You Get What You Pay For, Or Do You?
Vancouver Tops 2 Lists: Best Places to Live in the World, and Most Unaffordable Place to Live in the World ~My Thoughts Below~
Global News broadcasted tonight on the six o'clock news that "Vancouver has become one of the most unaffordable housing markets in the world, with Toronto and Montreal not far behind".
And that "Vancouver not only has the least affordable housing of 28 markets measured in Canada, but of 272 metropolitan markets ranked in Ireland, the U.K., New Zealand, Australia, the U.S. and Canada, according to statistics compiled by the Winnipeg-based Frontier Centre for Public Policy. As Canada’s resale housing market boomed and prices rose in 2009, affordability fell, sending the national average to a reading of 3.7 from 3.5 the year before, the group said.
That would place Canada’s overall housing market in the “moderately unaffordable” category -- from 3.1 to 4.00.
The numbers are calculated by dividing the median (or middle) residential house sale price from the third quarter by median annual gross household income. In Vancouver, for example, a median home price of $540,900 was divided by median household income of $58,200 to create a multiple of 9.3. The group describes as “severely unaffordable” any reading of 5.1 and over.
Victoria was second only to Vancouver, with its reading rising from 7.4 to 7.0, while Ottawa’ hot housing market remained within the realm of the moderately unaffordable, at least as measured as part of the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area, with a reading of 3.8, up from 3.4 the year before.
There is no doubt that Vancouver is not cheap to live in and that there are many other places across Canada and throughout the world that are much more affordable.
But what needs to be importantly noted is the fact that Vancouver is not cheap for a reason. Why should it be?
Vancouver is pricey to live in because of the lifestyle one gets to enjoy while living here. It has to do with supply and demand... if no one wanted to live here, if Vancouver had nothing to offer, then prices would reflect that. We certainly pay a premium to live where we live and perhaps Vancouverites stretch themselves thinner than they should to get into this housing market, but, you get what you pay for.
Vancouver is only minutes away from World Class Mountains, lakes, rivers and an ocean all of which provide Vancouver residents with an unlimited and unparalleled array of year round leisure activities to enjoy. The city’s climate fluctuates only 35 degrees season to season and allows golf lovers to hit the greens 275 days a year comfortably.
Vancouver is a big enough city to offer a large array of jobs and different opportunities for aspiring business professionals. It offers a real estate market that makes sense for both local and global investors. It is a busy, bustling and happening place to live... yet, not too big to make it completely impersonal. Vancouver is a friendly city thanks in part to an eclectic population from all over other parts of Canada and the World. Its residents are eager to make new friends and network as few people who live in Vancouver were actually born here.
So yes, Vancouver may be rated one of the most unaffordable places in the world to live... but for me, and apparently thousands of others, our money is well spent and invested in an amazing city. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wake up happy to live, work and play here.
The study may be true... perhaps Vancouver is one of the most expensive places to live in the world.. But, in my opinion, it’s worth every penny to live here.


Everton fans were left divided when asked what their preferred outcome would be from their clash with Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
Defeat at Goodison Park would allow Manchester City to move into first place in the Premier League on goal difference – ahead of Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
Rather than see their own side record what would be a superb victory over the reigning champions, some Toffees admitted they are prepared to lose in favour of Jurgen Klopp’s men suffering another setback.
Others, more admirably, insisted they would never back against their own team, with one Evertonian even suggesting he wanted Liverpool to beat City to the title.
Here is the excellent work of the Liverpool Echo as they took to the streets to get the views of fans…
We went out and asked Everton fans if they want to beat Man City and help Liverpool in the title race. Or lose 3 points and spoil the reds chances. Here’s what they said. #EFC #EVEMCI #LFC pic.twitter.com/wjbkN1H1Sk
— Tom Munns (@TomMunns1) February 5, 2019
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Everton manager Marco Silva was of the strong belief fans would want nothing but three points against Pep Guardiola’s men.
He told reporters: “We know our fight, and for sure what our fans want for tomorrow is to win the game, that’s the most important thing.”
Reds could never begin to imagine ever wanting Liverpool to lose a game, regardless of how it may help or hinder their rivals. Your team comes first, that’s final.


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Grocery Manager, Martha Philion, files this report on some great new poducts and recent developments at the East Store.
Check out our new line of Field Day products! This line of grocery products is the new brand available to us from our primary wholesale distributor and includes paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, canned vegetables, snack foods, pasta and more. Field Day offers an attractive pricing option compared to national brands as well as many organic choices. Let us know what you think!
How about mochi ice cream? I’ll let the Bubbies Gourmet Ice Cream website speak for this new item at the East store:

domain: food


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The Fields Around Us. Proposal for the Central Park of Valencia, Spain.
Finalist proposal in the competition for the Central Park in Valencia by ArquitecturaAgronomia (Teresa Galí-Izard + Jordi Nebot), FOA, AIC EQUIP and GPO.
“Valencia Central Park Competition is inspired by the concepts of "hardware" and "software". With this concept the hardware would be the physical place where events related to the dynamism of living materials take place. The software would be the programming of those events over the years.
A broad esplanade composed of a system of paths planted with trees for people to cross from one neighbourhood to another, would be the area where the events take place. A rule-based system originated in the efficiency and organization of infrastructures and management would define the possibilities od intervening over time.
The periodic introduction of living material would increase the number of species and the complexity of the living system over the years with the final goal being that everyday a different event related to the living materials would take place. From the blooming of a shrub, burning of the crops, irrigation of the grass; to the arrival of butterflies, this park would be fascinating all year round."

domain: geography


BECKHAM HAS MODEL KIDS AS FAMILY JET HOME TO UK FOR CHRISTMAS
THE Beckhams bid farewell to their LA adventure as they jet home for Christmas.
David and Victoria and their kids were spotted boarding a plane to Britain as the family ponder their next move.
Clubs around the world are queueing up to sign Becks, 37, after he called time on his six years at the Galaxy.
And he’s not the only Beckham tempted by a megabucks deal.
Sons Brooklyn, 13, Romeo, 10, and seven-year-old Cruz have been offered a contract to star in ads for US clothing giant Gap.


Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition
Vandasina retusa (Benth.) Rauschert
Rauschert, S. (1982) Taxon 31(3): 559.
Leaflet blades about 4.5-10 x 4.5-9 cm, both upper and lower surfaces clothed in short, pale, prostrate hairs. Apex deeply emarginate or lobed and mucronate. Stipules triangular to semi-orbicular, about 2.5-6 x 9-11 mm long, held +/- at right angles to the twigs. Stalk of the middle leaflet pulvinate and longer than those on the lateral leaflets. Leaflet stalks about 4-14 mm long. Stipels present at the base of all leaflet stalks. Twigs longitudinally ribbed.
Cotyledons falcate, about 15 x 3 mm. First pair of true leaves orbicular, sub-opposite. Third leaf usually trifoliolate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaflet blades bilobed at the apex. Stipels visible at the base of the leaflets, one pair where the lateral leaflets are attached and another pair at the point of attachment of the middle leaflet. Stipules large and triangular, about 7 x 3 mm. Seed germination time 12 days.
Occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range quite small, from near sea level to 50 m. Grows in open forest and other types of vegetation, including monsoon forest and beach forest close to the sea. Usually grows on sand. Also occurs in Papua New Guinea.
Roots were roasted and eaten by Aborigines. A species of no grazing significance. Hacker (1990).


Leningrad chronicles 1991 № 4
Availability of videosources
Needs clarification of possibility of digitizing.
Installation of a Christmas tree on the square.
"Threat" (to the events in Lithuania).
A rally on the Palace Square in defense of Lithuania.
Nevsky Prospekt, other streets: posters in defense of Lithuania.
B.V.Gidaspov speaks at a meeting with voters at the Red October club (synchronously, 16.01.91).
Deputies of the Lensovet about the events in Lithuania (synchronously).
Lieutenant Hook of the troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Vilnius (synchronously).
Speeches of deputies at the Extraordinary V session of the Lensovet (15.01.91, synchronously).
B.Gidaspov's speech (continued, synchronously).
Leningraders at a rally on Palace Square (13.01.91)
Posters in defense of Lithuania.
PersonnelGidaspov B.V. - poslednij pervij sekretarj Leningradskogo obkoma KPSS, narodnij deputat SSSR
Rallies; Society, social activities and community organizations; Domestic policy Social life; Policy


1. The contributions of constructed Green Infrastructure (GI) to biodiversity are often used to justify urban development projects, yet in many cases these contributions have been difficult to quantify.
2. As a result, a wide range of GI features are designed and implemented, often without knowledge of whether these features contribute meaningfully to biodiversity or if there are biosecurity risks presented by their design or procurement. Our understanding of design practices could be significantly improved if researchers and policy makers were able to draw upon a data resource that recorded the specifications used in development projects and facilitated easy access to them.
3. In the UK, Planning Portals act as substantial and untapped repositories of grey literature, containing highly detailed data with a diverse spatial coverage, recording the diversity and extent of existing habitats and specifications for proposed species assemblages. However, they are difficult to navigate or query, making it challenging to use these resources to gain macro-level insights from the data held within the portals.
4. In this paper, we present Plant GI 1.0, a new dataset that incorporates plant specifications from development projects across England and Scotland along with trait data associated with each species.
5. To test whether these data could be used to inform policy makers and researchers about current procurement and planting practices, we assessed the proposed GI features that are submitted by developers to Local Planning Authorities as part of the planning process, and then carried out fieldwork to record the extent to which these specifications were delivered.
Green infrastructure design specifications for urban development projects in England and Scotland were accessed through UK planning portals, and data were transcribed. Leaf functional traits were then derived for each species from TRY database, and CSR ordinations for each species were calculated using the StrateFy tool developed by Pierce et al., 2017.


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It’s funny the things that stick with you. I vividly recall from 2004 the frustration in Sam King’s voice as he talked about navigating California’s meal- and rest-break rules while on a MUFSO panel in Los Angeles that year. At that time, the company he co-founded and led, Costa Mesa, Calif.-based King’s Seafood Company Inc., was settling a lawsuit seeking damages for alleged nonprovision of rest breaks and meal periods. King said the company was going to be paying ...
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domain: law


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Thursday, August 31, 2006
Poor Jason isn't doing too well after the breakup with LC. Jason showed up at the music awards with Andy Milonakis. I think they make a great couple. Good for them. It is 2006 afterall!
I said it from day one and I'll say it again, Ciara totally looks like Wanda Sykes. Both are funny...in different ways. Ciara is also at the MTV Music Awards, and I'm stuck here. Booooo to that!
Saint Jennifer Lopez arrived with her husband, Marc Anthony, at the MTV Music Awards wearing, what looks to me like, a fitted swim-cap. Her boots could definitely kick my ass and are probably worn just to protect her husband. As much as I pretend to hate, she is hot. I like her best when she's not singing or acting.
Who Shot That Cap!?
However I NEVER say a little prayer for Aretha boob. Damn! So, here's the scenario. Aretha had to get ready for the Radio One's 25th Anniversary Party and when she did she had to have looked in the mirror...a mirror...anything with some type of reflection. Then, at that point she had to have thought, "ok, great, I look great." At no point did she happen to notice that there were enormous breasts, literally, hanging out of her dress? Seriously, I think she had Ashlee and Jessica Simpson stuffed in there. She should have tucked them under her belt just like every other 75 yr old woman.
The right-hand "man" of Sir Donald Trump has been dumped by Sir Donald himself. Poor bland Carolyn has been tossed out on her ass, allegedly, since she is turning into a bigger diva than Mariah Carey. So guess who is going to be filling Carolyn's size 13 shoes? Well, none other than Sir Donald's daughter Ivanka. It is reported that Ivanka is busting out of her shirt in excitement!
I plan on eventually seeing Carolyn on some type of sing with celebrities or dance with celebrities reality show. Tune in!
Who Fired That Biatch!?!
Similar to when Mr Miagi took Danielson to the beach to teach him endurance and other karate tricks, Lisa Rinna took Harry Hamlin to the beach in Malibu to get him ready for the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. The biggest tip to Harry? Lookey eye, Harryson, always lookey eye!
What else can we learn from this photo? Lisa and Harry love "ImBringingBloggingBack" Blue! I think it should be a new Crayola Crayon color.
Eva Longoria and Tony Parker are hanging out and having a little lunch at Cafe Midi in Beverly Hills 90210. Tony dressed like a typical basketball player and Eva took down her shower curtain, wrapped it around her, and tossed on some sandals.
Both being on the cell phone, sitting nearly inches from each other look very important. By the way, do cell phones still have antennas?
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Jennifer Aniston hasn't been seen too much lately, but here she is leaving a Santa Monica recording studio. What in the hell could she be recording? She always looks good. Her boobs always look good. It's a perfect match!
Oh that's right, it's Christmas in Laguna Beach. As if the show isn't a gift in itself! The "good girls" are having a nice little x-mas party and the "bad girls" are crashing it. Clearly, Cami can crash any party since she is similar to the Kool-Aid guy. Moving on, Rocky (really?) has a new boyfriend that all the girls screamed over like they were 17 yr old girls. Oh yeah, they are.
Next up, the "bad girls" have a party and the "good girls" toss around the idea of crashing it. In the meantime Rocky heads out on a date with her new boyfriend, who looks a little like Alfred E. Neuman.
At the "bad girls" party Cami loses about 40 calories running her mouth about everyone and their mother. Good for her, she'll be in great shape before you know it! Cameron ends up leaving the part in a huff after Kyndra made a big deal out of Jessica calling Cameron. Did I mention how much I love that Jessica is still kicking around this season? Well, I do.
Fast-forward to Cameron having lunch, at an outdoor 50's diner (mad tacky), with crazy-pants Jessica. Isn't Jessica like 40 by now? Then, here is the BEST LINE EVER.....Jessica says to Cameron, "Would you be sad if I died?" AWESOME. Just when you think that Jessica, again, hit the tilt on the crazy meter she busts right through with more ragtime bullshit spewing out of her mouth. Personally, I hope Jessica stays on the show for 15 more seasons and becomes their "den mothers." By the way, after Jessica made that sentence the episode ended. I hope she's alive for the next episode!
As always, here is what I learned from this episode:
- How many times can they talk about Chase and say the phrase, "the band"
- Cami and Kyndra trying to "count" friends is comical. It was definitely a task for them
- The guys are still wearing jeans while they are playing catch with a football on the basketball court. Seriously?
- Cami seems to "jingle her bells" in every scene she is in
- Cami gets pissed when people she doesn't know call her "dirty." Do you really need to know her to call her that or think that she's dirty?
- Kyndra's house is sick!
- Jessica show more signs of crazy
- I wish I was in Laguna Beach for Christmas. Ho's-ho's-ho's!
Before I set up my link-a-palooza, I wanted to thank everyone for all their great support. Even the hate mail makes my day! Everyone that has been commenting has been awesome and I encourage you do to even more, so we can make this into one giant dysfunctional community!
But do me a favor, leave me your name. Anonymous is so impersonal and I would love to get to know all of you better. For example, "Mattisfaction" is hysterical and I can always look forward to his comments. But some of the others filed under "anonymous" I have no clue who you guys are and would love to know. Even feel free to send me your pictures and I can start adding them to this kick-ass blog. Add a little shout out in your picture about ImBringingBloggingBack and you can almost bet that it will make it on here.
Finally, what other type of things would you like to see on here? Let me beat those of you to the punch who will request that I get of the Internet. It ain't (ai-not) gonna happen.
Now that I'm off my soapbox, check out these other siggity-sites:
~Do Denise and Heather want to make up? ~ PopBytes
~Paula Abdul is sluuuuuring her way onto television ~ MollyGood
~Did Suri Cruise already win the shit award? ~ SpankCheeks
~Owen all pasty in a bathing suit ~ PopSugar
I don't make this stuff up, I just report it. Johnny-Pants Travolta has been spotted giving a pecker on the lips of some male companion getting on a plane. What's the big deal? Doesn't everyone kiss the flight attendant goodbye when you get off the plane? Hell, I've felt a few up!
Everyone is going to start freaking out over this photo. But, do you really think that if Johnny-
Pants was trying to hide his sexuality he would do something like that out in the open? On a runway?
If this rumor that has been going on for years is actually true, I don't think that dude is ready for that jelly.
Who Shot that Peck!?!
So by now everyone knows that Jessica Simpson has laryngitis and was ordered by her doctor not to sing and speak. Well, with the everyone in town for the music awards, what's Jessica to do?
So, the plan is for her to hold up witty signs. Jessica aside, I think this is a brilliant brand promotion from Yahoo!. I mean, give her some signs strategically placed with Yahoo! logos and you have yourself a win-win situation. Now, if only I could get Jessica to hold up a "ImBringingBloggingBack" sign. I would be set! That's it...I'm making signs and heading to NYC.
Ok guys brace yourself. Yes, I actually think that Britney Spears looks good in this picture. I mean, she doesn't look insanely good, but she looks like a normal pregnant mom.
It's rumored that Britney may actually be going to the MTV Music Awards tomorrow. If she does, I'm sure there will be some insanity following her. I predict she shows up in a "moon-man" outfit with platform sandals. Go with it.
While I have yet to hear one song on the radio by Danity Kane (MTV's Making the Band 3) there seems to be a large enough audience out there who has. This week, Danity Kane has the Number 1 Album in the country selling 234,000 units.
Now, let's talk numbers. When dividing that by the members of the group they must be just pushing right above minimum wage. I hope these girls work out some side promotions, endorsements, and tricks (if needed). My advice, not like they asked, would be to bank and save every last dime they make from this. There is a good chance that the money will peace out sooner, rather than later. I definitely wish them the best, but don't want to see them on The Surreal Life next season.
My personal favorite is Aubrie. I don't even care that she was portrayed as the worst singer of the group, she's the hottest....just keep that makeup on please.
My pal Colin Farrell (he doesn't know me) finally got that restraining order he was looking for against Dessarae Bradford, who has been showing up all over the place and claims that Colin was stalking her.
Dessarae confronted Colin during a taping of The Tonight Show and actually walked right up on stage to do so, a la Jerry Springer. Obviously, they never aired that portion, but it freaked out Colin...as it should!
The restraining order is valid for 3-years and orders Dessarae to stay at least 150 away from Colin, his 2-yr old son, and the mother of his son.
Run Colin, run!!!!
Who Restrained What!?!
Bono was recently vacationing in Saint Tropez, France for some sun, fun, and locals. I'm glad he is dressed to be hanging out at the beach! You can never be too safe when it comes to the sun.
While Bono totally kicks ass and is such a rock icon, I can't help but to think that he really is starting to look a bit old to me. Maybe because I'm getting older too? He kinda looks like that crazy old guy at the beach that has the metal detector and a six pack of Grape Crush and feeds the seagulls and yells at little kids because their Frisbee landed on his blanket.
Is it just me that thinks this?
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Looks like these boots will be made for knocking again for Jessica Simpson. People Magazine is reporting that Jessica Simpson is now dating John Mayer.
A secret squirrel source for People has said, "She's never been happier."
Good for her. Bad for me. Dude, John Mayer...really? I think I would have totally had a chance with her. I'm sure I'll get some shiznit for this, but isn't going from Nick Lachey to John Mayer kinda like going from Brad Pitt to Matthew Lillard?
Seriously, I was blogging while watching Celebrity Duets and needed to create a new post just about Little Richard. I am addicted to train-wreck television. While I thought this show was going to be horrible, I was......right. BUT, Little Richard is totally the "Paula Abdul" of this show. He seems absolutely crazy, like for real.
First, I don't know if he knows that all of his clothes are 100 sparkled, but they are. Also, he completely has a wet perm. Really.
Everytime Little Richard had to comment, again, I thought he was having a massive stroke. I'm not sure, but I also think that he had no clue that he was on television. He looks creeeeeepy and I love every single minute of it. He needs his very own show.
So, my plan of attack for this season of Celebrity Duets is to Tivo all the episodes and just fast-forward to see what in the hell Little Richard is up to. You have to do this.
Any of you guys see it too? Talk it up pals!
Celebrity "everything" seems to be taking over. You can watch celebrities lose weight, dance, ice-skate, live on an island, live in a surreal house, etc. Now we get to watch them sing...er...hear them sing.
The good news is that we have some actual famous singers in this world who can't sing, so if these celebs can't cut it either we will certainly be prepared.
Simon Cowell is at it again with his terrible British accent and pairing up celebrities to belt out some tunes. So, who's in the Fox train-wreck you ask? Let's list it out baby:
- Chris Jericho ~ WWE Champion
- Lucy Lawless ~ Xena Warrior Princess
- Cheech Marin ~ Cheech and Chong
- Alfonso Ribiero ~ Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- Carly Patterson ~ Olympic Gold Medalist Gymnast
- Jai Rodriguez ~ Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
- Hal Sparks ~ Talk Soup/Queer as Folk
- Lea Thompson ~ Back to the Future
This makes me nervous. What also makes me nervous is who they'll be paired with. Some are Michael Bolton, Taylor Dayne, Macy Gray, Richard Marx, etc. Oh yeah, all A-List, all the time!
However, CLEARLY, the best part of this entire sh!tshow is that one of the judges is Little Richard. Oh yeah, completely him. So far, each time he's opened his mouth I truly thought he was having a massive stroke. God Bless Little Richard and God Bless the USA!
Yowza! When did Ivanka Trump get so top heavy? Chesty Trump was with her brother "Robot Trump" at the MTV Video Music Awards VMA Style Villa picking up their free swag. Clearly, they need the freebies since they don't have enough cash-money to get by. And the rich keep getting richer!
Now, back to Chesty's headlights. I was one of the only people, I think, watching the latest season of The Apprentice, and she was on a few episodes and I definitely don't remember her looking so.....endowed. Good for her!
Since no one else seems to ever talk about them, I'm Bringing Chesty and Robot Trump Back!
P.S I make money jokes out of pure jealously and envy. Two outstanding qualities.
When Lindsay really is sick of the paparazzi, she really likes to duck away for a nice quiet dinner. Where does she go, you ask? Well, she heads over to The Ivy on Robertson Blvd in LA!
What better place to "not be seen" than The Ivy! I mean, the paparazzi are only camped out in front of The Ivy day and night waiting for the endless number of celebrities that go in and out of that place.
Now, before I get the tons of hate mail about how she is a person and deserves her privacy...I agree! Just don't go to the place where everyone knows it as a celebrity zoo.
As a side note, the darker hair looks better than then red, in my humble opinion. The only thing that is crazy in this one, is that her dress kinda looks like the tapestry that you would hang on your wall in your college dorm. What? Ok.
Rapper and Lil Kim spinoff, Foxy Brown, has plead guilty to assaulting two manicurists in NYC back in 2004. Nice diva move! Actually, she plead guilty and then found out she would have to serve 3-years of probation, check in with her probation officer, follow drug testings, and go to anger management classes.
Once that set in, about 20 minutes later Foxy Brown returned back to court and asked the judge if she could change her plea to "innocent."
Awesome! Nothing makes you look more guilty than that! The judge is requiring Foxy to now submit her formal plea in writing. If she is found guilty, sentencing will begin on Oct 23rd.
Good luck! Free Foxy!
Christina Aguietrkadsdopddska shows up at a Hollywood costume party with her husband, Jordan Bratman. No word if the whip she is carrying is part of the costume or came from home.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Ok, so that was an easy title. Come on, after my brain being fried after the Emmy Awards, it's nice to have an easy layup once in a while.
Anyway, Charlize is playing fetch with a bunch of dogs and looks great with a stick in her hand. Ok, one more. There are a bunch of hot bitches in these photos. Ok and...DONE! How many points did I get for all those pathetic puns and play on words?
Who Shot That Ass!?
Like you even had to guess who would win this one? This week's crazy-pants goes to John Mark Karr. JMK will not be going to jail for the death of JonBenet Ramsey since late-breaking news shows that his DNA did not match what was found on JonBenet.
Now, either way he would have won the award this week, but considering now we know he made this all up, his "crazy factor" really pushes right through the roof.
As a sidenote, JMK will still be held on child porn charges in CA. Good luck buddy. Gross.
Holy hell, what will Jesse Spano think? Let alone Mr. Belding! Here's what its come to for Mario Lopez (aka AC Slater). Looks like Mario will have a role on this season's Nip/Tuck on FX. With that said, they waste no time and toss him in the shower for the obligatory "NYPD Blue Shower Ass Scene."
Mario will be playing a plastic surgeon that has some homoerotic experience with Julian McMahon's character. No word yet on what happens or how long Mario will be part of the cast. I'm thinking he won't be on it for that long, as he will also be on Dancing With the Stars.
While a majority of my blog fans are female I think you'll get a kick out of this....and some of my male readers too. Hope you enjoyed, as me cutting and pasting these pictures are more than me being committed to this job, haha!
Who Shot That Ass?!?!
Sunday, August 27, 2006
And the "Huh?" award goes to... Cheryl Hines!
And the "Hello Knockers!" award goes to...Virginia Madsen:
And the "Why the Hell is She Here" award goes to....Tracey Gold!
And the "Best Use of a Trash Bag" award goes to....Tyra Banks!
And the "Best Clown Face" award goes to.....Portia De Rossi
And the "So Hot I Need to Touch Myself" award goes to....Heidi Klum!
Special thanks go to all the winners and GettyImages for the photos.
Lead Actor in a Comedy: Tony Shalhoub - Monk
My Thought: Steve Carell - The Office
Really? Is Monk even on anymore?
Best Reality Show: The Amazing Race
My Thought: American Idol
I mean come on, it's a rating juggernaut! I would have voted for Paradise Hotel if it were still on the air!
Lead Actress in a Drama: Mariska Hargitay
Lead Actress in a Comedy: Julia Louis Dreyfus - The Old Adventures of New Christine
My Thought: Lisa Kudrow - The Comeback
Say peace out to the Seinfeld Curse!
Lead Actor in a Drama: Kiefer Sutherland - 24
My Thought: Kiefer Sutherland
Best Comedy Series: The Office
My Thought: The Office
Best Drama - 24
My Thought: The Sopranos
Well, another year of Emmy Awards has come and gone. I know, dry your eyes. Hosted for the second time by Conan O'Brien, he kicked it off with a "Lost" spoof that even included the famous "hatch" and dropped right into "The Office." From there he ended up in an episode of "24", "House", "South Park", (that included a "come out of the closet" joke featuring Tom Cruise), and "DateLine: To Catch a Predator" with Chris Hanson. Not too shabby, not too great. The best part of the opening, was Conan's song about how NBC was in 4th place in the network race and how they were screwed. I'm surprised NBC allowed this since the Emmy's were on NBC.
Buckle up people, here is the wrap up:
Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Megan Mullally - Will and Grace
My Thought: Megan Mullally
Supporting Actor in a Drama: Alan Alda - The West Wing
My Thought: Michael Imperioli - The Sopranos
Supporting Actress in a Drama: Blythe Danner - Huff
My Thought: Candace Bergin
Blythe sounded a bit crazy during her speech and even forgave Showtime for canceling the show that she just won for. Nice move Showtime!
Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Jeremy Piven - Entourage
My Thought: Jeremy Piven
Jeremy got a little teary eyed when thanking his father. Seems like a nice enough guy.
Best Variety, Music, or Comedy: The Daily Show
My Thought: The Daily Show
Hmmm, not a funny speech like I thought.
Guest Actor/Actress in a Comedy: Leslie Jordan/Cloris Leachman
My Thought: Alec Baldwin/Blythe Danner
Now, it's time to honor Dick Clark, which is a little scary because he's still alive. I'm never really comfortable with the tributes when the person is alive. Don't jinks it! Nevertheless (bonus points for that big word), Dick Clark got a well deserved standing ovation. He did look a little thin and his speech was a little slurred, but it was great to see him. He still looks young and still has a full head of hair (the important things)! Then...Barry Manilow performed a little ditty. Barry will be getting hip surgery tomorrow. This concludes our nursing home portion of the recap. This segment was sponsored by Metamusil and Oscal.
Thanks to Getty Images for the photos!
Without tooting my own horn, I've been receiving a ton of emails from ImBringingBloggingBack fans telling me I'm the perfect mix between Trent and Perez...and straight!
Another difference between us is that they hang with real celebrities and I mix it up with "fauxlebrities." Which brings me to my story. Last night I hung out with Tina from MTV's Road Rules and recently, "Fresh Meat" Road Rules/Real World Challenge. Well, "hung out" may be kinda strong. We sat next to each other in the VIP section of a bar in Boston.
Before I start this story, I must warn you, there's a chance I will tell this story like a 14 year old girl.
Surprisingly she was actually pretty cool, although she was drinking champagne. I decided that it was my place to tell her that this wasn't the type of place to drink champagne, but she said that she only drinks champagne now and that real guys shouldn't be cheap and buy it by the glass, but by the bottle. Thanks for the tip Tina!
Later in the night, after she told me I was very cute and would find a nice girl one day, Tina kept on asking this girl I was with if she had a boyfriend and that she knows that she makes more money than any boyfriend this girl would have. Classy. Moments later she told this girl that if she was in her house she could only wear thongs and other sexy lingerie. Clearly, this was my favorite part of the conversation.
We ended the night by taking some pictures, but I was not in any of them, as Tina seemed more interested in the girl I was with than me.
That's right people! This is hard-hitting journalism at its finest. I also had about 3,000 beers last night, so my "hard-hitting" questions were limited. Oh well, next time.
Finally, there will be many of you who say "who cares" and "I suck", as well as "I was stupid to not ask her anything about her show." My answer to all of these and more is "I agree with you." I am big into " " now.
Dear Tina - if you ever end up reading this, drop me a line and send those pictures!
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Look, even I think that Britney deserves a break every once in a while, but when she walks around in getups like that I have a hard time looking the other way, for a variety of reasons.
First, what pregnant mother wears maternity clothes like that? Are those even maternity clothes? Actually, I think that's the same outfit Britney wore when she technically became pregnant....if you know what I mean.
Britney is all boobs and legs (horse legs) in this outfit. Now, this would be a good thing if she wasn't pregnant, but I don't want to see it when she's "with child." Head over to the Baby Gap and pick yourself up some sweatpants and t-shirt maternity clothes like every other pregnant chick in the world. Wear the outfit you have on now exactly 6 months after you give birth. Thanks for your cooperation.
Well folks, it was only a matter of time before the mask came off and I was shown the real up-to-date Heather Locklear. It's a sad day for me really. Now I know that Heather is getting up there in age, but still looks great. However, she totally has "mom face" now. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it's really hitting me that she's getting older and no longer can be viewed the same way that I did when she was on Melrose Place.
I'm going to need a moment.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Check 'em out or else those stick figures get it!
~ Did You Have Your Picture Taken With a Celeb? - CityRag
~ Who is Nicole Boning? - SpankCheeks
~ Gwyneth Paltrow Hangs Ten - MollyGood
~ Jennifer Aniston's Dad Has a Heart Attack - CelebrityMound
~ Heather Locklear's See-Through Skirt - Yeeeah
~ David Beckham's Milk Stains - PopBytes
~ Bruce and the Other Daughter - JustJared
~ Janet Jackson's New Album - PerezHilton
~ Has Mariah Gained the Weight Back - CelebritySmack
Props to Matt Damon for continuing to support the failing Boston Red Sox. Being a Boston boy himself, Damon always like to give the shoutouts, as the kids say these day.
Matt gets pretty defensive when the photog's try to snap his wife and daughter. Dude, don't mess with a Boston boy.
Who Shot That!?!

domain: entertainment


Gossip and privacy in the modern world
Little Sally was eating lunch with her family when her parents ask her if she learned anything in Sunday School that morning. Sally nodded and smiled. "Teacher says we are to go forth and spread the gossip."
It seems these days that gossip has indeed become our gospel, though that word means specifically "good news," whereas good news in our day really amounts to no news at all. We much prefer the "bad news," the scandals, the foolish antics of our fellow beings, so long as we ourselves are omitted from the roll call.
Although countless authors down through the ages have issued admonitions against gossip and rumor-mongering — the Book of Proverbs, for example, bulges with warnings against those whose "lips talk of mischief" — gossip has not only retained its allure but has in the last century mushroomed from a cottage industry to a skyscraper whose shadow touches us all. Our intense interest in the self, our therapeutic age, and our revelry in revelation have combined with our technology — television and the internet for spreading the secrets of our celebrities, Facebook and Twitter for the rest of us — to create a near-perfect breeding ground for gossip. A host of websites and television shows exist solely to sift through the dirt in other peoples' lives, and so long as we ourselves are not among the unwashed, many of us find such muckraking a splendid source of entertainment.
Often the lives of family, friends and acquaintances provide an equivalent show, and we follow these particular dramas and comedies with the avidity of an opera buff. When we hear that Uncle Fred, a deacon in his church, is spending his money on women half his age or that our model of temperance, Aunt Agnes, has been arrested for driving NASCAR-style after a few too many martinis, we cluck our tongues at their peccadilloes and express our empathy even while we find ourselves secretly delighted to hear this latest bit of juicy news. "How awful," we say, and in the next breath ask: "And then what happened?"
In his newest book, Gossip: The Untrivial Pursuit (ISBN 978-0-618-72194-8, $25), Joseph Epstein, one of the best American essayists of this or any other age, turns his discerning eye on gossip. He was attracted to this subject, he tells us, both because gossip can be a "species of truth ... beguiling truth" and because he himself has taken great pleasure in receiving gossip over his long lifetime.
These two-fold explanations for his interest in gossip lead to that fine blend of the personal and the public which is the hallmark of Epstein's writing. In the public sphere, Epstein ranges in his analysis from what he calls "the Great Gossips of the Western World," men like Suetonius, the Duc de Saint-Simon, Truman Capote, and women like Tina Brown and Barbara Walters, to the lesser-known gossip columnists of the last hundred years. One fascinating feature of his examination is the way in which these people achieved their fame from reporting the fame of others, how they "achieved celebrity by interviewing celebrity." His sketch of Barbara Walters, for example, an amusing mini-biography of praise and put-down, seems precisely on the mark. Epstein notes her fierce ambitions and her crassness, writing that "this vulgar streak, asking the questions that are on the mass mind, is her bread and caviar." Epstein ends his look at Walters by writing:
"Give Barbara her due: week after week, year after year, she has created gossip through the simple agency of asking the most tasteless questions of famous people, who were themselves tasteless enough to answer her. Not just anyone could have brought it off. Yet to her it all seems to have come so naturally."
To these portraits of famous gossips Epstein adds accounts of his own gossiping and the interest he takes in the foibles of his familiars. A university professor, once editor of The American Scholar and board member of the National Council of the National Endowments for the Arts, Epstein confesses that he has taken great pleasure in hearing gossip about the famous and the not-so-famous. In a section at the end of most of the book's chapters, titled "Diary," Epstein shares with us glimpses of his forays into tale-telling and rumors. He recounts a pleasant evening spent with Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne, then chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities; his encounters with Mortimer Adler; his accounts, gathered from others, of the eating habits of Orson Welles and the wit of playwright Lillian Hellman.
One story which Epstein includes has to do with his mother. She was an ebullient woman who, like her husband, "looked out at the world and saw only admirable or less than admirable behavior." Her father died when she was young by his own hand, a fact Epstein learned from his own father when his mother was dying. Not only had his mother never told Epstein about this episode, she had never told her husband either, who had learned of it from her sister. After reflecting on this silence from his mother's point of view, Epstein applauds the nobility of her silence:
"Why rehash it? What was to be gained? Nothing, evidently, that she could see. Reticence about the matter was more dignified, made more sense. And I find I love my mother all the more for her ability to live without the need to drag her sadness out into the open."
Epstein ends Gossip by wondering whether the rest of us have become too caught up in the ways of rumor. He points out gossip's negative effects on our national news and on our view of the world, and wonders whether our penchant for gossip has resulted in a dumbing down of cultural life. He concludes that gossip, which Matt Drudge calls "unedited information," is here to stay and that we will continue to indulge ourselves because we delight in the sordid and the strange.
Yet it is the story of Epstein's mother which sticks in the mind. Epstein is correct: there is a nobility to her silence. We can keep our secrets and the secrets of others. For those of us who aren't celebrities, who don't make a billion dollars a year or act in blockbuster movies, reticence is still an option. No one shoves a microphone at us, no one asks us revealing questions below the bright lights of a television studio, no one forces us to reveal confidences or spread rumors.
We have a choice. And for those who still value privacy, mum's the word.
Gossip: The Untrivial Pursuit by Joseph Epstein. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011. 256 pages.


text:
Lambert Werkstätten Deposito Table
Deconstruction: Floating Side Table by Urbancase Photo
Modern side table
5 DIY Dorm Decorations | Her Campus Use sea glass instead!!!
Standworx Kruk Bucket Stool: Jardine Decoration, Interiors, Diy Decoracion, Furniture Diy, Stoolsstoolsgreat Ideas, Upcycled, Furniture Decoration, Buckets Stools, Sgabelli Bucketstool
DIY Fence Wood LOVE Sign. This “LOVE” wood sign with a flower heart is totally in the vintage and rustic style and really an addition to your farmhouse decor!
"Stijlvol design wijnrek."
Reclaimed wood couch arm table. It's so simple, but so genius. I want some of these!
Sette Design: How to: Shabby Chic Furniture
Shabby Chic Decor

domain: artistic


text:
Anne Marie fled the Rwandan genocide in 1994. But her new life in South African was shattered in the 2008 xenophobia attacks.
"Migration has been happening since time immemorial. The United States was built as a nation of immigrants. Migration happens. Fact."
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa insisted on Friday that the recent violence in the Western Cape was "so-called" rather than actual xenophobia.
Zimbabwe has set up temporary shelters for scores of its nationals leaving South Africa following threats of attacks on foreigners, an official said.
South African authorities might be denying a xenophobic upsurge in the wake of the World Cup, but they are taking no chances.
Some foreigners are slowly going back to their homes, but others remain cautious.
By day the 26-year-old SA woman sells vetkoek and apples on a bustling street in Du Noon, at night she sleeps at the home of her Malawian friend.
While police action this time around has been swift, justice for many of those involved in the xenophobic attacks has been painfully slow.
"The mysterious incompatibility of bias and brigandry" sums up the government's curious responses to the current xenophobic violence.
A Somali-born moved to a predominantly coloured area of the Strand near Cape Town to escape xenophobia. But now he has been asked to close shop.

domain: sociology


2017 has been full of brand new Trance tunes that have potential to one day become classics. From tracks produced by Armin van Buuren to Andrew Rayel‘s new album, 2017 has been a great year for Trance music. Now is your chance to choose your favorite Trance tune of the year.
The annual voting for the A State of Trance Tune of the Year has begun. The poll is open until December 18th and the results will be revealed on December 21st during a special ASOT radio show. If you are having a hard time deciding which tunes stood out the most this year, you can check out the Tune of the Year Spotify playlist to re-listen to all the best tracks form this year. Additionally, if you subscribe to A State of Trance newsletter now, you will be automatically entered for chance to win an exclusive “A State of Trance Year Mix 2017”, mixed and signed by none other than Armin van Buuren himself. So be sure to submit your votes on your favorite tracks here now.


text:
As one of the leading national organisations fighting for fairness and justice in the UK's immigration system.
JCWI is an exciting and dynamic place to work. We are a living wage employer and all staff enjoy workplace
benefits including generous pension contributions, bike loan scheme and an employee well-being programme.
We are an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applicants who self-define as female, LGBTQ+, Black or
Minority Ethnic and those with disabilities. We also strongly encourage applications from those with lived
experience of migration.
The Support worker will work closely with JCWI's clients and other migrants who need help to access services and support at a time of crisis. This role is designed to increase JCWI's ability to support migrants and their families who are being left behind by the government's response to COVID19.


text:
life is a journey
let's walk together,
let's travel to somewhere beautiful,
let's walk together to that beautiful place,
oh yes, walking under the hot sun is very tiring,
we need to take a rest,
look, there's a big tree so we can share the shade,
lets stop for a while and talk about life,
what is life? where its heading to?
is it true that life is a journey,
a journey from one place to another,
a place where we need to understand why and where?
oh look! the hot sun sent away,
let's continue our journey,
and if the hot sun come again,
we stop at another tree,
life is a journey,
life is; a journey.


Discussion in 'Development' started by Onye, Aug 25, 2016.
Parks in cities offer an important break from the urban fast paced and often polluted life.
Fælledparken, Copenhagen, Denmark
Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv, Isreal
I am wondering - is there any meaningful park in Igboland?
I saw the pictures of the one at Ibadan, it was so adorable.
Enugu will be a great place to make a city park. We should also be think towards that.
Separate names with a comma.


According to witnesses, Kylie and Travis hit up Jeremy Scott's Moschino x Candy Crush party on Saturday and proceeded straight to the VIP area together.
Just days after Jenner and Tyga's break up was confirmed, sources are claiming that Kylie is now "terrified" that she and the rapper may come into contact while at the California festival, as they're both scheduled to make appearances.
"[Scott] and Kylie have also been friends for a while and they all hang out", said the source.
The teen entrepreneur - who set up her beauty empire Kylie Cosmetics past year - was accompanied by her close friend Jordyn Woods at the festival, whilst Tyga was accompanied by a group of his own pals.More news: Protesters gather on Tax Day to demand Trump release tax returns
More news: Sweden identifies Stockholm truck attack victims, second suspect arrested
More news: Showers, storms in area today
But Scott "loves the fact that Tyga's former girl is now hanging out with him on the regs", the source continued.
Most people seem to be under the impression that all love isn't lost between Tyga and Kylie.
Tyga also attended Coachella over the weekend, but partied separately from Kylie and Scott.
It's not exactly clear when Kylie Jenner and Tyga chose to break things off again, but it's safe to say these exes are still in the "awkward" stages of their breakup. "This show will allow me to give them a peek inside all of the exciting things I am working on as well as some personal time with friends".
People reported April 3 that Kylie and Tyga are "taking some space" after two years of on-again, off-again dating. Though, for what it's worth, maybe they should?


Today Arc System Works revealed the third DLC character that will be added to its popular fighting game Guilty Gear -Strive-.
The new character is Happy Chaos and we get to see him in action. We also learn that he’ll be released on December 3, but those who have purchased the first character pass will be able to play him on November 30.
Happy Chaos won’t be the only update coming to the game, as room customization will also be implemented, allowing players to decorate their match rooms with over 500 items. They can be acquired via fishing mode by using coins earned in the game.
You can check out the announcement trailer below, both in Japanese and English depending on your voice-over preference.
If you want to see more of the game, you can check out the launch trailer, plenty of gameplay, the original announcement from EVO 2019, an earlier trailer showcasing Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske, and teasing May. Another trailer revealed Axl Low, one showcased more of his gameplay, the previous promotional video unveiled Chipp Zanuff and Potemkin, the one showcasing more of the two and unveiled Faust, another focusing on Ramlethal Valentine, one showcasing Millia Rage and Zato=1, another revealing Leo Whitefang and Nagoriyuki, one showcasing Giovanna, one focusing on Mito Anji, one showcasing I-No, one focusing on the story, and one revealing Goldlewis Dickinson, and Jack-O’.
You can also watch video guides for Sol & Ki, May & Axl, Chipp & Potemkin, Faust, Millia Rage, Zato=1, Ramlethal Valentine, Leo Whitefang, Nagoriyuki, Giovanna, Anji Mito, I-No, Goldlewis Dickinson, and Jack-O’.


text:
News : New Call Centre Plan Brings New Jobs to South Taranaki
South Taranaki, New Zealand, June 3, 2016 -- A call centre company setting up a new regional centre will bring 10 new jobs to South Taranaki.
Connect Global director Siuai Fiso said the company had been looking for a site in South Taranaki for some time. He hoped the centre would be running by the end of August. Initial plans were for a centre with a staff of 10, with more as demand increased.
Although the company was based in Porirua, where it has a 90-seat call centre, it was purposefully taking its business into areas where there were people in need of work, he said.
In February it opened a second centre in Ruatoria on the East Coast, creating 14 new jobs.
With another opportunity to expand, it had decided to set up in South Taranaki rather than simply expanding the office in Porirua.
This enabled people to remain living in rural areas, stay close to their marae and their iwi, he said.
"One of the key lessons we learned from opening on the East Coast is there is a totally different mindset there. In the city there's a lot more opportunity to go from place to place, whereas in a rural area there is a lot of loyalty, a lot of commitment to the role and the organisation."
"We chose Taranaki partly because it is one of the areas identified in the Government's regional economic development report. It is also where my wife, Serena, is from so there is a lot of alignment there. Some of the key iwi in South Taranaki are Nga Rauru and Ngati Ruanui and Serena is from these iwi."
It was also one of the areas that Minister for Economic Development Steven Joyce had asked them to consider, he said.
The company was looking for a suitable building for the centre and was even considering having one built.
....NOTE - content continues below this message
SPONSOR MESSAGE: INVITATION!
We invite you and your colleagues to take a couple of days out of your busy schedule to join us and the elite in the industry to listen to the NEXT GENERATION Contact Center & Customer Engagement Best Practices.
"We've been looking at existing buildings in South Taranaki, but we have to get one that is earthquake safe."
Connect Global is a privately-owned, 100 per cent New Zealand owned company.
The Government's rollout of Ultra Fast Broadband would enable the company to offer even more jobs in its rural centres, as current internet speeds could not cope with the extra loading, he said.
"Obviously we would prefer to have UFB, high quality broadband, because then it is scalable, whereas without it we have to stay smaller."
Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Today's Tip of the Day - Think About Demotivating Your Staff
More Editorial From Connect Global
Published: Monday, June 6, 2016
|Blue Ocean Contact Centers|
We thrive on delivering critical customer service solutions that go beyond transactional interactions. As such, our goal is to enhance lifetime customer value, providing support that is a reflection o...
For over 30 years, CGS has enabled global enterprises, regional companies and government agencies to drive breakthrough performance through business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing s...
|Horizon Contact Centers|
Horizon is an on demand international Contact Center and (BPO) Company.

domain: news


text:
AOC Proposes MORE Spending to Fight Inflation
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s solution to rising inflation levels will leave you scratching your head.
Our second-favorite socialist, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, recently weighed in on the inflation debate, saying we need the government to spend MORE money to counteract inflation. In addition, she also gave her two cents on the recent elections in Virginia. Stopping Socialism's Donald Kendal and Chris Talgo break down her insane comments in this episode of "Stopping Socialism."

domain: politics


Markets were flat on Friday.
The S&P 500 rose 0.1 percent while the STOXX Europe 600 was little-changed.
"No one wants to take additional risk between now and the end of the year. They don't want to jeopardize those gains," said Stan Shipley, strategist at Evercore ISI.
Indeed, while many analysts see stocks moving higher in the remaining days of the year, most see gains being limited.
"The psychology seems to be setting up for a little bit of upward movement, not some strong 5 percent move. I think we could see a slow rise over the course of the rest of the year," said Don Townswick, head of equities at Conning.
For 2017 though, Nicholas Vardy, chief investment officer at Global Guru Capital, thinks that the US stock market could surge.
"First, the fog of the earnings recession in the S&P 500 has lifted," he said. "Second, U.S stocks have a strong recent history of outperforming in the first year of a presidency."


text:
Sometimes we must find respite from our hectic, tech-saturated lives.
Here are five places with a powerful sense of place where you and your family will also find peace:
Northern Lights. Alaska.
In the deep reaches of Alaska, somewhere above 60 degrees north latitude, you and your family will have the opportunity to see a red, green, blue and purple light display known as an aurora or the Northern Lights. The best time to catch the show is around the spring and fall equinoxes (mid-March and mid-September) The lights are most intense from December through March when the nights are darker. Consider a tour that includes a dip in a hot spring, a climb to a hilltop where viewers can marvel at the magnificent light display and a Mongolian yurt in which you can retreat to stay warm.
Float The Grand Canyon.
Whether you travel by raft or dory, for a few days or a few weeks, the majesty of the Grand Canyon may well provide a transformative experience, as it does for many visitors. This national treasure stretches 277 miles across northern Arizona, and plays host to more than five million visitors each year. From your craft on the Colorado River, geologically diverse canyon walls rise as high as 9,000 feet toward the western sky. Hike the side canyons, plow through storied rapids, relax on sandy beaches and revel in the grandeur of one of nature’s finest accomplishments.
Visit this seaside enclave on the East end of Long Island. Just 100 miles but a world away from the bustling Big Apple, you’ll find secluded beaches, whaling tales and pounding surf. Deep sea fishing, hiking, seal watching and surfing are all available in this community, first settled by Europeans in the mid-1600s. Scramble to the top of the Montauk Point Lighthouse for magnificent views of the craggy coastline.
Contact: www.OnMontauk.com; www.GurneysInn.com.
Hike the Canyons. Springdale, UT.
Find your way into the canyon country of southern Utah. From curvaceous slot canyons to table-top plateaus, this peaceful yet grand countryside offers a visual bonanza of color, shape and form. Consider the Narrows, a spectacular 16 mile corridor that requires one rigorous day for fit family members. Most recommend an overnight. Better yet, choose the Bottoms Up hike enabling hikers to see the most stunning aspects of the canyon in four to six hours. Numerous day hikes and mountain biking options abound.
Boundary Waters Canoe Trips. Ely, MN.
Your family will enjoy the peace and tranquility that can be found within this pristine wilderness area. Listen to the waves lapping against the shore as you drift to sleep in one of 2,000 secluded campsites that dot the lake region. Wake to the sounds of birds chirping in the birch trees, enjoy breakfast over a campfire and then set out to explore the more than 1,500 miles of canoe routes that criss-cross the waterways.


Great Britain (GB) were the underdogs heading into the Rio 2016 Olympic women's field hockey final. Their opponents, the Netherlands, hadn't lost a match at the Games in 12 years, taking home the gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
Despite the Netherlands having the upper hand during most of the match, the GB squad remained resilient in the face of adversity and tied the score 3-3 in regulation time. A dramatic penalty shoot-out followed, with GB securing a 2-0 victory after goalkeeper Maddie Hinch produced a string of incredible saves.
This gold medal-winning performance was no solo effort, however. The team consistently exceeded expectations throughout the tournament, remaining undefeated on their way to the final.
What were the secrets of GB's success? And how has the team continued to stay at the top of their game in the years since?
1. The importance of mental strength
Alex Danson, Giselle Ansley, Hollie Pearne-Webb and goalkeeper Maddie Hinch are all veterans of the Rio squad and continue to play for GB today. They are ideally placed to discuss what has propelled the team to the pinnacle of the sport in recent years.
"For me, success is in your preparation, in your training," Alex explains. "We don't miss training, we don't miss gym sessions, we don't shy away from hard work. They are the details that will make a team great."
Maddie echoes these sentiments. Notably, neither player mentions physical attributes, natural talent or skill when outlining their secrets to success; the right mindset and team spirit are the factors they believe create champions.
"It is just hard work, grit and determination. As long as we stick together as a group, trust in what we're doing and know that everyone will be ready when the moment comes to deliver, that's the key," she says.
Achieving this level of team chemistry is easier said than done. How do the squad form a cohesive unit when the players have their own unique personalities and are at different ages and stages of their career?
Every day, we set a very clear vision to be the difference, to create history and to inspire the future, and we live by that, day in, day out.
2. Creating the right tone at the top
As with business, the culture at the top has a major influence on the broader performance and mental attitude of the entire squad.
GB Hockey has focused on a number of key themes for upcoming tournaments and the more experienced players are expected to embed these messages into the team ethos for the younger stars rising through the ranks.
First, the squad has tried to develop a 'winning after winning' mentality in an effort to prevent players from becoming complacent with their Olympic success. GB coaches also emphasise the need to concentrate on the small margins that separate success from failure at the highest levels.
"It's the small 1% that you can find in any performance on and off the pitch that sets you apart from the competition. Those little points of difference are why you end up winning and they don't," Giselle explains.
The so-called 'no brats' policy is another core strategy for the squad. Players are expected to leave their egos at the door and realise they won't always get what they want, despite playing for the national side.
"We talk about being humble as one of our things since winning at Rio, not just taking it for granted and thinking that we're the absolute bee's knees," Giselle adds.
3. Essential training and support
The GB team has access to some of the best training facilities in the country to help them achieve and maintain peak physical and mental fitness.
The Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre in Berkshire has a sophisticated video analysis suite, a cutting-edge physiotherapy medical unit, a full-size hockey pitch, a state-of-the-art gym and other world-class features.
Many of Bisham Abbey's facilities are focused on physical and strategic improvements, but Hollie highlighted the value of having a sports psychologist on-site to give the squad an added mental edge.
"We do a lot of work with psychologists, both individually and as a squad. The work we did with them on our culture in the last cycle leading into Rio was fundamental in why we were so successful," she says.
Hollie also feels that the importance of being full-time athletes cannot be overstated. This enables the players to get to know one another and develop deeper connections on the pitch. The team also spend a significant amount of time strategising together.
"We have video analysis of opponents, but all our own training sessions are also on video. We can constantly analyse ourselves in terms of how we can get better as individuals and improve our connections as a team."
It's the small 1% that you can find in any performance on and off the pitch that sets you apart from the competition.
4. Building team spirit
Is cultivating a 'no brats' policy difficult in such a competitive sport In an Olympic cycle, for example, approximately 30 players will train for the squad, but only 16 will be chosen to represent their country at the tournament.
Giselle admits it's tough to maintain camaraderie when players are being assessed every day and are competing against each other for a spot in the team.
"If you think like that, you'd probably crumble. The way we go about it is that we're trying to make sure the team - and it's always about the team - are as good and as successful they possibly can be," she says.
"If you can think about it as a team and your role within the team then, ultimately, that's where you get your biggest satisfaction from."
Hollie agrees. Fostering an environment where players can realise their own potential, while still putting the squad first, was vital to success in Rio and will continue to influence their performance at Tokyo 2020 and beyond.
"The role of culture in a successful team is fundamental. Massive. Absolutely huge," she says. "We created a culture where we were so supportive of one another, but at the same time, we were challenging and pushing each other to be the best we possibly could be."
The role of culture in a successful team is fundamental. Massive. Absolutely huge.
5. Maintaining personal ambitions
The primary focus may be on building a successful team, but that doesn't mean players put their own career aspirations to one side.
Achieving the perfect balance between personal ambition and doing what's best for the squad is an unavoidable part of hockey. Maddie says her competitive nature and commitment to always striving for improvement has become increasingly important.
"I'm now at a point in my career where I've achieved everything I've ever wanted. But now it's all about staying there, and that's the real challenge," she explains.
"I've got to keep pushing on, keep getting better and better. At the same time, I'm getting older every day and it gets a little bit harder. But I quite enjoy that pressure."
Giselle has a similar outlook. After getting a taste of standing on the podium at Rio, she knew there were many factors that led to the team's success, but now it's about trying to repeat the process and do it better.
"There were so many things that I still wanted to achieve after Rio - to win the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup. There were still massive incentives for us," she says.
Alex perhaps sums it up best. For her, what makes the team special is they are 31 women who are personally driven and dedicated, but who come together for a common goal.
"Every day, we set a very clear vision to be the difference, to create history and to inspire the future, and we live by that, day in, day out."


How Do HEPA Filters Work?
Learn how a HEPA filter purifies air and protects your family
By Stevie Donald
High-efficiency particulate air filters remove almost 100 percent of particulates from the air, even microscopically tiny particles from cigarette smoke, pet dander, mold and even some viruses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Improving indoor air quality is critical to managing asthma and respiratory diseases. HEPA filters use highly absorbent material to trap the particulates.
HEPA filters are used to clean indoor air in commercial and residential buildings when installed in the heating and cooling system. This is not always practical for homes, however, because installing HEPA filters in the existing ductwork may require extensive restructuring of the ducts. HEPA filters also are available in portable, single-room air cleaners and vacuums. People working with dangerous substances, such as lead and asbestos, wear masks equipped with HEPA filters to prevent inhalation of dangerous dust or fibers.
Whether large enough for a building or small enough to fit in a protective face mask, HEPA filters work the same way. Fiberglass is used as the filtering material, and is folded and pleated tightly so that a large surface area is compressed into a relatively small space. As the air passes through, particles as small as 0.3 micrometers lodge in the filter.
HEPA filters are used in medical facilities and hospitals to reduce airborne bacteria and some viruses. They also are used in airplanes, some commercial buildings, and any industrial application that produces potentially harmful particulates in the manufacturing process. Smaller filters are available for vacuum cleaners, masks and portable air cleaners. Some filters are washable, but most are not and should be changed annually. Because replacement HEPA filters can be expensive, research your indoor air quality options carefully.
HEPA filters were developed in the 1940s to prevent radioactive particles from escaping from nuclear plants. Since then, they have been in wide use in military, medical and industrial settings.They have been commercially available for private use since the 1950s.
According to the EPA, HEPA filters do not completely remove all the particulates from the air because many larger particles settle quickly on indoor surfaces. A Johns Hopkins University study showed little effect of HEPA filters on allergic people who shared their home with cats and Consumer Reports gives them mixed reviews for efficiency. The EPA states that less-expensive, medium-efficiency pleated filters are likely to be just as effective as HEPA filters in the home and in some cases may perform better.
About the Author
Stevie Donald is a regular contributor to DexKnows. She has been a painting contractor since 1979.
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If you're considering solar power, an assessment of your energy needs, your budget and your home's location will play a part in your selection.... Read More


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"He set her on the US bank of the river and started back for his wife, Vanessa Ávalos, but seeing him move away the girl threw herself into the waters. Martínez returned and was able to grab Valeria, but the current swept them both away. The account was based on remarks by Ávalos to police at the scene."
They made it. And, not wanting to be left behind, his little girl came in after her daddy. Dash would do that, too.
After a long, dangerous journey, being held for months in a camp because the US would not hear their asylum claim, a father placed his little girl on what should have been the bank of freedom. If they hadn't drowned, would she have been taken from her parents, placed in the care of another starving child, shuttled from one dark location to another to hide the abuses the US government inflicts upon migrant toddlers?
We can choose to be better than this. We can choose not to replicate history's darkest chapters. We can end this torture of children and families fleeing violence and oppressive poverty.
End this administration. Vote against them every time you have the opportunity. Protest. Speak up loudly and constantly against this relentless heartbreak.
Does your heart not ache with this terrible grief, too? Can you not see your own children in these children?
When Dash was born, my highest calling became the creation of a stable life for him. I would certainly flee violence with him in my arms. I would swim for his life and mine for the opportunity to place him gently on the other side of poverty.
I watch the apologists line up to blame parents, deliberately ignorant of the realities that drive these migrants so far from home, willingly ignorant of their own histories, the ignorant descendants of stronger people that made long, dangerous journeys to a land of open borders and fabled opportunity.
There is a deep soullessness inherent in the inability to stand with these migrant families. Apologists for these crimes against humanity debase themselves.
The legacy of white America is being written in concentration camps exclusively for children (did the Nazis even have those?), drowned babies, and human trafficking of abducted toddlers lost in our government's custody.
I will absolutely rip anyone to shreds for defending this abhorrent administration. Let the deaths of these families be on their heads. May the suffering of children perpetuated in the name of Donald Trump be a stain on Republicans forever.


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Sandra L. Russo
Type of Document:
Livestock-Climate Change CRSP, Colorado State University
Date of Publication:
Place of Publication:
Fort Collins, CO
Abstract: LCC CRSP gender adviser Dr. Sandra Russo (Univ. of Florida) reviewed the Feed the Future country plans of LCC CRSP focus countries and assessed current LCC CRSP research projects.
The resulting report is a desk review in which Dr. Russo, “examines the LCC CRSP projects efforts to integrate gender, using USAID directives and frames them within the new Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI).” She also examines country priorities and assesses their relevance to issues that affect women and children in those countries.

domain: library


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Ok so I left my bike at a well known chain to have a front derailleur, shifter and additional chain ring adding 16th June they were due to start it 17th June.
Week 1 parts should be in Thursday that week, all parts apart from one turn up, told following Tuesday will be in
Week 2 no parts turn up on the Tuesday will be in on the Thursday
no news rang up still waiting for part? Do I want to come and pick up bike? No I'll leave it as when the part comes in I'll only have to bring it back
Week 3 wrong part arrives will have to order other part be next week.Can I have bike back for weekend please sorry mate it's on work stand in bits.
Week 4 rang Tuesday sorry no new parts in, they will be in this Thursday
So I'm thinking of just going down there tomorrow and kicking off want to see manager etc.. Is this unreasonable?

domain: hobby


Ashok Iron Works Pvt. Ltd., a renowned automotive supplier from Belgaum, India invests in cutting-edge moulding technology. AIW is known for the production of cylinder blocks and heads, as well as other complex, high end components for the automotive industry.
This moulding plant with a flask size of 1.300×1.000×400/400 mm and a speed of 90 moulds/hour is among the most productive facilities of this kind in India. In addition to the delivery of the core equipment from the headquarters in Alfeld, subsidiary KÜNKEL WAGNER (INDIA) will supply moulding plant components as well as a complete sand preparation plant. Test operation will begin in early 2018.


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Disney dance parties, art classes and flexibility: how adland is supporting WFH parents
Juggling a job in advertising and raising a family has never been easy, but for working parents wrestling their way through lockdown 3.0 things have never been harder. In the first of a three-part series, The Drum explores how adland’s employers are stepping up to support their staff – be it through keeping the kids entertained with a Zoom cookie decorating class or baking more flexibility into the working day with material changes to policy. Chief people officer Helen Matthews discusses what Ogilvy does to support parents.
In the UK, Ogilvy too has been orchestrating virtual events to keep little ones entertained.
“We recently held our second annual Dog Show to chase away the January Blues,” says chief people officer Helen Matthews, “it was online for 2021. We invited the whole agency and their children. It went down a treat.“
For Ogilvy’s Matthews, there has been a need to adapt to individual situations.
“We have parents with keyworker partners, single parents and parents and carers who are both juggling full time, busy roles and multiple children,” she explains, saying the agency has “learned as much as it can from previous lockdowns and “listened deeply” to its people.
Read the full article via The Drum here.


A dataset of global tropical cyclone wind and surface wave measurements from buoy and satellite platforms - Nature Scientific Data
There are now a range of potential data sources for wind and surface wind wave conditions within tropical cyclones. These sources include: in situ buoy data and remote sensing data from altimeters, scatterometers and radiometers. In addition, data providing estimates of tropical cyclone tracks and wind field parameters are available from best track archives. The present dataset brings together this information in a single archive, providing the available data for each tropical cyclone from each of the data sources in a single file. The data consists of observations in a total of 2927 global tropical cyclones over the period from 1985 to 2017. Global statistics of the observations are provided, along with data on the geographic distribution of tropical cyclones within the database.
Add to Elements


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4 Tips That Can Assist You Improve Credit History
If you have been struggling to make ends fulfill because you have a low credit score, you may be really feeling as if there is no other way that you will certainly ever repay your financial obligation. This is why it is necessary to discover just how to enhance credit score numbers for yourself. There are three locations that you can concentrate on in order to assist boost your credit report. One: Begin paying off those financial obligations that are exceptional. It is essential to comprehend that the number one thing that enters into a credit rating report is what you owe. By concentrating on paying off these financial debts, you can begin to see improvement in your credit report numbers. However, this does not suggest that you can never ever bill on a charge card again; it just means that you have to be more disciplined when it comes to doing so. Two: Do whatever it takes to clean up your report. The leading thing that many individuals do not understand when attempting to enhance credit score numbers is that there are in fact several mistakes on their record that need to be remedied. The problem with a lot of these errors is that they are not noticed by the debt bureaus and also do not obtain taken care of. In fact, the opportunities that any of them will certainly be fixed is next to nothing. Three: There are additionally some loopholes that you can exploit in order to enhance credit report numbers. By opening up brand-new accounts as well as seeing to it that they report properly, you can begin to repair your credit history. Nevertheless, the only method for you to learn about whether the account has actually been reported appropriately is to go to the three major debt bureaus (Equifax, Transunion as well as Experian) and demand a duplicate. By understanding what is being reported, you will certainly understand if there are any kind of mistakes that need to be dealt with. Four: The 4th tip that you need to use in order to enhance credit score numbers is to never, ever before open new charge card. Also if you understand you have been authorized for them, it is constantly far better to shut them permanently (otherwise you open the very same debt situation you had prior to). By not including any brand-new charge card, you are keeping your credit history as clean as possible. Finally, one last pointer that will certainly help you to boost credit rating numbers is to pay off any type of old financial obligations that you might owe as quickly as you possibly can. This can have a substantial influence on enhancing your rating. By paying off old financial debts, you will substantially reduce the quantity of time that it gets on your report that shows up as being impressive. By repaying old debt as quickly as feasible, you will have the ability to drastically boost your credit score rating. Consequently, the ideas listed right here should assist you to see to it that you improve credit report.
3 Lessons Learned:
Case Study: My Experience With

domain: economics


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Skip to comments.A virus similar to herpes could be a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (Epstein-Barr)
Posted on 05/17/2011 9:34:35 AM PDT by decimon
At present, while there is no cause known for this condition, patients with MS seem to have genetic vulnerability to certain environmental factors that could trigger this condition, such as the Epstein-Barr virus. Scientists at the University of Granada have found a relation between the Epstein-Barr virus which belongs to the herpesviruses familyand the development of this condition
The Epstein-Barr (EVB) virus belonging to the herpesviruses family, which also includes the herpes simplex virus and the cytomegalovirus is one of the environmental factors that might cause multiple sclerosis, a condition affecting the central nervous system, which causes are unknown. This has been confirmed by University of Granada scientists that analyzed the presence of this virus in patients with multiple sclerosis. Researchers analyzed antibody levels, that is, antibodies that are produced within the central nervous system and that could be directly involved in the development of multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating condition affecting the central nervous system. Although the cause for this condition is unknown, patients with MS seem to have genetic vulnerability to certain environmental factors that could trigger this condition.
While other studies have tried to ellucidate whether infection with the Epstein-Barr virus could be considered a risk factor in multiple sclerosis, what University of Granada researchers did was conducting a meta-analysis of observational studies including cases and controls, aimed at establishing such association.
(Excerpt) Read more at canalugr.es ...
Wow, is there nothing a STD can’t do?... Herpes for President.
ping to OP
Chicken pox is a herpes virus.
Viagra could reduce multiple sclerosis symptoms
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona | May 19, 2011 | Unknown
Posted on 05/19/2011 2:20:08 PM PDT by decimon
“It's possible that vitamin D deficiency may lead to an abnormal response to the Epstein-Barr virus,” Ebers said.
He noted that low sunlight exposure in the spring was most strongly associated with MS risk. “Lower levels of UVB in the spring season correspond with peak risk of MS by birth month. More research should be done on whether increasing UVB exposure or using vitamin D supplements and possible treatments or vaccines for the Epstein-Barr virus could lead to fewer cases of MS.”
“Epstein-Barr infection is marked by a period of active infection and replication the lytic stage where it causes acute disease, but it can also remain latent, and later emerge as an effective cancer-causing agent,” said Kazuko Nishikura, Ph.D., a professor in Wistar’s Gene Expression and Regulation program and senior author of the study. “It is a strategy that allows EBV to survive our initial immune response and await conditions, such as weakened immunity, to reemerge.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 95 percent of Americans are infected with EBV. While only a small portion of these infections ever lead to cancer, EBV has been associated with diseases that include cancers such as Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and a form of sinus and throat cancer called nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
“Our findings suggest that EBV and humans have been engaged in a complex microRNA arms race, where EBV evolved microRNA that specifically exploit the human host cell's own microRNA machinery,” Nishikura said.
We still have many years until there is an effective vaccine
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

domain: medical


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Last year Callum Ogden started making real-world maps in the style of fantasy maps; his most recent is this map of North America, which is very much in the post-Lord of the Rings-movies style of things. In this Medium post he talks about the process of making it.
Holy cow—if you like fantasy maps, spend some time looking at New Orleans. WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON WITH THIS CITY?! If this came in from a freelancer, there are half a dozen things that would raise my eyebrows. pic.twitter.com/ApqYYWlE8d
— James L. Sutter (@jameslsutter) March 19, 2018
Don’t miss writer and game designer James L. Sutter critiquing New Orleans as though it was a city from a fantasy novel. A major criticism of fantasy maps, whether of cities or worlds, is their lack of realism: unrealistic rivers, mountains and so forth. New Orleans, with its totally unrealistic terrain, doesn’t pass the test. “Please clean up your map and resubmit when it follows the rules of a real-world city,” Sutter concludes.
Territory is an online literary magazine (or what they call “a literary project”) whose subject is “territories and the maps that will always fail to capture them. It’s about the naive dream of objectivity, and how we use the act of representation to both hide and broadcast our subjectivities.” Seven issues so far; they’re organized into what they call an atlas, and comprise various fictions, illustrations and other works of art. It will take me some time to go through it all. [Leventhal]
Sarah Gailey is the author of two novellas, River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow, about an alternate America that domesticated hippos, which promptly
ran swam feral in the Mississippi. In this Tor.com post, she describes how there wasn’t supposed to be an accompanying map, but one got made anyway.
It had never occurred to me to draw a map. I had written a story that wasn’t an epic, high-fantasy journey across nations. Why would I draw a map? Maps are for bigger stories, right? How does one go about drawing a map? I stayed up that night googling cartography. My search was not fruitful. I tucked that particular insecurity into the part of my brain where I catalogue all my shortcomings as a writer, and I did my best to forget about it.
Imagine, then, my abject horror when my River of Teeth editor, Justin Landon, sent me the following message: “oh hey, btw, do you have a rough map you’ve done for RoT?”
I said no, and he asked me to put something together. I hedged heavily, hoping that if I said “I will probably do a bad job” enough times, my editor might say “oh, ha ha, just kidding, I would never make you do something this hard! Please, go enjoy a cocktail.”
Reader, he made me do a map. I gritted my teeth, grabbed a piece of paper and an existing map of Louisiana, and braced myself for despair. You’ll never believe what happened next.
I had so much fun.
I like maps, because they lie.
Because they give no access to the vicious truth.
Because great-heartedly, good-naturedly
they spread before me a world
not of this world.
Landmarks: Maps as Literary Illustration, an exhibition of literary and fantasy maps at Harvard’s Houghton Library, is free to the public and runs through 14 April 2018. “Presented in conjunction with the bicentenary of the Harvard Map Collection, this exhibition brings together over 60 landmark literary maps, from the 200-mile-wide island in Thomas More’s Utopia to the supercontinent called the Stillness in N. K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season. Visitors will traverse literary geographies from William Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County to Nuruddin Farah’s besieged Somalia; or perhaps escape the world’s bothers in Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood.” Atlas Obscura has more on the exhibition, along with a selection of some of the maps it presents. [Tony Campbell]
Cat Rambo livetweeted some of the good bits from the online class on creating fantasy maps she taught with Alex Acks and Paul Weimer earlier this month (see previous entry), using the #mappingfantasy hashtag. Most of those good bits were common sense worldbuilding advice; by and large the intended audience is authors creating their fantasy worlds. They’re the ones who benefit most from basic geological or geographical advice, such as:
— 🌈RainbowRiotRambo🦄 (@Catrambo) December 16, 2017
Other tips would be familiar to cartography students.
— 🌈RainbowRiotRambo🦄 (@Catrambo) December 16, 2017
Here’s a point that makes sense from a worldbuilding perspective, but it has led to the cliché that every point on the map has to be visited:
— 🌈RainbowRiotRambo🦄 (@Catrambo) December 16, 2017
Here’s a book that, given my interest in maps and literature, I’ll have to track down: Literature and Cartography: Theories, Histories, Genres, edited by Anders Engberg-Pedersen and featuring contributions from 15 other authors. “Literary authors have frequently called on elements of cartography to ground fictional space, to visualize sites, and to help readers get their bearings in the imaginative world of the text. Today, the convergence of digital mapping and globalization has spurred a cartographic turn in literature. This book gathers leading scholars to consider the relationship of literature and cartography. Generously illustrated with full-color maps and visualizations, it offers the first systematic overview of an emerging approach to the study of literature.” Out today from The MIT Press. [Amazon]
Maps Mania has a roundup of fantasy map generators—applications that generate maps of imaginary cities or landscapes algorithmically. Sometimes even with names. Two of them I’d previously heard of: Uncharted Atlas, a Twitter bot that tweets out a new map every hour, and the Medieval Fantasy City Generator, which generates a random medieval city layout. Two were new to me: Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator, which comes complete with documentation and an accompanying blog; and Oskar Stalberg’s City Generator, which doesn’t.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. If fantasy map generators can produce a map that is at least credible in comparison to the human-made product, what does that say about that human-made product in terms of the imagination and creativity that went into it?
On Obsidian Wings, a post on why I need maps in fantasy novels: “Two books I recently read made me realize that I don’t just like maps, they’re part of how my mind works. For me, a map is a type of memory palace, linking up all kinds of information for easy retrieval. Without one, I don’t just feel lost, I feel dumb—because my memories are disorganized and harder to recall.” An interesting take on the usefulness of fantasy maps. [Skiffy and Fanty]
Alex Acks and Paul Weimer are teaching an online class on creating fantasy maps:
Join Alex Acks and Paul Weimer as they talk about fantasy maps in order to give you the tools you need to create and map your world. Topics include basic geologic principles, common mistakes, forms maps can take, how maps reflect world view, and how maps change over time.
Acks, you may recall, wrote pieces on Middle-earth’s problematic mountains and rivers, and fantasy maps in general; Weimer, for his part, wrote a defence of fantasy maps. The class costs $99 and takes place via Google Hangouts on 16 December.
Roland Chambers is selling limited-edition prints of his maps for Lev Grossman’s Magicians trilogy. Each print costs £100 and is A2-sized (42 × 59.4 cm); only 100 copies of each will be printed. More at The Verge. I’ve admired Chambers’s work for a while: these are fantasy maps that are less derivative and closer to their original source matter (children’s book illustrations) than the standard fantasy map fare. [Lev Grossman]
Previously: Fantasy Map Roundup.
Having ruffled fannish feathers with a post critiquing Middle-earth’s mountains and another admitting that they don’t like fantasy maps, Alex Acks returns with a Tor.com post about the problems with Middle-earth’s river systems. Specifically, the Anduin, which breaks all kinds of hydrological rules: it cuts across mountain ranges (and parallels the Misty Mountains), it lacks tributaries along one side and it doesn’t seem to have much of a drainage basin. “Even if you grant the mountains as things created by the Valar doing their Valar-thing—which means my mental excuse for the Anduin cutting through mountain ranges is void—it still looks weird from a geological perspective.”
Another point Acks makes, about Tolkien’s influence on fantasy maps in general, that I should file for later:
Just as Tolkien’s novels have had a massive influence on epic fantasy as a genre, his map is the bad fantasy map that launched a thousand bad fantasy maps—many of which lack even his mythological fig leaf to explain the really eyebrow-raising geography. The things that make me cringe about the geography of Middle-earth are still echoing in the ways we imagine and construct fantasy worlds today.
Critiques of fantasy maps have more to do with the shortcomings of fantasy worlds than the maps that depict them.
There’s something I’ve noticed about the recent round of debates about fantasy maps, something I’ve been noticing about discussions of fantasy maps in general. They don’t talk about fantasy maps in terms of their cartographic merit. That is to say, they don’t judge fantasy maps as maps.
When Alex Acks vents about fantasy maps, it’s because the mountain ranges in Middle-earth don’t make sense, not because the cartography of Pauline Baynes or Christopher Tolkien wasn’t up to the task. It’s more that the territory is shaped to fit the story rather than the other way around, less that the maps of said territory frequently lack a scale. When Boing Boing’s Rob Beschizza says that “Game of Thrones has such a terrible map it could be presented as a parody of bad fantasy maps,” he’s not saying that the cartography of the various Song of Ice and Fire mapmakers, such as Jonathan Roberts (The Lands of Ice and Fire), James Sinclair (books one through four) or Jeffrey L. Ward (A Dance with Dragons), is deficient. He’s saying that the Game of Thrones geography is terrible.


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Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common and tormenting symptom in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. An increasing number of studies have been published in recent years to support the effectiveness of montelukast for UP. We will conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate effectiveness of montelukast for UP in hemodialysis patients.
The following electronic databases were searched: Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China Science and Technology Journal Database. The range of publication time was from the inception of the database to December 2020. Two reviewers will independently conduct article selection, data collection, and assessment of risk of bias. Any disagreement will be resolved by discussion with the third reviewer. Meta-analysis will be performed by Review Manager 5.3. The Cochrane Collaboration tool will be used to assess the risk of bias.
This study will provide a systematic synthesis of current published data to explore the effectiveness of montelukast for UP in hemodialysis patients.
This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide clinical evidence for the effectiveness of montelukast for UP in hemodialysis patients and inform our understanding of the value of montelukast in improving pruritus symptoms. This study will help clinicians, patients, and policy makers to make better decisions regarding the appropriate role of montelukast as a part of patient management routines.


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Lay back and relax with these awesome picnic blankets. Also great as a beach throw.
- Size when unfolded 175 x 140cm / 69 x 55".
- Waterproof backing.
- Folds up into it's own carry case.
- Little pocket for your personal items.
- Suitable for ages 14+
- Material/s: Polyester, PEVA

domain: travel


Multi Layer SMT
Our team of electrical and software engineers design robust circuits using best practice methodologies. Our crossfunctional teams of engineers perform concurrent engineering efforts to streamline the development cycle. Their core disciplines include embedded microcontroller, mixed signal, RF, and motion control engineering. Electromechanica's real strength is our ability to integrate entire hardware systems and develop the software to control and measure their performance. Our software capabilities include LabVIEW for PC based data acquisition, systems/process control and analysis. Some projects require embedded microcontroller code development in C or assembly to control embedded systems. Our team collaborates to develop completed systems that meet or exceed critical design specifications.
Click on any image below for a larger view:
3D CAD Modeling
Prototyping Machining Center
Our team of mechanical and manufacturing engineers attack problems from different perspectives to produce an efficient integrated system. Electromechanica, Inc. engineers design products, test stations, robotics, manufacturing fixtures, and other mechanical systems in collaboration with our electrical engineering staff. Our engineers utilize 3D CAD modeling and our on-site CNC machine shop to provide our clients with quick turn design iterations and prototypes.
Electromechanica, Inc. designs:
- PCB assembly functional test systems
- LabVIEW based test and programming systems
- Thermal component test fixtures (liquid & air)
- High voltage, current & power systems
- Manufacturing test automation
- Turnkey functional test solutions for electromechanical systems
- Robotic Systems
- Pipe inspection robots


The Flood of 1927 caused millions of dollars in damage to Middletown's infrastructure. Yet our city was spared the loss of lives suffered in Vermont where 84 were killed.
A tropical storm dumped tons of rain to our north and the Connecticut River carried the water south to Middletown. This morning's column I included two photographs of the flooding along the river's edge.
To the right, more photographs illustrate the river flooding, and it is easy to see why Middletown people who lived along the river, particularly in the neighborhoods east of Main Street, will never forget this flood.
The first bridge built between Portland and Middletown was a swing bridge, shown here. It was barely above the river's fast-moving waters. Clearly, boat traffic along the river was shut down for several weeks until the river returned to normal and the debris made its way to Long Island Sound.
In 1927, there were many more structures along the edge of the river. There still remained old warehouses used during the days of the West Indies trade, and the river was still one of the major methods of moving goods to and from Middletown. These buildings, shown in the second photo, were along Water Street, which ran parallel to the river.
The third photograph not only illustrates the devastation in the southern end of downtown, but also provides younger readers with a chance to be introduced to Sumner and South streets, now long gone. I've included a map from 1874 to show readers where these streets were.
You can see the bridge over Sumner Brook in the background, which today has a more modern roadway taking traffic from Union Street to East Main Street. The garage in this photo was located below where the YMCA was built a few years later. Connecticut Rental would be in the left side of this photo today. Sumner and South Street were removed in the 1970s as part of improvements made by the state to prevent flooding.
The final photograph shows the bridge over the Sebethe River that brought cars from Cromwell to Middletown along River Road. This location is about where the current bridge over the Sebethe (West or Coginchaug) River is on Route 9.