text:
You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'Dan O'Bannon' tag.
Perhaps we should be thankful; these current days of Matt Damon and Steven Spielberg have set a precedent for Philip K. Dick adaptations–they're big deals. His name finally means something to somebody, and he no longer languishes in the low-budget genre ghettos. I on the other hand will approve of this shift in Hollywood with a nod or too, but reminisce fondly on the days of old, when the early Dick movie reflected the early Dick novels–they were small. Now, Total Recall and Blade Runner were big productions, but going through the years we have Next and A Scanner Darkly and of course Screamers, which were either indies, or given little fanfare, or not taken seriously, like the classic Arnoldo. Or all of the above. I could say–without vouching for Next–that they all constitute cult classics, and in the case of Screamers, it makes perfect sense.
Here we have a joining of names that would tickle any nerd–Dan "Alien" O'Bannon, Peter "Robocop Across the 8th Dimension" Weller, and Philip K. Dick. It's a movie about killer robots, a war in space, and it's a gritty, low-budget actioner that's high on imagination. It also becomes something of an echo of John Carpenter's The Thing, although I'm sure the original short story predates the 1982 flick. Screamers deals exclusively with Dick's "What is human?" question, exploring the human-as-machine theme as Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, though not in the same way.
As Steven Owen Godersky puts it, "Phil Dick's third major theme is his fascination with war and his fear and hatred of it." Screamers doesn't use its war between the Alliance and the New Economic Block as mere backdrop as Total Recall does with its rebellion; it's integral to the theme, as war will lead naturally to questions of humanity. The robot metaphor works as well as it does in other Dicks, but here it allegorizes that classic phrase, "Man's inhumanity to man." People are fucking each other over on Sirius 6B, fighting wars and leaving soldiers for dead. What better way to visualize this than to have a gunshot wound be filled with wires and servos?
Peter Weller, playing a character named Hendricksson, which I believe was his name on 24 as well, decides to make peace with the other side, but must trek across Screamer-infested, radioactive, winter terrain. He takes a young soldier Jefferson along with him, the lone survivor of a spaceship crash–he was headed to fight on another planet, which signals to the Alliance that Earth has moved on, and they didn't get the memo, or weren't supposed to. The idea of a faceless organization stabbing its expendables in the back is a common thread in the O'Bannon canon, and here it's the military. We can't trust these people.
So old enemies become friends, and they're united against a common enemy–machines. Not only those who left them for dead on Sirius 6B, but the Screamers, which are Alliance-invented killer robots. Indeed Hendricksson and Jefferson meet up with two NEB soldiers and a black market merchant when they reach the enemy base, and must travel back to the Alliance compound to escape. Along the way they find something troubling, a little boy named David who turns out to be an advanced species of deadly Screamer.
Concern. Not only have the Screamers evolved by their own accord, they've become perfect illusions. The Screamers began as horrific weapons of man's design, which tear soldiers' limbs off before going in for the kill, as seen in the beginning of the movie. Now they look human–the line between human and killer machine has blurred, it seems. So this proves to be quite the conundrum, as Hendricksson will discover that another variation of Screamer is a wounded soldier, and there's an as of yet unidentified "Second Variety." One thing is known–the Screamers will repeat things because they can't think of anything smarter to say.
This creates instant paranoia on the desolate battlefield of Sirius 6B, and we're not sure who to trust. The final twist in the movie, which I shouldn't spoil but would love to talk about, is essentially a repeat of what happens in Blade Runner–the line, it's just so damn blurry. What does that say about us?
The premise in Screamers is great. Pure phildickian, and a setup for thought-provoking scenarios that make this film stand out among other scifi action movies. Helping it in this regard is the production design and art direction. The movie looks fantastic on a conceptual level. The ruins of industrial cityscapes, the bunkers embedded in hills, the underground laboratories–very classic imagery. Add on top of that that Screamers is Aliens, Doom, and all those movies where you have soldiers with big scifi rifles checking corners in metal hallways–there's pretty much nothing I appreciate more in science-fiction film. Eventually the crew comes across the site of a massacre that screams Dead Space and Aliens: this was a settlement of some sort, complete with that Weyland-Yutani propoganda about colonizing a better world of tomorrow.
So yes, we have soldiers and futury locations, and they're scouring those locations. Unfortunately the hostile element–the titular Screamers–are to me very uninteresting visually. They're either little boys, Terminators in the flesh, or stop-motion robots. The stop-motion I like, but this movie being as low-budget as it is, they're not on screen for very long. From a writer's standpoint, I understand why the Screamers make sense as little tiny robots, but I much prefer big enemies in my scifi action movies. I'll call this the Gort principle, for any of you who actually saw the 2008 remake, you'll know that Gort goes on a rampage as a 500-foot tall robot, and then decides to manifest a cloud of nano-robots. Sigh, boring. Nanorobots can't shoot lasers or smash buildings!
In Aliens and Doom and most recently The Thing, we had monsters that were either human-sized, or a little bit bigger. You're probably wondering at this point what the freaking deal is, but there is a specific product resultant from an enemy's size. Enemies are meant to be shot at, but when they're tiny, shooting is often discouraged. It's less exciting. This is all on a visual level, of course. In the end, I just wish there'd be a human-sized robot that didn't have to look like a human. From what I can remember of this movie's sequel (which will be covered soon), aside from the stupid The Descent-esque ending, there might be some stuff there.
But as it stands with Screamers, all we got are robots that simply don't look that interesting, save the Type 3 fish-monster-dinosaur looking thing. That's a nerdgripe for sure, and very minor, because at the end of the day, this movie kicks ass. It's totally entertaining, and aside from some hinky acting every now and again, gets the taste of Paycheck out of your mouth. This movie also reminded me a lot of Doomsday, for one reason: there was an attention to the minor characters. In Doomsday, there were two or three redshirts, identifiable immediately. But they were great characters who had fun chemistry between them, and I didn't want them to die. I liked Jefferson, and one could tell that Hendricksson did too. The NEB soldiers were actual characters, they weren't just nameless grunts. This attention to detail is perhaps expected from a script co-written by Dan O'Bannon, but also telling of the movie's quality and standing among movies of its ilk.
If you've seen The Thing from Another World, the classic Howard Hawks film from 1951, you remember the vegetable Frankenstein monster, the snowy setting, the 50's charm, and the iconic line, "Always, watch the skies." It's a movie about the clash of ideals, here between military and science, about alien invasion and heroism. It may not be as intellectual as The Day the Earth Stood Still or as recognizable as Forbidden Planet (to use its contemporaries), but its an entertaining ride with a few great moments and wonderful characters.
It is, though, very light. The characters never seem to take the issue too seriously, and this reasonably reflects on the situation. There's really nothing all that scary about Frankenstein's monster in the year 1951 when one has access to rifles and electric floors. Never once did I feel like this creature would be victorious, or even half of the crew would be injured. This is where I come in and say that John Carpenter's The Thing is so much different – and it is – but comparing these two seems almost wrong. Yes, they are two very different movies on a tonal and visceral level, but more than that, neither of these movies should have to live in each others' shadow.
They're both major entries in the canon of science-fiction film, but it seems that rarely do sci-fi fans appreciate both equally. I don't. With the coming of a third Who Goes There? movie, I begin to wonder just what people will make of this unofficial trilogy sixty years in the making.
But that's not important now. Merely musing…
We're here to talk about The Thing, because this is not only one of John Carpenter's best, but one of the very best science-fiction films. Certainly one of the best horror movies, though many would consider it second as horror/sci-fi to Ridley Scott's Alien. Just like how Robocop owes its production to The Terminator from three years earlier, Scott's sophomore picture is the reason why The Thing exists as it does. It showed a world hung up on Star Wars that space wasn't such a nice place, and that science-fiction was more than a pretty face. It was an acne-scarred, sniveling one.
After the dreary sixties, and I suppose the dreary seventies, Star Wars reinvented pulp science-fiction, the romantic heroes who got the badguys and heroines who got kidnapped. I wouldn't say that Alien is necessarily counterculture; it was born of a rather brilliant idea of O'Bannon and Shusett's for a horror movie – what's the scariest thing you can think of (the answer of course being rape by alien) – but possibly The Thing is. It's aggressive, paranoid, violent, raw.
And yet, it's a callback to the original short story by John W. Campbell. Carpenter wanted to do what Christopher Nyby and Howard Hawks didn't: talk about what people do when thrown in an isolated space with the most frightening thing imaginable. This creature takes the identities of others, as well as their places, and this begs the question "who among us are human?" Since you can only be sure of yourself, this question offers Reason 1 why The Thing works.
The other is something of a controversial thing, the effects. Nobody can watch the The Thing and scoff at Bottin's makeup and animatronic monsters. They're a highlight in eighties visuals for sci-fi film, an absolute horror and joy to watch. Not only do they look freaky, they move around in ways you don't want them to and do things to really mess people up. But some people are so understandably taken by these effects that they're distracted, or come to think that they're the reason for the movie. While the effects amount to Reason 2, they also did a lot to hurt the movie's critical reception.
This is certainly an odd analogy but take for example Higher Learning, a film by John Singleton. Critics liked it, but didn't think it had a strong enough romantic appeal (strong character relationships) and believed the characters were stereotypes. Essentially they wanted the movie to be more conventional drama. Having character drama about romance isn't the movie's point, that would definitely draw away from its message, which is all about how radical thinking is proliferated through generations, masquerading as education. Why is it that film is a medium that must conform to certain conventions and standards? Why must we always be entertained by these things?
The Thing's effects shouldn't be tuned down. Perhaps that thinking stems from our appreciation of The Thing from Another World, which creates suspense with no gore. What works about the effects in The Thing is their service to atmosphere. There's nothing more scary than Antarctica. Oh wait there's nothing more scary than a creature that can take our identities. Now there's nothing more scary than a stomach that eats your arms. We're touring through a nightmare reality, a terrifying hallucination that is testing these men, seeing how long they'll dangle over the abyss before falling off – snapping and turning on each other.
It's a Twilight Zone-esque character study with a budget. We have characters thrust into a situation that keeps getting worse, where even survival seems pointless. In The Twilight Zone, the cheesy effects actually serve a purpose (whether intentionally or not), they create a layer for us to pierce through and see what's just below the surface – they force us to investigate, and be rewarded, more often than not (some of those episodes are pretty aimless). The Thing does have the effects. No big-headed aliens, no Sasquatch thingy on the wing. We have an effective glimpse at not an alien creature, but at an alien world, and it's scary as hell. I suppose it is forgivable for people to be distracted, but it's the two elements that are absolutely crucial.
That of course is neglectful of the characters themselves, the script, the direction, the acting, and the music (though Morricone himself earned the film a Razzie, forever sealing that organization's fate for me as "jokards"), all of which are astounding, especially for science-fiction film. Only rarely do we see attention to detail on all fronts in a movie with aliens.
Will we see it again tonight with The Thing (2011)? I know we'll at least see the effects. They're in the trailers, and they look great, if a bit Dead Space-ish (ain't nut wrong with that). I assume that lip-service will be paid to the who goes there aspect of the story, but that's just fine. As long as a body is on a laboratory floor morphing in the most horrifying ways only to be blasted by Mary Elizabeth Winstead's flamethrower – that's all I need.
Not only has the original movie's tagline become quite the cliche, such that it's near impossible to riff on it because all the variants have been said, nearly everything else about it has been equally recycled into other, later pieces of popular media. Even to the day we see the influence of Alien and Aliens, in video-games from DOOM (originally supposed to be an Aliens game) to Dead Space (2008), and in movies like Sunshine and Pandorum and countless others. It's a historical milestone in the genre of science-fiction, single-handedly lifting sci-fi/horror from dreck fiction to a level not seen since the classic Frankenstein films. Alien is a classic, Aliens is a classic. Alien 3 is one of the most underrated science-fiction films, or possibly films, of all time. Alien Resurrection is a story that can't be approximated briefly in a cute sentence here.
The four Alien movies make up what is undoubtedly the greatest sci-fi movie series, and it's about what scares us the most.
That was the origin in fact, that very question; Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett got together and asked. They came up with one word, an r-word that you'll probably guess at with ease. What if that happened to you? What if the thing on the other end was a goddamn alien creature with a big old alien penis? What if you were in space, and no one could hear you scream? What if you discovered that there was in the end, no hope, but in your own will to survive?
Thus Alien was born, but first, perhaps we should take a moment to recall Alien 0.5 – John Carpenter's very first film, Dark Star. This movie starred Dan O'Bannon as a hippie astronaut among hippie astronaut, and his assignment was to chase an alien through the various corridors of the ship. That sounds familiar, only the alien in question is a beachball with rubber monster feet attached to it. I don't think HR Giger had his hands on that one.
What's interesting about Dark Star is not necessarily that it's a great movie, but that it silently impacted science-fiction and nobody but nerds knows about it. Nerds and Danny Boyle I guess, who paid homage to the 70's flick by naming one of his astronauts in Sunshine after a character in Dark Star, Pinbacker.
O'Bannon's next project would be a bit more popular; Alien went on to be quite the commercial success, which really set Ridley Scott up for a sophomore slump in Blade Runner. It's a shame that the Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? adaptation grossed so little, because it put the director off of science-fiction for thirty years. Blade Runner and Alien truly stand out in Scott's filmography because of it, and because so much attention and craftsmanship was put into the film's look. Matchstick Men looks nice, but it doesn't have the classic lighting composition and atmosphere that heighten the tension or create a sense of apocalyptic decay.
The production design in Alien indeed is legendary, as you'll see it repeated several times over in sequels and in pieces of media that bear a resemblance. The movie, intitially entitled Star Beast, was just as cool to rip off as Star Wars and the later Blade Runner – it was fashionable. All of a sudden science-fiction had a sense of range to it, and this is all thanks to the visuals. Star Trek and Star Wars told us that we could see the great heighs of man as imagined by creative masters like Roddenbery and Lucas, while Alien and Blade Runner told us we could shove all of that. The two movies have the classic 'used future,' look, and it makes sense in either context.
Alien finds its seven crewmembers on the Nostromo, a Conrad reference that seems fitting after The Duelists, which was Scott's debut. As we discover from an initial conversation over grubby food, they are blue-collar workers. They aren't talking about saving the world from space vampires – they're talking about shares and getting paid. These are the characters who are established at the front of the film, and we get to know them by the time they reach LV-426, which I don't think is named in the first movie, but will be revisited later.
The movie moves incredibly slowly, but it has to. There is narrative progression, and this happens on many levels. Because it's a movie about what scares us the most, it's also a movie about reaching out and touching that fear, as one would expect on the frontier of space. Thus we see our heroes experimenting with the alien facehugger, noting that it has acid blood and tightens around Kane's neck when threatened, and then rallying together to try to find a cat-sized alien which is now loose in the ship after the film's most iconic scene – the chestburster.
We assume that it's cat-sized because that's how it left Kane's dead body, skittering off the table and into the depths of the Nostromo. When we find that it's not, that it's a rather large creature, we can't be sure of anything. And that's when the movie begins to really take off.
First, we're frightened of the creature. It becomes a ubiquitous threat, always hiding somewhere on the ship, ready to pounce with its terrible tongue-jaws-dick. Then, we're frightened of the Company. We discover that they're so goddamn cold they consider the crew to be expendable, something that would repeat in every other movie about aliens, from Predator to Alien Lockdown. Then we're afraid of each other – Ash turns out to be a robot, which is very phildickian. This provides for one of the most intense scenes in the movie, as Ash is bleeding and vomiting this horrible white 'blood.'
Finally, we become frightened of the ship itself, our surroundings. It's always been creepy, as the description of Alien as a haunted house movie in space is fair, but towards the end of the movie, it becomes hostile. Fog is blowing everywhere, emergency lights are flashing, alarms are ringing and Mother, the ship's computer, is counting down until an explosion. Caught in the middle is Ripley, who's had to experience the fears of all of the above, and is now struggling against the last.
We can only overcome these fears by being reborn, which is why the ship is the final thing to be feared, other than the fact that it makes for some great hallway-running sequences, which is also iconic. Ripley is reborn when she takes the shuttle out from the Nostromo, essentially breaking away from Mother. That's not the end of the movie however, although we do get a sequence akin to Metroid's perfect clear ending.
If that was the end of the movie, the victory over her many fears would not have a measure, and the movie would be about nothing. The alien returns, and Ripley is able to defeat it by being calm and a badass. She harpoons it and sends it flying out the airlock, and she's the only survivor, save one lucky cat. She is able to have this victory because of her will to survive, which is the only thing that can save you from your worst fears.
This is the point of the movie because we have to explore our worst fears to get to that point. That's how we have one of the most excellent horror films ever crafted, filled with glorious set pieces and surprisingly intense moments that hold up thirty years later.
There is however one point of contention I have. It has to do with Ripley, who is played by Sigourney Weaver, the one recurring character (well, besides the titular alien) across all four movies. Considering that Ripley has at this point become at archetype, such that even to the day she has characters modelled after her – Mary Elizabeth Winstead in The Thing prequel is taking on that role, which I look forward to – as she is the most famous heroine in science-fiction film, it's disappointing to realize that her origin in Alien is born out of horror than feminism.
Indeed she is the Final Girl, and this is because she is a female, and because we assumed Tom Skerrit, who gets top billing, was going to be the last one out to shut Nostromo's lights. Once he dies, we can't be sure who it's going to be, thus creating more horror for the viewer because the Alien could jump out and kill anyone. She is the hero to take away audience comfort, not because 'wouldn't it be cool if it was a girl kicking ass?' I'm sure there was some of that, but it's certainly expanded upon more in the James Cameron (naturally) sequel, Aliens from seven years later.
For a more in depth look at Alien and the Alien series, be sure to check out Roz Kaveney's From Alien to The Matrix: Reading Science-fiction Film


text:
It is already November which means I am back in Germany since 4 Months already. That is the same time that I spent in Nuuk. So it is time to think back and review what the time in Greenland made with me.
On the one hand it magically touched me. I mean I saw snow before, during winter times but I never saw that much in one place. Also if you think about the snow in Germany that we are used to... the first thing that comes in mind is grey slush, so wet that you need to wear rubber boots or you get these really nasty cold and wet feet.
In Greenland the snow is different and it seems like it is not from this world. If you have never been there it is difficult to understand but I was so amazed during the first days that i could have spent hours just wandering around and watching icebergs in the small bay next to the house I lived in.
I will tell you now something personal about myself. I always tell people that they should not count on my orientation sense because i simply don't have one. That is fine with me. I got used to it but in Greenland? You can't imagine how difficult that was. for me, I always need a couple of days and then I can remember at least my way back home. But in Nuuk, with all the snow it seemed like a new place everyday because new snow is coming and changing everything. The stone that was there yesterday, that was my marker to tell me turn right now... The next day it was not there anymore. Please, but this you cannot do with a person who has a missing orientation sense. So in the first week it happened what had to happen. After spending a good time in the city center I was walking home during the night. I never felt that safe in a place than in Greenland so for me walking home alone was new but I really enjoyed it.
Suddenly I saw this greenish dancing lights in the sky and I had to stand still for a moment. I have to say, seeing the northern lights was one of the most impressive experiences I have ever had. I was so fascinated that I climbed up a small hill to see the lights even closer and to leave the city lights behind me. I did not recognize that iI had spent already more than an hour watching this spectacular. The problem is with these temperatures that I couldn't feel my legs anymore. So I decided it is time to go home finally but wait, where was home again? In the end I walked around three hours until I found home but in between I had concluded with my life already.
Nuuk is not only pretty during nights. It is a play of color at any times. The contrast of the little, wooden houses along the coast on top of the white snow landscape seem so unreal but pretty at the same time.
Not only the manmade houses give that colorful charm to the city. The sky does the rest. I never saw those beautiful sunsets and rising suns in my life. It can go from cotton candy pink to blood red. As pretty as the northern lights are, the midnight sun has also its enchantments. So for all photographers among you. Ever thought about traveling to Greenland?
However the sky might be clear in the morning that doesn't mean it is still clear in the evening. The weather in Greenland is unpredictable and can turn so fast that it gets dangerous from time to time. I had days where I thought about sleeping in the university instead of going home or better call it flying. Storms happened quite often and once you experienced the icy rain in your face that feels like hundreds of needles, you appreciate a warm home very much. I always thought to myself: You know you are in Greenland when it takes you half an hour to get dressed before you can go outside.
I was lucky that I came and all the snow was there, by the way this year Greenland had more snow than the last 80 years! Of course when somebody like me, a summer loving person comes to see some snow... I stayed until June so I had the chance to see Nuuk changing. It first got really wet and quite grey but once the snow has been melted, it became green and again Nuuk looked totally different. So for people who love nature and breathtaking landscapes, please go and visit Greenland you will fall in love.
In Nuuk is much more to do than enjoying the landscape. Before I arrived, I was a bit afraid of being bored after a short time. This fear was unfounded. Once you there you get to know quickly many people, either Greenlandic or internationals. The bound between international people living in Nuuk is so strong. One day I got to know Marc who comes originally from Scotland and moved to Nuuk with his wife and son. He moved there because of his job as a geologist but geology is not only his job but his passion too.
So once a friend of mine and I were invited for dinner, he told us that he was building his own igloo in his garden. Yes we did not really believe him but when he showed us this little whole in a bunch of snow we could not believe what we saw. This whole was the entrance of an igloo with carpets on the ground and even a groove for candles. So we decided, we had to spend a night there. So we did, armed with an arctic sleeping back and a whiskey filled flapjack to keep us warm. It was an amazing experience but I have to admit the ground was quite hard after a few hours.
I met also a few international students coming from Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark and Indonesia we had a great time together. So it was never boring as long as you find yourself something to do.
Another trip that I did was ice climbing and hiking up the mountain Store Malene. Together with an experienced climber we did the ascent within four hours and you have no idea how exhausted I felt. The problem once you are up you have to get down somehow. That took us then only two hours. During that hike I really approached my limit and I believe my limit is quite high but the ice cold wind and the steep ice walls really challenged me. In the end nothing can ruin the moment of pride once you reach the summit and those days, you will never forget.
Other activities that I did during my time in Greenland was paragliding which I loved. I am not afraid of hight rather the opposite. I love being in the air and these views were unbelievable.
Also the fact that a ski lift with three slops was so to speak in my garden made me so happy. The first I went up the lift it made my speechless because I never saw the sea while I was skiing. I was so amazed that i just stood still after I exited the lift which caused a huge traffic jam.
One thing that I learned while living in Greenland, is that you cannot really plan your days. This is really difficult for a German person, believe me we love our structure and having everything planned to the smallest detail. That was not possible anymore especially because of the weather conditions. However I learned this condition has also positive sites. You just let things happen and so you end up in situations that wouldn't have happened when you plan everything. These are exactly the serendipity moments my blog is named after. One example would be the day that we spontaneously went out to the harbor because after a few days of storm we needed some fresh air and sunshine. What we found were people fencing outside in front of the sea. First we just watched them but after a few minutes they came and asked if we want to join. So in the end of the day I spent hours fencing in front of icebergs. If that is not a serendipity moment what else?
That was by far not all I did during my time in Greenland. I did a few boat trips, visiting abandoned fishermen villages. From the boat I learned how to shoot icebergs.
I tried kayak polo as well which was so much fun and I even took part in a tournament in the end.
But also going out, having a beer, having dinner, going to the cinema or a night club all that is possible in Nuuk. The only negative point I have to mention is the living costs up there. For 6 bananas it is not a problem to pay around 7 euro, a glass of wine costs you around 9 euro. No not a bottle just a glass.
Also organized trips are for us pampered Europeans quite expensive but as I said before, the people living there are so open minded and they love to show you around so just let it happen and enjoy your personal serendipity moments. So do not get cold feet now and book your trip to Greenland.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Stephen Tensmeyer concentrates on high-stakes business disputes and complex litigation, primarily assisting a variety of clients in managing all aspects of a case. His work has focused in particular on entity structure and governance, including both corporations and alternative entities.
Prior to joining Hueston Hennigan, Mr. Tensmeyer clerked in the federal courts for two years and interned for the Office of the Solicitor General at the United States Department of Justice. He also previously interned for the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and externed for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Mr. Tensmeyer was the managing editor for the NYU Law Review and received the Albert Podell Award for the Best Brief Writer. He was also a Butler and Pomeroy Scholar and a Bradley Foundation Fellow.
Mr. Tensmeyer is proficient in Mandarin Chinese and conversational in Cantonese.
Representing Southern California Edison and Edison International in litigation arising out of the 2017 Thomas Fire and 2018 Montecito mudslides.


text:
Free worldwide shipping
Easy returns and refunds
We decided that the record big, technically perfect, sophisticated to the maximum, Samsung Galaxy Note 9, which characteristics are really impressive, is worthy of an absolutely unique version by Caviar, as luxurious as there has never been before. This is why we created Caviar, on which we spent 1 kilogram of gold. Unbelievable? Yes, but this is a simple truth! For the creation of the exclusive design repeating the appearance of a gold bar, a kilogram of gold of 999th standard was spent. We didn't make the design of this jewel more complicated and took the look of a gold bar itself as a base – laconic, luxurious, expensive; only one look is enough to remember it forever! This is an unforgettable gift for a person who cannot be surprised easily. But we managed it, didn't we?
Enter your email address to receive special offers and promotions.


text: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post4900209996909851832..comments2020-07-06T16:53:20.744-04:00Comments on Femulate: I dress as a woman because I like wearing women's clothesStanahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-39166046043519504032017-10-13T17:21:04.154-04:002017-10-13T17:21:04.154-04:00I've never commented on anything like this bef...I've never commented on anything like this before, but I can really relate to Ciara. There is nothing like putting sheer tights on freshly shaved legs, adding a smart skirt and blouse, then slipping on a pair of heels before leaving the house. Women's clothes are just so much nicer to wear than email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-23188318996104583942017-10-11T22:11:20.339-04:002017-10-11T22:11:20.339-04:00Tasi - Can you add a link to this Femulate post af...Tasi - Can you add a link to this Femulate post after the links that appear at the end of the Sister House article? Stanahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-82826687496612847872017-10-11T15:15:36.086-04:002017-10-11T15:15:36.086-04:00Totally agree with you Juan, they do wear the '...Totally agree with you Juan, they do wear the 'cool stuff'Abigale's Airingshttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-81151063490179544882017-10-11T12:30:18.075-04:002017-10-11T12:30:18.075-04:00A beautiful read about a beautiful woman. Thank yo...A beautiful read about a beautiful woman. Thank you, Stana, for the links, I have eagerly begun reading more about Ciara and her book.Tinahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-56190314704950026232017-10-11T10:15:26.966-04:002017-10-11T10:15:26.966-04:00It will be folks like Ciara Cremin that will break...It will be folks like Ciara Cremin that will break down the barriers that keep so many in the closet. Dressing nice because it is nice to dress. I like the concept.<br />PatPat Scaleshttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-17711306875288383432017-10-11T07:55:30.834-04:002017-10-11T07:55:30.834-04:00This is something I can totally relate to. I don&#...This is something I can totally relate to. I don't like the term "cross-dressing", though. I beleive there are beautiful garments and ugly ones. It just so happens that all the cool stuff is mostly worn by women. Anyways... I'm reading the article now. Thanks Stana (once again)Laura Borjahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-67903954969100353232017-10-11T07:22:19.665-04:002017-10-11T07:22:19.665-04:00The article was interesting but most of the commen...The article was interesting but most of the comments were typical of the type of people who read the DT. I read some of them and then stopped when I realised that I was losing the will to live. Anonymoushttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-47616807595488656712017-10-11T05:27:13.619-04:002017-10-11T05:27:13.619-04:00That's... I have never heard of her, but now I...That's... I have never heard of her, but now I want to buy her book. Amazing. Thank you for bringing this to my attention!Joanna Calehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3372432081562643074.post-60860106907459885162017-10-11T02:48:24.933-04:002017-10-11T02:48:24.933-04:00Stana - Ciara Cremin is most interesting as I pers...Stana - Ciara Cremin is most interesting as I persuaded her to be a writer for Sister House. Her first article on the Despotism of Passing is here https://www.sisterhouse.net/familyroom/2017/09/19/the-despotism-of-passing/ I'm wading through her book which is a difficult read as she writes in an academic style but her thoughts are well worth the effort Tasihttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
watch 01:50
The Loop (Games)
Do you like this video?
Anderson universe
(Covers information from Anderson's universe)
(Covers information from Anderson's universe)
Featured School Undead[1] was a student at the Raccoon City Junior School. When the T-virus escaped from The Hive, he was infected and turned into an Undead while at school.
Further notes
He is played by Rob Hall.
- ↑ Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) Full Cast & Crew. IMDb. Retrieved on 2018-02-18.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
Does your tank have an OPD?
We cannot fill your propane tank unless it has an Overfilling Prevention Device (OPD), which is part of new national fire and safety standards designed to make the use of propane even safer. The OPD is a safety feature that prevents small propane cylinders from being overfilled. After January 1, 2003, all propane cylinders 4 pounds to 40 pounds MUST be equipped with an OPD.
How can I tell if my cylinder has an OPD?
Most propane cylinders with OPDs have special triangular hand wheels with the words OPD imprinted. Some OPDs, however, were produced before the letters OPD were required on the valve handles and valve bodies.
What can happen when a cylinder is overfilled?
An overfilled cylinder may not have enough space left if the liquid propane expands when exposed to warmer temperatures. This can cause an increase in cylinder pressure and create potentially hazardous conditions such as:
- The pressure relief valve may open, discharging propane from the cylinder.
- Propane liquid could enter the piping system, resulting in higher than normal pressure to appliances.


text:
Book Description:
Published: April 18, 2017
Format: Free Digital Book
Valeri Huntington has her dream—a publicist for one of the top firms on the east coast. Nevertheless, she can't help but feel like something is missing. A long list of men has been left in her wake because they just can't seem to measure up or she finds a way to rationalize her way out of anything before it gets too serious. The one relationship she did have ended roughly and left her picking up the pieces up of her heart for months. After that breakup, she vowed to throw herself into her work and that's where she's been ever since. The night she ran into Dallas McCormick she was left feeling like she'd been hit with a ton of bricks. The reclusive man that lived in the mountains was somewhat of a legend. He'd outright insulted her and pissed her off like no one ever has, and yet, her body burned from a desire that she had no idea even existed.
Like a magnet, she was pulled to him and she had no idea why. Dallas McCormick was not the man everyone created rumors about. However, there is no denying that there is a dark shadow that looms over him, and it's one that could very well put Valerie in harm's way.
Review –
This is the first book in the Crazy Beautiful series and although it was good, I don't plan to read the others. There was a bit of chemistry between Valeri and Dallas but it wasn't the combustible type and it's too predictable. Dallas is ex-military and suffers from PTSD and that's what puts Valeri in harm's way at the end of the book. The reader knows that everything is going to work out fine in the end so why spend money just to confirm that?
It was a short pleasant read. Great cover though!


text:
Benefits of pneumatic-mechanical grippers for pick-and-place applications
Pneumatic-mechanical gripper benefits include large grip force range and easy implementation, which make them ideal for pick-and-place applications.
There are many applications that require picking and placing the same, or very similar, items consistently. If these items do not require force control in order to be safely picked, the pneumatic-mechanical gripper will often be the solution.
Pros for pneumatic-mechanical grippers include:
- Lower cost
- Fast acting
- Large grip force range
- Easy to implement custom fingers for application specific requirements.
Cons for pneumatic-mechanical grippers include:
- Limited variability in the size or shape of the part to be picked
- Limited force/position control capabilities
- Air needs to be supplied, prepped, and controlled with external valve.
The hypothetical application requires picking gear blanks that are coming down a conveyor and are being located at a precise point. The gear blanks are then being placed into a machine for a process. These gears are a standard product and this machine is dedicated to this gear blank size. The place point in the machine does not allow the gripper to grip on the outside diameter of the gear blank. The surface is not conducive for a vacuum gripper, and the material is non-ferrous, eliminating the possibility of a magnetic gripper.
One of the best remaining options would be to perform an internal diameter grip—or ID grip. The gripper provides opening force, which should be enough for the coefficient of friction given by using metal fingers to suffice. The downside to the increase in force is a shorter stroke. However, in this example the gripper will be picking the same part every time, which means the stroke will not be a concern. Custom fingers would be made for this application, potentially like the ones pictured below.
If needed, the fingers could be designed to incorporate a material with a higher coefficient of friction, thereby requiring a lower grip force to safely pick the gear blank.
Even though a pneumatic gripper may have limited stroke length, which can hamper its ability to pick a variety of parts, the ease of adding customized fingers allows it to pick items of complex geometry. To gain back some versatility, pneumatic grippers can be used in tandem with simple tool changers or quick change finger options to pick a variety of parts while still maintaining the low cost.
The pneumatic gripper is an optimal solution for a product line with the same picking feature. For those with a large range of picking features, or no picking features that would be conducive to gripping with fingers, please refer to my other related blogs to find the best solution.
Brant Bullister, mechanical design engineer, Cross Company, a CFE Media content partner. This article originally appeared on Cross Company's robotics and machine automation blog. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media, firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
If you need a health screening, you can get a free one this weekend by visiting many Walmart or Sam's Club locations across the country.
Screenings include blood glucose, blood pressure, vision, as well as body fat and body mass index readings.
Health insurance information will also be available.
Tomorrow, Walmart Wellness Day will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Sam's Club screenings are open to members and the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit walmart.com.


text:
Understanding Ontario's education system
Education systems differ from one country to another and the terminology can be confusing. Here is an overview of the educational levels in Ontario.
Schooling at the elementary level spans 8 years. At the secondary level, students attend secondary school from grades 9 to 12. The secondary school diploma is the requirement for entry into a postsecondary educational institution.
Postsecondary studies take place in a university or a CAAT (college of applied arts and technology, commonly designated "college"). College programs of study focus on trades, technical professions and practical training. They vary in duration: students can earn a certificate (1 year), a diploma (2 or 3 years) and, in certain colleges, a bachelor's degree (4 years).
In our universities, undergraduate programs last either 3 or 4 years and lead to a postsecondary diploma known as a bachelor's degree. Holders of a bachelor's degree can undertake graduate studies: at the master's level, programs last 1 to 2 years; at the doctorate level, they last a minimum of 4 years.
Postsecondary European model
(also used in Africa and Asia)
North American postsecondary model
(primarily in Canada and the USA)
How to become a student in Canada
Here are some essential points to consider before leaving home and upon arriving in Canada.
Before leaving home
Before coming to study in Ontario, you must inquire about ways to facilitate your stay and take the appropriate steps. Canadian embassies and consulates, as well as visa offices abroad can provide detailed information on the necessary authorizations to study in Canada.
Study permit
In order to study in Canada, as a general rule, international students must obtain a study permit in advance. Here are the main conditions you must meet:
- be admitted to a recognized educational institution
- demonstrate that you have adequate financial resources to cover your tuition fees, living expenses and transportation.
- have no criminal record and represent no security risk.
- be in good health, as confirmed by a medical examination, if needed.
- produce proof of your intention to leave Canada after completion of your studies (such as a return airline ticket).
Health insurance
In Ontario, it is compulsory for international students to acquire private health insurance to cover possible medical and hospital care costs. The college or university you will attend can assist you in accessing this type of insurance. All persons accompanying you to the country during your studies (spouse, child) must also have health insurance coverage.
Resources to help you prepare
Study in Ontario: international students
This Government of Ontario website provides an overview of the procedure to follow for international students wanting to study in Ontario: admission requirements, application procedure, lodging, costs, scholarships, etc. You will find relevant information of a general nature in this site, however, please note that answers to some of your specific questions may differ according to the institution you have chosen. It is therefore recommended that you further your research by consulting the websites of your chosen institution. Explore our institutions.
Study in Canada: international students
The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC), established in 1990, offers information and referral services to assist individuals and organizations with the recognition of diplomas and of professional credentials for the purpose of studying in Canada..
Apply to a university
The Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) processes all admission applications for every Ontario university. Once you have selected your programs or institutions, you must submit your application through this site. Be aware that all programs of study indicated are not necessarily taught in French or bilingually, since this site encompasses all Ontario universities.
Apply to a college of applied arts and technology (CAAT)
To learn more about the CAAT application process, please visit the websites of La Cité (www.collegelacite.ca) and of Collège Boréal (www.collegeboreal.ca).


text:
|This article is a stub! You can help Tommy and the others by expanding it!
|River Rats
|Season 1 Episode 8
|River Rats
|Original Airdate
|December 13, 2003
|DVD release
|Interview with a Campfire
|Previous Episode
|Thief Encounter
|Next Episode
|Brother, Can You Spare the Time?
River Rats is the eight episode of Season 1 of the All Grown Up! Series.
Characters Present
Betty and Chas decide to take Tommy, Chuckie, and Phil camping and river-rafting. While Chuckie looks to Tommy for confidence in the river, turns out that Tommy is scared of water! When Chas falls overboard and Betty goes to save him, the kids get separated from the adults. Can they make it back safely and overcome their fears? - Description from Klasky Csupo
The scene before the theme song opens with Tommy and Chuckie, on Betty and Howard's shoulders, playing a game. Chuckie then pulls Tommy causing him too fall into the water. Post the theme song, Tommy resurfaces the water and swims to the pool side as he takes some breaths. Betty then goes over and asks Tommy if he is alright, in which Tommy says he is fine. Betty then coments how Tommy looks a bit pruned as she looked at his hand. Phil is then seen under a towel on a pool chair as Betty hears him and looks over at him.
Betty then asks Phil if he was still playing his video game, and that even a train moves every once in a whle. Phil responds by saying that he's just testing out the new batteries. Phil also states they're working perfectly as it shows he's playing a game involving cars. Betty then tells Phil to put the game down and get into the pool, as she says they need another person to play their game of chicken. Phil passes saying the water doesn't move and just sits there.
Betty then suggests taking him white water rafting which he finds awesome and agrees to.Tommy thinks it sounds fun and tells them to have fun but Betty then says that Tommy and Chuckie can come along as well as it would be good for Phil to have his buddies around. Chuckie of course is worried about the things in the forest; bugs, snakes, spiders etc. but Betty reassures him that he has nothing to worry about and tells him and Tommy that she used to be a guide. She also states that white water rafting is no more dangerous than peeing in a pool as Phil suddenly jumps into the pool without warning, splashing Chuckie, Tommy, and Betty.
Back at the DeVille's residents Phil and Chuckie are in a raft as Tommy is spraying them with water as they're practicing at what it would be like on a raft. Chuckie says that after reading his book he was actually kind of excited to go on the trip. Tommy says that there was nothing to be scared of and asks Phil, who he sprays in the face with the water hose. Phil agrees and says there would be nothing but rapid drama as he tips the raft sending him and Chuckie sliding across the wet grass. Meanwhile Betty was smacking the sleeping bags with a stick getting all the dust of them.
Chas then walks out coughing, as he walked into the dust cloud left from the sleeping bag, as he said that it was dustier than Dallas there as he then looks at all the camping gear as he talks about the hooks, lines, and sinkers before laughing as Betty groaned. Chas then states that he used to be good at camping as his shirt got hooked on the end of the fishing pole as a bee flew in front of Chas' face causing him to panic and fall. As he fell he sent a water bottle rolling towards Howard, who tripped over it. As Howard fell he pulled the sleeping bag from the line it was hanging on causing the latern that was on it to fall on his foot as he exclaims in pain holding his foot.
Howard then hops back falling into the table sending a lamp shade flying as it fell onto his head as Betty and Chas watched. Chas, Betty, and Chuckie rush over first to see if Howard was ok and Chas apologized. Betty then asked if he was ok as Phil and Tommy came over as well. Howard asked if he had to go on the trip after saying that his foot hurts, his back ached, and he couldn't get up. Betty then sighs and says that he didn't have to go and that he could stay and watch the house.
Chas then speaks up saying that it wouldn't be a good idea if there was one parent caring for three children and offers that he wouldn't mind coming along just to have a man around. Betty agrees and teases Chas by saying who he was bringing that was a man.
- Tommy: We should hit it.
- Chuckie: (nervous) Hit what? What?
- Tommy: Uh, the sack?
- Chuckie: Oh, yeah.
Phil: Tommy, does this look right?
- Tommy: I think knot! (winks, and Phil laughs at his joke)
- When Betty looks at Phil, it is perspected that she is out of the water but the next scene she's back in the water with Tommy and Chuckie.
- This episode marks Tommy's fear of water which he gained his fear at the possible age of two or three as shown in the flashback.
- Similarly, Dil was shown to have this same fear in an episode of the Rugrats.
- This episode appears as a bonus episode on the Interview With a Campfire DVD.
- Lil, Kimi, Dil, Stu, Didi, Kira, Susie, and Angelica do not appear in this episode.
- Ending Tagline: "I knew an Eddie once!" "Had a monobrow!" - Chas
- At one point, Chuckie says that his jacket gets zipped on the tent, but he isn't wearing a jacket in the entire episode. Although he was possibly referring to his flannel shirt.
- The title might be a pun of the original show "Rugrats".
- This is the last episode to be aired in 2003.
- Tommy says he is ten years old to Chuckie when we has telling him he was afraid of water, but shouldn't he be eleven?
- Tommy learns to conquer his fears by saving Phil from a whirlpool.
- Betty once pulled a school bus out of a muddy ditch with one of her arms in a cast.


text:
I've had the following error a number of times after updating Ubuntu so I figured I should post something about it (I'm bound to forget the solution) as the first "fix" I came across wasn't actually an appropriate fix – I'll go more into this later.
ERRO[0000] [graphdriver] prior storage driver "aufs" failed: driver not supported
FATA[0000] Error starting daemon: error initializing graphdriver: driver not supported
If you're receiving the error above after a Ubuntu upgrade, the reason may be related to not having the correct kernel packages installed. There's details on how to reinstall these at https://docs.docker.com/engine/installation/linux/ubuntu/#prerequisites. In a nutshell, here are the commands (you may need to reboot afterwards).
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install linux-image-extra-$(uname -r) linux-image-extra-virtual
N.B. As mentioned by viker in the comments below, you may also need to perform the following command.
sudo modprobe aufs
I got this solution from the issue posted at https://github.com/docker/docker/issues/14026. The problem with that issue log is that the first "fix" mentioned is to remove "/var/lib/docker/aufs" which will remove your containers… this isn't ideal. Thing is, the solution I suggest above is actually mentioned much further down the post and is only a very fleeting mention so if you're impatient (like I am the majority of the time), you may totally miss it and delete "/var/lib/docker/aufs" in your frustration in finding an answer (proud to say I didn't do this because deletion to fix something makes my infrastructure "spidey-sense" tingle).


text:
Cuba, Oct 26 – Fennel's slightly sugar and aniseed flavor turn it in an ideal condiment for aromatize citrus juices, decorate fruit salads and prepare infusions, also for elaborating syrup for sweet things and to season pork meet, among others uses.
But beyond its culinary use – although in Cuba it is not among the most used – the fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), is a perennial plant with a very antique tradition regarding it use.
If someone doubt it, there it is Capitulare de villis vel curtis imperii, order emitted by Carlomagno who indicated its cultivation in the gardens of his entire empire.
Time before, it was recommended by Hippocrates for the treatment of children's colic, meanwhile the English people used to hang it above their doors for protecting themselves against the sorceries.
From the fennel there are used the seeds, the stems and bulbs and its leaves. It contains huge quantities of pro-vitamin A, vitamins B1 and C and also it has calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur.
Science supports some of the traditional uses of the fennel in the treatment for digestive problems. It is a carminative and stomach tonic plant which helps the digestion, opens the appetite and helps to decrease the stomach pains. It is demonstrated its effect against the abdominal colics. Due to its anti-spasmodic effect not only calms the digestive tract, but also others soft muscles such as the womb.
Likewise, it is indicated for the treatment of the flu related to the superior respiratory channels. According to the trials made in laboratory its insecticidal, antifungal, digestive, carminative and spasmolytic activity has become evident. Its digestive effects are increased when they are combined with others carminative plants such as the chamomile, mint, peppermint, anise and cumin.(Radio Rebelde)


text:
I met Betty in the Fall of 1977 moving into my dorm room at Kean College. Betty was carrying a wicker hamper and I was, well, limping along on crutches! It was, obviously, a memorable meeting that I can recall in great detail even though it was more than 30 years ago! (I wonder why I'm even admitting that!) Wow, that was a long time ago, and much has happened in both of our lives since that fateful meeting. Betty is one of my dearest and best friends, to this day, and I thank the powers that be in the dorm room assignment office that they matched Betty and me to be in the same apartment. We did something a little sly back then when we realized we were in the same apartment but different bedrooms and we changed the name placards so we'd be together. It really was fate that our match was made in "roommate heaven."
By the way, I was on crutches because John & I had a motorcycle accident that tore up my knee pretty badly. Except for some nasty scars that I still sport on my right knee, I was lucky not to have been injured worse.
As soon as I knew Darren was being airlifted to Atlantic City Medical Center after being pulled from the bay, Betty was the first person I called. Having just gotten home from working there, she was already on her way out the door to meet me by the time the words were completely out of my mouth. She knew the seriousness of the situation from my very first word. She and her husband arrived shortly after I did, and were with me during those crucial first hours.
Betty and Rick were with us in Atlantic City and Philadelphia as often as possible. Betty also came to Atlanta and stayed with me while Darren was at the Shepherd Center. And of course her visits continued once we were back in Kinnelon. Even though it's a 2 1/2 hour drive each way, distance has never separated us. She was and still is a source of strength, friendship and knowledge. As an Occupational Therapist, she knew what to look for, what milestones to strive for, and how to help us attempt to cope with all that was happening.
As people with very strong faith, Betty and Rick tried to hold us all up. They spread the word of Darren's injury to family and friends, and I know even today, more than 6 years later, their friends still tell me they pray for Darren. And I know Betty and Rick do, too. For that I am very grateful.
Last April, Betty and I made plans to get both families together – everyone – no exceptions! It was so great to have us all together, sharing dinner and each other's company. Our children have all grown into wonderful, mature young people, and it was a special treat to be all together for an evening.
As I ran my 5 miles this morning, I thought of Betty and the many celebrations we have shared. Our birthdays are only 2 weeks apart, our wedding anniversaries one month apart and our childrens' birthdays close together. We have shared so many fun times together, and when times were tough, she has always been there for me.
Our next joint goal will be the NJ Marathon. I'll be running the full; Betty will be running the half. We'll have a lot to celebrate that day, and mostly it won't be the running, but to celebrate love, friendship and accomplishments that have spanned several decades. I look forward to several more decades of friendship in the future.
My friend, Betty. I love you.


text:
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai pokes his head through the door of his office which is located on the grounds of Parliament Building and smiles broadly at an assortment of people in the room. He looks slightly harried and who can blame him? Up since 6.30 am, he must have had a gruelling day thus far – parliamentary meetings, Q&A sessions and the odd interview or two. But he's in good form and looks raring to go.
A firm handshake accompanied by a direct gaze and it's down to business. He's not one for small talk and there's definitely no dilly-dallying. The current President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), MP for Bentong as well as the Minister of Transport has plenty on his plate and I get the feeling he's determined to polish off every single morsel.
He breaks the ice by telling me about his childhood days growing up in a rubber estate in Merlimau in Melaka. "I'm from a very poor family," he says unashamedly. "My father was a lorry driver and my mother was a rubber tapper. I have five siblings – three brothers and two sisters – and we all have a very good relationship."
This lack of sibling rivalry must have fostered in him the ability to get along with others, a trait which has obviously come in handy in his job today.
He recalls doing his homework by candlelight as they didn't have electricity in their home. But dim and flickering lighting wasn't an excuse he could use for not completing his school assignments. "My parents were very strict when it came to education. They focused on our studies and wanted all of us to be well educated to break out of the poverty cycle ... I must thank them for that."
Graduating from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition is surely proof of his gratitude to his parents, and later, an MBA from Universiti Malaya put the cherry on his cake.
Recalling his boyhood days playing by the river in the rubber plantation where he grew up must have been a pleasant experience because now he's more relaxed and his affability index rises several notches. Liow got his first taste in politics when he received a job offer after Form Six and before entering university, at then MCA exco member Tan Sri Tee Cheng York's office as a secretary. However, he insists that he never harboured any ambitions of becoming a politician.
"To be honest, I really didn't know what I wanted to be when I was young," Liow admits. "My favourite subjects at school were science and maths so I chose to study nutrition at university."
It was at UKM that the seeds of Liow's future political career were sown. He became the leader of the Student Union and that itch caused by being bitten by the political bug has never gone away.
Youth to the fore
He started getting involved with youth groups, culminating with his position as the MCA Youth Chief back in 2005, so who better to voice out what the youths of today want?
"Young people are very energetic and enthusiastic and have a lot of ideas and aspirations, and the government must listen to them and engage them. They want the government to hear their concerns."
He's spot on but how does he plan to make this happen?
"We plan to provide plenty of platforms for them to share their ideas and views so we can tap their energy and use their ideas for the good for the community." And to back up what he says, he quotes the example of the transport ministry setting up the Skuad Muda JPJ, a youth volunteerism group for the under-40 demographic to participate in.
Putting his money where his mouth is, Liow says there will be more young candidates which MCA will nominate for the forthcoming general election. "We will nominate more than 50% for those below 50 years old and more than 30% for those below 40." He appears to be well aware and fully in touch with the needs of Gen Y and the millennials and why shouldn't he be? At 56 years old, he's not that far off chronologically plus he has three children aged between 20 and 28 years old to keep him constantly reminded.
"In terms of material needs, young people need security; they want to buy a house and car, and have a steady job. On our part, the government needs to ensure economic growth and a stable environment to provide them with these basic needs."
But what about intangible needs? "Young people need faith, not just in themselves but through religion or moral fortitude. They seek a value system for guidance in their lives; freedom of expression, where they feel safe to voice their ideals to us is also vital."
By now, Liow is warmed up, and I feel comfortable enough to venture onto rocky terrain. What does he think about the current state of politics in our country?
"We have come to a serious political situation where there is mud-slinging and a lot of rhetoric," he says, after careful thought. "There are populist agendas rather than policies that will help to build the economy or the country. I am worried about this because if all parties are trying to outdo each other by being popular, then our country will go down the drain."
He illustrates what he means by giving an example of Western countries where one political party will promise workers two days off a week and another party will promise them three days off and become more popular but as a result, the productivity of the country deteriorates.
The room we are in is nondescript by any definition but there's an elephant in here which I have to address – what is MCA doing about the criticisms that has been levelled against it?
"I want the Chinese community to know that we welcome their criticisms," he says magnanimously.
"I want to invite them to join us in resolving these issues together. I admit that MCA is far from perfect and I know there are a lot of criticisms about us and I accept them but we want to do better and do more."
Liow solicits ideas and suggestions from the public but with a caveat. "We welcome constructive criticism. Don't attack us unnecessarily. If it's given with good intention, we will be able to work together."
He elaborates on how he goes about helping those who seek him out.
"When someone comes to me for help and it's a serious problem, I will raise it to the Cabinet and let the person know what I have done to help him. Even if his problem is not solved, at least he will know that we have tried our best by bringing it to the highest level and he will know the process we employ in this country to solve issues."
He says this is very important as every government has a due process and proper procedures to follow.
"In the past, MCA would bring it up to the Cabinet but didn't tell the complainant what was discussed or the process of negotiation and this created dissatisfaction because they felt their complaint wasn't dealt with. So now I have become very transparent and let them know what we discussed in the Cabinet pertaining to their problem."
He's quick to add that once the complainant has become aware of the process, they feel satisfied, regardless of the outcome.
Having spent almost his entire life scaling the heights of the political ladder and now at the summit, Liow is more than qualified to give his opinion of what he thinks MCA has done for the Chinese community in Malaysia.
"Despite what some people think or say, they cannot deny that MCA has done a lot for the Chinese community. If not for MCA, Malaysia would not be this multiracial, multicultural and multireligious society today. We are different from countries like Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
"That is why we can continue to learn Chinese in the government education system. We have the most comprehensive multiracial and multilingual education system here. This is because we have a Chinese political party and that has made a difference."
It is well past the hour and Liow's assistant reminds him of a vote he has to cast in Parliament. It's evident that he holds all these topics close to his heart because his eyes are now ablaze and he's fired up yet he still retains a cool composure.
As a parting shot, he says: "I want to tell the Chinese community that MCA is a party that is still very relevant to them. We are able to protect their interest and position in this country and we will strive to continue to make Malaysia a racially diverse, inclusive and moderate country.
"I want all Chinese to know we are part of this country and that we belong here."
Candid reflections
Liow's advice for today's youth
"I would like to see young people be more enthusiastic about life and participate more in volunteerism. They should try to contribute to society and when they become successful, they should remember to give back. This is very important.
"Don't be selfish and just think of your own interests. On the government's part, we are equipping young people with knowledge and experience by giving them the opportunity for self-development. Even after graduating from university, they can still continue lifelong learning if this is what they want. It doesn't have to be academic or in the form of another degree. It can be in the form of vocational training. I joined Toastmasters International to improve my communication, public speaking and leadership skills, and I joined a swimming club to learn how to swim better."
Eating healthy and keeping fit
"My parents are vegetarians because of their religion (they are Buddhists) while I have been a vegetarian for over 30 years (Liow is an ovo-lacto vegetarian which means he doesn't eat meat or seafood but does consume some animal products like eggs and dairy) because I feel it is good for my health. My wife and children are also vegetarians. It all ties in with being fit. I do planking exercises every morning and play badminton three times a week. I don't have time to cook but my favourite dish is a vegetarian Chinese herbal soup my wife makes."
Biggest challenge on the job
"Without a doubt, it is transforming and unifying the party. It's a big challenge and when I became the President and took over the task, there were a lot of factions within MCA. But now I have managed to unite most of them and we are more cohesive. In MCA, we have to subscribe to the notion that its members own the party and only then can we unite. We cannot unite based on personalities. We must unite based on the philosophy of the party. There must be a common goal that every member can work toward achieving."
What keeps him up at night
"I face a lot of issues every day and these are big issues. If those issues are worsening and I can't find any solutions in the short term, that keeps me up. But I am thankful I have a calm personality and so far I have managed to handle most things that are thrown at me. I believe that there always is a solution to any problem that arises. I have faith in myself and my abilities and that gives me power. I always believe that I can do better. I am generally a positive person and therefore I am able to sleep well most nights."
Dreams for MCA
"As the president I would like to galvanise the strength of the entire Chinese community within the government.
"By giving strength to the party inside the government, we can resolve more problems and get more resources for the Chinese community. We will disintegrate if we are on the outside and we will be at the losing end. The Chinese community needs to understand that they need an effective party to represent them, not a populist party. I still believe that the Chinese have a lot of hope for MCA."


text:
Appearing in the 1st Story
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Ms. Popper
- Gary Hampton
- Cecil Stedman
- Guardians of the Globe
Other Characters
Plot Synopsis for the 1st Story
Guarding the Globe Vol 2 6 In Mumbai, India, Set declares his victory against his brother.
However before he did, Thoth and Set were battling while the Guardians of the Globe witnessed it. Pegasus confirms that Set, but doesn't know who the other person is. Black Samson gets ready to charge, but Brit advises him otherwise. He argues that Set could knock them unconscious or Thoth could absorb their life force. Rex's drones recommend that they rescue the citizens there. The team splits and Ms. Popper teleports citizens out of a bus. Since she's exhausted from it all, Brit has Rex's drone and Kid Thor hold a collapsed building while Shapesmith extends his arm as a rappel line. He finds a woman named Samar trapped under there. She asks that Brit rescue her little sister.
Thoth launches Set and Shapesmith lets Brit go. An angry Kid Thor goes to attack, but Thoth catches his hammer strike. Thoth grabs him and drains his life force. Pegasus grabs Le Brusier after Le Brusier tries to charge into Thoth. A horrified Outrun escapes after Rex's drone has holds off Thoth. Yeti evacuates citizens and looks confused as Robot is attacking Thoth, stating that Brit told them not to fight him. He fires a missile, though the latter has no effect on Thoth. Thoth easily destroys his drone and he sends more drones.
The drones fire more missiles and the building Brit is in starts collapsing. The woman starts crying as her sisters may have died. A confused Samar asks why Brit hasn't thrown the building and Brit reveals to her that his Invulnerability doesn't give him Superhuman Strength. She offers to help and the building begins collapsing more. It finally collapses, killing Samar and likely other people in the process. Set pulls Brit out of the debris, confused on why Brit has bleed. Brit angrily corrects him and strikes him, though the latter has no effect. Set asks for his help, much to Brit's shock and anger. Set reveals that him and Thoth battle for planets as it is their way of life.
He also reveals that Thoth's power grows stronger as he drains more life. He asks Brit to use his invulnerability to allow him to doubt his powers. A confused Brit asks why he doesn't Mind Control on him. Set remarks that he operates against a strict code and refuses to use it. Brit remarks that it's all a "god-damned" game to him. Set goes on to say that humanity cannot survive Set and Thoth's game. He asks if what happened previously was all a way to help him and Set replies "in a way." Brit in anger tells to "just ask." Thoth easily destroys Rex's drone and Brit goes to attack. He grabs him and attempts to drain his soul. Brit, however, is unaffected. Thoth begins to doubt his powers and Set uses the chance to throw a freight train. Amanda and the rest of the Guardians arrive to the scene, asking if Brit is okay. Brit says no as he says "the first time in a century." Kaboomerang comments that Brit is looking older and Outrun asks where he is. Brit goes on to say that after Set drop the train on Thoth, they left. The Guardians would go to Utah and have Kid Thor's dead body transported there. Knockout would go to see his corpse and goes to him, crying. She grabs his hammer and places it back with him. A glow happens to him, much to her surprise.
Brit gets to his house in Virginia and picks up Brit Jr.. Jessica wakes up and she talks about how her life change since he met her. An exhausted Brit, however, fell asleep.
- No special notes.
- No trivia.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- No external links.


text:
Tagged With: krazy k rv park
Krazy K RV Park Review – Camp Verde, AZ
Park Name: Krazy K RV Park Date Visited: 3/28/13 – 4/1/13 Address: 2075 Arena Del Loma Camp Verde, Arizona 86322 Camp Verde Our Rating: 7 (1 = awful – 10 = top notch) Web address: http://www.krazykrv.com/ Fee: Daily: $18.00 w/Passport America Weekly: Monthly: Location: Right next to US 17…but you have to go a round … Continue reading
Travel Day: Camp Verde, AZ To Grand Canyon, AZ
We had planned to pull out of Krazy K RV Park about 11:00 am and ended up hitting the road at 10:33 am. It was a smooth drive and we only had one semi-major uphill climb. The scenery changed quite a bit along 138 mile drive…from the red rocks of the Sedona area to a … Continue reading
Travel Day: Phoenix, AZ to Camp Verde, AZ
Our goal was to pull out of Desert Sands RV Park at 11:00 am this morning and we pulled out at 10:55…right on time! We had a very short trip of just 76 miles to our new parking spot in Camp Verde, Arizona. We had a nice drive and enjoyed the ever-changing scenery. We really … Continue reading


text:
Building No. E/3, C-Wing, New Highway Park, Thakur Complex, Near Avenue Hotel, Kandivali East, Mumbai-400101
Get Directions
41 More Branches |
Beauty Parlours
In Western Suburbs
For Best Price & Instant Booking - Call Now!
Bridal Makeup - 5 Blunders To Avoid!
Make-up Tips For Different Eye Shapes
7 Beautiful Bridal Bun Hairstyles!
Book your chosen vendor in just 3 easy steps!
Tell us your requirements
We'll suggest you the best vendors based on your requirements.
Get best discounts from us and book your chosen vendor!
Lowest Booking Price With Great Deals
Full Vendor Check & Last Min Backup
Easy, Direct & Transparent Dealings


text:
alternative, alternativefashion, altfashion, Blue, Classic, colourful, cute, Dress, Fashion, lady petrova, winter
Lady Petrova's webstore is a dangerous place for my wallet.
Basically there was this dress which I loved. Then it went on sale. Then it got marked down further, and the once more. Every time it was marked down it was so much harder for me not to buy.
I may have caved this week….
…and this might be the dress in question.
Usually I'm not a fan of wearing 'bodycon' dresses, but, the organza overlay makes it super cute and a bit classy.
The dress was designed by house of cards http://www.houseofcardsthelabel.com/ which is a pretty darn cool label.


text:
The Westhampton COA has a transportation program that provides rides to seniors who are not able to get to appointments or to shopping. Please call Louise Jasionkowski, at 527-5134, to schedule a ride or find out more about the transportation program.
Volunteer drivers are always needed. If you are interested in being a driver, contact Louise.
The Friends of the COA provide several trips throughout the year. See the Friends link for more information.


text:
Talk:Geographical Scope
Jump to navigation Jump to search
From Chair's streamlined non-paper on elements of a draft text of the ILBI at PrepCom 4:
Geographical scope
Option 1: Areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Option 2: Areas not adequately addressed by existing international conventions.
Does not apply to maritime zones under national jurisdiction, including the continental shelf 200 nautical miles where applicable.


text:
Villa:mountain Time Villa by Yi Tonghua
Yi Tonghua Designs The Mountain Time Villa Villa
Yi Tonghua, the lead designer of the awarded work Award Winning Mountain Time Villa Villa says, Decorated with beige stones, ethnic-style cloth, fresh sea blue and plain wood, the design highlights the natural and relaxing atmosphere. The painting matches with the surroundings perfectly, creating a quiet but lively space in the soft natural light. Exquisite details such as the decorative patterns are originated from North Africa, adding to some exotic and mysterious flavor. The cozy wood-colored space, decorated with knitted art works and unadorned wooden panels, will remind people of the old memories and comfort the souls. .
Villa:mountain Time Villa by Yi Tonghua Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to Design Prize Magazine homepage.


text:
After every terrorist attack, politicians and pundits reassure us that the atrocity does not represent the true beliefs of the "moderate Muslim majority." But how many moderates are there? And what exactly does "moderate" mean?
Military instructor and researcher Hussein Aboubakr of Prager University grew up attending Muslim schools in Egypt. Looking back at his Muslim education, Aboubakr believes that Westerners simply do not understand the values that Islam actually promotes. When politicians reassure their citizenry, after terror attacks, that most Muslims are "moderate," Aboubakr says that it all depends on what the definition of "moderate" is.
Watch as Aboubakr describes what most (though not all) so called 'moderate Muslims' think about imposing Sharia Law and supporting terror attacks on Israeli civilians.
This religion is the most antichrist religion that has ever existed. Both Shia and Sunni Muslims believe the appearance of their Messiah – al Mahdi is imminent. Is this person the expected Christian Antichrist? I believe so. It fits the fourth empire of Daniel 2 being the Ottoman Empire (which crushed the first three Empires) and the final Empire being a revived but divided (Sunni/Shia) Muslim Caliphate. It fits with Rev. 12,13 & 17 history of the pagan Empires with 7th head – Ottoman Empire and the 8th head Divided Islamic Empire. Also, whether Daniel's King of the North, Ezekiel's Gog, or Isaiah's and Micah's "The Assyrian", they are the same man the Antichrist, from the same region with the same motivation – The Antichrist.


text:
Looking to take up a new hobby this Spring? How about crafting your own floral basket, tea cup arrangement and hand tie bouquet alongside Elaine Forrester of Forrester Flowers.
This is the perfect opportunity to create something personal and bespoke for that special someone and with Mother's Day only a week later, perhaps a chance for you to bond with your nearest and dearest.
Once you are happy with your creations you can sit back, relax and enjoy a delicious Afternoon Tea!
Tickets cost only £60 per person. For more information or to book your place on the workshop, please give us a call on 017687 76551.
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa
Bassenthwaite Lake
Cumbria, CA12 4RE
Hotel: 017687 76551
Spa: 017687 88900
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Giving students a "farm to fork" agriculture experience
New LEAF program will change the way that Ontario youth learn about their food.
New LEAF program will change the way that Ontario youth learn about their food.
Learn about the game teaching teens about agriculture and sustainability.
Young farmers from across Canada are optimistic for the future.
Canada's Agriculture Day celebrates vibrant industry while encouraging conversations to bridge gap between consumers and their food.
Elementary school teacher Heather Law developed an ag literacy program to help her students become more aware of their food sources.
As a kid growing up in the city, it's pretty safe to say I knew nothing about agriculture. But I […]
Tell young people that agriculture is a great place to grow your career.
University of Guelph ag students are being an active voice in the food conversation.
Volunteer at a local school during Canadian Ag Literacy Week, February 28 – March 5.
Farm Credit Canada's project helps high school students see a future in agriculture.
Even in the rural, agriculture-based communities it's surprising how much disconnect is arising from farm to fork. Just imagine what's […]
In our sixth webinar, "Getting youth excited about ag," Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, Executive Director of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, […]


text:
VOOPOO DRAG Nano Pod Kit
$9.99 $27.99
As the first pod system kit form VOOPOO DRAG family, the DRAG Nano consists of built-in 750mAh battery and 1.0ml refillable pod with pocket-friendly size with beautiful resin panel. Moreover, the DRAG Nano Pod kit inherits the classic and advanced GENE pod chip which is born for best flavor to bring unbelievable vaping for you. Plus the brand-new 1.8ohm coil, the DRAG Nano is optimized for nic-salts e-juice.
Quick Link:
VOOPOO Drag Nano Replacement Cartridge
Battery Size: 54.5mm x 35m x 11mm
Battery Material: Zinc Alloy & Aluminium Alloy
Quiescent Current: <15uA
Battery Capacity: 750mAh
Charge Voltage: 5V/0.5A
Output Voltage: 3.2-4.2V
Resistance Range: 1.5-3.0ohm
Pod Size: 36.3 x 15 x 7.0mm
Pod Capacity: 1.0ml
Coil Resistance: 1.8ohm
Portable Size with Beautiful Resin Panel
GENE Chip Inside Born for Flavor
750mAh Recharge battery for long-last vaping
New 1.8ohm Coil Optimized for Nic-salts
Patented refilling design
Smart Indicator Light
Various Safety Protection
Multiple Colors for Selection
- 1 x DRAG Nano
- 1 x Pod-S1 (1.8ohm)
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x Warranty Card
- 1 x GENE CHIP Card
People who bought this product, also bought
- Option1Option2Option3


text:
Have you been or are you in a Dominant/submissive dynamic relationship or is this new to you? Have you been in more than one D/s relationship? How were they the same? How were they different? What is unique about your relationships in your mind?
Looking back, I've had a couple Dominant / submissive relationships in my time but to us it was just that wild thing we did. We didn't apply concepts of what I know now, it was just that dynamic there raging away. It was, if I may say so, a natural progression.
So the answer to have I been in one or more is yes, but not to the extent that I would be in my adult years. This is where they differ.
In my twenties, that was a similar thing in that there was a Dominant / submissive aspect at play, except it was only in the bedroom. Which was okay but depressing, for the simple fact we weren't on the same page and it wasn't meant to be. I had put ideas to her and she expressed indifference.
I don't think any relationship was really the same at all. Certainly in my teens, there was this potency there because I tried a whole range of things for the first time that I wasn't a fan of. But as an adult, it is potent but in different areas because now I know a bit more, I'm a little more experienced. I know how to make my voice travel, and how to command.
The unique thing about my D/s relationship now is that this is a woman I was crushing on when I was 21 and that life brought me back to her, after we fell out of touch, at the age of 27. I mean, we get on like gangbusters. I love her mind, it's devious, it's dry, it's intelligent and for me it was a sign when we had a D and M one night and when I mentioned BDSM, she responded positively to everything I said. For me, it's her mind, our history together and how enjoyable our time together is that make this relationship special.
So there are all these elements at play that heighten the tension and sexual gratification and animal play.


text:
Bill Lewis Fishing and Elite Series Pro Brock Mosley have reached an agreement to partner in promoting the brands Rat-L-Trap, StutterStep, Echo 1.75, and there are talks of new products to come.
Bill Lewis President, Wes Higgins says "Brock Mosley has really impressed us this year with his ability to compete at the top-tier with the best of the best. As we plan to develop more crankbaits going forward, we'll be leaning on Brock for insight as cranking is his strong suit. We also like that he is from Mississippi, the home-state of our founder, Bill Lewis. It's nice to have some representation homebased in the state we have roots to.
With four Top-Ten finishes in the past several years, including two 2ndplaces on the Elite Series Tour last year, Brock Mosley is positioned for what could be a breakthrough season in 2018. Growing up in the small town of Collinsville, MS, Mosley says the only things to do were hunt, fish, or play ball. He grew up wanting to be a pro-angler, and after playing baseball a few years at Delta State University he decided to go all in on tournament-fishing. Before long he was invited on to the Ole Miss Fishing Team where he went on to win the 2011 Southeast BASS Regional. This only motivated Brock further to pursue a career as a pro-angler. With 23 finishes in the money now, it's clear that the dream and pursuit to be a pro-angler has transformed into a reality.
The Bill Lewis Fishing company is most well-known for its legendary Rat-L-Trap fishing lure and its long-standing dedication to USA manufacturing. With the entire Rat-L-Trap line of lures being made in the USA, Bill Lewis manufactures more hard-bait fishing lures in the USA than any company. More recently, the Bill Lewis company has turned on the product development engine and begin cranking out new lures like the Echo 1.75 squarebill and the StutterStep topwater. Look for this to only continue in 2018 as there are talks of a new mid-range diving crankbait to be released.


text:
Help With Essay Writing
Composing solution – most important amid composing products australia wide
I would like aid in essay producing in Australia
Sample Term Papers
The very next time that someone declares for your needs that enrollees do nothing but get together all night and sleep till midday, with only the irregular essay to write or lecture to go, you'll likely have fun. You'll know only likewise efficiently that usually your itinerary is only at the same time excessive, specifically when you're learning information like scientific research with lots of communicate with research laboratory and many hours do the job, as being a college student. Furthermore you may have your experiments to take care of, but you need to work to guide buy tuition cost and residing expense.
So, you will see instances when you've just became a lot of on your own dish and so are running out of time for it to comprehensive your career. Or you're just selecting a distinct pieces of paper extremely have and stressful little idea what to blog about. Should you worry and quickly throw jointly a poor part of give good results? Additionally, should you forget work deadlines? Nor of will impress your tutors, and then you are aware of it http://paperwriterservice.com/custom-paper-writing/ – and also causes you to be scared far more. So what can you are doing to recovery the specific situation?
Literary Topics For Research Paper
Go to a customizable pieces of paper simply writing service plan Most desirable Essays
The solution is to hunt the assistance of formulating serviceWriting serviceessaypapers.com. This tailor made old fashioned paper formulating product can element of and keep the afternoon to suit your needs. No need to panic or anxiety more when you are able just take full advantage of their cost effective simply writing products and ask them to produced the best report available for you. You'll be capable of see how to write a good papers that is what your tutors are looking to find. It'll take the stress ideal out of you together with can help you hop on with everything you need to do. You'll find a better essays Au has to offer on this page.
We know what exactly pupils right here need to have, but we appeal to individuals everywhere, as the Melbourne essay authoring support. So any place you're understanding, what ever your subject, contact us and unwind knowing we'll produce a wonderful old fashioned paper to suit your needs, at a certain time for ones due date.
The authoring assistance australia wide it is important to believe in
But because there are many old fashioned paper crafting expert services in existence, all assuring to develop a fantastic old fashioned paper at competitive prices, how do you know who to believe in? Quite simply, you must rely on http: //www.auessaypapers.com. We can supply you with each kind of pieces of paper you may have, regardless of whether you will want descriptive essay or a relative one particular, a software essay to get you into university or college or maybe a chapter in the dissertation.
Our personalized authoring services can cope with your publishing requires, and we're optimistic that you'll hope to try us each time you need help using a old fashioned paper. The most suitable essay Au authors can offer will be in both hands swiftly, allowing you comfortable and content you crafted the correct choice. Pieces of paper composing needn't be a challenge; it absolutely isn't for all of us! Just transmit us your buy and we'll reach improve your pieces of paper straight away.
Specialized records plus more ! within the very best freelance writers
The writer who works on your own made to order old fashioned paper isn't just someone; we just get authors who have whether a PhD or Master's diploma. That makes sure that your document can be treated by somebody who has a great amount of encounter writing reports to your quality, so they can easily overcome the job.
Our composing solution features a wide array of ideas and subject areas; there's no area of interest we can't tackle. After your sequence is gained by us, we decide on the most effective editor to do the job and make certain they are for sale; we regard the time frame you've specified us, and we won't take on positions we can't deliver punctually. If you truly desire the best of the best to control your old fashioned paper producing, you are able to demand a high freelance writer to get a very good prime. So, when you want a formulating support, you will with confidence placed your report within equipped palms – for the very best customizable essay Au presents.


text:
The goal is to come up with a Wrestling Twitter approved list of Top and Bottom 25 Fast Food places.
There is plenty of time to submit a ballot, but here's the rules so you can start pondering this if you're a member of Wrestling Twitter.
THREAD: THE RULES FOR #WrestlingWithTransFats TOP/BOTTOM 25— BostonNooga (@BostonNooga) June 4, 2018
We, Wrestling Twitter, will rank our Top & Bottom 25 fast food restaurants. Fast-food and Fast-casual restaurants qualify. Restaurants must be in at least 3 U.S. states and be more known for take-out than dine-in.
I'm in the brainstorming part of my list, and will begin ranking the places I came up with shortly. I'm fairly easy to please so coming up with a Bottom 5 (or more) will be the more challenging part.
This is my kind of content though so I'm looking forward to seeing my final ballot and the compiled results.


text:
Christmas shopping frenzy already began and made us wonder what is it that determines us to pick up from the shelves a specific product. Out of all the offers and specials deals, how do we choose and what will trigger the choice? We have asked some of our clients and sum up the answers.
Factor 1- Reviews
Many of us are doing the online shopping. It's easier, less fuss and we get the comfort of having the products deliver at home. If it is online, then seeing what feedback other people have put regarding the quality of the product (e.g. the number of stars people have put, their own personal comments added, etc.) helps us choose. Also, the more reviews we see on the product the more reliable appears to be. In reality, reviews can be very deceiving. If we are talking about skincare, hair loss or slimming products, then be careful. The products can have amazing effects on some people and none so ever on others. This does not mean that the product is inefficient. It only goes to show that all of us are different and that we should buy a product only after carefully verify that it's suited for our type of skin or the specific hair problem we have.
Factor 2 – Ingredients of the Product
As always, we recommend the use of natural products, as they are free from chemicals and can be used without side effects on all types of skin. They are more reliable, and safer. So read carefully the labels and look at the ingredients. Make sure not to buy products containing SLS, parabens and harsh chemicals. It won't be beneficial for your health and in the end, health is all that matters.
Factor 3 – What the Product has to Offer
When going to buy a product (online or in shops) is always helpful to have a broad description available that will help you better understand what the product has to offer. The more details we have on the benefits of the ingredients and the effect they have on the skin/ body/hair, the better, otherwise we have to rely on reviews (even more than we already do) and it can be difficult. Our recommendation – do a little search before choosing a specific brand or product for your skin care. Keep in mind your skin absorbs 60% of what you put on it and anything you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream within 26 seconds. Some are even "designed" to penetrate the skin quickly and easily, like nanoparticles and the enhancers found in many lotions and sunscreens which can harm you in the long term.
Factor 4 – Seeing the Product Suggested & Advertised
If the product has been suggested in an article, by a blogger online, a celebrity in an article or it's just been mentioned somewhere publicly that increases the chances of a person buying it. This is one of the biggest factors brands are counting on. See a product often enough and you will be predisposed to buy it as the overall reliability increases. It's how the human minds work. Advertising a product is important but where it's advertised can increase its appeal as it targets people free time (just think of all those Facebook ads!). On the other hand, a big marketing budget does not mean a great product. Seeing a product suggested makes it seem very helpful since that product comes to mind first when someone is out shopping. Plus, if a blogger, the journa
list who wrote the article or the celebrity posing with the product say they use it you will be convinced that it works. In reality, more than 80% of all articles and recommendations you see in the lifestyle & fashion blogs and magazines are paid publicity. Before any purchase, make sure you are influenced by the quality of the products and not their advertising campaign.
Factor 5 – Who Has Reviewed the Product. Word of Mouth
The wright person reviewing one product can influence whether another person buys it or not. For example, if the product is seen in a magazine, but then a friend or family member tells you about another product they've been using and it has worked for them, you are more likely to use the one your friend has used. A review in a magazine is paid for therefore not as reliable but the word of mouth will always work. It's also a rapid way of finding out if the product is effective or not. So do not be shy about asking your friends about the skincare products they are using.
Factor 6 – The Price
Although it is listed the last, the price of a product is very important. It is all about being affordable and within the budget. Sometimes it can also give you a hint about how good the product is.
A cheap product tends to have plenty of chemicals and cheap ingredients that keep the cost of production low. You end up with a skincare product that will not ruin your holiday budget but that also doesn't have a lot to offer. If the price is too high then we are hesitant in buying it as we are not sure the results will worth the priced we have paid. Nonetheless, it would still be smarter though to buy a more expensive product than a cheaper one that doesn't offer a lot. Internet today offers us the possibility of finding out all about the products we intend to use. Before deciding on a purchase, make sure the ratio price/quality is good and you are getting the best product possible. And although the organic and natural skincare products tend to be a bit pricier than the commercials ones, they work and are quite safe.
Take a look at our natural skincare products and see which one works for you.