[T]he most intriguing potential fight will come if either Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (age 81) or Justice Stephen Breyer (76) decide that they don’t want to risk Democrats giving up the White House in 2016. It is precisely here that the logic of our timid democratic politics suddenly reverses. When major policy authority is given up by Congress or the president and is de facto thrown to the court, judicial nominations become almost as grave for the future of the nation as palace intrigue once was to the royal houses of Europe. While few expect Obama and the Democrats to fight for someone as progressive as Ginsburg, it would be seen as a total legacy-damaging failure in the party if Obama settled for a swing-voting moderate.
Chait also keeps focused on the judiciary:
Obama can fill the judiciary and staff his administration because he has a majority of votes in the Senate. But if Republicans win the Senate, then they can block his appointments. Sahil Kapur has one of the few detailed reports I’ve seen explaining the Republican strategy to leverage their majority. The parties have no incentive to cooperate on judicial nominations — Republicans would be better off leaving a seat empty than allowing it to be filled with an even moderately liberal judge. They say they want to force Obama to appoint “more acceptable” judges — “Obama would have to present nominees that are much much more acceptable to Republicans, or they won’t even schedule hearings,” explains Randy Barnett, a powerful Republican legal strategist — but the only kind of judge they have any reason to accept is one likely to side with conservatives more often than liberals. And Obama has no incentive to appoint a judge like that.
The difference between 50 Democratic senators (plus a tie-breaking vote by Joe Biden) and 49 Democratic Senators is the difference between two full years of filling the judiciary and two years of likely gridlock. What’s more, if a Supreme Court justice becomes incapacitated or dies, the judicial gridlock could become a Constitutional struggle — a possibility I explored last spring, but which has gathered little attention. News reports have wildly overstated the legislative importance of Republican Senate control. At the same time, they have understated its importance to the judiciary.


text:
Times of innocence and childhood
A composition born under the sign of tenderness and pleasure, a dessert that tastes like spring. Caramella d’Amore is a walk to the rhythm of carousels and wonders, a nectar with a poignant force to wear like a second skin. A tribute to the love between a mother and her daughter expressed with gourmand and tender notes.
The 3 main notes
With the purchase of a 50ml bottle you will receive 1 free sample
With the purchase of a 100ml bottle you will recive 3 free sample

domain: artistic


text:
Newly discovered on Soundcloud, Solkatten & Monologen reimagine and rework a classic slow jam and infuse it with Swedish soul and a reggae groove.
Their version of Barry Whites seductive single It’s Only Love Doing Its Thing, remains alluring with the lyrics translated to Swedish (with inventive differences) by the deep, rich tones of Solkatten, aka Frosche Renmark (Soweco). Together with Monologen (Petter Edlund), the pair revitalize the sense of red-velvet romance with a rhythmical smooth-funk production and warm Swedish melodies massaged in.
In another gliding arc, Frosche Renmark imagined their version with a reggae backbeat. And who wouldn’t be seduced by the sweet rhythm of reggae? After all, it’s only love doing its thing baby!


By Richard M. Murray
The sphere of keep an eye on presents the foundations and strategies used to layout actual and knowledge structures that preserve fascinating functionality by means of sensing and immediately adapting to adjustments within the setting. This record spells out a number of the customers for regulate within the present and destiny technological surroundings; describes the position the sphere will play in army, advertisement, and clinical purposes over the subsequent decade; and recommends activities required to let new breakthroughs in engineering and know-how in the course of the program of keep watch over examine.
The document files the findings and suggestions of the Panel on destiny instructions up to the mark, Dynamics, and platforms. The Panel was once shaped in April 2000 to supply a renewed imaginative and prescient of destiny demanding situations and possibilities within the box of regulate. The Panel was once chaired by way of Professor Richard M. Murray (Caltech) and was once shaped with the aid of an organizing committee including Professor Roger Brockett (Harvard), Professor John burns (VPI), Professor John Doyle (Caltech), and Dr. Gunter Stein (Honeywell).
This short but thorough record presents renewed imaginative and prescient, an in depth record of recent software components, and particular concepts for destiny study instructions up to speed, dynamics, and platforms, compiled by means of specialists within the field.Students, researchers, and selection makers attracted to figuring out extra approximately keep an eye on and its relevance to destiny technological purposes will achieve a lot from this designated assessment.
Read or Download Control in an Information Rich World: Report of the Panel on Future Directions in Control, Dynamics, and Systems PDF
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Singular perturbations and time-scale strategies have been brought to regulate engineering within the overdue Nineteen Sixties and feature due to the fact turn into universal instruments for the modeling, research, and layout of regulate structures. during this SIAM Classics version of the 1986 booklet, the unique textual content is reprinted in its entirety (along with a brand new preface), supplying once more the theoretical starting place for consultant keep watch over purposes.
The commercial power of self sustaining cellular robots increases significantly through the subsequent years. provider robots akin to cleansing machines and inspection or information robots will convey us nice help in our day-by-day lives. This textbook offers an creation to the equipment of controlling those robot platforms.
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Extra info for Control in an Information Rich World: Report of the Panel on Future Directions in Control, Dynamics, and Systems
Control of networks extends beyond data and communication networks. Optimal routing and flow control of commercial aircraft (with emphasis on guaranteeing safe intervehicle distances) will help maximize utilization of airports. The (network and software) infrastructure for supply chain systems is being built right now, and simple automated supply chain management systems are beginning to be deployed. In the near future, sophisticated optimization and control methods can be used to direct the flow of goods and money between suppliers, assemblers and processors, and customers.
At the other extreme in time scale from the routing problem, we have optimal network planning, in which new links and nodes are 38 Chapter 3. Applications, Opportunities, and Challenges proposed to meet predicted future traffic demand. The routing problem is further exacerbated in wireless networks. Nodes with wireless modems may be mobile, and the address of a node may neither indicate where it is located nor how to reach it. Thus the network needs to either search for a node on demand or keep track of the changing locations of nodes.
A nurnber of fundamental questions arise as soon as the problem is posed this waj?. How can this mode) reduction be so general and robust, depending only upon the structure of quantum theory and not the details of any partielilar dynamical system? What are the general parameters that control the error bounds on this model reduction? What impact will this program have,if successful, on our basic interpretation of quantum mechanics? In addition, control can provide new,techniques for doing experiments, allowing us to better explore physical understanding: We hope that feedback control will provide a crucial experimental methodology for scrutinizing the validity of quantum measurement theory in realistic labioratory scenarios, especially with regard to the equations for conditional evolution of a system under continuous observation.


Office of the Press Secretary
May 10, 1994
STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY
Convergence of U.S. Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite Systems and Landsat Remote Sensing Strategy
The Clinton Administration's decision to converge into a single national system the planned polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite programs of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was announced today by Vice President Al Gore. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will also participate in the converged system.
The decision implements a recommendation contained in the National Performance Review (NPR), published last September. The savings to the American taxpayer are estimated to be up to $300 million during fiscal years 1996-1999. Additional savings are expected after 1999.
Currently, the Departments of Defense and Commerce acquire and operate separate polar-orbiting environmental satellite systems which collect data needed for military and civil weather forecasting. While converging these systems has been a goal of previous Administrations, past efforts have failed to merge them into a single integrated program. Convergence is possible at this time because of clear direction provided by the President and Vice President, and recent technological advances.
In making the announcement, the Vice President said, "For the first time ever, U.S. civil and military environmental satellite programs will be joined. The President's decision will cut costs and eliminate duplication. It takes the nation's space-based environmental monitoring program into the next century. It will satisfy our critical requirements for timely environmental satellite data needed to support civil weather forecasting, global change research and military operations."
The Vice President said: "The decision to converge the satellite environmental system validates the principles that were the foundation of the NPR. Commerce, Defense and NASA have proven that highly motivated and dedicated public servants, empowered to get results, can change for the better the way government serves the people. Building on each other's unique knowledge, the agencies have forged a plan that is a model for interagency cooperation. It epitomizes the spirit and potential of reinventing government."
The President's decision requires the Departments of Defense and Commerce to converge DoD's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and Commerce's Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite program. This will result in a single national polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite system which will provide data needed to meet U.S. civil and national security requirements, and to fulfill international obligations. NASA's Earth Observing System, and potentially other NASA programs, will provide new remote sensing and spacecraft technologies which could improve the operational capabilities of the converged system.
A single program office will be established to plan for, design, acquire and operate the next generation polar-orbiting weather satellite system. This Integrated Program Office will be staffed by DOD, Commerce and NASA representatives.
As part of the Administration's effort on international cooperation for environmental monitoring, the three agencies will jointly pursue negotiations with the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) on a European-built and operated satellite as part of the converged system.
The Vice President also announced the President's decision to continue the Landsat remote sensing satellite program and to restructure Federal agency responsibilities for acquiring and operating the next satellite, Landsat 7. Acquisition responsibilities will transfer from DoD to NASA. The Department of Commerce will operate the satellite and its ground system in cooperation with the Department of the Interior, which will maintain the national archive of Landsat data.
This decision insures the continuity and availability of Landsat-type data. This data serves a broad range of users in the United States and abroad, including the agricultural community, global change researchers, state and local governments, commercial users, and the military.


text:
Back in November, I proposed that California adopt an open data standard for official documents. Scores of you signed on to support such legislation, and Sen. Leland Yee, D-SF, shortly thereafter proposed a step in the right direction - SB 1002, which makes machine readability a criteria for open records in the California. On Thursday, the bill passed out of the Senate, 34-0.
This bill nearly went down and it is to the credit of many of you in Adriel Nation that it didn't. Just last week it was basically dead in the Appropriations Committee, before a flurry of calls, emails and faxes to two key senators on the committee helped resurrect the bill.
Here is Leland's statement on the passage of the legislation out of the Senate.
And here is an article on the bill from California Forward.
I want to thank all of you for your efforts promoting this important principle - that records posted online should be in the most accessible possible formats. There is a long way to go, but this is a great step in the right direction for efficient, transparent and technologically adaptive government. Special thanks to Javier Muniz of Granicus, whose support for open government and thoughts on how to advance it helped spur my efforts on this issue, and to David Cruise, whose tireless advocacy helped to get SB 1002 this far.
Get started now with a free NationBuilder trial account.
When I ran for office in 2009, one of the most significant hurdles I faced was getting voter data for my campaign. It took forever, and when I did get it, the data was in a database format that might as well have been in ancient Greek.
This morning, as part of the nationwide SOPA/PIPA protests, I called my Congressman Jerry McNerney, a Democrat for whom Pro Publica had no public statements on record regarding the bills. One of his constituent services representatives confirmed my address and took my statement of opposition - SOPA would hurt Internet businesses and the free exchange of ideas. I asked for a public statement against SOPA from the Congressman. Four hours later I got this letter by email, which has also been reported in the local press:
"Thank you for contacting me to share your opposition to H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA),and other similar proposals. I appreciate learning your views, and I value your input.
"I oppose H.R. 3261 as the bill stands as well as similar legislation introduced in the Senate. The intent of the bill is to help law enforcement agencies pursue websites that violate intellectual property laws and sell counterfeit goods, which is a serious and costly problem. However, H.R. 3261 is too broadly written, and I am deeply concerned that the bill infringes on individuals' civil liberties and innovation by small companies. Freedom of speech and the open exchange of information on the internet are directly impeded by this legislation.
"Our economic power has always been based on innovation and the free flow of ideas. The thinkers and creators in our country have always showed remarkable ingenuity, and stopping the stream of information on the internet would put the United States at an international disadvantage. We must remain committed to American advancement that comes from the freedoms we hold most dear. I will oppose legislation that undermines our nation's freedoms and finest traditions."
Call, meet, get to know your reps. It matters.
Here's what Liberal Art has to say about NationBuilder vs. Salsa+Drupal: "NationBuilder's tool suite is competitive with competing platforms, but its tools are fully integrated into the CMS. This means less setup and easier management of your messaging and action campaigns. What's more, social sharing functions are baked into every page, tool, and action taken by your supporters."
NationBuilder is a nonpartisan community organizing system with wide adoption in the U.S., UK and Canada.Â It brings together social media, customizable websites with content and community action pages, and email and text blasting.
NationBuilder is an alternative for Blue State Digital for campaigns and non-profits that want to run their own actions and emails without need for costly integrations and consulting contracts.
"The Cost of Freedom" - Another Powerful Democracy Project Brought to You by Folks from the Internet
What do folks do at civic hackathons? Most of us are trying to make democracy better by giving of the skills we have. Faye Anderson just brought me this great example from a Random Hacks of Kindness event earlier this month (be sure to check out the call to action and then get in touch with Faye if you can help):
"The Cost of Freedom Project is a citizen-led initiative that is developing a location-based web app to provide voters with information on how to apply for a voter ID. A prototype for the Cost of Freedom App was developed at the Random Hacks of Kindness hackathon at Drexel University.
In 2008, only two states required voters to show a government-issued photo ID in order to vote. Since then, six states have changed their voting laws to require a photo ID. Civil rights groups are challenging photo ID laws at the Justice Department and in the courts. But with the election less than 11 months away, voters need help right now.
There are millions of voters without an official photo ID who cannot wait until October to tune into the election. They must act now to ensure they have the documents they have to produce to establish their identity.
The Cost of Freedom Project needs help gathering data for the eight states that require an official photo ID – Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. (By February, Michigan and Pennsylvania may be added to the list.)
The data includes where a voter in, say, Memphis who was born in Memphis, would go to obtain a copy of his or her birth certificate and how to get there using public transportation.
We are a mobile society so a voter now living in Memphis may have been born in New Jersey, where it could take as long as ten weeks to get a certified copy of a birth certificate. So we will need data on how to obtain a birth certificate for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
We need web designers. We need bloggers to help spread the message: No photo, no vote. In short, we need every citizen to get informed about photo ID requirements and inform their friends, family and neighbors.
The data gathered by the Cost of Freedom Project will help tell the underreported story of the high cost of a free voter ID."
I was witness to an interesting cultural moment today that exemplifies how fast technology is moving. Above, Phil Ma, owner of Mavelous SF, checks out his 23andMe results, fresh from the day's mail. Getting online access to your genetic code now costs just a couple hundred bucks for a year.
Over the past several years, cities like San Francisco have come a long way in putting data online. However, departments with budgets in the tens of millions of dollars - including the very agency tasked with policing government ethics - still have miles to go. I'm organizing an open data standards campaign in San Francisco and California because putting data online in formats that cannot be independently analyzed and resused by the public is simply poor government.
For the upcoming CityCampSF Hackathon, an event where volunteers will bring meaning to and extend the usefulness of public data, the muckracking newspaper CitiReport is sponsoring a challenge to cross-reference all kind of open data to make sense of public ethics in San Francisco. Sadly, of four departments who could help bring transparency to public ethics, only one is using open standards on its key data.
By way of background, it's been more than a year since SF passed a groundbreaking law urging departments to post their data on DataSF.org.
SF Planning: The Planning Department has several data sets on DataSF, but the project information on key developments active right now does not seem to be there. Instead, we get this nicely designed "Complete List of Projects" with no strutured data (such as a simple CSV file with headers that include the project description, location, lead planner and developers) in sight.
SF Ethics: The Ethics Commission has the legal duty of collecting huge amounts of campaign finance and good government data. But their datasets on OpenSF are horribly out of date, and their online list of lobbyists would take a master coder or many, many man hours to parse into an open format for analysis (again, simple CSV files with headers would do - name of lobbyist, who they work for, how much they got paid, who they contacted, when, what project they were trying to influence). This lack of functional transparency is glossed over with a great data display, but none of the underlying data is easily available on the site. This means you get the results that the display tells you are important, while independent analysis is nearly impossible.
SF Controller: The Controller's Office is responsible for keeping track of city salaries and city contracts. They don't have a fancy data display (which I bet saved them a lot of money), but they do allow you to search their contractor database and download data in structured open formats. Thank you!
SF Board of Supervisors: The Clerk of the Board publishes huge volumes of minutes of board agendas and votes. However, they are PDFs with no structure. Many of the attachments for Board items end up as PDF-formatted scans of documents without optical character recognition, rendering them unsearchable by people viewing them on the web, and keeping them out of open web search results. This lack of functional transparency makes it very difficult to know who's voting on which planning projects for example.
In summary, if we want to make connnections between who is lobbying for a contract, which developers are giving money to politicians, and who's voting on what, it is very, very difficult. Lack of functional transparency means that if you want to evaulate your government in San Francisco, you have to know almost exactly what piece of straw in a data haystack you're looking for before you even start.
Consider that SF has an annual budget of more than $6 billion. We can do better. We will do better.
That's why I'm working on a campaign to bring structured open formats to SF and California law.
And please, if you can help research, write open records requests, code or have any other skills you'd like to bring to bear on behalf of tech-enabled open government, join us this weekend at the CityCampSF Hackathon. It's time to make transparency work for the people.

domain: politics


High-Performance Doors for the Automotive Industry
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The high-performance door experts at HQI's High Performance Door Division can answer any and all of your high-performance door questions. Contact us to for a consultation or to schedule an installation.


text:
Last Friday night I was cropping at The Scrapbook Page and I was at a group of tables with a part time employee of that store, Jodi. She was making pages from her wedding last fall with 12 X 12 paper from Bo Bunny called Forever Fall. I had the same 6 X 6 paper with me. I had Tilda colored but wasn't sure how to color the leaves so I flipped through the paper pad and saw the autumn leaf paper. I used it as a guide for coloring the leaves with my Copics. Not bad if I do say so myself.
Jodi had never made an easel card and wanted to see one made so I did this card.
I think it's pretty colorful.
Enjoy. I'll be back with more Tilda card and a scrapbook page.


Sunday, December 7, 2008
Shop name: willywaw
A little about you: When I was growing up, my Dad would tromp us out into the woods with our Peterson Field Guides in hand to discover and identity what was growing there. So it’s by nature that I still find inspiration for my art and designs. My name is Ashley Van Etten and I live in Narragansett, R.I., with my husband, Joe, and our rescued border collie/Alaskan husky, Cody. Joe is a marine engineer, avid diver and kayaker. I love the ocean and the creatures that inhabit the shore but I also have a passion for mountains and snow.
I've worked as a freelance illustrator for over 15 years and enjoy creating just about anything. My favorite mediums are oil, watercolor, screen prints and wood. I have a B.A. in studio art and background in fashion design. At one time I designed couture under my own label and after volunteering on a trail crew in the Tetons lead to a move out west, I designed ski clothing and outdoor gear for five years.
My Etsy shop shares the name of my web site, willywaw.com, and my design studio. Named after the ferocious arctic winds that sweep down coastal mountains and slam onto the ocean (I like reading non-fiction arctic adventure), Willywaw is the creative outlet for my own work.
A little about your products: A few years ago I became a master gardener. The program teaches sustainable gardening practices and reinforced my concerns about the environment, so choosing organic textiles was a no-brainer. My tote bags are screen printed on organic cotton canvas, and I use hemp webbing for the straps as it wears better than cotton. I am trying to buy only fabric grown and milled in the U.S. and get most of my fabric from NearSea Naturals and their blog but I've had to make some compromises. For now, my t-shirts are not organic and the decision to offer a t-shirt with great cut, style and colors won out. The dye house does have a state of the art water treatment recycling system and is in New England so they get some points.
What about the organic mission inspires you?: When I swim in the ocean or dig in my garden, I think about how what goes in is going to come out, or go somewhere, or end up back in me. I’d like to be part of a solution not part of the problem.
What’s your current project?: My big project right now is building a bigger light box so I can burn very large screens. My tote bags are screened as one piece and then sewn so I am limited by the size of the tote I can create. Customers have expressed a lot of interest in bigger bags, pillows and new styles. I’m also working on multi-colored prints and paint as often as I can.
Where your products can be found: Right now I am only selling on Etsy. I will be at the URI East Farm Spring Festival next May and the Coastal Growers Farmer’s Market at Casey Farm throughout the summer 2009. Both events take place in Rhode Island.
Blog, under construction: willywaw.blogspot.com


text:
In January of last year came the sad news of the death of our colleague Professor Jon Bing. At that time, preparation was nearing completion of a volume containing both academic papers and personal reminiscences, originally intended as a festschrift for Jon’s 70th birthday. Despite Jon’s passing, the editors wisely decided to proceed with publication “…as a tribute and testimony to a pioneering giant in law on information and communication technology…and to a warm, intelligent and good person of whom many were very fond”. The book was presented on April 30 2014 – the day on which Jon would have reached the age of 70 – at the first Jon Bing Memorial Seminar, which is to become an annual event. In association with the book a website has been set up, accessible at http://jonbing.net/ including further tributes (mostly written in Norwegian), photographs, and an extensive bibliography of Jon’s publications, covering Jon’s academic papers, his writings on legal and technological issues intended for a non-specialist audience, and his many works of fiction.
At the Law Faculty of the University of Oslo, Jon co-founded – as early as 1970 – the Norwegian Research Centre for Computers and Law (NRCCL), and worked tirelessly over the years to establish it as a leading international research hub. It was characteristic of Jon’s commitment to an interdisciplinary approach, and further evidence of the breadth of his knowledge and understanding of the field, that the many researchers who visited NRCCL included most of the key figures in the development of the field of Artificial Intelligence and Law. Together with some of his NRCCL colleagues, Jon participated in several of the International Conferences on AI & Law, and co-chaired the organization of ICAIL 1999, held at the University of Oslo.
It is therefore highly appropriate that the editors of Artificial Intelligence and Law have decided to publish a special issue of the journal in Jon’s honour. Submissions are sought of papers that either discuss aspects of Jon’s own contributions to AI and Law, or else address issues related to Jon’s work in that field. Given the very wide range of Jon’s interests, the proposed remit of the special issue is suitably broad in scope. Authors should follow the instructions for document preparation and submission described at www.springer.com/computer/ai/journal/10506
The deadline for submissions will be March 31 2015. The provisional plan is to publish the selected papers in the fourth issue of the 2015 volume. The guest editors of the special issue will be Emily Weitzenboeck (Senior Associate, Wikborg, Rein & Co. Advokatfirma DA), Tobias Mahler (Associate Professor, NRCCL) and Andrew Jones (Emeritus Professor, King’s College London, and an associate member of NRCCL 1986-2001), each of whose careers benefitted significantly, in various ways, from Jon Bing’s wisdom and support, and above all from his great generosity of spirit.
 Quoted from p.XVI of the Preface to Jon Bing – en hyllest/a tribute, edited by Dag Wiese Schartum, Lee A. Bygrave and Anne Gunn Berge Bekken, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag AS, Oslo, Norway, 2014. ISBN 9788205468504.

domain: library


text:
Economy adds 103K jobs, rate stays at 9.1 pct
Employers added 103,000 jobs in September, a modest burst of hiring after a sluggish summer.
Still, job growth remains too weak to lower the unemployment rate, which stayed at 9.1 percent for the third straight month.
The Labor Department also revised the previous two months to show that companies hired at a better pace than first estimated.
Nearly half of the gains last month occurred because 45,000 striking Verizon workers returned to their jobs.
Employers have added an average of only 72,000 jobs in the past five months. The economy must create twice as many just to keep up with population growth.
The jobs crisis has intensified a debate in Washington 13 months before President Barack Obama will run for re-election.
More breaking news
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- Feds, NY seek out misclassified workers
- LI credit unions add services
- Funding stalls LI projects
- Jailed ex-attorney convicted of mortgage fraud
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Register now for LIBN’s FREE e-alerts and get real-time notifications of breaking news, special reports and the day’s top stories – the business intelligence you need, sent directly to your inbox.
More breaking news
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- No such thing as a free drink
- Long Island IDAs closed more deals in 2013
- Kicking aphalt
- Stock and housing gains put US net worth at record
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

domain: news


text:
After trying all mediums, I have found my true love…Pastels! The feel of the chalks and the rich, vibrant colors speak to me. My Grandfather was a pastel artist and I love the connection that inspires.
I also love teaching!
For over 30 years, I have taught all age groups from Elementary through College. I hold a BA and MA in Education. In more recent years, I have been teaching pastel workshops to adults in Arizona.
I owned a pottery business in the 90’s, and showed my work in many
I have been lucky enough to sell many works over the years and I am looking forward to new adventures in Pastels.
Most Current Workshops and Classes
Kim Casebeer "Understanding Light and Color in a Landscape" July 2016
Marjie Eakens Petty "Your Creative Journey, Thru Pastel" August 2016
Clive Tyler "Capturing the Light in the Pastel Landscape" July 2017
Kim Casebeer "Understanding Light and Color in a Landscape" July 2017
Tony Allain "Chasing the Light" July 2017
Liz Kenyon, Scottsdale Art School October 2017
Marjie Eakens Petty "Your Creative Journey, Thru Pastel" August 2018
Christine Debrosky Scottsdale Art School November 2018
Christine Debrosky Sedona November 2019
Kathy Howard, Sunsets, Scottsdale Art School, Nov 2021
Pastel Society of Colorado
Arizona Artists' Pastel Association
Evergreen Artists' Association
Evergreen Open Door Studio Tour September 2022
Evergreen Open Door Studio Tour September 2021
Finding Beauty in Unordinary Times Sun Valley Artists at
WHAM Art Center November 2020
Expressions from the Heart Blankcanvasgallery.com July 13- August 28, 2020
Evergreen Open Door Studio Tour September 2020
Pastel Society of Colorado Member Show Summer 2020
Evergreen Open Door Studio Tour September 2019
Sun City Art Expo 2010-2018


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Answered by: BrianaEHernande... Hair Expert/Makeup Artist In her 30's from San Diego, CA
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Answered by: RoryGautsche Makeup Artist In her 40's from Denver, Colorado
You have really pretty hair but I think a light brown would also be fabulous on you! I would stay away from anything "too blonde" but a deep golden blonde would suit you well. I attached 2 pics of some hair colors that I think would look great on you! Try the "Makeover" tool for some more ideas!
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Update 49 - July 2014
The difference the referendum is making
Nobody knows with certainty how the Scottish people will vote in the independence referendum on 18 September, but we do know one thing with certainty: the referendum campaign has already irrevocably changed the way the United Kingdom is to be ruled. We know this because, in advance of any result, the major UK political parties, Conservative and Labour, have committed themselves to big changes in the devolution settlement if the referendum rejects the call for independence. Thus we can be sure that one of two significant outcomes will happen after September 18th: either we will have the constitutional earthquake of independence, or the lesser, but still significant, change of a major expansion of devolved powers.
What these expanded powers might be we still cannot be certain about, but the reports of two commissions established by the Labour and Conservative Parties in Scotland give a clear idea of forward thinking, and they both suggest radical change.
Scottish Labour’s Devolution Commission Report published in March 2014 -available at http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/campaigns/entry/devolution-commission - proposes a whole set of institutional changes which will make Scottish administration more distinctive: for instance the jurisdiction of the UK wide electoral commission would be replaced by Scottish control over the administration of elections in Scotland. But the two key recommendations concern taxing and spending. First, ‘Labour will give the Scottish Parliament the power to raise around £2 billion more in revenues beyond the recent Scotland Act, so that it raises about 40 per cent of its present budget from its own resources.’ And second, ‘we will widen the variation in income tax in the Scotland Act by half from 10p to 15p. It will mean that three-quarters of the basic rate income tax in Scotland will be under the control of the Scottish Parliament.’ The Strathclyde Commission (http://www.scottishconservatives.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Strathclyde_Commission_14.pdf), the report of the Scottish Conservatives’ position on devolution published in June 2014, goes even further: full control over taxation powers (setting both rates and bands) should, it recommends, be in the control of the Scottish government.
These commitments are obviously a response to the challenge of the referendum campaign. But they also reflect something deeper. In the two editions of Politics and Governance in the UK I have raised, without answering, the question: is the devolution settlement of 1999 stable? That was the intention: devolution was to establish once and for all the division of powers between Westminster and the devolved systems. But these proposals show that the settlement is not stable. Indeed, one consequence of the widening of Scottish powers has been to make more vocal Welsh calls for enhanced devolution. The distance travelled by the parties in the last fifteen years is remarkable: the Conservatives, the defenders of the Union in the first devolution debates, are now trying to outbid Labour in offering enhanced powers.
Thus, whatever the outcome on September 18th, the governance of the United Kingdom will never be the same again.


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Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Teens
Stress as a teenager comes from every direction. From schoolwork and post-graduation plans to friendship drama and family issues, it can all feel overwhelming. While it’s natural to worry, too much stress can lead to excessive anxiety that interferes with your ability to properly handle the problems you’re dealing with.
While feeling anxious is an emotion, having anxiety is a mental health disorder that requires proper support and treatment. If you find yourself worrying to the point where it’s interfering with your everyday responsibilities and your relationships, you may need to be treated for generalized anxiety disorder.
How Can Lightfully Teen Treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Anxiety makes you feel mentally and emotionally overwhelmed by stress to the point where you can’t think about anything else. But at Lightfully Teen, we help you look at your mental health from every angle to see how different parts of your overall well-being are contributing to your anxiety. That way you can see what your current needs are so that you can determine how to get where you want to be in the future with healthy cognitive and coping skills.
Our process-based therapy allows us to design a personalized treatment plan that’s tailored to your symptoms and medical needs. This clinical model helps us to treat you as a whole person, not just your diagnosis. Because you’re more than just your generalized anxiety disorder.
Process-based therapy walks you through integrated interventions, such as values clarification and motivational enhancement, to help you work through four core processes that can contribute to your anxiety:
- Difficulty with emotions
- Difficulty with thoughts
- Difficulty with behaviors
- Difficulty with relationships
Lightfully Teen Can Help Treat Your Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Being a teenager is stressful. But that doesn’t mean that you should let anxiety run your life. That’s why Lightfully Teen is here to help.
Process-based therapy can help your generalized anxiety disorder in our three levels of care: Residential Treatment, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), also called our Day Treatment Program.
Get Connected Today
We’re here when you’re ready. Send us a message using the link below or give us a call at 916.269.5371. Let us help shine a light on your path.

domain: medical


In addition to the serious economic crisis that the COVID-19 pandemic has generated for small businesses, with the loss of income that the not being able to pay rent and laying off employees, or just shutting down for good, there is another big headache that many traders face, and it is the large number of fines they receive for a myriad of regulations that are often very difficult to enforce.
And to help these entrepreneurs, many of whom are immigrants and minorities, Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order, called ” Small Business Forward ‘, to carry out a series of reforms to reduce the number of fines, including already scheduled citations, and also change the warnings for those who have committed a violation for the first time, and who instead receive a warning.
“Nur small businesses have been through a lot during the pandemic COVID-19, “Adams emphasized in a statement, adding that the” last thing they have to deal with is unnecessary fines. We are cutting red tape and providing real relief to entrepreneurs who have made their dreams come true and keep our local economy strong. “
Among the main changes with this order, the new Adams Administration will change several of the existing business regulations, requiring municipal agencies, such as the Buildings Department, Environmental Protection Department, Sanitation Department, Fire Department, Consumer and Worker Protection Department and the Health Department, to review their business rules with the goal of reducing fines imposed and allowing warning periods for first-time offenses.
This new executive order comes just a week after the most recent regulation for businesses went into effect, requiring them to comply with a vaccination mandate or otherwise face fines of up to $ 1,000.
“This order makes it clear to all City agencies that weAs the City, we must work together to reduce unnecessary fines for small businesses to thrive. Ultimately, it will save small businesses millions of dollars and countless hours of dealing with red tape and red tape, ”he stressed. Kevin D. Kim, the Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services.
“Throughout the pandemic, small businesses have suffered even as larger businesses generated record profits. Local businesses are the backbone of many neighborhoods in the city and I am pleased that the Government is working together to support them, ”said the Ombudsman Jumaane D. Williams.
The Executive Order will require:
Within three months, each agency will identify the 25 violations that are responsible for the most citations and fines issued to small businesses and will submit the following:
- Recommendations for which violations should be amended by a) elimination, b) citations for reduced fines, c) granting a warning for the first time and / or d) granting a correction period for first infractions.
- If reform action is not recommended for a violation, provide an explanation of why the status quo must be maintained (for example, serious risk to health or safety).
- Identify actions needed for reform (e.g. rulemaking, city law, state law, etc.)
- All agencies should immediately review and update their violation tracking systems, inspection procedures and training, and the language of their citation tickets.


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Ben Affleck accepts his award from director Michel Hazanavicius at the… (Kevin Winter / Getty Images )
Ben Affleck was named outstanding director for "Argo" at the 65th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards, which were held Saturday night at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland.
The win solidifies "Argo" as an Oscar frontrunner, after the film also claimed key honors from the Screen Actors and Producers guilds last weekend.
"I don't think this makes me a real director, but I think it means I'm on my way," Affleck said in a speech.
The other nominees for the feature directing award were Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty," Tom Hooper for "Les Miserables," Ang Lee for "Life of Pi" and Steven Spielberg for "Lincoln."
The DGA award for feature directing has traditionally been a reliable indicator of who will win the directing Oscar -- only six times since the DGA Awards began in 1948 have the two honors differed.
But this year's Oscar directing race has been a bit of a head-scratcher--Affleck was not nominated, despite his film receiving multiple nominations from the Academy in other categories. Bigelow and Hooper were also snubbed.
The DGA is a larger body than the Academy's directing branch, representing 15,000 members, many of them in television.
The ceremony's television winners included Rian Johnson, who earned the drama series award for directing the "Fifty-One" episode of "Breaking Bad"; Lena Dunham, who collected the comedy series award for directing the pilot of "Girls"; and Jay Roach, who took the movies for television/miniseries prize for "Game Change" on HBO.
The evening's winner for documentary directing was Malik Bendjelloul, for the "Searching For Sugarman."
A lifetime achievement award was presented to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "The People vs. Larry Flynt" director Milos Forman.
Host Kelsey Grammer kept the evening light, making jokes about Manti Te'o, Mel Gibson and Ron Jeremy, as well as some of the nominees in the room.
Grammer said to Bigelow, whose movie has been at the center of a controversy over forced interrogation, "Waiting so patiently to see if your name will be called, it must be torture for you."
All of the evening's feature directing nominees received a medallion from the DGA, most of them presented after an adoring speech. Martin Short, however, delivered Spielberg's medallion in an irreverent and sometimes bawdy address.
"I like my champagne like I like my women," Short said. "Compliments of the DGA."
When Spielberg stood to accept the honor--receiving the night's first full-house standing ovation--he reacted with amusement.
"When you tell your assistant to contact Marty about presenting you with the DGA medallion," Spielberg said, "You just assume she knows you're talking about Marty Scorsese."
Academy doesn't follow the script in directors' race
Santa Barbara Film Fest sees itself as Oscar harbinger
Is 'Argo' poised to deliver a shocker at Directors Guild Awards?

domain: entertainment


In case that you haven’t done a backup of your Mac Mini hard disk drive data and keep it somewhere else, if and when your Mac Mini has a problem, it is not impossible to lose your data, and then the only way to get them back would be data recovery. The chances of success that this operation has depends on the damage of the hard disk drive, as well as what has been done after the deletion of the data.
If they have been deleted by your will, the steps that you can follow are these:
- Do not make changes on the system of your data
- Do not copy or write new dat
- Do not try to recover your data by yourself, as your data can be deleted forever if you don’t have the proper tools and knowledge to do it.
There are two levels that a hard disk drive can be damaged. On the first level, there is no access to all of the user’s data, but there is access to the Operating System, as well as the graphical environment of the Mac Mini. The second (and worst) level, where the damage is much greater, does not let the user use the Mac Mini normally, as the Operating system cannot be booted.
How does your data get lost?
- Your hard disk drive is damaged
- An application malfunctions
- The user uses the system in a wrong way
What procedure is followed in order to recover your data?
By the time that a hard disk drive is problematic and the data needs to be recovered, there will be required a mechanical intervention, with the data being transferred in a second hard disk drive, so that they can either be available for the user, or they are returned in the first hard disk drive or other means of storage, depending on the user’s choice.
Trust an ired laboratory
Your hard disk drive will be checked by our experienced technicians, who will fully inform you for your hard disk drive, for the options that you have, and then, by your choice, you will get the best service possible, with the biggest success percentages in data recovery on the market, in excellent price.


As you are no doubt already aware, Mats Sundin has signed with the Canucks for the remainder of the 2008-2009 season.
Unfortunately, I was tied up playing Santa Claus for these lovely ladies at their show in Toronto last night and the co-author of this blog was happily celebrating his anniversary. Neither of us is equipped with BlackBerries or anything, so suffice it to say that we are a little late on the draw when it comes to Sundin.
Since a lot of people have already weighed in on the transaction, let me get down to business and identify what I think are the positives and potential negatives associated with Sundin coming to Vancouver.
- The addition of a proven point-a-game player like Sundin, even at his age, gives the Canucks two bona fide scoring lines. As I have been at pains to point out, the Canucks have had no trouble scoring this season (the team is currently ninth overall in goals-per-game, with a ratio of 3.03). Sundin, you would imagine, will only further solidify the Canucks’ scoring credentials.
- One area of glaring weakness for the Canucks this season has been the power play. Currently 16th overall at 18.6 per cent, the Canucks will be helped immensely by a player such as Sundin, who is a proven power play producer.
- The addition of Sundin gives the Canucks the top-line centre the team has sorely lacked in recent years.
- With fellow Swedes Mattias Ohlund, the Sedin twins, and Alexander Edler already on the roster, and former Leaf teammate – and linemate – Kyle Wellwood playing in Vancouver, Sundin should integrate into the dressing room well (see below for my caveat).
- Mike Gillis’s resolve to wait for the player he thought would make this team a legitimate contender further persuades me that the man has a fully considered plan in place that he is unwaveringly committed to, and that he is not going to be a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants GM.
- I can’t help but wonder, notwithstanding Gillis’s stoic claims to the contrary, that Sundin chose to come to Vancouver ultimately because his preferred team, the New York Rangers, could not make room for him. The fact he only signed a one-year deal – and not the two-year deal on the table from the Canucks initially – lends some credence to this notion.
- If my concern about Sundin’s motivation is valid, then I also wonder how committed he will be to the cause in Vancouver. Admittedly, I don’t have the impression (based on Sundin’s history) that he is a man out to collect paycheques, but the possibility exists that he might be here mainly for the money.
- I wonder how well the dressing room will adjust to a player walking into the team as the putative ‘star’ player, especially since it appears that the Canucks are such a tight-knit team this season. (Let’s not forget that the last time the Canucks tried something like this – cough – it was a spectacular failure and wreaked havoc in the dressing room.)
- The Sundin deal is only for the remainder of this season. If it doesn’t work out, no harm done – Sundin leaves after the season and the Canucks have given up nothing except cap space.
- Sundinhas a reputation for being an amiable – if sometimes quiet – member of the dressing room with the Leafs. I can’t imagine that his personality could unleash the terror that, say, Messier’s did after he arrived.
- Sundin wears the label of someone who ‘hasn’t won anything’ (in the NHL) around his neck like an anchor. That may be motivation enough to ensure that Sundin is a valuable asset come playoff time.
On the whole, I think the positives outweigh the potential negatives by a significant margin.
I, for one, can’t wait to see Sundin in a Canucks uniform. (I also have all the more reason now to find myself some tickets on Ebay for the Canucks’ visit to the Air Canada Centre in February.)


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Picea abiesSprouts in: 14 - 21 days
Enjoy for: 30 - 120 days
Plant is edible!
Grows best at: 18°C to 30°C (64.4°F to 86°F)
- Spruce grows with zero effort - no debris to clean up!
- If the pods are meant to be transplanted, leave just one plant per pod to grow, so the roots receive minimal damage. If growing Spruce plants just for decoration, leave as many seedlings to grow as you wish.
- A three month old spruce tree is big enough to be replanted outdoors. You may, however, allow it to grow longer and replant it in Spring.
- If you aim to grow tiny trees for the Holidays, plant the pods at least three months in advance.
- Spruce is a popular ornamental tree in horticulture, admired for their evergreen, symmetrical narrow-conic growth habit. For the same reasons, it is also extensively used as a Christmas tree.
- Captain Cook made sugar-based spruce beer during his sea voyages in order to prevent scurvy- a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C. Yes, young and soft Spruce stems are edible!

domain: hobby


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Exversion is hoping the need to access wide-ranging open datasets has matured enough to create a viable business as an open data marketplace. Their new Exversion API provides developers with a RESTful interface to search and access the open datasets stored on the Exversion data platform. At present, the API returns queries in JSON or XML format, with full XML support to be provided in the near future.
Take a look at MapCruncher. A very interesting new map mashup technique from the folks at Microsoft Research. It basically allows you to overlay any digital map image on top of a normal, zoomable Virtual Earth map.
The general reaction to Apple's release of the iOS 6 Maps application has been disappointment. Let's face it, it just doesn't work well and steadfast Apple users have valid reason to complain; it's sent users to the wrong places, listed buildings that no longer exist and simply doesn't display the kind of data that Google Maps does. But frustrations aside, it seems there are other things to consider and there may be some huge potential on the rise for the future of iOS 6 Maps.

domain: geography


"What started this summer with 60 pianos as part of a public-art exhibition in New York City has expanded into downtown Iowa City and, just recently, even the south-central Kansas town of Hutchinson"
Apparently the Larryville piano is getting some use. Assistant manager Joe Cottin says: "“We’ve had people who can play full concertos and whatnot, playing them all the way through...We’ve also had people playing ‘Chopsticks.’ Little kids play while their parents shop. Kids from the junior high stop by on their way home from school."
Chip: "I stopped by recently to offer a performance of Forttt Scottt's favorite drinking songs, all of them absolutely filthy. And I ran away when the cops were called."
According to the article, there is also talk of installing public pianos downtown as well. We certainly hope so, as we'd love to see Larryville's hobos gather to lead us all in a sing-a-long of their favorite train songs.
As we noted last week, downtown merchants are joining forces to combat panhandlers with a new campaign. Are Larryville's hobo-loving progressives mad about this? You bet they are! In an LJ-World editorial today, Richard Sullivan offers a wonderfully indignant piece of purple prose (titled "A Little Boycott" by the LJ-World) as he vows to launch his own boycott of downtown merchants. Here's a bit of it:
"We could choose to let our homeless nomads remind us of the broader illusion we all would prefer to hide in these days, of the consequences of war and capitalism run amok and what being a community really means. For me, Lawrence has been an oasis amid a seething Kansas, a place of vibrant, artistic grit. Today, it feels more like a peeling, faded mural that once proudly celebrated its diversity. So, in honor of this season’s communal spirit, I hereby revoke my charity — to the downtown merchants."
Chip: "When I accuse this town of being full of 'artistic grit,' I do NOT mean it in a positive fashion."
Richard: "Sullivan is right. Let's repaint that mural, meaning ourselves (I think?), and quit seething against the noble nomads. But how does this connect to war? I think I got lost somewhere in that righteous indignation."
The annual KJHK Farmer's Ball kicks off tomorrow at the Jackpot. Which band is the LC endorsing? Well, this could change, but right now we're going with Radar Defender, largely because their influences (via Myspace) are pretty hip ("Pixies, Swirlies, My bloody Valentine, autolux, Jesus Mary chain, Breeders") and because we like their album cover.
We'll consider other contenders later this week.
In the meantime, go here and familiarize yourselves with Radar Defender:


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Weeks in the making, and 37 different games later – The Cross Players Top 10 Games of All Time is here.
Irreverent Videogame Nonsense
Tag: Elden Ring
CrossCast | Ep68 – Ben’s impression of Ale, Sifu & 13 Sentinels
Ben has been commuting again, inappropriately.
CrossCast | Ep67 – Alex’s impression of Ben & Lego Star Wars THe Skywalker Saga
We’re here for Lego!
CrossCast | Ep66 – PS Plus? More Like BS Sus, Amirite?
All hail Project Spartacus!
CrossCast | Ep65 – More Bloody Elden Ring!
We’re back for more Elden Ring, it has taken over!
CrossCast | Ep64 – Happy Birthday Nintendo 64!
It’s our 64th episode – so what a time for the Nintendo 64 to have a birthday!
CrossCast | Ep63 – Elden RIng, More Wide than It is Long
Did we mention Elden Ring?
CrossCast | Ep60 – Elden Ring And Those Ruddy Jumping Horses
Dan takes the reigns in the absence of Lewis and the horses are all over the place!
CrossCast | Ep53: Halo Infinite: Purple Double-Ender
Halo Infinite is in the spotlight, with some Elden Ring thrown in for good measure!
CrossCast | Ep52: Forza Horizon 5: It’s Quite Stubby
It’s Forza Horizon 5 time, will a little bit of Elden ring and Max’s mum thrown in for good measure.


Bryan Singer to executive produce new X-Men TV show for Fox
There are already two TV shows in development based on the X-Men universe and now a third is on its way, with the director of the cinematic X-Men franchise Bryan Singer serving as executive producer alongside the show's creator and writer Matt Nix, Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg. This will be a joint venture with Marvel’s Jeph Loeb and Jim Chory.
Variety have confirmed that Fox have ordered a pilot for the as of yet untitled series that 'will focus on two ordinary parents who discover their children possess mutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins up with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive'.
President for entertainment at Fox David Madden made the following statement.
"Developing a Marvel property has been a top priority for the network — and we are so pleased with how Matt Nix has led us into this thrilling universe. There’s comic book adventure, emotional and complicated relationships and a rich, existing mythology from which to draw. With the brilliant production crew behind this project, it has all the makings of a big, fun and exciting new series." - Fox
While Fox will be airing mutant TV show Legion, which will be will be broadcast on Fox channels in 125 countries on the same day, this is the first direct venture with Marvel. The other X-Men-inspired TV series Hellfire featuring the villainous Hellfire Club appears to have stalled, with Variety suggesting it may have been dropped altogether. We'll confirm more on that show as we have it.


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While menstruation is a natural and healthy process, conventional feminine hygiene products aren’t kind to your body.
Besides containing harmful chemicals, standard menstrual products aren’t eco-friendly.
Fortunately, there are some alternatives to have an eco-friendly period!
You don’t need to keep using feminine hygiene products that could irritate your skin and pollute the environment.
Nowadays, there are many options made from natural, safe, and organic materials that can fit your personal care needs!
Want to know the best part? We’ve selected 5 wonderful eco-friendly feminine hygiene products you can try in the UK. And if you still have your doubts,
keep reading to know the benefits of these period products!
Unfortunately, typical pads and tampons aren’t eco-friendly.
As these feminine hygiene products are made from a mix of plastic and non-organic cotton, their production and disposal cause several environmental problems.
To give you an example of how big this problem is: UK beach clean found an average of 30 plastic feminine hygiene products per kilometre of the British coastline!
And that’s not all! You should also take into consideration the greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production.
Benefits of eco feminine hygiene products
On the bright side, the solution to this problem is simple.
You can replace your standard sanitary pads, liners, and tampons with other eco-friendly feminine hygiene products.
Check the benefits of these wonderful menstrual products:
- They Will Protect You During Your Period
If you’re worried about how effective these eco-friendly options are, you’ll be glad to hear that they’re incredibly absorbent!
Eco-friendly feminine hygiene products will lock away your menstrual blood and prevent period leaks.
- They Don’t Contribute to Sanitary Pads Contamination
One of the problems with regular menstrual products is that they generate too much waste.
Think about how many tampons, pads, panty liners, and applicators are discarded worldwide.
That’s about 200,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year!
On the other hand, eco-friendly feminine hygiene products are either biodegradable or reusable.
Plus, they come in recyclable packaging. As a result, they’re a great option to have a zero waste period!
- They Won’t Irritate Your Skin
Most women don’t know that their period products might contain toxic chemicals that could cause them health problems, like skin irritation or cancer.
Conventional menstrual products contain traces of dioxins, chlorine, and herbicides like glyphosate.
You don’t want to expose the most sensitive area of your body to those toxic substances, right?
Then, eco-friendly products are the best choice.
These products are free from toxins, chlorine, pesticides, dyes, synthetic fibres, and fragrances. So, they’re kind to your body!
Are eco friendly feminine hygiene products cost effective
Whether you decide to use organic pads, cotton tampons, a menstrual cup, or any other eco-friendly option, you will save money in the long run!
Well, cotton is super absorbent, so you would need to use fewer feminine hygiene products.
Likewise, reusable options, like a menstrual cup, can replace several disposable period products each month!
5 eco feminine hygiene products you can buy
Now that you know all the benefits of using eco-friendly period products, it’s time to choose the right one for you.
It’s no secret that every woman has different needs and preferences, so here are 5 wonderful options you can choose from:
- Organic Cotton Pads
Looking for a plastic-free alternative that looks just like your synthetic sanitary pads?
Then, these organic pads come in handy! This eco-friendly feminine hygiene product is made from 100% organic cotton, so they’re super soft and absorbent.
And that’s not to mention they’re kind to your body and the planet!
But wait, it gets better! As they’re made from natural materials, they won’t cause you any kind of allergy or irritation.
- Organic Cotton Liners
Did you know that you can replace your regular panty liners with a plastic-free alternative?
These ultra-thin organic liners are the perfect choice for discreet and plastic-free protection on light flow days.
Besides being breathable and comfortable, this eco-friendly feminine hygiene product is made from certified organic cotton and other plant-based materials. In simple words, they’re a fantastic option to keep toxic chemicals away from one of the most sensitives areas of your body!
- Organic Cotton Tampons with Biodegradable Applicator
If applicator tampons are still the best option for you, there’s no need to keep putting harsh chemicals in your body.
Instead, you can use these naturally absorbent cotton tampons with biodegradable cardboard applicators, which are designed for smooth insertion!
Unlike regular options, these biodegradable tampons are completely made from certified organic cotton which makes them safe for your body and the environment!
- Applicator-free Organic Cotton Tampons
Would you like to reduce your waste even further?
You can choose these applicator-free tampons.
Not only are these organic tampons super absorbent and comfortable but also good for the planet.
This eco-friendly feminine hygiene product is also made from certified organic cotton, which means they’re biodegradable and free from toxins!
If you’re looking for a plastic-free menstrual product, these cotton tampons are a great option to prevent period leaks!
- Menstrual Cup
If you’re all about going completely zero waste, then the menstrual cup is the ultimate eco-friendly feminine hygiene product for you!
Here’s the best part about them:
With proper use and care, a single period cup can last up to a decade! Can you imagine how many disposable products you could avoid during this time?
Unlike other period products, they’re designed to collect your menstrual flow instead of absorbing it.
As a result, they give you comfortable and stress-free protection during any activity for up to 12 hours!
These eco-friendly feminine hygiene products are wonderful alternatives to conventional menstrual products that are full of chemicals and plastic.
Did you find the right eco-friendly period products for you?
Then, go give it a try!

domain: health


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As baby boomers age, nursing homes in New Mexico and across the United States are reaching capacity. This may mean that many nursing homes are understaffed and that managers don’t have the time to properly train staff. Experts believe that this may be the reason there has been an increase in elder abuse cases in nursing homes.
One problem may be that states aren’t providing enough funding to nursing homes. The state is responsible for providing funding for Medicare- and Medicaid-funded nursing homes. Almost all nursing homes in New Mexico are contracted providers with Medicare and Medicaid. Because of the increase in nursing home residents, facilities may not be receiving the necessary funding, causing staffing shortages.
These staffing shortages may cause a number of types of mental, verbal and physical abuse. Lack of funding may lead to residents not receiving medications on time and other supplies that they need. In 2018, New Mexico was listed as having the most serious deficiencies in nursing homes. State authorities say that steps must be taken to prevent abuse from occurring. The consequences of abuse may result in funds being pulled or nursing homes being shut down. Experts say that caring for the elderly needs to be a priority among lawmakers to prevent abuse and deficiencies from occurring.
By 2030, New Mexico will have the fourth-largest population in the country of seniors over the age of 65. Unfortunately, this may mean that elder abuse could rise. Nursing homes have the responsibility to ensure that seniors receive the proper treatment and care. When they don’t, serious action must be taken to stop the abuse. For example, a nursing home that was understaffed may have a resident die because medications weren’t administered on time. A civil suit might be filed against the nursing home on behalf of the family.


While the country dealt with conflicts arising from this year’s Valentine’s day celebration, Daily Muscle Transformational Camp decided to transform the conventional experience of expressing love to one which required sweat, heavy breathing and cardiovascular workouts – all while everyone, including the coaches were dressed in red and pink.
14th February 2012 marked an exhausting evening for the twenty who decided to workout instead of getting worked up over Valentine’s day.
Exercises by Coach Noel the founder of Daily Muscle Transformation said that “part of the whole love process is to love oneself.”
He said that people constantly struggle with self-love and this struggle manifests itself in many ways including the piling on of weight.
When asked how his camp is different from the rest he said, “At this Transformation Camp, we do not advocate extreme dieting or painful workouts, instead we help people discover what they need, work in a group so they can support each-other and finally helping them initiate the transformation.”
When asked about the Valentine’s day workout he said “Couples do really well when they workout together – they feel better together and they grow healthier together and somehow, they bond better.”
He encourages couples to enroll in the program so that they can support each-other.
Catch the next Daily Muscle Transformational Camp which is Open to Public. There is going to be the teaching the basics of proper exercise movement, techniques, tips, and a Q&A session with Coach Noel and his team of certified Personal Trainers and Coaches.
They will teach you how to do the primary/foundational exercises used in the Transformation Camp with proper form – and give you 1-on-1 feedback.
They recommend that every existing camp participant comes for a FOUNDATIONS class at least once to ensure you get the most out of your Transformation Camp experience.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
FREE for all current participants.
RM20 only for outsiders/friends/ex-campers/
Date: March 3, 2012
Start Time: 5:00 pm
End Time: 6:30 pm
Taman Rimba Kiara, Jalan Tun Mohd. Fuad
Taman Tun Dr Ismail


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In about a month, Hudson will likely be nothing more than a brand name, having been fully absorbed by Konami. In a post on The Kartel, John "Master" Lee, who wore a couple of hats at US-based Hudson Entertainment -- including former VP of sales and marketing, and general manager of games publishi...
Posted on Jan 27th 2015 8:15AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 11:00AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 10:00AM


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Wanna be part of the Rev.olution?
Join the Reverend Freakchild fan club!
Club members can also receive, T-shits, unreleased recordings, have a song written especially for them (or a loved one), or even have the Reverend perform in your living room!
Suggested Membership Donation Levels
$1.08 : Membership in the Freakchild Fan-club.
Yes that's right just one dollar and 8 cents for a lifetime membership in the Reverend Freakchild Fanclub! (Why the 108?)
$21 : Autographed "Hillbilly Zen-Punk Blues" CD + an official Reverend Freakchild collector’s edition sticker + the above
$33 : 3 EXCLUSIVE unreleased songs in MP3 format, both unavailable anywhere else + all the above.
$50 : Two previous Reverend Freakchild CDs signed (2010's "God Shaped Hole" and 2013's "Chaos & Country Blues") + all the above.
$108 : An official Reverend Freakchild T-Shirt + all the above. (Why the 108?)
$333 : A personalized song! Give the Reverend some details and he'll write a song about you or your loved one, record it and email it to you in MP3 format + all the above.
$1008 : (plus travel expenses) A house concert! The Reverend will come to your house and play two 54-minute sets for you and your friends on a mutually agreed upon date + all the above (except personalized song) - (Why the 108?)
"We can afford to open ourselves and join the rest of the world with a sense of tremendous generosity, tremendous goodness, and tremendous richness. The more we give, the more we gain, although what we gain [is] not particularly our reason for giving. Rather, the more we give, the more we are inspired to give constantly. And the gaining process happens naturally, automatically..."
"Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto The Lord the things which be the Lord's." - Luke 20:25 King James Version
Todah, Merci, Obrigado, Gracias, Danke, Grazie, Domo Arrigato, Thouche Shukriya, Dhanyabab, Thank You!


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Sweat equity may be the financing vehicle of choice in most communities, but more and more professional insurance advisors are helping venture capital firms and private equity firms protect human capital.
Venture capital firms supply “risk capital” for startup firms and small businesses that have a chance to do big things. Private equity firms often help managers who know and love an established business buy it from owners who have let it go to seed.
Firms making either type of deal are depending heavily on the managerial and technical expertise of the key people at the target company. Today, many of the firms are asking insurance brokers, agents and consultants about strategies for handling the risk that the key people such as business creators or star computer programmers might die or become disabled during the first 3 to 5 years after a deal is made.
In the venture capital market alone, there were about 3,000 deals completed in 2005.
The sudden loss of a key, difficult-to-replace individual can mean the loss of the entire $5 million to $10 million investment and a serious blow to the reputation of the venture capital firm.
And disability risk is not a rare kind of risk: Statistics show that a 45-year-old is 4 times more likely to be disabled for 90 days than to die and is 2.67 times more likely to be disabled for 365 days than to die.
In some cases, one large individual disability policy can be enough to protect the VC firm or the private equity firm against disability risk. In other cases, the advisor will offer the clients a group policy or a package of several individual policies.
The disability policy must be a specialized policy designed to protect the investors against the true cost of the loss of an individual’s services, not simply enough to help individuals maintain their standard of living during a period of disability.

domain: economics


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“EVERYTHING AN INFLATABLE TOURING PADDLE BOARD SHOULD BE.”
~ SUPBoarder Magazine
“THIS PADDLE BOARD IS PACKED WITH MORE FEATURES AND MANUFACTURING FINESSE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.”
~ German SUP magazine
The overall balanced glide experience and Deluxe features are what have made Starboard’s Touring boards become the world’s highest-rated by magazines and happy customers worldwide.
The narrow nose helps to shed water and makes you feel that ultimate glide sensation. The straighter midsection improves board stability and with the wider tail, you can step back more easily to perform a steady and balanced turn. Experience the Starboard difference even before entering the water, these lightweight paddle boards feature the trademark Starboard shoulder carry strap which allows you to effortlessly carry it to the water, with both hands-free!
Before you get on board, you can secure yourself with the included flat lightweight leash, paddle safely and comfortably knowing your board is a life raft. The Deluxe Double Chamber model even has a water bottle with a patented magnetic self-attaching attachment innovation. Thinking about double chambers, Starboard invented and introduced this stiffening and security concept back in 2014.
Join Bart De Zwart in his board of choice, the legendary ultra-long distant paddler and Guinness world record holder who explores the world through Stand Up Paddle Board.
Read more about Bart’s trips to Vanuatu here >


[meteorite-list] SwRi Ultraviolet Spectrometer Aboard Rosetta Performing Flawlessly On Its Way To Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko
From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun May 16 12:54:11 2004
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
SwRI? ultraviolet spectrometer aboard Rosetta performing flawlessly on its
way to comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
May 12, 2004
San Antonio -- The Alice ultraviolet imaging spectrometer,
one of three NASA instruments aboard the European Space Agency (ESA)
Rosetta comet orbiter, successfully passed its space checkout last month.
The checkout occurred approximately 20 million kilometers from Earth under
radio command and control, leading to textbook "first light" observations
of the interplanetary hydrogen and a nearby, bright comet called C/2002 T7
"Rosetta's launch was bang on the mark, and the spacecraft is well on its
way to its target comet. During this journey, Rosetta will also explore
the atmosphere of Mars during a flyby in 2007 and two asteroids in later
years," says Dr. Alan Stern, Alice principal investigator and director of
the Space Studies Department at Southwest Research Institute?. "When
Rosetta encounters Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the ancient comet it is targeted
to orbit in 2014, the NASA-SwRI Alice instrument will become the first
ultraviolet spectrometer to ever reach a comet.
"Alice will spend hundreds of days in cometary orbit, analyzing the
composition of Churyumov-Gerasimenko's atmosphere, mapping its surface and
studying the properties of fine dust particles coming off the comet,"
Stern says. "This investigation will provide an unprecedented window into
both the origin of comets and the way comets work."
"Alice is a highly miniaturized spectrometer with more than 1,000 times
the data-gathering capability of instruments flown a generation ago, and a
sensitivity for atmospheric measurements comparable to the Hubble Space
Telescope - yet it weighs less than 4 kg and draws just 3 watts of power,"
explains Alice Project Manager John Scherrer, also of SwRI. "The
successful turn on and checkout of Alice in space represents a major
milestone in the U.S. Rosetta program."
Alice Operations Scientist and SwRI Manager Dr. Joel Parker continues,
"We really couldn't have expected a healthier instrument than we have.
All subsystems are performing nominally, and every indication we have is
that the instrument's scientific performance is on spec."
Alice was built and is operated by SwRI for NASA. The instrument is
designed to probe the atmosphere and surface of Churyumov-Gerasimenko. A
sister Alice instrument is also set to launch aboard the New Horizons
mission to Pluto in January 2006 for studies of that distant world's
SwRI also built and will operate the Ion and Electron Spectrometer (IES)
flying aboard Rosetta. Principal Investigator Dr. James Burch, vice
president of the SwRI Space Science and Engineering Division, leads IES
operations. Despite its mass of just 1.04 kilograms, laboratory tests
the spectrometer achieves sensitivity comparable to other instruments
weighing five times more. IES will simultaneously measure the flux of
electrons and ions surrounding the comet over an energy range extending
the lower limits of detectability, near 1 electron volt, up to 22,000
electron volts. It uses a novel, electrostatic scanning technique to view
particles from directions encompassing 70 percent of the celestial sphere.
Although not yet fully operational, preliminary tests of IES show it too
is operating nominally.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) manages the U.S. Rosetta project for
Editors: The Rosetta mission website is at
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/, and the Alice instrument website is
at http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMRHF374OD_0.html. Visit the New
Horizons website at http://pluto.jhuapl.edu. Additional images to support
this story are available from http://www.swri.org/press/rosetta.htm.
For more information, contact Maria Martinez, Communications, (210)
522-3305, Southwest Research Institute, PO Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX
Received on Sun 16 May 2004 12:53:59 PM PDT


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Voz en Punto
Founded in 1990 by its director José Galván, Voz en Punto is one the vocal groups with the greatest international presence in Mexican musical history with a unique performance style using only their voice. They have captured the attention of audiences from different countries such as USA, France, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Romania, Austria, Finland, Spain, Greece, the Netherlands, Egypt, Ecuador, Colombia, China, Korea, and Japan, among others.
They have received several awards such as the Ambassador of the International Choral Federation (2014 and 2017), Fra Angelico Medal from the Cathedral of Mexico, Luminaria de Oro del Paseo de las Estrellas from Mexico City, 2nd prize from the International Festival of Vocal Music in Tampere, Mozart Medal from the Embassy of Austria, International Gaviota Award, 2nd prize from the International Choral Festival of the Netherlands, and their award-winning albums of the Folkloric and Viceregal Music in the Tribunas of Latin American and Caribbean CIM-UNESCO Music.
Voz en Punto performed in Mexico City at the Palacio de Bellas Artes and music festivals such as Festival Internacional Cervantino, Festival Internacional de Música in Morelia, Feria Internacional de las Artes de Sinaloa, Festival Internacional de Chihuahua, Festival Internacional de la Riviera Maya, Feria de San Marcos in Aguascalientes, among others.
They have performed internationally at the ACDA National Conference, International Festival of Arts in China, Muestra “México: Puerta de las Américas” in New York, Olympic Cultural Festival in Athens, Summer Festival of Wolfsburg Castle, Latin American Festival of Hamburg, International Festival of Choral Singing of Nancy, International Choral Festival of Montreux and the Instrument Museum in Moscow.
Voz en Punto was invited to perform with the Dresde Symphonic, the Mercury Baroque, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional of Mexico and Camerata Salzburg, and collaborates in Mexican theatre and cinema productions.


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Lakeside Farm Bed & Breakfast
We have room for four to five guests at Lakeside Farm Bed & Breakfast. The two guest rooms are on the second floor of the farmhouse; one is furnished with a queen size bed and the other with twin beds. The bathroom and shower, located on the same floor, serve both guest rooms. A more rustic room is offered on the first floor of the farmhouse that our hunter and fisherman guests enjoy.
- Please call for current Rates - Hearty country breakfast included
- Children welcome (crib available)
- No smoking or alcoholic beverages
We welcome guests all year at Lakeside Farm, a perfect overnight stop on your way to or from the Black Hills, only a day's drive away. We are located 15 minutes from U.S. Highway 12 and only 20 minutes from Northeastern South Dakota's beautiful Glacial Lakes.

domain: travel


raz_atoth Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Pz IV H(late)-248 points;rarity cost:0 Stug III G(mid)-293 points:rarity cost:0 Is there a reason why the Pz 4 is cheaper?It carries more AP/HE rounds (even the MG ammo load is higher) and if my memory stands correct both have the front armor of 80mm(with the turret of the Pz 4 being 50mm).And above all the Pz 4 is a tank-thus has a turret-unlike the stug? Am i missing something here,or-less likely-it's something that BFC overlooked? Regards, Raz. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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The Bolshevik Revolution, 1917-1923: v. 1: A History of Soviet Russia (Paperback)
$17.71 - Free delivery worldwide Available
Dispatched in 4 business days When will my order arrive?
DescriptionIn Volume I, E. H. Carr begins with an analysis of the events in Russian history from 1898 to 1917 that shaped the course of the Revolution. He examines the constitutional structure erected by the new government and then turns to the multifarious problems facing the Bolsheviks as they took possession of a rapidly disintegrating Russian empire.
- Published: 06 March 1985
- Format: Paperback 430 pages
- ISBN 13: 9780393301953 ISBN 10: 0393301958
- Sales rank: 412,881
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It’s only August, but we’ve reached the stage of the presidential race in which both sides ceaselessly sling mud at a wall, hoping something will stick. Have you heard the one about how Barack Obama wants to restrict the rights of military voters? It’s a perfect example of how campaigns misrepresent their opponents’ positions to mislead voters and gain an advantage.
Here’s the gist. On July 17, Obama for America, the DNC and the Ohio Democratic Party filed a lawsuit challenging the Buckeye State’s policy for early voting. In 2011, the state’s Republican-controlled legislature eliminated a policy that provided for three days of early voting for all Ohioans, which was thought to have provided an edge for Obama in 2008. Now only military families and civilians living overseas can participate in early voting until the Monday before Election Day; everyone else can do so until the previous Friday. The complaint challenges this “disparate treatment,” which affords a small group of voters special privileges, and seeks “to restore in-person voting for all Ohioans during the three days prior to Election Day — a right exercised by an estimated 93,000 Ohioans in the last presidential election.” You can read the lawsuit for yourself here.
(PHOTOS: Inside Barack Obama’s World)
One assumes the Romney campaign perused it, but you wouldn’t know it from the way they reacted. The candidate blasted out a statement on Saturday declaring Obama’s position “an outrage. The brave men and women of our military make tremendous sacrifices to protect and defend our freedoms, and we should do everything we can to protect their fundamental right to vote.” Katie Biber, Romney’s general counsel, wrote a memo attacking Obama’s “despicable” lawsuit. “We disagree with the basic premise that it is “arbitrary” and unconstitutional to give three extra days of in-person early voting to military voters and their families, and believe it is a dangerous and offensive argument for President Obama and the DNC to make,” she wrote. “It is not only constitutional, but commendable that the Ohio legislature granted military voters and their families this accommodation.”
It is legitimate to debate whether military members should receive special accommodations because of the demands of their jobs. It is an abject lie to claim, as conservative propagandists did, that Obama was “suing to restrict their ability to vote in the upcoming election.” The lawsuit doesn’t attempt to restrict the voting rights of military members, or anyone else for that matter. It seeks to grant the privilege afforded to one group of voters to everyone. “Never does the filing mention stripping away privileges from service members,” as a Washington Post’s Fact Checker analysis notes. “The lawsuit in question would not change the deadline one way or another for military voters. It simply requests an order for the state to extend its civilian deadline.”
Romney’s camp knows this perfectly well. But for obvious reasons, it wants to nurture the perception that Obama is hostile to military voters in a pivotal state. Its statements are a riot of innuendo, carefully worded to stop short of factual inaccuracy. Romney’s statement was headlined “WE MUST DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF MILITARY VOTERS,” an implicit suggestion that Obama wants to take them away. Romney pledges to “work to protect the voting rights of our military, not undermine them,” again intimating Obama is doing exactly that. The Biber memo doesn’t explain the substance of the lawsuit; it simply blasts the Democratic side for claiming it is “arbitrary” and unconstitutional to extend the three days of early voting to military members, and points to a coalition of military groups challenging Obama’s position. The campaign does not actually accuse Obama of restricting military voting rights. It’s just sayin’.
(PHOTOS: The Obama Presidency in Pictures)
This is how campaigns fudge without lying, preying on the uninformed in the process. “Most of the time it’s not like campaigns are making crystal clear factual claims” that aren’t true, says Bill Adair, the editor of the fact-checking website PolitiFact. “They’re cloaking factual claims in other kinds of rhetoric. They’re using some really sneaky tactics.” Adair wasn’t talking about the military voting issue specifically; Romney’s campaign had yet to latch onto the attack when we spoke. He was speaking more generally about the sophisticated techniques campaigns use to attack each other without spouting outright falsehoods. The military voting claim was widely exposed as bunk, and the Romney campaign has since moved onto a new attack, this time on welfare reform. But plenty of reputable news organizations reported the allegations without prejudice. It’s likely that many voters are laboring under the misconception that Obama is trying to restrict military voting rights. At the very least, the recriminations deflected attention from Harry Reid’s unsupported and cynical — but undeniably effective — claims about Romney’s tax returns.
So the military-voting canard is but one example of how campaign strategy is rooted in the assumption that every attack, no matter how baseless, carries political benefits. To be sure, both sides employ misrepresentations to hit their opponents. The new ad from the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action is a nasty bid to tie Romney to the death of a steelworker’s wife; the connection is extremely tenuous even before you factor in the haziness of its timeline. If this is the muck voters have to trudge through in August to find the facts, can you imagine the depth of the slime we’ll be contending with come October?


I will be appearing on a new 10-part series on Discovery’s Science Channel, on a show titled “Strange Evidence.” It examines bizarre and seemingly inexplicable photographs and videos. (I’m one of the guests who takes the “un” out of “unexplained.”)
Will I be on the new episode, or did I end up on the cutting room floor? Find out every Tuesday night at 7 PT / 10ET!
Find out more HERE!