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One may ask, what makes the Avivie’s ingredients so special? Everyone knows that the Dead Sea minerals, essential oils, extracts and other natural components are not unique. But thanks to discoveries of our best specialists, dedicated to research of the ageing problems and beauty care, the Avivie components now have unique properties. They find unique formulas based on the high-quality ingredients according to the exact manufacturing standard.
Each ingredient is treated in such a way that in combination they have a maximum effect on the problem areas. It is not only the quantity and the uniqueness of the ingredients are important, but also their interaction with each other.
Learn more about the properties of exclusive ingredients.
ALMOND OIL — is widely known for its anti-stress properties. It slows down the aging process and reduces the irritation of the sensitive skin. This is a great source of vitamins E and B complex, able to saturate and soothe at the same time. Regular use of this almond oil recovers the defense mechanisms of the cells.
ROSE HIP is a natural antioxidant. You can hardly find anyone who doesn’t know about their benefits, however, beauticians emphasize on their ability to smooth out wrinkles and give your skin a smooth texture. Rosehip does not just tone up, it also renews your skin. Withering skin cells are able to restore their structure and functions, delaying the effects of skin aging. Regular application stimulates the skin defense system at the DNA level.
AVOCADO is some kind of rejuvenating fruit used in cosmetology. Moisturizing concentrate fatty acids are obtained from cold-pressed avocado. Fats of avocado are similar in structure to our skin. As a result mostly all useful components contained therein are not only absorbed in the skin layers but also soaked up in a natural way.
ALOE VERA – you must have heard a lot about its regenerative and soothing properties, but not so many people know that the juice constrict pores, smoothes complexion and makes the skin matte. The antibacterial properties of aloe juice contribute to the treatment of acne. Antibacterial and regenerating properties of aloe that were increased manifold due to own exclusive formulas of the scientists of Avivie enable creams to deal with the unpleasant surprises expeditiously. Regular application of the extract smoothes your wrinkles and tones up your skin.
It is considered that ARGAN OIL is one of the most expensive components and it’s used in all premium cosmetics and exclusive products, which immediately draws attention to them. It gained popularity not only for its abundance of the fatty acids but also for its active vitamin cocktail. It prevents your skin from overdry and weather and also prolongs youth, helping to avoid unnecessary stress.
The Dead Sea Salt
The Dead Sea Salt is so unique and deserves attention. Note that the Dead Sea salts have a huge amount of trace elements, minerals and other useful compounds, the regular use of which clean and nourish your skin with vitamins, whilst remove your deep wrinkles.
Chamomile extract– cosmetologists have a gust of chamomile’s capability to whiten skin, giving it a youth and elasticity.
A key condition for the efficient use of this extract is a regular application. If at the beginning of the course chamomile just cleanses and saturates, then with time its rejuvenating effect becomes increasingly pronounced because of the general improvement of the skin.
This effect is increased when combined with aloe vera juice.
Peptides — are very short pieces of proteins that can penetrate the delicate skin of eye zone. In fact, nanoparticles can penetrate deep into the tissue structure and localize in the damaged cells. Peptides have no their own DNA, therefore, penetrate into the skin around the eyes. Peptides can penetrate the skin’s protective barriers and get to the deeper layer. This makes the peptides effective in improving your skin’s appearance, because they contribute to healthy cell layer regeneration. In fact, your skin cells, enriched with essential elements, rejuvenate themselves and your body does not need to deliver some additional resources any more.
Orange oil is an excellent remedy for the effects of acne, pigment spots, wrinkle reduction. Its ability to remove toxins from the body, tone up and moisten the skin was duly appreciated by scientists of company.
Of course, only natural ingredients should be used to improve the skin renewal and there is a simple rule — is a regular application of our product for 2 months. Just follow our recommendations and your body will launch defense mechanism that gives your skin some environmental protection. The salts of the Dead Sea have an interesting feature, in conjunction with peptides and dipeptides that increase inner and outer effect that allows for the cells to make maximum use of the resource in the DNA.
Learn more about health properties of the salt and mud from the Dead Sea following the link.


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Last summer, I wrote about the Appraisal Institute’s controversial effort to promote legislation in California (known as AB 624) that would enable licensed real estate appraisers performing appraisals for non-federally-related transactions to use any nationally or internationally recognized standard of valuation. I commented at the time that it wasn’t difficult to envision a parade of horribles that might result should appraisers be permitted to identify obscure international standards for an appraisal assignment in order to drive value up or down for a litigant.
Six weeks ago, I wrote about California Assembly Bill 624 and the Appraisal Institute’s effort to change California law that presently requires all licensed appraisers to comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). While the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA) would still mandate that USPAP be followed for federally-related transactions (i.e. appraisals for a financial institution that is federally insured), I observed that a licensed appraiser in California performing an appraisal for a ...
Two days ago, the Appraisal Foundation issued a memorandum to Appraisal Regulatory System Stakeholders that warned of the Appraisal Institute approaching members of Congress to sponsor legislation that would essentially dismantle the current national appraiser regulatory system. The Appraisal Foundation states that provisions being suggested by the Appraisal Institute include the elimination of the Appraisal Subcommittee and the removal or significant dilution of the Congressional authority of the Appraisal Foundation." It asserts that removing the existing ...
California Eminent Domain Report is a one-stop resource for everything new and noteworthy in eminent domain. We cover all aspects of eminent domain, including condemnation, inverse condemnation and regulatory takings. We also keep track of current cases, project announcements, budget issues, legislative reform efforts and report on all major eminent domain conferences and seminars in the Western United States.
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- CLIMATE CHANGE
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domain: law


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Apartment | 2 bedrooms | sleeps 4
Two bedroom luxury apartment with zip and link beds so can be either doubles or twins. Ground floor with BBQ area and parking.
28 Marinus is a recently built luxury apartment, All furnishings are new (2011) s the apartment has just changed ownership. Convertible beds mean that both bedrooms can be doubles or twins. Fully fitted kitchen, Wi Fi, flat screen TVs, etc. make this a very comfortable place to stay and as it is ground floor the main access is via the French doors and there is a terrace and BBQ area.
|Size||Sleeps up to 4, 2 bedrooms|
|Nearest beach||Cowes 300 m|
|Will consider||Corporate bookings, Long term lets (over 1 month), Short breaks (1-4 days)|
|Access||Car not necessary, Wheelchair users|
|Nearest Amenities||100 m|
|Nearest travel links||Nearest airport: Southampton 20 km, Nearest railway: Southampton Central 12 km|
|Family friendly||Great for children of all ages, Suitable for people with restricted mobility|
|Notes||No pets allowed, No smoking at this property|
Features and Facilities
|Luxuries||Internet access, DVD player, Sea view|
|General||Central heating, TV, CD player, Satellite TV, Wi-Fi available|
|Standard||Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer|
|Utilities||Clothes dryer, Dishwasher, Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine|
|Rooms||2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms of which 1 Family bathrooms and 1 En suites|
|Furniture||Single beds (4), Dining seats for 6, Lounge seats for 5|
|Other||Linen provided, Towels provided|
|Outdoors||Balcony or terrace, BBQ|
|Access||Wheelchair users, Secure parking, Lift access|
|Further details outdoors|
Immediate access to the parking area and also to Shepards Wharf marina. Great views, a tranquil place to be and yet right in the heart of the action.
The Isle of Wight region
Cowes and East Cowes grew from a huddle of fishermen's shacks around two coastal forts built by Henry VIII on opposite banks of the River Medina and named after the two off-shore sandbanks or cows. The towns are linked by an old-fashioned chain ferry and have a tradition of fine ship building, dating from the reign of Elizabeth I. Then came the yacht building industry, as sailing became a popular sport, endorsed by the royal family. In 1854, the Royal Yacht Squadron was moved into Cowes Castle, the former Tudor fort, and the name of Cowes has been synonymous with yachting ever since.
Too many festivals, sailing regattas, attractions and activities to mention them all!
Cowes Week * Cycling festival * Bestival * Isle of Wight music festival * Robin Hill * Osborne House.

domain: travel


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Just to let you know we've done some telepresence experiments with Openbionics prosthetic hand and ManusMachina glove.
Please see video about our experiments. Generally the hand worked very well, it was fairly easy and fun to grasp objects like bottle but something like a coin / pen is difficult. I guess nails could be added.
On the data side of things we commanded the hand through the usb terminal. We also got some pressure sensors but didn't have time to implement remote touching yet.
We're also involved in the Robots for Good project where we are helping with the telepresence side of things. You can find more info about that on the website
Any feedback and suggestions welcome!


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After her life fell apart in 2010, Demi Lovato has chosen to take slow and easy steps to recovery. These days, she's more confident of her body and is over her issues. She recently posted a series of swimsuit photos on social media that sent fans in a frenzy.
According to The Sun, Demi Lovato showed off her slimmer figure through a series of photos on social media. She flashed her cleavage in an extremely low-cut swimsuit. She also paired the suit with funky sunglasses.
Another image showed Demi Lovato showing off her summer-ready body while in the bathroom. The pictures were also splattered all over Snapchat and has caught the attention of fans. Others were impressed with her new frame.
Days earlier, Demi Lovato revealed that she has finally gotten over her body issues. As fans know, the "Skyscraper" singer suffered from bulimia in the past. She was also treated for depression and other eating disorders. However, her post-rehab self is proof that just about anyone can overcome such issues.
Maxim has compiled photos of Demi Lovato in flaunting her body after overcoming her eating disorders. One image shows her in a silver top while lying on the bed. Another sees her in her workout outfit.
Last month, Demi Lovato uploaded a video of her twerking at the gym. It has been revealed that the "Stone Cold" singer is regularly hitting the gym these days. Her recent Instagram posts are proof that she has been doing great during workout sessions.
Last year, Demi Lovato opened up about her experiences with drug and alcohol addiction. According to E! News, the former Disney child star thought at that time that she wouldn't make it to 21 years of age. Before getting help from a "sober house," she couldn't survive 30 minutes without using cocaine.
Today, Demi Lovato is an example of redemption and a changed life. She has recently celebrated her fifth year of sobriety. Stay tuned for more news and updates.© 2019 Mstars News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

domain: news


Natalie Mariduena is talking out in regards to the allegations involving David Dobrik.
On Monday, March 22, the YouTuber’s former assistant turned enterprise companion issued a statement saying that she doesn’t condone “any sexual misconduct/abuse.”
“I’ve spent lots of time eager about the current allegations and due to the severity, it is taken me time to course of,” she wrote. “Like a lot of you, I am upset and indignant and don’t condone the habits detailed within the article or any sexual misconduct/abuse for that matter.”
Dobrik’s childhood buddy, who has amassed greater than 4 million Instagram followers and turn out to be an web star in her personal proper, continued, “I wish to make it clear that I acknowledge, hear and help those that got here ahead and I stand by the victims.”
Mariduena’s assertion comes per week after Business Insider reported an allegation from a girl, who spoke with the web site utilizing the pseudonym Hannah. The girl claimed she and Vlog Squad member Dominykas Zeglaitis had a sexual encounter in 2018, which was filmed by Dobrik for a since-deleted YouTube video. .


Microsoft has an event lined up tomorrow, the 2nd October at the New York City and the rumor mills, not surprisingly are at their best trying to predict what to expect.Unfortunately, there aren’t many surprises to be expected given that its incremental upgrades over current products that likely will be launched tomorrow.
Those include the Surface laptop 2 and the Surface Pro 6, both of which at the most should come with a spec bump over existing models. For the Surface Laptop 2, that applies to the minimum memory count to be set at 8 GB along with 128 gigs of storage. Then there should be a Core i5 processor as well on the least priced model of the Surface Laptop 2.
As for the Surface Pro 6, it still could be a 4 GB RAM for the base entry-level model along with Intel Core M3 processor. That way, the base Surface Pro 6 should appeal to the price conscious buyers though that surely will come at the cost of performance, to some extent at least.
Interestingly, Microsoft chose to name the fifth gen Surface Pro device simply as the Surface Pro and not Surface Pro 5. It remains to be seen if it is going to refer to its successor as the Surface Pro 6 or it has something else in mind.
Meanwhile, the other big disappointment associated with the upcoming Surface iterations include the exclusion of the USB-C ports on the flagship devices. With Microsoft having included the USB-C port on both Surface Book 2 and Surface Go, it was being widely speculated the latest iterations of Surface Pro and Surface Laptop series too would be benefitting from the same. However, a new leak has claimed Microsoft is sticking to the same mini DisplayPort and Surface Connector port for the new Surface devices as well.
Meanwhile, another change to be expected with the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop is a black color option for both. However, that again is likely to apply to only the top-end model. The rest of the details unfolds tomorrow and there is no hope for mobile users this time as well.


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Sit back and relax in style, with the Yello folding camping chair.
The ideal folding chair to take camping, to the beach, on picnics, festivals, outdoor concerts or to lounge in the garden or by the pool.
The folding chair is compact, lightweight and easy to carry once folded and stored away in the included drawstring shoulder bag.
With a strong and sturdy steel frame and polyester material, the chair is robust and durable while being really comfortable.
The built-in drinks holder provides a refreshing drink on hand on a hot day.
Features an attractive zig zag design, ideal for the most stylish occasions.
Size: H85cm x W81cm x D48cm Max weight 100kg


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There has been much said at one time or another about a writer’s “voice.” You know, the way that a writer “speaks” on paper, finding their own way to express themselves, show their colors and come across in their unique way to their audience. We all need that special voice to make us stand out from the crowd.
As with any experienced writer, I too have developed my own voice. When I am writing my own material on my nickel, they need to and can sound like me. On the other hand, when I’m working as a freelance writer, I need to write quality content to meet my customer’s needs. Otherwise, their needs become suborned to an attempt to satisfy my own craving for recognition.
If I have a customer whose needs don’t match my voice, I’m either going to have a lot of frustration with rewrites or I’m going to lose the customer. Most of the time, that customer isn’t paying me to be me, they’re paying me to disappear into the woodwork and make it sound like they are a wonderful writer.
To best satisfy my various customer’s needs, I find it useful to have a number of different voices I can select from; allowing me to write as they need me to. In other words, I have an authoritative, educated voice for writing white papers and informational articles. Then, for other things, I change hats and put on my “friendly neighbor” voice and come across as a person or friend helping out with a problem. Another quick hat change and I’ve got a young voice for writing blog posts for teens and young adults (even though I’m 52 years old). Still another hat allows me to put on a humorous voice when appropriate.
While I’m using the metaphor of changing hats to describe what I’m talking about, I really don’t have a hat collection in my office (although that’s not a bad idea). What I do is stop for a moment to mentally “put on” that character when I need to write in that voice, much the same way as an actor puts on a character. If I need to write as a country bumpkin, I put on the character of a country bumpkin, so’s ah can wrat lak that. If’n ah don’ act like am from da country, ah won’ sound lak ah’m from da contry, sumpin’ll come out wrong.
I find it much easier to correctly “speak write” in that character’s voice when I’m pretending I am that character; otherwise, it comes across stilted and artificial; anything but quality content. Just trying to superimpose the voice I need on my own voice doesn’t work as well. I might get it perfect in one phrase, and totally blow it in the next. Overall, putting on that character gives me much more authenticity in my expression than I would have if I just stayed as me, trying to write in that voice.
Maybe you’ve never seen yourself as an actor, but all of us have one hidden deep within. For many, it only comes out at a party, when they’ve had a few drinks to loosen them up. Who needs the drinks? I don’t need to be drunk to have fun, nor do I need to be drunk to pretend I’m something that I’m not. You can too; it’s in there, just let it come out. Let yourself go and put on another character; experiment with its voice; who knows, you may find a whole new world of writing opportunities opening up for you.

domain: artistic


In the final edition of Gardentalk for the 2018 season, Master Gardener Ed Buyarski recommends clearing our garden of harvested and dying plants that will provide a good habitat for slugs laying eggs this fall.
Horse manure, seaweed, and the tops of almost all dead and dying plants can go into the compost pile, except for cabbage family roots, which may be infested with root maggots.
Add some fresh compost or another soil amendment to your freshly cleaned garden beds and then cover with tarps or plastic. That will protect the soil from the fall rains and allow worms and beneficial microorganisms to grow and thrive.
“So, in the springtime whenever the days start getting longer, we can start gardening a few weeks earlier,” Buyarski said.
And, don’t forget to bring in your begonias, dahlias and fuchsias from outside and store them in a dark, dry place like a root cellar or corner of the garage. Be sure to check the fuchsias on a regular basis throughout the winter so that they don’t dry out. They may need a few waterings over the winter to keep the roots from getting too dry.
Finally, everyone is invited to bring a recipe or dish to the annual Garlic Lovers Potluck at the Canvass, Oct. 21 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- The nonpartisan Legislative Finance Division says the numbers in the bill don’t add up — there’s a $102 million gap between projected revenue and expenses if the bill were to pass.
- According to NOAA, over 180 gray whales have washed up dead along the West Coast so far this year. But each new specimen adds a little more clarity for scientists.
- Juneau International Airport officials have organized a simulated emergency exercise for Saturday. The exercise is required to be held every three years as part of the airport's FAA certification.
- Richard Glenn is an inconvenient truth for opponents of drilling in the Arctic Refuge. He presents a challenge to a prevalent narrative in Washington, D.C., that Native people oppose development in the Arctic.


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Acne is a skin condition when you face after hair follicle become plugged with oil and dead skin cell. This condition can lead to pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. Acne is more common in puberty age, however, it can affect people of all ages.
What are the Symptoms of Acne?
Symptoms of Acne can vary from person to person according to the severity of the condition. Some symptoms are:
Blackheads (open pores)
Whiteheads (closed pores)
Pimples (papules filled with puss)
Large painful lumps under the skin
Painful pus-filled lumps under the skin
Areas of the body that are more prone to acne are the face, forehead, chest, shoulder, and back of the shoulder.
Causes of Acne
Factors that can cause acne are:
Excess oil or sebum
Hair follicles clogged by dirt and oil
Acne mostly appears on the face, chest, shoulder, back of shoulder, and forehead. The reason is that these areas have more sebaceous glands that produce oil. Overactive glands produce extra oil and lead to clogged pores. These clogged pores can further cause whiteheads or blackheads or both. Furthermore, some people can also face puss-filled or non-puss-filled lumps.
Some health conditions can further cause risk to the skin. Some things that can worsen or trigger acne are:
Hormonal changes –
If a dermatologist presumes that the patient is facing acne due to hormonal changes in teenagers. Your GP can recommend you contraceptive pills even if you are not sexually active.
Benzoyl peroxide works as an anticipative drug and helps to reduce the number of bacteria on the skin. This is equally effective for blackheads and whiteheads as well. It's usually available in the form of cream or gel and can be used twice a day.
Using too much can cause irritation and skin burn. This chemical can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. So, don’t use it when outdoors to avoid interaction with sunlight and ultraviolet light.
After successful treatment of acne, patients may face scars on their face and forehead. These scars usually formed when the skin is deeply damaged. Before the treatment of scars, you must know that what types of scars you are facing.

domain: medical


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CityNews – Chiang Mai Rajabhat University is in the news for hazing again.
The hashtag #AntisotusCMRU has gone viral following the widespread sharing of a picture of hazing at Chiang Mai Chiang Mai Rajabhat University. In the picture, freshmen students were crawling in a drain watched by older students. There has been much criticism in the media as well as social media, with many people urging the university to investigate the matter.
CityNews has reached out to Chiang Mai Rajabhat University who responded that they have been aware of the matter and are now looking into it. The university underlined that such activity is not on the institution agenda and there is no policy in encouraging any such hazing. They also pointed out that the freshmen welcoming activity period has ended since June 21st. The university promises to identify those who organised the hazing and will enforce the university regulations as appropriate.


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Nothing wrong with optimism, of course. We’d be sunk without it.
The problem is that optimism over the years has been more than matched by aggressive indifference by state lawmakers, who fiddled around while the state burned.
And now things are so bad, as evidenced by the Pew Center on the States report last week, that even the optimists are wondering what the heck got into them.
If you missed it, the report said the million jobs that have left Michigan aren’t coming back any time soon, unless you define “any time soon” as 15-20 years.
“Left with few options, Michigan is being forced to diversify its economy and confront long-neglected structural imbalances in its budget under some of the most unfavorable conditions since World War II,” the national think-tank’s report says. “The beleaguered state is adjusting to a new normal.”
That new normal – which can be crudely defined as “make less, have less, expect less”- is itself driving people out. I came across a blog recently that eloquently illustrated that frightening sentiment.
“I vowed it would never come to this,” Colleen Steinman, a communications specialist in Lansing writes at http://storiesbysteinman.blogspot.com. “I vowed to stay, even after my husband moved to Florida and my son left for college in North Carolina.
“I vowed to stay here in the cool, fragrant old-growth pine forests, beside the shimmering shades of blues and greens of Michigan’s waters, with my parents, sisters, brother and their children. I wanted to stay. Michigan is my home, my history and the center of my world. Or it once was. My beautiful, vibrant home is now a place where hard-working people cannot make a living wage; where roads and bridges are crumbling; where politics mean more than sound policy, where press releases pass as leadership.
“I’m leaving because my son’s out-of-state tuition costs as much as Michigan’s in-state tuition. I’m leaving because 15.3 percent of people can’t find a job. I’m leaving because dedicated public servants … have been denigrated and maligned by ignorance and envy. I’m leaving because I sold my house at 85 percent of what I paid for it and 80 percent of its former value just three years ago. I’m leaving because despite all the vows for reform and change, the same, tired political games are being played over and over again in Lansing. We have bonded and bailed out the credit cards to keep the illusion going for one more year. That bill will come due in 2011 and Michigan is going to fall off a cliff.”
She doesn’t want to be here to hear the thud, so she’s leaving a good job and packing her bags. I’ll bet a lot of people are thinking that same thing. If so, that’s scary beyond belief.
Lawmakers ought to hear that as a call to action: Get over yourselves, people. Put the state, rather than your party and career, first for a change. It could work.
I am not optimistic.

domain: sociology


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Making one out of two or three
RUB philosophers describe emotions as a separate kind of mental state
Emotions arise through the integration of perceptual and cognitive information
A life without feelings – unimaginable. Although emotions are so important, philosophers are still discussing what they actually are. Prof. Dr. Albert Newen and Dr. Luca Barlassina of the Institute of Philosophy II at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum have drawn up a new theory. According to this, emotions are not just special cases of perception or thought but a separate kind of mental state which arises through the integration of feelings of bodily processes and cognitive contents. They describe the model in the journal “Philosophy and Phenomenological Research”.

domain: psychology


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Drawing Santa Claus Face. Moldes de natal para eva e feltro. Santa claus face cut out.
At this point your santa claus drawing is almost complete—except santa needs some legs to carry him around the world. Santa claus drawing how to: Sketch an elongated figure that would match the head shape of santa.
We Have Collected 40+ Original And Carefully Picked Santa Face Drawing In One Place.
Draw the beard around the face. Background with happy santa claus holding a card. How to draw santa claus.
Step By Step Tutorial, Teach You How To Draw This Santa Claus Head, Very Simple.
Santa claus look from the side. Begin by drawing the shape of santa’s face as shown. Connect these lines to your “s” shaped lines to complete the eyebrows.
An Illustration Of A Christmas Cartoon Happy Santa Face.
If you like it, pick up a pen and follow the steps below to try it out! Add the face below, leaving space for the beard. How to draw santa claus face step by step for kids | how to draw santa clause face easy | santa face | draw tutorial.
Santa Claus And Author Of Story.
Draw a cartoon father christmas and competition here is a quick ‘how to’ post on how to draw father christmas, as christmas is just 3 sleeps away… 9 easy steps to draw a perfect cartoon santa claus: Now draw the cartoon character’s nose like in the example. Draw two “s” shaped lines above the eyes, similar to what you drew for the top of the mustache.
Great For Toddlers, Preschool, Kindergarten And Older.
If you want to make a christmas card by yourself, you can consider drawing this head on the card. Your santa claus face drawing is done once you’ve colored every section. You will then give this face a round looking.

domain: hobby


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The daily program is announced through the Journal of the United Nations. The journal is published by the Journal Unit of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management.
The Journal is a record of the activities at the United Nations Headquarters on any given day – what meetings are being held, when and where, what topics are being discussed and what documents are the basis of those discussions. It gives a complete list of official documents issued that day and a summary of the meetings of the previous day. The Journal also includes a listing of Secretariat websites. The Journal is available in a multilingual digital version.
Current information can be found in press releases.

domain: library


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NAGPUR: In a major environmental loss to the city, a large number of very old trees were chopped down by a builder near Bada Tajbagh area. In the last few years, this is the third case of large-scale illegal tree felling by a builder in the same locality, which is witnessing rapid construction activity.
The incident took place some days back but came to the fore recently when environment activist Pranay Ade noticed massive tree felling at a vacant plot in Harpur Nagar near Bada Tajbagh area. On enquiring with the locals, the activist found out that a builder had purchased approximately 2.5 acres of the said plot and allegedly cut over 200 fully-grown trees without taking the mandatory permission from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) garden department.
Following his repeated complaints, a team of officials from the garden department visited the spot on Wednesday and carried out a spot panchnama. “We found evidence of chopping off of 40-50 trees using JCB. It might be true that the builder has cut more trees but has cleared the evidence," said officials.
The officials have already issued a notice to the builder. "We have given him seven days to respond. Meanwhile, we are in the process of taking statements and preparing a final panchnama. Post this, we will issue another notice to the builder if required," added officials.
According to activists, this is the third such case of illegal tree felling in the same area. “Builders are coming up with new residential schemes for which they are destroying the few remaining green pockets in the area. We are not against development but builders should fell trees after taking permission and doing successful compensatory plantation,” said Ade.
Activists further alleged NMC does not take any strict action in such cases. “The officials’ job is restricted to visiting the site and issuing notices. Apart from the paperwork, they do not take any stringent action due to which such cases of illegal tree felling are on the rise. To create fear in the minds of wrongdoers, NMC must set an example by strictly punishing the builder involved in illegal tree felling,” said Kaustav Chatterjee, founder of environment NGO Green Vigil Foundation.
He added that the new standard operating procedure (SOP) should be implemented with immediate effect. “Then municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar had modified the SOP, according to which any person wanting to fell trees has to first carry out compensatory plantations, ensure its successful survival and then cut trees. The garden department should take this rule seriously as it is the only way to curb rampant loss of green cover in the city,” said Chatterjee.


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I even have a couple of them recorded. Read on and listen…
Tag: phone scams
One ring and this scam’s got you if you call back. (photo courtesy Niek Verlaan from Pixabay)
…someone claiming to be calling on behalf of the Social Security Administration. They say your benefits have been suspended for non-payment of payroll taxes, and there’s a warrant out for your arrest. It’s a scam, each and every time, and always has been, yet you keep falling for it.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said scammers are ramping up a combination of two classic phone scams (graphic courtesy of U.S. Navy).


The woman behind the launch of the game-changing éne-bé-a [the pronunciation of NBA in Spanish] campaign knows a thing or two about strategic plays. “Getting our éne-bé-a rebrand and Hispanic-marketing platform approved by senior management in 2009 was a turning point for the NBA, and my career,” says Saskia Sorrosa, vice president of multicultural/targeted marketing for the National Basketball Association. “It marked the culmination of 14 years of ‘NBA en Español’ and marketing efforts that were tactical [and language focused].”
By leading the launch of the NBA’s first-ever integrated marketing campaign targeted to the bilingual/bicultural Latino fan, Sorrosa generated record-breaking results for the association. The NBA reported a 34 percent increase in Hispanic viewership and a nine percent growth of its Hispanic fan base. During the 2010-2011 season, Hispanic viewership increased by 59 percent, over-indexing in comparison to non-Hispanic viewership by 27 percent.
“It was an unlikely risk for the NBA to take at the time, but one that has ultimately propelled our business growth. We became trendsetters in the space, transformed our platform into a best practice in the industry, and triggered year-to-year growth across business units,” she says. “Selling and executing this strategic recommendation has helped me demonstrate how calculated risks can lead to innovation, profitability, and groundbreaking success.”
Born and raised in Ecuador and a recent first-time mom to “the most beautiful baby girl in the world,” Sorrosa has a passion for the bandeja paisa (a typical Colombian platter), volunteering, exercising, and baking (she even has her own blog: bellabaking.com). “Baking makes me smile, it allows me to be creative, and it helps take my mind off the day-to-day minutiae.”
In fact, it’s precisely Sorrosa’s creativity that has allowed her to thrive in such a competitive and male-dominated industry. And at only 33, it’s been a fast ride to the top. “A piece of advice I’ve found extremely useful when I started out in my career was understanding that titles and hierarchy should never trump creativity, passion, and active participation,” she says. “You can be a junior executive at a corporation but still bring value to the table. You can be new to the business but still offer fresh perspectives and ideas. No one should ever be afraid to speak their mind. This is how new ideas are born and how entry-level executives can grow to become top leaders in the industry.”
For Sorrosa, who describes her “comfort level with taking calculated risks” as her secret weapon in the business world, the future offers endless possibilities. As far as her game plan for the future, she’ll continue to keep her ear to the ground; focused on giving the NBA’s multicultural fan base what it needs in a way that truly resonates with them. “In a market that’s constantly evolving, active listening is the only way to stay informed and ahead of the game,” Sorrosa says. “Innovation is crucial to establishing a leadership position and setting trends.”


High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 2004 Palm Island death in custody incident relates to the death of Palm Island, Queensland resident, Mulrunji on Friday, 19 November 2004 in a police cell. The death of Mulrunji led to civic disturbances on the island and a legal, political and media sensation that continued for three years culminating in the first trial of an Australian police officer for a death in custody. The officer was acquitted by a Townsville jury in June 2007. The series of controversies had broad implications for the Palm Island community and their relationship with Government and the broader Australian people. Two legal questions arise from the death, firstly whether the taking into custody of Mulrunji was lawful and were the injuries that led to his death caused by the arresting officer. Politically this event raised questions relating to the 1990 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and whether its recommendations to prevent deaths in custody had been implemented by Government.


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Dhaka: Bangladesh Muktijoddha Issin Sangsad has demanded strict suppression of anti-national terrorists, including the killing of a policeman, vandalism of a judge’s residence and the beating of journalists, police and Ansar members, and the strictest punishment for those who were injured in BNP’s grand rally on October 28.
The leaders of the organization made these demands to the Prime Minister in a human chain organized in front of the National Press Club on Sunday (November 12).
Addressing the Prime Minister at Manabbandhan, the speakers said, you are the worthy successor of Bangabandhu, the mother of humanity, the artisan of development of the people of Bangladesh and the only place of hope and shelter for the family of the heroic freedom fighters. Our humble request to you, take maximum punishment for the murderous terrorists who killed the policemen, vandalized the judge’s residence, injured hundreds of policemen, set fire to the police hospital and beat up 31 journalists.
They also said that those who wanted to destroy the country in the name of Mahasambesh on 28 October should be strongly resisted. They have once again resorted to arson and killing people. If domestic and foreign conspiracies are not resisted, the country will plunge into great crisis. The family of the brave freedom fighters demands from you Prime Minister, suppress the anti-national terrorists with a strong hand and organize elections as soon as possible according to the laws of the constitution.
Chairman of Central Command Council of Bangladesh Mukti Yoddha Issan Sangsad was present in the human chain at this time. Solaiman Mia and General Secretary Shafiqul Islam Babu and others.
Bangladesh Time: 1459 hours, November 12, 2023


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QUESTION TEXT: Editorial: This political party has repeatedly expressed…
QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption
CONCLUSION: This party’s policy is inconsistent.
REASONING: The party has said education spending is a worthy goal but it has also said that the government should not increase spending on education.
ANALYSIS: Sometimes we don’t have enough money for all goals that are worthy. If you had to choose, would you support feeding the children or educating the children?
It could be the party thinks education is a good idea but that other priorities are more important. We need an assumption that shows this still amounts to inconsistency.
- This is almost right. But it says vote against. We don’t know if the political party has actually voted down any proposals. The stimulus only talks about the party’s public statements.
So while this assumption is helpful, it is not necessary.
- The argument would still be ok if the consistent position “is not usually the course of action that will reduce spending.” “Usually” doesn’t tell us much about a particular case.
- Actually the argument is assuming that this isn’t true. This sounds like something the party would argue.
- CORRECT. The negation is that a consistent political policy could say that something was worthy but still shouldn’t be supported. That destroys the argument’s only evidence.
- This only talks about whether inconsistency is a good idea. The argument is talking about whether or not the party is inconsistent.
Free Logical Reasoning lesson
Get a free sample of the Logical Reasoning Mastery Seminar. Learn tips for solving LR questions

domain: politics


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By DAVID CASSTEVENS
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Bill Eads has seen wives come and go.
But he still has Henrietta.
A beauty even now, at 83, his true love is a Model T Ford.
The 1925 touring car was built the year F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, when Calvin Coolidge was president.
It cost about $260 at a time when the average annual income in America was $1,236.
Meticulously restored a violin maker applied the finish to the wooden steering wheel the mint-condition automobile has an estimated worth today of about $20,000.
More important is the sentimental value, for which no price guide exists.
Asked whether he would sell it, the car’s 58-year-old owner ran a hand over his gray beard.
“That’s not a consideration,” Eads said matter-of-factly.
“I’d let the bank take my house but not the car.”
The driver turned the four-cylinder, 20-horsepower machine onto a lightly traveled road near his east Fort Worth home.
Chugging along, working the three foot pedals, he honked the horn “a sick bull,” he called the old-timey sound and in his mind’s eye the back road carried him into the past, to a cherished time more than 40 years ago when young Bill sat in Henrietta’s passenger seat, a boy gazing out at the West Virginia countryside, in the company of his father.
John Eads bought the neglected, rusting vehicle from a farmer in 1959 for $500.
He slapped on some paint and got the engine running. His wife made new upholstery and gave the relic its feminine identity.
For years the family took the machine on antique car tours and drove it in parades.
Speed-limit signs on the outskirts of towns cautioned motorists to slow to 35 mph.
“Heck, we had to speed up to go that fast,” Bill Eads recalled with a grin.
He took possession of the family prize in 1993 and devoted three years 1,000 hours to restoring it, replacing every broken, bent and worn part, which was most of them. He sprayed layer upon layer of black lacquer, 18 coats, until the body gleamed, as it does now, as lustrous as polished onyx.
For several years he ran his own business, selling Model T replacement parts.
Eads’ father died this year, but not before his son took Henrietta to Florida and gave the 87-year-old man one more ride in the heirloom that has been the source of so many warm and happy memories.
One doesn’t have to own a Model T, however, to appreciate it.
Spotting the enduring piece of history on the road, other motorists and passers-by invariably light up and honk or wave.
One belt. No oil pump. No catalytic converter or keyless entry system or dual-zone climate control.
It’s a simple machine.
But traveling 25 mph is still a joy ride.
An old love song said it best: The fundamental things apply…as time goes by.
This is a celebratory year for Model T enthusiasts.
One local hobbyist, Russ Grunewald, is president of the National Model T Ford Club of America, an organization with 8,000 members and several chapters and affiliated clubs in Texas.
Fort Worth has the Cowtown Ts. The Texas Touring T’s meet in Bryan. There are the Cen-Tex Tin Lizzies (San Marcos) and the Space City T’s (Tomball) and the Paso Del Norte Model T Ford Club in El Paso.
In July, Grunewald and friend Sam Paris, head of the local club, loaded their antique cars onto trailers and drove to Richmond, Ind., where Model T enthusiasts from the world over gathered to celebrate the car’s 100th birthday. The event drew 2,000 people and about 900 Model Ts.
The historical significance of the car is not lost on Grunewald and others who possess an encyclopedic knowledge about Henry Ford’s production of sturdy, reliable and low-cost transportation for the masses that ushered in a new industrial age.
The first Model T was built for sale on Oct. 1, 1908, and priced similarly to a Cadillac, about $850.
In years that followed, the moving assembly line increased production and lowered the vehicle’s cost.
By the 1920s, half of all cars in America were Model Ts.
From 1908-27, Ford built 15 million of them, the longest run of any single model automobile except the Volkswagen Beetle.
Grunewald’s 1926 T, like Eads’, is immaculate, perfectly maintained, a testimony to the owner’s pampering.
It features a hinged windshield to aid ventilation and a manually operated wiper on the driver’s side.
“Ever seen the gas gauge?” Grunewald asked a visitor.
He removed the gasoline cap.
On the 1926 and ’27 models it is mounted on the hood.
His Model T gets 15 to 20 miles per gallon, depending on driving speed and the wind.
The car’s original owner was a Methodist preacher in Fredericksburg.
The man’s estate sold it to someone in San Antonio, where it was fully restored. Grunewald, who drove a ’25 Model T runabout in high school during the 1940s, bought the car at a swap meet in 1983.
Grunewald eased onto a residential street.
“C’mon, Baby. You can make it,” he urged, as the 1,200-pound
Lizzie began to negotiate a hill.
Grunewald has a copy of a 23-page instruction book each Model T owner received.
The manual urges the motorist to break in the new car slowly:
Your Ford car will climb any climbable grade. Do not in your anxiety to prove it to everyone climb everything in sight.
A good rule is if you crave the fame, climb the steepest grade in your neighborhood once and let others take your word for it or the word of those who witnessed the performance.
As Grunewald puttered along he explained other standard features of the touring car.
The Model T, he said, came equipped with Armstrong power steering.
Grunewald turned into his driveway.
“You can steer it,” he said, with a straight face, “if your arms are strong.”
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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domain: design


Wed Jan 30 2008
Photograph: Cinza Reale-Castello
Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. He came back with this: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
Smith Magazine posed a similar challenge to its readers by hosting a six-word memoir contest. After sifting through some15,000 entries, the editors chose this tiny tale by Abigail Moorhouse as the winner: “Barrister, barista, what’s the diff, Mom?”
Eight hundred other memoirs have been compiled in an anthology to be released Tue 5, including entries by Mario Batali, Stephen Colbert and Amy Sedaris.
Brevity may be the soul of wit, but how witty are New Yorkers when it comes to telling their six-word life stories? TONY hit the streets with a whiteboard to find out.
For more info on Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure, go to sixwordmemoir.com.
Check out more New Yorker’s life stories.


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Fatmanian / Collaboration with Stetson
Please select all options.
It will be a collaboration rabbit hat with the long-sought American HAT BRAND “STETSON”.
The streamlined teardrop that flows from the high crown on the front to the back is beautiful, and the wide brim has a moderate hardness and a well-balanced length based on the thick rabbit material.
The details such as ribbon, wind catcher, piping, lining engraving, pomade guard, I stitch slip, size tag, etc. are also perfect.
We are proud of the highest degree of perfection in the material, design and details of details.
We will also attach an original collaboration hat box that can only be attached to collaboration this time.
Many years later, I named it "Fatmanian" with the hope that it would be named as a vintage hat.
[ SIZE ]
7 1/8 (57 cm)
7 1/4 (58 cm)
7 3/8 (59cm)
7 1/2 (60 cm)
[ COLOR ]
[ SPEC / NOTES ]
Material: Body/ Rubbit Far 100%
Country of origin: MADE IN JAPAN
Precautions: Not eligible for returns or exchanges
Inquiry number: 5213015


Ecosens Lighting Pvt. Ltd. is an Indian company that specializes in providing energy-efficient lighting solutions for commercial and industrial applications. The company offers a range of products, including LED lighting fixtures, smart lighting controls, and energy management systems. Ecosens Lighting Pvt. Ltd. was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Delhi, India. The company’s mission is to provide sustainable lighting solutions that help reduce energy consumption and lower carbon emissions. Ecosens Lighting Pvt. Ltd has a team of experienced professionals who are dedicated to delivering high-quality lighting solutions that meet the unique needs of its customers.…The company has a strong commitment to sustainability and has implemented various measures to reduce its environmental impact. Ecosens Lighting Pvt. Ltd’s products are designed to be energy-efficient and have a longer lifespan compared to traditional lighting solutions. The company also uses environmentally friendly materials and packaging to minimize waste. Ecosens Lighting Pvt. Ltd has received several awards and recognitions for its innovative products and commitment to sustainability. The company has also partnered with various organizations to promote energy efficiency and sustainable development. Overall, Ecosens Lighting Pvt. Ltd. is a company that is dedicated to providing sustainable lighting solutions that benefit both its customers and the environment.


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With legislation that would bring legal medical marijuana to Illinois pending in the statehouse, Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon on Sunday announced the bill has her support.
According to the Associated Press, Simon said she was initially opposed to the proposal, but had a change of heart after reviewing the bill's regulations and hearing testimony from seriously ill patients who would benefit from it.
"It does a good job of both getting medical marijuana to people who need and keeping it away from those who don't," Simon said, according to the AP.
The bill would establish a four-year pilot program during which individuals with serious diseases including cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis would be able to get a special ID card allowing them to buy limited amounts -- up to two-and-a-half ounces -- of medical marijuana from one of 60 state-licensed dispensaries.
The measure was approved last week by the Senate Executive Committee and will next be considered by the full Senate, which approved similar, less regulation-heavy legislation in 2009.
The program is tightly restrictive, not accepting "chronic pain" as a qualifying condition for use and not recognizing qualifying patients who live in other states, unlike other states who have approved medical marijuana bills, Medill Reports previously noted. The bill also requires that patients have an established doctor-patient relationship before a doctor can OK marijuana use.
If the full Senate OKs the bill and it also gets the governor's signature, Illinois would become the 19th U.S. state to legalize medical marijuana.


The sector of the NUC or powerful mini PCs is very active lately, today we want to inform you about a new leak that presents the Intel NUC Crimson Canyon model that has Cannon Lake-U cores manufactured in 10nm a novelty compared to the 14nm of the current Kaby Lake-G. In addition, this model will integrate an AMD Vega GPU with HBM2 memory, the same type of processors found in the Intel NUC Hades Canyon, the new Chuwi HiGame or the latest to announce Beelink KB-G1.
The data of the new Intel NUC Crimson Canyon are still somewhat confusing but have already been listed in some stores with references NUC8I3CYSM2 and NUC8I3CYSM3 for models with 8 GB of RAM and NUC8I3CYSN2 and NUC8I3CYSN3 with 4 GB of RAM, all mounted a mechanical hard drive of 1 TB. In some stores have already been listed for a price between 400 and 450€, surely these models are in the two classic formats of the NUC one higher that allows to mount a 2.5″ disk and another more compact that can only mount an M.2 disk inside.
The processor found in these NUCs would be the Intel Core i3-8121U a model manufactured in the new 10nm process that is not yet officially listed by Intel but would have two cores and four wires working at 2.4 GHz. Inside the package of this processor as we have seen we have an AMD Radeon 500 Vega GPU manufactured at 14nm that seems to integrate 2 GB of dedicated graphics memory HBM2. This NUC comes with a 90 W power adapter and as it can not be otherwise will have active ventilation.


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The Irish priest who made running a religion in Kenya
The rise of Kenya as an athletics powerhouse can be traced to one village – and one man
They have the men's 800m world record holder, the women's 5,000m world champion and last year they had all 20 of the fastest marathon runners in the world. It is no wonder that just four words strike fear into every other distance runner at athletics meets: the Kenyans are coming.
Although the formidable Kenya athletics team has had a slow start by its standards, gold medal hopes remain in nearly every distance event. Tonight, the 800m world record holder David Rudisha will run for his place in the 800m final – an event in which he holds five of the 10 fastest times in history.
The rise of the east African nation as a global athletics powerhouse is one of the most unlikely stories in modern sport and the secret behind its success lies in a small village, in the Rift Valley, where a 63-year-old Irish priest has mentored champion after champion.
Rudisha, 23, is only the latest in a long line of world beaters who have trained in the village of Iten, the Mecca of running, under the guidance of Brother Colm O'Connell, a Catholic missionary turned inspirational coach.
Mo Farah, who won a gold medal in the 10,000 metres on Saturday night, and marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe both trained at Iten in the run-up to London 2012.
Brother O'Connell arrived in Iten, 2,400 metres above sea level in the Rift Valley, in 1976, to teach geography on a three-year contract. Thirty-five years later he is still there. In that time he has mentored 25 world champions and four Olympic gold medallists, acquiring what he calls a "sixth sense" for the sport. An estimated 800 to 1,000 runners live and train in the Iten area. The facilities are basic and diet Spartan but runners from all over the world come to the village. Last winter Mo Farah went to train at Iten. Three days ago he won gold.
The Kenyan squad was so fond of its high-altitude training that Athletics Kenya refused to send their runners to the team's training camp in Bristol ahead of the Games. "The whole world is coming to Kenya to train in long and middle-distance races," Athletics Kenya's chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said. "Why would we take our team to Bristol?"
In the Rift Valley, running is a way of life and years of training at high altitude hugely increase the blood's efficiency in carrying oxygen. To be a runner is a ticket out of poverty for some and those growing up in the Rift Valley are not short of role models.
The team's former Olympic captain and 800m gold medallist in Beijing, Wilfred Bungei, has retired, but tips his countrymen for success in London. Bungei believes Kenya's domination in long distances came by accident. "Sprinting talents scouts went to Jamaica and West Africa so Kenyans were forced to try long distances and it worked," he says. "Children have been emulating the older athletes. Children say, 'I can be a great like athlete like Bungei' and they start training."
"I've always concentrated on the development of young athletes," Brother O'Connell said when The Independent met him in Iten earlier this year. "That's where the Kenyan supply line comes from. I've not really moved up the line and ignored the youngsters."
The formula appears to be working. Kenya was the most successful African nation in Beijing f our years ago, winning six gold, four silver and four bronze medals – all in distance running events. In London, Ezekiel Kemboi has already taken gold in the 3,000m steeplechase and the total medal haul is expected to grow.
What's for breakfast?: Kenya vs Phelps
A Kenyan runner's breakfast
Ugali (maize, water, salt)
Michael Phelps' breakfast
Three fried-egg sandwiches topped with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayo
A five-egg omelette.
Three chocolate-chip pancakes
Three slices of French toast dusted with sugar
A bowl of grits (maize porridge)
Two cups of coffee
New day (slowly) rising – As Brasileirão gets underway, Brazilian football stumbles, rather than leaps into the future
The average Serie A crowd last year was 13,000 - comparable to Australia’s A-League.
by James Young
24 May 2013 04:31 PM
Monaco is a street circuit where driver ability is more important than anywhere else and if we take ...
by Gareth Purnell
24 May 2013 02:00 AM
Three weeks ago as I drove off the Eurostar, I remember thinking what a very long time it was until ...
by Martin Ayres
23 May 2013 05:29 PM
Christian Benteke tells Aston Villa not to stand in his way if a 'club like Arsenal' come calling
After racist remark, Sergio Garcia fights for reputation as Tiger Woods slams 'hurtful' fried chicken joke
Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich: 50 things you need to know about the Champions League final
Manuel Pellegrini must deliver five trophies in five years at Manchester City says chief executive Ferran Soriano
Major refinancing sees Manchester United slash interest bill by £10m a year
- 1 Liam Gallagher slams Daft Punk: 'I could have written Get Lucky in an hour'
- 2 What, let gays get married? We must be bonkers
- 3 'Something passed underneath us, quite close': Airbus A320 has close encounter with UFO
- 4 Lord of the Sings: Sir Christopher Lee, 91, to release heavy metal album
- 5 Two bailed after arrest over Woolwich attack Twitter comments
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.


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Gloria Steinem’s new project, a documentary-style news magazine show called Woman, will premiere on Viceland May 10, the network announced Monday. On the show, Steinem and a team of female journalists report stories on “the problems once marginalized as women’s issues” around the world, including topics such as sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, unacknowledged cases of missing women in Canada, murdered women in El Salvador, and the effects of incarcerating mothers in the U.S..
“More than poverty, natural resources, religion, or degree of democracy, violence against females is the most reliable predictor of whether a nation will be violent within itself or will use violence against another country — and gender violence has become so great that for the first time, there are now fewer females on Earth than males,” Steinem said. “This series informs and gives viewers ways to help.”
The announcement follows a report last fall from the New York Times that Vice had hired Steinem for an unannounced project about women’s issues.
“She’s hired a staff and is completely engaged in every step of the production,” an unnamed Vice employee said, according to the Times. “The first time she walked into our office in Williamsburg the whole place shut down. It was like Elvis had entered the building.”
Initially launching in February with a handful of shows, Viceland has recently unveiled a new wave of programming coming to the network in April and May, including skateboarding reality/documentary series King of the Road and an expanded version of its web series Huang’s World, a food travelogue starring chef Eddie Huang.
Woman will air Tuesdays at 10pm on Viceland.


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Amsterdam Coffee Shop Crawl
Trip at a Glance
Sightseeing, Walking Tour
$25 USD per person
Departure Day(s) and Time(s)
54 Spuistraat, 1012TV
Visit to 4 coffee-shops, Visit to cannabis museum , free vaporizer, tour of the city.
- Visit 4 of the best coffee shops in Amsterdam and learn about cannabis culture
- Learn what types of weed are best for you (Indica/Sativa)
- Relax inside coffee shops and pubs, while your guide protect your belongings!
- Participate in a rolling competition after your guide has taught you how to roll your own joint!
One of the things that Amsterdam is world famous for are the cities coffeeshops. In Amsterdam, coffeeshop means a place where cannabis is openly sold and smoked. There are over 200 coffeeshops in Amsterdam. We will take you around Amsterdam explaining various aspects of this plant, from its medicinal use all the way to its recreational consumption and of course drug consumption related politics. We will visit The Cannabis College where we will learn more about this controversial plant. To finish off the tour we will visit several coffee shop for a drink, chat and smoke followed by a rolling competition. Are you curious about what cannabis is all about? Join us in the most interesting and fun tour of Amsterdam!
Thank you for submitting a review. It will be published shortly.


Finally, the factorefarm.org Drupal site is starting to look coherent. Alex spawned it, Jeremy owned it. We are starting discussion on the second CEB prototype there. Log in, join the forum, and we’ll have the second prototype done in a jiffy. Once the second prototype is done, we’ll be taking preorders.
MicroTrac is the power source for The Liberator II CEB press – and we’ve got an 18hp gas engine already taken out from our former ride-on lawn-mower. That will be a good reuse for the engine – as the old lawnmower chassis is ready to join our pile of industrial detritus. Industritus is the new word we coin. We’re collecting piles for meltdown once we get the induction furnace going. We apologize in advance for using a throwaway gas engine, but until we begin producing steam engines, there’s not much we can do about it, since a 20 hp steam engine costs $6500 made in the USA by Mike Brown, and $1700 plus shipping in India by TinyTech Plants. Oh yes, we’ll put the comfy seat from the lawnmower on LifeTrac, so I could sit on ass better.
We will begin building the MicroTrac power unit in the next day or two – a hydraulic Power Cube that will be interchangeable with LifeTrac and life car named UniMOS. Extreme modularity is our game.
There are a few issues left on CEB development, technical and operational. First, let’s adress the operational.
The operational issue is the enigma of the manually-loaded, high performance CEB press. Well, there is AECT and The Green Machine, both of which are manually-loaded, expensive machines retailing at above $25k the last I checked.
The enigma comes from our own brick-pressing experience with The Liberator. We have concluded that a manually-loaded, powered CEB press, does not justify the expense over a simple manually-loaded, manually operated double-block press. This is simply because one can not keep up with the powered CEB machine’s demand for dirt, so one person can make only 1/2 brick per minute on average on a continuous, 8-hour day basis if one has to shovel buckets of dirt manually. That was the bottom line in our field experience. This is absolutely unacceptable for building the world’s first, replicable, open source, off-grid Global Village.
Allow me to explain the ergonomics fully so that you understand the process. First, you have to pulverize soil with a tiller. Then, you shovel the dirt into buckets. Then you carry them to the CEB press. Then you lift the bucket and dump it in the hopper. The machine then eats dirt and spits out bricks.
Now, the fatigue-inducing part of this operation is not tilling. It is not really lifting the bucket to the hopper, because one can either stand on a platform or dig a hole for the CEB press so the hopper is reached easily. The real hard part is shoveling dirt into buckets, one after another. Each bucket got us about 2 bricks. I had no idea that I could shovel only 125 buckets in one 8 hour day – for 250 bricks. That is not an impressive production rate. Read more about our experience in an older post.
One could easily press this amount with a manual, double-block press, that could be made at much lower cost.
So, unless one has a consistent team of at least 10 people, a 5-brick per minute machine is run way under capacity. This is not a practical case for all but the most rare scenarios.
Therefore, why are companies out there still selling expensive, manually-loaded, self-powered CEB machines comparable to The Liberator I? I just don’t get it.
Perhaps if one has a large tiller, one could load a large number of buckets with a front loader? That does not seem to be tooeffective, either. Or a conveyor? That’s a whole major piece of additional edquipment, so why not just increase the hopper size and load with a tractor, which is already part of the equipment base?
We are now going to the tractor-loaded version with a large hopper for the above reasons. I imagine those people who do end up buying expensive, manually loaded machines are either disappointed regarding the difficulty of the work, or they are not aware that manual machines could do a comparable job. I can’t imagine that pressing on the manual lever of a manually-powered machine is all that difficult, having done that a little myself. Are we missing something here?
The practical issue here is, should we be fabricating manually-loaded versions of powered CEB presses? At present, we are not planning on doing that. We will produce just the tractor-loaded version. I would like to hear feedback on this issue. Prospective buyers or fabricators – what makes sense to you? Certainly, some market research on satisfaction levels of buyers of the other manually-loaded, powered CEB presses would be really helpful here.


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If you need a comfortable place, centrally located to the heart of Tallinn, look no further. The Palace hotel is a clean, upscale place to stay, without the upscale price. The staff at the front desk were exceptionally friendly, and they all spoke impeccable English.
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Hassan Diarra, former Texas A&M guard, announces Big East transfer destination
Hassan Diarra had a couple of big plays for the Texas A&M men’s basketball team this past season, including a game-winning 3 in overtime against Florida in the SEC Tournament.
After the season, he was one of a few Aggies who entered their names in the NCAA transfer portal. On Wednesday, he announced his new school.
As you can see below, Diarra took to Twitter to reveal he was heading to the Big East to play for the UConn Huskies in 2022-23:
Thank you Aggieland ❤ Next stop Storrs ? pic.twitter.com/dMe50OOZJ9
— Hassan Diarra (@hassan_diarra11) May 11, 2022
Diarra appeared in 40 games last season for Texas A&M, starting 3 of them. He averaged 6.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest.
How he fares at UConn remains to be seen, but he’ll try to work his way into the starting lineup for Dan Hurley’s crew.


One of the best – the Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann
Tags: Air Show, aircraft, Anders J Andersson, Aviation, Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann, Carl Clemens Bücker, Egyptian Air Force, German, Germany, Great Vintage Flying Weekend, GVFWE, Kemble, Luftwaffe, Svenska Aero, Swedish Air Force, trainer, warbird, WW2
During the Second World War the Royal Air Force was very well served by a variety of trainers including the Miles Magister, the North American Harvard and the immortal de Havilland Tiger Moth. These types, and a few others, serviced the training needs of the RAF and made sure that aircrew were well positioned to transition to front-line types.
The Luftwaffe also had a range of trainers, and their low-winged monoplane equivalent of the Magister was the Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann, and the story of how it came to be built is quite fascinating.
In the 1920s, a German naval aviator, Carl Clemens Bücker, just like many of his compatriots, decided to move across the Baltic Sea to Sweden, as what remained of the defeated German state was strictly forbidden to have any military aviation by the Occupying Powers. In Sweden he established an aircraft manufacturing company called Svenska Aero. Eventually, he returned to Germany, taking a talented young Swedish engineer named Anders J Andersson (who had worked for SAAB) with him. Their new company Bücker Flugzeugbau GmbH, was formed at Rangsdorf in Berlin, and Andersson designed a superbly aerobatic biplane, the Bü 131 Jungmann, which was instantly ordered for the Deutscher Luftsportverband, the Government sponsored official flying clubs, and when Germany openly established the Luftwaffe, they eagerly adopted it as a trainer.
As the war clouds gathered, in February, 1939, the company launched a new primary trainer, the Bü 181 Bestmann. It was a side-by-side two seater, of primarily wooden construction (ply-covered), except for the cockpit area which was reinforced with steel tube. All control surfaces were fabric-covered, and the aircraft turned out to have beautifully harmonized, light controls. Power came from an inverted Hirth HM 500 or 504A four-cylinder engine of 105 hp, which gave a cruising speed of 120 mph, and a maximum speed of 133 mph. It had wheel brakes, but they were controllable ONLY from the left-hand seat!
Soon, the Fliegerschule of the Luftwaffe were stocked with the Bestmann, and it was proving particularly useful, as with its fairly lengthy fuselage and swiveling tailwheel, and narrow-track undercarriage, it emulated the ground handling characteristics of the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter, the Messerschmitt Bf109. In the air, it is a joy to fly. Circuit flying is simple – you enter the airfield circuit, slowing from cruise speed, apply 15 degrees of flap; downwind leg at 80 mph; base leg at 70 mph; flaps to 45 degrees (full); finals at 65 mph; touchdown at 50 mph (either 3-pointer or wheel her in on the mains).
The Bü 181 was used as a primary trainer, liaison aircraft and glider tug – to allow for this, a tow hook was fitted immediately aft of the tailwheel, and four metal external strengthening straps were run the length of the rear fuselage to distribute the towing loads, (although the aircraft in the photograph is not so equipped). Just as with the RAF’s equivalent primary trainer, the Miles Magister, it was customary to issue fighter squadrons with ‘hack’ aircraft, to ferry personnel, pick up small spares, etc. and the Bestmann, with its cargo-netted luggage compartment near the center of gravity, immediately behind the crew seats, was ideal for this. By concentrating a great deal of its mass near or at the center of gravity (the cylindrical fuel tank is directly below the luggage compartment), the aircraft is easily kept in balance, as the ‘moments’ of these masses are small.
As the course of the Second World War began to turn against Germany, the Bücker Flugzeugbau sought to establish manufacturing facilities outside of the major target cities of the Reich. To that end, a production line was set up in the Fokker factory in Holland, and just before the Russian Army advanced into that country, at the Zlínské letecké závody – Zlin Aviation Enterprises – plant in Otorokovice, Czechoslovakia. Many surviving Zlin-381 aircraft (their designation for the Bü 181, used as the C-106 by the Czech Air Force) are powered by the LOM 337A engine, the same as used in the Zlin Trenner, driving an Avia constant speed propeller. The Swedish company Hägglund & Söner AB had already acquired a manufacturing license, and was building the Bestmann for the Swedish Air Force, which designated it the Sk25. The Swiss Air Force also operated seven Bestmann from 1945 to 1956; these had either fled Germany, or had become lost and landed in neutral Switzerland.
To show just how desperate the German situation was towards the end, the Bü 181G on display at the Deutsches Technik-Museum, Berlin (serial no. 501659, coded “RM + HE”) is hung from the ceiling as if in a shallow dive, about to fire its four Panzerfaust anti-tank rockets (one above and below each wing) at the advancing hoards of the Russian T-34 tanks! Both the Russian Air Force, and the French Armed Forces used captured examples, with some Bestmann finding their way to French aero clubs, after the war.
Here we can see a beautifully restored Bestmann, coded ‘GL + SU’ in typical Luftwaffe camouflage, just after having landed at the Great Vintage Flying Weekend, Hullavington. The aircraft is painted as a machine from the Luftwaffe Flying School A/B 115, based at Wels in Austria. It was owned at that time by Mr Peter Holloway, a noted collector of Miles aircraft, who had acquired the Bestmann, a Klemm Kl 35D and a Focke-Wulf Fw44 Stieglitz – all in Luftwaffe markings. Aviation enthusiasts in the U.K. were delighted at the chance to see these rare WW2 trainers in the air, but sadly, within a very short time, Peter had sold all three of them – the Bestmann going onto the German register.
Many of the surviving flyable examples of the Bestmann are those late production aircraft which were built into the 1960s by the Heliopolis Aircraft Works facility in Egypt, as the Gomhouria Mk 6 (‘GL+SU’, is one of these), under license from the Zlin facility and powered by a Walter Minor engine of 95 hp, or post-war Czech-built Zlin machines, many of which are powered by the LOM supercharged engine, producing up to 160 hp. The last Egyptian version was the Mk 8R, complete with single piece ‘blown’ canopy.
The Bestmann owned by Kermit Weeks, the noted American collector, and on display at his Polk City, Florida base, is actually a Zlin Z-381 in Luftwaffe markings. There is one British registered machine still flying, but it has been fitted with a Lycoming flat-four – because spares for Hirth engines are a problem – and this rather spoils the original lines of the Bü 181.
The Bü 181 Bestmann managed to stay in production – somewhere in the world – for more than twenty years, with a total of more than 3,000 being built. It is not only a handsome and historic machine, but with its fine handling qualities and few vices, is still a desirable private aircraft to this day.
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Have you ever imagined what it would be like if Superman was evil instead of good? Well, I don’t know about you, but I certainly did, and you know who else did? James Gunn, which led to the birth of a twisted and dark super-horror movie called Brightburn. Released back in 2019, this movie was made to show us what a being as powerful as Superman is capable of doing and it was spine-chilling. Brightburn was moderately successful, making somewhat over $32 million but if you ask me, this movie could have made way more if it was just a little bit better. But we might have another chance with Brightburn 2.
To fix the issues, The H collective (the production house behind Brightburn) along with its new company called H3 Entertainment is soon coming back to the big screen with Brightburn 2. In this article, find out all we know about the upcoming Brightburn sequel, and to know more, read on!
Is Brightburn 2 in Development?
The first Brightburn movie was developed by a production house called The H Collective. It was initially thought to be a standalone movie but that notion changed as soon as the end credits of Brightburn rolled out showing us an evil variant of Aquaman and Wonder Woman.
Since then, the sequel of Brightburn has been in talks. Now, four years later, The H Collective is starting a brand new company called H3 Entertainment, which is said to be looking forward to incorporating Metaverse, AI, and Web3 into filmmaking.
Keeping in mind the current strikes going on in the United States regarding the incorporation of AI into artistic fields, the founders (Mark Rau and Kent Huang) have given a statement to Deadline where they stated their new AI model will “respect professionals and fans while promoting responsible technology integration.“
Now coming back to the real question, is Brightburn 2 in development? Mark Rau states that the usage of new technology will significantly enhance the quality of the projects that are in production right now including a sequel to the super-horror movie Brightburn. So, to answer this question, Yes, Brightburn 2 is in development.
Brightburn 2 Release Date
As of now, we don’t know when this movie will be released because James Gunn is pretty busy with his revamped version of the DCU and upcoming DC movies so it can be a few years before get to see something related to Brigtburn 2. There is a possibility though that we might get an update about Brightburn 2 after the release of Superman: Legacy, which is lined up to release on 11 May 2025 with David Coresnswet playing the role of the new Superman.
What’s the Cast of Brightburn 2?
Now this question is a tricky one, since, if you’ve watched Brightburn, you know that the whole Breyer family was killed off by Brandon. We could possibly see Jackson A. Dunn return in the role of Brandon Breyer aka Brightburn. But if the team decides to show us an older version of Brandon, he could be replaced by an older actor and appear maybe in certain flashback scenes.
The same goes for Elizabeth Banks as Tori and David Denman as Kyle who appear as Brandon’s parents who were killed by Brandon himself.
In reappearing roles, it’s possible to see Michael Rooker return as the conspiracy theorist Big T who was seen in the end credits scene of Brightburn reporting about evil metahumans. That brings us to the point that these evil metahumans, which seemed to be an evil version of Aquaman and Wonder Woman, could appear in the new Brightburn movie So, this will bring us an evil version of the Justice League.
The possibilities with Brightburn 2 are endless, now all we have to do is wait for an official announcement or an official trailer for the movie. Till then, let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that this movie turns out to be good.
Will Brightburn 2 Be Written by AI?
In an interview with The Deadline, the founders of The H Collective stated that they are starting a new company called H3 Entertainment, which will use AI, metaverse, and Web3 to work on their projects, which seemed to be a threat to human writers, animators, etc. When the founders were questioned about this concern, Mark Rau, the CEO of H3 Entertainment stated:
“Incorporating new technologies into our workflow is about enhancing and complementing, not replacing the human touch in filmmaking. Our primary commitment remains with our skilled workforce. We are determined to use technology to assist, not overshadow, the irreplaceable human touch in cinema.”
In fact, James Gunn recently confirmed on his BlueSky account that Brightburn 2 won’t be written by AI.
So, if we keep this statement in mind, it seems that AI will be used to work in certain aspects of the movie not as a replacement for human talents but to rather enhance it. And if you ask me, I don’t see a problem with that as long as the technology is used as a tool for the writers to use rather than AI being used as writers. What do you guys think about this? Do let me know in the comments!
Is Brightburn Set in the DC Universe?
Is Brightburn a part of the DC universe? This a popular question among fans and a simple answer is no, he’s not. Brightburn is a character who has been inspired by Superman, he has practically the same origin story as that of Superman but with a take that if Superman decided to take over the world instead of protecting it.
This movie has no links to DC comics whatsoever but might introduce certain characters in the sequel of Brightburn that are similar to the characters we have seen in DC movies and comics.
Brightburn 2 Story (Expected)
As the first movie ended, it did set up a sequel, giving us a certain insight into what might happen in the next movie. Brightburn, which was initially thought to be a standalone movie struck the audience with a post-credit scene as soon as it ended. The post-credit scene showed us a conspiracy theorist going by the alias of Big T, talking about other metahuman serial killers present on earth except Brightburn.
He talks about a half-human sea creature who is responsible for sinking ships and a witch who chokes people brutally using a “rope” that forces them to spill their guts. Now this statement could mean that this rope forces people to tell the truth or literally…spill their…guts? I guess we will find out at the Brightburn 2 release date.
As far as the story of Brightburn 2 is concerned, I feel that in this sequel, Brandon is going to team up with these metahumans and form a variant of Justice League which is pure evil or he could be seen fighting them since his mission according to the voice in his spaceship was to “Take the World” and these two metahumans could stand in his way.
Whatever the story may be, I am pretty sure that the sequel of this movie is going to be bigger, badder, and much more gory.


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Skip the drive to the mountains this week (it’s still muddy up there), and hit the hills closer to town. Littleton’s Audubon Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary with walks through the wetlands and kids’ bird-watching hikes, as well as a plethora of other nature activities. If you prefer a mellower wilderness experience, drop in on the Audubon’s classes on bird photography or coyotes, hit up the wildlife photography show, or simply grab a slice of pizza. This all-day festival has an activity for everyone. Sun, June 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Audubon Center, 9308 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton, 303-973-9530 Free


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TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – A 37-year-old
Poughkeepsie man has been remanded to the Dutchess County Jail without
bail following his arrest on a felony charge of drug possession with intent
Poughkeepsie Town Police arrested Anthony Burris at a local motel where
he was found in possession of 230 glassine envelopes containing a total
of 12 grams of heroin that had been packaged for sale.
Town Police were assisted by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force and the
Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office.
Burris was arrested Saturday afternoon following a brief investigation
concerning a suspect in possession of heroin.


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Inspired by a medieval padlock, this sculpture evokes interpretive character, William Stowe’s, role in protecting Warkworth Castle. Look straight ahead; the top of the lock matches the outline of Grey Mare’s Tail Tower.
Visitors can turn the key with a satisfying ‘clunk’ to hear a poetic description of this tower. The lock body is made from mirror polished stainless steel which helps it blend into the surroundings of the castle, solar panels in the rear of the sculpture power the internal audio mechanism.
Play the audio below to hear the message played when the key is turned.
Detailed description of the surrounding architecture.
Visual, Audible and Tactile situated on a new accessible path.
Maintenance and Durability
Polished Stainless steel designed to last a minimum of 10 years. Access hatch for maintenance of audio unit.
Incorporation of Technology
Solar powered audio.


“This legislation helps us update our human resources policies, attempts to provide equal standing for all of our employees, and allows us to be a more competitive employer through our recruitment and hiring policies,” said Mayor Bell.
Toledo’s mayor called it an issue of fairness at a press conference held in the lobby of One Government Center last Friday. The announcement was attended by several members of the local gay community, including former Toledo City Council president Louis Escobar and Eugenio Mollo, Jr., a staff attorney at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE) and board member of Equality Toledo.
Escobar told reporters that he never understood growing up why US-Americans needed special laws for the gay community. Then as he learned more, he realized there were special protections for African-Americans and others in the U.S.
“It makes no sense. These are rights that we should have just as Americans,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that we have to pass these laws. But if we have to, then that’s what we have to do to get justice for everyone. This brings it full circle.”
Mayor Bell’s proposal would extend health and other benefits to the domestic partners of city employee, provided they have certified their status with the city’s Domestic Partner Registry, which was first established in 2007. 167 couples have paid a $25 fee to be placed on the city registry. More are expected to follow suit if city council approves the plan.
The legislation would extend the same health, dental and vision benefits to partners as is offered to spouses and dependent children of city employees. Eligibility would be extended to same-sex or heterosexual couples.
“This is for any unmarried couple, for whatever reason they are unmarried,” explained David Mann, president of Equality Toledo. “Ultimately, it’s about recognizing that, in many cases, they are in a loving and committed relationship. They have a partner who’s entitled to and should deserve the rights to the same benefits as someone who’s in a married relationship. If the city’s going to offer benefits to its married employees, it should offer it to all of its employees on an equal basis.”
Cleveland and Columbus already offer domestic partner benefits. The mayor’s office pointed out the University of Toledo, Lucas County, Owens Corning, and the chamber of commerce are among local employers who already offer domestic partner benefits to their workforce.
“Most competitive cities have already moved forward with this because in order to be progressive, you need to be able to deal with the issues that are actually of the people inside your city,” said the mayor.
“We really think Toledo is catching up with everyone else and we think it’s always the right time to do the right thing and we’re happy to see that they’re ready to it,” said Mann.
Bell’s announcement was met with some skepticism from a few Toledo city councilmen. Councilman George Sarantou stated the proposal would have to be studied carefully. Fellow Republican council member Rob Ludeman expressed both financial and moral concerns about the proposal.
But Bell doesn’t expect the cost of providing the additional benefits to be high, estimating about 2 percent of the city's workforce would sign up for the benefits. Mann estimated employers see an increased cost of between 0.1 and one percent after extending domestic partner benefits.
At least two other city council members have expressed open support for the proposal. Toledo City Council President Joe McNamara and Councilman Steve Steel each spoke at the press conference.
“The bottom line is the city of Toledo should not discriminate what benefits it offers based on race,” said McNamara. “The city of Toledo should not discriminate what benefits it offers based on gender. The city of Toledo should not discriminate what benefits it offers based on sexual orientation. This is a basic question of fairness.”
“We have to be a welcoming community,” echoed Steel.
Many in the gay community expect some people to object to domestic partner benefits on religious grounds. But Escobar called it a “constitutional issue, not a biblical one.” He stated many conservatives quote from the Old Testament when they call homosexuality as a sin.
“I’m a spiritual and religious person, too,” said Escobar, a former Catholic priest. “Jesus came to bring the New Word. Nowhere does he say anything in the Scripture about homosexuality. He teaches love and acceptance of one another. To me, that’s the message and that’s why I’m so disturbed when Christians make such a big deal out of it.”
Toledo City Council has scheduled a hearing on May 30, 2012, starting at 4:00PM to discuss the merits of the proposed legislation.


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Lesson From A Weed
Entombed by four-inch asphalt,
frozen for months,
how can this weed know
it’s spring? That light is up this way
when not a pinpoint guides it?
How does it see that it must
conquer this blackness
and reach for life?
How can its leaves, salad-soft,
struggle so fiercely for their freedom?
Paper-thin, yet they pierce
like relentless tiny jackhammers
until their tips burst through
to claim their place in the sun.
Yet we humans, beset by foes
and woes, will so agreeably
TODAY AT OUR HOUSE:
We’ve been enjoying beautiful sunshine and mild temps today. Bob did some mowing, now he’s installing our window air-conditioner for the hot days ahead. And I’ve begun working on the final revision of my book, Silver Morning Song.
About five years ago I started compiling this book of short stories and poems, including the poem above. My son-in-law, bless his dear heart, designed a lovely cover for it. Then leukemia came along and threw me into a completely different format. This spring I decided to revise the manuscript and include some new stories I’ve written since.
My book has been a back-burner thing since chemo treatment, while I was getting back onto my feet, then starting this new blog and doing some sewing for summer. But now it’s time to get Silver Morning Song propelled into circulation via that famous launching pad, CreateSpace.
Rik Hall of WildSeasFormatting.com has agreed to put my manuscript into e-book format and has the time right now, so I’d best get on it — and I’m quite excited at the prospect. Feels like this particular weed has finally broken through the pavement. 😉
Stay tuned for more details. And if you remember any stories or poems you’ve read here and think should be included in my book, please let me know in the comment box below.


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Birchtree House, Burn, England YO8 8LW
Hayloft Mobile Veterinary Services are now offering preventative healthcare for your beloved dog or cat at an affordable price, working with Vetsure Pet Health Plans.
Please follow the link below to purchase your Hayloft Mobile Veterinary Services Pet Health Plan online.
This can be done at any point ahead of your appointment to collect the appropriate flea or worming treatments or your pet’s annual vaccinations – just let the reception team know that you’re a Pet Health Plan member at the time of booking!
Services Offered By This Practice
Annual Core Vaccinations (Including Kennel Cough for dogs, Feline Leukaemia for cats, when required)
Annual Core Vaccinations for rabbits (Including Myxomatosis and VHD1, when required)
Flea & Worming Treatments (As recommended by your vet)
Annual Fly Strike Treatment
One Nurse Consultation (Per Year.)
10% off Dental Scale and Polish
10% off Neutering
10% off routine in-house blood tests
5% off Vetsure Pet Insurance
Pet Health Plan Price List

domain: pet


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The OCEA Instructional Bargaining Team and the SDOC Bargaining Team met on April 13, 2023 to continue negotiations for the Cost of Living Adjustment and additional proposals. OCEA believes these initiatives are essential to improving the lives of our Osceola County educators. We continued to advocate for our Cost-of-Living adjustment of 6.5% in addition to a $2,000 supplement.
The district has agreed to pay all instructional employees the $2,000 supplement in the May 15 paycheck AND to continue to negotiate the COLA increase!
We are pleased with this result as it will allow our employees to have immediate access to funds and will guarantee that we will see a COLA increase for next year’s salary!
While we wanted to receive the recurring COLA increase this year, we understand that such a long-term budget investment will require a longer conversation and consideration of the changes the Florida State Legislature is making to available funds. Therefore, we view the $2,000 supplement and continued COLA negotiations as the best possible way to allow our members access to immediate short-term relief, as well as access to the maximum amount of funding available for a long-term increase. Furthermore, we are hopeful that our members’ tremendous turnout at school board meetings and letter writing campaigns will encourage a realignment of next year’s budget priorities which will allow for further salary increases.
In addition to COLA, OCEA proposed the following improvements to working conditions and compensation:
- Compliance with the state statute mandating additional payment for critical needs teachers and teachers at Title I schools.
- 3-5 additional days off for bereavement leave for the death of immediate family members.
- Additional protected planning time for teachers during testing season.
- Additional payment for Counselors, Social Workers, ESE/ESOL Resource Compliance Specialists and Media Specialists to cover extra work days at the beginning and end of the year to complete their compliance responsibilities.
- Paycheck protection to guarantee 24-paycheck employees will receive their summer checks on the last day of school.
SDOC reacted favorably to these requests and we are hopeful that action can be taken in our next bargaining session on May 11th! We encourage all instructional personnel to attend this meeting as your presence will strengthen our continued commitment to COLA and all other negotiations!