|Sigforum K9 handler|
What is it? Carbine length, or mid length? Front sight post, or flip ups? 10 inch or 20 inch? Optic? Light? Rail system? Painted or not? Brand?
Tell me about it?
Hell, post a pic!
"It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it works out for them"
Colt LE6920, 16"; Magpul handguard, grip, stock, magazine, sling; Aimpoint CompML3; someone’s flip-up rear BUS; Tango Down(?) VFG; someone’s flash suppressor (AAC, IIRC); INFORCE light.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: sigfreund,
“I am prudent, you are fearful, he is panicking.”
I have two favorites atm.
Number one is currently on HD duty and is a mix-master mutt. RRA lower and upper, Colt Socom 14.5 pinned barrel, old school Larue quad rail, front post gas block, Aimpoint, VFG with Surefire pressure switch and scout. Runs like a scalded ape.
Number two is my current favorite and would be my gun to grab for a class. Spikes lower & upper, Larue MBT trigger, BA mid length Hanson barrel 14.5” barrel, 13” BCM mlok rail, flip up irons, Aimpoint PRO, handstop, Surefire scout with tail switch.
"You can't fix stupid" - Ron White
I'm not sure what fighting AR style is. But for the longest time going back to your colt post it was a colt 6940 with an aimpoint, surefire light with IR, switch, dbal or PEQ, PVS14, backup irons, sling and maybe something I'm forgetting.
But when the brace era arrived all that went on a shorter barrel version MK18 type gun.
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
|Be Like Mike|
I would describe my style as “what can I find on sale that will get me close to what I want but can’t afford.”
The base unit is a 1st Gen VTAC S&w M&P 15. On top is an Aimpoint Pro with backup Magpul flip up sights. The light and attachment came with the rifle as part of the package as did the VTAC sling that is not in the picture. The Surefire light is old and there are better options but this one still works so it gets to stay. It has a Magpul VFG because again, it was on sale and I couldn’t justify the money for one of those shorter ones from BCM. The stock is currently a LaRue version because the original VLTOR had a habit of pulling my beard whiskers out one-by-one. I just ordered a piece of neoprene from McMillen to put over the top to cover the joints that were pulling the hairs so the original VLTOR may be making a return if that neoprene does the job of saving my beard.
"Structural engineering is the art of moulding materials we don't understand into shapes we cannot precisely analyze, so as to withstand forces we cannot really access, in such a way that the community at large has no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance." Dr. A. R. Dykes
Currently, a 16” Daniel Defense, carbine gas gun with an Omega rail, A2 front sight and A1.5 rear. Aimpoint PRO cowitnessed, with SureFire Scout 300 light. MagPul CTR Stock and MOE grip and trigger guard under an ALG Defense ACT trigger. Using a VTAC padded sling.
Working on a very similar Spikes/PSA build but with a Leupold 1-5x VX5 HD FireDot scope and flip up sights. This one will have an Edgar Sherman Design sling.
Looking for an Alaskan Malamute? Look here: http://www.moonsongmals.org
Do not send me to a heaven where there are no dogs.
Step Up or Stand Aside: Support the Troops !
|To Do What is |
Right and Just
My main rifle (work and gets shot the most) is a 10.5 sbr. Has a pws lower, an aero upper, noveske chf barrel, geissele mk8 forend, ssa trigger, and bcm stock and grip. Currently has a scout light, T1, knights buis, and aac flash hider and m4-2000. Nothing is painted on this one. All black minus the forend, scout light, and io cover on the t1 is fde, and the front sight is of course taupe from knights (couldn't resist buying that a few years back when rsr got a bunch of them in stock). I have to upload a pic then when I'm back at a computer.
|Each post crafted from |
rich Corinthian leather
Bushmaster lower with an unknown-maker CAR-style upper. Simple sling. At times, I’ve mounted an out-of-print Viking Tactics SureFire mount to the forearm.
"The sea was angry that day, my friends - like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli." - George Costanza
I carried a Bushmaster 16” heavy barrel,
fixed front sight block,
Changed the front sight to a trijicon insert,
A Wilson clamp on three small rails that fit in the FSB- for a small pistol light,
Hogue pistol grip,
6 position stock,
A2upper with fixed carry handle.
When I retired I swapped the upper to an A4 flattop,
Removed the FSB,
Installed an adjustable GB,
Put a SigSauer QD three prong flash hider for my can,
Replaced the regular grips with a Midwest industries gen 2 free float tube with a small diameter tube.
Also put a CMC drop in one stage trigger(got it on sale at midway)
Then I built another one just like it out of a DPMS with a pencil barrel...(friend was getting separated and needed cash)
This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC,
"Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
“ You may beat me, but you will never win.” sigmonkey-2020
Mine started as a Spike's Tactical M4LE upper and BCG on a Rock River lower and LPK. Carbine-length gas, standard M4 FSB. I swapped the RR trigger for an ALG QMS and the M4 buttstock for a Magpul CTR. I mounted a used Aimpoint Comp-M4 that I picked up from Arfcom, and added a BFG Vickers sling and a Surefire Scout light. The light and front sling QD are both on a mount I found at Midwest Industries that clamps on the FSB. The tape switch for the light was held in place by a couple of rubber bands.
A couple years ago I decided to modify it just a bit. I removed the FSB and handguards / D-ring / barrel nut and replaced them with a slim 13" MLok rail and low profile gas block, and MBus front and rear flip-up BUIS. I swapped the big heavy Comp-M4 for a Sig Romeo-5 RDS, and replaced the A2 pistol grip with a BCM Gunfighter. I have a cheap Vortex 4-12 scope on a PEPR QD mount that I can swap the RDS for in a couple of minutes. It even returns to zero fairly well. I also upgraded the QMS trigger to an ACT. Mounting for the light, tape switch and sling QD are all MLok now. Just recently I replaced the A2 flash hider with a YHM FH that includes a QD mount for a suppressor. I use the same can on one other AR and will also on my 6.5CM bolt gun as soon as I get it threaded.
It started life as a Colt 6920LE.
Diamondback slim handguard
Surefire light mounted at 9:00
Leupold 1.25-4 scope in ADM mounts
Flip up sights
Magpul ACS stock
Hogue pistol grip
Ambi mag release and safety
|Who Woulda |
Mine is old school. An Armalite A2 mid-length upper with a PSA nickel boron bolt on a Lauer (LMT) lower with a Spykes parts kit, Magpul grip and trigger guard and a Colt SP1 A1 stock.
|Hop head |
I have 2,
one is a RRA lower and parts kit, A1 fixed stock,
A2 upper, 16" with some spare parts funky flash hider,
runs like a top
the other is a converted Sendra lower, (happy switch) 11.5 SGW heavy barrel, on a A1 upper and a simple A1 flash hider,
Colt aluminum collapsible stock,
3 round burst currently in it,
it has many many rounds thru it and also runs like a top
|Green grass and |
Bushmaster lower with A2 stock and a LaRue grip, PSA Freedom 16" mid-length upper with ss barrel and a standard HG. FSB with AimPoint M68 in LaRue CCO mount. Noveske rear buis. With 20rd Aluminum GI mag. Simple, not cluttered. No sling right now.
I like simple. Fairly light weight. Handy. All the other stuff is fluff, imho.
"Practice like you want to play in the game"
I only have one in 5.56, just a mutt.
PSA 16" upper and Anderson Lower.
Tried the red dot and went with a 1x6 PA scope.
Swapped the charging handle out for a Radian Raptor.
Swapped the PSA BGC for a Radian one.
Swapped out the carbine action for a Vltor A5 running running an A5H2 buffer.
Used the trigger from a BCM lower kit.
No BU sights, I have a few sets, I just don't run them on my scoped rifles.
I do plan on getting an Inforce light and mounting it in place of the front sight.
Vickers Blue Force padded sling mounted fore and aft.
I had been looking at 1.9" mounts to get the scope up a bit and just got in a Yankee Hill .5" riser to try it out.
That seems much better for me, I just need to get out and try it out live.
It puts my head at a better angle to see through my bifocals, my neck isn't kinked over as much and my ear muff isn't pushed out of the way trying to get a good cheek weld.
As it is now.
Just got this in, no more mags in the back pocket.
Handy place to mount the Safariland holster too.
|hello darkness |
my old friend
Carbine length gas system. Geissele trigger. Bravo company upper. Sbr’d to please the three letter guys.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: gw3971,
|Good, bad, I'm the |
guy with the gun
Colt 6921. KAC M4 RAS, Surefire Scout light, Vicker's sling. Accurate and fun to shoot.
|Old Air Cavalryman|
Wilson Combat TTU
Magpul STR stock and PRO flip sights
BFG custom sling
This message has been edited. Last edited by: ARMT Guy,
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying who shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, here am I, send me."
|Busier than a cat covering |
crap on a marble floor
LE6945CQB - Meprolight M21 - INFORCE WML - SiCo Omega 300
Old Arizona saying: "A rattlesnake in the living room ends all discussion about animal rights."
CMMG SBR'd lower, LMT MRP CQB upper with 10.5" barrel, AAC Blackout FH, Aimpoint H1 and Surefire X300. No photos...haven't been home since January.
“People have to really suffer before they can risk doing what they love.” –Chuck Palahnuik
Be harder to kill: www.brianstramel.com
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text:
The government confronts mysterious incidents that threaten international safety and determines it must employ a team of experts who are shrunken to microscopic size to infiltrate and ... See full summary »
This animated series continues the adventures of the USS Enterprise, taking advantage of the visual freedom of animation to present stories with more alien elements. Written by
Kenneth Chisholm <email@example.com>
Filmation rotoscoped three live action USS Enterprise shots from the original show to use as stock animation. The shots rotoscoped were the ones where the Enterprise is coming toward camera in orbit (used in most of the original shows), the shot where the camera zooms in on the top of the Enterprise (where the bridge is) seen in full on "Star Trek" The Cage (1966) and a shot of the Enterprise zooming toward camera which also came from "The Cage" and was used rarely as stock footage. See more »
Well, I really must disagree with the Late Great Bird of the Galaxy (*). He said that this series should not be canon, but I think it should.
The stories were good, including many of the original writers, and even a story by Hugo/Nebula award winner, Larry Niven. The animation was - well - let's say Disney animation tastes like a fine, high quality, Austrian cake, and ST's animation tastes like cardboard.
If you are a ST-TOS fan, well, get every single episode here.
If you are a ST-TNG+ fan, try one out, preferably Yesteryear, or More Tribbles, and then decide if you want to see more. There are some silly ones.
** out of *****
(*) This is Gene Roddenberry, for the uninitiated
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domain: entertainment


DETERMINATION OF FETAL SEX BY ANALYSIS OF CIRCULATING DNA
CHANGES : PRE-ANALYTICAL CONDITIONS
In order to simplify the pre-analytical procedure, this test will now be carried out using plasma rather than serum as previously. It will therefore no longer be necessary for the sample to be pre-treated (centrifuged) by your laboratory before it is sent out.
The maternal blood sample will be taken in a Streck-Cell-Free DNA BCT® tube and sent directly to our laboratory at room temperature (maximum storage time 5 days; temporary storage at +4°C if necessary).
This device is identical to the one used for the screening test for chromosomal abnormalities by analysis of circulating DNA (DPNI). It enables the blood sample to be stored properly (stabilisation of fetal DNA) without the need for prior handling.
Available to order from www.mycerba.com
These new pre-analytical conditions therefore simplify and harmonise practices for the analysis of circulating fetal DNA.
However, the documentation that must be attached to the sample remains unchanged: the medical prescription form, including consent for the test to be carried out, and the ultrasound report.
Please note! From Tuesday 2 January, serum samples will be refused.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require any further information,
Cerba Customer Relations Department


Rumour has it that the new "baby Lambo" will be powered by the Audi S8 engine. Does anyone know if this is true or not? I'd say that this would be a great disappointment if they developed a Lamborghini with an engine from a different manufacturer. It just ruins the name and the image. Lamborghini has already developed a 400HP 4.0L V-10 for the Cala so they should stick to that. Audi's engines are pretty good since they have 5-valves per cylinder but I still think Lamborghini should do everything in-house. Audi should simply make sure that Lamborghini has the technical expertise in their R&D department and proper quality control to build better quality vehicles. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out.


BlackBerry releases the first official photos of the BlackBerry Priv
The company also noted that it will soon reveal when the eagerly-awaited handset will be offered for purchase. Judging from the excitement that BlackBerry has kicked up with the Priv, this could end up selling like hotcakes once launched. We expect to hear that the 5.5-inch screen has a 1440 x 2560 resolution, and that the device is powered by the Snapdragon 808 chipset. That means the phone will have a hexa-core CPU and the Adreno 418 GPU. 3GB of RAM is said to be inside, and the 18MP rear-facing camera should come with OIS.
BlackBerry seems interested in promoting the secure aspects of the device, and that is important to differentiate it from other Android phones. But for the Priv to live up to its potential, the consumer appeal of Android cannot be understated, or else BlackBerry will end up in the same position that was in before getting this boost from the Priv leak.


text:
Kohler Posters is immoderately conspicuous and makes a fantastic wall decoration, this dimension is 12 x 16 inch and the price is $22.99. If you're trying to hunt for top recommended Kohler Posters with penny price, the poster is the perfect deals for you.
Type: Tin Sign
Dimension: 12 x 16 inch
Kohler Posters is simply a bewitching poster to have on the wall. This poster is reliable and evoke empathy and each of them matures as they are stocked with challenges and surprising revelations. It is more than just a perfect posters about art, or graphics much more. The produce itself is very lovely, you get what you see on the screen. The sizeand the colors fit certainly onto any wall and give a rather exciting experience. If you love full characters and enthralling story lines, this poster is the series for men. This is the sizethat was absolutely used to print theater photo. This poster looks stirring, it has the singular size, it has changed a tons of and in a very perfect way the ambience of the room. We have all the latest fun and heart-stirring Kohler Posters related to entertainment!


text:
Breezy stans, don’t murder me, k?
Chris recently dropped the video for his version of N*ggas in Paris much to his fans delight, I’m sure. Imagine my surprise as I’m watching and see that he’s sporting vampire fangs, which would only highlight a lispy speech impediment…if you have one.
Ah, still a fan of the song though. Breezy has some skills! Could’ve gone my whole life without ever seeing T-Pain by his side but…whatever works.
Post your thoughts!

domain: celebrity


text:
Graphic & Web Designer
Bhushan is a graphic and web specialist with qualifications in Information Technology. He has completed 3D Animation, Graphic and Web design from National Institute of Computer Arts. He has around five and half years experience in creating and designing marketing collateral and related media. He is proficient in Joomla, WordPress, HTML/HTML5, CSS/CSS3, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash, CorelDraw and Sound Forge.

domain: artistic


Margo Price releases live Ryman album for COVID-19 relief
After more than a decade in Music City, Margo Price made her way up to headlining three nights at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in 2018 — and she didn't squander a second of it.
The independent country singer's Ryman run included a ton of special guests (Jack White, Sturgill Simpson, Emmylou Harris) and a supersized band. Price took turns behind the drum kit, piano, and was even singing atop the audience pews on the final night.
Also, you'd better believe she had it all thoroughly documented.
Now that the pandemic has put her tour plans on hold (and postponed the release of her next studio album), Price is still making the most of things.
She's just released the live album "Perfectly Imperfect at the Ryman," and proceeds will go to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. It's available exclusively on Bandcamp.
The album's 11 tracks include "Hurtin' (On the Bottle)," "All American Made" and appearances by White (on the White Stripes' "We Can't Afford to Look this Cheap"), Simpson (Rodney Crowell's "I Ain't Living Long Like This") and Harris ("Wild Women").
MusiCares is the charitable arm of the Recording Academy. Its COVID-19 Relief Fund aims to "help our peers in the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic."
Price has postponed the release of her anticipated third solo album, "That's How Rumors Get Started," which was originally slated to drop May 8.


Hyderabad: After months of dilly-dallying,
the Congress on Monday finally cracked the whip against its rebel
MLAs in Andhra Pradesh.
Government whip Kondru Murali Mohan submitted a petition
to Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar on Monday night seeking
disqualification of 16 Congress MLAs who defied the party whip
and voted against the Kiran Kumar Reddy government during the
no-confidence motion tabled by TDP in the state Assembly on
This is the first time in the state`s political history
that a ruling party is seeking disqualification of its own
MLAs under the Anti-Defection Law.
The MLAs had been sailing with YSR Congress president and
Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy for over a year now.
Incidentally, the Congress "condoned" another MLA
Putalapattu Ravi who abstained from voting on the no-
confidence motion in violation of the whip.
Ravi, who hails from the Chief Minister`s native Chittoor
district, met the PCC leaders and explained the reasons for
his abstention at the time of voting in the House. Satisfied
with his version, the Congress decided to "condone" Ravi, who
once displayed his loyalty to Jagan.
Ravi`s case was intimated to the Speaker by the whip.
On the other hand, the Praja Rajyam Party that merged
with the Congress had already petitioned the Speaker seeking
disqualification of its MLA Sobha Nagi Reddy who too violated
the whip and voted against the government. Sobha is related to
Jagan and has been sailing with him along with her husband
Bhuma Nagi Reddy.
The Congress was initially in a dilemma over axing the 16
rebel MLAs fearing by-elections even as Jagan openly threw a
challenge at the ruling party to act against his loyalists.
However, Chief Minister Reddy was firm on acting against
the MLAs and took up the issue with party supremo Sonia Gandhi
during a meeting on December 10. She immediately gave her nod
for the action but the local leadership took two days to
complete necessary formalities.
The government whip held detailed talks with the chief
minister this afternoon on the issue and also met the Speaker
in the afternoon. The petition was finally prepared on Monday night
and submitted to the Speaker.
The 16 MLAs, along with 12 others, submitted their
resignation to the Congress as well as the Assembly membership
in August protesting the inclusion of late chief minister Y S
Rajasekhara Reddy`s name in the CBI FIR in the case against
However, 12 MLAs retracted and requested the Speaker not
to accept their resignations even as the Congress did not
spare any effort to attract them back into the party fold.
In the final count, only 16 MLAs stayed put in the Jagan
camp and voted against the government during the no-confidence
The MLAs against whom the Congress sought
disqualification were: Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, Pilli Subhash
Chandra Bose, Konda Surekha (all former ministers), Mekapati
Chandrasekhar Reddy (brother of Nellore MP Rajamohan Reddy),
Dharmana Krishna Das (brother of state R&B Minister Dharmana
Prasada Rao), M Sucharita, Amarnatha Reddy, T Balaraju, G Babu
Rao, G Srikanth Reddy, Kapu Ramachandra Reddy, Srinivasulu,
Prasada Raju, Gurunath Reddy, Chennakesava Reddy and P
Only Konda Surekha hails from Telangana region while the
others belong to Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
As per procedure, the Speaker has to issue notices to the
MLAs against whom the petition was filed and seek their
version before taking a final decision. The PRP MLA was given
time till December 19 to present her case. It is expected that
the Congress rebels too will get enough time to present their
By-elections become inevitable to the 17 seats if all
these rebel MLAs are disqualified as per the Schedule 10 2 (1)
(b) of the Constitution, Legislature sources say.
Already, seven seats are vacant in the 294-member AP
Assembly and in the event of disqualification of 17 MLAs the
number of vacancies will rise to 24.


text:
Eva Periche Tomas
Myfyriwr ymchwil, Ysgol Seicoleg
- Canolfan Ymchwil Delweddu'r Ymennydd Prifysgol Caerdydd, Heol Maendy, Caerdydd, CF24 4HQ
Mae'r cynnwys hwn ar gael yn Saesneg yn unig.
Why older individuals seem to be more susceptible to the cognitive and motivationally impairing effects of inflammation?
We know that in older adults, infection can lead to coginitive disturbance and when severe or chronic it can cause irreversible cognitive impairment and accelerate the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such Alzheimer's. However, little is understood about the mechanisms driving this susceptibility.
I aim to identify these mechanisms by using a combination of an experimental model of inflammation (Interferon-alfa) with a range of neuroimaging techniques (DCE, MR spectroscopy, rsfMRI and PET) to quantify how inflammation affects human brain function at the level of: BBB function, microglia morphometry, neuronal function (dopamine turnover) and functional connectivity.
Towards a mechanistic understanding of how age increases susceptibility to inflammation-induced cognitive disturbance
School of Psychology and Hodge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Immunology (School of Medicine)

domain: medical


text:
The UK left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020 at 11pm. The FCA has now provided information for firms regarding the Brexit implementation period, which is expected to last until 31 December 2020.
The FCA’s message is that there will be little change for firms during the implementation period. EU law will continue to apply, firms and funds will continue to benefit from passporting between the UK and EEA and any consumer rights and protections that are derived from EU law will remain in place. The FCA has stated that it ‘will continue to keep firms and consumers updated on any changes that will impact them.’
Chief Executive of the FCA, Andrew Bailey has said, “The work the FCA has undertaken, along with government and the Bank of England, ensured the financial services sector was one of the best prepared industries for any of the possible Brexit outcomes. The implementation period gives firms a period of certainty while negotiations are continuing on our future relationship with the EU.”
All firms are reminded that, throughout the year, they should continue to consider how Brexit might impact their business and what action they should take to be prepared for 1 January 2021 when the implementation period ends.
The FCA has webpages dedicated to Brexit, which will provide regular updates, so it’s advisable for firms to keep an eye on these.

domain: news


text:
Slater & Gordon has its sights set on the UK legal services market following the introduction of legislation allowing listed companies and incorporated law firms to compete with Britain's traditional law firms.
Speaking at the firm's annual general meeting on Friday (21 October), company chair Anna Booth said the company's board is supporting the search for opportunities in the UK following a deregulation of the legal services market which allows listed companies to trade as Alternative Business Structures under the Legal Services Act 2007.
"[The] board continues to give support to management to explore opportunities for Slater & Gordon in overseas markets, particularly in the UK, which is a similar legal jurisdiction to Australia," said Booth.
"I wish to assure shareholders that your board will ensure that every similarity and every difference has been critically assessed before we consider any investment overseas."
While the firm's recent acquisitions of Trilby Misso and Keddies have proven to be fruitful - bringing in an additional $43 million in revenue since they joined the firm earlier this year - Booth acknowledged that similar acquisition opportunities in the Australian market are dwindling.
"While we certainly see scope for further growth in the Australian personal injuries litigation market, there are limited opportunities for more acquisitions of the Trilby Misso or Keddies size," she said.
"We'll continue to pursue opportunities to accelerate the organic growth of the personal injuries business while we develop other avenues for the long-term growth of the company."
Managing director Andrew Grech said opportunities in the UK market are being "more seriously evaluated" with the firm looking to take advantage of the changing regulatory environment and the fact the personal injuries market in the UK generally has lower working capital requirements.
Slater & Gordon continues to enjoy strong financial growth, with Grech revealing total revenue earnings of $182.3 million for the 2010/11 financial year - a jump of 46.2 per cent from the previous year.
Over the past five years, the firm has achieved 30 per cent compound annual growth and Grech is confident the firm can exceed total revenue of $200 million for the 2011/12 financial year.
The firm listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2007 and was the first law firm in the world to do so.


text:
Benefits of chia seeds for dogs and cats
New research has surfaced showing that chia seeds can be very beneficial for dogs and cats. Here’s what you need to know about giving chia seeds to your pet:
Benefits of supplementing with chia seeds
The essential fatty acids (EFA’s) found in chia seeds not only give your pet a sleek coat and healthy skin, but at the right dosage, they can also help reduce inflammation and protect against cancer. They are an essential part of your pet’s diet because your pet cannot make EFA’s on their own.
Fact: Chia has 3 times the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids as salmon
Omega-3 is important to balance out Omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega 3 promotes healthy:
- Immune system
- Skin and coat
- Brain development and maintenance
- Eye development and maintenance
Why chia seeds are a great alternative
Chia seeds are picky-eater approved: they do not have a strong taste or scent. The dosage is quite potent, with only 1 teaspoon per day for small pets or 2 teaspoons per day for large pets, or 1/4 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight.
How to add chia to your pet’s diet
- Sprinkle seeds on top of dry food
- Mix seeds into wet food
- Soak the seeds in water for 10 minutes, strain, and serve as directed above
- Grind seeds into a powder and serve as directed above

domain: pet


text:
25 consumer advantages to EU’s Single Market
EU’s 28 member countries and the EES countries Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein form EU’s internal market. There should be a flow of goods, services, people and capital between these 31 countries, without the obstacles of customs, fees, discrimination or national requirements. New legal documents are also continually being added and jointly implemented in the member countries.
25 advantages to EU’s Single Market
- One collective currency. In the EU there are 19 countries that you can travel to and get away with using only Euro as the only currency, including the popular vacation spots Spain, Portugal and Greece.
- The new general data protection regulation. The regulation, which is abbreviated GDPR, has harmonised laws on integrity protection throughout Europe, making it equal for everyone.
- The ECC network. There is an office in every EU member state, as well as in Iceland and Norway. They offer consumers free help and advice regarding cross-border trade.
- Free roaming within EU/EES. New roaming regulations were implemented one year ago, which entail that you will not need to pay additional fees when using your mobile within the EU, in Norway, Lichtenstein or in Iceland. Instead you pay your usual Swedish rate.
- Compensation if you have problems with your flight. The EU has created a set of rights (Air Passenger Rights/APR) that exist to protect you when you fly and make it easier for you to receive compensation if you run into problems. Use our flight calculator to find out exactly what you are entitled to
- Free travel app. Keeps tabs on your rights when you travel within the EU and find available help in all 24 official languages within the ECC network. Read more about the app and download it here
- Protection when you enter contracts for timeshare accommodations. The so-called timeshare directive protects you when you enter contracts for timeshare accommodations, i.e. a contract that is valid for more than one year and which, against payment, gives a consumer right of use for one or more overnight accommodations for more than one time period, also called a timeshare.
- Right of cancellation in distance selling. You are always legally entitled to a 14-day right of withdrawal when you make online purchases within the EU and EES.
- Fairer trade methods. The EU’s anti-dumping regulation is designed to protect EU’s own producers and business owners from unfair trade methods. This is among other things achieved by stopping imported products where the price has been reduced artificially through state intervention.
- Safe goods and products. Extensive safety directive and standard of CE labeling ensures that product safety in Europe is very high.
- Live and work wherever you want. Are you thinking of moving to another country within the EU? The agreement on free mobility makes that possible.
- Safer use of cards. The second payment services directive went into effect this year, which for consumers means that there is a limit on fees that can be charged for card payments as well as improved consumer protection against fraud.
- Right to withdrawal always applies. If you purchase a defective product within the EU you have at least a two-year right of withdrawal.
- Safe on the bus journey. Your rights as a long-distance bus traveler are regulated by an EU regulation.
- Wider range of products for you to shop. The openness within the European single market gives you access to a wider selection, lower prices and products that are not available on your home market.
- Easier to get justice. Simplified legal procedures for cross-border consumer issues, such as European Small Claim Procedure and European Payment Order Procedure, have been implemented in order for consumers to get help more easily.
- No customs fees. Worried about customs fees when you shop online? Not within the EU.
- New package-trip law. A new EU directive will come into effect on August 1st. This directive clarifies the protection for 120 million consumers who have booked different forms of combined trips.
- Alternatives to dispute settlement. The ADR directive and ODR platform are two resources for the ECC network and Consumer Europe that have been implemented in order to reach alternative solutions to disputes between consumers and business owners.
- Easier bank transfers. In order to simplify bank transfers within the EU there is the Single Euro Payments Area, SEPA.
- Cross-border streaming. According to an agreement you should have the same access to the streaming content service that you subscribe to in all EU countries. These regulations include all types of streaming services – for film, T.V and music – and it goes into effect by the turn of the year.
- Support for travelers with reduced mobility. A future initiative within the EU is the so called EU Disability Card, which is meant to make it easier for persons with disabilities to travel between EU countries.
- Receive medical care anywhere. With the European health insurance card you have access to necessary medical care during a temporary stay in any of the 28 EU countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, according to the same terms and at the same cost as other people with insurance in that country.
- Select any bank you want. Free mobility of capital means that you have the right to open up a bank account in any EU country.
- The end of geo-blocking. In the end of 2018 it will no longer be permitted to discriminate against consumers and companies within the EU when it comes to access to prices, sales or payment terms based on what country you order from.

domain: politics


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domain: game


text: This is perhaps one of the best hotels in San Antonio. The location is great, directly across from the Alamo. The hotel is a very short walk to the main areas of the Riverwalk. The staff members that I encountered were very pleasant and professional. I only paid $65.00 for the room via Priceline. I highly recommend this hotel.

domain: geography


text:
Pizza with speck and rocket – Recipe Kit
Home-made pizza is a great dish to add to your repertoire. It’s easy to do and everyone loves a pizza! This recipe has a delicious smoked speck, buffalo mozzarella and rocket topping, that you can literally throw on the pizza as it comes out hot from the oven.
Makes 2 pizzas
What you get:
2 x 250g Frozen dough balls
1 x Buffalo mozzarella ball
1 x Handful of basil
160g x Grated mozzarella
8 x Slices speck Prosciutto
100g x Flour for dusting
1 x Bunch rocket
200g x Pizza sauce
1. Put the frozen dough in the fridge until defrosted (2-3hrs or overnight). Place in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave somewhere warm for 1hr.
2. Slap the dough down and knead for 3 minutes until soft but not too elastic. Leave to rest on an oiled baking sheet covered with clingfilm for 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to its highest setting and put in 2 heavy baking trays or a pizza stone to heat up. Flatten each ball of dough with the palm of your hand and roll it out with a well-floured rolling pin as thinly as possible.
4. Spread on some tomato sauce with the back of a ladle, add picked basil leaves and top with grated mozzarella.
4. Put a pizza base directly on each hot baking tray and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the base is crisp.
5. Take out of the oven and top with torn (room temperature) buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto and rocket.

domain: food


text:
2020 is shaping up to be a year that shows the power of financial independence. As teenagers, we crave independence. This means we also need to become financially independent from our parents. When we do not depend solely on others for livelihood, we have more control in our lives. This gives us a greater say in how we respond to our environment.
COVID-19 has forced countries into isolation...Read More
Chances are we all have more than one bank account. As the world switches increasingly to being cashless, bank accounts become more important. They are now the new substitute to our traditional wallets.
Depending on your preference, you may have one or many accounts. Choosing suitable accounts is similar to buying wallets that meets your needs. It is important to know what you want and need....Read More
Learning how to trade is increasingly popular as a way of making money. If you have not read our article on the overview of investments and trading, you might wish to look at that first to get the context of today’s discussion.
Today, we are going to look at the benefits and risks of investing versus trading.
At the core of trading/ investing, people earn through this term called...Read More
There are so many lessons that I learn as a business owner.Daily, I am challenged to learn and constantly apply myself in different areas.
It’s been a crazy second quarter of the year as we took part in the City of Canning’s business program, networking with other business owners and being facilitated in all areas of business. The time commitment was intensive, but the sessions...Read More
Building financial resilience is becoming increasingly important. 2020 is turning out to be a year that none of us had expected. There is a lot of uncertainty around when all these will end and go back to ‘normal’. It has also been challenging for individuals to figure out a new way of living. Studies have shown how COVID-19 has impacted our finances.
As spending patterns change, this has...Read More
As I write this, half of 2020 has gone and most of us spent the first half of the year dealing with the curve-ball of figuring out how to deal with the pandemic.
Now that countries are slowly opening back up, we are all trying to determine how to get our lives back to ‘normal’. During this period, some of us got more present to how lives can be reset. Others, like me, have formed...Read More
Many teenagers and young adults are now exploring trading as another way to earn money. It’s thus imperative that they know how to trade and what it is. It was heartbreaking to read the news of Alexander E. Kearns’s suicide! Imagine feeling you had to take your life because of $730,000 in debts. Worst, this was a temporary balance before settlement. Subsequent revelations...Read More
As our children grow into teenagers, they desire more independence. Some start looking for part-time work as a way to expand their income. This is a great opportunity for parents to coach and guide children into how to earn money more effectively.
1) Getting A Job
Most of us earn income by getting a job. From young, children may have learnt to exchange effort for money by being paid to...Read More
Teaching kids about money is challenging. We often learn how to teach the value of money by observing our parents, through collective wisdom on social media and having conversations with our children when opportunities arise. This means that children do not get a holistic and complete view about how to manage money. Their learning is limited by what they are exposed to. After talking to...Read More

domain: finance


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"Miami Rocks our Troops" concert
caines | 10/4/2012, 5:30 a.m.
Concert fundraiser benefits non-profitThe Miami Rocks Our Troops concert, which was held at the Bank United Center in Coral Gables, housed heroes and musical masters on Saturday night. Countless people gathered to hear great songs and celebrate the sacrifices that men and women have made for their country. Proceeds for the concert went to the non-profit organization, HonorVet.org an organization dedicated to helping veterans survive life after service. The musical line-up included the best of the best. Rock and roll hall of famer Billy Gibbons, multi-Grammy award winning Jose Feliciano, the most popular R&B group on YouTube, Ahmir, who has recently scored a record deal with Robbins Entertainment and Billy Ray Cyrus were among the many artists who came out to perform. It was our way to give back, said Honorvet.org co-founder Jesse Canella. The concert had something for everyone from country to R&B. The line-up was reflective of HonorVet.orgs innovative and hands on approach to assisting veterans. There is a new generation of veterans who use the Internet, Canella said. We decided to create an online platform that can help them adjust to life after service. The non-profit provides online mentoring, networking, job opportunities and numerous services for veterans to utilize.
From online to on stage
R&B group, Ahmir, is very familiar with the benefits of Internet use. The group is the most popular group on YouTube averaging over 65 million video views and comments. The group has been gaining consistent momentum within the past year especially with the Huffington Post naming the groups cover of P!nks song Perfect as one of the top anti-bullying PSA. These guys are a YouTube sensation their involvement with the concert embodies the concept of the organization and the show, Canella The group performed a total of five songs for the evening. Group member Mark Robertson said that there is just something different about the Miami crowd. Everyone is just ready to have a good time, Robertson said. While the group got to sing a few songs, Robertson said that his favorite song to perform on the Miami stage was the groups new song, War, which will be released on iTunes on the singers birthday [October 23]. The right place at the right time Canella, whose central location for his non-profit is based in mid-town Manhattan, said that Miami was the ideal location for a show like the Miami Rocks Our Troops concert. Miami has a big military presence, Canella said. We wanted to show veterans that they are cared for, with this show. By Julia Samuelsjsamuels@miamitimesonline.com


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The opioid crisis in Canada is not just a street problem — kids from seemingly good homes homes are overdosing in Starbucks bathrooms
In recent years the hedonistic lifestyle Michael became famous for had left the once handsome pop icon a bloated version of himself
Chief Adam Palmer joined Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson in calling for the provincial government to shift its focus from harm-reduction to addiction treatment
The long decline in HIV infections among white people who inject drugs has stalled, another grim side effect of the nation’s drug abuse epidemic
The number of patients on methadone has soared, climbing in Ontario alone from 3,000 in 1996 to over 50,000, almost four times the per-capita rate in the U.S.
After following three Vancouver heroin addicts for a year, photographer Aaron Goodman is giving them a voice by sharing their thoughts on his candid shots of their lives
Fifteen years ago, this would have sparked a NIMBY rebellion. Certainly, there will be pointed questions. But I suspect this time around it will be different
The Crown said it could not conclude the woman had an 'objective basis to fear for her safety.' Experts say this reveals flaws in criminal harassment law
It affects up to 80 per cent of infants born to women who use opioids — drugs such as oxycodone and fentanyl that are behind a dramatic rise in overdose deaths
Tyler Tabor was an addict and knew he was going to jail. He wanted to get clean first because he knew if he was still hooked, he 'wouldn't make it out alive'

domain: sociology


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Butter had been a staple ingredient in making pastries of different kinds. From mixing it with heavy cream or making it as a batter—butter is a favourite get-go for bakers and even beginners. Maximizing its potential as an ingredient is a goal that anyone would want to pull off. Commonly, there are two kinds of butter that we all know: salted and unsalted. But there is one more kind of butter: sweet cream butter.
Butter is fat that has been free from butter and milk. It is mostly made from cow’s milk but can sometimes be from the milk of other mammals. It is safe for consumption for lactose-intolerant people and is rich in vitamin A. In the market, different types of butter had been seen by numerous people who had been confused about it. Aside from all of them being butter, many ingredients vary in these different faces of butter.
Sweet Cream Butter
Puzzlement would always be in our faces every time we see the word ‘sweet cream butter’ in packaging. It can be found in restaurants and grocery stores but not many would take the chance to differentiate. After all, butter is butter and most of us are only familiar with regular butter. Sweet cream butter only differs from regular butter in terms of the kind of milk used in the butter. The answer is pasteurized fresh cream. This is unlike the cultured or sour cream that is used in the regular butter. The word ‘sweet’ additionally, is used to distinguish the sweet cream butter from the sour cream ones.
Sweet cream butter is also known as American style butter which means that it is USDA-monitored that requires at least 80 percent butterfat and no more than 16% of water. It also composes of lactose and protein. The European style is the ones that used soured cream which can be fermented to have a distinct taste. It also gives a faint sour taste. Sweet cream butter can also come in two types—unsalted and salted—which we can find useful in making a different kind of recipes.
In baking different pastries, people should always keep in mind that the kind of butter they used can influence the finished product. It’s important to look at a recipe’s indicated ingredients or think about what you need to buy. For example, using European style butter for a pastry designed for American butter, you would get a greasy and buttery product. At the end of the day, it’s all personal preference and depends on what kind of pastry you are baking.
If there are still questions on types of butter, here’s a supplemental video:
Making Homemade Sweet Cream Butter
Since regular kinds of butter in the household are mostly European style, some people can become frantic once they discovered that a dish is supposed to use sweet cream butter. Resources can’t magically appear in front of our eyes and this can happen a lot of times with sweet cream butter. Knowing how to make one use of household ingredients for making American butter is a powerful skill to have especially in the baking industry.
In this recipe, there are only two ingredients to be used: two cups of heavy cream and ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt. A food processor or blender, and strainer are also appliances we can use in making sweet cream butter:
- Put cream and salt in the food processor or blender.
- Whip the cream until pure butterfat separates from the milky part. Using the food processor, you can hear the liquid splashing against the bowl which indicates that they are now separated. The fluffy cream becoming a bit yellow and grainy is a great thing and only means the separation of buttermilk and butterfat.
- Strain this mixture using the strainer and shake until the liquid part is drained out. Lastly, you can squeeze the butter evenly using a soft towel surrounded by it. Continue this until seeping buttermilk can’t be seen out of the butter.
For storing this homemade sweet cream butter, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remember to always let it sit for room temperature first before using it. Early consumption is also recommended. In trying this recipe, you can also add variations depending on your personal preferences.
Using Sweet Cream Butter
Many types of butter can confuse a beginner baker. Although there can be differences in the finished product, sweet cream butter generally goes well in different kinds of foods. It can be used in a wide variety of cooking, baking, or as a simple sandwich spread. Here are also recipes where sweet cream butter is used:
- Indian Butter Chicken
- Caramelized Brown Butter Fudge
- Garlic Butter Spread
- Different kinds of sauces
Storing Sweet Cream Butter
Putting your sweet cream butter in the refrigerator for storage is the best choice to prolong its life. Along with this, here are some tips that you can find helpful:
- Use an airtight container in storing your butter for it not to absorb any flavour or odour inside of your fridge.
- Sweet cream butter can thrive well at room temperature when it is regularly used and sealed in an airtight container.
- An airtight container is also the best solution if you’re planning on putting the butter in the freezer. It avoids freezer burn or dehydration and assists in prolonging a sweet cream butter’s shelf life.
- Extremely high temperatures can melt butter easier than expected. Keeping it in a cool place is a must for areas with these temperatures.
Sweet Cream Butter Fast Facts
Here is quick information about sweet cream butter that you may find useful in skimming the whole thing:
- Sweet cream butter is also known as American butter and uses pasteurized fresh cream as its main ingredient.
- American butter contains about 80% fat and each tablespoon contains about 8% recommended dose of Vitamin A. The salted variant also contains sodium.
- Creating sweet cream butter is easy: separate butterfat and buttermilk and add a pinch of salt as a preservative.
- Sweet cream butter, or butter in general, is healthier to use instead of vegetable processed oil.
- Storing and prolonging sweet cream butter’s shelf life can easily be done by using an airtight container. This not only blocks odor from entering the butter but also makes sure that bacteria won’t form inside of it.
A video about making your homemade sweet cream butter:
More Pastry Techniques and Recipes:


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Archive for the ‘The World in a Golden Age’ Category
Hello, Readers! Jonny here.
In my many readings and explorings of the Information Super Highway (that’s the Internet to you “Web2.0” Kiddies) I discovered a Golden Age gem from January 1941 called “The Red Comet” that was published in Fiction House’s Planet Comics.
Planet Comics started in January of 1940 as a monthly magazine collecting, as did most comics of the time, several stories by many authors and artists. Though detectives and superheroes were all the rage in ‘41, Planet Comics catered to a slightly different niche with space odysseys. Known for stories with strong female characters and Good Girl Art, it seems Planet Comics was destined to become the sort of thing collectors drool over and popular culture forgets.
Anyone who follows my infrequent posts knows I have a soft spot for the Golden Age, but for all my love I cannot deny this stuff is crude. Imagine my surprise when I found “The Red Comet” by Arthur King (which may or may not be a pseudonym for Cy Thatcher, Rudy Pallais, and Alex Blum). All of the basic pitfalls of the Golden Age are here and yet there was something more. A lot more.
Within the pages of Planet Comics #10 I found a story that was probably intended to be heroic fantasy, yet ended up written and drawn as one of the most gorgeously Philip K. Dick-style dystopian stories I’ve read in a comic. I can only assume this wonderful transformation was due to the author’s own classist world-view and the three color limit placed on an artist with a remarkable eye for action. If you can, I strongly recommend finding your own copy of Planet Comics #10. If not, I will recap below.
Our story begins as the Red Comet himself bears witness to a landmark in science: the reanimation of a corpse. As a panel of probably-important-people and the Red Comet watch, the body of Tony Scaro is reanimated and “birthed” from the cold womb of a machine. The naked Tony awakes in a strange room. Confused, he asks for clothing.
Now, if I were the Red Comet or a scientist in Future Earth, this would be the part where I rush up to Tony Scaro and say something like, “Welcome to the future! It’s totally awesome here and you’re invited to join us in our perfect society! Enjoy this complementary Future Robe!” Instead this is where the comic starts to get effed up. Rather than addressing Tony directly and welcoming him to his new life in the future, the Red Comet towers above him in demigod-like form and announces Tony is a “low type” from the 20th century.
The scientists – still refraining from actually talking to Tony who has been dead for possibly hundreds of years and has no idea what the hell is happening – decide he will be permitted to “wander where he pleases” but will remain under close observation. For God only knows how long, Tony wanders Future Earth alone, all but naked, and under constant surveillance by unseen forces. Not surprisingly, this wears on Tony and he begins to long for his previous life and friends.
Coinciding with a break in surveillance, Tony commandeers a space ship and heads to Jupiter because, well, why the hell not? Apparently a good space-pilot, Tony lands on Jupiter and is brought before its dictator: a man most ominously named Kil. We can only assume that Tony is the first Earth person in ages to land on Jupiter, because Kil decides to inform Tony of his plans to go to war with Saturn. He then requests that Tony kill statesmen on Earth because that will get Earth to ally with Jupiter against Saturn for some reason. Tony jumps at the idea, and at this point I can’t say I blame him.
Back on Earth (and I’m guessing a few weeks later), the population starts to freak out as many prominent statesmen are murdered. Finally, the Red Comet shows up to announce that he’s discovered more info on Tony Scaro’s past and it turns out Tony was a notorious murderer in his day.
So far in the story I was totally on Team Tony in his rampage against the elitist Future Earth society that would so callously bring a man back to life and then send him naked into the wild after deeming him of inferior social status. Upon learning Tony’s brutal past I started to find him less sympathetic. Then I remembered: THEY DIDN’T KNOW HIS MURDEROUS PAST WHEN THEY FIRST CAST HIM OUT.
Damn, the future is full of dicks.
Receiving a tip from one of Kil’s inside men (wait, if he had insiders in the Earth government already why did he inform the random, naked mystery man from space of his plot? Anyway…) Tony steals another ship and makes for Jupiter with the Red Comet in hot pursuit. This time Kil is less enthusiastic and starts shooting at Tony, fearing that he’ll lead Earth’s forces to Saturn.
Crash landing on one of Saturn’s moons, a fierce battle ensues between Tony and the Red Comet.
Here is where my sympathy for Tony and my hatred for the Red Comet was nearly at full pitch. After winning the battle, Red Comet heads for Jupiter to find out why they were so quick to shoot at Tony. Please remember that Red Comet knows absolutely nothing of Kil’s plan. That becomes especially important when – without talking to anyone on the planet first – he grows to a giant size and single-handedly destroys Jupiter’s fleet that is sent to meet the invading Earth super-being.
Seriously, this guy is a twat.
Back on earth, Red Comet and the scientists decide that Tony Scaro’s violent 20th century ways are incompatible with the awesome Future ways and decide to put him in stasis forever. For this feat of heroism and benevolence the population of Earth praises the Red Comet.
As I said, I’m pretty sure all this horror and dystopia was unintentional. I think we were supposed to be cheering for Red Comet as he fought the murderous Tony Scaro and destroyed the fleets of wicked Kil. But as I read Planet Comics #10 all I felt was horror at the elitist disregard for humanity displayed by the supposedly advanced people of Future Earth. This was probably greatly assisted by the fact that we know and see so little of Red Comet. He only enters the story when somebody’s ass needs kicking which makes him come off as some sort of Gestapo henchmen for Fascists yet to come. This coupled with truly astounding artwork made for a supremely (if inadvertently) enjoyable read. I know I’ve made light of this comic, but again I must emphasize that I was totally enraptured as I read it and I must insist that anyone who enjoys Golden Age stories find a copy of Planet Comics.
Until next time, happy readings!
“Fans come to me asking how this works or that works, and I say, ‘It’s a comic book. It’s not real.’ We already have a real world, why do you want fiction to be like that too?”
– Grant Morrison, 2010
Lately I’ve been reading a lot of Golden Age comics. I know there aren’t many of my generation who appreciate this stuff, and I’m positive I don’t “get it” the way my grandparents did, but the mixture of innocence, desperation, and humanity I find in these old stories is quite compelling.
When my generation imagines old comics we think of Super Friends, but for all its glitter the times of the Golden Age were rather bleak. Thanks to Captain America and Wonder Woman we think the heroes of that first era were framed against the backdrop of WWII. This is not true. While it is true that Superman, Batman, and others came to stand for the American Way their personae were not forged in flames of war, but in the embers of Depression.
“We can do it!” Rosie the Riveter said that for the first time in 1942. Superman debuted in 1938. We met Batman, Namor, and the Human Torch in 1939. Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, and the Spirit first appeared in 1940 alongside most of the Golden Age crew. Wonder Woman is the only major character to appear after Pearl Harbor, and she also joins Steve Rogers in color coordination. All of these heroes were born into an era scarred by record unemployment and rising crime as the country completed a full decade of economic depression.
People were starting to lose hope and this, my friends, is the world Superman needed to save.
Something I love about the early days of superheroes is the lack of super-villains. Oh, sure there were a few notable bad guys like the Joker and Wotan, but on the whole super-villains were exceptions to the norm of mob bosses, corrupt officials, and street thugs. This is what I meant when I said the Golden Age comics were desperate. America thought the problems of everyday life were bad enough to need heroes.
This reveals a real sense of hopelessness deep in the psyche of that generation. Rampant unemployment. Gang violence on the rise and crime organizing like never before. Times were desperate, and the Common Man felt he was quickly losing his place in the day-to-day life of America.
See, creators like Rob Kanigher and Len Wein saw comics as fantastical tales to thrill an audience with absurdity and bizarre scenarios. Jerry Siegel, Bill Finger, C. C. Beck, and Mart Dellon saw comics as a cathartic escape from the harsh reality of violence, corruption, and black-mail.
They saw comics as a weird mixture of hope and escape.
Never mind the crude drawings and clumsy dialogue. The heroes idolized by my grandfather didn’t need to fight aliens to have meaning. Superman was great because he could stop a lynching. We believed in the Green Lantern because he could expose a mob-boss who had framed an innocent man. These heroes didn’t protect us from the unknown; what they brought was hope in the face of something very real and immediate. Put another way, the Golden Age offered escape from reality simply by solving the problems of poor Americans. I cannot imagine anything sadder or more exhilarating. So, while 1938-1950 may not have produced the best art or the most clever prose, America has arguably never seen comics that had more meaning. And that is enough to make a Golden Age.
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“We view the world through our own eyes.” What an obvious statement, and yet not always so intuitive. We love comics, but rarely stop to think of the social and political canvass our beloved characters were painted against.
1941 may have been the most terrifying and uncertain year the Western World has ever seen. This was the year that the Axis Powers went to full scale war with Europe. Germany was invading all of her neighbors. ’41 saw Jews required to wear the Star of David arm bands and was the year Nazi Germany decided to institute concentration camps. Japan invaded French Indo-China and was amassing an army to fly across the Pacific. America was not in the war yet, but everywhere we looked it was becoming apparent we would not weather the storm without bloodshed.
It was in 1941 that Winston Churchill made his famous address to a joint session of congress urging full scale involvement in the European and Asian theatres of war. Winter was also claiming the lives of thousands of Germans as Hitler attempted to take Russia from Stalin. The whole world was realizing that yet another global war was at hand and dreading the long years they knew it would take to achieve peace.
The times also saw a vibrance in creativity in art, fashion, cinema, and music. In 1941 Citizen Kane was released and How Green Was My Valley was a box office hit. Glenn Miller was topping the charts with “Chattanooga Choo Choo” and “A String of Pearls”.
Women’s fashion was conservative as the last dregs of 1920s fashion died out. Men were excited to wear baggy clothes and the zoot suit was returning. For obvious reasons men’s and women’s fashion made prominent use of shoulder pads modeled after military uniforms.
It had been about 15-20 years since cinema had become mainstream entertainment and with the advent of sound in pictures the 1940s began to see remakes of the popular silent films of the 1920s. With this we saw a second age of horror and science fiction at the theatre. Among these famous remakes in 1940 we saw renewed interest in a franchise called The Green Archer. Every week devoted fans would flock to their local theatre to watch a caped Robin Hood-esque man wield his bow and arrows for truth and justice as he diligently worked to stop a murderous band of jewel thieves.
It was in November of this world that the 73rd issue of More Fun Comics debuted the beloved Oliver Queen as The Green Arrow. It seems entirely reasonable in this extraordinarily uncertain time that Americans would reflect back to a percieved time of simplicity and take heart in a world where Truth and Justice were clear, easy, and absolute.
In the same issue America met another classic hero: Aquaman. While all Golden Age comics reflect a desire for simplicity and absolutes, Aquaman demonstrated a different appeal. Arthur Curry didn’t have to be on land with us. He could escape to the sea. His problems were his own. No need to be bogged down with the troubles of the world. Nothing but a vast, silent ocean and friendly sea creatures to entertain and befriend this hero. Despite this option, Aquaman chose to engage the dry land willingly. Perhaps this stemmed from America’s growing realization that Isolatioinsim was truly no longer an option.
Of all the Heroes to debut in 1941 perhaps the most poignant and iconic was Captain America. If Green Arrow and Aquaman demonstrated a desire to escape then it is no surprise the most successful character of 1941 hit the problems of the world head on. When faced with crisis it is only human to spend a few moments reflecting on what might have been, but a testament to the resolve of that generation was embodied in one of comic-doms most epic heroes. Captain America was more than just a simplified equation to solve right and wrong. He was more than escape. Steve Rogers WAS America. He was the strength, the resolve, and the character that Americans were striving to muster so they could persevere through the most difficult time in the history of the world.
Certainly the WWII generation achieved something close to the character we see in Steve Rogers. Whether subsequent generations have is less clear, but what is certain is that even in the 21st century America looks to Captain America and sees in him something noble and admirable. For this we salute the Cap with a raised glass. Most liquor was scarce during the war, but we did have an abundance of rum. Today’s recommended drink is The Hurricane Cocktail.


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Uttlesford(Essex District), Essex
|latitude: 52.02, longitude: 0.23|
|Browse map of Uttlesford(Essex District) 52°01′12.00″ N, 0°13′48.00″ E|
|Use this template for your city|
Uttlesford(Essex District) is a district in Essex at latitude 52°01′12.00″ North, longitude 0°13′48.00″ East.
Uttlesford is the north-western-most district of Essex meeting the Cambridgeshire-Hertfordshire boundaries not far from Royston (Herts). Uttlesford is highly rural: Saffron Walden is the main town and is where the district council is based. The District Council website lists three other towns in the district  and mentions there are 56 parishes. Notably Uttlesford also includes London's Stansted Airport within its boundaries.
Saffron Walden and neighbouring villages have been systematically being mapped by David.earl, extending the mostly complete South Cambridgeshire area southwards into Essex. Saffron Walden itself was completed early May 2008.
See also Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire to the north.
|Great Dunmow||drawn using Yahoo imagery - needs local survey|
|Saffron Walden||completed May 2008|
|Stansted Mountfitchet||completed David.earl Aug 2009|
|Arkesden||completed - David.earl July 2009|
|Chrishall||completed Oct 2007|
|Clavering||completed - David.earl July 2009|
|Elmdon||completed May 2008|
|Elsenham||in progress - David.earl Aug 2009|
|Great Chesterford||completed Jan 2008|
|Hadstock||completed Apr 2008|
|Hatfield Broad Oak||TBD|
|Little Chesterford||completed Jan 2008|
|Little Walden||completed Apr 2008|
|Littlebury||completed Apr 2008|
|Littlebury Green||completed May 2008|
|Manuden||has been started, not sure how much done|
|Newport||has had significant attention but not complete|
|Rickling||completed - David.earl July 2009|
|Stansted Airport||apparently complete|
|Strethall||completed May 2008|
|Takeley||drawn using Yahoo imagery - needs local survey|
|Wendens Ambo||completed Apr 2008|
|Wendens Lofts||completed May 2008|


Lary’s declaration came a day after he expressed the same sentiments to Jackson during the April 3 Lithonia city council meeting. Lary, whose management firm manages the events at the Lithonia Amphitheater, accused Jackson of conspiring with State Rep. Doreen Carter to work against Stonecrest.
“I cannot turn my back, trying to run a new city, and then turn around when I know you’re conspiring to try to do anything you can to stop us legislatively,” Lary said at the meeting. “We can’t sit next to each other. I don’t know what else I have to do to prove where I am. Don’t call me, I won’t call you—because I’m done with you on this. You are untrustworthy, mayor, period.
“You all can keep Deborah Jackson like she is,” Lary said to residents before leaving the meeting.
Jackson said she has not been involved with any legislation relating to Stonecrest.
“I’m not sure who he is getting his information from,” Jackson said. “I think that it’s just unfortunate that his first act as a fully elected official is coming into a public meeting and make unfounded accusations.”
During the legislative session, legislation was introduced that Stonecrest officials said would have dramatically impacted the city during its startup stages. House Bill 600 was sponsored by Carter and other representatives from DeKalb County. The bill would have revised the city’s voting districts, provided term limits for the mayor and more restrictions. The bill died during the session.
Lary said his issues with Jackson are not about the bill.
“My point to her last night was that I know that [Carter and Jackson] have been trying to [override] the city of Stonecrest with annexation even after we’ve been approved,” Lary said. “I feel that there is no legislative interest for doing Stonecrest any good with Doreen Carter or Deborah Jackson. So, there is no use in me trying to partner with a city that is not trying to corroborate.”
Lary said he has tried to work with Jackson in the past on ways to market Lithonia.
“I have tried for a decade to work with her and it’s always been something,” he said. “I spent independent money getting [Lithonia] off the ground and all mayor Jackson did was interfere with it the whole time I had the contract. So why would I then turn around, after we’ve done so much work to get Stonecrest off the ground, and trust a partnership while she’s in office. It’s not going to happen.”
Jackson said she thinks Lary fails to understand the process of how to do things in a city
“While he may have ideas, so does other people,” she said. “My responsibility is to protect the interest of the city as I see it. He has some interesting ideas. My recommendation to him was we needed to go through a process to do those things and not just demand that things happen and people get out the way. That’s not how government works.
“I think his display last night was a clear indication of his failure to understand how government works,” Jackson added.
In February, Lithonia considered entering into an agreement with Lary for his management firm to manage events at Lithonia Park. However, the council voted to release a Request for Proposals (RFPs) that would allow other firms to submit bids on the management of the park. Lary took exception then to the council’s decision.
“I put the park piece together, they go out and they actually took my idea and then put it out for a RFP for somebody else,” he said.
Several council members said they would rather go through the RFP process than adopt an ordinance to appoint Lary’s management firm because it would appear to show favoritism to Lary.
Lary said he will end his management of the amphitheater this summer after he completes the events he is contracted to manage.
“I have an obligation to the people that I have signed agreements with to manage the events this summer,” he said. “But after that, that’s it.”
Jackson said she hopes the leaders of both cities can come together.
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BEST PLACE TO BUY VINYL Minneapolis 2005 - Let It Be Records
1001 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
In 10 or 15 years, maybe everyone except the elderly, the impoverished, and a few assorted Luddites will have all their recorded music on computers and tiny digital boxes. Then again, folks pronounced the album dead in the early '90s, and it's still going reasonably strong. You can still get vinyl editions of many hip-hop, dance, and indie-rock albums, the 12-inch single has never been improved on for DJ use, and it's not hard to find vintage jazz, rock, country, and blues on thick, audiophile wax at several area shops. Plus, the used-LP market is still vibrant, though it's not quite the bargain hunter's paradise that it once was. Vinyl junkies can turn to Treehouse, the Cheapo stores, Hymie's, Fifth Element, and other spots, but Let It Be's long-player collection is the best in town for leisurely browsing. Their dance section has all sorts of club music and electronica for you pro- and would-be DJs,?and the store is?loaded with sealed vinyl (rock, dance, what have you) and old rock, jazz, soul, pop, country, you name it. The selection is a mix of collectables, run-of-the-mill dusties, and wonderful cheap junk, and the store's website offers many titles--including the "Hart's Collection" of rare 78s and the "Pyramid Collection" of '60s-through-'80s LPs--not available in the brick-and-mortar space.


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From February 8 to June 10 2007, the ever-changing image of Kylie Minogue will be the centre of a new exhibit at the V&A Museum in the U.K. Featuring performance costumes, accessories, album covers, photographs and music, the exhibit will look at how Kylie, as a performer, has used her stylish wardrobe to create an image that is world-known.
Highlights include the overalls she wore as Charlene in Neighbours (1988), the gold lame hotpants she wore in her infamous Spinning Around video (2000) and the Galliano corsets for the Showgirls tour in 2004. “The V&A is renowned for its superb fashion and performance collections and there isn’t a better place for this exhibition to be launched in the UK. I feel honoured to have such an important part of my career being recognized this way,” says Minogue.
Sponsored by Evian, entry into the exhibit is free. Advanced booking is strongly recommended and tickets will be available from December 1 2006. For more information, please check out http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/kylie/
For the latest in fashion, beauty and culture, sign up to receive ELLE's daily newsletter.


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The Hold Steady has signed to Washington Square, a new label imprint formed by Razor & Tie. The band has signed a worldwide multi-album deal that will see the release of a new studio album Teeth Dreams on March 25th 2014. The album is produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, Rush, Evanescence). The Hold Steady will also kick off a string of tour dates in January 2014 that will include two 10th Anniversary shows (tour dates below).
The New York City based band The Hold Steady is the first signing to the newly created label Washington Square that will include future signings in the indie and alt-rock genres. The Washington Square roster will also include the UK rock band Deaf Havana and the New York based indie rockers Born Cages.
Washington Square/Razor & Tie Co-Owner Cliff Chenfeld adds, “We are huge fans of The Hold Steady and could not be more excited that they will help us launch the new label. Washington Square will be a home for groundbreaking artists both established and new, who will make music that is vital and inspiring.”
“We’re excited for this new chapter,” says Hold Steady’s Craig Finn. “We’re really proud of our new record.” Adds the band’s Tad Kubler, “This is an exciting time for us. Making the new record has been a journey for the band, and the results exceeded even our own expectations. Can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Formed in 2004 and originally from Minneapolis, MN, The Hold Steady are a critically acclaimed rock band with a vibrant mixture of punk ethos and classic rock pedigree punctuated by lyrically dense storytelling and guitar riffs. The band’s narrative based songs have made them fans around the world. In May 2005 The Hold Steady were the first rock band to grace the front page of The Village Voice in 15 years. Their 2006 album, Boys and Girls in America was ranked No. 8 on the Rolling Stone Best Albums of 2006 list, and No. 1 by The A.V. Club. Pitchfork wrote of the album, “[Craig Finn] not only has a commanding, rousing voice but he also says something worth hearing, displaying gifts for both scope and depth that are all too rare in contemporary rock — indie or mainstream.” Previously signed to Frenchkiss and Vagrant, The Hold Steady have released five studio albums, with their last release Heaven is Whenever in 2010. Rolling Stone gave the album 4 out of 5 stars raving, “On Heaven Is Whenever, the Hold Steady don’t just show us how much they love classic rock — they make some of their own. It’s their most polished record, nearly majestic at points, without scrimping on bloodshot angst or exuberance.”
The Hold Steady have toured the world extensively as both headliners and as a support act with Death Cab For Cutie, The Dave Matthews Band, Counting Crows and many more. They recently created an original version of “The Bear And The Maiden Fair” for the hit television series Game Of Thrones. The band will also release a covers EP entitled RAGS direct to fans this month via Pledge Music to benefit the K + L Guardian Foundation in honor of devoted fan and concert promoter Mike “Jersey Mike” Van Jura, who passed away in late 2012.
The Hold Steady is Craig Finn (Vocals, Guitars), Tad Kubler (Guitar), Bobby Drake (Drums), Galen Polivka (Bass), and Steve Selvidge (Guitar). The Hold Steady are managed by Dave Gottlieb & Jeroen VanDerMeer at Death or Glory and booked by Paradigm.
The Hold Steady Tour Dates
January 29 – Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone
January 30 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
January 31- Louisville, KY – Headliners
February 1 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
February 3 – Columbus, OH – A&R Bar
February 4 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Small’s
February 6 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg*
February 7 – Harrisburg, PA – The Brewery*^
* “10th Anniversary shows” Harrisburg
^Benefit for Jersey Mike.
Washington Square/ The Hold Steady: Kerri Brusca – (212) 598-2255 email@example.com
The Hold Steady: Ken Weinstein – Big Hassle – (212) 619-1360 firstname.lastname@example.org


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UPDATE: The deadline for ordering samples of the workshops in the 2018 Holiday Expressions Idea Book! Deadline to order is past. Come back in early December for information about ordering the 2019 Seasonal Expressions Idea Book samples.
For the 2018 Holiday Expressions, I will be making samples of the following workshops:
- Create with Heart Cut Above Kits (Subscription)
- Scrapbooking Workshop Your Way
- Cardmaking Workshop Your Way
- Memories int he Making (National Stamping Month) Layouts or Calendar
In addition, you can order the following supply items:
- Cascading Collection Sample Rings
- Photo Place Holders
Details and pricing is in the order form. (closed)
My target is to have all samples completed and shipped to you by September 15*.
- Deadline to order samples: Monday, August 6
- Postal: Wednesday, September 12
- Delivery: Saturday, September 15
*This target date is not guaranteed, but I will be working hard to meet it. I will be completing the Boutique and Memories in the Making (National Stamping Month) projects first. If you'd like, I can mail the these projects early so they arrive to you by September 1. Let me know and I'll include the additional shipping in your invoice.
I love that Close To My Heart designs beautiful workshops and kits for us to sell. Although we have a beautiful full-color Idea Book, sales soar when customers see the products live. My sales are always higher when people can see these beautiful, completed workshops in person.
However, it can be daunting to make samples for each one: ordering supplies, cutting, stamping and assembly. Also, there is the expense of purchasing the stamps, paper, embellishments and adhesives. I have often wished the CTMH sold us completed samples of these projects.
A couple years ago, I was putting together my workshop samples and it occurred to me that it would not take significantly more time to create multiples of the layouts as it did to make my single sample. I had long wished that "someone" would put together my samples. It was a "light bulb moment" and the idea for these samples for others was born.
So save your money, time and adhesives and let me make samples for you!
All samples are consultant quality and packaged in ziplock bags for protection. Layouts and Picture My Life sets include white cardstock placeholders for photos so that they have a finished look. If you have photos, you can either replace the placeholders or trim your pictures leaving create so that the placeholder creates a white mat.
You can choose to receive your samples display-ready in Memory Protectors or Clear Bags.

domain: hobby


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A unit of German logistics giant DHL is expanding its fleet of LNG-powered trucks transporting car parts from the Czech Republic to Germany.
DHL Supply Chain said in a statement it has taken delivery of eight more Scania LNG-powered trucks. These vehicles join three new tractor units running on liquefied natural gas which DHL put into operation in October 2020.
This move would enable DHL Supply Chain to reduce CO2 emissions by 187 tonnes a year, it said.
LNG filling station expansion
“Last year’s purchase of LNG-powered trucks proved very successful and at the same time aroused great interest from some of our customers in this type of ecological transport,” Kateřina Rázlová, director of the automotive division at DHL Supply Chain, said.
According to Rázlová, the rapid expansion of the filling station network in Germany and the Czech Republic was an important factor for the continued expansion of this alternative fuel in DHL’s fleet.
“It has made it possible to service a greater number of destinations with LNG and has improved route-planning flexibility,” Rázlová said.
The LNG-powered trucks currently transport parts for cars from the crossdock in Nepřevázka to Glauchau in the Zwickau district and to Wolfsburg, Hannover, Heilbronn, Kassel and Neckarsulm.
There are now LNG filling stations every approx. 200 km in Germany while the Czech Republic currently hosts three such stations, according to DHL Supply Chain.
The first of eleven trucks will cover 160,000 km per year for DHL, while the others trucks have routes with a total length of 132,000 km in their annual operating plans.
In addition, DHL is also looking to fuel the trucks with bio-LNG, produced from organic waste.
“The use of BioLNG will enable another significant reduction in emissions,” Rázlová said.
“The first bio-LNG filling stations will open on the DHL Supply Chain truck routes in Germany as early as this year and, according to available information, the sale of bio-LNG is also expected in the Czech Republic within 3 to 5 years,” Rázlová said.
The purchase of eight new LNG-powered tractor units is part of the Go Green Deutsche Post DHL environmental protection programme with the ambitious goal of reaching zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“We are also planning other alternative fuels for the future,” Rázlová said.


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Love Me, Alfredo!
Love Me, Alfredo! (Italian: Amami, Alfredo!) is a 1940 Italian romantic drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Maria Cebotari, Claudio Gora and Lucie Englisch. It portrays the relationship between an established opera singer and her lover an unknown composer. The title is a reference to Verdi's La Traviata.
|Love Me, Alfredo!|
|Directed by||Carmine Gallone|
|Produced by||Federico Curioni |
|Written by||Guido Cantini |
|Starring||Maria Cebotari |
|Music by||Riccardo Zandonai|
|Edited by||Oswald Hafenrichter |
|29 September 1940|
It was shot at Cinecittà Studios in Rome. The film's sets were designed by the art director Guido Fiorini.
- Maria Cebotari as Maria Dalgeri
- Claudio Gora as Il compositore Giacomo Varni
- Lucie Englisch as Luisa Traller
- Paolo Stoppa as Cecè
- Luigi Almirante as Romanelli
- Aristide Baghetti as Il sovrintendente
- Carmen Fortis as Una spettatrice
- Nowell-Smith p.57
- Nowell-Smith, Geoffrey. The Companion to Italian Cinema. Cassell, 1996.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.


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'Purposeful viewing for investing and money'
By Brian Flood on May. 7, 2015 - 1:58 PM EDT
There was one notable absence at the NewFront this morning for Jim Cramer's 19-year old publicly-traded digital financial media company TheStreet: Cramer himself. The journalist, turned lawyer, turned hedge fund…
SEC files suit against former CFO Eric Ashman
By Charlie Warzel on Dec. 18, 2012 - 2:05 PM EST
Digital finanical media company TheStreet—as well as three of its executives—have been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with accounting fraud for filing false financial reports and reporting fraudulent…


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There is always the risk for businesses large and SME’s, that a key member of staff will become permanently disabled or die - with potentially disastrous repercussions for the business.
PKF in Eastern Africa provides Business Assurance advice on solutions and services in the domains of Risk Management, Revenue Assurance, Fraud Management, Receivables Management, Business Continuity and Security. A combination of deep domain knowledge, technical competency and proven business acumen is the trademark of of our competence and cumulative experience.
We equip our clients with sensible, cost-effective risk management knowledge, balancing customer acquisition and experience to maintain confident and sustainable business growth. But PKF delivers more than this – a focus on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of technology, organisation and operations also brings about a high-performance culture.
We can help the corporate and self-employed sectors assess these risks and employ insurance contracts to lessen the financial blow that might result from the death or disability of key personnel.
If you would like further information please contact Atul Shah.


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By now you’ve probably guessed that my parents are very important to me and I love spending time with them (even though we drive each other totally bonkers on occasion!), but now and again I try to spend quality time with my extended family too, in particular my Aunty Jenny.
I have lots of fond memories of Jenny throughout my childhood and she has always been great fun to be around. I guess she has my Dad’s sense of humour but without any of the parental responsibilities so we always have a real giggle together be it at a concert, dinner, over coffee or in this case camping in a tin hut…
Through an old PR contact I was generously offered a freebie night at Wriggly Tin and knew Jenny would be the perfect country companion. Jenny loves the great outdoors and is a keen camper so was the ideal choice for this much needed digital detox, plus she brought along her wonderful little dog Pip whom I adore.
Wriggly Tin is a little collection of shepherd huts hidden away in a secret little clearing in the middle of a bluebell wood in the South Downs National Park and it’s truly beautiful. I’ve never really been one for camping (the last time I attempted it was in Australia and the tent collapsed on me in the middle of the night) but I needn’t have worried as Wriggly Tin is utter luxury.
Plump feather beds with sumptuous cotton sheets, a mini dining room and your own woodburning stove to make a cuppa tea. A seperate little Tin for your loo and shower with plenty of hot water.
We set to and collected wood for the fire with the help of Pip before the more important task of cracking open the fizz and having a soak in the hot tub to reward ourselves for getting the fire up and running – I told you it wasn’t regular camping!
We stayed in the hot tub until the sunset, watching the sky turn the meadow into a beautiful shade of violet and burnt gold before heating up a casserole I’d brought along (steak and guinness if you’re curious) and chatting our way through a bottle of wine. After dinner we sat beside the roaring fire toasting marshmallows the way we’d done at my grandparents house when I was little as we watched the stars come out. We finally retreated to our beds to read our books and fall into the deepest of sleeps that only a day in the country can bring.
Pip was up first and keen to check out the basket of local produce we had been left by Alex the sites owner to whip up a campfire breakfast as the sun rose and what a basket it was. Fresh free-range hens eggs, a pack of outdoor reared thick cut bacon, half a dozen sausages, proper butter, a farmhouse loaf and frosty apple juice along with not so local Heinz baked beans. Mmmm.
Jenny got the fire going and I knocked up our feast. Cooking on the campfire needs a little juggling and some careful timing, but it managed to all come together and the food had a delicious sort of flame licked flavour without being at all charcoaly.
We enjoyed a long lazy breakfast in the early autumnal sunshine reading the Sunday newspapers (also delivered by Alex) with no distractions from the rest of the world . We realised how without the interruptions and influences of the outside world, we don’t talk about work, ambitions, future plans. We don’t moan about the hard stuff or show off about the good stuff. We just are and for once without the internet or mobile phones we don’t feel guilty at all for doing nothing but living in the moment.
After a leisurely morning and in need to walk off our breakfast feast, we went for a good six mile stomp with Pip all through the beautiful countryside of Hambledon until his little legs (and our not so little legs) gave up. After returning from our hike, we reluctantly packed up our gear and piled back into the car and trundled back to London.
I can’t tell you how much I thoroughly loved our trip and digital detox. I’m still walking around in a bit of a happy glow and feeling much, much more zen than usual!


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The Chinese government on Saturday said it aimed to see about 75 percent of preschool-aged children receive three years of education ahead of primary schooling by 2016, up 7.5 percent from the current ratio.
Three-year preschool education should be popularized in cities, towns and economically developed rural areas, according to a three-year plan on preschool education jointly released by the education and finance ministries as well as the National Development and Reform Commission.
The enrollment rate in less developed rural areas should be increased markedly in the next three years, the plan said.
China's 198,600 kindergartens enrolled about 38.95 million children at the end of 2013, with the enrollment rate reaching 67.5 percent, official figures show. It was up 10.9 percent from the figure three years earlier as a result of the previous three-year plan.
According to the plan, heightened support in the next three years will focus on providing preschool education for children from disadvantaged regions and impoverished families.
Efforts will be made to ease the shortage of kindergartens in towns and semi-urban areas and increase enrollment of disabled children, the plan said.
The government plans to set up a pre-school education network with government-sponsored kindergartens and private charitable kindergartens as the main forces by 2016, according to the plan, adding that preferential policies should be carried out to attract private capital into the sector.


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Deciding between Ooty and Darjeeling depends on your personal preferences and interests. Both destinations have their unique charm and offer a different experience.
Ooty, also known as Udhagamandalam, is a hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, while Darjeeling is a town located in the foothills of the Himalayas in West Bengal. Here are some factors to consider when deciding between Ooty and Darjeeling:
- Scenery: Both destinations are known for their scenic beauty, but the landscapes are quite different. Ooty is known for its tea plantations, rolling hills, and lush green forests, while Darjeeling is known for its snow-capped Himalayan peaks, tea gardens, and stunning views of Mount Kanchenjunga.
- Climate: Ooty has a pleasant climate throughout the year, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 20°C. Darjeeling, on the other hand, has a cooler climate with temperatures ranging from 5°C to 15°C, making it a perfect destination for those who love cool weather.
- Activities: Both destinations offer a range of activities, including trekking, hiking, and sightseeing. Ooty is known for its toy train ride, boating, and botanical gardens, while Darjeeling is known for its tea tours, scenic walks, and cultural experiences.
- Accessibility: Ooty is easily accessible by road and rail, with several trains and buses running from major cities in India. Darjeeling, on the other hand, is a little more difficult to reach, with the nearest airport located in Bagdogra, and a train journey from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station.
Overall, both Ooty and Darjeeling are beautiful destinations that offer a unique experience. Your choice would depend on your personal preferences, the time of year, and your budget.


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A Palestinian Arab driver attempted to run down an Israeli policeman on Thursday afternoon near the PA-controlled town of Azariya.
The town of Azariya is located off of Highway 1, between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim. The driver was heading for the town at speeds well over the speed limit when an Israeli officer from the Maaleh Adumim station moved to pull him aside.
Instead of stopping, the driver swerved and attempted to hit the officer who had tried to stop him.
The officer fired at the car, and the driver turned aside and fled to Azariya. Police are searching the area.
A similar incident occurred two days earlier when police attempted to stop an Arab driver from the Jerusalem neighborhood of Isawiya. Police chased the driver after he failed to stop; when they caught him, he drove into one of the officers, injuring him.
Last year an Israeli Arab man ran down and killed a security guard outside a town east of Tel Aviv after the guard, 40-year-old Lior Farhi, caught him illegally smuggling PA residents into Israel.


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Taking off from senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s remark about the party while speaking at the Aligarh Muslim University campus recently, the editorial in Organiser this week targets the Grand Old Party. The editorial argues that even though it was a part of appeasement politics and a means to prove himself more “secular” than his party, a prominent Congress leader while speaking at the AMU accepted that, “Congress has the stain of Muslim blood on its hands.”
The editorial then goes on to make the claim that the Nehru “clan”, which led the country for the most of years since Independence, has three types of stains on its head and hands. The first, the editorial says, is of nurturing a dynastic and undemocratic political culture. The Congress culture that revolved around the Nehru dynasty killed the party’s internal leadership development mechanism and became a model for other political groupings, especially ones based on regional aspirations.
The second stain on the Congress, Organiser claims, is the use of a divisive politics in order to hold on to power. “Dividing voters on regional, caste and religious lines and manipulating the first past the post system for the party advantage are the truth of the Congress culture. In the process, many divisive propositions of colonial rule were not only retained but further strengthened. The North-South divide, Aryan invasion theory, furthering caste divisions in the name downtrodden while handing over the power to dominant castes, fuelling communal strife in the name of ‘secularism’ and most importantly, negating whatever is indigenous in the name of modernity are the sins which the dynastic party cannot wash away. Naming and shaming Hindus by coining the terms like “saffron terror” is an addition of the last tenure,” the editorial asserts.
Now that is in Opposition, the Congress’s latest ploy has been to engage in a relentless attack on the judiciary to settle political scores, the editorial claims, adding that what the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress is doing while in Opposition is as dangerous as what Indira Gandhi tried to while in office. “First create doubts on the appointments of judges among common citizens, then, create and manipulate divisions within the judiciary, lobby with media, NGOs and PIL gangs to pressurise the judiciary to give or not to give verdicts in a particular way or at a particular time. All this is nothing but using the credible institutions like judiciary for political purpose. The judicial system or individual judges may have certain flaws but there are mechanisms to address them. The system of checks and balances is inherent in the Constitution and one should not disturb that for the political gains or losses,” rails the editorial and adds: “The question is not whether judiciary or judges can be questioned or not, the real issue is whether judiciary should be made the political battleground.”
The editorial in Panchjanya also targets the Congress for its move to impeach the Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, and claims that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has become a tool in the hands of the Left. The editorial says that the impeachment notice met the expected fate. What has become clear, Panchjanya claim, is that the lack of experience in Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour, despite his mature age, is now matched by a lack of gravitas in the Grand Old Party’s organisational behaviour. The editorial raises several questions over the impeachment notice: Did the Congress need to face such an embarrassment, which the party had to face while following directives of its chief? Isn’t there a single leader in the organisation capable of thinking independently without surrendering before the “family” on every matter?
“A healthy, active mind is needed to contemplate facts and analyse them with wisdom. But a strong spine is also necessary to present such thoughts at the internal platform of the organisation. Is there any spine, wisdom, coordination and maturity left inside the Congress? Probably not! Is there no one with a spine who advises Rahul? Probably, there is, because the names of Abhishek Manu Singhvi, P Chidambaram and Manmohan Singh were not in the list of Parliamentarians who supported the impeachment notice,” asserts the editorial. It adds that it remains to be seem whether the tactics of Yuvaraj (Rahul)— who has become tool for Left — takes Congress towards success or further decline.