text:
Post-War Expansion
1950 Oat certification
1955 Nematology and Crop Zoology
1956 Analytical Chemistry
1959 Barley certification
1964:1974 Plant Varieties and Seeds Act : Plant Breeders Rights
1967:1981 Pathogen-free potato propagation : micropropagation
1989 Information Technology
During the war, a large increase in the distribution of potato cyst nematode was observed in Scotland and this resulted in the setting up of a section specifically to investigate this pest. This section was originally located in laboratories at Newbattle to the south of Edinburgh but was integrated on to the East Craigs site in 1955. Also during the war, the Department set up an office in Glasgow to investigate the epidemiology and control of pests of grain, dried fruit and imported bulk materials. Other sub-offices were later established in Edinburgh and Perth. This Food Infestation Control Section had a small analytical chemistry laboratory integrated within its Glasgow office to provide advice on chemical methods for insect control and to monitor the effectiveness of such control measures. This laboratory moved to East Craigs in 1956 and was the nucleus of the pesticide section which has expanded to become a well equipped modern analytical laboratory engaged in the measurement of pesticide residues in a wide variety of foodstuffs and environmental samples. The entomology offices within the infestation control section gradually merged and in 1985 the Glasgow office was finally closed and the remaining staff moved to East Craigs. Since all of the major food infestation control problems had been resolved and the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 was now in abeyance, the section's purpose was largely fulfilled and it was disbanded in 1990.
In 1949, a crop zoology section sited at Dalkeith was established to work in close association with local authorities on control of rats and mice and other agricultural pests. This moved to East Craigs in 1955, and was the predecessor of the Wildlife Management Section which exists today to provide information and advice on the control of vertebrates important to Scottish agriculture, e.g. foxes, rabbits, geese and wildfowl.
A certification scheme for oats was set up in 1950, to be followed in 1959 by a similar scheme for barley crops. The work of SASA in the original areas of seed testing, plant variety registration, seed and planting stock certification, and plant health, has been greatly influenced by 2 events: the introduction of the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964, and the UK entry into the then European Community. Regulations made under the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act make it an offence to sell seed of a plant variety not entered on a Member State's National List or on a Common Catalogue published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Furthermore, the Plant Breeders' Rights Regulations allow breeders to claim royalties on seed or planting stock marketed within the period of their rights. New varieties presented for such rights and National Listing must be tested for distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) and, for some crops, for value for cultivation and use (VCU). Characteristics to be used for distinguishing and describing varieties have had to be established, and methods whereby their stability and the uniformity of breeders' stock may be judged. These requirements vary with the genetic structure and breeding mechanism of the crop species.
A scheme for the building-up of virus-tested potato clones from single mother plants was introduced in 1948 and by the 1950s provided a very effective control of mild and latent virus infections. More recently, means have been sought to reduce the incidence of non-viral diseases; in particular the bacterial disease, blackleg and the fungal diseases, gangrene and skin spot. Tuber-borne infection is prevented initially through the use of new propagation techniques. In 1967 disease free tubers were propagated from healthy stem cutting material. Since 1981 this has largely been superseded by micropropagation under controlled conditions on a synthetic growing medium. Regardless of the freedom from disease of the original plant material, a critical feature is how long this health can be maintained under farm conditions. Monitoring the health of these stocks, and investigating the mechanisms whereby infections survive and spread, continue to feature in the work of SASA. Contributions to potato health have also been made by investigations and development of chemical methods for disease control.
During this early period 'East Craigs' was variously referred to as Scientific Services, the Official Seed Testing Station, Scientific Services (Agriculture) and Agricultural Scientific Services. The East Craigs farm was used for field trials and post-control seed plots from the 1920s onwards. In the late 1960s when it became apparent that the UK would finally be allowed to join the EU, the management at East Craigs realised that the farm would not be big enough to carry out all the support work needed for the EU seeds regime. Enquiries were made about purchasing the farm immediately to the north of East Craigs but by this time the Local Authority had zoned it for housing to accommodate the increasing demand for new housing in the City. Fortuitously, three farms owned by Gogarburn Hospital, Gogarbank, Overgogar and Roddinglaw became available as they were surplus to the Hospital's requirements. SASA initially took over Gogarbank and Overgogar farms (c. 1970) and merged them into one unit called Gogarbank Farm, although the farm HQ is actually based at Overgogar. Roddinglaw Farm, most of which lay to the north of the railway line was merged into Gogarbank Farm in about 1972 but the old Roddinglaw steading, and its associated farm workers houses, was sold privately. All three farms had been in permanent grassland since the Second World War and a lot of work was needed to restore and even out the fertility and improve the drainage to make them suitable for field trials. At the same time, some modifications were made to field boundaries in order to get more regular shapes. The fields on the west side of the farm had to be substantially reorganised when the M8 extension was built in the 1990s.
In the late 1980s, SASA was proactive in the development of its own software applications to support its many activities. The first of these was a seed testing database (OSIS), developed in 1989-90, and followed by a database to support the Pesticide Usage Survey (NSPPU) in 1991-92. Following a decision to decommission the SOCS mainframe, the application supporting cereal seed certification (CCI) was ported to SASA and became CCMS. Another key application developed by SASA's IT Section was the SASA Job Information and Management System (JIMS) which provides detailed information on job activities and costs. While this was going on the SASA IT Section began to develop a Local Area Network making computers available to the majority of staff. By 2005 practically all staff are IT-proficient and much recording and analysis is now done online.
|Previous - Foundations of SASA
|Next - Scottish Agricultural Science Agency


text:
|Lot #698
Auction Date: Wednesday, September 23rd 10:00AM EST
Buyers Premium: 18% with 3% cash discount
Sales Tax: 6.625%
Tuesday, September 22nd
Time: 11AM - 12:00PM EST Inspect online on our Facebook Page from 11am-12pm.
Equipment Removal
The Removal period will be from September 24th to October 8th. Items that are either a) not removed or b) have not been scheduled for shipping via DOTmed Logistics by the end of the Removal Period will be charged $100 per day per lot.
Please Note: This auction is Online only and bidding will be on DOTmed.com
New Storage Option for Winners: Store your stuff with us till the next event for $50 per pallet space. Click here to find out more.
3 South Middlesex,
Monroe Township, NJ 08831
For domestic and international shipping info, click here.
To help you understand our auction better, check out this video of our CEO, Philip Jacobus as he explains bidding at our Clean Sweep auction.
Have questions for us? Call us at 212-742-1200 ext 298 or Email us

subset: commoncrawl


text:
November 28, 2013
By Sam P.K. Collins
Special to the NNPA
Activist and author Kevin Powell recently announced the launch of BK Nation, a New York-based, multi-chapter national organization that tackles social and political issues through a combination of grassroots activism, technology, and social media, before more than 70 artists, educators, filmmakers, and business owners.
The Nov. 3rd launch event at the Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast in Northwest followed a New York launch event in October and comes before an event in Los Angeles scheduled for early January 2014.
"For the past 30 years, I have watched the right wing create a movement that has changed the direction of this country and I don't see why we cannot create a similar movement," said Powell, 47. "We have 'Stand Your Ground' laws, 'Stop and Frisk,' and voter laws that are out of control. Imagine [what could happen] if we replicate what we felt [during the 2008 presidential election] and make it a part of our value system," said Powell who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Guests spent the evening talking among themselves while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and listening to the tunes of Danté Pope & the Jazz Collective. During his remarks, Powell briefly reflected on his experiences as a political activist and [promoted] the launch event as an opportunity to mobilize people of various age groups, industries, and socioeconomic backgrounds a couple months before BK Nation's official nationwide launch in January.
"When you have those diverse life experiences and you meet so many different types of people, you start thinking about ways to bring people together," said Powell. "Anything is possible. A progressive multicultural movement can happen in this country to serve communities, particularly the black community."
Camille Watkin, a forensic therapist, and Kia Bennett, a singer and songwriter, set out to make connections at the event as they promoted their anti-bullying literature, which they developed for schools, churches, and community organizations. Watkin said Powell's message of collaboration quickly resonated with her.
"This is beyond any moment. This is a movement," said Watkin, 41. "It's very innovative at a time when young people are utilizing social media in so many different ways. We can all benefit from collaboration and networking opportunities," said Watkin who lives in Columbia, Md.
Donnie Martin, a student and musical producer, said BK Nation's multigenerational approach and emphasis on the arts as a collaborative tool compelled him to inquire further about the steps the organization will take to expand in the D.C. metropolitan area.
"[This organization] is important for the sake of relating to people," said Martin, 26, who attends the University of the District of Columbia in Northwest. "This brother has a message and great concern for people at large. He wants to use the arts to get in contact with [my generation]. I'm curious to see what approach he will use," said Martin who lives in Northwest.
Powell first developed BK Nation in in the early 1990s while working as a senior staff writer for the national hip-hop publication Vibe Magazine. While he initially intended it to serve as a space for political discourse, the historic election of President Barack Obama in 2008 prompted him to reach out to friends and colleagues and begin putting the finishing touches on the grassroots organization.
The organization, as he envisioned it, would provide resources specific to the needs of various inner-city communities across the country.
Powell, a writer and activist for 30 years, likened BK Nation to the Black Panther Movement, saying that he wants to ensure that the greatest priority is given to those living in impoverished communities.
"We are going to be a clearinghouse of information for communities. Every chapter will have monthly forums," said Powell. "Our folks will go to different cities and show people how to run their chapters. We're not a top-down organization. There are folks who have different problems. You have to address the needs of the community."


text:
The Library of Congress is looking for help from the public to get legislative documents into a format that will allow them to be easily shared with other countries.
Specifically, the library has issued Markup of U.S. Legislation in Akoma Ntoso as one of its Legislative Data Challenges and will award $5,000 to the individual or team that comes up with the best solution for converting U.S. legislative documents into the Akoma Ntoso XML format.
Akoma Ntoso is a framework used by many other countries to annotate and format electronic versions of parliamentary, legislative and judiciary documents.
"An international framework for legislative data would have to define the commonalities among the various data and documents across the legislative bodies, while at the same time being flexible enough to accommodate differences in culture, language, meaning and structure amongst the legislative bodies," said Gayle Osterberg, director of communications for the Library of Congress.
Accordingly, the library is challenging participants to help identify conflicts between the Akoma Ntoso framework and U.S. bill text where data cannot be incorporated properly within the existing standard. Participants are also challenged to propose new domain-specific metadata elements or possibly other solutions to overcome these challenges.
Why bother? "A common international exchange standard could give governments and the public more powerful ways of searching for, comparing, analyzing and tracking legislative information across jurisdictions," Osterberg said. "For instance, if there were a widely accepted data standard used by the [European Union], the U.K. and the U.S., a search engine could apply that widely accepted data standard and provide for a better, more granular search across the three document sets."
That would be a boon not only to those doing academic research, but also to those doing business with other countries.
The challenge, which is open to participants 18 years of age or older, closes on Oct. 31, 2013.
About the Author
Patrick Marshall is a freelance technology writer for GCN.
E-Mail this page
Printable Format
These projects at the federal, state and local levels show just how transformative government IT can be.
The deadline for submissions is Dec. 31.
Advanced Search


text:
The Escapist Staff's Five Faves of 2009: Susan
Pages PREV 1 2
No, I was talking about the demo. All I found in the demo was a telephone that said something I can't remember. Was there a point in the demo?
I should REALLY get around to buying Dragon Age: Origins... Stupid moving and cant afford to even eat, but still have great internet and cable tv
I have to say, I've kind of cooled down on Uncharted 2. It was a fantastic game, but a tinsy bit shallow in terms of gameplay and also characters.
Then again, maybe I cooled down because I finished the game four times back to back.
Very interesting to see a game/interactive experience that people respond to like that. I'm almost positive I have the complete game, from Valve's Indie Sale. I'm going to have to give it an honest effort.
Maybe this is inconsequential, but... I'm a 24 year old male. Will that affect what I take away from the game?
The demo was apparently actually a section that wasn't in the full game, I can't really say what was in it.
It's not for everyone, I'll say that. As for the effect, well, I've already told you the effect it has on a 17 year old male, but like I said, it's different per person. One thing that most people agree on, however: Tale of Tales wasn't joking when they said it was a horror game, it's just incredibly subtle about it.
yeah? =) I'm gonna give Left 4 Dead another chance soon probably, couldn't get into that the first time I tried it either
mm I definitely would like to give dragon age a try, but I don't have the time to commit to an RPG atm
Was expecting PvZ and The path ofc and had a slight hunch u where gonna take uncharted 2 cause u seemed to like it. Dragon age origins would be the game of the year for me even if i had only played the 360 verision of it.
In short great choice of games
I love your videos! They always manage to make me laugh. And now, with two different staff members listing DA:O as their top game of 2009, it's becoming very hard to skip the game entirely. Might I like it even if I'm not an RPG fan?
Well, unlike Yahtzee, Susan actually has taste in games, so I might go and check a few of these out.
I can't help but feel like she semi-spoilered The Path though - I really didn't want to know that "the only way to win is to lose", that's the sort of thing I'd rather find out while playing. EDIT: scratch that thought, I can't blame Susan, The Path's own promo material has the same spoiler in it! Pathetic, whatever happened to a bit of mystery...
If you play it, you'll realize nothing was spoiled because if you're like me, you will play it over and over to try and make sense of each sister's "demise", so-to-speak. That's the real mystery.
And I can't believe I forgot about this game on my other list. It's definitely number 1 for 2009, no offense to everything else.
So, revamped list (as I also forgot about Borderlands):
The Path
in that order.
You've just spoilered it some more by mentioning that there's multiple characters who all meet a demise of sorts. I should stop reading this thread.
The Path is a multimedia presentation. Selling it as a game is somewhat fraudulent.
And Emerald City Confidential pales compared to Grim Fandango or Discworld Noir.
I do agree with Dragon Age though. Bioware gets it right every time. Mass Effect 2 will be something special.
i loved the mention of the path i whole heartedly agree with it being in a top 5 like this. no most gamers wont like it, there arent exactly set goals, the path is about exploration of the path and about yourself. hell most people wont even get it, dismissing it as "weird" which isnt a negative or a complaint about them, its not what you expect but well worth getting for something original and amazingly creative.
the company that makes it and other games like fatale and the graveyard are an experience more than a game and for me i have to be in the right frame of mind, no distractions, at night with the lights off. Honestly i never thought i would be able to say it about a game but the path and the other games by small belgian indy company tale of tales is to me a work of art.
glee, just finished Emerald City, i must say i went from being in love to being entertained towards the middle when it went from noir adult detective mystery to entertaining fantasy story, but it was still an amazing trip, and the casual level of the puzzles made it all feel so fluent.
one of the best adventure games i have ever played.
plants vs. zombies is so awesome. i got everyone i know hooked on it. my mom plays it like shes got a crack addiction, damn junkie.
Great final choice totally agree with the last one although my inner fan boy still hates UC2 for its exclusiveness and the fact it rips of firefly
also would like to ask is the path meant to be quiet slow i wasn't to sure so i stopped playing it so i didn't ruin my first experience with it
I half thought that she would have picked Wolfenstein I mean it had poof guns.
Loved how you included The Path in your list.
"Women are like forests. Mysterious, and full of wolves"
Well, if we do a list of "favorite weapons of 2009," that'll definitely make the list. POOF!
I notice that numerous aspects of Dragon Age: Origins that were appreciated by Bioware RPG fans are sections that I found laborious.
So the path you can only loose at?
So it's like dwarf fortress where no matter how good you do eventually it all will crumble down around your feet and you will be left mourning as your last dwarf fights with insanity before throwing himself into a lake and you can only watch as the bubbles slowly begin to stop. Then you sit there wondering how this happened and why at the prime of your fortress one little kolbold managed to kill one child dwarf. The parent of that kid then enrages and punches a dwarf. This causes a chain of assaults and destruction of property ending up in a tantrum chain.
This whole time the local law enforcement struggles to maintain order the best they can as an army of dwarves charge the shield wall with rope reed socks beating the life from every last guard with said socks until there's nothing but a bloody pile of giblets on the floor dripping blood down between the cracks into the floor below. The few remaining ones are injured so much they slowly bleed out as the wave of destruction passes through the fortress. Then later as the smoke clears and the fires die out nothing is left but the ruins of a once great fortress brought down by a single koldbold that was out for blood. As you abandon the fortress all you see is death and despair and the air is heavy with the sent of decay.
Yep all this can and just might happen in dwarf fortress and it's very worth learning how to play just for the stories.
susan will you have my child
|Pages PREV 1 2


text:
As a kid in the '90s and '00s, Haley Campbell '13 grew up with the Internet. She played computer games, learned to type from an educational software program, and experimented with blogs and fan fiction. In middle school, she tinkered with HTML coding and creating a website.
As moms and dads do, Campbell's parents urged her to be safe on the Web. But they didn't discourage her interest, even if they didn't see the attraction.
As Campbell puts it, "Every generation comes up with something that the previous generation shakes their head and says, 'Really guys? Is that what you're going to do?' "
But it wasn't until she got to the University of Mary Washington and enrolled in classes on new media that Campbell started thinking analytically about the Internet's potential to educate on a macro scale, and to swiftly shape and change consensus.
"It's so obvious that this was where a ton of extremely important communication was taking place," she said.
In addition to taking classes such as digital storytelling – called ds106 – Campbell is among about 400 people piloting Mary Washington's Domain of One's Own initiative, which started last fall. The program, offered in collaboration with the Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies (DTLT) and the office of Information Technology Services, provides domains and Web hosting for students and faculty.
While Domain of One's Own is intentionally unstructured – the idea is for users to define for themselves what they will present on the Web – it encourages students to own and control their online presence. Some may use their domains strictly as e-portfolios. Others, including Campbell, take a broader approach.
Campbell's aetherbunny.com domain is constantly evolving. She's used it for her digital storytelling projects; as an academic blog; as a creative outlet for short stories and poetry; and as a forum for experimenting with online editing tools.
Exploring the possibilities of the Web just makes sense to Campbell. "A lot of people take the Internet for granted. They know they have to use it, but they don't necessarily think about how they're using it," she said. Domain of One's Own, a nod to Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, encourages "critical thinking about those tools."
The Web can be used badly, of course, in prefab, uninspired ways. But it also can be, she said, "a brilliant, beautiful smorgasbord of creativity."
And it's important not to think of the Internet as a monolithic entity, she said. "It's a massive collection of networked tools we can use and take control of if we're willing to put in the time and energy."
One example of that is what Campbell calls curating, the constant re-evaluating and editing of one's online presence. That can involve removing content, but it may more effectively entail updating existing content. For example, a college senior entering the professional world might use her personal domain to acknowledge an essay she posted as a teenager, but add a note reflecting how her views have changed.
Taking that thoughtful approach through the college years can reduce seniors' anxiety that graduate schools or potential employers will turn up embarrassing teenage blogs, photos, or tweets. "The more aggressively you prune and update your personal Web presence," she said, "the more recent stuff people will find."
Tim Owens, instruction technology specialist and co-creator of Domain of One's Own, applauds Campbell's resourcefulness.
"Haley's experience of exploring and controlling her digital identity is what we want for all students at Mary Washington," Owens said. "Some students may choose to continue using spaces like Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, but the important part is that we are handing control of those choices to the students and providing them the opportunity to explore what's out there and how they can define themselves online."
Campbell gets why participating in Domain of One's Own is not required of students, and she respects that some people just aren't all that interested in crafting an online presence. But she leapt on it.
"It's like being handed this massive box of toys and being told you can play with it if you want to, but you don't have to," she said with a laugh.
An English major with a concentration in creative writing, Campbell sees her UMW classes and Domain of One's Own opening professional opportunities. She's exploring educational technology and methods of open education such as massive open online courses, or MOOCs. She's learning "the pedagogical aspects of it – how teachers are teaching, and what they're teaching about."
And as an accomplished poet – and 2013 winner of the UMW Barbara Thomas Phillips Creative Writing Scholarship – she's evaluating the many tools writers use to find readership beyond traditional publications.
She's also finding creative inspiration online, exploring new ways to use words, art, music, and online immediacy to shape narratives. But while she's part of the generation that will expand what's possible online, she hasn't lost sight of what drew her to the Web in the first place.
"Really," Campbell said, "I've been telling stories on the Internet for most of my life."
—Story by Laura Moyer
–Photo by Kimmie Barkley '14


text:
This is a professionally remanufactured and flow-matched set of genuine Denso fuel injectors that fit the following vehicles:
1989-1992 Diahatsu Charade 1.3L L4
1990-1995 Mazda 323 1.6L L4
1995-1996 Mazda MX-3 1.6L L4
Please check for proper fitment and verify your part numbers prior to purchasing.
Part Number(s):
OEM Denso Fuel Injectors Set (4) 195500-2120 Rebuilt by Master ASE Mechanic USA
This item is covered by CS Performance Lifetime Warranty. CS Performance remanufactured products are warranted to the original owner only against manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product. If a product covered by this warranty fails due to a manufacturing defect, we will repair or replace the units affected. Only original unaltered and unmodified product and workmanship are covered by this policy. This warranty does not cover damage caused by accident, improper care, negligence, or unsanitary installation conditions. Damage not covered by this warranty may still be repaired for a reasonable rate. All shipping costs and expense incurred will be the sole responsibility of the buyer. CS Performance LLC Holds no liability for any damages caused by improper or careless use of this product. CS Performance cannot be held liable for return packages lost in transit. All warranty claims must be returned to CS Performance for warranty work. No refunds or credits will be given for warrantied product under any circumstances. All items returned under warranty MUST include original sales receipt, no exceptions. CS Performance reserves the right to make changes, modifications, or improvements to returned warrantied product. Only warrantied product is covered, no other vehicle components, installation fees, or other fees incurred will be covered for any reason. By purchasing this item, you agree to the aforementioned terms.
We accept Paypal and all major credit cards as payment.
All items must be returned within 60 days of sale and be in the same condition as when shipped.


text:
Free tagging:
Training Target Audience:
Is a certificate Issued?:
Training Requirements:
Conditions: early- and mid- career scientists, policy makers or managers of UNESCO-inscribed properties from developing countries with background of space technologies or disaster mitigation as an advantage; skills of fluent English communication required.
Additional Information:
Those applicants who have been selected will be provided round-trip international airfares between their home countries and Sanya (economy class), and the local expenses such as board and lodging, field tour, local transportation, etc. during the Workshop.
Registration Deadline:
Venue City:
Event Organisers:
Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation (STDM) International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST)
UNESCO Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS)


text:
When I have a lot on my mind, the best way for me to deal with things is to write about it. I share it with others in the hope that it might help someone as it helps me to put my thoughts in order.
My parents got a divorce when I was in my early 20s. It has been one of the most difficult things that I have ever had to go through. I did not realize back then how much it affected the next 5 years of my life. For me, family was the most important thing in the world and in one short week I went from having a family (dysfunctional, but it was my family) to being on the street and looking for a place to live.
Even as a quasi-adult, being a "kid" of divorced parents was hard. The first thing that happened was that you had to "pick" sides. I did not feel like I picked sides at all, but then I started to understand that there is a whole villain vs victim mentality that would become a theme every time that a divorce happens.
It still pisses me off to this day that every conversation about the subject has to have a quick discussion about who is the one that "fucked up." Sure, everyone draws lines in the sand and some people have the talk about 50/50 but in reality there is never a villain and most of the time there are only victims.
This post does not dismiss the fact that there are relationships where one of the people is mentally or physically abusive to their partner. Those are valid reasons to leave. It is not that simple though, and I have a huge issue with the whole "you decided to leave" mentality.
The one that is "left behind" is the one that suffers. It is a short-sighted view that assumes that the other person does not feel. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people in divorces that really had no clue the other person had already moved on emotionally and are surprised. Getting into a routine in a marriage is quite easy and, eventually, monotony can set in. Divorce can be a surprise to one of the parties, but that does not automatically makes that person the "victim."
I know in the divorces I have been closely involved with both parties knew that something was wrong for a long time. Sometimes steps were taken to correct those things, sometimes steps were taken to ignore those things. In the end it is seldom, at least in my experience, that divorce comes as a total surprise.
I have my own rejection issues. I don't let those cloud my judgement though. The person that does the dumping is no braver or more victim in the situation. Being the woman in the relationship does not automatically make you the victim either, yet a lot of people think that way.
Trust me when I tell you that the feeling that someone chose something else, alcohol, another person, a job, a lifestyle over you does not make it easier to dump that person. In my experience at least it took a lot of thinking and trying to make things work before the decision was made. I know with my parents they tried for years to make things work, made many changes… heck even a move to a different country made things hopeful, but what is not meant to be cannot be changed. Specially not when both people are not committed to the change or making things work.
Without getting too personal about my parents divorce and from knowing both of them my whole life, their relationship was doomed from the start. It was not a relationship based on mutual trust and it created tons of issues that continued to escalate during the 20+ years that it lasted. While you can say that lack of communication skills might have contributed, they were just really not meant for each other.
Marriage is work, but it should not feel like work. The work that you do should be done gladly. You should be able to do the things you need to do to make the relationship successful, not just because you're expected to, but because you want to.
I see what my Mom has now, with the love of her life – they have been together for 8 years now, they have never had a fight, they are still in love like they used to be the first day. That gives me tons of hope. It makes me think that some day I can have the same thing in a relationship. It makes me long for what they have. It really makes me realize that I am not stupid for wanting to be happy every day, that it is possible, and that the person who deserves to be by my side for the rest of my life, is someone who finds that desire endearing and not foolish.
I wish everyone involved on that situation could have had the same happy ending. The more I live, the more I see that it is truly a personal choice to reach that level. You cannot make others happy… I keep saying… it has to come from within… and life keeps on lashing me with that thought over and over.
With what I am going through myself now, I am not interested in being the villain or the victim. I am not interested in rehashing the past 2 years or even the past 6. I am only interested on moving forward and learning from this experience. I know I did a lot of growing the last couple of years and I know I am better person because of it. I know what I want and don't want out of my life. I know that to be happy I have to be around other happy people. I have taken steps towards that in many ways and it has improved my life a lot.
*This is my blog and I reserve the right to delete any comment that I find to be not of my liking. Just letting you know before you state your "opinion."


text:
Before I share the recipe, I would like to share some pics of grape yards in Luxembourg and Germany which we visited this year.. We own grape yards back in India and love to visit such places here..
The pic below is from Remerschen, Luxembourg, a lovely city in South Luxembourg from where we could see Germany to the left and France to the right from our hotel balcony.. That was sometime in April when the season of grapes hadnt started and we could just see the bare farms and support system of grape wines.. But we did not miss the cruise across the wone route and even visited a winery for wine testing :D
The snaps below are from Bensheim, Germany which we visited in July.. We were lucky to find grapes in their youth ;) Now is the best time to visit this place.. In the first week f September, the local farmers get together and organise an event dedicated to wine processing and is a treat for wine lovers!
Isnt it lovely to be so close to nature? I prefer to visit such places rather that castles, bridges and towers :D No more blah blah.. Let me get back to the main point!
Preparation Time:
1 hour
What you need:
A bunch of Black Grapes
1/3 cup Sugar(approx)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
How to proceed:
1) Cut the grapes(remove sedds if any) and defreeze for 30-40 mins
2) Add them to blender with sugar and lemon juice and blend well
3) Place again in refridgerator for 15-20 mins
4) Remove, scoop and take snaps/serve immmediately!


text:
With APASS data release 8 filling in most of the remaining areas of sky with reliable secondary standards, the sequence team has been busy filling the remaining standing requests. This latest batch of new and revised sequences also has many newly discovered CVs from ASASSN, as well as sequences for RCB, NR and ZAND objects in the AID and VSX. You can downoad the list as either an .xlsx or .csv file.
Please Note: SeqPlot is a tool designed for use by the Sequence Team to create comparison star sequences for use in AAVSO Charts. For consistency sake, all variable star data submitted to the AAVSO database should be based on comparison star sequences chosen by this experienced team of volunteers. If you need a sequence or a revision to a sequence for a star, please follow the instructions given here to make your request and you will receive a response from the Team in a very timely manner.


text: This comforter features large and bold embroidered Western Stars. Luxurious and extremely soft dark tan faux-suede top and side contrasted with a distressed faux leather bed skirt. The pillow sham(s) are also in the dark tan faux suede with embroidered stars and trimmed with fringe. Square cushion pillow and neckroll pillow with embroidery work are included. *Super sized, more comforter, these are larger than normal sized comforters, better fit for pillow top mattresses. Fabric: 100% Polyester, Filling: 100% Polyester Fiber. Dry Clean Only.


text:
About seven years ago Elises family took a road trip across the country to her in-laws in Seattle. The trip took six weeks, a very large bus and more yarn than you can imagine. Elise knit about 50 hats for the craft shows she was selling at that year. The kids called it the Hats Across America tour, but secretly she knew it was the Bathrooms Across America tour.
By the time they reached the state of Montana everyone was very tired. They figured it was a good place to rest because it was a calming, beautiful place. Suddenly, Elise realized where she had seen some of those gorgeous colors before it was the yarn that Jan was trying to sell her for her design business. She vowed that when she got back to New York she would give Jan a call which of course led to Elises discovery of Mountain Colors Yarn.
|© 2006 Flying Fingers, Inc. -- 15 Main Street, Tarrytown, New York 10591 -- (914) 631-4113 local -- (877) FLYING-8 toll free


text:
One of my favorite parts of Windows is the ability to selectively turn features on or off. For instance, on a tablet you can turn on Tablet PC components; on a desktop you can disable these and potentially enable other features as well.
It provides you with a list of checkboxes that lets you choose which programs and features you want to disable or enable.
So: Is there any Mac equivalent of Windows' Turn Windows Features On or Off?
I'm looking for a central place to see a list of checkboxes that display a large amount of features that I can turn on or off.


text:
WoW Insider brings you Gold Capped, in which Basil "Euripides" Berntsen aims to show you how to make gold on the Auction House. Check out Basil's gold making podcast, Call To Auction, and email Basil with your questions, comments, or hate mail!
Have you ever scanned the Auction House with TradeSkillMaster (the best auction management addon, well worth the trouble of learning) and not gotten a complete scan? Maybe you see an error message and your crafting window starts displaying unknown materials prices, even though you can see the prices right front of you when you search? This is a bug that affects anyone on a realm with a lot of auctions (more than 42554, according to the TSM error message). In essence, the GetAll scan that's used to grab a dump of the AH in a few seconds can be incomplete if there are a lot of auctions.
As far as I know, the traditional scans are immune to this, but they take a lot more time; like 20 minutes instead of 20 seconds. Even if the scans work perfectly on your realm, scanning is still an extra step that you have to do every time you want to update the prices before you queue up your crafting list. Luckily, there's a way you can get up to date price information without ever having to scan the AH again.


text:
Did you forego picking up Fallout: New Vegas and its downloadable content in the hopes that Bethesda would release some sort of Ultimate Edition featuring everything rolled into one? Then February 7 (10 in Europe) is your day to reap your patience's reward.
As someone that only played about an hour of Fallout: New Vegas, I am looking forward to being able to run to the store and snag a DLC-complete copy for $49.99 ($39.99 PC) on February 7. No fuss, no muss; just one disc packed with post-apocalyptic goodness waiting for me to happen to it.
Did you wait?


text:
Stanton ready to lead Marlins' turnaround
Slugging outfielder excited about new additions, hopes to remain injury-free
JUPITER, Fla. -- The time for talk is over. Giancarlo Stanton sees the start of Spring Training as a time for action.
To the 24-year-old slugger, the road to a dramatic team turnaround starts now.
Full-squad workouts got underway on Thursday for the Marlins, and Stanton echoed what the organization is already thinking.
"I'm competitive," Stanton said. "I don't take losing well. I'm not a loser. That's not what I'm accustomed to. That's not what I like to do."
Since Stanton was promoted as a highly touted prospect in 2010, the Marlins have endured more than their share of setbacks. Miami has finished last in the National League East in each of the past three seasons. The best record Stanton was part of came in his rookie year, when the Marlins finished third with an 80-82 mark.
A year ago, the club went through a transitional period, relying heavily on either rookies or inexperienced players. The end result was a 62-100 season, despite the emergence of Jose Fernandez as the NL Rookie of the Year Award winner and a rising ace.
To Stanton, 2013 was more of the same. Personally, the right fielder had an injury-plagued year, appearing in 116 games. The sporadic stretches in the lineup prevented him from gaining any continuity, and it was reflected in his statistics.
Stanton batted .249 with 24 home runs and 62 RBIs. His on-base percentage was .365, but he struck out 140 times in 425 at-bats.
"Last year was a tough year," manager Mike Redmond said. "Whether he tried to do too much, or if he felt like he had to do everything, that's not fair to him."
Upgrading the offense and giving Stanton more protection were the Marlins' No. 1 offseason objectives. The front office feels it brought in talented pieces in Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Garrett Jones, Rafael Furcal, Casey McGehee and Jeff Baker.
"It showed the organization was going to go out and grab some pieces around Stanton to help him out and take the pressure off him," Redmond said. "He's excited about that."
The past few seasons, the Marlins certainly have trended in the wrong direction. They were 72-90 in 2011 and 69-93 in '12, before losing 100 games last year.
Stanton, the biggest threat in the lineup, recognizes he has to do his part, but it will take a group effort to turn the franchise's fortunes around.
"This, obviously, hasn't been ideal so far," the slugger said. "I don't want a career like that. We've got to push it forward and start turning it around."
The Marlins envision Stanton as a building block, and he won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2016 season. This was his first time eligible for arbitration, and Stanton's salary increased to $6.5 million.
The Marlins are open to signing Stanton long term, but the power-hitting right fielder is taking a wait-and-see approach.
Stanton recently told MLB.com that he wants to see some franchise security before agreeing to a deal that would include some free-agent seasons. Redmond is the fifth manager Stanton has had in the big leagues, and the roster was broken up after the disappointing 2012 season.
"You can't just get a bunch of big names who are not going to blend together on the field," Stanton said. "Baseball is one sport where you can't just bring a bunch of guys in and expect to click right away. It starts with the chemistry in here, and it translates out on the field."
Redmond understands Stanton's frustrations, but he notes the slugger isn't alone when it comes to being on losing clubs.
"None of us like to lose," the second-year manager said. "I played on a lot of losing teams, too, before we won. I think that makes the winning even that much sweeter. You endure some tough years, but you learn also a lot about yourself."
Redmond does agree that now is a time for action.
"I didn't come here to lose 100 games," Redmond said. "I want to win. I want to be a part of a winning team. We got together throughout the offseason to figure out ways to improve the offense. We think we have done that. We brought in guys we feel can help us out a lot. At the same time, too, we can talk about it until we are blue in the face. We've got to go out there and do it."
Spring Training brings new hope, as well as new teammates.
Stanton has arrived in camp happy, relaxed and eager to do his part. The past few days, he was at the complex getting his work in. Stanton even stepped into the box (without swinging) to track pitches while pitchers were throwing their bullpen sessions.
"I'm excited and eager to get out there," Stanton said. "But at the same time, it's more of a calm preparation. I can't wait to get things started. I need this time and the whole spring to get the season going."
From a personal standpoint, health will be crucial for Stanton.
At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, Stanton is one of the more imposing players in the league. He's already belted 117 career home runs in 489 games.
What Stanton hasn't done the past two years is stay in the lineup. In 2011, he played in 150 games and belted 34 home runs. In '12, right knee surgery limited Stanton to 123 games. Still, he slugged 37 homers.
"This game is every day," Stanton said. "You need to find that training that fits the everyday program. You can't take days off here. You can't let one muscle relax on an everyday basis."


text:
Agencies still relying on FTS 2001 for new services, despite lower prices on Networx
The General Services Administration has any number of people "in the trenches" guiding and helping and prodding agencies to make the transition from GSA's FTS2001 contract to its Networx contract. But none is more relentlessly focused on getting the job done than the Federal Acquisition Service's director of network services, Karl Krumbholz. Universally respected, even liked, by agencies and carriers, the lanky, soft-spoken Krumbholz is an encyclopedia of institutional knowledge on GSA's huge telecommunications contracts and current events surrounding the agency's schedule-challenged Networx transition. Washington Technology contributing editor Sami Lais talked with him recently at his Virginia office about all things Networx, including what the transition delay is costing the federal government and why services on FTS2001 are growing as fast as Networx services. Q: With the faltering economy coloring everything these days; costs are on everyone's mind. This past spring, you estimated that for every month agencies delay transitioning from FTS 2001 to Networx, it's costing taxpayers between $18 million and $20 million. Has that been recalculated? KARL KRUMBHOLZ: The prices on Networx are all preset; the offerers were required to bid prices out to the end, so the prices are not going to vary. Now, they could vary if an agency put out a statement of work and rebid. Then prices could be competed again. Q: But don't the carriers often, even usually, set the pricing on those individually negotiated contracts to get a little cheaper every year? And we're in fiscal year four of Networx now. KRUMBHOLZ: It was a big deal on FTS2001 because one of the winning carriers bid prices down over the 10 years. We knew that was the case on FTS2001; we don't know what the price structure is going forward on Networx because that's proprietary information. So the extent to which prices go up or down or wherever they go is a function of information predetermined but not publicly known. Q: So the $18 million monthly estimate stands? KRUMBHOLZ: So far. It can change, and we can recompute it any time, but so far, the change has not been significant. We just haven't gotten enough service off the old contract to make a significant change. Q: How did you come up with the $18 million figure? KRUMBHOLZ: The way we computed it was to simply take the services remaining — and because the service keeps growing, that's a problem, too — and just say: "What services are on FTS2001, what would they cost if they were priced on Networx and what's the difference?" And since as we increase the amount of service on Networx we're also increasing the services on FTS2001, it really hasn't changed much. Q: So FTS2001 income is still rising for carriers because agencies are still buying new services off the bridge contracts...KRUMBHOLZ: So why are they doing that? Q: Yes. Why hasn't GSA turned off FTS2001? Will you do it? KRUMBHOLZ: Well, a lot [38 percent] of statements of work still aren't in progress; 52 percent [of large and small agencies] haven't even chosen their new carrier so they can't put the service on Networx. Even if you've chosen a carrier, if you're building out a new network, you need to build it out [before you can transition to it] on the new contract and cut off old service on FTS2001. So if you just wanted to add some connectivity on your current FTS2001 network, you would probably just add it to FTS2001. And that would be true even if you had selected a carrier for Networx but hadn't transitioned to the new contract yet. Q: Yes, but if you really want agencies to transition over... KRUMBHOLZ: Why don't we tell them that they can't order off FTS2001? Q: Yes. KRUMBHOLZ: What we told them is they can't modify the new contract unless they have a compelling need, which they have to tell us about. Then we have to give approval to modify any new service on FTS2001. But because of the way that agencies order service, we don't have any visibility into ordering activity on FTS2001 or any way to prevent them from ordering service on that contract. Service is ordered by designated agency representatives (DARs) dispersed throughout all the agencies. These ordering elements can order services anytime they need them. Administering the exceptions to such a policy would be very, very burdensome. All we can do is tell them not to do it. Then they'd have to get that information all the way down through their entire agency to the DARs, and we'd have to depend on everybody following the rules. There's no way we could monitor it, so we just decided not to go there. Next in Washington Technology's conversation with GSA Networx guru Karl Krumbholz: The transition is A) 30 percent complete; B) 4 percent complete; or C) both are true, neither is true, and no one knows what's true.
About the Author
Sami Lais is a special contributor to Washington Technology.
Printable Format
E-Mail this page
Advanced Search
Sign up for our newsletter.
I agree to this site's Privacy Policy.
Senior Staff Writer Ross Wilkers talks with Hitachi Vantara CTO Gary HIx discusses how many of the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic might become permanent fixtures in the market.
Read More
In this episode of the Project 38 podcast, Editor Nick Wakeman hosts a roundtable with several reporters to explore some of the most pressing issues in the market.
Read More


text:
Dear Alice,
I am a 21-year-old woman who has been dealing with acne for over ten years now. I have used almost every OTC and quite a few prescriptions that are available. Everytime I find something that works it only last for ten to 14 months and then quits completely. I was wondering if maybe microdermabrasion would work? I don't know what it is though and have heard that it is pretty pricey. Or are there other procedures available? It is hard for me to deal with my acne because I am usually the only woman on most construction sites and don't wear makeup to work because it would only cause more acne. I would really appreciate any help or information you can send out.
Dear ShortStack,
You may be fed up with your acne, but take comfort in the fact that you're not the only one! Acne affects 85 to 100 percent of people at some point in their lives, and it continues to be an issue for about twelve percent of women who are 25 years old. Several skin treatments are available (with differing degrees of success for different people) and several other procedures are still being researched.
Some cosmetic procedures that are traditionally used to lessen the appearance of fine lines, sun damage, and minor facial scars can also be helpful in reducing the signs of acne, including such procedures as chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion uses crystals under pressure to remove dead or damaged layers of skin. The crystals and skin debris are then vacuumed away. Microdermabrasion helps to control acne by reducing the amount of oil on the skin, reducing the appearance of large pores, and cleaning out clogged pores. A few things to keep in mind are that microdermabrasion:
- Works best when used for superficial scars and is ineffective at reducing the appearance of deep scars or marks on the skin.
- Will require multiple treatments for the best results (typically a commitment to a series of five to twelve treatments is necessary).
- As surgical procedures go, this is low risk and has a rapid recovery time (treatments can be repeated in short intervals), does not require anesthesia (is painless), and is quick and simple to perform.
- Should not be done if you have an active herpes infection, malignant skin tumors, skin that scars easily, or if you currently or recently have used Accutane.
- May cause skin pigmentation changes if you have darker skin
The cost of these procedures depends on where you get the treatment and on who performs it. Prices do vary. But before moving ahead, it's a good idea to talk with your health care provider about microdermabrasion (or any of the other procedures mentioned above) to see if you are a good candidate for the procedure.
For many people the old soap and water routine is sufficient to clean away the dirt, oil, and dead skin cells that aggravate acne. However, others need a more intensive skin care regimen to clear up those pesky zits. In addition to washing your face twice a day, and avoiding picking at all costs, you may try (or you may have already tried) some of these available treatments:
- Retinoids (like Accutane) which are applied to the skin for their anti-inflammatory effects.
- Benzoyl peroxide products (available in soap, washes, lotions, cream and gel forms) which are effective against some of the forms of bacteria that contribute to acne flare ups.
- Salicylic acid products (available in face washes, lotions, gels) which helps keep pores from becoming clogged.
- Antibiotics (that are sometimes taken orally and sometimes applied directly to the skin).
- Some birth control pills also help to reduce acne.
Some newer laser and light therapies are still being researched and may be worth discussing with your health care provider:
- Blue Light Therapy — a low intensity blue light is believed to destroy some bacteria that contribute to acne.
- Pulsed Light and Heat Energy Therapy — believed to decrease oil production.
- Diode Laser Treatment — can destroy oil glands in deeper layers of the skin.
Finally, you may want to consider using a couple different treatments at the same time to see if a combination of treatments gives you better, or longer-lasting, results. Best of luck!


text:
Homemade Purim gifts are not only made by adults but also with kids. GKC loves cooking with kids so we tested these ideas on our own children. They each got rave reviews and looked super elegant and sophisticated when wrapped in clear cello bags and tied with big ribbons (my kids like to do that part too). We think your friends will never believe that these gourmet mishloach manot gifts were made by your kids. Try them all.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Crunchy Nutty Caramel Popcorn
Easy Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge


text:
Don't know what to write? View our guide
By clicking "Upload" you confirm that you own the full copyright on the
content you are about to upload and accept the terms and conditions of
The one stop shop for academic literature.
One Minute Manuscript Ltd. © 2020
Please use an institutional email address if possible
Add more info
By clicking "Sign up" you are agreeing to the
terms and conditions


text:
Product Overview
Main Features
- for HPE 800mm
The Rack Light Kit (flourescent) is mounted under the roof of the rack and is used to illuminate the rear section of the rack. The light is turned on and off with the opening and closing of the rear doors. This HP product contains the following materials that might require special handling at end-of-life: - Mercury in the fluorescent lamp in the display LCD. Disposal of mercury can be regulated because of environmental considerations.


text:
As of November 1, 2020, the Cyprus Investment Programme in its previous format was abolished by the decision of the...
3 Bedroom Apartment with Sea Views in a Luxury Complex Limassol
Price upon request
Add to a comparison list
Add to a favorite list
PDF without logo
Add to a favorite list
PDF without logo
- Property ID: 737
- Status: Sale
- Property type: Apartment
- Address: Limassol
- Number of bedrooms: 3
- Number of bathrooms: 2
- Floor: 7 floor of 22 total
- Total covered area: 173 m²
- Parking: 1
- View: Sea view
Contemporary 3 bedroom apartment in a new luxurious project in the tourist area of Limassol, Potamos Germasogeia, within walking distance to the beach (8 minutes) and a 5-minute walk to all necessary amenities, such as supermarkets, shops, restaurants, cafes, bakeries, banks.
The complex comprises 63 apartments with 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms and 2 four-bedroom duplex penthouses with roof terraces. All apartments offer sea views from extensive south facing covered verandas.
The facilities and services of the complex:
- Gated entrance and security pavilion
- Concierge services
- Basement parking
- Visitors' parking
- Luxurious entrance lobby
- Residents' swimming pool, sun deck and pool bar
- Fully equipped residents' gym
- Sauna and Spa
- Children's playground
- Landscaped gardens
- Tennis court
- Store rooms for each apartment
- Service rooms for 24 hour property management
- Bar room with snooker and billiard
- Spacious lobby with sitting area.
Specifications of the apartment:
- Open plan kitchen and living area
- Guest WC
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- Internal covered area 128 m²
- Covered verandas 45 m²
- Total covered area 173 m²
- Store room 7 m²
- Covered parking space.
Pictures express the exterior and interior of the project.


text:
Stats aside, Murphy striving for more in 2014
Mets second baseman coming off solid offensive, defensive campaign
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- By just about any statistical or anecdotal indication, Daniel Murphy enjoyed the best year of his life in 2013.
On the field, Murphy set career highs in games played, plate appearances, home runs, runs scored, RBIs and Wins Above Replacement, most of them by significant margins. His defense at second base, markedly improved from the year before, was no longer a talking point around Citi Field. His health, also an issue in the past, remained sound.
Off the field, Murphy found continued peace through his family and deep religious faith. He and his wife, Victoria, are expecting a baby boy in April. Murphy, 28, signed a $5.7-million contract in his second year of arbitration eligibility, nearly doubling his lifetime earnings with a single pen stroke.
Still, he stresses. The compulsiveness that made him one of the game's most obsessive hitters has not faded.
"It is nice to get here, but you never want to feel like you've arrived," said Murphy, now the second-longest tenured Mets player behind David Wright. "I think the point when you've reached where you wanted to get to and you've accomplished what you want to, you need to find something else to do.
"That's the fun part is you put together a good year, but no one cares right now. There's not a single pitcher I'll face in Spring Training or during the season that -- they couldn't care less. My year last year was my best year of my career, and I'm hopefully a piece that's going to help this team win ballgames, but they don't care. The fun part is the slate's washed clean now. I've got no base hits, no walks, I got no errors -- I like that part, no errors."
A former 13th-round Draft pick, Murphy has accomplished more in the past half-decade than most impartial observers could ever have expected from him. But he does see three clear areas in need of improvement: defense, power hitting and on-base percentage.
The first is obvious. A natural third baseman, Murphy was initially dreadful at second; his inexperience there likely played a role in the two serious knee injuries he sustained earlier in his career. Though Murphy appeared much-improved early last year, a spree of midseason errors -- eight of his 16 miscues came in July alone -- dragged down his overall defensive performance. His hope is that with another year of experience, he can continue to improve.
The second area of improvement is perhaps not so obvious. Murphy hit more home runs last year -- 13 -- than in his previous two seasons combined, though some of that found roots in his sheer number of at-bats. Murphy's slugging percentage remained roughly stagnant while his isolated power -- an advanced metric designed to quantify slugging ability more accurately -- increased only slightly. What Murphy gained in over-the-fence pop, he lost in gap-to-gap hitting.
The third area, for the Mets, is the sticking point. For all his statistical worth, Murphy actually decreased his on-base percentage by 13 percentage points, prompting his general manager to criticize him publicly -- "He doesn't walk enough ... I think he knows that," Sandy Alderson said in December -- and his manager to shy away from shaking up the lineup. A significant reason why Terry Collins is considering starting Eric Young Jr. over Juan Lagares in the outfield is because without Young in the lineup, the Mets have no obvious leadoff hitter. Once upon a time, they might have more seriously considered Murphy for that role.
Still, for all his flaws, Murphy has established himself as an integral part of the 2014 Mets. The team is depending on him to stay healthy, play every day and post numbers resembling those that he produced last year.
For Murphy personally, his future will depend on such continued steadiness. Despite his rising arbitration price tag, he and the Mets never discussed a multi-year deal over the winter. He would be open to doing so in the future, but prefers to leave those discussions entirely up to the team and his agents.
"What is comfort? Is it money? I've made an ungodly amount of money," Murphy said. "That's the only way to describe it. We're in a really cool spot with a child coming on the way, that's exciting. That would be the way I would describe where we're at -- a very exciting time. But comfort comes and it doesn't really last.
"You see an organization heading in the direction that we're heading, it's an exciting time. So you always want to be a part of that. However that looks -- one-year deals or whatever that looks like -- other than playing well, that is a little bit out of my control as well. But I do want to be a part of the solution."


text:
A piece of art is something you enjoy every day. They say a picture tells a thousand words. Check out these wonderful works of art, prints and photographs for an eloquent and beautiful art gift they'll treasure for years to come.
Art Gifts
If there are no words, say it with a picture. Chosen well, a gift of art is something they will enjoy every day. However there is 'an art' to buying art gifts! Make sure your art gift is picture-perfect by doing your homework before you buy. Find out which artists they admire and check out how they have decorated their home. If it's all antiques and chinz, chances are they're not going to appreciate a Damien Hirst! If they already have an art collection, choose a piece you can imagine fitting in with the work they all have.
Photography Gifts
Photography is really growing in popularity and can be a lot more affordable than works on canvas, making it a great option for gift-givers on a budget. For a 'snap happy' photography gift they will instantly click with, choose an image that has a special connection or meaning to the person you are giving it to.
The girls love him, the boys want to be him - just about everyone wants a slice of Mr Bond. This cool collection of 100 quality postcards from the James Bond archives...Price: £14.99 From Bloomsbury Store
Featuring the most iconic London landmarks and symbols, this collection of 5 canvasses captures all that's cool about our capital. Can be hung together or individually.Price: £199.00 From Bella Oscar
An inspirational print that would make a great gift for any home. Wise words indeed!Price: £20.00 From Design Supremo
This beautiful print will make a wonderful gift for the nursery or any little ones' bedroom. It features colourful and detailed illustrations of landmarks and images associated...Price: £80.00 From Bella Oscar
This beautiful vintage print will make a great gift for your daddy cool. It is subtle and stylish and will make a great addition to any room, as well as serving as a perfectly...Price: £38.95 From The Handpicked Collection
This wonderful box set of postcards will make the perfect gift for any comic book fan. Celebrating 75 years of DC Comics, the collection contains 100 postcards with comic book...Price: £14.95 From Bloomsbury Store
These wonderfully unique and contemporary art pieces will make a great gift for the lucky lovers on their Big Day. You can personalise your own Couple poster completely by...Price: £28.00 From The Letteroom
This wonderfully unique map, from The Letteroom will make a great wedding anniversary gift for your someone special. Commemorate a special journey - where you met, proposed or...Price: £22.00 From The Letteroom
This stunning world map from The Future Mapping Company goes beyond the usual boundaries. The eye-catching day glow colours are used to highlight each country's border and...Price: £28.00 From The Future Mapping Company
If you like your bunnies a little more bad ass then this vibrant print will make a great gift for someone special at Easter. One of only 75 of its kind, the piece comes numbered...Price: £45.00 From Artransmitte
This pretty pink canvas will have any little girl hopping mad. To make it even more special and unique a gift, the canvas can be personalised with the reciever's name.Price: £40.00 From Bella Oscar
With thanks to Verity Keniger, you can give an Easter gift that is a little more lasting than a cheap old egg. This limited edition screen print is one of only 50 of its kind...Price: £20.00 From Design Supremo
This nifty typographic print will make a great gift for your daddy dearest on his special day! Highlight his fatherly strengths and choose up to 10 phrases to personalise your...Price: £45.00 From The Letteroom
Dougal's Den now have a range of witty (but true) greeting cards inspired by everyone's favorite domesticated pals.Price: £1.99 From Dougals Den
"Is it a bird... Is it a plane?..." No, it's Supermum! An homage to the woman herself, this fabulous vintage print will make the perfectly personal gift for your...Price: £45.00 From Not On The High Street
When someone you love is feeling down in the dumps, cheer them up with a dose of powerful medicine - in the form of laughter, of course. These digitally printed numbers...Price: £25.00 From The Letteroom
As the photocopier is shut off and the eggnog is rolled out, ensure your colleague's Christmas gift is the business.Read more


text:
Saturday Night Live pokes fun at diversity issue
NEW YORK >> With Kerry Washington as guest host, "Saturday Night Live" wasted no time poking fun at itself after receiving criticism for having no black women among its 16 regular cast members.
In the opening skit, the "Scandal" actress portrayed First Lady Michelle Obama, talking with her husband about an upcoming state dinner at the White House.
"Michelle, this is such a treat," said the president, impersonated by Jay Pharoah. "I feel like it's been years since I've seen you."
An aide came in, saying Oprah Winfrey had arrived for the dinner and wanted to see the president. "Don't you think you should get changed?" he asked Washington. She wondered whether cast member Kenan Thompson couldn't play Winfrey; Both Thompson and Pharoah have said recently they will no longer impersonate women on the NBC late-night comedy institution.
Washington left the stage and returned as Winfrey. She was then asked to portray Beyonce — before the show's executive producer, Lorne Michaels, stepped in.
Michaels said producers would like to apologize to Washington for the number of black women she would be asked to play in the show.
"We make this request both because Ms. Washington is an actress of considerable range and talent, and also because 'Saturday Night Live' does not currently have a black woman in the cast," he said. "We agree this is not an ideal situation and look forward to rectifying it in the future — unless, of course, we fall in love with another white guy first."
The show has had four black women among its regular cast since coming on the air in 1975 with the last one, biracial Maya Rudolph, leaving in 2007. Both Pharoah and Thompson had recently addressed the situation in interviews with Pharoah even lobbying for a specific comic to be added — Darmirra Brunson of the OWN sitcom "Love Thy Neighbor."
To drive the point home in the skit, the presidential aide announced that six different Matthew McConaugheys were there to attend the state dinner — and six different white male cast members trooped in dressed as the actor.
Then the Rev. Al Sharpton appeared on the stage.
"What have we learned from this sketch?" Sharpton said. "As usual, nothing."
He then delivered the show's traditional opening line of "live from New York, it's Saturday night."


text:
Plus get 12 months of Drawing Lessons from a Professional Illustrator!
As a professional illustrator and teacher, I was hired by a university to rescue two classes of Graphic Design students who were due to complete their diplomas, but they could not draw well.
Using the proven step by step workshops I had written and trialed over many years I took these students from rough amateurs to skilled practitioners of technical and commercial drawing.
They passed their exams and earned their qualifications.
Now these workshop manuals are available online.
"Jenni, you taught me that I could draw much better than I ever thought I could, in just a couple of hours!!!"
Thank-you soooo much!!!
If you can hold a pen you CAN draw!
At last! a Surefire proven skill based system that works!
Everything you need to get started is available here!
Discover the simple skill system taught to over 2,000 art and design students, teachers and illustrators over the past 18 years. These unique techniques get you in full control no matter what your current skill level.
Get maximum impact from your ideas quickly, easily, and confidently!
If you want to learn how to create drawings that are satisfying, useful, and that get the results you want to achieve…
this could be the most important message you've read all year.
The good news is – You can start at ANY level and learn to draw easily. I know. I've seen it time and time again.
You'll soon discover how to create drawings that are skillful and fascinating … artworks that are uniquely yours, professional, and a pleasure to display. You won't be frustrated by trying to transfer your ideas from your thoughts to your canvas waiting for your creativity to get into gear.
There are times when you MUST be able to put something on that page!
You'll soon see the ability to draw is a skill that can be learned.
There is a formula that works.
And now it's never been easier. Here's how…
So what have I done that qualifies me?
I am an Author and Illustrator – with published works commissioned by several publishing companies.
I also write Design, Multimedia and IT Courses for colleges and schools.
Teaching subjects include:
- Nationally accredited training subjects in Dip GD, MM, IT
- Drawing – technical and commercial illustration
- Dreamweaver Intro and Advanced web development
- Flash Intro and Advanced animation and interactive projects
- Freehand Intro and Advanced
- Fireworks Intro and Advanced
- Corel Draw Intro and advanced
- InDesign
- Photoshop
- Web authoring and CSS
- Multimedia
I have been Art Director and Editor for an internationally recognized company and the
Project Manager and Editor of a prize-winner in the Asia Pacific I T & T Awards.
A Message from a Student.
My First Student
The very first student I taught was myself and so drawing, cartooning, painting and sketching seem very natural to me.
These workshop manuals begin right at the very beginning.
I have taken people of all ages from preschoolers to people in their 70s and in 20 minutes or less I would see the light come on in their eyes when they suddenly realise that this process works! And now they can, despite all previous experiences to the contrary, draw in ways that are truly satisfying.
Here's a simple case study in picture format.
So just how do you develop this all important confidence?
One of the first secrets is learning how to work without an eraser. Knowing where to place the pen in the first place is one of the secrets to being able to draw. Confidence allows you to draw with flourish and that sense of unleashing your creative flow.
There are great art classes you can attend but many people are too embarrassed by their level of skills to front up to an art class.
There are great art books you can buy but they usually begin at a level which is already beyond the reach of many developing artists. In frustration you may just stay where you are with limited or negligible skill and decide that anything more is just beyond you.
It is evident that so many people do not have the opportunity to take time out and seek a great teacher to impart enough knowledge to get started.
The foundations of knowing how to draw with confidence is of immense value to graphic designers, web developers, school teachers, painters, business people, hobbyists, interior designers, creative professionals, parents, students, teacher aides and school librarians in fact anyone who wants to draw.
Why did I write these books in the first place?
I was illustrating a set of books for a publisher who asked me how I became so good at drawing. I told him.
He said "Would you like to write a series of books for us teaching others how to do this?"
I said "Yep."
I wrote the series. I hold the electronic rights. I now make this series available to you at a fraction of the cost of the printed books and I've added some other goodies to go with.
Although based on a workshop approach, you can follow these drawing exercises successfully without an instructor.
The concept is to allow you, the student, to draw what you see or what your "mind's eye sees".
I spent over two years documenting the methods that I teach and how to best get the fundaments across to students without needing me to be present in person. This allows for everybody to have the same beneficial instruction no matter where you are.
Using these exercises at workshops I was able to determine that 100% of the people working with these particular exercises were able to draw past their initial expectations.
Draw they did, and have gone on to learn more by raising their level of skills in order to feel confident enough to attend regular art classes, which had previously seemed too daunting. The desired effect was that I wanted everybody to be given the best opportunity to bring their drawing and sketching skills to the fore.
This method is proven and is no longer an experiment because it has been used in all teaching environments with absolute measured success.
To draw with a pen, now that requires a set of skills far above the confidence level of most artists.
I see people tentatively sketching out rough lines and then reaching for the eraser. This means that they did not know where to place the pen in the first instance.
They also do not know what perspective the drawing should be in and they do not understand scale. Unless you have a natural ability with these concepts you are unable to put pen to paper in order to create a satisfying drawing or sketch.
In the same way that learning your alphabet is what allows you to spell and therefore write, learning confidence with line, angle and proportion allows you to develop drawing skills that will underpin every creative process for you.
You can learn to draw and these books teach you!
Let me ask you…
- Do you have great ideas but cannot express them visually to your own satisfaction?
- Are you a teacher who would love to be able to pass on some genuinely valuable skills to your class?
- Are you a teacher who needs a full set of class exercises that are simple to follow?
- Do you often procrastinate, putting off your projects because "it's just too hard"?
- Do you have difficulty transferring the image you see in your mind's eye onto the page in front of you?
- Do you often wonder if there is a better way to teach yourself or your class how to actually draw and better still to enjoy the process?
- Do you feel that your artworks are just not good enough to display with confidence?
- Do you worry that your poor drawing skills may make your designs look unprofessional?
- Do you often sit staring at a blank page wondering where to start?
Chances are, if you're anything like my students you would have answered "yes" to many of the questions above.
It's not your fault.
You see, the trouble is, you may never be taught how to apply skills that get the results you want. And without the proper training, the end result is often dissatisfying, and sometimes downright embarrassing.
Every one of my students faced the same frustrations as you – because they were never taught a structured process, such as that used to learn your A B C to make drawing enjoyable and satisfying.
I'm constantly amazed when I go into the class room to train graphic design and illustration students in technical or commercial illustration, at the number I see whose work is lacking the basic skill of applying the media – they look unprofessional and poorly planned with no confident use of the pen.
And people tell me things like:
- "I wish I could draw. I just don't know where to start."
- "Trying to put my ideas on paper takes me so long to do."
- "I want my paintings to look professional but my drawing skills lack confidence and I know this is the basis of a good painting."
- "I can't draw. I've always wanted to but I wasn't taught how at high school even though I took Art as a subject."
- "As a Graphic Designer, I never thought I'd be asked to draw by hand but at every interview I go to they ask what my drawing skills are like!"
- "As a teacher, art is a subject I dread because I find I can't teach something I don't understand myself!"
- "I've found that portfolios with fantastic hand-drawn artwork are the ones that get the great jobs but I'm hopeless without a computer."
What does surprise people is that these problems can be overcome by using a measured approach in much the same way as you learned your ABC.
All you have to do is apply a proven, structured, step-by-step process, and follow a few simple rules.
The mysterious thing is that once you begin to train yourself using this formula your own creative talent comes to life and you find your skills grow exponentially. It begins with something simple and becomes an exciting journey of your own discovery.
Here's your ticket to discovering your own surprising drawing abilities.
Let me share the 6 secrets of artist's skills with you.
The internet's #1 guide: "How to draw with speed and confidence – The ABC of Art Skills".
THE ABC of ART SKILLS is now available to you and everyone else who has the desire to draw with speed and confidence. Now it is no longer elusive. You see, we all can learn to draw knowing that this simple system has been proven and has a track record of success.
A quick recap.
After more than twenty years as a professional Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Instructor/Teacher I have put together an artist's start up system that begins at your level of skill.
If you can barely draw a straight line, you can master these exercises.
If you already have talent but need a grasp of the difference between amateur work and professional artwork you have found the help you need.
All you have to do is apply a proven, structured, step-by-step process, and follow the rules. That's it.
You will learn new skills that will travel with you for the rest of your life.
Draw whatever you want whenever you want.
Here's your key to discovering your own surprising drawing abilities.
Let me share The 6 Secrets of artist's skills with you.
The ABC of Art Skills
In the kit, you receive:
1. The 6 self-taught secrets to successful, professional art skills that have never been offered together before.
2. A step-by-step process that begins at the very beginning level of skill. Never again will you sit in front of a blank drawing sheet wondering where to start.
3. A complete set of black line master exercises that you can print out and make as many copies as you require for class use or your own practice.
4. How to spot good materials that do the job well to free you from buying things you don't need, in trying to achieve better results.
5. Notes to help you assess your class (or yourself!) before you begin and as you progress through the course.
"The exercises in this system are simple enough for primary school age students yet valuable enough for university students and adults.
This book is the first stage of learning.
Even if you cannot draw a stick man you will find your skills improved dramatically once you have completed the exercises. Even if you need to create complex drawings with a high degree of difficulty you will find The 6 secrets invaluable.
This is the chosen system to begin with for book illustrations, character animators, game developers, cartoonists, commercial artists and designers."
The information this system contains has been adapted from my highly successful Drawing Skills Workshops.
I've taken all of the best information from those workshops; information that has been simplified and refined over the past 18 years—and packaged it to become easy-to-use, step-by-step, self-paced drawing course.
The books are filled with exercises, equipment tips, useful snippets, photocopiable black line
masters, teachers notes and of course the step-by-step instructions.
I personally guarantee that you will be absolutely delighted with –
The ABC of Art Skills System.
In fact, I invite you to use this program and put all the risk entirely on me. If at any time in the next 8 weeks you really give it a good go but feel that it falls short in delivering everything described in this letter, just let me know and I'll be happy to give you a full refund.
If for any reason you're not 100% satisfied, I want you to demand your money back.
You can even keep the entire ABC of Art Skills System valued at well over $300.00 as my way of thanking you for looking over the material.
Now, if you're excited about the idea of being able to draw all those things you've always wanted, but are worried you won't be able to afford your own copy of my ABC of Art Skills System, let me put your mind at ease right now.
Because this system is being made available over the internet I'm testing the world wide market and am prepared to offer this book for the remarkable price of $29.00 and not the $80 that is recommended.
I would like your permission to offer you a special discount off my System if you order now!
You can save $51 immediately off the original price of $80.00 and download my System right now for only $29!
Please note: this special discount is only being offered during this testing phase. It can be changed at any time. However, I will honor the discount pricing on all orders that I receive in the next 24 hours.
In fact, let me make it very simple for you to take advantage of this information right now. I'm going to give you three more FREE gifts to complete the system and the Template Kit, making this entire offer valued at over $300.
A complete drawing course!
Order now and you will also receive:
To ensure that you get all the materials needed to get started and move forward, I will also include the second book in the series for Free. The retail price of this book is $54.95.
I will include this book in your purchase today – FREE!
because they are my books so I can, and you deserve it.
The release of my second book in this Series –
I am offering as a special gift, for a limited time only.
|Book 2 is based on two workshops that take you from beginner to intermediate, covering
Your drawing skills will be vastly improved once you have completed these workshop manuals.
* To celebrate the release of my second book in this series I am offering it as a special gift. Book B is based on two full workshops that take you from beginner to intermediate.
These two books make a complete resource for You.
This offer is to test the market so make the most of it while it lasts.
In addition I will also include as part of this purchase – a Photographic Resource Kit.
The Photographic Resource Kit contains a wealth
Valued at $97.00, you get the Photographic
This valuable kit contains reference photographs which were specially commissioned to provide a visual resource for tackling the most difficult creative issues.
You'll get images to help you grasp:
* foreshortening
* perspective
* detail
* vanishing points
Using the photographs will mean that you can immediately begin working on subjects that you know will train your creative mind.
The Photograph Resource Kit includes instructions for using the photographs in your studio or class.
These are valuable concepts that you may well have missed just because you didn't know what to look for.
Finally to accompany and enhance the drawing experience a further gift "Quick Reference Guide"
A quick reference guide to design principles to help you with your layouts for drawing, painting, desktop publishing, interface design or any type of graphic arts you may ever need to do.
This invaluable guide saves many of hours of study.
This white paper has a research value of $72.00.
Let's summarize and look at what you're getting:
Here's what you get…
Separate purchase
|ABC of Art Skills e-Book 1
|Free Gift #1: e-Book 2 Workshops
|Free Gift #2: Photographic
Resource Kit
|Free Gift #3: Design Principles Reference Guide
Total value
Your Special Discount price is ONLY:-
Total package savings
Creative Freedom Lesson a Month Gift. Value $300.00
A year's subscription to the "Lesson a Month" Club.
Exclusive to people who purchase the books today, these simple to advanced exercises are specifically what other artists, teachers and students have asked me to create for them.
Full of "how to" exercises to improve your paintings, drawings, cartooning, sketching and illustrating.
These magazines cover the step by step process for
Act now to be sure you get your free subsription!
|Instant Access!
Buy on-line with Credit Card by Secure Server.
You'll be redirected to our order page on Clickbank, which means that you have the advantage of Clickbank's secure processing.
Once processed, you will be granted immediate access to begin downloading your course and FREE bonus material!
Plus, your personal information is completely SAFE
To order now, click above to pay by credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Eurocard, Visa-Debit, MasterCard-Debit, and Novus cards.
Note: You are ordering a downloadable product (Adobe PDF), which means you will be able to start using the System within minutes of placing your order!
ABC You Can Draw teaches you to draw with a pen – this skill is of vital importance for cartoonists and painters alike because confidence with a pen or paintbrush is obvious to the viewers eye. You need that confidence, but where do you start? Right here 🙂
If you want to be really good at drawing then end your frustration – get these workshop manuals now and you won't have any regrets – and you will be drawing in minutes.
So are you wondering 'Will these books work for me and teach me to draw', the answer is without doubt – YES – 2000 students can't be wrong – so start right away.
I wish you all the very best.
P.S. Don't forget, I'm taking all the risk… If after trying my System you don't find a wealth of extra drawing skills, I'll refund every penny.
Try it now!
And remember, you'll be able to download the system immediately. Five minutes from now, you'll be on your way to a one-on-one class with a professional illustrator!
P.P.S. If you think the price of these manuals and lessons is too good to be true, you are quite right and the price is scheduled to be adjusted up in the near future. So do be quick.


text:
Product Description
Product Category
Place of Origin
Tile Size
250mm x 1000mm
Carton Content
16PCS (4sqm) 19.2KGS
Critical Radiant Flux/Smoke Density/Flame-retardant/Antistatic/Stain-resistant/Formaldehyde Radiation
Colors and Patterns
Samples and Catalogues
About Toli
All the products except made-to-order items will be shipped within 3-5 business days after payment has cleared.
1 to 20cartons:
21 to 700cartons:
700 cartons or more:
Prices and Shipping Method is Negotiable.
We always welcome your inquiry!
Average Dimension & Weight *This information may slightly vary by product.
Product Type
Package Dimension
Package Weight
Product Line-Up
SANGETSU TOLI TJIMA 3M Lilycolor SINCOL RUNON TOKIWA TOPACORK TACHIKAWA NICHIBEI
How to Order
?When will my items be shipped?
All the products except made-to-order items will be shipped within 3-5 business days after payment has cleared. This does not include Saturdays, Sundays, and other holidays.
?Can I request samples?
We are pleased to offer a limited amount of free samples. Please feel free to send us a message to request samples. Only 10USD for 10 sheets (20cm x 30cm) of wallpaper samples including delivery cost. Sample orders typically ship within 3 business days after receiving payment.
?Can I order catalogues?
Yes. Catalogues are really handy to carry and talk with your costumers over them. Standard catalogues come with small sample chips of all the products in the collection. The prices vary according to the contents of the catalogues. Please feel free to contact us.
?What do you provide besides wallpaper?
We provide a wide range of interior decoration materials from the leading Japanese brands. We also offer commercial and residential vinyl sheet, vinyl planks and tiles, carpet, carpet tiles, tatami tiles, PVC wall films, window films, upholstery fabrics, curtain fabrics, roller shades, blinds.
?What payment methods are available?
We accept 100% T/T in advance and L/C. For sample and catalog orders, Paypal is also available.
About us
We are a distributor of Japanese brand interior decoration materials with over 35 years of history in Nagoya, Japan. We supply mainly vinyl floorings, wall-to-wall carpet, carpet tiles, PVC architectural films, and wallpapers with variety of designs and functionalities.
Please visit our website for quality products!
PVC Wallpaper/Vinyl Wallpaper/3D Wallpaper/Hotel Wallpaper/Glow in the Dark Wallpaper/Japanese Wallpaper/Design Film/Window Film/Security Film/Vinyl Flooring/Loose Lay Vinyl Tile/Indoor-Use Vinyl Sheet/Outdoor-Use Vinyl Sheet/Non-Skid Vinyl Sheet/Wood Effect Vinyl Plank/Stone Effect Vinyl Tile/Marble Effect Vinyl Tile/Hygienic Vinyl Flooring/Vinyl Composite Tile/Luxury Vinyl Tile/Vinyl Plank Flooring/Carpet Tile/Carpet Tile 50x50/Nylon Carpet Tile/Tile Carpet/Anti-static Carpet Tile/Self-Adhesive Carpet Tile/Wall to wall Carpet/Shaggy Carpet/Axminster Carpet/Office Flooring/Commercial Kitchen Flooring/Faux New Product Sangetsu Floor Tile, .../FBT-100 Series, FABTEX TILE, 5 Colors, Sample Availble/FBT-100 Series, FABTEX TILE, 5 Colors, Sample Availble/FBT-100 Series, FABTEX TILE, 5 Colors, Sample Availble


text: The Viboldone Abbey, " Abbazia di Viboldone", was founded in 1176 and completed in 1348 by a community of Humiliates Monks, "Monaci Umiliati". The church is the only remaining part of the original complex and it is considered one of the most important medieval buildings in Lombardy. In the façade (14th century) are present elements from both Romanesque and Lombard - Gothic styles. The portal and the large opening create a charming color scheme with the façade in cotto. Presently it houses a community of Benedectine Nuns.