|Publication number||US5262103 A|
|Application number||US 07/795,509|
|Publication date||Nov 16, 1993|
|Filing date||Nov 21, 1991|
|Priority date||Nov 21, 1991|
|Also published as||WO1993009927A1|
|Publication number||07795509, 795509, US 5262103 A, US 5262103A, US-A-5262103, US5262103 A, US5262103A|
|Inventors||James P. LaPoint|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (16), Referenced by (2), Classifications (20), Legal Events (6)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The present invention relates to a method of forming plastic articles from powdered or particulate plastic material.
A common way of producing molded thermoplastic articles known in the prior art is to heat thermoplastic polymers in a mold. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,757 discloses the molding of polystyrene beads in a patented apparatus through the introduction of steam into a mold. The steam heats the beads and causes them to expand and coalesce into a solid block of material.
Another method of heating thermoplastic materials to form molded plastic articles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,758. This process involves mixing a radio frequency energy sensitizing agent comprised of N-ethyl toluene sulfonamide with a thermoplastic polymer. This mixture is placed in a mold and subjected to radio frequency energy for a time sufficient to heat the mixture. The mixture is then compressed to form the final molded product.
The prior art also discloses methods of compression molding a plastic article without the use of heat. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,940, a process for producing flexible molded articles is described. This process involves the compression of elastomers, such as carboxyl terminated polybutadiene, to produce an uncured, flexible product.
The use of organic solvents to treat thermoplastic articles in various ways is known in the prior art as well. Organic solvents have been used, for example, to reflow thermoplastic surfaces such as paint, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,331. Solvents such as methylethylketone have also been used to treat polystyrene film in order to produce synthetic paper.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, there remains a need for a method of molding a plastic, such as polystyrene, to produce a relatively rigid product in a relatively short time without the necessity of heat.
The present invention relates to a method of forming molded thermoplastic articles from powdered or particulate plastic material. These particles, which preferably range from about 1/32 " to 3/8", may be placed in a mold and mixed with a softening agent composed of an organic solvent capable of dissolving the plastic particles and an inert carrier such as water in which the solvent is preferably miscible.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the particles are sprayed with a mist of the softening agent just prior to their introduction into the mold. Alternatively, the particles can be exposed to the softening agent in the mold.
The softening agent modifies the surfaces of the particles so that the particles fuse when put under pressure. Preferably, excess softening agent is drained from the particle-softening agent mixture before compression and recycled, though the mixture may be compressed without drainage if excess softening agent is allowed to escape during compression. After the material has been treated by the softening agent, it is put under pressure in the mold and compressed to form the final molded article.
Although heat may be applied to the final molded product to remove excess softening agent in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, such heating is generally not required. The use of a vacuum before compression to remove excess softening agent may, for instance, be substituted for post-formation heating. Thus, the process of the present invention virtually eliminates one of the highest costs of forming plastic articles, namely the cost of heating the plastic polymers.
The process of the present invention may be used to form a variety of plastic articles. In one embodiment, hard polystyrene articles having a smooth exterior surface and marbled appearance may be produced. By using less pressure and/or a shorter softening time, solid plastic articles with pores may also be produced such as for use as filtration media. In a further embodiment of the present invention, vibration of the plastic particles during or previous to their compression may be effected in order to more compactly settle the particles. In addition, fillers may be used to fill interstitial spaces between the plastic particles or to give the final product color, added strength, UV resistance or other desired properties.
These and additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments which follows, when considered together with the attached claims.
There is provided in accordance with one aspect of the present invention a method of forming a plastic article from powdered or particulate plastic material. The plastic particles are first introduced into a mold, preceding or following exposure to a softening agent, and thereafter compressed into the desired shape. Excess plastic softening agent is removed, and, preferably, recycled. The resulting article immediately becomes relatively rigid. This method may be utilized to produce a wide variety of construction and consumer goods.
The method may be carried out at ambient temperatures, thereby saving the cost of conventional thermoforming or heating steps. Although the method does not require the addition of heat, some applications or softening agent-plastic combinations may benefit from a heating step. If heating is used as a facilitator in the present method, relatively low temperatures will generally suffice. To retain some energy savings, heating to a temperature below the melting point, and preferably below the softening point of the plastic particulate, is preferred.
In general, the present invention contemplates the use of combinations of a plastic and a softening agent which comprises a solvent for the plastic. Specific exemplary plastics contemplated by the inventor herein include polystyrene, ABS, acrylic, polycarbonate and polyvinyl chloride. Selection of particular plastics will be governed by any of a variety of considerations, including expense, desired physical properties of the finished product, and available solvents and solvent systems. The use of combinations of plastics is also contemplated. For example, polystyrene and acrylic may be mixed together to form a plastic article using the present method.
Preferably, the plastic is obtained in a particulate form. For example, such plastic particles might range from about 1/32" screen size (powder) to about 3/8" screen size or larger. Typically, a stated particle size (e.g., 3/16") will contain a relatively minor amount (e.g., on the order of about 10%) by weight of "fines" or sand-like fine particulate. In general, a finer mesh size will produce a more homogeneous product. Larger particles, due to the relatively larger interstitial spaces between them, are believed to require greater amounts of pressure to produce a solid finished product. Thus, using a finer mesh size particle will also enable the use of relatively less pressure to produce a product having a given density.
It is believed that the surface of a particle is modified when it comes into contact with the softening agent, so that when the particles are pressed together the adjoining surfaces of the particles become fused. Relatively large particles which have been exposed to the softening agent for a relatively short period of time are thus believed to have only a relatively thin softened layer. These circumstances produce a system in which a relatively large compressive force will be required to produce a unitary solid. On the other hand, exposing plastic particles to the softening agent for a relatively longer period of time produces a deeper softening effect and requires less pressure to compress the particles into a unitary solid. Timing considerations will be discussed in greater detail infra.
Compressive pressure requirements may also be influenced by the use of blends of different particle sizes. In theory, smaller particles will tend to infiltrate the interstitial spaces between larger particles, thereby requiring a shorter softening agent exposure time and/or lower compressive pressure to produce a solid product. However, in practice some difficulty is encountered in maintaining an even distribution of particles having significantly different sizes. Therefore, relatively homogeneously sized particles are preferably used. More preferably, for solid articles such as counter tops and picture frames, particles having a 3/16" screen size are used.
For any particular plastic or plastic blend, the ideal solvent can be determined through routine experimentation. Solvents which have been found useful by the present inventor for plastics such as those identified above include methylethylketone (MEK), acetone, toluene, xylene, and styrene monomer. It has also been found that for some solvent/plastic combinations, it is advantageous to mix the appropriate organic solvent with an inert carrier liquid in which the solvent is miscible, such as water. Preferably, for use with polystyrene, an aqueous MEK mixture is utilized.
The preferred aqueous MEK mixture for use with polystyrene in accordance with the present invention can range anywhere from about 5% MEK to about 35% by volume MEK in water. As a result of the relative solubilities of water and MEK, water will hold about 28% by weight MEK, and MEK will hold about 11.8% by weight of water. The softening activity of the softening agent appears to be related to the concentration of MEK and water such that relatively high MEK content tends to result in a deeper softening effect for a given interval of time than a relatively weaker MEK content.
The role of water in the water/organic softening agent mixtures is believed by the inventors herein to slow down the softening effect of the organic component. Thus, relatively higher concentrations of the organic component up to 100% MEK can be utilized if the equipment is set up in a manner that permits compression within a relatively short period of time following introduction of the softening agent. In addition, relatively short exposure times (e.g., as a result of relatively high concentrations of the organic component in the softening agent) should not be so short as to compromise the ability to thoroughly and uniformly intermix the particles with the softening agent. Thus, the optimum aqueous/organic ratio in the softening agent should be determined for each mixing and compression apparatus set up, based upon routine experimentation. In one embodiment of the present invention, a 60% MEK/40% H2 O mixture was found useful in a process having a press which closed within about 10 seconds following commencement of exposure.
In addition, the softening agent may comprise more than one organic component. For example, a softening agent such as aqueous MEK and acetone has been found to provide a useful softening agent for use with acrylic plastic. A number of softening agent systems can likely be identified through routine experimentation by one of skill in the art in view of the disclosure herein. The specific embodiments disclosed herein are therefore intended to be illustrative of the invention but not limiting.
The softening agent may be applied to the plastic particles in any of a variety of manners which will be understood to one of skill in the art. For example, in one embodiment of the invention the plastic particles are loaded into the cavity of a mold. Softening agent is thereafter introduced into the mold to immerse all of the particles. The excess softening agent may then be siphoned off of the mold, or permitted to escape from the mold upon compression. This excess softening agent may be returned to a reservoir for reuse.
Preferably, however, the softening agent and plastic particles are simultaneously introduced into the mold. This is particularly desired when the mold is relatively deep, or uniformity throughout the finished product is important. This is because introduction of softening agent into the top of the mold following introduction of the particulate results in a longer exposure time for particles at the top of the column compared to those at the bottom.
Alternatively, plastic particles may be sprayed with a mist of the softening agent either just prior to introduction into the mold or following introduction into the mold. Application by spraying may be particularly useful in continuous production systems such as extrusion molding. The particular mode of application can be optimized for a given operation by one of skill in the art.
The exposure time of the plastic particles to the softening agent before compression has also been found to affect the other process parameters. For example, a longer exposure time is believed to cause a deeper softening of the plastic particles, and permits formation of a solid article with a relatively smaller compressive force. In general,
exposure times of less than about one minute and preferably in the range of from about 2-10 seconds (for 35% MEK/H2 O and 3/16" polystyrene) have been found acceptable for use in the method of the present invention.
The amount of pressure required to produce the solid plastic molded article in accordance with the present invention depends upon the particle size, particle mix, percent solid desired in the finished product, solvent, percent solvent in softening agent, solvent mixture and presence of binders, as will be understood by one of skill in the art. In general, to produce a solid polystyrene product using 3/16" particle size and a 35% MEK aqueous softening agent, a pressure within the range of from about 10,000 psi to about 20,000 psi applied for about two seconds, has been found useful.
Pressures as low as about 2,500 psi will result in a unitary plastic article; however, pressures in this range may be insufficient to completely fill the interstitial spaces so that a relatively porous article will result. Accordingly, filtration media having a variety of pore sizes can be produced in accordance with the present invention. Coarse filtration media, such as may be desired for use in landfill or other coarse filtration environments, may be produced by exposing 3/16" particle size polystyrene to a softening agent for a relatively short period of time and exposing the resultant polystyrene-softening agent mixture to a pressure of approximately 2,500 pounds for 1-2 seconds.
In some applications, it may be desirable to minimize any excess or "fugitive" softening agent. This can be accomplished by including a post-forming baking step to drive off the excess softening agent. Alternatively, exposing the wetted plastic particles to a vacuum following the draining of the solvent and prior to and/or during compression may also minimize the amount of excess entrapped softening agent. Although excess MEK has not been found to present any particular difficulties in a polystyrene system, other plastic/solvent systems such as those incorporating the styrene monomer tend to produce undesirable outgassing following compression unless preventative steps are taken.
It has been determined by the inventors herein that the removal of excess MEK can be optimized at ambient temperatures by reducing the MEK boiling point under vacuum. Thus, for example, following removal from the compression mold, the solid product is air-dried for approximately an hour and then immersed in water. A vacuum is drawn in the head space over the water to approximately 29 inches of mercury. Under these conditions, MEK will boil at approximately 70° F. Depending upon the desired result, the solid article is preferably left under vacuum conditions within the range of from several hours to approximately 12 hours or longer.
A variety of additional additives or modifications to the basic process may also be desired to effect economies during manufacture or physical property changes, depending upon the desired use of the plastic article to be formed. For example, flame-retardants or ultraviolet light inhibitors may be added as desired. Structural articles which will be exposed to the sunlight may benefit from the addition of conventional UV inhibitors, although acrylic products have traditionally exhibited superior longevity under UV exposure without such inhibitors.
Vibration of the plastic particles in the ultrasonic or near ultrasonic range may also be desired either prior to, during, or instead of compression of the softened plastic particles. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, ultrasonic vibration will tend to settle the particles into a more compact relationship, and may result in reducing the amount of energy required to be expended on compression.
Powdered or fine particulate fillers may also desirably be added to the plastic particles in order to fill the interstitial spaces therein. Preferably, the fillers will not be soluble in the softening agent. A wide variety of suitable fillers known in the art may be used, such as mica, calk, calcium carbonate, and silica.
Other fillers may be utilized to change the strength and heat distortion temperature characteristics of the finished product. Such fillers include fiber additives such as glass fiber or graphite fiber. Fillers and fibers are generally added in relatively low weight percentages, usually no more than about 5% by weight of the unwetted plastic particles, and preferably no more than about 2% by weight of the plastic particles.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a unitary article which comprises a solidified plastic particulate material together with one or more preformed solid articles. In accordance with this aspect of the present invention, one or more preformed solid articles are introduced into a compression mold. Plastic particulate, either prior to or following exposure to a softening agent, is introduced into the mold around the preformed solid. The particulate mixture also comprises any of a variety of fillers or modifiers, as has been discussed.
The mold is thereafter subjected to compression, as has been discussed, to produce a unitary article which comprises a combination of the solidified plastic particulate material together with the preformed solid therein.
The foregoing process is useful for producing any of a wide variety of articles having multiple textures, tones, designs, etc. For example, signs can be produced by introducing preformed letters into the bottom of the mold. Following introduction of the plastic particulate and softening agent and compression steps, the resulting unitary article is removed from the mold to reveal the previously introduced lettering or numbering. Alternatively, the preformed solid can provide structural strength for other physical properties as desired. For example, bearings, connectors or hinges and the like can be introduced into the mold so that the resulting unitary article comprises a plastic body having imbedded therein a means for fastening the plastic body to something else, as will be apparent to one of skill in the art in view of the description contained herein.
In addition, designs may be produced such as for counter tops or counter top or floor tiles. For this purpose, preformed solids in the form of rods, bars or geometric shapes can be introduced into the bottom of the compression mold prior to introduction of the plastic particulate. Thus, the preformed solid can either be formed from the same plastic as the plastic particulate so that bonding will be accomplished therebetween, or can comprise a different material which may or may not be soluble in the softening agent.
In an embodiment where the preformed solid comprises the same material as the plastic particulate, the preformed solid can be produced in accordance with the same cold compression process disclosed herein, or through conventional thermal molding techniques. In the former instance, a plurality of successive particulate addition and compression steps can be utilized to produce a unitary article having a plurality of layers, which may be variously colored or treated with modifiers such as UV inhibitors or structural enhancement additives. In the production of articles to be exposed to sunlight, it may be desirable from a materials/cost standpoint for only the outermost layer of the article to be impregnated with a UV inhibitor.
Some specific applications of the foregoing invention will be demonstrated in the following examples:
A plurality of polystyrene disks having relatively smooth exterior surfaces and a marbled appearance were produced in the following manner.
A mold having a cylindrical cavity with a diameter of approximately 2" was provided. Polystyrene particles having a mesh size of approximately 3/4 were introduced into the bottom of the mold to a height of approximately 3/4 inch. A mixture of approximately 35% by volume methylethylketone and 65% by volume water was introduced into the mold in a quantity sufficient to completely immerse the polystyrene particles. After approximately 5-10 seconds of exposure to the softening agent, a piston was introduced into the mold to compress the polystyrene particles. Compression of approximately 20,000 pounds per square inch was applied for a dwell time of no more than about 2 seconds. The diameter of the piston was slightly less than the interior diameter of the mold cavity, so that excess softening agent was permitted to escape around the piston. The piston was removed immediately, and a 2" diameter by approximately 3/8 thick rigid polystyrene disk was removed from the mold.
Visual observation of the disk revealed the appearance of discrete polystyrene particles. The surface of the disk was slightly textured. Dissection of the disk revealed that the polystyrene had solidified throughout.
A plurality of polystyrene disks were prepared substantially as in Example 1. However, the particles introduced into the mold comprised a blend of colored and uncolored polystyrene particles. The resulting disk had a homogeneously distributed marbled or mottled appearance.
As a post-compression step, the disks were dipped into a solution of the softening agent, and immediately removed and air-dried to produce a shiny, smooth exterior surface.
To illustrate the extrusion molding potential of plastics produced in accordance with the present invention, an elongate extruded article such as a length of picture frame is produced using 3/16" particle size polystyrene and an aqueous MEK softening agent. A 4-foot long tube having an occluded distal end is packed with the particulate plastic and compressed using a piston under a pressure within the range of from about 20,000 psi to about 30,000 psi. The end of the piston is provided with an irregular surface to create a jagged end on the compressed product having a relatively large surface area and irregular lines on the compressed product.
The occlusion is removed from the distal end of the 4-foot tube, and the tube is simultaneously reloaded with particulate and softening agent. The piston is again introduced into the tube to compress the softened particulate, and back pressure for the compression is provided by a slight (e.g., few percent) reduction in the cross-sectional area near the distal end of the tube. Using a piston having a stroke of approximately 24 inches, approximately 15 inches column height of particulate material produces approximately 7-8 inches column height of solid material. Stroke frequency is approximately one stroke every 5 seconds, with particulate and softening agents simultaneously added during each up stroke of the piston. Solid product is extruded in 7-8 inch increments to produce a continuous product having a configuration complimentary to the configuration of the distal end of the compression tube.
Deviations from the process parameters disclosed herein are also likely to produce a useful plastic article, as will be apparent to one of skill in the art, depending upon the intended purpose to which the product is to be placed. Thus, the process parameters disclosed herein are merely illustrative of specific embodiments of the invention and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the claims.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US2297248 *||Jul 23, 1937||Sep 29, 1942||Rudolph Hans||Porous materials and process of making|
|US2428771 *||Jun 16, 1944||Oct 14, 1947||Armstrong Cork Co||Method of making sheet gasket material|
|US3248464 *||Aug 22, 1962||Apr 26, 1966||Dow Chemical Co||Method and apparatus for making large celled material|
|US3266108 *||Jan 8, 1964||Aug 16, 1966||Archer Daniels Midland Co||Foundry core fabrication process|
|US3709651 *||Sep 8, 1970||Jan 9, 1973||Saint Gobain||Apparatus for the production of shaped articles of expanded cohered granules of thermoplastic material, in particular polystyrene|
|US3729331 *||Mar 25, 1971||Apr 24, 1973||Dow Chemical Co||Process for reflowing organic surfaces|
|US3829542 *||Jul 27, 1972||Aug 13, 1974||De Romano O||Method of manufacturing a porous article|
|US4000236 *||Aug 11, 1970||Dec 28, 1976||Patent Protection Limited||Making a conglomerated bonded mass consisting of particles of activated carbon|
|US4108940 *||Dec 28, 1976||Aug 22, 1978||Her Majesty The Queen In Right Of Canada, As Represented By The Minister Of National Defence||Cold molding of flexible articles|
|US4382757 *||Apr 1, 1981||May 10, 1983||Mansonville Plastics Limited||Molding apparatus for expanding beads of polystyrene material|
|US4529563 *||Nov 21, 1983||Jul 16, 1985||Robert G. Fais||Vaporous solvent treatment of thermoplastic substrates|
|US4840758 *||Sep 9, 1988||Jun 20, 1989||Phillips Petroleum Company||Methods of preparing molded thermoplastic articles wherein radio frequency energy is utilized to heat the thermoplastic material|
|US4923657 *||Aug 4, 1988||May 8, 1990||Davidson Textron Inc.||Method for making plastic parts|
|JPS5757635A *||Title not available|
|NL7003603A *||Title not available|
|NL7017968A *||Title not available|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US5395582 *||Aug 13, 1992||Mar 7, 1995||Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.||Hollow injection molding method|
|US8221668||Feb 5, 2002||Jul 17, 2012||Environmental Recycling Technologies, Plc||Process for forming plastic, apparatuses for forming plastic, and articles made therefrom|
|U.S. Classification||264/69, 264/101, 264/75, 264/126, 264/122, 264/77|
|International Classification||B29C43/16, B29C43/00|
|Cooperative Classification||B29C43/006, B29C2791/006, B29C43/16, B29K2069/00, B29K2105/16, B29K2025/00, B29K2105/251, B29K2027/06, B29C2791/008, B29K2055/02|
|European Classification||B29C43/16, B29C43/00C|
|Nov 21, 1991||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: VERSI-CORP. A CORP. OF CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:LAPOINT, JAMES P.;LAPOINT, DAVID A.;REEL/FRAME:005975/0305
Effective date: 19911121
|Apr 19, 1994||CC||Certificate of correction|
|May 16, 1997||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jun 12, 2001||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Nov 16, 2001||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Jan 22, 2002||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20011116


text:
Shock rocker Marilyn Manson is heading to Britain to promote his new album.
The scary singer is to perform a one-off show at the Brixton Academy on 4 June 2003. He had already announced a 2 June show at the GLASGOW BRAEHEAD ARENA.
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He says, "It's going to be like Weimar Berlin before it got censored, it's gonna be decadent and entertaining, and I like that. I like wearing a tie."

domain: news


The Performance YOU Give
A couple of weeks ago, while on a teaching trip to California, Gigi and I had the rare privilege of hearing our son Chase sing and play piano again while attending church (his wonderful wife Shelly by our side). It had been a long long time since we had that opportunity to hear his musical talent.
Not that I am biased, but he was terrific. His delivery was moving and beautiful.
Although we beamed, Chase appeared to be a little annoyed that he had not performed to the best of his ability. I doubt anyone noticed but us. We could see it in his body movements.
As he returned to our seats, I quickly scribbled a little note and handed it to my boy (now 30).
The performance you prepared……..
The performance you gave…….
The performance you think you could have given………
AND………..the performance WE (your audience) heard and felt……..
You were AWESOME!!
I think he received it well, and hopefully will continue to give it some thought. We should also.
The human brain is an interesting and miraculous creation. It works for us and against us, our friend and our enemy.
So often, we just aren’t satisfied with our performance. It’s probably a good thing.
Replace the word performance in that little note with the word job, or sales presentation, or conversation, or service, or any number of other appropriate words.
When you prepare, deliver, then evaluate nothing but good can come out of it. More often than not, YOU will also be AWESOME!
Ready, Aim, Fire, Evaluate, Repeat…………………………it just works. We should always make that a PRIORITY!
Smiles and have a great week…………………..Mark


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domain: history


54 Sings The Greatest Anthems of All Time
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I'm pretty sure monogamy was never for me. In fourth grade, I got in trouble with my boyfriend because he found out I had another boyfriend. Polyamory, which is defined as loving more than one person, is often mistakenly considered the same as an open relationship - which is not. relationship types you'll want to know as you navigate the dating world: In a way, open relationships are a hybrid of monogamous and.
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domain: sociology


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text:
In the eye opening video posted below, a variety of speakers, hailing from a diverse range of racial and cultural backgrounds, perform a spoken word piece.
They make an important point: WE are NOT what we LOOK LIKE. There is more to us as individuals than what we look like, what religion we practice, or where we were born; underneath all these constructs we are one. We are human.
So when we judge someone based on their appearance, we are missing out on discovering the incredible being which exists under the surface. It is both a lost opportunity on our part and an injustice against the other’s right to be recognized as a whole and complete person.
When you realize that these are just labels, which society has given to each and every one of us, a profound shift occurs within. You begin to question the lines that divide us both psychologically and even physically, on our maps. Maybe there are alternate reasons for the crises that we are facing in the world today and the labels are just a cover because we have been convinced for so long that we are all separate from one another.
Or as The Dali Lama says: humans have created this problem, and now we are asking God to solve it, which makes no sense.
“We were meant to be free and only until we remove them all, and stop living and thinking so small will we be free to see ourselves and each other for who we truly are.”
Inspired by: Collective Evolution


text:
There is nothing quite like nice warm bowl of healthy + nourishing soup at home after all the holiday binge eating and rushing around like crazy. I am always testing out and making new versions of lentil soup, which often can be hit or miss. This recipe, however, was a huge hit with the family and myself, so it was worthy of its own recipe page. (Now I can actually remember which combination tasted good for next time!)
Why am I always trying to concoct different lentil recipes, you ask? Because lentils are not only one of the highest plant based sources of protein, they are also packed densely with dietary fiber. They are also high in iron, vitamin B Folate + magnesium. They have been known to lower cholesterol, fight atherosclerosis, stabilize blood sugar levels and improve overall heart health.
Be warned though. Even with their high nutrient profile, legumes contain some anti-nutrients as well. They contain phytates and enzyme inhibitors and they can diminish the nutritional value of consuming them. Basically phytic acid can bind up minerals and prevent absorption into the body. The fermentation of these legumes within the digestive track can also cause gas! The best method I have found to mitigate these legume "issues" and savor their nutritional value is to soak them overnight in a bowl of water in a warm environment (adding a bit of apple cider vinegar is optional).
So without any more legume talk, here is the recipe. It is low in calories and high in nutrition. It is comforting and contains lots of veggies and nourishing ingredients. I really hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
(**Affiliate link below)
- 4-5 nitrate free Italian chicken sausage links (casing removed)
- 1 medium onion (diced finely)
- 3 carrots (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 celery sticks (sliced thin)
- 6 stalks kale (chopped and stems removed)
- 1 + 1/2 carton organic beef broth (or homemade bone broth)
- 2 cups organic lentils - I use these
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
- Soak lentils overnight in warm environment (adding a dash of apple cider vinegar is optional) to aid in digestion and nutrient assimilation. Strain and rinse with warm water.
- Add olive oil to large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and par-cook (about 3 minutes), using spatula to break up the pieces into desired consistency. Remove onto another plate.
- In the same oil and juices (add more if necessary) add onions and garlic. Stir and cook until soft.
- Add carrots and celery and cook until they begin to soften (about 10 minutes)
- Add back in sausage and stir. Add lentils, broth and spices. Save salt until the end as lentils tend to dry out if cooked for log periods of time in too much salt.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and cover for 30-40 minutes.
- Add kale and stir when it is ready to serve.

domain: food


Like many talented music and film students, Stein developed a watchful eye and a strong sense of sound.
In 2008-09, Stein saw senior John Mish bust his hump every day in practice and during games. Mish talked to Stein about the details of post play, then promptly pounded away on the freshman during scrimmages.
"He was an inspiration," Stein said. "He had a really blue-collar mentality. It carried me through the rest of these years, how hard he worked, how everyone can feed off such an effective player."
Stein's basketball career blossomed with each passing year. So, too, did his prospects in the entertainment industry.
Like he has shown a willingness to do whatever the Violets need on the court, Stein doesn't have any problem contributing in the entertainment industry in any way — except fetching coffee.
"Film sound is not [the filmmakers'] biggest priority," he said. "They are thinking about how to get their story across. I try to come in with an attitude that I can really help a film with my music background.
"I don't have any classes in film school. I'm learning on the fly. I used to do music for myself, but I've built my skills as a composer and songwriter so now I'm getting into film scoring.
"I hope to be more of a total package."
When Stein walks the streets around NYU's campus, he talks with the locals about basketball and life in the city. It all fascinates him.
He hopes the city, its characters and his talents will allow him to make a living doing what he loves.
Stein has proven he's willing to work as hard as necessary to make those dreams come true.
Alyssa Bonenberger, Kutztown: Redshirt freshman from Northampton is averaging 3.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 17.6 minutes in 17 games, 13 starts.
Jackie O'Connell, Washington: Freshman, a Northampton High graduate, is averaging 2.0 points, 1.5 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 9.4 minutes in 12 games.
Gillian Ferko, Dickinson: Freshman, a Marian Catholic graduate, is averaging 4.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 23.6 minutes in 11 games, all starts.
Caitlyn Gary, Dickinson: Freshman Nazareth High product is averaging 2.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and 11.6 minutes in 12 games.
ABOUT ANDY STEIN
School: New York University
Major: Music technology
Family: Parents Ken, the head chef at Moravian Academy, and Estelle, a dentist in Bath; brother Adam, 23; twin sisters Devon and Taylor, 19


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Plan your Somerset holiday with Expedia
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Reviewed on 6 Sep 2020
Reviewed on 9 Sep 2020
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Get instant savings by booking a Somerset travel package. Just pick out your favourite options and let Expedia do the rest. Secure a package deal on Expedia and save as much as $583*. With more than 550 partner airlines and 1,000,000 properties to select from on our international database, you won't have any trouble designing your dream holiday. Be confident in knowing that you may change almost any hotel reservation and you won't have to pay a cancellation fee to us.
Places to Visit in Somerset
There's no limit to the number of fantastic things you can do when you're in a new place. So why not get your trip to Somerset off to a cracking start by perusing some of our top tips? After all – out there starts here! Immerse yourself in nature at Hutcheson Memorial Forest and get a glimpse into the great work they're doing to preserve our native plants and animals. Adventurers in this destination are spoilt for choice. Colonial Park is a welcoming place to hang out in if you're exhausted from walking around town. Find a seat, sit yourself down and rest your weary bones. Still have some time to spare? Immerse yourself in nature at Negri-Napote Native Grassland Preserve and appreciate the great work they're doing to protect native habitats and their wildlife.
Finding cosy places to stay is crucial when planning luxury getaways or cheap holidays. Luckily, Somerset has 28 accommodation, so you'll have heaps of options. If you enjoy the high life once in a while, why not dig deep and pamper yourself at the Bridgewater Marriott (700 Commons Way) or The Heldrich Hotel (10 Livingston Avenue)? If you don't fancy shelling out such big bucks, why not stay somewhere more affordable? Try the Doubletree by Hilton Somerset Hotel and Conference Centre (200 Atrium Dr) or the Hotel Vicenza ( 3793 US Highway 1 South).
Nearest Airports to Somerset
Sitting 25 miles away, Liberty International Airport (EWR) is the closest terminal to your destination. Fasten that seat belt and put your seat in the upright position — your wonderful trip to Somerset isn't far off now!

domain: travel


First Read (MSNBC)with video (04:00):
From NBC/NJ's Athena Jones:Howie P.S.: A key part of my official duties as Second Vice-President of the Ari Melber Fan Club is to pass along video (04:00)whenever he kicks some Republican ass.
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In his strongest language to date regarding the hotly-debated plan to rescue America's financial system, Obama called on President Bush to be more flexible about changes to the proposal and warned Wall Street CEOs against being selfish about the terms of the bailout.
My sense is we'll get something done. You know, this is beyond politics, but the problem is you've got a lame duck president and he can't really rally the public. I mean nobody is really paying attention to what Bush has to say right now,” he said. “So basically Bernanke and Paulson are running the thing and we're trying to negotiate with them and some of my colleagues in Congress - Democrats and Republicans - you know they want to play games, but we'll figure it out. We'll figure it out."


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Projects & Practice
A female entrepreneur used Rural Development Programme (RDP) support for young farmers to grow her business of producing herbs and container ornamental plants.
A Maltese young farmer took over his father’s sheep farm in order to preserve local traditions, whilst incorporating new and innovative ideas in the production and marketing process.
The reconstruction of an old villa to create high quality tourist accommodation offering spa and beer wellness services.
An association used RDP support to turn the ‘disadvantages’ of long periods of cold and darkness in northern Sweden, into a unique selling point for tourism.

domain: agronomy


Cadia Networks announced the CES-1525 embedded system. The CES-1525 ultra-compact system features an Intel Atom D525 processor, on-board soldered 2GB DDR3, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, up to 4 COM ports, USB ports, and dual independent VGA or LVDS displays. The CES-525 embedded box is available now. Single units are available for evaluation. The system can also be custom configured.
Avalue Technology launched the EMS-CDV embedded system. The expandable and modularized rugged system features the Intel Atom D2550 Dual-Core processor, Intel NM10 Express Chipset, 204-pin DDR3 SODIMM, up to 4GB DDR3 800/ 1066 SDRAM, VGA, LAN, SIM card slot, swappable 2.5″ drive bay, 12-bit GPIO, SMBUS, two COM, two PS/2 for KB and MS, three USB and two knockouts antenna mountings. It is ideal for routers, factory automation, control systems and industrial transportation applications.
HABEY USA introduced the BIS-6922 embedded system. The fanless embedded computer supports the third generation Intel Ivy Bridge processors. This includes the Quad Core i7 mobile and embedded CPUs. The HABEY BIS-6922 embedded system features the Intel QM77 chipset, dual Intel Ethernet ports 82579LM + 82574L, and SATA III 2.5″ HDD or SSD internal drive bay. The BIS-6922 is ideal for automation, digital signage, network security, point of sale, transportation and digital surveillance applications.
Logic Supply announced the LGX AU145 embedded system. The rugged system features the Intel Atom D2550 processor, GMA3650 integrated graphics card, two Gigabit ethernet ports, four USB 2.0 ports, two RJ45 COM ports, SD card slot, two antenna holes on either side, small footprint and extended temperature range. The embedded box is ideal for a wide range of industrial applications.
Axiomtek recently introduced their eBOX621-801-FL embedded system. The embedded box features the dual core Intel Atom processor D525 1.8 GHz, Intel ICH8M chipset, 204-pin DDR3-800 SO-DIMM system memory (up to 4 GB max), four high-speed USB 2.0 ports, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, three COM ports (one RS-232/422/485, two RS-232), VGA, audio and built-in Watchdog Timer. The Axiomtek eBOX621-801-FL embedded system is available now. It is ideal for transportation, POS, kiosk, industrial control automation and medical equipment applications.
VIA Technologies introduced their AMOS-3002 embedded system. The VIA AMOS-3002 features the VIA EPIA-P900 Pico-ITX board, 1.0GHz VIA Eden X2 dual core processor, VIA VX900H media system processor (MSP), Cfast slot, two COM ports, six USB 2.0 ports, line-in/out, DIO port, VGA port, HDMI port and two GLAN ports. The fanless VIA AMOS-3002 is ideal for embedded applications like telematics, in-vehicle control, machine to machine controller (M2M), digital signage and kiosks.
WIN Enterprises introduced their PL-60570 embedded box. The WIN PL-60570 desktop appliance features the Intel D2500HN mini-ITX SBC. It includes the Intel Atom processor D2500, Intel NM10 Express Chipset, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3600, four channels of high definition audio and GbE LAN. The network appliance is ideal for small businesses and remote offices that require robust I/O, GbE Ethernet and processor solid performance. This device provides a two-year lifecycle.


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In Thurrock, we have the ambition, drive and attitude to make a positive difference to the lives of those most in need.
Staff who care
We pride ourselves on having a team of social workers, senior practitioners and managers who are enthusiastic and resilient, have high aspirations, and embrace innovative practice.
Our teams have a strong desire to learn, develop and improve, so they can provide the best practice for those in Thurrock who use our services.
Our stable management team is visible and accessible, supporting social workers to:
- be ambitious and bold in their decisions
- have confidence in their ideas
- be comfortable sharing ideas openly
Teamwork is central to our achievements. We place great value on the culture of support and collaboration we've worked hard to create.
All team members can contribute constructively towards the work of their colleagues and the development of the service.
Diversity and inclusivity
The diversity of our staff reflects our diverse community.
We actively promote inclusivity, and we support social workers through:
- accessible management support
- comprehensive learning opportunities
- clear frameworks of practice
Find out more about:


Their "Johnny Flynton" was a film festival favorite and earned an Academy Award nomination for best live-action short film in 2003.
Six years later, they're about to do it again. The feature-length film "Lifted" goes into production at the end of next month in the Birmingham area, marking the second collaboration between Hunter Films and Alexander.
"We figured she'd be off to bigger and better things, and we'd never see her again," says Hugh Hunter. "It was kind of a nice surprise to see that come back on the radar."
Alexander did go on to bigger films -- "Hooligans" with Elijah Wood and last year's "Punisher: War Zone" -- but the LA-based filmmaker was ready to get back down South.
"She's been offered these high-explosion high-action movies like 'Punisher,' and she didn't want to do that again," Alan Hunter says. "About six months ago, she dropped us a note .¤.¤. She wanted to come back to Alabama and try to put the genie back in the bottle again."
"Lifted" tells the story of a young Alabama boy who shares his father's passion for R&B music. Just before he is to sing in a contest in Birmingham, his father is called up for a tour in Afghanistan. Father manages to reunite with son in time for his big performance.
"Think 'Billy Elliott' but in the South, or 'Hustle and Flow' but down in Birmingham," Alan Hunter says.
Already attached to the movie are star Dash Mihok, who also starred in "Johnny Flynton," and hip hop artist Kid Cudi. Casting for principal actors and background extras will take place over the next several weeks. for information on how to audition e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.
"Lexi wrote the whole thing with Birmingham and Alabama in mind, including everything she took in when she was here last time," Alan Hunter says.
Hunter Films plans to use a largely local and regional crew to make "Lifted," which they hope to have ready to enter into next year's Sundance Film Festival.
"We are committed to making this a truly Southern movie with a Southern group," Alan Hunter says.
And that includes the cast.
"We were trying to help her find this kid to star, and we served up (local musician) Todd Simpson," Alan Hunter says. "It turned out he looked a little old for the part .¤.¤. but she'd still love to use him in some way, as well as other well-known people from the area."
After "Johnny Flynton," both Hunter Films and Lexi Alexander went on to other projects, but they were eager to reunite. Now -- with hopes that they'll be among the first to take advantage of newly approved tax incentives for filmmakers in Alabama -- was the right time.
"It's perfect timing," Alan Hunter says. "The state is primed for some good quality company like ours to take advantage of the incentives," he adds. "And we're all just glad to be working with Lexi again. It's a sweet reunion, I would say."


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KALAMAZOO, MI — Off to a 4-0-0 record, the Western Michigan men's soccer team earned a No. 6 ranking in the Great Lakes Regional poll by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Sept. 3.
The Broncos have posted shutouts in three of four games this year and have outscored their opponents by a 10-1 margin. It is the second time Western Michigan has garnered a regional ranking under fourth-year head coach Stu Riddle. WMU was ranked No. 9 in the region in 2010.
Western Michigan opened the season with a 4-0 win at home over Marygrove Aug. 24 and then stunned nationally No. 25-ranked Bradley on the road two days later, 2-1 in overtime. This past week, WMU defeated IPFW, 3-0, at home and then brought down DePaul, ranked No. 10 in the Great Lakes Region, 1-0, on the road.
WMU will travel to Canisius Thursday, Sept. 6, and then hosts Loyola Saturday, Sept. 8 on Alumni Day.


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|A former Calhoun resident has been sentenced to a second life-term for murder, after slaying two Roane County men.|
Roger Eric Jones, 33, of Chloe, was sentenced last week to life without parole for the murder of 83-year-old Oral "Sam" Jett, who was slain along a rural road near Amma in 2003.
Jones had earlier plead guilty to the second-degree murder of Arnoldsburg Road resident John Moorehead, who was murdered in December, 2002.
Judge David Nibert ordered that the sentences run consecutively.
See earlier Herald stories under archives or use search:
12/29/02 Moorehead dead in US 33-119 fire
1/4/03 Fire death becomes suspicious
1/7/03 Jett likely died from beating
1/9/03 "God couldn't forgive me..."
1/29/03 Girlfriend picks up Jones after murder
6/10/03 Murder trial for Jones scheduled
6/13/03 Calhoun woman will testify against boyfriend
7/23/04 Guilty verdict in murder case

domain: law


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I am from Norway Member since: Thursday, November 3, 2011
I use canon s95 with ikelite housing, started taking photos this summer in indonesia. Been diving for 20 years, photo is now giving diving a whole new dimension. Favorite dive site is Raja ampat indonesia.
373 point member
My Contest Stats
I have 22 entries in the photo contest Latest Entries...

domain: hobby


Troopers need help finding the driver behind a fatal accident
Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:31:32 GMT —
Texas Department of Public Safety is seeking information on a hit-and-run fatal crash involving a male pedestrian.
The victim has been identified as 21 year old Adrian Trevino from Raymondville.
Troopers believe that a Red Nissan Passenger Vehicle is involved.
The crash occurred on Business 77 between FM 490 and Emma Ross Road early Thursday morning.
Texas Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash at this time.
Anyone with information about the crash, the location of the vehicle or the driver is urged to call the Weslaco DPS Office at 956-565-7600.


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Originally published in Daily News Zimbabwe
The Church is convening an interface meeting of all presidential candidates aimed at fostering peace ahead of the crunch July 30 elections in Zimbabwe.
The meeting is scheduled for the Jesuit-run Arrupe College in Mt Pleasant tomorrow.
Running under the theme “Promoting Peace and Mutual Respect in a Multi-party Zimbabwe”, each presidential candidate — including the front-runners President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance head Nelson Chamisa — are set to address the audience and sell their manifestos.
The same will be expected of other candidates including Joice Mujuru, Thokozani Khupe, Nkosana Moyo, Daniel Shumba, Lovemore Madhuku, Noah Manyika, and others.
Speaking at a media briefing organised by the Catholic-run peace-building and leadership training institute, Silveira House, in conjunction with the citizens, multiparty and the business community in Harare yesterday, Father Frederick Chiromba, the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference, told reporters at least 80 percent of the candidates had confirmed their participation by the time of holding the presser yesterday.
“…each of the presidential candidates in the 2018 election will get a chance to address an audience of about 3 000 people drawn from different political parties and churches. The objectives of this multi-party Interface is to inculcate in people a sense of multi-party democracy and a spirit of mutual respect in a context of differing political opinions,” he said.
“The overall aim of this endeavour is the promotion of long lasting peace and a broader socio-political imaginary, thereby laying a firmer foundation for meaningful development in the process. The presence of the presidential candidates in a single space, with each of them addressing the same audience, will be of actual and symbolic significance, one that will imprint itself on the political psyche of those present and those following the event on national television.”
He said it will be symbolical because it will teach the multi-party society dictates of tolerance for different political views but helping people to live peacefully.
“The presence of the presidential candidates next to each other will serve to remind citizens of the value of peaceful coexistence irrespective of political affiliation. We all share the same aspirations of peace and prosperity for our country, even if we may differ on how these ought to be achieved,” Father Chiromba said.
“The presidential candidates will get an opportunity to share their party manifestos with the audience as well as commit to a peaceful electoral process. They will also get a chance to respond to two pre-selected questions (they will be given these before the event, no ambush).”
The church and the business community will also share a word of peace during the event.
He said the political space has opened up, allowing people to express their opinions more freely than before.


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I’m standing very still. My toes are curled over a stone ledge, a gaping dark chasm below me. It is decision time. But which way to go? I had been contemplating this decision for some months....Continue reading blog post
Showing results 37–48 of 236
The potential of mobilising interdisciplinary peer-to-peer mentoring between PhD students: Initial reflections from a pilot study
There is growing interest in using coaching and mentoring strategies to improve the learning and development experiences of postgraduate research students. Previous studies from England and...Continue reading blog post
Research Intelligence issue 155: Practitioner research: Development, collaboration & dissemination
This award celebrates the publication of educational research and is awarded to a scholarly book on education deemed to be high quality, engaging and innovative.
I’ve edited Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, or AEHE for short, for a decade now. Before that I edited Studies in Higher Education for a similar period, and before that Higher...Continue reading blog post
As one of the co-editors of Higher Education Research & Development, I had the privilege to meet early career researchers from BERA in October 2022 via Zoom. After I introduced the journal Higher...Continue reading blog post
This podcast is the fourth in a series commissioned by the Research Methodology in Education Special Interest Group to showcase the variety of methodologies and methods being undertaken by...
As a co-editor-in-chief for the journal System (long name An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics), I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak about my...Continue reading blog post
This podcast is the third in a series commissioned by the Research Methodology in Education Special Interest Group to showcase the variety of methodologies and methods being undertaken by...
This podcast is the second in a series commissioned by the Research Methodology in Education Special Interest Group to showcase the variety of methodologies and methods being undertaken by...
‘Who are you?’ Moving from reflexivity to self-reflexivity in educational research with marginalised groups
In this blog post, I consider my critical engagement with my positionality beyond reflexivity to self-reflexivity. When conducting my literature search for my thesis, I noticed that...Continue reading blog post
BERA ECR Network Symposium Series 2022: Framing research: Theories, concepts and reflexivity in educational research – October
The BERA Early Career Researcher (ECR) Network Symposium Series offers so much to ECRs. Presenters are given the opportunity to reflect on a key aspect of their research and gain feedback from...Continue reading blog post

domain: literature


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My name is Tony. My story starts with my large family. We are not a wealthy family. My dad was a mechanic and my mother stayed at home taking care of the seven of us.
I've had a hard time in school because I have a difficult time reading and writing. I worked hard to make it through and get to college. While it is still hard for me, I am committed to finish.
That is my story and a little bit of my life.


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Shrimp tempura, cucumber topped with eel and ebi..
See those other items from Special Maki.
Kanikama, cucumber, avocado, tobiko, deep fried served with our house spicy sauce and scallion.
Crab Meat, avocado, cucumber &mango topped with avocado, eel, salmon, tuna, ebi &3types of tobikos
Deep fried fresh salmon, avocado cucumber, cream cheese wrap with soybean paper. No rice and different tobikos with sweet chili sauce!


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I know a lot of you have been keeping up with my new love for running. I never thought I would be a runner, but here I am, running regularly and loving it.
Up until recently, the most I had run was a 5K, 3.1 miles, and I’d completed two of those. We ran in our first 5K in March, and my time was 45 minutes. I improved my time by a few minutes in my second race in April, which I finished in 42 minutes.
On Saturday, even though neither of us had ever run five miles before, my husband and I ran in a five mile race. We didn’t intentionally set out to run in the Contraband Days Five Miler. I signed up to run virtually in the HER 5K, but since we were out of town for Mother’s Day, I called my sister to ask if I could join her running club’s Saturday morning run to complete the 5K with them. The club, however, was running in the five miler, so we decided to join them. I would wear my sister’s GPS watch to get an accurate time and distance for the HER 5K race, and then keep running the five miler.
But I changed my goal. Instead of trying to beat my pace and time in the HER 5K, which is only 3.1 miles, my goal was to have the stamina to complete the five miler. I read advice from Jeff Galloway and decided that there was no shame in walking occasionally during the race, if that’s what enabled me to complete the race without an injury.
I also knew that I would be the last person to cross the finish line, but I tried not to dwell on it. As a perfectionist, these kinds of thoughts hurt my pride and can easily keep me from running. In general,
if I’m not good at something, I don’t even want to try.
Terrible, I know, but it’s completely true. I’ve had to let go of that attitude with running.
Because I hadn’t trained for a longer run, I was really nervous. Two days beforehand, I ran four miles to challenge my body and see if I could do it. I was completely shocked to see that I really could run four miles, and walking for a minute after completing each mile really enabled me to recover quickly and keep running. Five miles suddenly felt possible.
On race day, I felt terrible. We arrived at my mom’s house in Louisiana around 11 pm, and it was well after midnight by the time we got the kids and ourselves in bed. Sleeping near me in the pack and play, my nine month old decided to wake up several times during the night to nurse, so by the time my alarm went off at 5:30 am, I felt like I’d been run over by a Mack truck. But I got up, fed the baby (again) so that I could leave him with my mom for a few hours, and got ready for the race.
The race itself was amazing. The weather was perfect for it, breezy and cool in the morning, though it warmed up quickly, and my husband and I had almost forgotten about that South Louisiana humidity. The route was beautiful, running along Lake Charles on Shell Beach Drive.
I started walking for a minute at a time around the 1 mile point, way before I felt tired, as Galloway had suggested. When I neared the 2 mile point, I started walking again, but as I walked, I looked at my time and realized I could actually beat my 5K time. I ran hard, and when I saw other runners stopping to walk as they approached mile 3, I kept going so that I could beat my time.
After I finished the 5K, I took a walk break to recover, and I continued to walk/run until I hit the four mile mark. I wanted to run the entire last mile, and I knew that I could push myself to do it. As I ran that last mile, I started passing up runners who had passed me long ago in the race. And when I neared the finish line, I ran harder so that I could get the best time and pace possible.
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MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Just a few weeks after its grand reopening, the Capri Theater in north Minneapolis will host a Halloween party this Saturday.
On West Broadway in north Minneapolis, the Iconic Capri Theatre is back. With a new addition and renovations, the venue’s reopening is a welcome return in the community.
"It’s important that kids still remember how to dream and artists have a place where they can do what they do," KB Brown said.
KB Brown owns Wolfpack Promotionals, a printing business located just across the street.
"This is the last of the theatres we have, so we have to keep it," he said.
The venue will open its door to trick-or-treaters on Saturday. The free event from 3-6 p.m. at Capri Plaza is being organized by Brown.
"I wanted to make sure that the kids knew that they didn’t have to go outside the community to trick or treat or have fun to feel safe," Brown said.
There will be food, games, candy, a costume contest, and even roller skating on the plaza. Simply put, Brown says it's all about the kids having fun.
"It’s one of those times when kids need something positive. And unfortunately whenever you look at north Minneapolis the only thing that we always hear about is gunshots, violence, murders," Brown said. "We don’t hear about the good things, so I want the kids to know that there’s good things for them. And this is their community, and they should feel safe in their community and have fun here."
A number of sponsors are supporting this event including U.S. Bank, the Capri Theater and the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition.
Brown says that his plan is to make this an annual event.


The Lumia 610 NFC runs the latest version of Windows Phone 7.5, to which Nokia have added their own software stack to handle the NFC functionality. The necessary NFC hardware has been specifically added to this variant (i.e. there is no hidden NFC chip on the original or Chinese variant of the Lumia 610).
Outside the NFC functionality the Nokia Lumia 610 NFC has the same specifications as the origianl Lumia 610:
- Networks: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100, GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
- Speed: HSDPA cat 7: 7.2Mbps.
- Display: 3.7 inch WVGA (800x480) TFT capacitive touch LCD display with pinch zoom
- OS: Windows Phone 7.5
- Memory: 256MB RAM, 8GB storage
- Camera: 5Mpix auto-focus, LED flash, Video capturing MPEG-4 VGA @ 30 fps
- Size/Weight: 119.24mm x 62.18mm x 11.95mm (LxWxT) / 77.6cc / 131.5g (with battery)
- Connectivity: WLAN 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, NFC, micro-USB connector and charging, 3.5mm AHJ connector
- Processor: 800 Mhz Single Core / Qualcomm Snapdragon S1
- Audio: MP3 player, Audio jack: 3.5mm, Supported codecs include: mp3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, wma
- Battery: 1300 mAh
- Talk time: GSM : 10.5 h, WCDMA : 9.5h
- Standby time: GSM : 670 h, WCDMA :720 h
- Music playback: up to 35 hours
Initially the NFC functionality in the Lumia 610 NFC will focus on two areas: pairing with Bluetooth accessories and reading NFC information / trigger tags.
As we explained in our October 2011 NFC primer, Bluetooth accessories that are NFC enabled can be paired by tapping the phone to the accessory; subsequent connections can also be activated by a tap. This makes for a much easier user experience than with traditional Bluetooth accessories (e.g. no need to activate Bluetooth, or set into discovery more, or enter pass codes). Nokia has a broad range of NFC enabled accessories, including various Bluetooth headsets (Nokia BH-221, Nokia Essence, Nokia Luna, Nokia BH-130), the Play 360 Wireless Speaker, and the Nokia Wireless Music Receiver (MD-310).
The Nokia Lumia 610 NFC can be used to read NFC tags, which can then trigger actions on the phone. For example, a tag might launch the Internet Explorer and open a specified web page, or launch Nokia Maps and open a specified place. Such tags are increasingly being used by business for promotional opportunities (e.g. Like us on Facebook, Check in on Foursquare, Follow us on Twitter), but might also be used for information (e.g. additional information on a museum exhibit, access to time tables at a bus stop).
In the press release announcing the Nokia Lumia 610 NFC the company notes that the smartphone has been certified for Visa's PayWave and Mastercard's PayPass contactless payment services (currently used in a number of credit cards and mobile phones). Certification is a relatively complex process as it requires stringent security and user experience guidelines to be met. As part of the certification process Nokia has created a demo implementation of a mobile payment service, complete with a Wallet app, shown in the images below. By pre-certifying the handset Nokia is aiming to make it easier and faster for operators to offer NFC based payment services, but it does not guarantee that they will do so.
In order for payment to be made safely the phone must have a secure element (usually referred to as Secure NFC). This can be integrated into the NFC chip-set or placed in the SIM Card (and linked to the NFC card by Simple Wire Protocol [SWP]). The Lumia 610 NFC will use the SIM card approach, which is favoured by operators, because it gives them control over customer ownership.
Orange, the operator launch partner for the Lumia 610 NFC, has worked on mobile payments solutions with both Mastercard and Visa, but any formal announcements about mobile payments service availability with the Nokia Lumia 610 NFC are likely to come closer to the device's launch.
Nokia will also likely expand the NFC functionality of the Lumia 610 over time. This can be done entirely through software updates or by adding apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace. One option would be tap-to-share to allow pictures or contact information to be transferred between devices, although this may have to wait for updates to the Windows Phone platform. A more likely option is a Windows Phone version of Nokia's NFC Interactor app, which is currently available for Nokia's Symbian devices and allow NFC tags to be both read and written to.
Here's a video from Nokia Conversations, in which Andrea Bacioccola, Nokia's lead program manager for NFC, demonstrates the Nokia 610 NFC's functionality.
Pricing and availability
While the pricing of the Nokia Lumia 610 NFC has not been announced, it is likely to be similar to the original Lumia 610 (189 Euro before taxes and subsidies). The NFC components (chip-set, plus aerial) should add only a few Euro to the overall bill of materials. Noting that the Nokia Lumia 710 is currently offered for free on Orange UK's £15 per month contract), we would expect to see, in markets where operators subsidies apply, the handset being offered for free, even on Orange's lower end contracts.
The roll out of the Nokia Lumia 610 NFC is not expected to impact on the roll out of the original Nokia Lumia 610, which is scheduled to start shipping this quarter.
Nokia Lumia 610 quotes
Ilari Nurmi, head of product marketing for Nokia's Smart Devices business unit, at the launch of the handset:
Nokia continues to lead the field in NFC with this latest implementation on the Windows Phone platform, in which we have the full support of Orange. We're bringing NFC right across our portfolio, and together with our ever-growing range of NFC accessories we're making it easy for people to connect via a single tap. We're also enabling operators and other service providers to build NFC payment and ticketing solutions on top of our smartphones."
Yves Maitre, Senior VP Mobile Multimedia & Devices at Orange, said:
"Orange is committed to rolling out mobile NFC services in all its European territories and as part of this goal we're very excited to be the first operator to launch the Lumia 610 NFC. The Nokia Lumia smartphones have been very well received by Orange customers. We are now going one step further and adding an NFC-enabled handset to this popular range of devices, enabling people to use contactless services via a single tap. Nokia is a natural fit for us regarding NFC and, like Orange, has shown a very early commitment to the standard."


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THE GREEN SEA TURTLE Sea turtles are large, air-breathing reptiles that inhabit tropical and subtropical seas throughout the world. Seven distinct species of sea turtles grace our oceans today. Upon first sight of the Green Sea Turtle it may appear to come off as any other turtle. The truth is that these turtles are magnificent beautiful creatures that spend most of their lives exploring endlessly through our massive ocean. These reptiles have the ability to do incredible things.
The wall of a jellyfish body is very fragile. Their bodies are much different then that of most animals. They have no brain, no respiratory system, and no circulatory system. The average length of a jellyfish tentacle is one to ten meters long. The tentacles of a jellyfish in some cases can grow to a massive length of 100 feet!
Some manta rays live in a particular location while others travel from places to places. Manta rays are filter feeders. They consume a large quantity of zooplankton by filter seawater through their mouths while swimming. And usually many manta rays swim in lines with their mouths open to filter more zooplankton. Manta rays are huge in size so only sharks and killer whales can harm them and eat them.
The green color comes from the algae or grasses that they eat. The Green Sea Turtle spends almost its entire life in the water, it returns to land only in order to lay its eggs. The majority of the time it spends in the water it is submerged. One of the amazing ways that this animal has been able to adapt to its environment is its ability to remain submerged for long periods of time. While being submerged it is either spending its time in rigorous activity or in long periods of sleep.
Of the many species alive today, some are highly endangered.  Turtles are ectotherms—their internal temperature varies according to the ambient environment, commonly called cold-blooded. However, because of their high metabolic rate, leatherback sea turtles have a body temperature that is noticeably higher than that of the surrounding water. Turtles are classified as amniotes, along with other reptiles (including birds) and mammals. Like other amniotes, turtles breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water.
Besides global warming there is another problem with this beautiful structure and that is the result of several local natural and human factors such as over fishing. Silt from deforested lands and pollution from crowded coastlines choke them, and overuse and destroy coral reefs. There are many other factors which if they are not stopped it will destroy all coral reefs. Corals are animals, not plants; sunlight is the key to their survival. They need it to power the millions of microscopic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues.
Many don’t realize that they provide humans with a source of income and more importantly, life for a wide diversity of marine animals. By 2050, there is a possibility that the coral reefs might die out if their habitats continue to worsen (Trinh, 2012). This paper reviews information on what coral reefs are, the importance of coral reefs, information on the Florida Keys and Caribbean, explains the problems they face, and how coral reefs can be helped. INTRODUCTION Coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems, provide life to a variety of marine animals (Coral Reef Protection, 2012). Reefs have been called the “rainforests of the sea,” because they provide homes to numerous marine animals (Trinh, 2012).
• HOW THEY ARE FORMED: A coral polyp is an invertebrate animal. However, coral polyps do have skeletons, which they make with limestone. Thousands of these tiny skeletons combine to become the structure of a reef. Calcium is extracted from the seawater by the polyps and combined with carbon to make limestone (calcium carbonate). Over thousands of years, the coral
Olive Ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea are small, hard-shelled marine turtles, one of the two species of the genus Lepidochelys, and a member of the Family Cheloniidae. The adult turtle has a carapace of length 60 to 70 cm. They rarely weigh over 50 kg. It has hear-shaped carapace. Olive Ridleys get their name from the coloring of their heart-shaped shell, which starts out gray but becomes olive green once the turtles are adult.
What I find peculiar about the bull shark is its ability to live in both marine habitats and freshwater habitats. In general, being able to survive in both habitats is very uncommon for sharks. Aquatic organisms rely heavily on a process called osmoregulation that allows them to achieve homeostasis of water content within their body. Without going into too much detail on the specifics of osmosis and osmotic pressure, this process allows the organism to keep their internal fluids from getting too diluted or too concentrated. So you may be asking yourself, how does this apply to the bull shark?

domain: biology


The 2020 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia is here, and it’s quite the luxury shuttle. So far, we’re liking its kit and accommodations it has to offer. There is, however, one thing that has puzzled us since the Super Grandia's launch.
Why is there no high-roof version of the luxo-van? Well, it’s all because of our parking structures...in the Metro at least.
See, the Super Grandia is pitched towards those who demand a multi-seat luxury vehicle for the city. With the Grandia Tourer measuring at about 2.28 meters tall, that body style doesn’t exactly fit in all multi-storey car parks. According to Toyota, the typical Super Grandia customer would bring their vans into these sorts of parking spaces.
After Toyota carefully studied the market, they concluded that they had to go for the low-roof version for the van to fit in such structures. So if you want a high-roof Hiace, you’ll have to go for the GL Tourer. That version is for those who practically need a minibus but don’t have to worry too much about low ceilings.
But that doesn’t mean a high-roof version is out of the picture. According to the company, they’re currently studying an LXV-style model, although nothing is set in stone for now.
So, do you want Toyota to make an ultimate luxury minibus? Chime in the comments. Toyota’s always willing to hear some feedback.


Have we already seen the best goal of Euro 2020?
Czech Republic striker Patrik Schick scored a stunning long range effort on Monday to inspire his side to a 2-0 win over Scotland in the teams’ first game of the tournament.
Having already given his country a first-half lead, Schick doubled his tally with a memorable lob from around 50 yards after spotting Scotland goalkeeper David Marshall way off his goal line.
The goal came shortly after the restart, with Scotland pushing hard for an equalizer. But after a ricocheted clearance, Schick ran onto the loose ball and produced a magnificent first-time effort which bent and dipped into the back of the net.
According to Opta, it was the furthest distance from which a goal has been recorded at the European Championships, since 1980.
Questions will be asked as to why Marshall was so far off his line but nothing can take away from the brilliant vision and execution from Schick, who opened the scoring with a slightly less dramatic header in the first half.
It means Scotland’s 23-year wait to appear in a major tournament ended in disappointment despite having a number of chances to score itself.
The nation’s next game is against bitter rivals England on Friday with victory even more important after this loss in its opening fixture.
Czech Republic, meanwhile, will take confidence from a solid performance and faces Croatia in its next group stage match.
Slovakia beats Poland
Elsewhere on Monday, Slovakia beat Poland in an eventful Group E encounter which saw an unfortunate own goal from Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny as well as the first red card of the tournament.
Slovakia took the early lead after a shot cannoned off the post and hit Szczesny in the back before rolling into the net. The 31-year-old now has the unwanted record of becoming the first goalkeeper to score an own goal in European Championships history.
Poland did equalize shortly after half-time after Karol Linetty’s shot squirmed into the bottom corner but a comeback was cut short after Poland midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.
With the one man advantage, Slovakia finished the game off through a wonderful finish by Milan Skriniar.
Later on Monday, Sweden surprisingly held Spain – winners of Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 – in a 0-0 draw in Seville.
Spain dominated the game, but was unable to convert a number of chances, notably Alvaro Morata in the first half, while Gerard Moreno went close with a header late on.
Alexander Isak provided Sweden’s most potent threat. His first-half shot was deflected on to the post and the Real Sociedad striker also created a chance for Marcus Berg, who should have scored.
The goalless draw ensured Slovakia tops Group E.


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My Rating: ★★★★★
Genre(s): Young Adult; Contemporary
This review contains spoilers. If you have not read this book, please do not read beyond this point!
Plot: [From Goodreads] When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance ofTwelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
- This book is not your typical YA love story. Instead of girl-meets-boy-true-love sappiness, this book is about the journey to self-rediscovery after having her heart broken by a boy she thought she loved.
- When you’ve lived a pretty sheltered life, you just want to run away and experience things, and this book is a great example of what happens when you’re brave enough to do so– the good and the bad.
- She went through all of the stages of grief, which is really how it is when you’re getting over a break-up.
- Dee (I think that’s his name? It’s been a while.) is amazing. Seriously he’s so much fun.
- She eventually got back to Willem, and learned the truth.
- Her “best friend” bullied her for how she felt.
- “Sometimes the best way to find out what you’re supposed to do is by doing the thing you’re not supposed to do.”
- “I think everything is happening all the time, but if you don’t put yourself in the path of it, you miss it.”
- “He showed me how to get lost, and then I showed myself how to get found.”
- “No one is who they pretend to be.”
My Thoughts: This was such a great read. Gayle Forman does it again. I spent almost the entire book so pissed off at Willem, but once I’d learned the truth, I was on his side, hoping and praying that Allyson would find him and see him again. As Allyson went through the stages of grief, I couldn’t help but feel her emotions through her words. I was so sad, angry, confused, etc. And that is a sign of a great read and great character development. Also, this book made me really, really want to go to Europe.
I started the sequel and couldn’t get into it because I was still kind of mad at Willem, but I plan to give it another go sometime soon.


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4 May 2012 – 9 May 2012
FRI 4 - WEDS 9 MAY 11 AM - 5PM - OPEN SUNDAYS 11 AM - 4 PM
Cost of entry
Entry is free
- 6 Leonard lane
- BS1 1EA
- United Kingdom
Fri 4th May ' Weds 9th May, 11am ' 5pm, Open Sundays 11am - 4pm
A celebration of the art of monochrome photography presented by the Monoist Group. A diverse selection of prints and projected images including travel and landscape, architectural and pictorial street scenes.
This exhibition is part of the Bristol Festival of Photography.
Private view: Friday 4th May 6pm - 8 pm

domain: artistic


Songwriters in the Round – May 1, 2019
Happy to be welcoming these four fine singer/songwriters for our annual season closing songwriters in the round.
As has become a tradition at On The Tracks, we finish our season with a songwriter in the round, featuring the return of some of our favorite songwriters from our own back yard!
These talented artists will swap songs and stories to close out our 7th season with a bang!!
Check them out by clicking on their names above.


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The Washington Capitals have loaned defenseman Tobias Geisser to EV Zug of Switzerland's National League, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Geisser, 20, appeared in seven games with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season.
During the 2018-19 season, Geisser recorded one assist in 41 regular season games with Hershey. The Stans, Switzerland, native was also selected to represent Switzerland at the 2019 World Junior Championship.
The Capitals selected the 6'4", 201-pound defenseman in the fourth round, 120th-overall, in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to the draft, Geisser was ranked 30th overall among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. With the Capitals' selection of Geisser, Washington had selected a Swiss-born player in the NHL Draft in three consecutive seasons (2016: Damien Riat, 2015: Jonas Siegenthaler).
Geisser made his National League debut in 2016-17 and recorded one assist in 14 games with EV Zug in his rookie season. In 52 career National League games, all with EV Zug, Geisser has seven points (2g, 5a).
In addition to his 2019 World Junior Championship selection, Geisser represented Switzerland at the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championship, the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and the 2016 U20 4 Nations Tournament.


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Our stunning Murano Blue Glass Cross Place Card Holder Religious Favors will make an elegant addition to your child's religious celebration! These beautiful cross favors are inspired by the talented artisans of Murano, Italy, and are handcrafted in Murano-style glass. Each piece is truly unique so your guests will be receiving a one-of-a-kind religious favor! Your family and friends will cherish this religious keepsake for years to come!
Size: Each place card holder measures approximately 3" in height.


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Flights from Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) to Frankfurt Airport Airport (FRA)
We've found the cheapest flights to Frankfurt
Returns from £97.50
One-way from £33.29
Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada and Aegean Airlines fly direct from Macedonia International from Frankfurt International Airport. The journey time flying from Macedonia International to Frankfurt International Airport Germany is around 2 Hours 37 Minutes. With the distance covered being 1,541 Km (957 Miles). The airport code for Macedonia International is SKG and for Frankfurt International Airport it is FRA.
The cost of ticket prices to Frankfurt International Airport Germany can vary quite considerably if you travel at certain times of the week especially at weekends. Frankfurt International Airport Germany flights may be normally booked months in advance and this may be the best option if you intend to get the best prices from Macedonia International. Our recommendation is to book well in advance if you are looking to get the best possible prices.
There is a time difference of 1.0 GMT at Frankfurt International Airport Germany, so remember to alter your watch to the correct time upon your arrival.
Below you can see a table that shows the airlines that fly from Macedonia International (SKG) to Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) and frequency of flights daily.
Currently Singapore Airlines offer the most direct flights from to Frankfurt International Airport from Macedonia International with only 1 flight weekly. The time of the departure is 08:00
You can visit Singapore Airlines at singaporeair.com website for late minute deals and up to date information.
Below you can see the times of all flights. These flight times do vary so we recommend you look on the appropriate airline website for accurate information for the dates you are departing.
There may also be different routes to Frankfurt International Airport, by an alternative nearby airport. Please see details below.
|Prishtina to Frankfurt
|1,264 km (785 miles)
|2 Hours 18 Minutes
|Skopje to Frankfurt
|1,346 km (837 miles)
|2 Hours 24 Minutes
|Sofia to Frankfurt
|1,397 km (868 miles)
|2 Hours 27 Minutes
Don’t forget that flight regulations are getting tight so we recommend you leave plenty of time to get through customs at Macedonia International.
Flight Price FAQ - Thessaloniki (SKG) to Frankfurt (FRA)
Compare Flight Prices from SKG to FRA
Flight Info FAQ - Thessaloniki (SKG) to Frankfurt (FRA)
Other Airports Connecting To Frankfurt Airport in greece
Useful Information about Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport Passenger Traffic Soars 17.06% in Q3 2023, Shattering Pandemic RecordsView...


what is gaming laptop or notebook?
A gaming laptop is a portable computer that is specifically designed for playing video games. Gaming laptops are similar to regular laptops in many ways, but they tend to have more powerful processors, dedicated graphics cards, and higher-quality displays to handle the demands of modern games. They also often have features like backlit keyboards and high-refresh-rate displays to enhance the gaming experience.
Gaming laptops can be used for other tasks like browsing the internet, watching movies, and productivity work, but they are primarily designed for gaming and tend to be more expensive than regular laptops due to their specialized hardware. They are also typically larger and heavier than regular laptops, as they need to fit in all of the additional hardware required for gaming.
Difference between laptop and notebook:
Laptops and notebooks are generally considered to be the same thing and are used interchangeably to refer to portable computers that can be easily carried around. Both laptops and notebooks have a keyboard, a display screen, and a touchpad for input, and they can be used for tasks such as browsing the internet, watching movies, and productivity work.
However, there are some subtle differences between laptops and notebooks. Laptops tend to be larger and heavier than notebooks, and they often have more powerful hardware and features like a dedicated graphics card and a larger display. Notebooks, on the other hand, are usually smaller and lighter, and they tend to have less powerful hardware and features in order to be more portable.
In general, laptops are more suitable for tasks that require more power and features, such as gaming and video editing, while notebooks are better suited for basic computing tasks and are more portable. However, there is a wide range of laptops and notebooks available on the market, and there is a lot of overlap in terms of their capabilities and features.
Best gaming laptop or notebook to buy:
When shopping for a gaming laptop, there are a few key factors to consider:
- Processor: Look for a laptop with a powerful processor, such as an Intel Core i7 or i9, or an AMD Ryzen 7 or 9. These will be able to handle demanding games and applications.
- Graphics: A dedicated graphics card is a must for gaming laptops. Look for a laptop with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX or AMD Radeon RX graphics card.
- Memory and storage: Gaming laptops should have at least 8GB of RAM, and ideally 16GB or more. As for storage, a solid-state drive (SSD) is much faster than a traditional hard drive, so look for a laptop with an SSD or a hybrid drive (an SSD combined with a hard drive).
- Display: A good gaming laptop should have a high-resolution display with a fast refresh rate, such as 120Hz or 144Hz.
- Keyboard and touchpad: A laptop with a comfortable and responsive keyboard and touchpad is essential for long gaming sessions.
- Portability: If you plan on taking your laptop with you on the go, look for a model that is lightweight and has good battery life.
It’s also a good idea to read reviews and compare prices from different retailers before making a purchase.
Best gaming laptop in the world:
It’s difficult to determine the “best” gaming laptop in the world, as different laptops are better suited to different needs and budgets. However, some popular options that are highly rated by reviewers and users include:
- ASUS ROG Zephyrus S: This laptop has a slim design and powerful hardware, including an Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card.
- Alienware m15: This laptop has a sleek design and strong performance, with an option for an Intel Core i9 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card.
- MSI GS66 Stealth: This laptop has a slim design and strong performance, with an option for an Intel Core i9 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card.
- Acer Predator Triton 500: This laptop has a slim design and strong performance, with an option for an Intel Core i9 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card.
Ultimately, the best gaming laptop for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. It’s a good idea to read reviews and compare prices from different retailers before making a purchase.
Price of Best gaming laptop
The price of a gaming laptop can vary widely, depending on the specific model and its hardware specifications. In general, gaming laptops tend to be more expensive than regular laptops due to their specialized hardware and features.
Gaming laptops with the most powerful processors, graphics cards, and displays can cost upwards of $2,000 or more. Mid-range gaming laptops with more modest hardware specifications can cost around $1,000 to $1,500. Budget gaming laptops with entry-level hardware can cost as little as $500 to $800, although these may not be suitable for playing the latest and most demanding games like PUBG.
It’s important to consider your budget and the types of games you plan on playing when shopping for a gaming laptop. It’s also a good idea to read reviews and compare prices from different retailers to find the best deal.


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Wilpattu National Park Safari
Wilpattu National Park is renowned for its more than sixty distinct natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that collect rainwater. It is also historically significant as the landing site of Prince Vijaya in 543 BC, who is credited with founding the Sinhalese nation.
Situated in the North/West coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka, Wilpattu National Park is a habitat for 31 mammal species, including herds of Asian elephants and the elusive Sri Lankan leopards. Additionally, the park hosts a diverse array of hundreds of bird and reptile species, most of which you can encounter during a safari.

domain: geography


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The Elements Collection: Air: Mala Rose Quartz Rosewood Bracelet
This bracelet comes from the elements collection. It represents air, the element of the mind and the force of intellect, inspiration, imagination and communication. It is ideal, knowledge and wishes. It is new life and possibilities.
The bracelet features stunning rosewood beads, silver plated beads and a large semi-precious rose quartz gemstone.


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Prince of Wales and local dignitaries visiting coal mining village.
Location of events unclear - could be Wales?
Panning shot mining village, showing railway tracks, colliery and mine buildings. MS men walking along path, down hill.
Cut to CU some uneven steps, part of path on hill, houses beyond hill on right. A group of men walk down path toward camera, carrying lanterns and wearing protective hats. They are local dignitaries visiting mine, not actual miners. At the front of the group is Prince Edward (Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII / Duke of Windsor), he is also wearing mining gear*.
* not a particularly clear shot of the Prince.