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Simply enter the amount of fabric that you want to purchase in the quantity field. You can use decimals or fractions as needed (for example, .5 or 1/2 for one half yard of fabric).
Kokka – Matchsticks in Fuchsia
$16.00 yd
Kokka – Ellen Lucket Baker – Matchsticks in Fuchsia
Manufacturer – Kokka
Designer – Ellen Lucket Baker
Collection – Rough Cut
100% cotton double gauze
44-45 inch width
Suitable for clothing, quilting. The Rough Cut fabric collection from Kokka features designs that were cut into paper, then digitally colored to create fabric designs.
Out of stock

subset: commoncrawl


text: We so are thankful for how Hannah Zimmerman has responded to God's leading and decided to stay in Storm Lake to serve at The Bridge following her BVU graduation. Hannah was part of our Summer Team last year and has consistently proven herself to be dedicated and capable. She is currently volunteering 8 hours/week in the office, and she will begin her full-time service in June. Hannah has committed to serving 1.5 years at The Bridge as a short-term Christ For the City International missionary. Her main role will be in using her gifts of communication and organization as The Bridge's Administrative Assistant, and she will also be working with various ministry activities outside the office.


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The first phase of the process of implementation of the Report of Lord Justice Leveson has ended with cross-party agreement on the setting up of the "recognition body" and the accompanying incentives. The parties have agreed to establish the "recognition panel" by Royal Charter [pdf]. Read the rest of this entry »
News: Leveson, cross party agreement on Royal Charter ends phase one19 03 2013
Comments : 4 Comments »
Categories : Leveson Inquiry, Media Regulation


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X-Doria Glitter Lux Case (Rose Gold) - iPhone XS / iPhone XX-Doria
In Stock
Glitter Lux Series puts fashion into a fully protective case. Glitter Lux combines unique patterns and designs that are both fashionable and expressive, so you can stand out from the crowd. The hard shell case shields against impacts and dings, while the soft rubber bumper and buttons keep your device fully protected. You can rest assured your screen will remain unharmed, with the raised front bezel that keeps your screen off surfaces if laid face down. All while maintaining a slim fit so you're not compromising your device. The Glitter Lux series brings individuality and style into the palm of your hand.
- Stand out with metallic finishes.
- Rubberized button protection keeps your phone safe and you in control.
- Raised lip keeps your screen up and away from scratches.
- Access to all ports and controls; Works with most third-party accessories.
Returns Policy:
Free return or exchange within 30 days.
Standard Warranty:
6 month warranty protection against defects.
Free returns, repairs, replacements or refunds under warranty period if product is defective.
Extended Supplier Warranty:
1 year extended supplier warranty.
See our Returns Policy for more information on defective products.
If you're not sure of anything, see our FAQ and Returns Policy.
Any other questions? Please Contact Us.


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Glenn Hoddle was in fine form after Harry Kane scored the winner vs Slovenia
Ladies and gentlemen, England have qualified for the 2018 World Cup after an electric performance saw Gareth Southgate's side storm to victory over Slovenia in front of an enthralled Wembley crowd.
The result was never in doubt with Harry Kane leading the line and the Tottenham forward added the cherry on top of a memorable cake after guiding a Kyle Walker cross passed Jan Oblak into the net.
Kane's finish drew an ear-splitting roar from a Wembley crowd that easily filled at least 40% of the iconic national stadium.
Naturally, it was a great moment for the nation, one that will undoubtedly go down in the pages of history alongside names like Lord Nelson and Boris Johnson. The country was overjoyed and it was hard to see how it could get any better.
Cue Glenn Hoddle. The former England boss was on commentary duty with ITV when Kane poked home to send England to Russia and his reaction was a thing of beauty. Good ol' Glenn proved himself to be a true wordsmith in a remarkable moment.
Twitter, always a place for kind words, was quick to respond to Hoddle's scintillating form in the commentary box as "small toe boot" quickly began trending.
Hoddle's revolutionary use of the Queen's English went down an absolute treat on social media as you can see in the following posts.
Hear ye now footballing world, Glenn Hoddle and Harry Kane are on their way to conquer you in the mighty name of England.News Now - Sport News


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A few facts for starters
Caves, as geological forms, can be divided into two types. Primeval caves are created along with the development of rocks (volcanic caves are situated on lava, water caves on coral reefs).Secondary caves are created after the rock is fully developed as a result of various geological and geomorphological processes. The majority of the caves in this group are dripstone caves - they are created as a result of karstic processes, i.e. the chemical and mechanical influence of water on karstic rock (limestones, dolomites, gypsums). Another type is tectonic caves.
Taking into consideration the orientation of corridors one may distinguish two types of caves- oriented vertically or horizontally. The first type constitutes caves whose corridors are on the same level. Corridors of vertically-oriented caves are on different levels and may go up or down or constitute downward-oriented (wells) or upward-oriented (chimneys) vertical parts. These caves require using climbing equipment: ropes and other elements to help us move and keep us safe.
In caves there are narrow and low corridors where you have to crawl or squeeze into fissures. Sometimes they are so narrow that it is difficult to go through them. These features are called clamps.
Visiting caves can cause problems with orientation in the case of people who are not familiar with that kind of environment. Available plans allow you to get to know the corridor system even before entering the cave. Using them in the cave excludes unpleasant surprises. The crazy stories about the lack of air in caves are totally untrue. Even in every one-entrance cave we can observe a breath of air, although, it seemingly has no wider contact with the surface.
The longest cave in the world is the Mammoth Cave System in USA, with a length of nearly 600 km. In Poland the longest and deepest cave is Jaskinia Wielka Śnieżna in the Western Tatra Mountains, with a length of 33 km and a depth of 824 m. On the Slovakian side of the Tatra Mountains is Cień Księżyca cave, with a length of over 30 km and a depth of 451 m, whose entrance is situated in the High Tatra Mountains on the slopes of Horwacki Wierch summit.
Equipment for caver-amateurs
When planning a visit to a cave we must remember especially about proper light. The best solution is a headlight torch. It allows you to move freely around, especially in those places where we need our hands to manage through more difficult passages. It is good to take a spare source of light - another headlight torch or a hand torch. Moving around without light even in a small cave is very dangerous or even impossible.
Another important element is a helmet protecting the head. You may use special cave and climbing helmets, bike helmets or those used in industry. Except for the fact that it protects the head in the event of of hitting a cave vault it is suitable to install your headlight torch there.
You must remember about proper clothing. Cavers use special one-piece suits. For visiting places suitable for tourists normal warm clothing is enough on condition that it protects us from cold and grazes, especially in caves where we plan to move on our knees. It's good to have gloves.
Safe visiting
Remember! Passing through caves that are not suitable for mass movement may be dangerous. Visiting vertical caves without proper equipment and experience in using it may result in a serious fall and even in a deadly one!
When planning a cave trip you should remember a few basic rules
Regardless of the size of caves (small or bigger) you plan to visit - you must never go there alone.Tell somebody about your plans, give the name of the cave and its location, and tell them at what time you plan to come back.If you can you should take a map of the cave.Never enter unknown or unmarked parts of the cave if you are not well prepared. Squeezing into unknown corridors, especially those heading downward, is very risky. Don't overestimate your strength as coming back might prove very difficult or even impossible. This is why it is safer to pass through these parts with your legs pointing forward - this technique significantly limits your field of vision but it allows you to go backwards with no bigger problems.Vertically-oriented caves are the most dangerous ones, especially if they go along vertical, deep and narrow fissures where subsequent levels create shelves and bridges from trapped blocks and stone debris.When going up the vertical elements of a cave there is always a danger that some stones may be knocked off, which is why the rule must be applied that other participants remain beyond the reach of those stones.When visiting a cave you must strictly obey the rules of nature protection. It is unacceptable to destroy deposits in any form or to put inscriptions on the walls.You should remember as well not to disturb the bats living in the cave. In winter, from November until April, some of the caves are closed to tourists.When visiting a cave within the area of a national park you must obey the rules of the given park. Within the area of the Tatra National Park the following caves are accessible to tourists - Mylna, Mroźna, Obłazkowa, Raptawicka and Dziura. You can find information about other caves on http://www.tpn.pl/pl/zwiedzaj/taternictwo/news/111/Taternictwo-jaskiniowe
In the Pieniny National Park visiting caves is forbidden. http://www.pieninypn.pl/?id=30297&location=f&msg=1&lang_id=PL
If you want more
Organising climbing trips to more difficult and more vertically-developed caves requires using climbing equipment. Going down requires rolling equipment, while going up requires different types of clamping equipment. Both when going up or down, specially-designed gear made of nylon tape is required (different from the one used in wall climbing) Disregarding safety rules and exploring vertical wells without proper preparation and equipment constitute serious danger to the health and life of the trip participants. Skills may be acquired under the watchful eye of an instructor during approved adequate courses where you can learn cave and alpine techniques, spotting, self-rescue, and first aid in both summer and winter. During such courses, participants take part in at least 8 caving activities, including at least 4 of them in vertical caves and at least 3 in winter conditions. The courses are organised only by schools and clubs associated with the Polish Alpinism Association. They last about one year. More information on www.pza.org.pl.


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1) A few weeks ago, I entered the lottery for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile run in Washington DC. I woke up yesterday and saw an email indicating that I had indeed been accepted into the race. Wahoo! I never win lotteries or anything of the sort so that was kind of exciting. I've also wanted to do this race for a couple of years, but I never remember to enter the lottery until it's already happened. So this year I'm glad to say that I'll be able to participate… I think. As soon as I realized that I had gotten in, I was reminded by my much smarter beau that we had registered for the Battenkill Grand Fondo. And lo and behold after a little "googling" around (is that a word? or a phrase? It totally should be… Let's google around….) I realized that both events are taking place on 4/6. I'm telling you, this kind of stuff only happens to me. Nice work. So now I'm registered for two different races on 4/6/14 and I'd really like to do them both. However, considering that they take place at the same time in two very different states, this is will not be possible. The emails to try to defer Battenkill to next year have already begun. I've got my fingers crossed that this will all sort itself out. But hey, I won the lottery! Haha!
I prefer the sneaker to the goggles…
2) Master's Swim is going to be the death of me. I've been going to master's swim on and off for the last couple of months. It doesn't really fit my schedule well so I don't go as often as I should or as I would like to. But when I do go, as much as it hurts I'm always happy that I went. Last night's workout was affectionately nicknamed the anti-free style swim workout. We had some freestyle swim, but very little. You should hear all of the triathletes complain (myself included) when we have to do breast stroke, tarzan swim, dolphin kick and the list goes on. I definitely felt like a fish out of water last night. But, I also got to work on some different things that will improve my swim and are strengthening different muscles. This is what Coach Nick told me…. I'm attempting to believe him. I also had the opportunity to laugh a bit as we all struggled our way through the workout. Wednesday night will be my last master swim for a while. I wonder whether it will be that entertaining again. I mean who can't laugh when we everyone is trying to do a dolphin kick and looking a little bit more like a sea-horse moving through the water.
Happy Tuesday Friends! Have you ever registered for two events on the same day? How did you deal with it? Also, have you tried masters swim? Thoughts?


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For any home owner, a house is a never ending project as we continually work to get everything the way we like it. From laying new carpets or flooring, adding a few licks of paint or even building an extension, there are hundreds of elements that we can change to improve our home. However, one of the most beneficial home improvements you could make in the long term is to upgrade your windows.
There are many benefits of investing in new double glazing:
If you have traditional timber windows, you will no doubt understand that they take quite a lot of maintenance to ensure that they remain energy efficient and look good. In contrast, PVCu windows are extremely low maintenance. They will last for a number of years and can simply be wiped down with warm soapy water – there's no need for expensive paint or varnish.
By providing much improved insulation, PVCu double glazed windows can help to keep the heat of your home much more balanced. This allows you to keep your home warm in the colder weather, and cool in the summer months.
Whilst the cost to upgrade your windows may be quite large, in the long term you can stand to save a lot of money. Not only will PVCu windows last for a long time, but the maintenance costs will be extremely low. Due to the improved insulation, with less heat escaping, you will be able to save money on your energy bills as you will not have to turn the heating up as high. Over time, the savings from energy bills could be quite large.
If your home is on a busy road, new windows could be a very worthwhile investment. The improved insulation provided by PVCu windows is not just in terms of temperature, new windows could also help to cut out much more outside noise. If you are kept awake by traffic, loud people on the street, or even distracted by the noise of nearby industry, new windows could be a huge benefit.
New PVCu windows with double glazing are much sturdier than single pane glass. As a result, you can feel much more confident in the security and safety of your home.
For more information on improving your home and upgrading your windows, you can contact KJN Home Improvements today by calling 01329 237 715 to talk to our Fareham office, or 01489 664 455 to talk to our Bishops Waltham team.


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Chuck Johnson, Fireworks Show Designer and Producer
For Chuck Johnson, fireworks are an art. The raw materials are explosions, bright flashes of light, sounds ranging from subtle crackles to deafening booms, and the smell of burnt-black powder. His canvas is the sky. He says, "Fireworks displays are a creative mix of timing explosions to create a tempo with highs and lows and ebbs and flows just like a musical composition."
Chuck, the pyrotechnician for Vortex Productions, is a veteran of the movie and television industry where he works as a special effects artist, blowing up buildings and rigging explosions and fires to appear dangerous. What he's perfected is the art of illusion.
The most important element of any fireworks show, though, is safety. The creative element of a show centers around a safety plan that considers the location, which dictates the size and style of shells that can be ignited for displays that elicit oohs and ahs. Chuck works closely with local fire marshals to ensure safety while allowing the public to get as close as possible to the action.
Producer / Editor
Joe Prokop


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Catalog /
Trade centers
61 Gianitson Str & I. Koletti Str, Thessaloniki 54627
The new big Outlet Mall in northern Greece, which opened recently, is the ultimate destination for shopping at incredibly competitive prices
11o Km Ethnikis Odou Thessalonikis - Moudanion (Dhmos Pulaias), 57001 Thessaloníki, Greece
Shopping and entertainment center Mediterranean Cosmos in Thessaloniki
проспект Кифисиас 37А, Маруси
Attiki str. - Exit 11: Olympiako Stadio/Leof. Kifissias
Building block Е71, Gialou, Spata, Athens
Only 30 minutes from Athens city centre, and 15 minutes from the airport, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Athens offers a unique shopping experience with over 110 stores in an exquisitely designed centre
43 Georgikis Scholis Avenue, Pilea, Thessaloniki
In MEGA OUTLET you can discover a shopping heaven with total surface 15.000 m2 . Here you can find 92 individual stores with over 400 world's leading fashion and lifestyle brands, in very low prices all year round!


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Can anyone tell me the original (or best upgrade) configuration for the Mangusta suspension bushings?
All of the suspension bushings on my Mangusta were rubber with a steel liner at the pivot. I've been informed that these may be modified Pantera bushings and they are not the original Mangusta configuration.
My understanding from the Mangusta parts book is the following:
Front Lower A-arms – Nylon Bushings with steel sleeve (Flanged bushing – 2 required per location)
Front & Rear Shock – "Hyperbloc"????
Mine were rubber bushing with integral steel sleeve.
Front & Rear stabilizer link – "Silentbloc"
Mine were a thin outer steel shell containing rubber bushing with integral steel sleeve.
Rear upright stabilizer link – Nylon bushing with steel sleeve
Rear upright wishbone – Nylon bushing NO steel sleeve
Are these configurations correct? A Google search indicates that Hyperbloc and Silentbloc are used on Ferrari and Lambo. What is Hyperbloc? What is Silentbloc?
Original Post


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The Georgia Department of Education Wednesday named 79 of the state's highest performing schools with a high population of low-income students and another 156 that have made the biggest academic strides with those students, who are often associated with troubled and unstable homes.
"These schools are shining examples of what we can achieve in public education in Georgia," State School Superintendent John Barge said in a statement. "I want to take what's working at our Reward Schools and replicate that in every school in the state. These are the schools making education work for all Georgians."
The high-performing and high-progress schools, named "reward schools" under the state's new accountability system, also managed to make significant progress in closing the achievement gaps between white students and students of color and to increase graduation rates.
The list includes 46 schools from metro Atlanta.
Local educators from those schools attributed their success to innovative programs and high standards despite deep austerity cuts.
"This recognition is really due to teachers' hard work and high expectations coupled with the support of our parents," said Kim Herron the principal of Fayetteville Intermediate School, which was named among the top performing schools in the state for the first time. "It's a team effort."
Normally, the state gives its top performing schools extra Title I money to spend on innovative programs or hiring new teachers. But that won't happen this year because the state received less Title I money than it expected, said Matt Cardoza, a state education department spokesman.
The state created the new accountability system for its Title 1 schools, or those with a high percentage of low-income students, after it received a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act in February. Under the Act, schools faced harsh sanctions for failing to improve test scores.
Under the new system, the state categorizes schools as priority, focus and reward schools depending on graduation rates and progress on state assessment tests. State officials created a special "alert" category so they could give assistance to schools that don't receive federal Title 1 money but have lower than average graduation rates and test scores.
To be classified as "highest-performing," a school's test scores and graduation rates must fall in the top five percent among Title I schools for three consecutive years.
To be classified as "High-Progress", a school's academic gains must fall in the top ten percent of Title 1 schools for three consecutive years.
At Fayetteville Intermediate School, Herron said the staff holds reading and math nights where parents can learn how to help their children at home. On Thursdays, struggling students are pulled aside to learn the next week's lesson plan.
"We have to use the precious time we have with them wisely," Herron said.
At North Clayton High School, which was named a "high-progress" school, principal Derrick Dalton said teachers recently began testing students more frequently throughout the year to determine their skill level. After lectures, they group students depending on their performance level so they can spend extra time with them.
The recognition was a bright spot for the staff, Dalton said.
Clayton County Schools' accreditation was recently threatened by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Six of Clayton County's schools were named "reward schools" Wednesday. Fifteen of its schools were deemed "focus schools" for its low test scores in March.
"We deal with perception on a daily basis," Dalton said. "We know how we're seen from outside the county. People are quick to say we have bad schools. But this is a blessing right here. This is a sign that good things are happening and that we're producing."
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OpenSSH (OpenBSD Secure Shell) is a set of computer programs providing encrypted communication sessions over a computer network using the SSH protocol.
OpenSSH is a FREE version of the SSH connectivity tools that technical users of the Internet rely on. Users of telnet, rlogin, and ftp may not realize that their password is transmitted across the Internet unencrypted, but it is. OpenSSH encrypts all traffic (including passwords) to effectively eliminate eavesdropping, connection hijacking, and other attacks. Additionally, OpenSSH provides secure tunneling capabilities and several authentication methods, and supports all SSH protocol versions.


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How to select a BPO Call Center for your business
So how to choose which BPO call center is perfect for your business Follow the mentionedbelow tips and see how easy it becomes to select the right vendor.
How to select a BPO Call Center for your business?
The decision to outsource your business function to a third-party company is never easy. You have the fear of losing control of that business task, plus there are other risks such as confidentiality breach, data theft, etc. You have to be extremely careful and have to be on your toes while …


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Hearing Clearly
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7 ESV
The entire city of Cremona, Italy, recently was ordered to keep quiet. Everyone was urged to avoid any "sudden and unnecessary sounds."
The purpose was to record accurately the sounds of instruments made by Antonio Stradivarius and other craftsmen. Elaborate procedures assured an atmosphere of absolute silence and pristine conditions to record each instrument.
This care was necessary because over time, the distinctive sound of these instruments had been fading.
The curator of the Cremona museum devoted to musical instruments observed that each Stradivarius had "its own personality." But their distinctive sounds "will inevitably change," and could even be lost within just a few decades. "After they reach a certain age, they become too fragile to be played and they 'go to sleep,' so to speak."
The dedication of the people of Cremona illustrates the importance of having ears to hear. They created conditions so sounds could be heard clearly and each instrument was allowed to speak in its own voice.
These principles apply in our spiritual lives. The world can be a noisy place. How critical it is that we find times and places when we can fellowship with God to clearly hear His still, small voice. Only then can we learn from Him and receive the guidance and direction He has prepared for each of us.
Today, seek to make time for God, a time to hear from Him and the words He has just for you.
How to Hear God's Voice Above the Noise
Have you ever wondered how to hear God's voice above the noise of daily life?
Sometimes we hear people say, "God told me such-and-such," and we secretly wonder, How did you know that was God?
Elizabeth Alves wrote,
'God spoke to me' is one of the most misunderstood phrases among His people; it can create misunderstanding, confusion, hurt, rejection, jealousy, pride and other negative responses. Perhaps you have run into someone who feels he or she has an edge on hearing from God . . . If you are unfamiliar with the phrase 'God told me,' or you do not understand how to hear God's voice, you might feel inferior, thinking God never speaks to you.
If you've never heard God speak to you through the Holy Spirit, don't worry. I believe you'll begin to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit as your prayer life becomes more active and powerful. You may hear the Spirit speak within your mind and heart as your communion with God deepens. The development of active listening skills and a quiet, expectant spirit are keys to hearing from the Lord.
We battle busyness and distractions as well as emotional stresses, such as exhaustion, depression, fear, anger, grief, and anxiety. Satan loves to ratchet up the emotional chaos in our lives to keep us from walking in fellowship with God. He jam-packs our days with noisy distractions in his efforts to get us to tune God out.
Why are we so addicted to activity and noise?
Because we're afraid to be alone with our own thoughts. We're afraid of quiet and solitude. We avoid peaceful fellowship with our Savior because we fear that we might not be good enough without all our "stuff." We're afraid of what God might say to us or ask us to do if we sit still long enough to hear Him speak. We're not quite sure how to handle the sacred responsibility of being still and knowing that He is God (see Psalm 46:10).
At certain times in Scripture (especially in the Old Testament), God spoke clearly and audibly to His people. According to Job 40:6, God once spoke to Job out of a whirlwind. Habakkuk knew the sound of God speaking to him (Habakkuk 2:2). Elijah described the sound of God speaking as "a still small voice" in 1 Kings 19:12.
God has already spoken to us through natural revelation (His creation) and through special revelation (His Word). He may also choose to communicate with us at times through other methods, such as books, movies, videos, sermons, our conversations with other people, and our personal experiences.
When we've been faithfully praying for God's answer, we may hear that answer in the most unexpected way, at a spontaneous and surprising time. Sometimes God speaks to us in what seem to be the strangest and most chaotic moments. His "voice" (the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking within our hearts) cuts through the noise inside our souls as He makes His will and His message clear.
I've never heard God's voice audibly, but I've heard the Holy Spirit "speaking" within my heart. It's unmistakable.
Hearing God's voice has happened to me most often when I was in the middle of a period of waiting, praying about an important issue in my life or the lives of my children, or transitioning from one life stage to the next.
Hearing God's Voice
From: allaboutprayer.org
Hearing God's Voice – Are You Ready to Listen?
Hearing God's voice is something we all long for-but did you know that it's not hard to do? In fact, God wants you to hear His voice! He doesn't speak to us through a quiver in our liver or through vibes or mediums. Hearing the voice of God is as natural as hearing your best friend talk to you. What's more, we can hear Him everyday and not just on special occasions or by chanting special incantations. He speaks to us in the natural moments of life. Do you want to hear God's voice? Then you must be ready to listen.
Hearing God's Voice – Why Do You Want to Hear Him?
Why do you want to hear God's voice? That may sound like a silly question, but motives are important in anything we do. The Bible says this about God's Word: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
Do you want to hear God's voice? If you do, it's possible you're hearing Him already, for He may be the one giving you the longing to hear Him.
Hearing God's Voice in the Bible
In his book Knowing God, J. I. Packer says, "God has spoken to man, and the Bible is His Word, given to us to make us wise unto salvation."
The Bible itself declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). In another place, we read: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16).
You may hear people say that the Bible is just a book written by men, but the Bible itself claims to be God's Word! Can we rely on it? The evidence of history, archaeology, fulfilled prophecy and personal testimony over thousands of years is overwhelming that the Bible is, indeed, God's Word. Do you want to hear God's voice? Then read the Bible. Find a good daily reading plan, and stick to it.
Hearing God's Voice through Prayer
When you want to have a conversation with someone, how do you begin? Do you stand in front of the person and hope they will talk to you? That might work, if the other person is outgoing enough, but usually we begin a conversation by opening our own mouths and talking, engaging the other person's attention. It's the same with God! He loves to hear us talk to Him, and it's in those moments that we prepare ourselves to hear the voice of God. Prayer is like saying, "Hello, God, it's me. I believe You created me and that You know way more about how I should live my life than I do. I'd like to get to know You better. Here's what's going on in my life, and I'd sure like Your thoughts on how to handle it. Would You please speak to me about this today?"
In an ordinary conversation, we speak, then listen for the response of the other person. It's the same with God! Once we've prepared our hearts to listen through prayer, we're more likely to hear the voice of God. Does He speak to us through an audible voice? Some claim He does, but usually that's not the case. We may not actually "hear" the voice of God, but He speaks to us in many ways. Here are some of them:
- God speaks through His Word
- God speaks through our thoughts
- God speaks through conversations with others
- God speaks through circumstances


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Over the last year I have started becoming more confident in sharing my on and off relationship with the "black dog" of depression. If Facebook asked me to define my happiness status, it would be "It's complicated".
The personal challenge I face talking about this is that I can't help but feeling like it's terribly narcissistic to give oxygen to thoughts or opinions on the matter.
'Athletes, executives & soldiers; these are guys who have isolated themselves, are suffering in silence, and would prefer to risk self-destruction rather than break the ultimate taboo for an alpha male – which is to put your hand up and say "I'm hurting"'
Who am I to think I have something to offer?
Does this mean I am not the invincible, red-blooded war-machine character I have built for myself?
What will people think of me to express myself like that?
In a world where we have livestream media coverage showing genocide and famine, who needs to listen to a 35 year old fledgling meathead talk about feeling a little gloomy?
Whether this is my ego, the spotlight-effect, or some rational reservations given my profile in the fitness industry – it has proven almost more challenging to articulate my personal battles with depression, as it is to overcome the depression itself.
And herein lies the problem…
Anytime I have posted anything on the topic of "depression", my inbox goes into overdrive with dozens upon dozens of people reaching out in solidarity, as well as confiding that they too, are in a dark place.
Often, these people are men.
And men, who like me, have built a character around being a pillar of strength, resilience, to the point of being an almost emotional void. Athletes, executives and soldiers, these are guys who have isolated themselves, are suffering in silence, and would prefer to risk self-destruction rather than break the ultimate taboo for an alpha male – which is to put your hand up and say "I'm hurting".
Luckily, the seeds of change have been planted by some brilliant people and organisations before me; and we seem to be in the early stages of messages and movements where we can encourage others to seek help by displaying our own vulnerability.
So, in the interest of providing any limited value, I will briefly disclose my story and the process that has pretty much served me my personal salvation.
My Backstory
Around the age of 12, alcoholism and physical abuse was the common theme of daily life growing up with my father. Most nights were spent in an incoherent altercation with an unpredictable man – who at any minute could either shift gears into a lecture on foreign policy, or use his 120kg frame to turn an adolescent boy into a punching bag.
'Suicide was no longer something which baited me in times of despair – it was then the only option I believed I had.'
Whilst the fear of violence underpinned this period, the real danger was having a front-row seat in watching mental health problems go undiagnosed, unrecognised, and unspoken.
My escapism as a 12-year-old boy was lifting weights and martial arts. Anything which would make me stronger, more confident, and more aggressive. In the absence of emotional understanding, I felt the need to build my physical armour, quickly.
My Spiral
Whilst sport and exercise were saviours for me in early adolescence, in my later teenage years, I failed to resist the temptations on offer to an aggressive young man who desperately wanted to prove himself to the world.
At 21 years of age, I hit my first "rock-bottom".
I was a highly functional drug-addict. At the time, a business collapse coincided perfectly with a relationship split. It was now clear that people in my life were using me and dragging me into a world I had no place in; and I had comprehensively convinced myself that my future involved either death, jail, or at absolute best, a long life of utter mediocrity.
Suicide was no longer something which baited me in times of despair. It was then the only option I believed I had.
'Little did I know that this day would be my baptism, and this gym would become my church.'
The memory of that afternoon will last with me for life. There was no more pain or grief. I actually felt liberated and completely emotionally detached from the realisation that I was about to take my own life. There was a zen-like calm around committing to hit the "game-over" button.
There are some "technical details" of that day which we don't have time to discuss in this post, but it's safe to say that I survived.
In that moment, I decided that if I was going to live another 24 hours, something needed to change. Immediately. I had no idea what, or how; I just knew I couldn't be left alone. My last remaining energy was focused on simply not pulling the trigger.
Exercise had been my safety blanket as a child, perhaps that was the answer.
That afternoon I drove to a boxing gym. It was closed! But across the street stood a filthy old-school bodybuilding gym that did happen to be open, and were happy to accept a few dollars for a day-pass. Little did I know that this day would be my baptism, and this gym would become my church.
My Renaissance
The next few years, I became completely, obsessively, committed to "rebuilding the man". This was both an inward journey, and an external manifestation.
I craved the pain of each workout. The harder I could make each workout, the longer and the more frequent, the better.
We all have different ways to practice mindfulness, and at that time, mine was in the feeling of steel pushing against my skeleton; where the only thing I focused on was ensuring I pushed my body way past the point that my mind wanted to stop.
I noticed myself becoming more confident, more optimistic, and more fulfilled. I didn't need to justify this to anyone. I knew that my body and mind were becoming stronger in unison.
I realised that as I embraced harder workouts, I also embraced bigger challenges in business, relationships, and areas of personal growth. A new sense of confidence now permeated into every area of my life, and it filled me with an incredible sense of gratitude for finding my own personal ladder out of the dark hole of depression.
This has been the driving force behind my passion for sharing the gift of health and fitness with an evangelical approach – to anyone and everyone who will listen. Whether it is my own empathy or ego, I no longer see what I do as an "opportunity", but an obligation. If one life can be saved as a by-product of whatever I create past this point, then I am certain to leave this world one degree better than I would have 14 years ago.
For the next 14 years, I consciously created Mr. "Get Sh*T Done". I avoided excuses like the plague, and wouldn't accept them from others either.
Nothing could penetrate my armour. I had read hundreds of books, completed thousands of workouts, and spent tens of thousands of hours in deep reflective thought.
I was now, truly, invincible.
Or so I thought….
In 2016 I again experienced business collapse, bankruptcy, betrayal, relationship breakdowns and complete physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.
'Your depression is 110% your responsibility.'
My right arm was paralysed by an extremely rare nerve condition triggered by stress, and I once again found myself in an incredibly dark headspace.
Whilst the external factors were objectively worse than my demise as a young man, I navigated this period very differently based on the work I had done since then.
Rather than react, and again carry the victim card that I had used earlier in life, I knew that I could endure these challenges based on the toolkit of mental weapons I had fine-tuned.
My 'Depression' Diary
Step 1: Own it
Your depression is 110% your responsibility.
Your trauma, abuse, addiction or chemical imbalance is not fair, and you did not deserve it. But being depressed is a mind-set that we prolong and amplify by remaining in that victim mentality.
By "owning the black dog", we majestically realise that we now have the power to change it. Failure to do this means that the key to salvation lies in the hands of other people, or perhaps an event that happened in the past.
Accountability and ownership is one of the first steps to freedom.
Step 2: Quantify it
This is where it gets a little existential.
Whilst your soul or consciousness is up to your own beliefs, your body is simply a bunch of carbon matter; that being one of the 8 billion humans occupying this planet right now.
This planet has been around for over 13 billion years, and it's currently hurtling through space and time – for forseeable infinity.
How big are your problems now? You think that you're the first person to be in this situation? Could there perhaps be some simple solutions to your complicated problem?
Step 3: Define it
What is one physical behaviour you believe most personifies the negative feelings that cloud your mind? When we feel worthless, or broken, our actions tend to reflect this.
It may be a stress-response, like emotional eating, or self-destructive behaviour, like substance abuse. I truly believe that bad actions are simply bad reactions; and if we are aware of this, we can start to attack it.
Define that behaviour and you give yourself the parameters with which to destroy it.
Step 4: Move it
Anyone who says that physical exercise won't cure mental health issues is probably right.
But I am yet to find a more powerful vehicle of massive, transformative, positive change as simply exhausting your body physically.
'Whatever you choose, attack it like your life depends on it – because it might.'
Something profound happens when our bodies hurt, when our lungs are on fire; when we are simply getting blood flow that the body may never have experienced before.
It may be the result of something as simple as walking, or as intense as blasting 18 CrossFit classes in 8 days. The key to this is to replace negative thought with the meditative magic of being totally present in the activity you're engaged in.
Whatever you choose, attack it like your life depends on it – because it might.
Step 5: Replicate it
The key to any change in life – whether professional, financial, physical or psychological – is about trajectory. You are either moving forwards, or backwards. Whatever your massive disruptive action is, the key is to become obsessively focussed on keeping it consistent.
A moment of inspiration is easy. But the inspiration is not your goal. Your challenge is maintaining that over time, and that requires a bulletproof commitment to yourself that nothing and nobody can steer you off course.
Step 6: Share it
The biggest thing I have always tried to promote to those I have coached is to take their opportunity to "pay it forward".
Being solely focused on your own headspace may be crucial at the early stages of your journey, but eventually it can become a very lonely and self-centred place.
Taking a role of responsibility in the life of someone else is not only a beautiful distraction to any emotional scars remaining within you, it also gives an incredible sense of achievement. A sense that you in some small way acted as a catalyst for someone else to be encouraged and inspired by story.
As we encourage and empower others, we are also encouraging and empowering ourselves.
As simple as it sounds, I truly believe that this is how we change the world: through a cascade of passion and purpose on uplifting those we have the ability and power to serve.
About Alex de Fina
Alex is the Founder & CEO of Pherform and creator of the FST system. Twice voted Hong Kong's Best Trainer, he has also created some of the most successful female fitness brands in Asia Pacific.
If you feel like you need help and support managing anxiety and depression, we encourage you to contact your local support hotline.


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Press releases
Industry leader verified as best-in-class across all 9 Operating Principles for Impact […]
MedGenome, the leading genetic diagnostics, research and data company focused on expanding […]
London and Singapore, 12 February 2020: LeapFrog Investments, the Profit with Purpose […]
First female Prime Minister of Australia and eminent Asia business leaders will […]
LeapFrog Investments has announced the largest-ever private equity fund by a dedicated impact fund manager, surging past its $600m target to reach $700m.
The Principles bring greater transparency, credibility, and discipline to the impact investing market
Total equity raised by the company now stands at INR 1,400 crore
The initiatives will be led by the Gender Parity Acceleration Working Group of the EMPEA ESG Community
Growing at 2x the market for six consecutive years, Softlogic Life is known for many industry firsts such as mobile insurance
The unique finance product, JUMO Drive, has been successfully piloted in Kenya, with the intention to expand the offering across Sub-Saharan Africa in 2019
The partners will launch the country's first online platform with the potential to significantly improve access to financial services for millions of underserved consumers
The Council will provide strategic guidance and network to help reach one billion emerging consumers
LeapFrog's decade of experience in impact measurement led to co-creation of the 9 principles
The rebranding reflects both the evolution of the company as well as its vision for the future
The latest investment follows on from LeapFrog's recent investments in Ascent Meditech, a leading Indian medical products company, and Goodlife Pharmacy, now the largest pharmacy brand in East Africa
The investment will tap into the rapidly growing $100 billion Indian healthcare market and expand the company's export footprint
Dr. Andy Kuper, founder and CEO of LeapFrog, has received the 2018 Founder's Award and Gold Medal from the International Insurance Society for his pioneering work
The investment in ARM Pensions will tap a rapidly growing pensions market, with a particular focus on deepening reach into the vast group of emerging consumers in Nigeria
The company is on target to rise to address the health needs of 5.5 million emerging consumers
LeapFrog expects to benefit from Frances's expertise in navigating the complexities of the regulatory environments for both financial services and healthcare in Asia and Africa
LeapFrog, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Cartica Management LLC will be part of the association's first industry initiative aimed at addressing the gender gap in emerging market private equity
LeapFrog's investment has enabled Petra Trust to scale swiftly to become the country's largest independent pensions trustee
The list recognises outstanding impact investment funds with a demonstrated positive social, environmental and financial impact
Through a combination of capital, products and partnerships, Northern Arc and its subsidiaries have created a platform that connects millions of borrowers to mainstream debt investors
The appointments further bolster LeapFrog's team of investment professionals who are focused on scaling some of the most innovative emerging-market financial companies
Veteran of East African Healthcare, Amaan Khalfan, appointed as Goodlife CEO
New category of lending for small and medium-sized enterprises with underwriting based on digital payment transaction data
BIMA has sold 30m policies in 14 emerging market countries since 2010
LeapFrog invests in WorldRemit, a disruptive industry leader employing innovative technology to reach emerging consumers with fast, secure, low-cost remittance services
PFI invests cornerstone $1.5million USD in the LeapFrog Talent Accelerator
Andrew Kuper, LeapFrog's Founder and CEO appointed by EMPEA, the global industry association for private capital in emerging markets to serve on its Board of Directors
The Mastercard Foundation presented its Clients at the Centre Prize to South African financial services marketplace company Jumo
Five acquisitions of LeapFrog companies in a year by global and Indian investors signal continued momentum in India's financial inclusion revolution
LeapFrog exits its shareholding in Mahindra Insurance Brokers to XL Group, a global leader in reinsurance
A decade of focus on the growth markets of Asia and Africa has driven LeapFrog's performance
The commitment to Enterprise Group marks the largest ever investment in Ghana's insurance sector
LeapFrog invests in Cignifi, a big data platform powering large-scale financial inclusion in emerging markets
AllLife Group has announced a landmark agreement with Royal London, UK's largest mutual life, pensions and investments company
LeapFrog announces investment in high-growth microfinance institution in India
A testament to the high growth of the Indian financial sector, and strategic interest of global institutions in companies leading financial inclusion
LeapFrog announces move into healthcare with the largest direct investment in East African retail pharmacy sector to date
A major boost for financial inclusion in India and demonstrates the attractiveness of this market
Stuart will oversee all LeapFrog's legal functions, further strengthening governance, risk management and transaction capabilities
LeapFrog Investments today announced that its portfolio companies now employ 102,438 people in Asia, Africa and Latin America
LeapFrog announces its annual results, demonstrating unprecedented success and scale for profit-with-purpose businesses
LeapFrog announces leaders of a global team for healthcare investments
LeapFrog acquires a majority stake in Ghana's UT Life Insurance Company Ltd
Prudential and LeapFrog launch $350 million investment partnership
LeapFrog appoints Karima Ola and Nick Moon as partners
LeapFrog Investments is set to receive up to $200m from OPIC.
$45m investment to boost Reliance's focus on the vast emerging middle-class
Partnership will extend Magma's deep reach into rural India
Growth capital for a fast-growing fintech platform offering life-changing financial tools across sub-Saharan Africa
Thailand's second largest auto insurer aims to capture rapid insurance growth in underpenetrated markets
Investment to springboard expansion into East Africa's under-served general insurance market
Successful exit, as LeapFrog sells stake in Kenyan insurer to Swiss Re
Fund to tap historic demand for financial services from 2 billion emerging consumers in Africa and Asia
LeapFrog invests $29m in IFMR Capital to enable affordable and efficient access to finance for millions across India
Investment aims to capitalise on dramatic growth in Africa's pension markets
Transaction marks entry of a global insurer into the fast-growing African insurance industry
LeapFrog raises initial $204m as insurers and asset managers eye emerging consumer markets


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Denise Bancroft
Prior to working at CCIG, Denise received her certification in medical assisting where she worked for 27 years. Denise brings a positive light to the CCIG team with her passion for serving others and commitment to her work ethic. She works each day to ensure our clients are well cared for and their needs are met. Denise loves spending time with her family and attending church. She and her husband Ladd, have two children.


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- The new Supercentre in Longueuil opened its doors on September 28th.
- This prototype store is the 5th in Canada and offers multiple innovations providing a renewed shopping experience focused on customer convenience.
- The store also launched the new "Scan & Go" technology, the first of its kind in Quebec.
Montreal, QC – September 28, 2017 – This morning, Walmart Canada unveiled its brand new Montérégie Supercentre, located at 1999, boulevard Roland-Therrien, in Longueuil. The event also served as the official launch for the first prototype store in Quebec featuring many innovations including Scan & Go, as well as, the new grocery pickup service.
"We are pleased to offer our Montérégie customers a new Supercentre, which will allow them to enjoy an enhanced, more convenient and faster shopping experience. This type of store clearly shows how we listen to our customers and want to continuously improve and expand our offering in order to keep being at the forefront of a changing retail landscape", stated Cyrille Ballereau, Vice-President of Operations for Eastern Canada.
A totally renewed and redefined shopping experience
The Longueuil prototype will be the first store in Quebec to use the Scan & Go technology. This service will allow customers to pick up a portable barcode scanner as soon as they enter the store. Customers can then start shopping while scanning the items they wish to purchase as they go along. Their itemized receipt will instantly be displayed on the portable scanner, allowing them to keep track of their budget. Once at the checkout, all the customers need to do is proceed with the payment.
Furthermore, this Supercentre will now offer the new grocery pickup service. Beginning today, customers can order their groceries online and pick up their purchase at the store at their desired timeslot. The groceries will be packed in advance by a specially trained associate who will select the best products. Another associate will then place the groceries in the customer's car as soon as he arrives at the store.
In keeping with Walmart's goal to meet and exceed the expectations of their customers and to listen to their needs, several innovations were implemented at the store. Product display and floor plans were redesigned and upgraded. The store's design has also been renewed, thanks to a new modern color palette and revised signage. Checkouts have three-way conveyor belts making it easier to fill reusable shopping bags.
One-stop shop and exceptional food offerings
The new store provides a wide range of products, including electronics, decorative items, groceries and clothing, in order to shop everyday low price merchandise under one roof. Moreover, as a Supercentre, the store offers a full range of imported premium quality fruits and vegetables, in addition to fruits and vegetables from Quebec, as well as, a large selection of organic products. Among the fresh meats available, we find 100% Canadian Angus beef, Maple Leaf chicken, pork and sausages and Canadian salmon.
Proud partner of Aliments du Québec since 2011, Walmart wants to encourage regional producers and suppliers and strives daily to offer its customers fresh local produce at the lowest price.
"Helping our customers save money every week is a priority for Walmart. We are happy to be able to provide a full range of quality products and fresh foods, making it possible for our customers to buy their every essentials and their groceries at low prices and in one place", stated Store Manager, Valérie Clermont.
Celebrations for the opening will continue on Saturday September 30th, when the store will host a big party from 11 am to 3 pm. During this event, kids can get their faces painted and customers can enjoy musical performances and refreshments, as well as, receive free samples.
About Walmart Supercentre in Longueuil
- 185 Associates, of which, 100 newly created jobs
- 143,000 square feet in size
- 55th Supercentre in Quebec
- First prototype store in the province
About Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada operates a growing chain of 410 stores nationwide serving more than 1.2 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, www.walmart.ca, is visited by 600,000 customers daily. With more than 90,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart has raised and donated more than $275 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca, facebook.com/walmartcanada and at twitter.com/walmartcanada.
For further information:
Mélodie Nobile
Morin Relations Publiques
438 889-6084
Alex Roberton
Senior Director of Corporate Affairs
Walmart Canada
(514) 210-7514


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Hiroshi Sugimoto needs no introduction. His artistic career spanning over forty years has been the subject of numerous museum and gallery shows around the world. Sugimoto's photographic works form part of the most distinguished art collections in his home country, Japan, and internationally. His photographs, an expression of "time exposed" in Sugimoto's own words, serve as a time capsule where physicality is transcendent. The lesser known architectural and design works which Sugimoto has been tirelessly devoting his time to in the recent decade capture this essence. He says that "as a boy, I loved making models. Later, my interest was to shift to photographs, another "modelized" version of the real world."
TEXT: Julia Tarasyuk
IMAGES: (c) Hiroshi Sugimoto/Courtesy of NMRL
Hiroshi Sugimoto's interest in architecture flourished in his 90s photographic series with the eponymous title. In 2007 in preparation of the show Hiroshi Sugimoto: History of History at the Royal Ontario Museum he faced a struggle – the newly designed Daniel Libeskind wing of the museum was nothing short of challenging for any artist to work with. Difficulties in finding practical and spiritual comfort in spaces masterminded by well-known architects enabled Sugimoto to refine his own sense of space. It was a visual learning process through which Sugimoto polished his ideas of a building that radiated harmony.
In 2008 Hiroshi Sugimoto and architect Tomoyuki Sakakida established New Material Research Laboratory (NMRL) – an architectural studio where Sugimoto's philosophy "traditional materials are the new materials" serves as the main concept. Quintessentially Japanese principles of bringing the past into the future unfolds flawlessly in every project conceived by Sugimoto, realized with the help of Tomoyuki Sakakida, and NMRL team. Ancient construction methods are used to create truly modern settings. Antique materials are being collected to later be incorporated them in spatial designs. This approach proves to be unique for this architectural studio. Sugimoto works with the best artisans to apply traditional craftsmanship into contemporary spaces.
There are over a dozen places in Sugimoto's native Tokyo to enjoy his sculptural and design works and these are must-visits for anyone who wants to grasp the artist's profound philosophical approach to bringing spirituality into everyday life.
Sundial Otemachi Place (2 Chome-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku)
Recently unveiled public sculpture Sundial in the middle a busy high-rise neighborhood of Tokyo is precisely what it says it is – a giant 11m sundial made of pure aluminum. Sundial, installed in 2018 facing Alexander Liberman's bright red Olympic Iliad, is rooted in Sugimoto's Mathematical Models sculpture series, which attempts to transform mathematical equations into objects with the use of cutting edge computer technologies. Standing in front of Sundial surrounded by the sky scrapers of Otemachi area, you can't help but reflect on how far we've come from ancient Egyptian and Babylonian astronomy to which we attribute the earliest archeological references of shadow clocks to the present day.
Christie's Tokyo Office (Meiji Seimei Kan 4F, 2-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku)
The Tokyo office of the renowned auction house Christie's is an artwork in itself. Sugimoto and NMRL designed the exhibition galleries in 2012 to showcase the sales highlights. The inaugural show featured the photographical works by Sugimoto himself. Visit when the sales' centrepieces are touring around Asia and you'll be amazed how miraculously this contemporary space cocoons masterpieces by Rothko, Pollock, Picasso, Monet and the like.
Gallery Koyanagi (Koyanagi Bldg. 9F, 1-7-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku)
One of the oldest contemporary art establishments in Japan, Gallery Koyanagi was founded in 1987 by Atsuko Koyanagi. Started as a space for contemporary ceramics it quickly evolved into a platform to showcase cutting- edge artworks and photography that failed to get much exposure in Japan at that time. The reason for such a change in programming was Atsuko meeting Hiroshi Sugimoto who just came back to live in Japan from the US and struggled to find a contemporary art gallery to work with. Sugimoto became Koyanagi's lifelong partner and the artist of the gallery, and couple of years ago Gallery Koyanagi re-opened in a new space designed by the master. A very inviting gallery space possesses everything that Sugimoto's design is about, the highlight being a viewing room. You will never want to leave this warm and engaging space in earthy tones filled with Sugimoto's signature designs one of them being a giant shoji (paper screen) composed only of vertical crosspieces. The delicate light structure is a reference to the traditional Japanese design element brilliantly transformed with the contemporary technologies.
Lounge SIX at Ginza SIX (6 Chome-10-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku)
The newest addition to the Tokyo retail scene, Ginza Six, created by the legendary Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi, hides another design gem – the Lounge space for members of the department store who yearly spend over $10K. Ginza always had a special place in Sugimoto's heart. His family home was right in the heart of the area. Before the war they had a beauty products business and Sugimoto's early childhood memories were intertwined with the legendary fashion neighborhood. Paying homage to his most precious souvenirs, in the Ginza Six Lounge Sugimoto and New Material Research Laboratory introduced the very core of their philosophy and signature design elements including shoji screen and tin wall panels. The interior is an epitome of the Japanese style iki, chic, which creates the certain rustic simplicity with the most refined tools. A private shopping experience has never been more sophisticated.
London gallery Shirokane & Roppongi
(3 Chome-1-15 Shirokane, Minato-ku) / (6 Chome-6-9 Roppongi, Minato-ku)
London Gallery in Shirokane and Roppongi areas is run by a father and son antique dealer duo who specialize in Asian art including the arts of Japan, Korea and China and mainly focus on Buddhist art, folding screens, hanging scrolls, ceramics and other crafts. With a background in antique dealing and a vast collection of Asian art, Sugimoto had a perfect vision of the gallery space. Both venues possess a Zen-like atmosphere where time very much stands still. Serenity aptly defines the design which creates a perfect home for the antique masterpieces. With an astonishing attention to detail the gallery space is a breathing and living environment which tells the story of every object.
Isetan Salone (Tokyo Midtown Galleria 1-2F, 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku)
The new Isetan Salone concept store in Tokyo Midtown centre in Roppongi came about in 2015, marking one of the first projects in retail for Hiroshi Sugimoto and NMRL. It was a challenging task to imagine how the space would evolve with clothes and accessories on display but even with colourful fashion distractions, the signature design by Sugimoto and NMRL is largely present. Walking up the stairs to the second floor, take a moment to admire the wall covered with tin panels reminiscent of shiny fish scales. This technique, unique to the NMRL, has been inspired by the so-called billboard architecture that flourished in Japan after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. Sugimoto and his team revived the use of tin panels characteristic of the billboard architecture and transformed it into contemporary design elements. The panels are applied by highly skilled craftsmen, who later wash the surface with special acid to create a distinctive texture.
Sahsya Kanetanaka (3-6-1 Kitaaoyama, Minato-ku)
A meal at Sahsya Kanetanaka is a treat of all sorts, a gastronomic and an aesthetic one. The contemporary kaiseki restaurant centers around the serene design by Hiroshi Sugimoto and NMRL. Entering the restaurant building, look up to admire one of the Sugimoto's sculptures from Conceptual forms and mathematical models series. This silver cone is said to be pointing at Rio de Janeiro. Then look down – the paving tiles, another signature element of Sugimoto and NMRL's designs, are produced by onishi, Japanese tile craftsmen, who make tiles for an important Todaiji Temple in Nara. The unique tiles, commonly used in the ancient times, have a handcrafted surface boasting a very subtle gradient of lights and shade. At Sahsya Kanetanaka the centerpiece is the garden, which guests can observe through the giant glass wall while enjoying the meal. Japanese garden design holds a special place in Sugimoto's heart and the beauty of this very intimate and peaceful green oasis in the middle of bustling shopping area of Tokyo is simply divine.
Hara Museum of Contemporary Art (4-7-25 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku)
While working on his solo exhibition at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshi Sugimoto made a curatorial decision, which later highly impacted his design practice. The glass rotunda where one of his sculptures was exhibited had a rather unattractive view of an AC unit. Sugimoto's solution was to cover it with a fence sculpture made of bamboo brooms. The readymade material later found its permanent place in the portfolio of Sugimoto's designs. Bamboo brooms offer a variation of the traditional bamboo fences used in the traditional sukiya-style architecture. It is said that the broom also refers to a legend of Kyoto people. Being extremely polite and evasive, Kyoto hosts will never dare to ask their guests to leave. They'll insist you stay for dinner, and then for tea and after, for never ending drinks. But beware if you see the broom upside down. It's a sign your hosts want you to leave! This won't ever happen at the Hara Museum so you can enjoy Sugimoto's brooms at your hearts content.
If your travels take you outside Tokyo, make sure to add other Sugimoto and NMRL designed venues to your itinerary: Enoura Observatory, Izu photo museum and MOA museum, all within an hour and a half drive from central Tokyo.
Where else to see Hiroshi Sugimoto and NMRL designs in Tokyo in 2019:
New Material Research Laboratory ・ New Material X Old Material
21 October 2018 to 3 March 2019
Archi-Depot Museum
Cartier, Crystallization of Time (Exhibition design by New Material Research Laboratory)
2 October to 16 December 2019
The National Art Center, Tokyo
About the artist
Hiroshi Sugimoto was born in 1948 in Tokyo. He took his earliest photographs in high school, photographing film footage of Audrey Hepburn as it played in a movie theater. After receiving a BA from Saint Paul's University in Tokyo in 1970, he traveled west, first encountering communist countries such as the Soviet Union and Poland, and later Western Europe. In 1971, he visited Los Angeles and decided to stay, receiving a BFA from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles in 1972. In 1974, he moved to New York. In 1976 he visited the city's American Museum of Natural History for the first time and he was intrigued by the lifelike qualities of the dioramas of animals and people. These provided the subject matter for the first of his Dioramas series, which, along with the Seascapes and Theaters series (deadpan, near-abstract photographs of such sites), were conceived between 1976 and 1977 and have continued through the present. He has since developed other ongoing series, including photographs of waxwork-museum figures, drive-in theaters, and Buddhist sculptures, all of which similarly blur distinctions between the real and the fictive. In Praise of Shadows (1998) is a series of photographs based on Gerhard Richter's paintings of burning candles. His Architecture series (2000–03) consists of blurred images of well-known examples of Modernist architecture. In 2004, Sugimoto began to photograph Richard Serra'Äôs torqued spiral sculpture Joe, exploring the work'Äôs dynamic viewpoints and dramatic manipulations of light and shadow; for the publication of this suite of photographs, novelist Jonathan Safran Foer contributed an adjacent textual component. The series Conceptual Forms (also 2004) takes up the subject of Industrial Revolution-era mechanical models used to demonstrate the movements of the rapidly advancing machines of the day. Favoring black-and-white, Sugimoto has continued to use the same camera, a turn-of-the-century box camera, throughout his career.
Sugimoto has had solo exhibitions at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Osaka (1989), Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles (1994), Centre International d'Art Contemporain in Montreal (1995), Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston (1996), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2000), Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin and Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (2000), Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago (2003), Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. (2006), and Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin (2008), among other venues. He has also participated in numerous international group exhibitions, among them The Art of Memory/The Loss of History at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York (1985), Carnegie International (1991), Japanese Art After 1945: Scream Against the Sky at the Yokohama Museum of Art and Guggenheim Museum SoHo (1994), Prospect 96 at the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt (1996), Johannesburg Biennale (1997), International Triennale of Contemporary Art in Yokohama (2001), Moving Pictures (2002) and Singular Forms (2004) at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Reality Check at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (2008). He received fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation in 1980 and the National Endowment for the Arts in 1982. In 2001, he won the Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography. He lives and works in New York and Tokyo.
Julia Tarasyuk is an art consultant and art writer with over a decade of experience collaborating with museums, galleries and independent art projects in Russia, UK, France and Japan. In 2015 she started an online magazine Museeum.com and runs the platform as its editor-in-chief. Julia is currently based in Tokyo, where she organizes tailor-made art tours for various institutions, arts councils and private collectors and actively supports the exchange between the Japanese and international art scene. Julia is an author of "Art Tokyo" book published in Russia in 2018.
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Fruited Broccoli Salad
"My husband is not usually a salad eater," Jad Monson explains from Spooner, Wisconsin. "When I developed this sweet dressing and salad for him, he loved it and so have many others at church dinners, picnics and family gatherings."
Total TimePrep/Total Time: 20 min.
Makes8-10 servings
- 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 large bunch)
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1 cup green grapes, halved
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup minced chives
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Drain pineapple, reserving 1 tablespoon juice (discard remaining juice or save for another use). In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, broccoli, celery, grapes, almonds and chives.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar and reserved juice. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.
Nutrition Facts3/4 cup: 294 calories, 23g fat (3g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 136mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 3g fiber), 4g protein.
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Mar 12, 2012
I made this for a family dinnner and everyone loved it.
Feb 29, 2012
This is delicious! I used all green grapes. I also used Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil & Cracked Pepper instead of just regular mayonnaise. Yum!~ Theresa


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Ebenezer Ogundeko was going to give it until June and if Thomas Jefferson's defensive end still didn't have any scholarship offers, he was going to have to make drastic changes.
A few months before his self-determined deadline, the Brooklyn native can rest easy. He hasn't just picked up one or two offers – the talented junior has 13 of them, by far the most of any city standout. In fact, the city's most recent top prospects Dominique Easley, Wayne Morgan and Ishaq Williams didn't have this much interest at this point in their careers.
"It's hard to believe – I didn't expect it this soon," said the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Ogundeko, who had 79 tackles and 11 sacks in leading Jefferson to the PSAL City Championship division quarterfinals last fall and is slated to graduate from the Brooklyn school in January. "It makes me feel like one of the best players from New York City. I'm up there with Ishaq Williams, Dominique Easley. It makes me proud. It feels like I'm doing my job."
Syracuse came first in mid-February and then Connecticut, Rutgers and Arizona State. Ogundeko committed to UConn in late February, but decommitted to "pursue other options" in early March and his recruitment has blown up. Among his many offers include Ohio State, Stanford, Maryland, Boise State, Purdue and Vanderbilt. Temple, Texas A&M and Florida have recently called as well.
"He's doing it in the classroom and he's doing it on the football field – what else can you ask for?" Jefferson coach Gus Cyrus said. "He's putting Jefferson back on the map."
He credits defensive line coach Amaree Jenkins for a lot of his offers. Jenkins, who came to Jefferson three years ago after playing defensive end for Morgan State, spent a lot of time sending out his highlight film to the nation's top programs. A Canarsie graduate, Jenkins said he sees a lot of himself in Ogundeko, only he never had someone who had gone through the process to help him, someone to make sure he stayed up on his grades, someone to go over technique with him all the time.
"I'm not gonna lie, I kind of see myself in him," Jenkins said. "He's extremely coachable. … He'll call me at night – I'm thinking it's an emergency – and he's talking about a move we were working on. It's always football with him. He's gotten so much better since last year."
Ogundeko was at Syracuse on Tuesday, will visit Rutgers on Saturday and Maryland next week. He plans to let the process play itself out. He's enjoying the attention and wants to see as many schools as possible before deciding on National Signing Day.
"I'm just looking for a good coaching staff to coach me and I'm looking for a family," said Ogundeko, whose on-field goals this year are to rack up 22 sacks — twice his total last year — and lead Jefferson to a city title. "I just think it's a blessing. I'll stay humble and continue to work hard. All the offers won't change anything. My goal is to go to a big-time college and win a championship."


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Have you recently dropped your phone from your pocket? Are you rattled by the prospect of a mobile phone repairs in Surrey? Are you scared that the pocket pinch may be huge and buying a new phone expensive? While most handsets are not meant to be repaired after a wreck and fall, it may sound apt for you to undertake a few repairs you could do yourself than buying a new phone! While most handsets, especially the smart phones are not built for the repair works, you need to have the right tools and the best know how to go for a screen replacement or a complete overhaul!
Here are the 4 smartest DIY phone repairs that can prove to be very handy:
1. Plastic pry tools: In case, you are going for a mobile screen repair, the most important tool you would need is a plastic pry tool. These are quite cheap and can be bought for less than two pounds. The pry tool helps you to separate the parts of the phone board and also cases the plastic around the phone. Fixing a broken screen or going for a screen replacement is cheap and simple. You should disassemble the device and then go ahead and repair it. The glass and the digitizer (the layer that translates your tap as an input) are often fused together. This makes the unit pretty expensive. You can thus buy an expensive phone and replace the glass and the digitizer or one of the other in time.
2. Replacing head phones and jacks: If you are introducing headphone jacks to a device, chances of it failing are high! Head phone jacks are not motorized and the contact points on the phone may be bruised and stressed. Once the device is opened, the latest all in one designs in smart phones are more susceptible for changes. You need to plug the headphone to self contained units in the motherboard of the phone or even to the speaker assembly.
3. Screwdrivers for mobile screen repairs: If you have a sharp tiny edged screwdriver, a mobile screen repair in Bromley is easy. Begin with opening up your phone and have a look at the electronic components. No matter what the damage, you can unlock the phone and have a look at the electrical board. Your phone is made of many screws and if you can open and tightly screw them well, it will of immense help. In addition to regular screwdrivers, I phones require special screws that standard sets do not have. This is done so that unauthorized repairs are not done on the phone. You need a good hardware kit that helps you open up the phone box.
4. Loose and stuck buttons: like the headphone jacks, buttons too can be replaced as most hardware buttons can be swapped with software updates. A lot of these buttons are attached via the cables to the motherboard and are delicate. You need to re attach the new hardware and check for software updates!
No matter what the phone scare, a tool kit and some necessary know how is all that you need for your phone to work wonders in the days to come. These DIY tips may just end your phone woes!


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Your wedding day marks a very special moment in time, in all probability the single most important day of a woman's life; your dress is the centre-piece of that day - a very special occasion for you, your family and friends. Your bridesmaids are just as important so you can browse the Mark Lesley bridesmaids collection to find the best dresses for you and your girls.
Samples: Wintermelon in size 14 and Shell Blue in Size 12.
Over 30 Colours
To Order
Available At:
Bows Boutique - Kent, Ashford


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We're happy to announce that IoT Evolution Magazine, the leading publication covering the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) market, honored SkyWave's SCADAconnect application with the 2014 IoT Evolution Excellence Award. The award honors innovative products that support the availability of information being deduced, inferred and directly gathered from sensors, systems and anything else that is supporting better business and personal decisions.
SCADAconnect provides a secure wireless communication link for efficient, low-latency periodic and exception-based reporting of near-real-time mission-critical data from remote sites—all while reducing the costs, development time and risks associated with remote SCADA connectivity implementations. SkyWave's IsatData Pro satellite and dual-mode devices are used in tandem with the SCADAconnect application across the utilities and oil & gas industries in a wide range of telematics applications.
If you are interested in learning more about satellite-based SCADA connectivity applications, watch the video below and be sure to download our SCADA Connection White Paper.


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Listen to this, Monday! Sympathetic Monsters hosts Raquelle Jason (@RaquelleJason) & Jess McDonald (@McJesssandwich) explain why you don't really like Batman, Professional Puppies in the workplace & dig up The Truth About Walmart Guns, Video Games & Mental Illness.
Plus, it's a very conspiracy heavy episode with the "suicide" of Jeffrey Epstein, Jess's new information about lions & the tragic backstory of the people vs. Cyntoia Brown.
Please leave us a creative review on Itunes full of colorful swear words. Then Tell your Friends to Download & Listen!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:51 — 61.2MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Spotify | RSS | More


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13 Aug New YouTube Apps For Kids
Today, YouTube launches a special app just kids and we couldn't be happier!
Parents with tech-savvy kids know that YouTube can be a landmine even with parental controls. The comments, commercials and the videos that are supposed to be "related" to the content we're watching are often inappropriate. Unless the parents are sitting close by to monitor, YouTube is probably not an option for many families.
The new YouTube Kids app promises to offer only age-appropriate content and include a parental time. The app features four channels: shows, music, learning and explore and it's safe to say that we're excited about the music section. We are also curious what type of music will be accessible to children and hope they're not limiting tunes to those that are like Barney. YouTube and Google, if you're listening, here are our requests.
Keep The Viral Videos
We believe there children are inspired when they see other people their age make music. It gives them confidence that they can also tackle this skill as well. Plus, who doesn't want to see cute and talented kids like the Castillo children? Although it must be difficult to weed out viral videos that are only for adults, we hope children-approved viral videos will be available.
Include Different Genres
As we previously mentioned, children's music shouldn't be confined to the likings of "Barney" or "The Wiggles." Not that those songs are necessarily bad, we just believe children should be exposed to a wider selection of music. We've included a favorite musician of ours, Elizabeth Mitchell, who performs folk-inspired children's music. Give it a listen!
The Music Junction offers piano and voice lessons at our Burbank and Hollywood locations. Call us today to learn more.
Are you ready to sign up for lessons? See Our Rates. | Questions? Contact us.


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Capital Infosystems for Legacy Application Modernization
Aging applications can seriously hamper the agility, flexibility and productivity of your organization's functioning. If you are still struggling with applications that have lost their relevance in today's times, then it is time to upgrade these legacy systems and help them become sustainable in the present and future. Capital Infosystems offers upgradation and modernization of legacy IT systems by adding more value to these systems. Our services include application assessment for modernization, application migration, application re-platforming, data migration, application remediation, etc. The ultimate goal is to minimize risks, improve operational efficiency, drive better revenues, limit disruptions and help applications become high performing.
Why Capital Infosystems is the Right Choice
We have rich experience of working across various industry domains which helps us understand the intricacies of the workflows and operations of different industries. Leveraging our profound understanding of different domains, we assist companies to enhance their existing IT systems as per the latest industry trends. Here are our some of the services that we offer, to help companies make the most out of their legacy applications:
- Evaluation of existing legacy applications - Assess existing legacy systems in order to devise the best way to renew these applications.
- Business Rules Extraction - Extract business rules and logic from the legacy applications for detailed analysis.
- Application Remediation - Add more functional value to legacy applications in the form of new and innovative features.
- Application Re-platform - Port legacy applications to more optimized and cost efficient technology platforms.
- Application Migration - Migrate legacy applications with minimal disruptions to workflows and reduced risks.
Areas of Expertise
Capital Infosystems AdvantageBenefits of legacy application modernization with Capital Infosystems
From application assessment and strategy planning to post-deployment support, Capital Infosystems offers wide range of services to make the transition to modernized systems as seamless as possible for companies. Following are key benefits offered by Capital Infosystems for modernization of legacy IT systems:
- Lowered costs of mainframe platform.
- Preservation of legacy application business rules.
- Option to select from extensive pool of cutting-edge technology platforms and resources.
- Remodel existing applications using latest technologies.
- Enhance the functional value of existing IT assets.
- Drive higher performance for legacy applications.
- Achieve competitive advantage with reduced time-to-market for products and services.
- Explore new markets and improve customer engagement.