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October Newsletter
I've missed sending several newsletters and creating new blog posts lately but I promise I have a good excuse! The house (including my studio and the office of Jason Cyr Design) went under contract in August and we closed in September. It's been a very exciting time and although I've moved out of small spaces with limited items in college and in Park City, I have never moved out of an entire house. My hat is off to those of you who move out of a house with kids; I cannot imagine! The amount of pouting that came from me when Jason forced me to pack things when I was not in the mood to do so was equivalent to 10 kids and my art materials were enough to fill half a pod.


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Hello all!
I am 25 years old and my girlfriend and I have been dating for 2 years. Her mom was diagnosed about 1 year ago with dementia. Her mother (I'll call her Susan here) had been progressing with this dementia for about 3 or 4 years before being properly diagnosed. The only family member that was close enough that even cared about Susan's wellbeing was my girlfriend. We have been through hell (quite literally) with her mom. Between finding a decent facility, trying to right the wrongs done before Susan had care, and keeping Susan out of ADS's hands it was all just a nightmare. Things have finally started to calm down, but now it seems the dementia is getting worse more rapidly. My girlfriend quit her job for almost a year to help straighten things out with her mom, leaving me as the sole provider.
I guess my questions comes down to this: What do I do? I love my girlfriend and would like to marry her someday, but with her mom's dementia getting worse and the prospect that she might one day live with us (again) I can't handle it. My girlfriend and I should be doing what young adults do: travel, spontaneity, etc. What do I do? Am I just not cut out for this?

subset: commoncrawl


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analysis, blog design, carmenaliu, creative blogging, creative writing, personal blog, site reviews
Through Google and Blog Lovin', I found three music blogs that are similar to my blog, "Carmen's Tunes" but different in certain ways. The first blog I found was http://disconaivete.com/ which focuses on reviewing one song each day. The posts are normally very short and include a brief background of the artist, introduce the song, describe the tone of the song and then embeds a SoundCloud player for readers to listen to the song. This blog is similar to mine because I typically focus on one song for each blog post however, I also include the name of the playlist that readers can search on Spotify to listen to the playlist I am talking about, rather than just one song. I also list a few different songs that I like the most from the playlist being discussed and then embed the Spotify playlist in the post.
I also found http://prettymuchamazing.com/ which includes a mix of song reviews, songs to listen to as well as music news. Although this blog uses a lot of music that I am familiar with and like listening to, my focus will just be reviewing one song out of an entire playlist and incorporating more personal information rather than posting music news. In addition, I will include the entire playlist that I listen to rather than just one song.
Lastly, http://noteworthy-music.blogspot.com/ is a very similar blog to mine. This blog focuses on reviewing the latest albums of popular artists and then embeds a Spotify player that contains the album being discussed. Although I focus on using Spotify as the primary music interface I refer to, I will be focusing on playlists as well, in addition to albums of popular artists. This gives the readers more variation in the music they listen to each time they read my post because they are exposed to more artists than just one. However, some of my posts will be similar in that I only review a single album by one artist. But even then, my posts will be different because in each post I describe my current mood, activity, setting and how the playlist makes me feel and then pick a song from that playlist to review and discuss. In this sense, my blog provides readers with more information about me. This makes my blog more unique and puts the readers in my shoes because they can picture the setting that I am in when I am listening to the playlists. Hopefully, this gives readers an idea of what type of setting matches best with the playlist I review.


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LATEST DIALOGUES Experiment Shows Future Events Affect The Past
- by Shawn Radcliffe
- in Dialogues, Quantum Physics
- 1 Comments
One of the main tenets of quantum physics is that particles, such as electrons and photons, can act like both a particle and a wave. In addition, a particle's choice for which way it behaves depends upon how it is measured at the end of its journey.
Australian researchers recently confirmed this wave-particle duality by carrying out John Wheeler's classic delayed-choice thought experiment. Their results confirm that, for quantum particles at least, reality doesn't exist until it is measured, and that future events can affect the past.
"It proves that measurement is everything. At the quantum level, reality does not exist if you are not looking at it," said study author Andrew Truscott, a professor of physics at Australian National University in a press release.
When Wheeler first proposed this thought experiment in 1978, he suggested using light beams, or photons, as the particles. The Australian team, though, used helium atoms instead. This added another layer of complexity to the experiment because, unlike photons, atoms have mass and can interact with electrical fields.
In this experiment, which was published May 25 in Nature Physics, the researchers sent a single atom down a path through a grating pattern formed by laser beams. This is similar to the solid grating used to scatter light. If the atom acted like a particle it would travel in a straight line. As a wave, though, the atom would produce the interference bands seen with light passing through double slits.
In addition, the researchers randomly added a second laser grating. They found that when this was present, the atoms created the wavelike interference pattern. When the second grating was not there, the atoms behaved like particles and traveled along a single path.
However, whether or not the second grating was added was determined only after the atom had made it through the first crossroads. The wave-like or particle-like behavior of the atom only came into existence when the researchers measured it after it had completed its journey.
This, says Truscott, shows that "a future event causes the photon to decide its past."
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Is the Future Already Written? – Part 2
<< Part 1 By Zeeya Merali Time off from Time Even though Ellis had reservations about time and the block universe, he still admired Einstein, and his respect deepened when he moved to Cambridge in 1960…Read More...
Is the Future Already Written? – Part 1
By Zeeya Merali George Ellis is not afraid to rock the establishment. In his youth in South Africa, his target was a recognizably corrupt and racist government. Now a cosmologist at the University of Cape Town,…Read More...


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Great Western Hotel to gain lease on life | Photos
IN 1880, mayor Patrick Kenna opened the Great Western Hotel in Peisley Street.
Almost 140 years later, the hotel is still trading under its original name and its current owner wants to restore some of its original glory.
Owner Matthew Hardman has displayed concept designs for refurbishments to the front bar and the bistro at the business for clients to view.
"We have lots of regular customers to the hotel, so it's giving those people an opportunity to have a look and make comment," he said.
He described the plans as contemporary Australian in style, taking inspiration from the Terminus Hotel at Pyrmont, balancing new subway tiles, pressed metal and greenery against the building's heritage features.
In the early years, the hotel was the last stop before travellers ventured into the outback and Mr Hardman said the venue would stick to what it had always provided: a drink, a feed and a bed.
"What I'm trying to achieve is keep the history of the hotel but at the same time, ensure there's contemporary spaces people in this day and age feel comfortable in," he said.
Mr Hardman encouraged all feedback and hoped to have work started in the next six weeks.
The renovations will mark the first stage of the project, on the back of a recently-overhauled menu and refurbished kitchen.
The second stage of the renovations will look to the accommodation and the outdoor areas.
"The rear part is a significant opportunity to have a much bigger space with entertainment and dining," he said.
After researching the building's history with the help of the Orange and District Historical Society, Mr Hardman said his dream was to restore the 3.6-metre wide verandahs on the Peisley and Kite Street frontages.
"It was a beautiful, ornate wrought iron verandah - it was still there in 1925 and it would really make [the hotel] a feature from Peisley Street," he said.
The Great Western Hotel was one of seven hotels in Orange when the railway was opened, but is the only one still bearing its original name and built form.
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Discuss "Blend of old and new: Customer input invited on Great Western renovations | Photos"
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The Scrap Yard was an asteroid field named as such in the aftermath of the First Battle of Tovolo, in the Tovolo system. It was so dense that no capital ship could safely enter the Scrap Yard.
Due to the density of the asteroid field, Vegas Station was unshielded, was densely lighted and hundreds of Lysian fighters defended it for the Wyldefire Compact, giving rise to the Second Battle of Tovolo. (Star Trek: False Vacuum: "Scrap Yard Vegas")
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Christy's is always welcoming new clients. Click here to find Christy at LinkedIn. You can reach us with questions or to schedule an appointment by phone or you can fill out the form below to contact Christy by email.
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text: Home / Beers / Brooklyn Special Effects (0.4% ABV) Brooklyn Special Effects (0.4% ABV) £1.99 RRP: £0.00 Stock Status: In Stock Pack Size: Single Bottle 6 Pack (Save 5%) 12 Pack (Save 7%) 24 Pack (Save 10%) Quantity: Add to your Wish List You will earn 1 points with this purchase Information In movies, special effects make you think you're seeing the unbelievable. In Brooklyn Special Effects, they're making you taste something incredible: a delicious alcohol-free beer. Brooklyn Special Effects is a hoppy lager with an unexpected piney aroma and pleasantly bitter finish. The beer gets its golden, bready sweetness from dry-hopping with Citra and Amarillo hops-- a technique rarely used in alcohol-free brewing. They use a specially developed fermentation method that limits the amount of alcohol that is created, while allowing more traditional beer flavors to develop. It tastes just like a regular beer, but therein lies the special effect: it's not. Alcohol Free Beers are made just like the alcoholic ones with water, yeast, hops and barley. Some are brewed to a lower ABV and some have the alcohol removed through various techniques. Across Europe beers below 0.5% ABV are classed as alcohol free. In the UK drinks that are between 0.05% and 0.5% ABV are classed as non-alcoholic. How is this product Vegan Friendly? The drink is free from any animal products or derivatives. In addition the bottle, label and glue is also free from animal products. Specifications Age Group: Adult Reviews Not yet reviewed Write an online review and share your thoughts with other shoppers! Be the first to review this product Related Products Lucky Saint Unfiltered Alcohol Free Lager (0.5% ABV) From: £1.99 Smashed Citrus Alcohol Free Beer (0.05% ABV) From: £1.99


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Gold Coast To Host AHL Finals & Major Hockey Events
Hockey Australia (HA) today announces that the City of Gold Coast will host three major Hockey events, including this year's last-ever Australian Hockey League (AHL) Finals from 25-28 October.
The announcement is made in partnership with the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast under an agreement which will also see the 2019 Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey and 2019 Australian Women's Masters Hockey played on the Gold Coast.
- Hockey Australia has agreed to a significant partnership with the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), and the City of Gold Coast to host three major Hockey events.
- Gold Coast will host the 2018 Australian Hockey League (AHL) Finals (25 - 28 October 2018), 2019 Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey Challenge (30 April - 4 May 2019) and 2019 Australian Women's Masters Hockey Championships (26 September - 5 October 2019).
- The AHL is the premier senior national competition featuring the best Hockey players in Australia from all eight states and territories.
- The 2018 AHL Finals will decide the last-ever champions, before next year's reincarnation as a revamped league.
The Gold Coast Hockey Centre, which was the venue for all of the Commonwealth Games Hockey matches earlier this year, will host all matches in the AHL Finals.
Today's announcement coincides with tickets going on sale for the AHL Finals via Ticketbooth from $10 for children and $15 for adults.
You can secure your tickets for individual days here!
Or you can secure your Series Pass to see every game here!
The Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey Challenge and Australian Women's Masters Hockey Championships will take place at both the Gold Coast Hockey Centre and the Nikki Hudson Centre in Runaway Bay.
The 2018 AHL marks the final version of the premier senior national competition which has been played since 1991 in its current format before next year's reincarnation as a revamped league.
Male and female teams from all eight states and territories compete in the competition, featuring the best Hockey players in Australia and is a key vehicle for selection opportunities for National Junior and Senior Squads such as the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos.
The AHL Finals take place after three rounds of matches across the country throughout October, with the competition culminating on the Gold Coast with quarter-finals on Thursday 25 October, semi-finals on Saturday 27 October and bronze and gold medal matches on Sunday 28 October.
Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier said: "We're delighted to confirm the Gold Coast as home to the 2018 AHL Finals, where we'll see the last ever AHL champions confirmed before we move into a new era with a revamped league in 2019 and beyond.
"Gold Coast proved itself as a wonderful host city and venue for Hockey during the 2018 Commonwealth Games with great crowds cheering the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos on to gold and silver medals respectively.
"We're thrilled to be able to play such an iconic and important event at this excellent venue and excited about more strong support for Hockey from the local community."
Victoria heads into the 2018 AHL as the reigning champions across both men's and women's divisions, while this year's hosts Queensland were beaten in both finals last year.
The WA Thundersticks hold the record for the most men's AHL titles with 10 closely followed by Queensland Blades with nine, while NSW Arrows have the most women's AHL titles with nine.
Favier added: "Hockey supporters will have amazing memories across three decades of the AHL, seeing the rise of numerous Hockeyroos and Kookaburras, memorable matches and various champions, so it's sad to farewell the competition in its current format but an exciting time also for the domestic game."
Queensland Government Assistant Tourism Industry Development Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the events, set to be held at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre, were a legacy of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
"We wouldn't have been able to secure these events without investing in new infrastructure to host the Commonwealth Games," she said.
"These events will be held at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre which was upgraded ahead of the Games to host elite, international sport.
"We're investing in major events because we know sport helps to drive visitors to the Coast and grow our local tourism industry.
"These events will give fans a chance to relive the excitement of the Games and see some of their favourite hockey athletes in action in one of the most sought-after tourism destinations on the planet."
City of Gold Coast Acting Mayor Donna Gates said the city was seeing the economic and reputational return on its investment in world-class sporting infrastructure by securing these major hockey events.
"We always saw the Gold Coast Hockey Centre as a legacy project that would ensure hockey remains a key sport on the Gold Coast beyond GC2018 and these three competitions are the realisation of that vision," Cr Gates said.
"Since the start of 2017, the City has facilitated 93 sporting initiatives including high performance training camps, state and national sporting events and exhibition matches, generating almost $40 million into the local economy.
"By working in close partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland our relationship has never been better and together we are scoring goals for the Gold Coast."
The Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey Challenge is a biennial international masters hockey tournament between Australia and New Zealand which features 14 Australian teams (seven male and seven female) and 14 New Zealand teams (seven male and seven female) competing in seven age divisions: Over 35, Over 40, Over 45, Over 50, Over 55, Over 60 and Over 65. The event commenced in 2000.
Each division plays three matches and the nation that wins the most divisions across the men's and women's competitions is declared the Country Champion.
The Australian Women's Masters Hockey Championships is an annual competition, first played in 1984, between states and territories across seven age divisions: Over 35, Over 40, Over 45, Over 50, Over 55, Over 60 and Over 65.
Australian representative teams are selected and announced at the end of the Championships.
Both the Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey Challenge and Australian Women's Masters Hockey Championships are significant tournaments in terms of participation and will see thousands of people travel to the Gold Coast boosting local businesses.
The Trans-Tasman Hockey Challenge brings together approximately 608 participants across players, coaches, support staff and officials, while the Australian Women's Masters Hockey Championships attract approximately 41 teams and a total of 900 participants across players, coaches, support staff and officials.
Favier added: "We're delighted to have a 2019 home venue confirmed for both the Trans-Tasman Masters Hockey Challenge and the Australian Women's Masters Hockey Championships which will be major tourism boosts for the local Gold Coast community and maintain the region's connection with Hockey."
You can secure your tickets for individual days here!
Or you can secure your Series Pass to see every game here!


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August 18, 1996, Section 6, Page 49Buy Reprints
BIG, BEAUTIFUL BUFFETS ARE THE BACKBONE of Mary Ellen and Kenneth's weekend entertaining. Their efficiency and cost-effectiveness appeal to Mary Ellen's instincts as a tax lawyer, while Peter, an inveterate jogger and tennis player (who regards food as so much fuel) likes the bounty and variety.
Still, there are those times when a little ceremony is in order, when a group of grown-ups need to gather around a table and mark an occasion. When Mary Ellen's mother is in for a visit, or Kenneth's law-school roommate arrives, Mary Ellen and Kenneth's law-school roommate arrives, Mary Ellen and Kenneth like to do lunch. The shade of their porch creates an oasis on a hot summer day. And when the food is right, and the wine is lavish, there is a sense of stolen time, wantonly whiled away.
It is a lesson in pleasure that the couple learned long ago over a languid lunch in Mexico. This was before most Americans were familiar with the fire and spice of Mexican food, and the shock of the chilies, followed by the relief of the lime, was a dizzying experience whose sheer sensuality they've sought to recreate many times since.
Flavor, of course, has a way of reordering life. To begin a lunch with a high-pitched contrast of sweet, bitter and hot - and melon-and-chili salsa, say - is not unlike riding the Cyclone at Coney Island. The shock, the fear, the exciting climax fosters a camaraderie among all who share it. Indeed, a fruit-and-peanut salsa, which cries out for corn chips and multiple margaritas, is simple enough to make, and its flavor deepens if allowed to mellow in the refrigerator.
In addition to bold flavors, a menu can have its own twists and turns that also surprise and delight. Reversing the traditional order of the courses served - for instance, a warm, substantial course first, followed by a light, cold soup - underscores the secret adventure of a small summer lunch.
The menu below is a variation on the food of Oaxaca. The black-bean crepe with smoked salmon and salsa delivers solidity and heft, and the tang of the fresh goat cheese saves it from being clunky. A brightly flavored buttermilk soup that can be made a day before the party is a nice departure from the (by now) almost run-of-the-mill gazpacho. And a custard, in this case an orange flan, seems somehow substantial yet airy at the same time.
Of course, you must not forget the powdered-sugar cookies with pecans. Serve them with strong black Mexican coffee, and you can nurse lunch until the sun goes down, or at least until dinner.
What's particularly nice about a menu like this is the opportunity a couple of globertrotters have to indulge in a discussion of their far-flung adventures. Ordinarily, a travelogue can be groaningly dull. But when accompanied by the literal flavor of the place, well, it's just one more element of the spell.
Black-Bean Quesadillas With Smoked Salmon, Goat Cheese and Tomatilla Salsa
The salsa:
1 pound fresh tomatillas (about 12), husked
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 treaspoon kosher salt
The quesadellas:
2 cups hot, cooked black beans
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Freshly ground pepper to taste
6 ounces soft goat cheese
6 small flour tortillas
6 large slices smoked salmon
The salad:
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon walnut oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
10 cups stemmed arugula
2 yellow bell peppers, cored and cut into thin strips
1. To make the salsa, pulse the tomatillas in a food processor until well combined. Set aside.
2. To make the quesadillas, gently combine the hot beans, the oil, lime juice, salt, garlic, scallions and pepper to taste. Keep warm. Spread about 2 tablespoons of goat cheese over half of each tortilla. Using a heaping 1/4 cup fo the bena mixture for each tortilla, press the beans into the goat cheese. Trimthe salmon slices to fit half of the tortilla and lay the slices with the trimmings over the beans. Fodl the tortilla in half and press the sides together. Set aside.
3. To make the salad, whisk together the juices and mustard. Whisk in the walnut oil, salt and pepper. Place the arugula in a bowl and toss with the yellow peppers. Toss with the dressing.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas until browned and heated through, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Cut each into 3 triangles.
5. Spoon a little of the salsa onto the center of 6 large plates. Place 3 quesadilla triangles aroudn the salsa. Arrange the salad in a circle around the edge of the plates and serve immediately.
Yield: Six servings.
Almong Buttermilk Soup
1 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
1 1/2 cups crustless bread cubes, toasted
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
6 cups buttermilk
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup whole cilantro leaves.
1. Place the almonds, bread, garlic, orange zest and 1 cup of buttermilk in a blender. Process until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir in the remaining buttermilk, lemon juice, orange juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until cold.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and float several cilantro leaves in each one.
Yield: Six servings.
Caramel Orange Fool
The pudding:
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cold water
2 packages powdered gelatin
3 cups buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
The caramel:
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons water
1 cup heavy cream
6 oranges.
1. To make the pudding, place the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Stir the gelatin into the warm cream until melted. Let cool slightly. Stir in the buttermilk and salt. Refrigerate until just set (the mixture should be niether liquid nor firm), about 2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, to make the caramel, place the sugar in a medium saucepana nd stir in the water. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Place over medium heat and cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep caramel color. Remove from heat and carefully add the cream. Return the pan to the heat and stir until all of the caramel is dissolved. Place in a bowl and let cool completely.
4. Use a paring knife to remove all peel and pith from the oranges. Working over a bowl to collect any orange juice, cut out the orange sections from between the membranes. Stirs the juice into the caramel.
5. To assemble, whisk the pudding. Spoon about 1/4 cup of pudding into 6 large wineglasses. Top each with a scant 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce and a few orange slices, making sure both show around the edge of the glass. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining pudding drizzle with a little caramel sauce. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
Yeild: Six servings.
Powered-Sugar Pecan Cookies
1 cup pecans, toasted
1 cup unsalted butter, softened slightly
6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar.
1. Put the pecans in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add the butter and pulse until combined. Mix in the sugar and vanilla. Add the flour and salt and pulse just to combine. Press the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate just tunil firm or make up to 2 days ahead, but let stand at room temperature until pliable but still cold.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie, roll the dough into balls with your hands. Flatten with the palm of your hand to make mounds 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until browned on the bottom, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cookies.
Yield: Thirty-two cookies.
Fiery Fruit-and-Peanut Salsa
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped.
3 cloves garlic, mined
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup Thai fish sauce (see note below)
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and minced
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups honeydew melon, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 cups cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the peanuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine the garlic, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice, jalpeno and cilantro in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the peanuts, melon, cantaloupe and parsley. Toss well. Cover and refrigerate for a least 1 hour before serving.
Yield: Three cups.
Note: Thai fish sauce, or nam pla, can be ordered at Kam Man, 200 Canal Street, New York, N.Y. 10013, (212)571-0330.


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Yesterday, volunteers from Greenham Control Tower provided the first of our regular Military History Walks. (Launch dates to follow soon, keep an eye on the website). Visitors enjoyed the opportunity to explore parts of Greenham Common that played a key role in the Cold War
Over a leisurely two and a half hours they took in the remains of the runway, the fire plane and the external views of the decontamination suite before pausing to hear the history of the iconic GAMA site where 96 cruise missiles were stored at the height of the Cold War. Finally they viewed the location of Blue Gate and discussed the place of the women's peace camp in the overall historical picture.
Visitors from Reading, Winchester and Oxford, were joined by locals who were able to add to the event by sharing their own personal memories. All in all, it was a great afternoon and they all had fun.
The photo is of the group at the 'Changes' sculpture next to the decontamination suite. The piece symbolises the successful transition of Greenham Common, when it celebrated its 10th anniversary of reopening in 2010. The sculpture, by the Icelandic artist Gudrun Nielsen comprises nine individually folded steel pieces representing the creation and dismantling of a fighter plane. Each piece is set on a concrete plinth, which includes recycled concrete and reinforcement taken from the runway after it was dug up to restore the common.
© Greenham Control Tower Ltd.
Website by Dunston Graphics | Developed by Hut Six Digital
Photos © Lee Sainsbury / Oxygen Photography


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But I don't want Oprah to be president
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 5:46 pm
What ever happened to separation of celebrities and politicians?
The Great On-Line Empire
Oprah Winfrey is not married to Stedman Graham. They are not engaged to get married, nor do they ever plan to get married. Does it ever occur to you to use Google and verify what you are saying is true when you call out people to correct them? I mean, I know what you are going to say -- "I didn't know" -- but I didn't know either. Fortunately I was able to juggle a few things around in my schedule and free up the three seconds it took to find out whether or not Oprah is married.
My god is this how much of a goddamn idiot you are when I'm not here to check you?Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: ↑Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:30 amI think a large part of what got Donald Trump the nomination and Presidency is that the voters in this country were sick of the obvious corruption from almost literally every single elected official. Certainly every elected official at the Congress level. Somehow in this country it's 100% totally legal for a corporation like Verizon to give tens of thousands of dollars to someone who got elected the representative of Shithox County, Colorado and that politician, being the good little soldier he is, will vote however Verizon tells him to. Multiply that mindset by all the other issues that people who aren't tech nerds care about. But a child of four would identify that as corruption. It's fucking corruption, no different than the mafia demanding protection money.
They are virtually all corrupt.
The people that got Trump on the ticket were in part sick of this, they were all just too stupid to maybe pick someone that wasn't a petulant child. Oh, and they were also too stupid to understand that maybe a multi-millionaire whose interests in getting elected were in making life for other multi-millionaires may not be precisely the non-institutionalized non-politician they were looking for, but hey, Tom Brady, Keanu Reeves, John Cena, Oprah and countless other rich-but-nice-people weren't running. If I were bound and determined to vote Republican, as in, I HAD to, I would have voted for Trump over Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, too. I still would.
Maybe the lesson being taken from this is that you need a bigger celebrity. A year in, the only way Oprah could do a worse job would be if she actually launched the missiles. How the fuck does the government shut down when you control Congress and the executive office? At least when it happened to Obama it's because they were all virulent racists. What a bunch of failures.
Welcome back . . . how's things going from your perspective with the respectable gentleman Republican President? Nevermind, we should probably leave politics out of this for now.Knuckles the CLown wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:06 pmMy god is this how much of a goddamn idiot you are when I'm not here to check you?
totally agree with you on that, shutdown had nothing to do with racism at all, just same ol' power politics with newly mixed in Trump Zaniness. I couldn't give a shit if the government is "open" or not unless someday i want to get off my ass and get a passport or something. The IRS can shut down every day please, those fuckers.Knuckles the CLown wrote: ↑Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:55 pmBlaming government shutdowns on racism.
Damn, that sounds like a fun story that I missed. (@ICJ, pls to be pointing us to those threads)Knuckles the CLown wrote: ↑Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:55 pmThe only minority remotely involved had to be picked up in a Chinese Airport.
Absolutely, #m e e t o o jumped the shark almost as it started . . . just . . . waiting . . . for . . . backlash . . . to . . . begin. There was one quote that floored me in the Rob Porter thing, some congressman said something to the effect that, "anyone accused of domestic violence shouldn't have a job - ANYWHERE". WTF is he saying? Someone can be a murderer, do his time, and get out and go work at walmart but this guy thinks that someone not even convicted of abuse shouldn't be allowed to work (and probably support the accuser). Right, it's better for him to be homeless and her not to get another dime. What a fucktard.Knuckles the CLown wrote: ↑Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:55 pmBemoan that you can't say anything on the internet anymore without some jackass SJW trying to get you fired.. then we get a President who talks shit on the internet and he is appalled. Robb should be much better and more original than this.
He's getting funnier anyway.Knuckles the CLown wrote: ↑Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:55 pmChrist Paul sounds like the sane one around here.
I believe he is referring to my recently adopted daughter.Casual Observer wrote: ↑Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:29 pmDamn, that sounds like a fun story that I missed. (@ICJ, pls to be pointing us to those threads)Knuckles the CLown wrote: ↑Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:55 pmThe only minority remotely involved had to be picked up in a Chinese Airport.


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"Gross Indecency: An Otherworld Novel" Chapter Three
Gross Indecency: An Otherworld Novel will eventually be edited and put on sale, but for now, I figured as we worked on it, we would also release the chapters for free. 🙂 Call it an experiment. One chapter a month will be put out here, Tumblr, and a couple of other outlets. However, if you support us on Patreon, you get to see the chapter a week or two before it become publicly available. So… support us! 😀 You get lots of fun bits and bobs in addition to fiction.
Right now, Gross Indecency is 128 pages (42,583 words) long, and that's not even half of the planned novel. 😉 It's a kinky romp with exiled faeries, so anything goes.
London, England, 2015
Rime slowly walked down the aisles of the small market. It was a few blocks from the building that housed the flat he shared with Malachite, along with the flats of the other exiled Fae. It had been three days since he'd been released from jail. Three days of erotic pain and heartbreaking tenderness. Malachite had tended him in comfortable silence, though there was not a single moment in which Rime had not wordlessly expressed his joy through their bond. Rime's throat and jaw had finally recovered from their treatment that first night. His welts had healed, and his backside was still a little tender. He smiled to himself as he sorted through small baskets of imported berries.
A deep, amused chuckle sounded from behind him. "I see you've emerged," Whirlwind said, nosing the side of Rime's throat affectionately. "You are looking particularly well, old friend."
Rime's smile broadened and a happy sigh escaped his throat. His voice was soft and a little rough from lack of use. "I'm well," he confirmed, leaning back against the tall blond, "and well used. He's back. I couldn't ask for more." His hands continued sorting until he had a wide array of fruit in his selection tray.
Whirlwind slid his arms around Rime's waist. "Has he returned or is he merely visiting? Have you made peace with one another?"
"Aye, we have. He has returned… and forgiven me. There's a new side of Mal, demanding and self-assured, that I think he'd been afraid of showing before." Rime sighed thoughtfully. "I think many things are changing, and I find myself loving him all the more for coming back, for taking exactly what he wants from me." He laughed. "For having the nerve to literally knock sense into me."
"He was afraid," Whirlwind said as they walked to the case of cheeses. "That was clear to the rest of us." He picked up a soft brie, staring at it with a slight frown. "Don't tell me you didn't know that. It was there to be read in his eyes every time they looked at you." He paused, and then added, "Which is quite often."
"I knew," Rime murmured, "and I did try to remedy his fears at first, but after a couple hundred years, I gave up. There was little I could do, but I'd hoped something would happen to bring about the change he needed." He added camembert and chimay trappiste to another basket, handing it to Whirlwind to carry. "Typical that such a change comes only when I fuck up. I think there's a pattern emerging." Chevre and chaource joined the other cheeses in the basket.
Whirlwind raised an elegant eyebrow. "Emerging? Rime, it's well-established." He looked over the contents of the two baskets and snorted. "Are you planning on hosting a gathering of some kind to welcome him home?"
Rime grinned. "A gathering for two, with plenty more for seconds, thirds…" He winked. "You get the idea."
"Now you serve him?" Whirlwind asked. "Has the relationship changed that much? I'm not certain I'll become used to the idea of you scraping and bowing to please him."
Rime laughed, though the sound quickly became an uncomfortable cough. "Hardly! I'm just going to surprise him." He looked knowingly at Whirlwind, a pale eyebrow raised. "Honestly, Whirlwind. Don't you ever do anything nice for Cloud simply to make him happy?"
Whirlwind blinked as he stared at Rime. "I… no?"
Rising up on his toes, Rime pressed an affectionate kiss to Whirlwind's cheek. "Try it sometime, Whirlwind."
The flat was silent except for the soft ticking of a clock. On the oversized, wide sofa, Malachite lay on his side, eyes closed in sleep. The fat, ginger tabby, Tûg, was curled in the crook of his arm while Alessa and Fausto snuggled around his feet. The tiger tabby Rime insisted on naming Duncan kneaded Malachite's belly in his sleep, and his sister, Devon, had draped herself across her master's hip. It was a warm, peaceful sight, the noble Aes Sídhe protected by his loyal cats, and it was the first times in years Malachite slept without nightmares. His face lost its sharpness, centuries of regret and anger melting away. Malachite sighed softly as he shifted in his sleep, the cats instantly adjusting their positions to accommodate their master's movements, and then stillness settled over the room once more.
Rime entered the flat silently, reaching out with his mind to find Malachite's lulled quiet with sleep. The lights were turned low and, with the majority of the curtains pulled shut against the dreary chill of the afternoon, he knew Malachite wasn't up and about. Stopping in the kitchen, he plated the berries and cheeses he'd bought, letting the cheese sit out to warm up. Smiling at his handiwork, Rime fixed himself a cup of tea and padded into the main room, spotting Malachite on the sofa with their cats.
It was quite an endearing sight, Malachite surrounded by the five felines, and Rime sat in a chair opposite the sofa. His eyes took in the scene with adoration. Malachite looked at peace, comfortable in a way Rime had missed seeing. He sipped his cup of tea, watching his bondmate, and for long moments, his eyes wandered along the features he had so admired over the centuries. Each time one of the cats would shift, repositioning before purring against Malachite's relaxed body, Rime couldn't help but smile.
Through the haze of comfortable slumber, Malachite sensed Rime's gaze. His eyes fluttered open slowly, and then focused on Rime, though sleep continued to cloud the stormy depths. "There is room for one more," he murmured thickly, lifting his arm invitingly. Come rest with your family. We've missed you. He didn't ask where Rime had been, and he didn't worry about his brief absence. Malachite no longer had reason to fear when Rime disappeared, and there was great freedom in that knowledge.
Rime finished his cup of tea in one swallow, and then set it aside before he moved to the sofa. When Rime slid in next to Malachite, Tûg meowed sleepily, stretching before slowly walking around Rime and curling up at the small of his back. A loud, rolling purr floated up from the ginger tabby as he moved his head back and forth over the pastel curtain of his master's hair. Rime chuckled as he rested his head on Malachite's outstretched arm. I missed you too, Mal. "I love you," he whispered, giving Malachite's lips a brief kiss.
Malachite wrapped his free arm around Rime, his fingers brushing against Tûg's ears. "Love you, too," he breathed, dreams claiming him fully once more.
They slept for several hours, unmoving in the haze of late afternoon. It was pleasant and familiar, an indulgence they couldn't deny themselves. And why should they? It was Tûg who finally broke the stillness, stretching before hopping down from the couch in search of food. The loud thump on the wood floor signaled a shift in Rime's weight. He slumped closer to Malachite, and the soft nudge disturbed the rest of the cats, who soon followed Tûg's example.
Malachite's eyes gradually opened, and he smiled lazily. Rime's lips were too temptingly close for Malachite to resist. The kiss was gentle, a teasing of lips and tongue. His fingers trailed over Rime's waist, along his hip, and came to rest on the swell of his ass. He pressed himself even closer, lightly rubbing himself against Rime.
Rime's eyes remained closed as his tongue unconsciously responded to Malachite's in a series of small licks. He purred at their closeness, warmth seeping through every pore, even as he remained half asleep.
Malachite chuckled while his hand massaged a buttock, and he nipped playfully at Rime's lower lip. "You are such a cat," he whispered. "Should I pour you a bowl of cream and fetch the catnip?" The only response he received from Rime was a louder purr, and Malachite laughed. "I must find you ears and a tail, beloved, and perhaps a collar with a little bell."
He rolled Rime onto his back and settled above him, brushing away clinging strands of sky blue hair. "You… are so beautiful," he said, eyes searching Rime's face. Malachite thrust against Rime's groin and descended upon his neck, suckling at the pulse just under Rime's jaw.
A small gasp passed between Rime's lips, and he suddenly felt much more awake, shifting beneath Malachite as arousal coursed hotly through him. His hands smoothed up Malachite's arms, traveling up until his fingers caressed through midnight-and-blood hair, and then against delicately pointed ears. "Hungry?" he asked with a moan.
"Very," Malachite groaned, breath hot against Rime's throat. His hand slid between them and began to pull at the snaps of Rime's trousers.
Rime chuckled, his hand meeting Malachite's and stilling it half-heartedly. "Wait, Mal," he breathed with a brilliant smile. "I have a surprise for you."
Malachite's head drooped against Rime's shoulder as he sighed. "It had best be a new flavor of lube…"
"Don't sound so disappointed," Rime said, kissing Malachite briefly before wiggling out from under him. He rushed to the kitchen and reappeared an instant later, carrying the two platters of berries and cheese. Setting them on the coffee table, he smiled down at Malachite and pulling his shirt over his head.
"How can I not sound disappointed?" Malachite said into the sofa pillow. "I was looking forward to fucking you senseless, and then you tell me to wait." He sat up, gaze drawn to the table. His favorite cheeses were proudly displayed, along with his preferred berries. Malachite glanced from the table to Rime and back again. "Is… is this why you left this morning?"
Rime nodded. "Yes. We didn't have any of your favorites in the flat, so I had to go to the market." He leaned down, kissing Malachite again, unable to keep from Malachite's lips. "It's not flavored lube, but you can still enjoy it and fuck me senseless in the process if you like."
A shudder ran down Malachite's spine, and his eyes darkened at the words murmured against his lips. From the images fluttering through Rime's mind, Malachite knew exactly what he meant. "Your trousers. Remove them," he ordered, his voice husky. "Then lay on the carpet on your back."
Grinning broadly, Rime stripped and took his position on the rug covering the floor next to the coffee table. His hair fanned up around his head, and he let his arms fall up, the fingers of one hand twirling a lock absently. I have a feeling you're about to ravish me.
Thoroughly. Malachite chose to begin with the brie, popping a small piece of the soft cheese into his mouth. His eyes raked over Rime's nude form, hungrily pausing at Rime's cock. He smirked, taking another piece of the cheese between his fingers. Biting his lip, Malachite smeared the ripe cheese from the base of Rime's cock to the tip. He sucked the remaining cheese from his fingers, and then chose a strawberry, quickly returning to Rime. "Shall I begin to dine upon my lovely lunch?" he asked, glittering gaze on Rime's cheese-smeared cock.
"Bon appétit," Rime breathed.
Malachite's mouth engulfed Rime's shaft, tongue swiping back and forth as he slowly lifted up. The sharp taste of the cheese mingled perfectly with the slight saltiness of Rime, and Malachite moaned as he let Rime slip from between his lips. "Delicious," he whispered, smiling wickedly as he bit into the plump berry.
Rime moaned as pleasure rippled through his senses. "I'm glad it pleases you," he said with a laugh.
Eying the other cheeses, Malachite made his choices, placing bits of cheese along Rime's body, from nipples to cock. With an evil smile, he swiped the clotted cream across the sensitive flesh between Rime's navel and groin, and then placed a blackberry in the indent of his belly. "A true feast," he admired. He held a raspberry out for Rime to clasp between his lips. "I think I'll start with a sweet kiss."
Rime took the berry between his lips, holding it lightly with his teeth. Malachite took Rime's mouth in a possessive kiss, trapping the berry between his tongue and Rime's teeth, bursting the fruit and sharing the tart juice. He lapped at Rime's raspberry flavored tongue, reluctant to part from Rime's mouth. Perfect, his mind whispered to Rime's.
Rime forced himself to stay flat on the carpet so as not to disturb the numerous cheeses coating his torso. Cupping the back of Malachite's neck, he deepened their kiss. He adored the subtle taste of Malachite beneath the tang of the berry. It was intensely arousing, and he moaned wantonly into Malachite's mouth.
I've missed those notes. Cries of pain had been the only music played for Malachite's ears since his return, and Malachite craved the beauty of their loving duets. Painfully erect, face flushed, Malachite left Rime's lips, capturing a chevre-coated nipple. He eagerly sucked at the flesh, teeth tugging and gently gnawing until he felt Rime's pulse throb under the reddened skin. Only then did he abandon one nipple in favor of the other, tormenting it just as thoroughly, tasting the pleasant combination of cheese and Rime.
"Bloody hell, Mal!" Rime exclaimed, blood rushing in a pounding rhythm beneath his skin. His pale skin gained a rosy flush as the pleasure of Malachite's mouth wrung out a flurry of throaty sounds from him. Yet, through it all, a bright smile remained on his lips, and each sound was wrapped with joyful laughter.
Malachite worked his way down Rime's body, paying loving attention to each cheese-kissed plane of his lover's torso. He left passion marks over pale, flushed skin, and his need rose with each swipe of his tongue. By the time Malachite reached the clotted cream, his breath came in a staccato rhythm, and he took his time dragging his tongue through the buttery cream.
Rime's cry came out as more of a high-pitched whimper, and he squirmed. That spot! Such a weakness of his. Unable to keep his hands still, he reached for Malachite's scalp once again, his fingers teasing the points of Malachite's ears with pinching strokes and gentle twists.
"My meal… is distracting me," Malachite panted, trying desperately to ignore the insistent throb between his legs. He cleaned the cream from Rime's lower stomach, and then delved into his navel, sucking the berry from the indent and slicking it with his tongue. "I must remember to… bind my platter next time…"
"I can't help it!" Rime cried. His skin tingled with a pleasure that forced his back to arch, pushing his navel into Malachite's mouth. "Gods, you're so handsome… flushed, with… eyes like the stormy sky." He couldn't rip his eyes away from Malachite's; the gray depths seemed to pull at him.
Malachite's heart swelled, and he didn't look away from Rime's gaze as he licked up his shaft. The taste of Rime's early passions mixed with the sweet tasting cheese and enticed him to forgo extended foreplay and take him deep into his throat. Malachite's hair fell into his face, the gentle curls of his shoulder-length black and red hair obscuring his face, cutting him off from all stimuli but the hard, slippery shaft between his lips and the hands on his scalp.
Rime's fingers tightened in Malachite's hair as he gasped, releasing the harsh breath in a shaky moan. Malachite knew exactly how to bring him to unbelievable heights of pleasure, and Rime could do little more than squirm and whine as Malachite expertly worked his needy flesh. It took only moments for his voice to take on an urgent tremor. "Malachite…"
Come for me, Malachite whispered into Rime's fevered mind. I want to taste you. I need to taste you! He sped his movements, his tongue pressing firmly, lips sealed slickly around the thick shaft. With amazing talent, Malachite took him again and again into his relaxed throat. It had been over two years since he'd last tasted Rime's climax, had drowned in the delightful bitterness of Rime's seed. Greedily, he milked Rime's sex, determined to have his throat flooded with Rime's passions.
Rime's reaction was immediate, and he cried out harshly as his climax ripped through him. His seed spilled deep in Malachite's throat, thick ribbons coating the mouth that continued to work him even after he collapsed against the floor with a thud. His hands fell away from Malachite's hair, and he trembled in the aftermath, gasping for breath.
Malachite savored every drop offered up to him, lips squeezing the final taste from the tip of Rime's cock before he finally released him. Arms braced on either side of Rime's hips, Malachite took in great gasping breaths, dark eyes focused entirely on Rime. He was achingly close to simply coming in his trousers. "Rime," he growled, starting to move up Rime's supine body.
Rime shuddered at the glorious sounds that vibrated from Malachite's throat, and the moment he could grasp him, he bucked and flipped their positions so Malachite was sprawled on his back. "Don't you dare," he panted, sensing how close Malachite was to release. "Not yet." Even as he made the demand, Rime shoved Malachite's sleeping trousers down his hips and, without preamble, swallowed him whole. With long-practiced movements, he clenched and sucked, rose and fell upon his mate in an unrelenting rhythm.
"Rime!" Malachite cried, his thigh muscles tensing as he thrust into the heat of Rime's mouth. "Rime… Ri— I'm clo—!" His head smacked the floor when his body convulsed, fingers tangled in Rime's hair. He held Rime in place over his groin while he trembled with release, his shouts of pleasure perfectly held notes that hovered in the air even as his lips fell silent. After a prolonged moment of tension, Malachite sank back into the plush rug, drawing deep breaths into his air-starved lungs. Too long… it had been too long since he'd been pleasured like that, and the sensitivity of his softening cock caused him to whimper each time Rime's tongue touched him.
It was perfect, a memory made manifest, and Rime shivered with a lyrical groan as he tasted his lover for the first time in two years. His ears took in every nuance of Malachite's pleasure, each note rolling through his mind like a beautiful symphony. He rolled Malachite's come over his tongue, relishing the bitter saltiness before swallowing. Malachite had always had a moonlit, slightly green undertone that lasted in Rime's senses long after his passion was spent. He'd always assumed it was the essence of the Lunar Fae. Rime lingered at Malachite's sex for several minutes, gently milking every drop from the pulsing, sensitive flesh. You taste divine.
Words would not form on Malachite's tongue. Besides, thought was easier than speech. You would know. Malachite thought if any in all the worlds had supped at the cup of the divine, it would have been Rime, though he'd never ask. Oh, I've missed that!
Gods, so have I! Rime's mindvoice flowed soothingly through Malachite's mind, and he finally lifted off Malachite's soft cock. He sighed happily, nuzzling against Malachite's hip lovingly as his lips pressed soft kisses to a faded scar along Malachite's side.
Malachite sucked in a sharp breath, the flesh pricking where Rime's lips caressed. We should take… every… opportunity to indulge, I believe. His back arched slightly off the floor, encouraging Rime's exploration. To the right, love, please… Malachite's voice in Rime's head was breathless, the golden shades deepening to liquid amber. I think I crave seconds…
The next chapter will be available on Patreon February 26th, so if you want to read that as soon as it's available, come support us! 😀 You can support us for as little as $1 a chapter while also getting free, exclusive access to scene logs, Q&As, art reveals, and so much more.


text: Jason Mohammad and Kjorn Ottley to come into Patriots squad Loop News Created : 23 August 2019 Sport The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots have announced two temporary replacements to their squad for the upcoming season, both due to international commitments for players they selected at the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft. Isuru Udana is unavailable for the first two games of the CPL season due to Sri Lanka's ongoing series against New Zealand. He will be replaced for the first two matches of the Patriots' campaign by Trinidadian batsman, Jason Mohammad. Mohammad played for the Guyana Amazon Warriors last season, and with 1,211 runs in T20 cricket he is an experienced campaigner. The Patriots ICC Americas pick at the draft, Aaron Jones, will be playing for the USA until 14 September. The draft rules allow for the ICC Americas player to be temporarily replaced by a Caribbean national. While he is away on international duty, Jones will be replaced by Kjorn Ottley who was the leading run scorer for the Combined Colleges and Campuses team in the most recent Regional Super50 competition, a tournament which his team won. Get the latest local and international news straight to your mobile phone for free:


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CONTACT: Zakat Foundation of America Public Relations Coordinator, Nour Zein, 708-233-0555, [email protected]
CHICAGO — October 17, 2017– Zakat Foundation of America shipped hundreds of hygiene kits, gas cooktops, baby food and care kits to Puerto Rico to aid Hurricane Maria victims.
After the tropical storm's devastating damages, Zakat Foundation of America brought relief to those in Puerto Rico, just as it did with the Caravan of Love for Texas and Florida.
The first shipment had included 2,000 units of baby food; 400 units of milk; 58 gas cook tops; 50 boxes of medical gloves; 40 gallons of medical alcohol; 40 gallons of medical soap; 30 boxes of wound dressing; and 80 boxes of medical cotton.
Zakat Foundation of America's Regional Program Coordinator, Leticia Escamilla, arrived on the island Monday morning to assess the damages and distribute a second shipment of aid including hundreds of hygiene kits to those in need.
The hygiene kits included soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine products and shampoo/conditioner, all items that were desperately needed and requested.
"There is little electricity," Escamilla said. "Hardly anyone is able to work because the city is running on generators, but still, they were happy and grateful to receive the hygiene kits."
Only half the water on the island has been restored, leaving many in need of clean water. People are purchasing water, but it's not always available, and the situation gets worse outside of the capital, San Juan. In addition, more than 90 percent of electricity is still unavailable.
Zakat Foundation of America distributed the hygiene kits in various parts of Loiza, Puerto Rico, known as one of the most deprived areas on the Island. The primary recipients of the hygiene kits included the University Pediatric Hospital; Taller Salud, a community nonprofit that focuses on battered, elderly and disabled women; and churches throughout the area.
Zakat Foundation of America continues its efforts in delivering aid to Puerto Rico by hosting its second "Volunteer Day" on October 15. Families and youth are invited to help package food kits for the victims of Puerto Rico and attach well wishes and kind words to the packages.
Event Details:
Location: Unity Center
7421 W. 100th PL, Bridgeview, IL, 60455
Time: Event begins at 1 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public
Founded in 2001, Zakat Foundation of America helps generous and caring people reach out to those in need. Zakat Foundation of America's mission is to address immediate needs and ensure the self-reliance of the poorest people around the world. Zakat Foundation of America conducts humanitarian assistance programs in more than 50 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.ZAKAT.org.


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Top 13 Good Drink to detox your body 1. Lime and cucumber2. Banana, date fruit, orange and ginger3. Carrot, apple, ginger and lemon4. Cucumber, apple, lime and spinach 5. Blueberries6. Orange7. Raspberry Blackberry And Mint8. Tea9. Beet smoothie with chia seeds10. Spinach juice11. Spinach leaves spirulina and chia seeds12. Red watermelon and berries 13. Cucumber and Lemon […]Continue reading
The secret of a slim waist does not lie only on a suitable workout routine but on a balanced diet as well. Eating right foods will help you get rid of the fat accumulated in the waist area; thus, reducing your waist circumference and bless you with an hourglass body.A quick way to get rid […]Continue reading


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Airlines slash flight ticket prices in Diwali fortnight amid weak demand
New Delhi: Airlines are offering a Diwali bonanza to travellers in the form of sharp cuts in flight ticket prices, a sign that demand for plane seats in the festive season is weak.
Typically, flight fares in the fortnight leading up to Diwali and in the quarter to 10 January are among the highest in the year, helping airlines make up for losses in the lean seasons.
This year is different. One-way economy flight tickets from Delhi to Mumbai are now going for Rs2,000, all inclusive. These used to be about Rs5,000- 8,000 in the fortnight before Diwali, which this year falls on 19 October.
Essentially, there are more seats chasing fewer passengers and fares have dropped almost 40-50%. Online travel agent MakeMyTrip now also displays tags next to these fares saying the flight ticket is cheaper than a Rajdhani train fare.
A search on MakeMyTrip shows flight fares across many routes have dropped.
To be sure, air fares on some routes were higher because of festival demand. Fares were as high as Rs10,000 on a Bengaluru-Delhi flight, for example.
Vistara announced a sale offering all-inclusive flight fares starting at Rs1,149 in economy class and Rs2,099 in premium economy. Bookings open at midnight on Tuesday and will be open till Friday for travel between 26 October and 24 March. "Through this sale, our customers have one final opportunity this year to book their travel for the festive and holiday season at amazing fares," Sanjiv Kapoor, Vistara's chief strategy and commercial officer, said in a statement.
IndiGo, Air India and Jet Airways declined to comment.
Mint first reported on 2 October how low demand was dragging down flights fares. MakeMyTrip co-founder Keyur Joshi had said, "Aviation is pretty much a bellwether of the economy. So, low fares during festive times indicates a general slowdown.


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Alright readers…here we go. I have mentioned more than once on my war between eating and being healthy. I am not overweight, but have some areas that need attention. Over the last year I have started being healthy and fallen off the wagon a myriad of times. It could happen again, but I am hoping with posting my progress on here that it will keep me a bit more accountable. No matter what my weight or size I need to be HEALTHY.
Sooooo…at the moment I am at the highest weight I have been (other than when I was pregnant)…nope, not saying what it is. 😉 I know some is muscle, but not as much as I would like. I will say that my goal weight is 115. This is huge for me as my goal weight once was 105 pounds and it was achieved, but not healthy. 115 would be both healthy and not crazy.
I am going to lose it slowly…trying to form good habits along the way…I once had them and lost them. 😦 I am determined to get them back. Plus I know that with my lifting regimen, it will be slow losing weight as I build muscle which weighs more than fat anyway.
My plan is add yet another category to the sidebar and post my progress, struggles, exercise routines, etc. If you want to join me in this quest, welcome!
I cannot believe I am doing this for anyone to see, but, if it helps keep me accountable, it is worth it.
So…today was my first day to try to be healthy. I ate about 1500 calories. I really should be under that for my size and weight, but it is much better than the amount I have been intaking. After training, my body is having a hard time decreasing the caloric intake. I have not yet done my workout for the day, but am about to do a weight program, some thigh work with a band and a bit of cardio after that.
In the future I will hopefully post after working out and so can give a more detailed synopsis of the day.
Food today included a protein shake, a lot of fruit, veggies, scallops, almond butter, a slice of cheese and egg whites.
Will be back tomorrow…hopefully tomorrow will be successful, as well.


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The FREE Investment Newsletter That Really Works!
In our Friday 1:30 members update we have laid out the basics of a plan that has the potential to turn 18.5K dollars into 520,000 in two years. Is this some pie in the sky, voodoo baloney? Not at all. In fact it is an exact copy of a play made in 2010 - 2011 that absolutely did take 30K and turn it into 1.2 million dollars.
Naturally there's absolutely no guarantee this will happen again. But from where I sit the timing is almost perfect, the sector ripe, and the potential is huge. Sure it's a shameless plug that you should join our Insiders Club. But then I think everyone should be a member anyway. We slice and dice what's really happening in the market, and put out investing ideas that make sense, Not cheerleading hype by the Wall Street Machine and the Criminal Feds.


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The Best Tips And Tricks For Home Business Owners
Many people have discovered the positive aspects of starting a home-based business. However, a home based business will always have a tough set of competitors in any field. Thus, you need to educate yourself thoroughly in order to succeed. This will let you get an edge on the competition.
Create an elevator pitch for your business. If you can succinctly explain what you business does in a few words, you will likely impress clients in a meeting and attract customers. This can help you explain the most important part of your business.
Make sure that you always dress for success. It is easy when you work from home to just stay in your pajamas all day. You want to still dress like you are going into the office. Dressing professional means you think and act professional.
When the time comes to hire employees to assist with the work from home business, be judicious in your personnel selections. It is important that feel certain that your workers are both skilled and reliable with regards to the products that you are planning to sell.
If you are out of stock in a particular item, be sure to let your clients know about it. It's very upsetting to order an item and then find out that the shipment will take weeks or longer. Clearly mark out of stock items, so that they can choose something they'll receive sooner.
Stay focused and always make sure you have detailed financial records. If the IRS or another authority ever audits your business, you want to ensure that you have sufficient information to prove your expenses and income. Having accurate records to refer to also aids in tracking the progress of your business on a monthly basis.
Check with a tax professional to find out which tax deductions you are allowed to take for your work from home business and make sure to take them. By combing all your eligible expenses for deductions, you can save pretty big at tax time.
Discuss your expenses with an accountant to learn about write offs for your taxes. Go over this before you start your business, so you can accurately track everything that you spend. Gas, mileage, business trips and much more can be deducted.
Let your loved ones know whenever you are working so that they will not interrupt you. If you have friends that like to make unexpected visits, explain to them politely that you can't see them during work hours. If they insist on showing up during your work time, have them wait in another room with a magazine, or with the TV playing quietly, until you are ready to take a break and receive company.
You need to know how much a product will cost to make and sell in order to know whether or not your business is capable of being successful. You may find that you make the most if you sell everything for double what it costs you. Some will charge upwards of three times this amount.
Let's hope the information provided here will help you succeed. You always need to be up to date with your knowledge, in order to keep your business going and ensure you are doing everything to succeed. Get as much knowledge as possible, and create winning strategies.


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For the last week straight we have been watching my neighbor's front porch. She has an Amazon box that's been sitting there for just as long. Normally Ryan or I would knock on our neighbors door to let them know. However, we haven't done that in this situation.
Here is the back story here…
My neighbor to the north of me has been my neighbor for as long as I've owned this home(10 +years). As long as we've been neighbors she has been one nasty, grouchy lady. We've tried to get on her good side with no luck. If my preschoolers ever through a ball over the fence or some bark chips fly in her yard she complains. If my 2 boys are playing outside and they are too noisy she will literally yell at them!😮
Over the years all four of us have learned to avoid this woman like the plague. And for the most part we are successful as she doesn't use her front door practically ever.
Forward to today, it's very stormy here, sideways rain!! 😇We can't help but wonder what is in this box and also how long will an Amazon box stay intact with inches of rainfall coming down.
I love all my other neighbors, and I can't help but wonder, have they noticed this package as well? Are we all avoiding this neighbor? What are you thoughts? Am I going to get coal in my stocking for enjoying this just a teensy bit?!
Feeling a bit ornery this morning…
Happy Tuesday Friends! Check your porch for packages!
#colecampfireblog, #amazonbox, #meanneighbor, #happyholidays, #whatgoesaroundcomesaeound, #karma,


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Critic, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze has disagreed with the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Uche for condemning the molestation allegations made against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA).
Busola Dakolo had accused Fatoyinbo of raping her 20 years ago, a confession that set social media on fire, with many people taking a swipe at Fatoyinbo.
Reacting to the development, Uche, in an interview said the allegation against Fatoyinbo was 'foolish'.
While speaking to media personality, Prisca Chiemeka, the prelate stated that Busola was coming out at a time when the issue was no longer relevant given that many years had passed, saying it made no sense that a man be punished for a sin he committed over a decade ago and that the allegation might be false.
He also said Busola might have tried blackmailing the pastor and that when it failed, she decided to speak out.
"Some accusations are foolish. For me, from my way of analysing things, there is no truth in such a thing. You say somebody raped you and after 16 years you come and report. What is wrong? Maybe you demanded money or you wanted some payment and the person did not give you, then you decide to blackmail the person," he said.
"Why do you punish somebody for a sin committed 16 years ago? Our Lord Jesus Christ says any sinner that believes is forgiven. He said repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. How do you go and tarnish the image of a man or woman who committed something from years ago? Is it relevant?" He asked.
But reacting, Daddy Freeze said what the Methodist Prelate said was wrong, saying there was the need for a balanced narrative and an opportunity for both parties to be heard.
"I want a balanced narrative and an opportunity for both parties to be heard, however, I don't support this. I agree all sins are forgiven but confessions in love are required as time alone doesn't heal in all instances," Freeze said.


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Earthing/Grounding Studies
Earthing Studies
- Effectiveness of Grounded Sleeping on Recovery after Intensive Eccentric Muscle Loading
- The Effects of Grounding (Earthing) on Bodyworkers' Pain and Overall Quality of Life: A randomized Controlled Trial
- Effects of Grounding (Earthing) on Massage Therapists
- Electric Nutrition: The Surprising Health and Healing Benefits of Biological Grounding (Earthing)
- Electrical Grounding Improves Vagal Tone in Preterm Infants View study charts here
- Effects of Grounding on Body Voltage and Current in the Presence of Electromagnetic Fields
- Grounding After Moderate Eccentric Contractions Reduces Muscle Damage
- One-Hour Contact with the Earth's Surface (Grounding) Improves Inflammation and Blood Flow—A Randomized, Double-Blind, Pilot Study
- The Effect of Grounding the Human Body on Mood
- Grounding the Human Body during Yoga Exercise with a Grounded Yoga Mat Reduces Blood Viscosity
- Research Review: The Effects of Grounding (Earthing) on Inflammation, the Immune Response, Wound Healing, and Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases − Journal of Inflammation Research
- Grounding the Human Body Improves Facial Blood Flow Regulation
- Differences in Blood Urea and Creatinine Concentrations in Earthed and Unearthed Subjects during Cycling Exercise and Recovery
Earthing (Grounding) the Human Body Reduces Blood Viscosity—a Major Factor in Cardiovascular Disease
Additionally, to view the Blood Viscosity Video Clip click here
- Earthing the Human Organism Influences Bioelectrical Processes
- Research Review: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons −Journal of Environmental and Public Health
- The Neuromodulative Role of Earthing
- Emotional Stress, Heart Rate Variability, Grounding, and Improved Autonomic Tone: Clinical Applications
- Earthing the Human Body Influences Physiologic Processes. Editorial: Chronic Disease: Are We Missing Something?
- Pilot Study on the Effect of Grounding on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness
- Changes in Pulse Rate, Respiratory Rate, Blood Oxygenation, Perfusion Index, Skin Conductance, and Their Variability Induced During and After Grounding Human Subjects for 40 Minutes
- The Effect Of Earthing On Human Physiology, Part 2
- The Effect Of Earthing On Human Physiology, Part 1
- The Effectiveness of a Conductive Patch and a Conductive Bed Pad in Reducing Induced Human Body Voltage Via the Application of Earth Ground
- The Biologic Effects of Grounding the Human Body During Sleep as Measured by Cortisol Levels and Subjective Reporting of Sleep, Pain, and Stress
- Medical Thermography Case Studies on Earthing 2004-2005
- Initial Gounding Experimentation, 2000
Earthing Commentaries
- Rx Earth – The Original Painkiller! James Oschman, Ph.D., Gaétan Chevalier, Ph.D., Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D.
- Understanding Earthing (Grounding) James Oschman, Ph.D., Gaétan Chevalier, Ph.D.
- Biophysics of Earthing (grounding) the Human Body, in Bioelectromagnetic and Subtle Energy Medicine (CRC Press), 2015: James Oschman, Ph.D., Gaétan Chevalier, Ph.D., A. Clinton Ober
- The Earth's Electrical Surface Potential: A Summary of Present Understanding: Gaétan Chevalier, Ph.D.
- Can Electrons Act as Antioxidants? A Review and Commentary: James Oschman, Ph.D.
- Charge Transfer in the Living Matrix: James Oschman, Ph.D.
- Perspective: Assume a Spherical Cow: The role of Free or Mobile Electrons in Bodywork, Energetic and Movement Therapies: James Oschman, Ph.D.
- Fatigued? Let Grounding Recharge Your Battery
- Earthing vs. "Good" and "Bad" Free Radicals: James Oschman, Ph.D.
- Earthing Speeds Sports/Training Recovery, Lessens Muscle Damage and Inflammation
- Earthing, Inflammation, and Aging – Something to Think About: Gaétan Chevalier, Ph.D.
- Matteo Tavera: A French Naturalist's Vision of the Importance of "Natural Electricity" to Life
- Earthing Poster 2018 Congress on Integrative Medicine
Misinformation about Earthing
- Beware of Earthing Misinformation, Gaétan Chevalier, Ph.D.
- Earthing and Ground Currents
- Grounding Does Not Turn You Into an Antenna for EMFs
Earthing Institute Instructional Papers
- How to Measure the Effect of Earthing on Body Voltage
- Studies Confirm Indoor Grounding Safety and Reduced Exposure to AC Voltage EMFs
- Earthing Plant Experiment for School
Studies and all research information courtesy the Earthing Institute


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The Westin St. John Resort
- Babysitting
- Bar
- Gym
- Handicap Accessible
- Kids Club
- Parking On Site
- Pet-friendly
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Spa
With a stay at The Westin St. John Resort in St. John (Cruz Bay), you'll be close to Elaine Lone Sprauve Library and Museum and Trunk Bay. This 4-star villa is within close proximity of Sunset Beach and Mongoose Junction.
Make yourself at home in one of the 342 air-conditioned rooms featuring kitchens with refrigerators and microwaves. Your room comes with a pillowtop bed, and all rooms are furnished with sofa beds. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and premium TV channels provides entertainment. Conveniences include laptop-compatible safes and coffee/tea makers, as well as phones with free local calls.
Spa, Wellness & Premium Amenities
Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa, which offers massages and facials. If you're looking for recreational opportunities, you'll find a health club, an outdoor pool, and a spa tub. Additional amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and an arcade/game room.
Food & Drink
Enjoy a meal at one of the villa's dining establishments, which include 3 restaurants and a coffee shop/café. From your room, you can also access room service (during limited hours). Relax with a refreshing drink from a poolside bar or one of the 2 bars/lounges. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available for a fee.
Business & Travel Amenities
Featured amenities include complimentary high-speed (wired) Internet access, a business center, and express check-in. Event facilities at this villa consist of conference space and meeting rooms. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.


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"Liebster" is German for "Dearest". The award is a "Share the love arrangement", given to inspirational bloggers with less that 200 followers.
Here's the to do list for any of the Liebster Blog Award recipients.
1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who presented you the award .
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog.
I am choosing 5 special ladies to pass this award on to. They are:
Misty at ...sevens...
Mandi at Proverbs for Life
Pam at Boomer Back - Beat
Kristan at Babycakes
Erin at Scrappy Hour 09
Now I really need to tell you about each of these special ladies:
Misty is a relatively new blogger and her blog has a variety of interesting ideas, including "Freebe Friday". She has been a blessing to me, even watching my son one day as a help to our family.
I have known Mandi since she was a little girl and her dad was my Pastor. Several years later, her dad became my Pastor again when my husband accepted a teaching position. Mandi has been blogging for a while. Her newest blog focuses on the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It is such a blessing. I'm so proud of you Mandi.
Speaking of the second time Mandi's dad was my Pastor, it was in that same church that I met and became friends with Pam. She and her husband Pete hold a special place in our hearts. Pam has an inspirational blog where she reaches out from her heart.
Kristan is the only person that I'm giving this award to that I don't know personally. However, we seemed to connect soon after we discovered each others blogs. She has been a source of encouragement to me on more than one occasion.
Erin, I have known you your whole life - literally. You see, the night Erin was born her sibling stayed with my aunt where I was also visiting. I would imagine I saw you sometime soon thereafter (though I don't remember that). I know you are closer to my younger sister in age, but it has been such a blessing to connect with you through crafting. Love you cousin!
Please check out each of these ladies' blogs. You're in for a treat!


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The Department of Health and Human Services plans to implement a long-delayed 340B rule that would set price caps and monetary penalties in the 340B program, FierceHealthcare reports.
According to the report, HHS issued a notice, saying the rule would be implemented at the start of the year on Jan. 1.
The rule, which has been frequently delayed by the Trump administration, would ultimately implement price ceilings and penalize pharmaceutical companies engaged in deliberate overcharging of 340B hospitals.
"These rules were ordered by Congress more than eight years ago based on clear, documented evidence of overcharging by drug companies of 340B hospitals, clinics and health centers," 340B interim CEO Maureen Testoni said. "The time for delay is over and now it is time for action."


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Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Wikipedia.
Related to redeye: redeye flight
1. Informal A late-night or overnight flight: caught the redeye from Los Angeles to New York.
2. Any of several fishes with red eyes, as the rock bass.
3. A coloration of the pupils in a color photograph, red in humans and varying in color in animals, caused by the reflection of the flash off the retina or tapetum.
4. Slang Inferior whiskey.
1. (Brewing) slang US inferior whiskey
2. (Brewing) slang Canadian a drink incorporating beer and tomato juice
3. (Animals) another name for rudd
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
|redeye - a night flight from which the passengers emerge with eyes red from lack of sleep; "he took the redeye in order to get home the next morning"
flight - a scheduled trip by plane between designated airports; "I took the noon flight to Chicago"


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The kiwi bird is a flightless and nocturnal bird, featuring a long and thin peak which is only one-third the length of its body, so this animal looks very interesting, being the only bird with this feature. Its feathers are thick brown hair-like and such an animal has suffered many special adaptations throughout time, being called a genetic leftover. This is due to the fact that these bird hasn't evolved too much, being about 8 million years old, meaning that is 7 million years older then humans. Such a bird species has been safe due to New Zealand's isolated environment, being safe from its enemies, so it didn't need too many adaptations. Its long and thick peak helps this bird to dig for worms. Nonetheless, such a bird doesn't use its eyesight to hunt, but its sense of smell, using its nostrils on its beak to find food. It means that this bird is almost blind, being able to see about six feet at night and about two feet during the day.
This creature is unique also because it lay eggs the size of ostrich eggs. Its eggs are the largest in the world compared to its body size and weigh about a pond each. Its name comes after its shrill cry "kee-wee kee-wee", but today, this fascinating bird is endangered by massive deforestations and pollution.
People have destroyed its natural habitat, so the kiwi bird is now more exposed to its hunters. Kiwi bird babies are also endangered as they have no more great places to hide from their enemies. These are huge problems that have to be solved, else if this bird will extinct. This animal is now one of the rarest in the world and also New Zealand's national icon and unofficial national emblem. New Zealanders have been nicknamed "Kiwis" since the World War I. Saving this bird from extinction is a major concern for all New Zealanders, not just for scientists and conservationists because this bird is a part of the natural heritage of this country. People can save the bird by making donations and join kiwi conservation communities, volunteer their time to local kiwi projects, drive carefully at night, watching for kiwi on roads, avoid taking their dogs into kiwi areas, so there are many things that they can do to prevent this bird extinction from happening.


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Laughter has long been touted as a beneficial part of the healing process. When Norman Cousins was told he had little chance of survival, he developed his own recovery program. His positive attitude was not new to him, however. He had always been an optimist, known for his kindness to others, and his robust love of life itself. "I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep," he reported. "When the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, [Ellen and I] would switch on the motion picture projector again and not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free interval." This resulted in his 1979 book, Anatomy of an Illness.
Laughter and humor is also advised as a way to destress. (Although, I wouldn't recommend laughing in an irate customer's face as the proper way to use this technique.)
In India, and around the world, laughter clubs are springing up as a way to destress. Check out this short video clip of British actor, John Cleese, visiting India's famous Laughter Club. At the time of viewing there were 600 clubs in India, about 800 worldwide, that met daily for a dose of fun.
Want to start your own laughter club? Here's a site, Laughter Online University, with lots of information to get you started.
Where can you find some humor to help lighten your mood today?


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2015 Acura TLX First Look
Ready to Battle With Lexus and Audi
The 2015 Acura TLX has morphed from prototype to production form at the 2014 New York auto show, revealing that the luxury brand's four-wheeled future doesn't exclusively involve crossovers like the MDX and RDX. Now that we know more about the 2015 TLX's specs and have peeked into the the sport luxury sedan's interior, it looks like the car might just be up to the job of replacing two outgoing sedans.
With the TL and TSX permanently retired from Acura's lineup after the 2014 model year, the 2015 Acura TLX steps in with a four- and six-cylinder models, as well as a choice between front-wheel drive (I-4, V-6) and all-wheel drive (V-6). The 2015 TLX I-4 produces 206 hp at 6800 rpm and 182 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm from its direct-injection 2.4-liter I-4, compared to the 2014 TSX 2.4-liter's 201 hp at 7000 rpm and 170 lb-ft at 4300 rpm with an automatic transmission. The TLX's four-cylinder engine is mated exclusively to a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with a torque converter, which is said to provide smoother performance in stop-and-go traffic. Acura expects fuel economy for this variant to be EPA-rated approximately 24/35 mpg, up from the TSX's 22/31 mpg.
If you absolutely must have more power, the 2015 Acura TLX also offers a direct-injection 3.5-liter V-6 that's good for 290 hp at 6200 rpm and 267 lb-ft at 4500 rpm -- up from the 2014 TLX 3.5-liter's 280 hp at 6200 rpm and 254 lb-ft at 5000 rpm. While there's no mention of a more sporty halo variant of the TSX, the TLX's 3.5-liter powerplant already makes 310 hp and 272 lb-ft in the RLX flagship. Unlike the 2014 RLX, though, the 2015 TLX V-6 comes with a new nine-speed automatic that's lighter than the 2014 TL's six-speed automatic. Fuel economy is estimated at 21/34 mpg with front-wheel drive, and 21/31 mpg with the so-called super-handling all-wheel-drive system that's 25 percent lighter than before.
All front-drive 2015 Acura TLXs have Precision All-Wheel Steer, which turns the rear wheels a little to improve handling, while the TLX SH-AWD model gets technology that no other model will, at least at first: engine stop-start. Thanks to a 28-volt Active Control engine mount, engine vibration is said to be reduced, but we're looking forward to testing out the system for ourselves.
What the 2015 TLX prototype at the 2014 Detroit auto show lacked was an interior. Now that we're approaching the car's launch later this year, the 2015 TLX at the New York auto show has a full interior that appears modern but not particularly game-changing. That's OK, though, as Acura isn't restricting the high-end options we've seen on the best-selling MDX. The 2015 TLX will make available Milano leather, a new Road Departure Mitigation system that can actively help the car stay in its lane, adaptive cruise control, heated/cooled front seats, a Collision Mitigation Braking System and, something many current Acura drivers may not be familiar with: quiet. Engineers reduced open air paths in the 2015 TLX by 50 percent, and the car is the first Acura to have acoustic spray foam. Triple door seals, Active Noise Control, and an acoustic glass windshield might help the TLX meet the "vault-like" quietness we've been told is part of the package.
Also included with every 2015 Acura TLX are LED headlights, Siri Eyes Free tech for iPhone owners, and an electronic parking brake that can retain braking pressure to help smooth driving on steep hills. What might help the TLX the most with its premium credentials is the standard-on-every-model Integrated Dynamics system, which adjusts the steering, throttle response, transmission shift logic, and HVAC operation in Econ, Normal, Sport, and Sport+ modes. Every TLX also has motion-adaptive electronic power steering, and Acura says the car will earn five stars overall from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS.
Put all this together and you may just have a well-rounded entry into the incredibly crowded premium $30,000-$45,000 sedan class. Can the 2015 Acura TLX attract buyers of the soon-to-be-redesigned Audi A4, Lexus IS, or even lower-trim BMW 3 Series sedans? We'll find out soon.


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Altuve's Power & Judge's Speed: MLB Players Who Defy Their Stature
Jose Altuve is living proof that you can't judge a book by its cover. Despite being just 5'6" and 165 pounds, the Astros second baseman has become one of baseball's biggest threats. His career-high .356 average leads the majors, and he's already gone deep 20 times this season. That's not bad for a guy who's too small to get on some amusement park rides.
Altuve isn't the only player who has outperformed his measurements. The big leagues are full of guys whose games and frames aren't perfectly aligned. We're talking about little guys who rake, big guys who run like gazelles, and pint-sized pitchers with cannons for arms. The tale of the tape may tell us one thing, but their performances on the field tell a totally different story.
We've rounded up the best of these athletic anomalies and set some props on their statistical production for the remainder of the season.
NB: all props pertain to the 2017 season unless otherwise indicated.
At just 5'9", it's easy to overlook Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts. However, there's no overlooking his prodigious production at the plate. The Nashville native has belted 67 home runs over the past three seasons and finished top-ten in extra-base hits, slugging percentage, and OPS last year. Boston's little slugger is a big reason why the Sox are currently first in the AL East and on their way to the postseason for the second time in three years.
Sitting at 77 RBIs through 126 games, Betts has an outside shot to reach triple digits for the second year in a row, but high 90s is more likely.
Over/Under Mookie Betts' RBI total: 93.5
Pound for pound, Khris Davis may have the most pop of any player in the majors. The 5'10", 195-pound left fielder went deep 42 times in 2016 and has already belted 36 in 2017, tied for second in the AL with Justin Smoak, just one behind the waning Aaron Judge. Khrush recently tied Ben Grieve's franchise record for most homers by an A's left fielder in a single season.
Over/Under Khris Davis' home run total: 43.5
Try naming a 6'7", 280-pound professional athlete who isn't in the NBA or NFL. You can't, can you? That's because Aaron Judge is that rarest of breeds: a hulking five-tool player who can run, throw, field, hit, and hit for power. Guys who are that big should not be able to do this.
Sure, his strikeout totals may be the biggest thing about him these days, but you can't ignore his world class athleticism. He's still the one kid on the playground you'd pick first if you were choosing sides for anything from three-on-three basketball to dodgeball.
Considering he was the frontrunner for AL MVP at the All-Star break, Judge once held a massive lead in the AL Rookie of the Year race. His second half slump has allowed Boston's Andrew Benintendi and Baltimore's Trey Mancini to enter the conversation, but the lead Judge built up will prove insurmountable.
Odds Aaron Judge wins AL Rookie of the Year: 1/2
Someone ought to tell Bradley Zimmer that big guys are supposed to be lumbering giants. Despite being 6'5" and 220 pounds, the Cleveland center fielder leads all rookies in stolen bases and is the third-fastest player in the Major Leagues according to Baseball Savant's Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard. His blazing speed has helped Cleveland achieve the second-lowest ERA in the majors and has turned more than a few sure-fire doubles into spectacular, gravity-defying outs.
Over/Under Bradley Zimmer's steal total: 25.5
Marcus Stroman may not cast a big shadow, but the 5'8", 180-pound pitcher has been putting up huge numbers for the Blue Jays. The 26-year-old hurler ranks in the top 20 in the American League in strikeouts thanks to a sinker and four-seam fastball that regularly clock in at 94 mph. Even Stroman himself isn't sure where his power comes from, but it's made him one of the premier pitchers in the league.
Over/Under Marcus Stroman's strikeout total: 170
David Robertson isn't as tall as C.C. Sabathia or Aroldis Chapman, but the 5'11" setup man is just as feared by opposing hitters. Robertson struck out 100 batters in 66.2 innings during his lone All-Star season in 2011, and is presently ringing up 13.5 batters per nine innings in his second stint in the Bronx. The Yankees aren't a lock for the postseason just yet, but if they manage to squeak in, Robertson's reliability will be a big reason why.
Over/Under David Robertson's strikeout total: 91.5
Upon first glance, Trea Turner doesn't look like one of the fastest players in baseball. In fact, the goofy 24-year-old kind of resembles the kid who delivers your newspaper. And yet, despite his slender frame and (how shall we put this delicately) light pigmentation, Turner is currently third in the NL in stolen bases behind Billy Hamilton and Dee Gordon. If he keeps it up, he could become the first American-born white player to win the NL stolen-base crown since Scott Podsednik accomplished the feat in 2004. Turner is currently mending an injured wrist with the Nats' single-A affiliate in Potomac, but knowing him, he should be back to the Show very, very fast.
Over/Under Trea Turner's steal total: 44.5
At 6'2″ and 230 pounds, Mike Trout looks like he should be running over linebackers rather than running down fly balls. One would think that all that weight would slow him down, but the opposite is true. Trout led the league in stolen bases during his rookie season in 2012 and tied for second last year with 30 swipes. The Millville Meteor has also put his blazing speed to good use in the outfield, where he's made a habit of frustrating batters with rally-killing catches and over-the-fence snags.
He's having his best statistical season in his already storied career and put himself back in the AL MVP race despite missing 40 games. But a recent five-game hitless streak coupled with Jose Altuve's .356 average and 170 OPS+ keep his odds down.
Odds Mike Trout wins AL MVP: 5/2
Let's have fun and keep it civil.