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Miami, and finally New York City.
You can imagine that it has been a pain in the ass moving every two years, but the amount of life experience and perspective I've gained is priceless.
I spent a lot of time the past few years in New York City. It's always been a dream of mine to live there.
Last week I left NYC to move back home to Atlanta, GA, for the foreseeable future.
As soon as I made this announcement on my Facebook page, I got a ton of questions from people.
What was it like living in New York City? Why am I moving to Atlanta, GA?
So that's what this post is about.
If you've ever been curious what it's like to live in New York, or if you're wondering what it's like to move to a different city, this post will give you some insights.
Coming to New York City
I've always loved New York City.
I remember growing up and seeing all the television shows and movies based in NYC.
It seemed like the center of the universe.
If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.
I came here for the first time when I was 20 years old. It was spring break.
Me and my friends did a grueling 15-hour road trip to come here.
I loved pizza. But up until that point all I ate was Pizza Hut, Dominos, and school cafeteria pizza. The first time I had NYC pizza I thought to myself, "Holy crap, I've been living a lie my entire life. THIS IS AWESOME!"
It seemed like no matter how much we did on that trip, there was always more and more to do.
I felt sad when I left because I knew that we had scratched less than 1% of things to do in the city.
And on top of that, there was only so much I could do as a broke college student.
I told myself that if I had enough money one day, I'd move here to really explore the city.
Once I reached my early 30's, I realized that the window was starting to close to live in New York City. Technically, I could live here at any point of my life, but I wanted to be here before I had kids.
It's one of those things where I felt if I never lived in NYC, I'd always regret it.
So with that in mind, I came here in 2017 and moved to Chelsea, Manhattan.
I'm going to share with you some of the things I enjoyed about living in NYC, along with some of the things I didn't.
What I Loved About New York City
The Food
We gotta start with food. If I could only eat in one city for the rest of my life, it would be NYC. (Second place? Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
What I love is that everything's here.
Name an underrated ethnic cuisine. Polish, Himalayan, Bangladesh, Ethiopian, etc. It doesn't matter—you can find it in NYC.
Want world-class fine dining? There's Eleven Madison Park and Per Se.
Want cheap food? There's great $1 pizza everywhere and Chinatown.
Everyone hustles here. There's no beach to chill and go surfing around here.
Rent's fucking expensive so everyone's on their A game.
I wouldn't say that NYC is the best place if you're specifically looking to network with internet marketers or affiliate marketers.
Southern California's probably better in that regards.
But just being in the city you end up meeting a lot of people from different cities at the top of their game.
One interesting thing is that people are always visiting the city.
Sometimes I'll meet someone interesting at a mastermind or at a conference. It could be years before we see each other again.
But I've had a lot of those scenarios where the person just happens to visit NYC for business or for fun, and they'll hit me up to hang out.
Just a warning: friends will be asking to stay at your place a lot if you live in NYC.
My advice is to only let people stay a maximum or three days—unless it's family.
And man you definitely need to set some boundaries on your time or else you're always going to be playing tour guide.
There's only so many times you can give the Times Square tour before you go insane.
Something else I realized about myself is that I hate networking. I LOVE spending quality time with friends or people I know. But meeting a stranger and picking each other brains? Nah. Going to a "meet up" and hoping something comes out from me? Rather stay home and watch Netflix.
You Save a LOT of Time
You guys know that time is my most valuable resource. You can always make more money, but you can't get back your time.
I worked at home.
My next main commute was my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu School, which was a 5 minute walk.
I lived next door to Whole Foods. Trader Joe's was a 5 minute walk away.
Massage was a 5 minute walk. There were maybe 50 restaurants within a 5 minute walk.
You get the point.
If you live in the right part of NYC, you save a TON of time in NYC.
Compared to the average person in the suburbs, I think I saved 20+ hours a week of commuting with my "set up."
That's one of my secrets to getting so much done. What could you do with an extra 20+ hrs a week not stuck in traffic?
And on top of that, everyone has this sense of urgency.
Everyone walks fast.
If I ask for the check, it's on my table within a minute of me asking.
I remember visiting an island in the Caribbean and it took 30 minutes just to get the check!
There's Always Something To Do
I was never, ever bored living in the city.
There was always a new restaurant opening up.
Is that artist you like going on tour? Guaranteed they're stopping by NYC.
There's also the opportunity to do so many things that just aren't in other cities.
I saw 15+ broadway shows and visited 10+ different museums. I just can't do that in any other city except London.
Every day I woke up feeling like it was a sense of adventure. No day is exactly the same.
You just can't be bored living in this city.
One thing to think about is that there are OPTIONS for everything. Most major cities tend to have one football team, one major museum, and one major zoo for example. In NYC, you have options.
What I Didn't Like About NYC
Alright, so I shared with you some of the things I liked about NYC. Obviously it's not perfect or else I'd stay there forever.
Here are some of the things that bothered me about the city.
It's Expensive
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, but New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in.
Want an apartment? Most people don't realize you need to hire a broker to help you find a place.
And the broker fee? 15% of the annual rent. (That's a $5,400 fee assuming you're renting a $3,000 a month place.)
The average two bedroom condo in my area costs $6,000 USD a month. The equivalent in Atlanta would be around $2,000.
Everything's more expensive here since businesses have to pay rent.
Unless you're eating fast food, it's hard to have a sit down meal for two for less than $40.
There are some ways NYC can be cheaper.
You don't need a car. I spent around $100 a month on subways and Ubers while I'm here.
Much cheaper than a car payment, insurance, and gas. I'm guessing you save around $500+ a month at least without a car.
Most people save money by getting roommates and living further away from the city.
Instead of shopping at Whole Foods, you can head over to Chinatown for cheaper groceries.
It's just a matter of money vs time.
Besides NYC is so expensive, there's a lot of homeless people. Gentrification is a big problem. In the area I stayed at, there were Starbucks and Banks everywhere. The local mom and pop stores left over a decade again.
It definitely made me feel guilty because people like me are part of the Gentrification problem.
The weather here sucks, and it drains you.
I wake up around 6am each morning. So it sucks to wake up and see complete darkness. There's no sunshine for several hours.
And damn it gets cold. When it's freezing outside, it's easy to just stay home everyday and call Seamless or UberEats!
NYC is beautiful in the Spring and Summer, but when it's cold, it sucks the motivation out of you.
There's No Grass
I was so confused the first time I took my dog Romeo for a walk. I thought to myself, "Where's the grass?"
The city is nothing but concrete.
I really believe that there's power in being around nature. You have energy and you get creative ideas.
Living in a space without nature wears you down over time.
I've been in Atlanta for a week and a half. I can't tell you how much energy I have doing my 30 minute walk each morning.
The sun is up and I'm surrounded by grass and trees. This feeling is so underrated.
Is NYC Worth it?
I've seen a lot of people dream about moving to NYC.
Living in NYC is rough. The weather sucks, and it's expensive.
For most people, I'm going to say that living in NYC isn't worth it. You're going to have to make a lot of sacrifices one way or another to live here.
I think it's worth trying to come here if you're in one of NYC's major industries: restaurants, finance, fashion, etc.
For me, I had to ask myself if living in the city was worth an extra $50,000 a year compared to somewhere like Atlanta.
For my future kids, I'd definitely encourage them to try to go to school up here or come here immediately after graduation to see if they like it.
Moving to Atlanta, Georgia
At this point I had to figure out where I wanted to move to next. I realized that the past ten years was about me exploring.
I'm 34 now and I'm ready to settle down and start a family with my girlfriend.
Now the question became, where would be the best place for me to raise kids.
That was simple to answer.
I'd go back home to Atlanta, GA. I can get a lot of support from my family. My future kids can see my parents more than once a year for Christmas.
And my parents are in their 60s. I want to spent as much time with them while they're alive.
The decision was easy because Atlanta is growing as a city, and I love living here. Definitely a lot easier decision for me compared to if they lived in North Dakota.
Other Random Questions
- Have I found a Brazilian Jiujitsu school yet?
I'm surprised how many people have asked about this.
I need to find a home first. After that I'll try out different schools in the area and see where I fit in the best.
The most important thing is a reasonable commute. I don't want to be stuck in rush hour trying to get to class.
- What area of Atlanta am I considered staying in?
We're looking at homes in Sandy Springs or Brookhaven.
I definitely want to live closer to the city for the next few years. We can move north to the suburbs once we have kids.
- Is Your Girlfriend Moving to Atlanta Too? What Does She Think?
Yep, she's already in Atlanta with me and pretty happy with the city.
She appreciates the slow pace, and it's cheaper to live here.
- What About Your Employees?
My team has been 100% remote for the past several years.
We still meet on Slack, Wrike, and Zoom everyday.
Time is a Flat Circle
Someone found it ironic that I spent so many years traveling, only to end up back where I started.
Sometimes you don't appreciate what you have unless you go out and explore.
If I stayed in Atlanta for the past ten years, I would've always had this feeling of regret. I would've always had this sense of shame that I didn't explore and push my comfort zone.
The amount of growth I've experienced by living in different cities and countries is priceless.
Those were the right decisions for that stage of my life.
If you ever have the opportunity to leave your hometown, do it. Your home is always going to be there, but the opportunity won't.
I can spend the rest of my life in Atlanta without any feeling of regret. If I end up marrying my girlfriend, I'll have zero regrets what's "out there" because I dated a bit in my 20's.
The more you explore, the less you regret.
By the way, I put together a spreadsheet of my favorite places to eat in NYC and some recommended things to do
Charles Ngo NYC Recommendations
Featured Image by UTBP


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We are a full-service shop that works on all makes and models.
OPEN Tuesday-Friday 9-5 Saturday 9-5 after hours drop off available
Join us on Bike Night July 26 & Aug 30 Live Band and food truck
Welcome to Kustom Creations Cycle
Kustom Creations is a custom motorcycle shop located the beautiful Annapolis valley. We are a full-service shop that works on all makes and models. We do everything from everyday service and MVIs to custom work and performance upgrades. We can assist you in upgrading your exhaust and breather and picking a tuning direction to go with it. We also do all types engine upgrades such as big bore kits, turbos and cams. We sell apes, stretched bags and fenders. We are dealers for Parts Canada, S&S, Fuel Motto, Dyno-Jet, KST bars, Mustang, Dirty Bird, just to name a few. If you can dream it w can build it.
Took my Grandson Colten in for his first dirt bike helmet. Sarah was so knowledgeable and helpful. It was an awesome experience. I would recommend the shop to anyone who inquires. P.S. He loves his helmet.
Cathy Scott
Maple Leaf Poultry
I understand business is business, HOWEVER, everytime I call or am there, I get excellent service. Lowell really goes above and beyond in my opinion. It gives a great piece of mind to know that the Dr.'s working on our bikes have such passion. Thanks guy's!
Troy Stoddart
Michelin - Bridgewater


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Author: F. A. Scudamore
Author: F. A. Scudamore (1846–1904)
Alternate Name(s): Fortunatus Augustine Davis Scudamore
Biography: Fortunatus Augustine Davis was born in 1846 in Gloucestershire. Originally intending to join the church, he instead abandoned his studies and began acting at the age of seventeen. He was the leading member of numerous provincial stock companies, specializing in "first old man and character business" roles. By 1875, he had changed his name to "Scudamore" which may have been a family name. In the 1890s, Scudamore shifted to playwriting, eventually composing a score of plays, many of which he produced himself. His only work of fiction, the highly sensationalistic The White Blind (1889), may have been also intended for the stage. In 1874, he married Ellen Sheridan Gillet and the couple had two children. Later in life, he took in the young actress Margaret Scudamore (d. 1958) (some records say "adopted"). Despite the same surname, the two were probably not closely related. Margaret discovered Scudamore's body after he had died at home in Barnes in 1904. She would go on to marry Roy Redgrave and give birth to Sir Michael Redgrave the actor.
Author Tags:
References: pers inf (Warren Skidmore); "Players of the Period," The Era (6 May 1899); Sheffield Daily Telegraph (9 November 1904)
Fiction Titles:
- The White Blind: A Realistic and Sensational Story. 1 vol. Bristol: Arrowsmith, 1889.
How to Cite


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From Manitoba grown potatoes, wheat and unbleached milled flour, to Manitoba made cheese and free-range ethically raised meat, we are committed to using locally sourced ingredients and are extremely passionate in making sure only the best of these ingredients are used in our food preparation. Knowing where your food comes from is important to you, and we are proud that we are able to support local farmers and the local economy by adhering to this philosophy.
By making everything from scratch just like my Baba did, nothing gets overlooked. We believe that the care we put into our food exemplifies the passion behind all of our products. We also care about the environment as much as our food, so all of our containers and utensils are made from recycled material and are biodegradable. Follow us on Twitter to get our latest location and to taste an unforgettable food.


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It's difficult to change your mindset or routine because it requires conscious effort and work. It's easy to just continue life on auto pilot, never leaving your comfort zone. But that's a pretty limited area and there's not enough room to grow. I haven't been on a date in 6 months. After yet another potential relationship crashing before even getting off the ground, I was somewhat hopeless about my future.
I tended to my wounds in private and back to the comfort of my own company. It was safe here, no hope to shatter nor vulnerability to fear. Eventually dating finally held my interest again for longer than a few weeks. I found myself talking to a very nice boy, one with old fashion manners and quite the infatuation with me. His compliments and sweet nature warmed me up to a coffee date.
It was horrible. I mean he was…
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Men's Short Sleeve T-Shirt – Dogs for Vets Logo
May 29, 2018|
Show your support for military veterans and their dogs!
A classic, comfortable tee with a modern fit.
• 100% combed cotton for a super soft hand feel.
• Fine jersey
• Slim fit
• Double stitched
• Made in the USA, sweatshop-free
Model is wearing a size M. He's 6.2 feet (190 cm) tall, chest circumference 37.7" (96 cm), waist circumference 33.4" (85 cm).
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Grits and Glamour (Pam Tillis & Lorrie Morgan)
Dos Divas
* * * 1/2
It's always interesting when a favorite artist issues a new recording. Your gut instinct is excitement, but you also wonder if the new material will measure up to the iconic music from that singer's catalog. That sentiment certainly rings true about Dos Divas, the much anticipated duets project by Grits and Glamour, the duo comprised of Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan.
Tillis and Morgan are certainly an inspired pairing. They're second-generation country singers who've grown up in the business and have been close friends since they landed major label record deals some twenty-five years ago. The pair even co-headlined (along with third-generation country singer Carlene Carter) a tour together in 1996. They've been touring under their current moniker going on some three years now and it was the fans that demanded this new release.
You have to be careful what you wish for. Dos Divas is a smorgasbord of duets and solo efforts that aims high, but never quite reaches its full potential. The main problem is Morgan, who's still pushing her I'm-fifty-going-on-twenty persona that's been her calling card for over a decade now. Her voice has also caught up with her look, and while she has moments where she makes it work, the control she once possessed so beautifully just isn't there anymore. Tillis, meanwhile, is the same powerhouse dynamo that brought us to our knees on "Maybe It Was Memphis" twenty-two years ago.
Among the six duets on Dos Divas, there are some standout moments. I quite like "Bless Their Hearts," a mid-tempo number Tillis co-wrote with Jimmy Richie and Joanna Smith that wouldn't be out of place on a Miranda Lambert album. Morgan's vocal is nasally, but the lyric and understated melody shine. Also good is Mary Sue England and Thom Shepherd's "I Am A Woman," a beautiful 90s-inspired piano ballad that shows off how well the pair harmonize together.
They turn up the energy on "I Know What You Did Last Night," the fun and campy lead single. It's the next morning recap of last night's shenanigans and easily the best party song of 2013. Tillis and Morgan are excellent when they play off each other with a nicely structured lyric. "I'm Tired," a wisp of a honky-tonker complete with brilliantly placed fiddle, works just as well.
Initially I was frustrated by the inclusion of solo numbers as this is billed as a duets project. But the pair calls Dos Divas three albums in one, and the solo numbers are a chance to see how they fit into contemporary country. Interestingly enough, they balance it out with some excellent and some horrid numbers.
Morgan shines on the plaintive ballad "Another Chance To," written by Joe West, Tom Shapiro, and Tammi Kidd. Framed by fiddle, mandolin, and piano, Morgan sings of second chances – spurred by a traffic jam caused by a med-flight helicopter landing just up ahead on the highway. The resulting euphony (every day's a gift) is predictable, but Morgan infuses the song with the right amounts of sincerity and believability. "Last Night's Makeup," co-written by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally (with Jessie Jo Dillon) is almost as good, but I found the word "makeup" just a little too jarring. The sentiment is good, though, and Morgan brings her real-life romantic experiences to her vocal.
I've had issue with songs that mention mobile phones and Facebook because they seem out of place to me for some reason. So I was inclined to hate "That's So Cool," but the melody is just so darn appealing that it cancels out the lyrical inanity in Morgan's co-write with Eddy Raven and Frank J. Myers. I also have issue with Morgan's inability to act her age on the track, but it fits well within her persona.
Tillis doesn't have any solo numbers that reach the heights of "Another Chance To," but torch ballad "Even The Stars" comes close. Tillis sings the hell out of the lyric, and I love how the arrangement so brilliantly frames her voice. She also gives a vocal master class on "I Envy The Sun," although I couldn't totally engage with the lyric. The melody of "Ain't Enough Roses" can become grating, but once again, she sings the track well.
More often than not I do really, really like Dos Divas. But when the songs veer off course, they are embarrassingly bad. "Old Enough To Be Your Lover," a number Tillis handles solo, is unintelligent and while she gets the "fun" just right, Lisa Carver's lyric forces Tillis to wear a character that just doesn't fit right. She's better than this. The pair team up for one track they co-wrote together, and "What Was I Thinkin'" was supposed to be a comical tour-de-force about the their past romantic conquests. In execution it's sloppy dreck that fails to be funny or clever.
Dos Divas is one of those weird projects that is nothing like anyone thought it would sound, giving the pedigree these two share, and Tillis' near flawless track record for turning out expertly crafted albums. I love almost every track here, but wouldn't deem any essential listening. I'm glad the record exists, for shear listening pleasure, but both ladies have already proven they're better than this artistically.