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New Contender: 2018 Ford Expedition & Expedition MaxBy Bill Lang | Posted in Auto Industry - General on Friday, January 18th, 2019 at 7:05 PM
In mid-2018, Ford's all new Expedition and Expedition Max came onto the market to go head-to head with GMs Tahoe/Yukon and Suburban/Yukon XL. After years of a mediocre product, the new Expedition came out swinging. It's certainly caught the attention of our customers as well, as we have sold more Expeditions in the past several months than we have in the past several years.
So, what's new? Everything; new sheet metal, all new interior, upgraded drivetrain, steering, and suspension. However, it shares a whole lot from its pick-up truck counter parts, so there is less worry of the first-year model issues. It's powered by the EcoBoost 3.5L twin-turbo V6 that puts out 375 HP and 470 lb-ft torque (on the Platinum trim level it is tuned to put out 400 HP and 480 lb-ft torque) and is backed by a new 10-speed transmission that is found in the F-150s. The technology in the Ford is just about unmatched from the simple infotainment and navigation, to safety and towing features, the car can even park itself (kind of). Some of the features offered also seem to be unmatched, from the panoramic sunroof to 2nd row seats that can give access to 3rd row seats easily even with a car seat in them.
The big question from our clients is "how does it compare to the GM products" since that has been our bread butter for years? Well, there is a lot that goes into it. There are things on both that are good and bad, but Ford finally has a vehicle that is bringing a lot of clients away from GM.
On the trim levels, Ford offers XLT, Limited, and Platinum. Within the XLT and Limited trims, each have three package levels. It's a little tricky to compare apples-to-apples, you have to compare them with certain options within trim levels, but below is as close comparison of some of the more common trim levels we sell. There are some small differences still, but this gets you close. You always have us to call to make sense of it all!
Price wise, they are neck and neck, but Ford may arguably have more bang for the buck. The mistake a lot make is thinking the Expedition is more expensive because they compare the Tahoe Premier trim level with the Expedition Platinum trim level (because they are the highest trim level for each) but remember Platinum level is comparable with the Yukon Denali.
In the end, Ford has a full-size SUV that is making an impact in this market. It's long overdue after having years of an average product that was lacking power and appeal. Now, to see what GMs next play is!
How to Get Un-StuckBy Lewis Brazelton | Posted in Brazelton Auto on Monday, September 17th, 2018 at 2:57 PM
Everyone has their gift. I consider myself somewhat of an expert at both getting stuck and getting unstuck. "If I had a dollar for every time ….". Now a lot of times getting unstuck takes a lot of work; but a lot of times it doesn't. Here are some low effort hints that could get you out of a jam without too much sweat;
- Rule #1 – when stuck in a hole, stop digging! If you're tire is spinning and you're not moving, you're just digging a rut and making the situation worse. This is common sense can apply to so many aspects of life, but it's regularly ignored!
- Point your front tires straight – If you have a two wheel drive vehicle and your front wheels are turned at all, you're increasing the resistance for your back wheels to get you moving. Even if you have a four wheel drive, it's better for all the wheels to be pulling in the same direction than battling each other. Once you're moving, then turn.
- Rock it – Quickly shift from drive to reverse and back to get a rocking motion going. The momentum may lift you out of the rut. But remember, as soon as you stop moving, refer to Rule #1!
- Partially depress your parking brake – Most vehicles have what's called an open differential in their axle (sports cars and trucks/SUVs with a tow package are the exception). An open differential means that power from the engine is sent through the path of least resistance. If one back wheel is on ice and the other on pavement, the ice has less resistance so that wheel will spin, and the vehicle does not move. Push your parking brake about half way down (can't do this if you have an electronic parking brake). That will engage the brakes on both sides of the axle, but not enough to fully stop them. Now the resistance is equal. Both the tire on the ice and the one on pavement will get power, and the vehicle will move.
- Deflate your tires – this can roughly double the "contact patch" between your tire and the ground. Think of a basketball sitting on the court as it deflates. Drop your air pressure into the mid-upper teens, or if you don't have an air gauge, to where your sidewall is about half its normal height. This works well on all surfaces, but particularly on sand. It does not work as well if you have low-profile tires.
Everyone needs at least one redneck friend. We've got you covered.
Why We Stopped Changing OilBy email@example.com | Posted in Auto Industry - General, Brazelton Auto, Mechanical on Friday, September 7th, 2018 at 7:31 PM
When I started working on cars I was changing oil every 3,000 miles, belts were changed every 2 years, tune ups every 12,000 to 15,000 miles (if the parts lasted that long). There was always something that needed attention. Your hood was opened 3 to 4 times a year. That gave us many opportunities to find problems you might have. Today oil changes happen between 7,000 and 12,000 miles, about once a year. Drive belts last 50,000 to 80,000 miles, and the first tune up is around 100,000 miles. Your hood is now only opened about once a year. Just like going to the doctor for an annual physical, your car needs the same physical. When we raise the hood on your car for its annual oil service, we look at everything we can. Our "Vehicle Health Report" gives you peace of mind when you get in your car. Our goal for your vehicle is to be problem free for the next year. We could change the oil and filter, check the fluid levels and add washer fluid. It would cost less but that would be an injustice to you. We pull the wheels, rotate the tires, check the brakes, belts, hoses, battery, cooling system, all the fluid conditions, wiper blades, lights, and many other things on our 130 point inspection. We won't just do an oil change because I never want you to ask me "why didn't you see a problem? You just worked on my car."
The Complexities of the Driver's SeatBy Lewis Brazelton | Posted in Mechanical on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018 at 1:10 PM
Last week a customer came in with his driver's seat not working. We checked the problem and found a seat motor not working. Upon further inspection we found water damage from the Harvey flood. This car had less than one inch of water on the rear seat floor board. The large amount of moisture in the air damaged the electric motor. So one gallon or so of water did thousands of dollars in damage one year later! As we were taking the seat apart I noticed how much stuff you are sitting on. Four electric motors, air bag on the left side, seat heater, seat cooler, wires from top to bottom, seat switch to move the seat where you want it, a computer to operate the comfort system and remember what settings you like. To think when I started all you had a lever that moved the seat forward and backward.
The Numbers Behind the Automotive Trade WarBy Lewis Brazelton | Posted in Auto Industry - General, Uncategorized on Thursday, July 26th, 2018 at 5:15 PM
|Auto Imports to the US
|Current Import Tariffs
|Country of Origin
* currently exempt from tariffs under NAFTA.
* China recently agreed to drop to 15% in response to tariff threats.
There has been much ado about automotive tariffs and a potential trade war in the sector. The threatened increase in the US tariff to 25% would have devastating effects on the automotive sector, both here and abroad, and undoubtedly lead to retaliatory tariffs overseas. Hopefully this is a positioning and negotiating strategy, not a goal of the administration. The recently announced cease-fire with Europe with the aim to get all automotive tariffs to 0% in both directions is certainly encouraging.
Interestingly, I don't see any winners from a trade war. "Domestic" automakers are thoroughly global company's now, making tons of cars and sourcing parts internationally. And alternatively, almost all of the "foreign" manufacturers build lots of cars here and employ thousands of US workers. For instance BMW exports about 70% of the vehicles they produce in the US and helped lower the trade deficit in 2017 by more than $1 Billion. There will certainly be some makers who are hurt worse than others, but it's shades of gray.
So how legitimate are our cries of unfair automotive trade tariffs? Well if you look at cars, we have every right to complain. Until just recently, China's import tariff was ten-fold ours, and Europe wasn't much better. But it's a different situation when it comes to trucks and SUVs. Back in 1963 Europe imposed an import tariff on US chickens. We struck back with a 25% import tariff on trucks and SUVs. The so-called Chicken Tax has virtually eliminated truck and SUV imports ever since (with the exception of Canada and Mexico, which are exempt under NAFTA). That is why all of the foreign manufacturers plants in the Southeast part of the country make SUVs, not cars.
The InternBy Lewis Brazelton | Posted in Brazelton Auto, The Crew, Uncategorized on Tuesday, June 19th, 2018 at 2:46 PM
We hired an intern for the summer. Stuart is the 16 year old son of a good friend and hunting buddy, so we're keeping him busy with everything from picking weeds to passing out marketing materials. Part of his responsibility is to write a blog. I told him there are two rules; 1) he's free to write about anything he wants (which I'm already regretting a bit), and 2) it better be entertaining. Here's blog #1! (I love how he puts a header on it like I'm going to grade it) – Lewis Brazelton
Stuart Wallace
Brazelton Auto
June 12, 2018
Internship Blog
The weekend leading up to my first week at Brazelton Auto, I didn't know what to expect. The only person that I knew there was Lewis Brazelton. Now if you hadn't met Lewis, you be able to pick him out of a crowd with a basic description. 6'4, gray hair with a fairly sized bald spot and he is usually wearing something circled around jeans and cowboy boots. On my first day interning at Brazelton, I had the chance to meet everyone in the office. Each office had a different character working within it. The first person I had met was former "Varsity Memorial High School Cheerleader," Bill Lang. Bill used those cheer muscles and sprung to open the door and I could tell he would eventually appreciate my helping hand. The next person I met was Debbie Morgan or the Brazelton Auto PA and speaker system. The office to the right of Debbie's is Modi's. The lights were mostly dim, which created a proactive vibe specifically meant for Modi. Across the hallway sat another rookie at Brazelton, Sarah. She had only started a week before I came but it seemed like she had already been working there for years. I kept on moving towards the next offices to find Brad and Gabe. If you ever want a meal plan to shed those couple of pounds, Gabe is your guy. If you are ever considering of disregarding Gabe's meal plan, Brad is your guy. But before I had my meet and greet of the office, I met what could be known to some people as the face of Brazelton Auto; our keen and helpful receptionist, Natalie.
I forgot to mention that I am also 16 years old and have no working experience at all. Yet my dad and Lewis behooved me to work at Brazelton Auto. I have been working here for about two and a half weeks and it has served as a tough but ethically rewarding job. As I said earlier, each office holds a different character. That is what makes each and every one of those people an integral part of the team that has created and keeps on progressing this company. For instance, there has never been a time where we haven't all had lunch together or with someone else in the office. Everyone has a role here business related or not and everybody feeds off of each other's energy in the office. That is what makes this company special; the employees. I can't wait to continue the rest of my summer here at Brazelton Auto where I'm understanding how to work and sweat, while also finding ways to have fun with the people working around me.
Our Story, or The Sad Tale of a Kid from a Good Family Who Turned into a Car GuyBy Lewis Brazelton | Posted in Brazelton Auto, The Crew, Uncategorized on Monday, April 30th, 2018 at 10:48 PM
I can't blame my parents. They raised me right. Growing up in Memorial and Tanglewood, all my friends have real jobs. Professionals. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I started my first company at 15 years old (landscaping), so of course bought a used truck to go with it. Seems like I spent as much time under that truck as in it. I rebuilt motors and swapped out the tranny, suspension, interior, etc. For fun we'd go out to Addicks dam and get stuck in the mud.
Eventually I went off to college. I graduated with a degree in Beer and spent the next two years cowboying on various ranches in Texas and Montana. Eventually I caught a slight case of maturity and decided I needed a real education, so went back to school for my MBA. That decision was a real encouragement for my flabbergasted father, but it turned out to be more of a head fake when I slipped into the car world.
In grad school I took an Entrepreneurship class. We were required to build a start-up business plan and present it to venture capitalists. My concept was basically an inspection and certification program for used vehicles. This was in 1990, before anyone had ever heard of a certified used car. After grad school, I raised some money and started that business. It survived, but never thrived. My first sign of trouble was in a meeting with the patriarch of a well known local dealership group. I got about half way through my pitch on how our inspections would help him sell more and better used cars. He stopped me and said these words I'll never forget; "Why the f*&% would I want to know what's wrong with my cars?".
I've basically been standing against dealer mindsets like that ever since. Basic questions about the industry just wouldn't go away for me. Why was the car buying process so painful? Why does the dealer/buyer relationship have to be antagonistic? Why does it take 2+ hours to do the documentation after you've agreed on the deal?
I sold out of my first business, and for a short stint ran the largest leasing company in Houston. Then in 2002 I hung out my shingle for Brazelton Auto. Leasing allowed us to handle new cars as well as used. I was determined to do it differently. From the very beginning we instituted two policies that were foreign to the industry;
- Flat fees
- No commissions
I'd argue for the first time in the industry we elevated the relationship over the transaction. You see all dealers will say they want to earn your business forever, but in reality very few car buyers stick with one brand of vehicle forever. Realistically, the dealer knows you will probably not buy that brand of vehicle again the next time you're in the market, so they had better get what profit they can from you while they can. Contrast that to Brazelton Auto. We handle new and used, any make or model. If we do our job right, you should come back to us forever for all of your vehicles. So we'd rather make a little on each of your next 20 cars, than as much as possible on your next car.
One other thing reinforced this relationship focus; I didn't have money to advertise in those early days. I sent a letter out to everyone I knew, describing what I was doing. A few people started calling, then a few more. It was all word of mouth. Even today, 93% of our business is repeat or referral. Basically all of our clients know each other. That's great news, unless we screw up! Word spreads awfully quick and we don't want to tarnish our reputation. Which is not to say we don't screw up occasionally, but when we do, we bend over backwards to rectify the situation.
So those are our roots. Fortunately, our client base has steadily expanded. We did branch out in 2012. We left our small, rented office space and purchased a new facility that allowed us to 1) add a full service department and 2) keep some of our best trade-ins as inventory. Our service department certainly added to the scope of our offerings, but we brought the same template we'd grown up with;
- All makes & models
- No commissions (most people don't realize service advisors are commissioned salesmen)
For better or worse, I learned the car business on my own. I made plenty of mistakes, particularly early in my career, and most of them were expensive lessons to learn. But that independence also allowed me to stay outside of that dealership mindset. Today we're hardly that one man show we used to be. I've been blessed to work with a great team of friends who share my vision for client service. Of course, none of this would be viable at all without our great group of loyal clients who not only sustain us with their business, but grow us with their referrals. Thanks to all who have been a part of that!


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subset: commoncrawl


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AMHERST, Mass. – For the second straight day, Amherst College overcame an early deficit with a timely hit as the Mammoths defeated WPI 10-7 in non-conference baseball on Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Field.
Kai Terada-Herzer '21 hit a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at seven and then scored the eventual game-winning run in the same inning as the Mammoths won their third straight to improve to 9-6 on the year.
Stephen Burke '21 earned the victory on the mound with two innings of relief and also went 2-4 at the plate with three runs batted in.
Terada-Herzer and Daniel Qin '22 also had two hit games and each scored twice at the top of the Amherst lineup.
Senior Chase Henley doubled and sophomore Tyler Marshall contributed with a sacrifice fly.
Mike Dow '19 secured the save, his fifth of the year, while Carson Glazier '20 and Zach Horwitz '20 helped the Amherst staff accumulate 11 strikeouts.
The Engineers (16-7) scored three quick runs in the top of the first and took a 4-1 lead after two against Amherst starter Sachin Nambiar '22.
Burke tripled home Terada-Herzer in the bottom of the first to put the Mammoths on the board, but WPI took advantage of a throwing error in the second to score left fielder Ryan Tropeano, who was 2-3 with two walks.
Matt Howard led off the third inning for WPI with a towering home run to center field to up the visitor's lead to 5-1.
Amherst went to work with a run in the fourth when Burke crossed the plate and then two more in the fifth, with Burke's double bringing home Qin and Joe Palmo '21.
Palmo stole a pair of bases in the win, while Tropeano stole three bases and Tyrone Patterson swiped a pair of bags for the Engineers.
After Patterson singled in two runs in the top of the sixth to reinstate a three-run lead for the Engineers, Amherst loaded the bases and Terada-Herzer took a two-out, two-strike pitch and floated it down the right field line with help from a strong wind. The speedy outfielder ended up on third to tie the game at seven, then scored the winning run on a fielding error.
Marshall plated Nardone with a sacrifice to center in the seventh and Qin brought home Severino Simeone '20 the same inning for more insurance.
Patterson went 2-4 with a walk for WPI and Austin Lindner also had two hits, a walk and a run scored. Steven Gallagher drove in two runs in a losing effort.
Amherst opens up a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) series this weekend when they host Williams on Friday at 3:30 PM at Memorial Field.
WPI begins a NEWMAC set against Clark on the road Friday at the same time.


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We work in an electronic industry, and as such, one might think that email would be an appropriate form of communication. At least that's the notion with which I decided today to reach out to some prospective new industry contacts and apprise them of available editorial opportunities at Adotas.
Imagine, then, my surprise at receiving an automated response email from one company instructing me to delete all contacts within its domain, while also spelling out the finer details of the CAN-SPAM Act.
And also, this tersely worded email from an allegedly real human being:
"Please remove us from your list. We did not subscribe to it. I can't find the unsubscribe link. Also, you wrote the word, 'hell,' not hello. You should have your spam emails proofed."
Wow, a combination spam/grammar cop. How often does one encounter those?!?
Again, we work in an electronic industry. If you can't tolerate an unsolicited email offering you FREE coverage of your business, there's a cabin in the woods I'd like to sell you.
In other words: Lighten up, Kaczynski.


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Hyderabad to Bhongir Fort - Breakfast drive report
shammy posted a topic in Drive MeetupHyderabad to Bhongir fort drive meetup - February 25th - 2017 Start point - Gachibowli (ORR) End point - Bhongir fort Start time - 6:30 a.m. Distance - ~110 kms Objective : A small gathering to meet all the new folks of the club for breakfast at Viveria hotel and drive towards Bhongir fort in a union spirit to continue this year on a cheerful note. Destination description: The Bhongir fort was built upon a single rocky hill in Bhongir, a town in Telangana, located in the Nalgonda district of the state. The Western Chalukya ruler, Tribhuvana malla Vikram aditya VI, built the fort from one single monolithic rock in the 12th century. The fort was originally named Tribhuvanagiri, and eventually the name metamorphosed into Bhuvanagiri and eventually, into Bhongir, which is its present name. It is spread across an impressive area of 50 acres at a height of around 500 feet over the top and is about 50 kms from the Hyderabad skirt. Highlights: Bhongiri fort is the highest fort in India, It is constructed on a single large stone. The shape of the hill is very unique. Bhongir fort tips: No food and water are available at the fort, carry your own water and snacks. Make sure you carry back the trash instead of littering around. Vehicle parking is available at foot hills of the fort. Less crowded. Trek is easy, no gear required as most of the ascent carved of steps on the rocky surface. Not advisable to visit after sunset. Early morning is the best time to visit. Should be extra careful during the monsoon, it may be slippery. Bhongiri Fort timings: Fort is accessible between 10AM to 5PM. Early morning is the best time to visit, you can get into the fort at 6AM from the back entry. It is against rules, but you can buy the ticket while coming back. Bhongiri Fort entry fee: 10/- per head and 50/- per camera. Hyderabad to Bhongir fort route: Hyderabad --> Ghatkesar --> Bhongir fort. Hyderabad to Bhongiri Road condition: It is a 4-lane route, it will not take you more than two hours from Hyderabad. Hotels in Bhongiri: All the hotels are available on Highway as soon as you cross Bhongiri. 1.Hotel Vivera 2. Coffee day 3.Hotel Sankalp Participants: 1) Maruti Suzuki Baleno - Sai Chand 2) Ford Aspire - Harshita 3) Skoda Rapid - Kaushik 4) Hyundai Creta - Sagar 5) Honda Civic - Saran 6) Honda Civic - Gowtham varma 7) Toyota Innova Crysta - Akhil 8) Audi Q3 - Bhargav PS: This report was compiled by pictures taken by me, Gowtham and Sagar.
Gift yourself a vacation – Thekkady! Go Indulge
Pinaki posted a topic in HyderabadWhoever has said – hills are green when they are far way – I so want to meet and dispute and take the character to Thekaddy on a free vacation with me! What you are looking for – Jungle Safari? waterfalls? meadows? cultural festivity in daily life? Let me give you few more – tea gardens, spice gardens, vineyard, meadows and valleys? Still you need more – Alright! Let me add it- Elephant Safari, Boating and how about off-road driving??? Ladies and Gentlemen…. Read the list again – give yourself this gift - Taste Thekkady!!! Airways to Thekkady Cochin, Madurai are two airports very close to Thekkady. I decided to opt Flight to Madurai and book a cab from the airport straight to the mountains. Early morning flight, not only gives you the entire day, it also gives you leisure, time to explore your way to Thekkady and luxury of nature. The distance between Thekkady and Madurai Airport is under 250 KMs and in four hours you can reach your destination. The road is beautiful, runs through small villages, towns, medical colleges, canopy of trees, hills, windmills and vineyards. Stopping at some great locations for a click will not be a mistake and should not be missed. Try out windmills at your back or the seasonal waterfalls on your way. Our cab driver was great as a local guide throughout our journey. We had our breakfast (Typical Tamil style and it was delicious) at Hotel Gowri Krishna and recommended for a definite try. The restaurant is quite decent and can accommodate over 60 to 70 people at a time if not more and the efficiency in serving the orders is just amazing. On your way at Periyakulam, do click photographs and images that thrills you and seek your attention. Our stay for the next three days was at a very decent and customer oriented Hotel. The stay was too perfect at this place. From the variety of food offerings to cleanliness, complimentary breakfast, evening tea/coffee, snacks …with view of mysterious mountains and valleys, floating cloud rom your hanging deck just gives you peace of mind and true sense of luxury and vacation together. The resort has a great garden, activity area, swimming pool, spa and of course three different option for residence! We requested for the top most floor to enjoy the scenic beauty of nature from our balcony and room. Activities at Thekkady Kathakali and Marshall Arts You should and must have two hours available for this show. You can do the bookings online or you can go and buy the tickets from the booking counter for the show. Both are really rich in their own way and reflects a strong fiber of our tradition and culture. Spice Gardens There are many spice gardens in Thekkady and Periyar. There is no harm learning half an hour the kind of medicinal plants cultured around and the variety of spice available in the region. A lot of medical company do research and purchase these ayurvedic medicinal plants in building their medicines and brand. Try yourself with some herbal soaps, fresh spice, some great medicinal powder for cleansing life and diet. Gavi Forest Drive The forest just thrills you from the time you enter the main gate and runs till the time off board the jeep. My trip was in monsoon so I did enjoy the beauty of greenery, the fun of sitting in a jeep, sightseeing elephants like humans everywhere, deer all around, bison of massive size, brown bears against trees and birds all around. The forest is thick and green, surrounded with valleys and mountains. The guide takes you around, stops every possible place where you can spot a wild life! Gavi Forest is almost all-day program. It starts from your hotel at 5.30 AM and continues all day. This includes beautiful boat riding, hiking over valleys and mountains to spice plantation (rubber and cardamom), a small visit to a museum and lunch. This trip was really a lucky trip for me. Every time I had a guide, they always tried to make it little different. During boating, the guide took us to a beautiful seasonal waterfall which appeared from nowhere and surprised us for quite sometimes. The waterfall was huge and strong, we anchored our boat in between two rocks and walked down the slippery water and rocks towards the waterfall. The hiking over to different parts of the mountain and seeing different scenic points are way too beautiful and fascinating. Enjoy the mist and clouds floating by, sip a bottle of water or two, click some pictures and enjoy the vacation like a vacation. Ayurvedic Spa No trip is complete in Kerala without Ayurvedic massage. However, you should be careful enough to review and select the right place for the massage. I did go for three hours package and ensured I used strong influence of the local network I made during my stay to ensure I get the best spa treatment. Local Sight Seeing Thekkady has a lot of local places to visit . Please make most use of it when you are in Thekkady. Murrikaddi spice garden, Chellarkovil, chellarkovil view point, Pandikuzhi, Idduki District, Kumlily, Mullaperiyar dam , Vagamom are some of them that I could finish during my stay. I am highly indebted to the guide and Periyar cab team to help me with my most demanding requests on planning my day. The owner did not only gave us the most helpful and knowledgeable guide, he ensured calling me every day , take feedback, suggest next day plan and stay in touch anytime. When you visit Chellarkovil waterfall, ensure you cross the waterfall and go to the other side and climb up for having a stunning beauty of the valley below and mountains around. I wish I had luxury of time in my hand to sit all day long and see the clouds and day light pass by. Periyar Lake and Boating Bamboo boating or boating on a launch both are quite exciting on Periyar lake. The boat takes you around the forest . The boating has fixed timing and you can book your slot either online or buy tickets from the counter. However it is recommended to do the bookings online. Nature Walk, Trekking, Overnight Camping Though I didn't opt for this one however I would still recommend if you are going in summer or winter, go for nature walk , trekking down the forest for almost 10 kms , cloud train, jungle trail, tiger trail and experience the stay at camp spots overnight inside the Periyar tiger reserve park. The arrangements can be done by your guide or online websites or probably through your hotel. I do have some idea how thrilling and beautiful the camping can be because the view of thick jungle, view from the mountains and safari through the jungle already injected the feeling in me. Off tracking This is all day event and is a great trill for those who are crazy for off road tracking. Though I could not experience since it was monsoon and the road trips were closed but it's going to be a whole of an experience for sure Elephant Rides Definitely a great experience to interact and spend two to three hours with such a humble life. There are many elephant safari and ride programs across Thekkady. You can go for half an hour ride through plantation, elephant bathing, elephant training session and take a moment to greet the elephant and feed with your own hands Vineyards On our way to Madurai airport, we did visit a waterfall and a vineyard at Uttapalaiyam. Though the waterfall was not that exciting and over crowded, the visit to the vineyard was short and nice. You can talk and have a look at the way things work, hear how grapes are fermented, picked from the plantation and processed. The story will remain incomplete if I dont speak of the Kerala Lunch! Highly recommended - Visit this restaurant incase you dont know anything better. We were stuffed with rice, Malabar Paratha, beef, prawns, chicken, mutton, fish, some awesome veg curries , salad and chutneys/pickles for INR 600 per head. If you dispute, I dont mind because I already had my share that afternoon and didnt eat anything for dinner. I realized one thing for sure - Happiness is portable! Just carry it with you wherever you go! Give this place a try, it wont be disappointing.


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It can be a real challenge to handle groups at weddings, not least because the photographer is unlikely to know by sight more than the key members of the two families. Sometimes only the bride and groom will have met the photographer prior to the wedding. In these circumstances, it can be worth arranging for a couple of ushers to be appointed to the task of assembling the correct people - typically one person from each of the two families. Alternatively, at larger weddings, it may be worth considering this "family co-ordination" task as a separate role.
The ushers or co-ordinators should be given copies of the lists of groups required, and can work on assembling the correct people as the photographer takes the pictures. It is generally best, from a practical point of view, to start with the largest groups and progressively dismiss people until only the bride and groom remain. This approach minimizes the period for which guests are required to wait for their involvement.


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By: Mary Burk, Corporate Marketing Manager
We are pleased to announce our new technical and educational blog for our packaging, construction, architectural, geotechnical and OEM industries. The blog will be a resource for our customers, distributors and industry contacts to acquire information about new technology advances, product developments, technical information, marketing & PR updates and customer service experiences from the people who know it best: our product specialists, technical managers, quality assurance team, and even some of our distributors.
We look forward to being a valuable resource for your business and hope you enjoy reading blog.achfoam.com. If you are interested in providing content to our blog, please contact our media relations department.


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|Last hidden column for tag filter
Jun 25, 2020 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Annual Awards Ceremony
Jun 30, 2020
Premiering on YouTube - Click Here to Watch
The Golden Valley Rotary Club will "gather" with members of the community to celebrate all things Rotary during the 2019-2020 year. We will present the Citizen of the Year award and the Rotarian of the Year award. Our high school scholarship recipients will be honored. Paul Harris Fellows will be given for extraordinary service. And Bryan Palmer, Club President, will pass the presidential gavel to Michelle Ness, President-Elect. A great celebratory event in the forty-seven year history of the Golden Valley Rotary Club!
Jun 30, 2020 12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
Premiering on YouTube on June 30th!
Annual Awards Ceremony
The Golden Valley Rotary Club will "gather" with members of the community to celebrate all things Rotary during the 2019-2020 year. We will present the Citizen of the Year award and the Rotarian of the Year award. Our high school scholarship recipients will be honored. Paul Harris Fellows will be given for extraordinary service. And Bryan Palmer, Club President, will pass the presidential gavel to Michelle Ness, President-Elect. A great celebratory event in the forty-seven year history of the Golden Valley Rotary Club!
Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health (MACMH)
Jul 07, 2020
Rachael Jacques serves as the Director of Development and Programming for the Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health. Rachael has worked many years in the area of health education, working to identify gaps in care and to provide supportive services. She is passionate about providing equal access to child and adolescent mental health services in Minnesota.
Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador
Jul 14, 2020
Bridgette Springer is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. She is also the granddaughter of Rotarian Paul Mork. She was deployed as a TEFL Teacher in Machala, Ecuador for a year and three months, before COVID-19 forced her early return. Before joining the Peace Corps, Bridgette worked at Feed My Starving Children for nearly 3.5 months. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with minors in Hispanic Studies and Management from College of Saint Benedict.
Mixed Media Art Virtual Studio Tour
Jul 21, 2020
Jodi Reeb is a mixed-media, fine artist in Minneapolis; abstract art, original fine art for sale such as modern Encaustic paintings, wall art installations, sculptural art, contemporary art, landscape art, and wall art sculpture. She also teaches Encaustic workshops using R&F Paints as a Core Artist and acrylic painting and printmaking classes in her North Loop Minneapolis studio and is a GOLDEN Artist Educator (GAEP). "I love collaborating to create custom abstract art, original wall sculpture, painted acrylic wall art, corporate art and commercial art installations for public healthcare hospital and clinics, hotels and hospitality, corporate offices and private spaces," says Reeb. Primarily working on commission, she enjoys collaborating with clients to create artwork that leads her to the next step in the progression of her process and development while complementing an existing space. The focus of Reeb's artwork has always been about the magnificence and beauty of nature and finding inspiration from nature's extraordinary colors & light. As she explores this idea, she has been intrigued with nature's ever-changing seasons.
Jodi Reed will take us on a virtual studio tour and talk about her process of creating.
Virtual Meeting - Author, 'One Way - Short Stories About Left Turns'
Aug 18, 2020
Dorsey "Dee" Howard is a mentor, motivational speaker, and storyteller whose single-minded goal is to change minds and save lives. In his first book, "One Way - Short Stories About Left Turns," Dorsey shares about the consequences of a life that is full of left turns. While several of the stories are fictional, many are based on actual events that happened in his life. Dorsey is passionate about helping kids examine their lives and see the destructive choices they may be making. His personal experience gives him unique credibility and an understanding of how to present his message in a captivating way. The book gives kids the tools to begin making right turns before it's too late.
Virtual Meeting - Global Golden Valley
Aug 25, 2020
Helene Johnson's career has focused on continuing and professional education in corporate, public, and nonprofit settings. She retired after 38 years as Executive Director of a small nonprofit which provided educational programs for local government decisionmakers, staff, and advisory commission members in Minnesota - as well as their collaborators. She has been a resident of Golden Valley since 1989, and began her volunteer involvement here in 2004 as co-facilitator for the Golden Valley visioning process supported by Rotary. She continued as a member of the Envision Connection Project Board, a Bridge Builder, and a founding board member of the Golden Valley Community Foundation, where she still serves. Helene started Global Golden Valley in 2012 as a way to highlight, celebrate, and connect those from different cultures in our city with other interested individuals. She has traveled extensively in various capacities (study abroad, sister city exchanges, and country to country partnerships, spouse of a group travel agent, lifelong learner) and believes strongly in the benefits of taking advantage of what the world has to offer, far away and in our own city!
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The Japanese yen was mixed against major rivals today, trading flat against the US dollar and the euro, falling versus the Great Britain pound, and rising against the Swiss franc. The yen was soft against higher-yielding currencies of emerging markets.
Dovish comments from Federal Reserve Chairperson Janet Yellen led to speculations that the Fed will be slow with its monetary tightening. That encouraged investors to seek higher-yield, purchasing riskier assets. In particular, carry traders became more active as volatility on the market subsided.
USD/JPY traded virtually flat at 113.21 as of 10:43 GMT today. AUD/JPY gained from 87.55 to 87.84, trading near the highest level since February 16.
If you have any questions, comments, or opinions regarding the Japanese Yen, feel free to post them using the commentary form below.


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Mobile DJs For Any Occasion
Established in 1986, DJ'S AND MC'S, LLC is the Bay Area's complete mobile DJ! For more information on prices and services, please visit our website or call us today!
Check out the entire ADJA Disc Jockey Directory and find the best DJ for your event!


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Bar throws out complaint about Paxton's same-sex marriage opinion
AUSTIN — The State Bar of Texas has thrown out a complaint accusing Attorney General Ken Paxton of personal misconduct for telling county clerks they could deny marriage licenses to gay couples last year.
"The Chief Disciplinary Counsel has determined that there is no just cause to believe that [Paxton] has committed professional misconduct," read an Aug. 3 notice from the state bar, obtained by the Texas Tribune, which first reported the dismissal.
The complaint filed by more than 200 attorneys stems from Paxton issuing a non-binding legal opinion within days of last summers' U.S. Supreme Court's marriage equality ruling. Paxton's opined that county clerks could opt out of issuing marriage licenses to gay couples if they had a religious objection, although they may face legal battles.
"We are happy — but not surprised — that this meritless complaint was finally dismissed," Paxton's spokesman Marc Rylander said in a statement confirming the finding.
The State Bar of Texas would not confirm whether the complaint was dismissed or provide a copy of the notice. According to a spokeswoman, the bar can only discuss disciplinary information if resulted in a public sanction or was filed in district court.
"I can't even confirm that particular complaint exists at all. The only thing I can confirm is that Mr. Paxton has no public disciplinary history in Texas," said Claire Mock, public affairs counsel for State Bar of Texas.
A dismissal is a win for Paxton who is in the middle of a long legal battle fighting three felony indictments, two for securities fraud and one for failing to register as a securities agent with the state.


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With a program ranging from 45 to 90 tons, The Liebherr conveyor belt shifters are available for every size conveyor belt.
Please contact Maats for options and further enquiries
Conveyor belt shifters
The Liebherr conveyor belt shifters are high quality machines that are purposely designed for conveyor belt shifting operations.
The machines are based on Liebherr pipelayers, providing all the well known Liebherr advantages.
The machines are designed and built to comply with the strict safety demands and operational requirements for mining equipment.
Over the years, Maats has succesfully supplied Liebherr conveyor belt shifters to customers around the world.
The Liebherr RL64 conveyor shifter is a great example of the possibilities and advantages of the specialty Liebherr equipment for conveyor belt shifting


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Self Love Potion
For keeping your heart open and protected, your spirit held and supported, your boundaries clear and healthy. Indicated for heartache, grief, insecurity, being disconnected from your personal power and any time your heart needs support.
Contains Hawthorne flower, leaf and berry, Rose, Motherwort, Yarrow, Distilled Water, Raw Honey, grain alcohol, prayers for a happy heart and healthy boundaries // 4 oz amber bottle.
this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease and has not been evaluated by the FDA.


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Inspiration and Ideas
Tips & Tricks
Easter Deviled Eggs
"This is a fun way to style up Easter eggs and turn an ordinary deviled egg into one with more eye appeal. Good idea!" – lutzflcat
Asparagus Roll-Ups
"Great appetizers/finger food for a buffet table. Very nice recipe!" – lutzflcat
Smoked Salmon-Stuffed Pea Pods
"These are a pretty addition to a festive vegetable tray." – mauigirl
Artichoke Hearts Gratin
"DELICIOUS! So simple [and yet] so good." – Christina


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Youths from Christ Lutheran Church spend night homeless
Six young people recently got a taste of what it's like to be homeless on a November night in Monroe – their feet and hands got cold for one thing. And that was on the only clear, relatively warm night that weekend.
The Christ Lutheran Church youth spent the night Nov. 3-4 in boxes outside the church on E. Elm Ave., but first, just as many homeless people do, Moira Hause, Morgan Kay, Morgan Mendoza, Vanessa Romine, Kara Notario and McCarty Mendoza had to scavenge for their temporary shelters.
They built their own boxes and then had to hunt around the church for creature comforts such as rugs, blankets, plastic sheeting and flashlights, said Kristen Hause, youth and family ministry coordinator.
The group bundled up as best they could and built a fire. While the kids slept, more than a dozen adult chaperones took turns watching over them.
The kids' experience just before the start of Homeless Awareness Week started about 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3 and they were roused from their sleep at 6 a.m. Nov. 4, before sunrise.
Again, just as homeless people, they ate what they were given — no menu with tasty choices. Then they were free to return to their own warm beds.
Even though the kids raised money by paying $10 each to participate and by receiving other donations, they found out that money isn't always the answer to society's challenges, said Hause. Sometimes, listening and helping is just as important.
Because of their experience, the kids decided to spend the more than $100 they raised on warm gloves and socks to distribute at the church's community dinners.
"We're looking forward to doing it next year," said Hause.
She credited Monroe County Guardian Joshua DeLisle, chairman of Homeless Awareness Week, and Samantha Trottier, a committee member, who helped coordinate this year's event.


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|Scripture in Greek.
Turning a translation--of poem, prose, or scripture--into calligraphic art gives you the opportunity to fine-tune the words in English. Despite all precautions, text is a man-made approximation, in a human language, of what God said and did. Scripture is about the God we worship, not an object to be worshipped itself.* The language is not as important as the thought.
Much of the Bible has passed through half a dozen other languages on its way to English—Biblical Hebrew to Aramaic to ancient Greek to Latin…
Scribes also modified the text with contractions, abbreviations, ligatures, and, inevitably, mistakes. Some of these got passed along to the next generation.
Calligraphy is no longer the only way the Bible gets transmitted, so word variations are now no threat to its continuity. The scribe is freed up from copying, to focus on creating. When you design a work of modern letter art using ancient text, you are also entitled to choose which translation you use in the service of clarity and unity.
* The KJV scholars declared that they "never thought from the beginning that [they] should need to make a new translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one, ... but to make a good one better." They also give their opinion of previous English Bible translations, stating, "…[even] the very meanest translation of the Bible in English containeth the word of God, nay, is the word of God."


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From the desks of the Hotel News Now editorial staff:
- Oyo to rebrand Las Vegas Hooters hotel
- People, planning paramount in a downturn, hoteliers say
- Dallas developers see value in 'aparthotels'
- Why travel sites delete reviews
MGM buys 50% stake in boutique Sydell Group: MGM Resorts International has made moves to get into the boutique hotel business by acquiring a 50% stake in Sydell Group, which operates boutique NoMad hotels and five other brands, The Wall Street Journal reports.
An MGM spokesman told the newspaper that the acquisition of Sydell Group "is part of the next evolution of our growth opportunities." The price of the deal has not been disclosed. The stake in Sydell marks the first time that MGM has taken a position in a U.S. hotel operator that isn't linked to gambling, MGM said.
In 2018, Sydell partnered with MGM to open the 293-key NoMad hotel on the top four floors of the Park MGM Las Vegas hotel and casino.
Oyo to rebrand Las Vegas Hooters hotel: India-based Oyo Hotels & Homes announced Friday it is partnering with a real estate investment and hospitality management company Highgate,* which runs the Hooters hotel in Las Vegas, to rebrand it to the 657-key Oyo Hotel and Casino, Reuters reports. The hotel will remain under Highgate's management.
"The deal, Oyo's first such in the United States, suggests the startup is setting its sights high, but founder Ritesh Agarwal told Reuters in an interview that the company would continue to focus on its mainstay: large numbers of middle class travelers looking for affordable accommodation," the news outlet writes.
People, planning paramount in a downturn, hoteliers say: As the hotel industry prepares for a downturn, now is the time to evaluate your company culture from the top down because "those are the people who will make or break your hotel through the good times and the bad times," Vinay Patel, treasurer of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, said during a panel at the Hotel Data Conference covered by Hotel News Now's Danielle Hess.
For more ways hoteliers are preparing for a downturn, click here to read the story and watch a video interview with the panelists.
Dallas developers see value in 'aparthotels': One strategy that developers are using to fill up new apartments is partnering with hospitality companies, Dallas News writes.
"A growing list of these 'aparthotel' firms offer travelers the ability to reserve furnished apartments in cities around the country," the newspaper writes. One example is Locale, an Austin, Texas-based boutique aparthotel brand that started in 2016.
"We can take up to 10% of a building—usually an entire floor," said Nitesh Gandhi, founder of Locale. "We also have landlord relationships where we take five to 10 units to start and build up over time."
Gandhi said about 40% of its guests are business travelers and are coming for corporate housing. Locale only rents high-end apartments, but will discount its long-term rentals to incentivize guests to stay longer.
Why travel sites delete reviews: Some hotel guests who book on online travel sites are upset when posting reviews of their hotels to later see the review is deleted or not published, but as USA Today reports, there are a number of reasons for reviews to not appear.
"It violates their review policy: Every major review site has a review policy. For example, it may require that a review be noncommercial, relevant and unbiased. Break any of those rules and your review could be history," the newspaper reports.
Other reasons: "You didn't stay at the property: Some sites require that you show proof of your stay. If you can't show that you were a guest, your review may disappear. … (Or) you wrote something offensive: Avoid abusive language, swearing, discriminatory remarks, threats of violence and political or religious commentary. Also, don't promote illegal activities. Some sites also don't allow you to post a phone number or email addresses to avoid doxing."
Compiled by Dana Miller. *Correction, 26 August 2019: This story has been updated to correct a description of Highgate.


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BOUNDARY is now on Vimeo on Demand!
One response
can never go go wrong with a benito bautista film.. his passion and the actors intensity to deliver the message is impeccable . congratulations, more power and thank you for giving us all hope for a better landscape in philippine cinema. money indeed is not everything to God we give back all the glory for talented,dedicated artists and a visionary. cheers maestro BENITO!
December 14, 2012 at 12:19 am


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Alembika is the story of a mother and a daughter who help provide unique novelty clothes. The goal is to make you look fabulous with no age or weight restriction in their designs. It is all about making a woman feel good about herself.
Fabrics play an important part in making it happen. Supple and full of luster or three-dimensional looks go hand in hand with innovative and forward design.
Today, the two continue their search for well-constructed, beautiful and novel collections from around the world, while also extending her business into consulting small and large brands, on how to enter the American market.


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After selection of your ZIP code, we designate the relevant staff to attend to you at once.
The registered office of the Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. (SWS) is situated at the south harbor of the Pudong region of Shanghai, at the mouth of River Yangtze, right opposite the port area of Changxingdao. The Chinese shipbuilder SWS is one of the ten largest shipbuilders in the world. In this gigantic industrial area, there are three shipyard cranes at work at present, which correspond in their dimensions to 30-story buildings. The energy and data supply to the gigantic lifting parts is implemented via plastic energy chain systems from igus®.
The energy supply systems function reliably under the most difficult ambient conditions. Because, the mouth of River Yangtze is scourged by lashing wind, rain and salt water. The two-month annual rainy season holds the danger from corrosion.
180 m travel, 30 kg/m weight: Since its installation in 2001, the igus® energy chain system is intact despite the hard weather conditions. Even a typhoon could not interrupt its operation.
Guide-trough system for long travels
The energy chain systems from igus® installed in 2001 has been operating without interruptions from the first day with fill weights of 30 kg/m over 180 m travel. It didn't break down even during a typhoon the year before the last. Since its delivery, the energy chain system from igus® has been running without any problems and requires only minimum maintenance.
SWS in addition uses chainflex® cables from igus®. Normal ship cables are also used in parts of the equipment. These however crack fast and are prone to breaking. The bending-resistant chainflex® cables on the contrary have had no failures in the past years.
Condition monitoring system from igus® monitors the push-pull forces of the energy chains online.
In this large-scale system, a "push pull force detection" (PPDS) system from igus® is installed for condition monitoring. "PPDS" monitors the push-pull forces of the energy chains online to prevent damages to the system as well as failures through preventive maintenance or remote intervention. The system operating round the clock compares data of the operating chain system with the set values four times per second. If the energy supply system fails once, the PPDS sends out an alarm so that the crane trolleys can be shut down.
Determined malfunctions can be automatically conveyed by SMS or email to a preprogrammed computer so that immediate action can be taken. The data in the system storage can be traced back up to three months for accident analysis.


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Not exactly what you'd call a Christmas-time blockbuster, This Christmas opened in November of 2007 to mixed reviews but a solid box office intake. Although it opened in less than two-thousand theaters, the film grossed nearly $50 million domestically which proves that despite the little press this film received (I cannot recall a single trailer for this film…or poster…or anything, really), it still had a solid level of word-of-mouth to generate that kind of money. In a season that has been desperately lacking in new holiday classics, This Christmas seemed to be just what the movie-goers wanted in a Christmas film.
This Christmas there's no place like family. For the first time in years, all the Whitfield kids have come home to spend the holiday with Ma'Dere (Loretta Devine) and her boyfriend Joe (Delroy Lindo). And each has brought plenty of baggage along with them. As the lights are hung and the tree is trimmed, secrets are revealed and ties are tested. But as their lives converge again, they join together to rediscover and celebrate the wonderful gift of family. Also starring Idris Elba, Chris Brown, Columbus Short, Laz Alonso, Jessica Stroup, Sharon Leal, Lauren London, and Regina King. Written and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II.
As mentioned above, I don't recall a single trailer or poster for this anywhere last November, so I was completely unaware of its existence until this release showed up. Although I was unsure if I would truly enjoy this film or not, I settled in for what would be a two-hour family Christmas film…a run time I still feel was far too long for a film of this nature, but as we'll soon see it was due to the myriad of storylines that were flying around in the story, so anything less than two hours would have likely been cause for some of the characters to have been removed completely. Of course that wouldn't have worked, as the films charm stems from just how big the Whitfield family is.
Although technically a family Christmas film in title and spirit, the film is really anything but that. In essence it plays out to be more of some big soap opera that resolves itself by the end, rather than putting anyone into comas. Almost all of the family members are hiding some sort of secret: Michael 'Baby' Whitfield (Brown) wants to be a singer, but fears he can't tell Ma'Dere because his Dad and older brother Quentin (Elba), who later appears home in an attempt to hide from the mob, left the family in order to pursue their own musical careers. Daughter Lisa (King) has a cheating husband, Malcolm (Alonso), that is also involved in some shady business deals. Claude (Short) is AWOL from the marines and hiding a wife (Stroup) in a nearby hotel room, while younger Kelli (Leal) neglected to tell everyone she was bringing home her boyfriend.
As you can see…there are plenty of lies and half-truths going around throughout the family and the only one who doesn't seem to be affected is sister Mel (London), who is just flat out mean. Of course the secrets are what make the film enjoyable to watch and the resulting explosions from within the household are devastating, with punches being thrown, guns being pulled, unmarried pregnancies, destroyed cars and a scene involving baby oil and a belt (I'll let you fill that one in on your own).
From the outset I assumed I wouldn't enjoy this film at all and while it is definitely not a "family" film to take the children to (I mean honestly…this isn't exactly the best example family to be putting in front of young ones eyes—the amount of secrets that are kept in this family is devastating), it is genuinely entertaining if you can get into it. The main problem with the film is its run time; however, as while it's required to delve into each of the characters personas adequately, it's actually not enough to properly do each character justice and as such the less interesting subplots being to drag the film to its knees at times. Again, it's the largeness of the family that makes it so entertaining, but it's also what hurts the movie itself as there are simply too many stories to juggle in the two hours it runs.
Overall This Christmas is a worthy title to check out for the holiday season, although it isn't a "family" outing in the sense that Santa Clause 3 would be. I'm not going to play moral police and say you shouldn't allow younger children to see it, but just be aware that it has about as much going on in the film as your average day time soap opera, so use that as your jumping point if you want. Still, in a season that's often starved for new films, this one fills the role well enough that it's worth a Rental. I hesitate to give it a full blown recommendation as, again, it runs a bit long and isn't quite as neat and tidy enough to warrant repeat viewings.
The Blu-ray
Arriving in a standard Elite Blu-ray case with the usual array of Sony inserts, This Christmas features a nicely done animated/pop-up menu system and isn't anything that will give you any difficulty playing with. The whole package is pretty straightforward, so there's nothing to worry about, although it's mildly interesting that the cover art chosen for this release is much more festive looking in nature than the original "blown up gift wrap" theatrical poster. Guess they wanted to drive the point home this was a holiday flick.
The video is an AVC encoded 1080p 2.40:1 transfer that looks pretty good for a holiday film. The warm family-time/Christmas light glow that the entire film has, however, does hamper the detail levels a bit and really just gives the movie a bit of a washed appearance. Interior scenes are especially like this, but exterior sequences sport a tad bit more detail than the rest of it. This isn't a film that really begs to be in high-definition and as such the transfer doesn't exactly scream "reference quality."
The area this film utilizes the Blu-ray format, however, is in its Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix. With music being a big part of the film, the entire room is filled with the musical sounds. Plenty of surround effects are tossed about in the films more tense sequences, but, again, this isn't something you're going to show off your home theater with ("Listen to the Whitfields fight! Note the dynamic range!"). If English doesn't work for you, the film arrives with TrueHD tracks in French and Portuguese as well as Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish and Thai. Subtitles are included in English, English (SDH), French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Thai.
Although the extras are a bit on the light side here (and in standard definition), there is still a solid amount to check out. First we have a collection of "Deleted & Extended Scenes" (5:29), "Making This Christmas" (11:35) which is a short and standard fluff piece and a "This Christmas Music Video" (3:45). That's not all, as we have a commentary with Regina King, Sharon Leal and Lauren London…which sounds a lot better than it actually is. The entire time the three participants just heap praise onto the other cast members and tell brief stories from the set. And this goes on for two hours, so I would just stay away from these.
Overall this release is worth a Rental. The extras aren't worth but a once over and the commentary is not worth ones time.
This Christmas arrives on DVD and Blu-ray on November 11th.


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If you buy outside of Spain, you have to keep in mind that some products from our store can be restrained in your country. The shipment will be made once the purchase is confirmed but will depend on the receiving country if the delivery is authorized.
Save products on your wishlist to buy them later or share with your friends.
iqitcookielaw - module, put here your own cookie law text


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A grand story of some thrilling adventures in the life of William Tyndale. No matter whether he was fleeing for his life through forest tracks, or being hidden by kindly friends in underground caverns, or even being starved in some castle dungeon, Tyndale had but one fear. It was not the torture and death which his persecutors were so anxious to inflict on him, but that they should succeed in their evil designs before he had finished his work of translating the Scriptures into English, so that ordinary men and women could read the Word of God for themselves. Join Herman Bengel and friends in this delightful and exciting tale, as they assist and protect William Tyndale, all the while being relentlessly pursued by the Romanish Inquisitors, and the tenacious deacon of the Church of the Blessed Virgin, Cochlaeus.
This is a downloadable product of Open Vision Media's unabridged production of this timeless Christian Classic.
This is a downloadable zip file containing mp3 files of The Adventures of Sir Constant. Access on a variety of devices. Please see your audio player documentation for instructions on installation and playing. No DRM. Please acknowledge copyright.
This audiobook is available for FREE when you sign up for a FREE trial at Audible.com


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The light was great in the tubes, man do they eat light. Did you ever get to try a Moddoo triple?
Thoughts on what it would take for my wifes light?
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Monday, February 29, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Quiet - Confident- Independent
The yin metal snake arrives this morning. This combined energy is all about a quiet, confident yet independent approach to matters today. Working on your own is preferred as you will find it easier to spot opportunities and set about achieving your objectives with awesome determination. Financial matters take front and center today. Be mindful of your portfolio and make changes where indicated. Resources are available to you today so take advantage of it. Trust may become an issue later this afternoon with someone in your inner circle. The energy is favored toward new client (s) for today.
Happy Monday!
Mary Jane Kasliner
Illustrator: Ann Curch Gagliano
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Don't Overlook Co-workers Views!
The yin fire ox enters the picture this Thursday the 25th day of February. There is an excellent flow of energy between the stem of fire to the earth oxen - an indicator that you will be giving your all to others. Quiet and behind the scenes work towards making your mark is preferred during the morning hours. When the ox rises this afternoon, there is a tendency to dig in and take over. The problem with this approach is the controlling aspect - having things done the way you want it and overlook what others are offering in terms of advice. No one will question your work ethic or integrity just the controlling approach. Watch cash flow this evening as the tendency is to spend whatever is in your wallet.
~Mary Jane
Illustrator: Ann Curch Gagliano
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says... Get Out There This Morning!
Fire is strong this morning and that calls for PR work. Take advantage of this energy and market your products, services, skills, and whatever else that will let others know who you are and what you do. The fire stem loses some of its momentum this afternoon to the rat - a water quality. Not to worry however, as it only takes some creative ideas and project building to unite the clever qualities of the rat to the powerful element of fire. This combination truly demonstrates proper power. In other words, your services go beyond self and move towards the greater good for all. Just know that you may encounter forthright opinions from others today but take that as a compliment.
I think I'll take this moment to plug my services!
Enjoy your day,
~Mary Jane
Illustrator: Ann Curch Gagliano
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler - The Power of Water!
Where there is water, there is life. Acting as a medium in which organic compounds can mix with one another, water facilitates life form. In humans, water acts as both a solvent and delivery mechanism, dissolving essential vitamins and nutrients from food and delivering them to cells. Our bodies also use water to flush out toxins, regulate body temperature and aid in metabolism. No wonder, then, that water makes up nearly 70% of our bodies or that we can't go for more than a few days without it.
Here are some things you can do to take advantage of this propitious element:
- In your environment think about flowing designs and physical water features including accent colors of blue and touches of black
- Create a list of long term goals and review it closely for the next two months
- Tap into your passion (s): the element of water directly correlates to the naval chakra
- Make an effort to communicate more effectively by honing your listening skills
- Be careful when it comes to the kidneys, bladder and ears for the next two months as water qi is very strong making these body systems more vulnerable
- Take time to socialize with friends and family - it will feel natural as the Pig energy rises this month
- Be the peace maker - the Pig wouldn't have it any other way
- Be mindful when it comes to drinking, eating and spending as the Pig has a tendency to over indulge
- Make networking a priority in business
- Consider a get away weekend
- Become more introspective
The element of water is considered the fourth element that follows the ebb and flow of the seasons from spring to winter. It is the most important element because of its fueling quality to create life and therefore should always be represented in your living and working environment especially if your life feels stagnant.
Water qi is the gateway to life - engage in its beauty and flourish!
To learn more about the element of water and its counterparts tap into my training modules 3 and 4.
~Mary Jane Kasliner
Illustrator: Ann Curch Gagliano
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
Today, the wood pig combination is friendly with a persuasive manner making it easy to gain the confidence of others. There is also a wonderful combination of resources to assist in your endeavors. Client base is strong with the likelihood of adding a few more to your Rolodex. However, it is wise to take appropriate measures when pricing the job or time allotted, as clients will present as challenging. The importance of communication should be first and foremost this afternoon in order for things to work out in your favor.
Happy Tuesday!
Mary Jane
email@example.com - for personal astrology chart assessments
Illustrator: Ann Curch Gagliano
Monday, February 22, 2016
Feng Shui Lady Says... Teamwork!
The combination of the wood dog is all about teamwork today. The morning hours should be about pinning down new ideas for future projects or direction for business. It is important there is a team effort while brain-storming otherwise confidence will wane. With trusted support, there is a potential for new clients and or work. This bodes extremely well for your reputation especially since others recognize your raw talents.
Happy Monday!
~Mary Jane
Illustrator: Ann Curch Gagliano
Friday, February 19, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Dynamic Wealth!
What's in store for today? The yin metal sheep combines for an interesting mix of energy. First off, metal is strong for the morning hours and as a result people are driven by their inner beliefs right or wrong. Therefore, those you encounter may be rather rigid in their opinions and approach to solving issues.
The afternoon hours is a blend of challenges - from inconsistent resources and controlling situations. This is going to require patience and organization in order to achieve the end result. Dynamic wealth is also a component that flows in towards the end of the day. This can shake out a few ways: unexpected job (s), new leads for career advancement, or simply spending more money than you are taking in. The key when dynamic wealth hits is to save a portion of this unexpected income rather than spending it all. It is a good idea however to delve into the creative arts as entertainment for this evening.
Happy Friday!
~Mary Jane
Illustrator: Ann Curch Gagliano
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Innovate!
Today is all about being innovative. The metal horse is bold, confident and forthright. There is no challenge great enough to work through with this combination of energy. However, as the stem of metal and the fire branch are in conflict it would be best to remain grounded in the decision making process today. Take time to organize files, papers or whatever is needed for your innovative project. In the long run it will pay off with plenty of resources and a platform for advancing career.
Enjoy your day!
~Mary Jane
www.njfengshuitraining.com Compass & Form School Feng Shui Education
Illustration: Ann Curch Gagliano
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Get Working on Your Stuff!
Good Wednesday morning! This is a day to get moving when it comes to working on your stuff. What do I mean by that? The earth snake brings in tremendous resources with clients to follow. So, what are your talents, skills and expertise that you can offer as a service? If you are not out there doing your thing, then it is time to get off the couch and do so. The snake branch is empty and therefore trust becomes an issue. In this case it is trusting yourself. Don't second guess as the time is ripe and the energy is perfectly aligned for support in all areas of your life. Go for it!
Speaking of couches...It's time for me to get off mine and head out to my yoga class!
~Mary Jane
Illustration: Ann Curch Gagliano
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Why Get All Puffed Up?
Double Earth energy today with a Dragon empty branch. So what does that mean? First, with earth being so heavy there is the ability to transform things today. This is based on a theme of truth, fairness and consistency. With those qualities, anything is possible to change for the better. There is however a down side to strong earth and that shows up as worrying about every last detail and being overly controlling. Balance is key if you want to be effective.
The second aspect of the energy today is the Dragon empty branch. The Dragon likes to do things on a grand scale; however, being overly enthusiastic and confident turns into a "show off" mentality or what others look at as being all "Puffed Up" with yourself. This never bodes well in the long run. If, you take advantage of the pure aspects of the Earth Dragon energy the results can be very impressive; support and assistance from others, the power to help on a grand scale, and long term goals outlined for success and future career growth.
Happy Tuesday!
Mary Jane
www.njfengshuitraining.com (Compass & Form School Theories)
Illustration by: Ann Curch Gagliano
Monday, February 15, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler - Tap into You!
It's snowing hard and I am sipping some nice organic black tea. While sitting here I thought; "How can I tap into me?" That's a deep question let alone what to do with it from a feng shui perspective. Well, the truth of the matter is we can do a great deal from a feng shui perspective. Connecting to higher self is one way to tap in. Based on the maco/microcosm concept, our environment should align to us personally. In doing so, we naturally increase our own vibration so we can begin to delve into the original question; "How can I tap into me?"
One of the most powerful areas of self evaluation is the northeast portent. Here, the mountain energy calls us to remain still, to turn down the volume of thinking mind, and tap into higher self where we can learn so much about who we are. When this area is aligned elementally and artistically (imagery), it naturally catapults us to get quiet, meditate, and listen to the voice within. So what can you do to get started? Here are few simple things you can do in your environment to ignite inner quietude.
- Make sure the northeast portent of your home aligns to the fire or earth element in accent pieces and color choices.
- Think of images that are earthy - mountain ranges or desert scenes and those that exude wisdom - Buddha, Christ, Dalai Lama, etc.
- Find ample room to roll out your yoga mat or meditation cushion to remind you to tap in!
These are just a few things you can do to open up your environment in order to tap into YOU!
~Mary Jane
Illustrator - Ms Tea Totaler: Ann Curch Gagliano
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Intuition!
Good Monday Morning! The in Fire Rabbit filled with intuition moves in with grace today. The wood component of the earthly branch (Rabbit) fuels the heavenly fire stem; therefore, be prepared to use a great deal of physical energy today in your mental processes. Intuition is strong so rely on it whenever you can.
You'll find resources to be rather inconsistent today. Those who normally supported your actions may not be there to assist. This can lead to challenges, but if you follow your intuition, things will work out accordingly. Remain diplomatic even if things don't go your way.
~Mary Jane
www.njfengshuitraining.com (Training in authentic compass & form school feng shui)
Friday, February 12, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler - Show Me the Money!
So who doesn't want more money? The truth of the matter is we all do. This year (2016) and this month (February) - finances are strong in the southwest position. That's a feng shui home run! So what should you do? Well, money stars love activity so get the energy in motion in the southwest portent of you home and office. BUT - as the Grand Duke sits in the Southwest this year (year of the Monkey), it's best to keep the movement options of either a water fountain, fish bowl or plug in essential oil burner out of the 3rd mountain southwest (degrees - 232 - 247), and locate any of the aforementioned between 202 - 230 degrees southwest. Sound confusing? Relax, just sit and have a cup of tea with me and I'll be happy to assess your personal space and "show you the money." Mention this tweet post and get a significant discount that will include an analysis for the entire year!
~Off to my yoga class with "Pie in the Sky" Yogini.
Mary Jane
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Let it Flow!
Let it flow are the words for the energy today. Yang Wood Rat is an excellent combination of energy when it comes to new ventures, ideas, projects and just about anything to get you "flowing" from point "A" to point "B". If you are going to move forward on something new it is best to take a creative approach. Don't let an insecurities hold you back as they are usually unfounded. Resources are available to you so take advantage of them to meet your goals.
Happy Friday!
~Mary Jane
Happy Friday!
~Mary Jane
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler...The Peaceful Home
Your surrounding environment plays a significant role in how you experience life. Why not take time to explore the different ways you can create a peaceful home and manifest real change in your life? Here are some simple ways you can shift the energy in your environment.
1. Use mirrors, in moderation of course, to maximize the flow of energizing natural light through the home. Light promotes physical vitality and mental alertness - two dynamics that are important when it comes to peaceful living.
2. Follow the sun on its journey around the room. Notice how the light changes depending on the angle at which the sunlight falls through the windows. Plan your decor to make the most of the natural light that enters the space.
3. Use directional lighting to highlight your favorite objects or the room's most interesting fabrics.
4. Infuse mood lighting through the use of candles. Floating candles in interesting decorative bowls are excellent accents while establishing an ambiance of gentle mysticism.
5. Use cushions in different hues to add changeable accents of color.
6. Use patterns with restraint - too many patterns of different kinds may clash with each other and subtly disturb your mental equilibrium.
7. Touch up paintwork, clean your windows and repair things. When there are things in disrepair is weighs heavy on the mind and disrupts feelings of peace.
8. Add natural features in your decor - fresh flowers, a lively plant, seashells, stones, images of animals and other nature scenes give off positive energies.
9. Burn incense such as frankincense and sandalwood to create a positive yet relaxing feeling.
10. Welcome yourself and guests with a display of container plants at the side of your front door. By using pots of herbs you can combine a visual with an olfactory salute.
Have fun with these simple peaceful home tips and enjoy every moment in your environment!
Mary Jane
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Primary Resources are Available!
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
Primary Resources are Available!
Primary resources are available to you today with the earth horse combination. There is great support when it comes to all important aspects of your life. Relationships are well defined and reliable. This is exceptionally powerful when it comes to accomplishing your goals today.
The earth horse is also caution; therefore, it behooves you to consider things closely before delving into anything new. Mental activity is strong today with the fire branch feeding the earth stem. This can lead to mental overload and stress. Take time out today to get some physical exercise and this should cool things off a bit.
Happy Thursday!
~Mary Jane
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Don't Force it!
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Don't Force it!
Good morning my dear followers. Let's see what the energy is for today. Yang water is strong this morning so plan on some damp wet weather. Yang water is also an indicator of communications but in an indirect and subtle way. It also opens up intuition so go with your gut during the morning hours.
The Dog energy enters this afternoon and initially there is a tendency to control situations to get your way - that never bodes well. If you take a few moments to organize your approach the outcome will be positive -resources will become available to you and this leads to long terms goals. It is also important to practice restraint when it comes to finances.
Enjoy your day!
~Mary Jane
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler: Love Those Indoor Plants!
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler:
Love Those Indoor Plants!
Indoor plants are fabulous not only for reducing indoor pollutants but add a wonderful feel to any room. Think variety when it comes to choosing your plants to give the home a more balanced flow of energy. For example, ivy has a clinging trailing habit or corresponds to water energy. Therefore, it is useful in an area that lacks sunlight (such as internal bathroom) because, unlike many plants, it grows in shade. North is an ideal position for ivy with its strong water energy and underlying wood qualities.
Dracaena's have a strong upward growth with sharp pointed leaves combines tree and fire energy. This is a wonderful plant to stimulate energy in a corner or under a sloping ceiling. This is a good plant energy for the east, southeast or south areas in your home.
African Violets are a strong fire energy with its vibrant purple star shaped leaves. It is helpful in attracting attention and getting public recognition for your efforts. This plant is very yang or active in appearance and therefore fantastic for low vibrating areas such as corners. The east, southeast and south portents are strong areas for this fantastic plant.
The Money plant with its round thick leaves represent strong metal qi. It provides a sense of stability with finances. Albeit plants by and large are wood energy this particular plant holds strong metal within it. Therefore, adding this plant as a gentle feature in the northwest especially will assist in networking opportunities for financial gain.
The aforementioned are just a few plants that have powerful qualities in the feng shui of your home or office. Using plants can effectively help avoid stagnation by getting the energy moving. Plants can also soften protruding architecture by calming the cutting qi, slow down fast moving energy in long hallways, add natural living energy, improve air quality, and for those plants with spiky leaves adds a sense of security.
~Mary Jane
Feng Shui Astrology Lady says...Good Assistance!
Feng Shui Astrology Lady says...Good Assistance!
The metal rooster brings in the element of strong assistance from others today. This bodes well especially when it comes to organizing projects and getting the wheel in motion. It's important to write a detail list of what needs to be accomplished and adhere to it. Compromise is also an important factor to keep in mind when dealing with others. Albeit this may challenge you as the tendency for the metal rooster combination is to be rather abrasive when it comes to opinions. Financial matters should also be part of your agenda today.
Enjoy your day!
~Mary Jane
Monday, February 8, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says... Dogged Determination
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says... Dogged Determination
Good morning my friends. Hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl! What kind of energy is likely today? The metal monkey is strong willed and determined to complete all that is put before him. The preference is to work independently but here's the thing, distractions will play a part in whether or not you can finish the job at hand. Force yourself to complete one task at a time before delving into the next project. Today is also a good day to review finances and make any changes to enhance your portfolio. Watch for inconsistencies with your resources later in the day. Don't forget to tap into my 2016 forecast advice!
Okay, time for my hot yoga class with "Pie in the Sky" Yogini.
~Mary Jane
Friday, February 5, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says... Trust!
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...Trust
Another snowy morning - glad I'm comfy on my couch. What's in store for today? Trust is a big issue that will present itself especially when it comes to partnerships and new clients. It's important to resist the tendency to doubt others and simply put more time into reviewing documents and or contracts more closely.
Voicing your opinion and taking the lead in situations that arise today is likely. Pay particular attention to those who challenge you and factor in extra time to deal with them, as it may bode well for future business relationship. Spend time later in the day to focus on strategic planning for long term business and financial goals.
Heading over to Ms. Feng Shui Tea Totaler for a cup of hot tea!
~Mary Jane
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler - Get Organized in 2016!
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler
Get Organized in 2016!
This morning Feng Shui Astrology Lady informed you it is the first day of the solar New Year. I'm sure you read her 2016 forecast. Anyway, this is a perfect time to get things in order around your home and office. There are so many simple ways to organize your environment. What's even better are the results you will see. Don't waste another minute and delve into my simple organization program. Just look for the title: Clear Clutter and Transform your Life under my Feng Shui Mini-Series section.
Here's to organizing your environment in 2016!
~Mary Jane
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
Good morning and welcome to the solar New Year! Today marks the mid-point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. The Yang Fire Dragon yields powerful energy when it comes to resources that support your career efforts. Others look to you for leadership and guidance. It is important you use your skills to benefit others. Beware of trying to bolster your skills beyond what they are and relying too heavily on your own judgment. Take into consideration the opinions of others.
As this day marks the start of the New Year, take advantage of my 2016 forecast so you can plan your year accordingly.
Have a great day!
~Mary Jane
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler: Small Space Designs
The first reaction to a small space generally sends us into the "triple D's," or what I would like to call the Downward, Despair, and Doldrums. The simple truth is small spaces allow us to be closer to energy, and from a feng shui perspective, that's golden. Just because the space is small doesn't mean we can't balance it. Square footage has no bearing on creating a harmonious and healthy living environment. So if you are short on square footage, have some fun delving into these ten simple feng shui tips.
1. If you live in an apartment, determine what directional location your place falls within the larger building. This will help you with the overall elemental theme. For example, if your apartment sits in the southeast portent of the entire building, then favor wood and water elements in your designs.
2. Incorporate floor plants, decorative screens, and curtains for faux walls. It will look fabulous and give you much needed definable living areas.
3. Choose a focal point towards which the energy will gravitate. This can be done with interesting artwork, sculptures, or an exotic pillow.
4. Keep windows clean and open for natural sunlight and fresh air. Compliment with flowing window treatment and full spectrum track lighting aimed at walls to free up floor space and create an expansive feeling.
5. Consider removing closet doors and replacing them with curtains. This will soften the energy while giving the illusion of more space.
6. Think less is more when it comes to furnishings and incorporate curved designs. Qi (energy) only moves in a sine wave pattern and therefore will be unimpeded.
7. Note the directions within the space from the center point. Then address each direction with the corresponding natural element and symbolic image to catapult the energetic ba-gua – feng shui template. For example, placing a romantic stone statue in the southwest or a metal musical instrument in the west will effectively catapult feelings of romance while infusing the environment with delightful sounds.
8. Arrange major pieces of furniture in command to door entry for a sense of comfort and eye appeal.
9. Splurge on tableware and linens. Small luxuries, such as table-top water fountains, go a long way.
10. Have fun and invite some friends over. People actually prefer to socialize in small spaces.
It's simple to create great style in small spaces. Allow your inner flame to rise during the process, be resourceful, and follow simple feng shui guidelines. You'll be amazed at how you can transform your small space into an energetic, vibrant, and functional Shangri – La. For more information on how to follow simple feng shui designs see my Feng Shui Designs in a Flash CD by scrolling down on my publications page!
~Mary Jane
~Mary Jane
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
Let's see what the yang metal dog has in store for today. The metal stem and earth dog flow elementally but as the branch feeds the stem, then be prepared for mental overload. No hesitation to speak your mind today and patience runs thin if things do not unfold the way you would like them to. As a result, you may find inconsistency with resources and encounter people who will challenge you. If you remain calm and seek higher ground things work out for the better.
Enjoy your day!
~Mary Jane
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says...
What does the Feng Shui Astrology Lady have to say about the energy for today? The Yin Earth Rooster has a very persistent energy. Expect to set an objective and not be deflected by anyone or anything. Strategies are worked out mainly by your own doing. Others recognize your accomplishments. This bodes well for future opportunities and advancement. Pay attention to financial portfolio. Decisions will need to be made regarding assets.
That's it for today - off to a "Pie in the Sky" Yogini class!
~Mary Jane
Monday, February 1, 2016
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler
Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler
I have a treat for you this afternoon. I sent out my monthly newsletter just a little while ago and it has some great feng shui tips for the month of February. If you haven't read it feel free to click here. I think you'll find the information to be interesting. Enjoy!
~Mary Jane
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says....
Feng Shui Astrology Lady Says....
I hope you all had a nice weekend. It's Monday morning and time to report on what you can expect for the day. The yang earth monkey enters the forecast for today. The morning hours are more about knowing your material - study and review for whatever you've been working. This will assist in making a decision that is weighing on you. It's important efforts come from you mainly rather than relying on others. Albeit there is assistance you can tap into, it is best for you to take the lead. Don't be surprised if an unexpected opportunity comes knocking on your door later in the day.
Tune in later today to see what Ms. Feng Shui Tips Tea Totaler has to say!
~Mary Jane
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Scrabble & Words with Friends Word Unscrambler
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Exclave is worth 19 points in Words with Friends and 22 points in Words with Friends
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Willmott Dixon Wins £7m Council Office
Thursday, 12th April 2012Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £7m contract to build new offices for Monmouthshire County Council. Work starts on site this week to build the new 2,500sq m Democratic Centre including a council chamber and offices for the council's chief executive with facilities open for public access. The new office complex is being built on the Coleg Gwent (Gwent College) campus in Usk with completion in 2013. The building is designed to achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent and will include biomass boilers, recycled water tanks and photo voltaic cells on the roof of the offices. Neal Stephens, managing director of Willmott Dixon in Wales, said: "This is a fantastic project for Willmott Dixon to be a part of and one that marks the continuation of a relationship we formed with Monmouthshire County Council more than 12 years ago. "There were a number of challenging factors which had to be taken into consideration during the planning stages of the project and we worked closely with Monmouthshire County Council and Coleg Gwent to ensure our vision for the site successfully met the needs of both parties." Work on site is beginning now with the aim of Monmouthshire Council being able to move into its new offices by March 2013. The project was designed by architect Powell Dobson.


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We're having a clear-out!
Posted July 3rd, 2014
We've got tons of new stuff launching soon and we need to make some space pronto. To that end, we're having a proper clear-out. We've even knocked a few quid off...
So, what are you waiting for? Hop over to our Clearance Goodies page and get stuck in!
Charlie and the Loafers x


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Once again you can find here exercises concerning Present Simple. This worksheet contains only exercises on affirmative form of the verbs along with rules how to do it correctly.
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St John Ambulance, the nation's leading first aid charity is bringing you some simple, but life saving, first aid tips – this week: recognising and dealing with allergic reactions.
Allergies develop when the body has an abnormal immune response to a normally harmless substance and mistakes it for a threat, like an infection, and tries to fight it off.
A severe allergic reaction can develop within just a few seconds of the person coming into contact with the allergen. It can affect the whole body and, if not treated quickly enough, can potentially lead to death. This is called Anaphylaxis or Anaphylactic shock.
These are the six key things to look for:
• In mild allergy there may be blotchy, itchy skin
• Itchy red eyes or nose
• In severe allergy there may be wheezing or difficulty breathing (they may complain that their chest 'feels tight')
• There may be swelling of the hands, feet or face, but the tongue and throat may also swell
• Anxiety
• Signs of shock
What you need to do:
If you think someone is having a severe allergic reaction, they may have some of the symptoms mentioned above or they may tell you they've been exposed to something they are allergic to. You need to get them emergency help as fast as you can (even if their symptoms are mild but they have been exposed to something to which they are severely allergic).
• Dial 999 or 112 straight away. Tell the emergency operator that you think someone is having a severe allergic reaction and give them any information you have about what may have triggered it (e.g. an insect sting, or certain food, like peanuts).
• If the person knows what they have a severe reaction to, they may have medication with them - an auto-injector (for example Epipen®, JEXT® or Emerade®). Check if they have one, and if they do, help them to use it or if you have training, give it. Remember, they still need medical help even if they have used their auto-injector.
• While waiting for help to arrive, help them into a comfortable sitting position, leaning forward slightly, to help their breathing.
• Monitor their condition. If they become unresponsive, open their airway, check breathing and prepare to treat someone who is unresponsive.
NB: A second auto-injector can be used if there is no improvement or if the symptoms return.
For more, free lifesaving advice, go to www.sja.org.uk
Article supplied by Kate Rutsch