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domain: game


text:
Getting into some spoiler stuff... All That Is Common To Man
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
I’m working on the next book. It’s still in the beginning, but it feels like I’m moving into a different stage. The characters are taking shape; they aren’t quite so murky. They’re getting a bit more definition as I clear the fog. What helps the most is learning what the sub-story is, the underlying themes and ideas that reside further down.
Layers… I like a story with layers.
As promised, I’ll dive into the layers of “All That Is Common To Man”. By default, I’ll wade into spoiler territory. If you’ve not finished yet, you might want to and come back later. Or maybe you don’t mind some spoiler content - either way. I only want to provide a heads up as to what you’re getting here.
Let’s start here:
“Rachel’s plate lay shattered across the floor, no longer a memory, but seven jagged shards.”
It’s not chance that the plate broke into 7. In fact, this is the first of many Easter Eggs throughout the novel.
Early on, I knew the characters would represent the seven deadly sins. They changed a few times; the relationships were different. But ultimately I kept it within the family. The Thurman family, actually.
The plate breaking was the first hint at something supernatural. It’s unexplained. It throws Nathan off. It feels impossible. But there it is, the last memory of a shared meal broken on the floor. And it’s the first reference to 7 that I make, which I repeat in various ways until the very end. Maybe I’ll go into the Easter Eggs in another post - for now it seems fun to let them be a hunt.
Each member of the Thurman family represents a specific deadly sin:
Lucas - Gluttony
Tommy - Sloth
Lily - Lust
Jonathan - Envy
Edward - Greed
Elisabeth - Pride
Rachel - Wrath
Lucas destroys himself with chemical abuse. He can’t get enough. Tommy knows it, but does nothing to help his brother. Actually, Tommy knows a lot and neglects to take action. Lily wants more than anything to get out - and is willing to do just about anything to get what she wants, including taking someone’s husband. Jonathan is jealous of his brother and ultimately takes what never should have been his at all. Elisabeth believes herself to be a treasure, but not in a healthy way. Nothing is ever her fault - she has elevated herself over all others, justifying her actions in the process.
And Rachel… we’ll come back to her.
I attempted to show the seven deadly sins within each member of the Thurman family. But through actions and motivations. What was inside them. I made a rule for myself. I wasn’t allowed to use the “proper” name for the sins. Not once. If word search is to be trusted, I succeeded in not using gluttony, sloth, lust, envy, greed, pride, or wrath (or their variations) in the book's length. I forced myself to show each sin represented through character actions and motivations. I’m glad I made the rule for myself. Honestly, no one will probably ever put that part together. But I know, and it’s a fun bit of trivia that makes me happier with the finished product.
Ultimately, the book is about the nature of sin. About how it’s messy. It’s about how, in many ways, we are the cause of our own downfall. And it’s about how our sins ultimately destroy us.
That’s enough for now - this is probably sufficient to change the way you read the book. You’ll see things differently, or at least I hope you do. I wanted this to work at a surface level, but to also have something more if anyone gave it a second read. The characters will be more transparent. The Manor and all its oddities will have new meaning. The Sheriff and the townies - they all have a specific role to play. Even the structure of the book itself…
More to come…
Thanks for reading Letters To My Brother! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

domain: literature


ABE ENDORSES MUSICVOX GUITARS.
ABE IS A HOT HOUSE JAZZ AWARD-WINNING GUITARIST!
Said best by legendary record producer Todd Barkan, "Powerfully lyrical guitarist Abe Ovadia explores the inner and outer frontiers of some the most heartfully expansive music of our age."
“He follows his heart, letting the present moment, energy, and emotion guide the way." - Something Else Reviews
"Ovadia has developed an innovative and emotionally charged energy on his instrument that compels attention." - Charlottesville Jazz Society


Tug operators renewing their fleets while hoping for new businessJul 2, 2014 02:55 PM
Devin Koch prepares Brusco Tug & Barge’s 4,000-hp ASD tug Peter J. Brix for painting at Diversified Marine in Portland, Ore.
(page 1 of 2)
These are not exactly boom times in the towing industry, but operators seem to have regained their footing and are finding reasons to build new boats. While some new business opportunities may be opening up, for most companies the most compelling reason for building new boats seems to be modernization of their aging fleets.
Many line-haul companies are thinking about expanding or modernizing their fleets, according to Jonathan Parrott, vice president of new design development at Jensen Maritime, the Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm.
Part of this trend has to do with the age of the current fleet.
In recent years the marine industry has seen the construction of a great many double-hull oil barges. But the tugs towing those modern barges tend to be older vessels, Parrott observed. That has left the oil majors and insurance companies to “question the wisdom” of towing a “five-year-old double-skin barge with a 50-year-old tugboat,” Parrott said.
The deckhouse of Eric McAllister at Senesco’s shipyard in Rhode Island.
The expansion of the barge fleet means that it may not be enough for towing companies just to replace their aging ones with brand new vessels. As the size of the oil barge fleet expands, the tug fleet may have to follow suit.
“These new barges are not replacements,” Parrott said. “The line-haul tugs are a little behind the barges.” He suspects that a surge in new construction of line-haul tugs is in the offing. “The wave is coming,” he said.
That wave may already be taking shape. Hyak Maritime LLC built a 120-foot, line-haul vessel, Hawaii, in 2013 and a sister vessel, Washington, in 2014. Under charter to Crowley, both are 5,358-hp z-drive tugs. A third boat is under construction and a fourth is planned.
Hyak is a recent startup by Robert Dorn and a partner, Gordon LK Smith. They are in the business of building and then chartering their vessels rather than operating them themselves. Their strategy is based on the insight that many line-haul operators are depending on some of the oldest tugs in the country.
Dorn saw this at first-hand. In 2008 and 2009 he was in charge of the K-Sea Transportation fleet of 25 tugs and 25 barges. His annual budget for repair and maintenance was about $300,000 per tug. That kind of cost, he said, “makes it hard to make a case for operating old boats.”
Older boats are not even allowed to dock at some oil terminals. “At certain docks on the West Coast you can’t bring a tug over 25 years old,” he said. “There’s a new kind of paradigm. We could see it coming over the last 10 years.”
The stem of a new tugboat taking shape at Washburn & Doughty in Maine. The yard is fully booked for the next few years.
There are other forces at work leading to modernization of the line-haul fleets, notably the recognition of fleet operators that their boats need to be comfortable if they are to retain and attract good crews.
When many of the older boats that are still in service were built, crew comfort was not a driving concern of the owners. “They didn’t pay as much attention to vibration and noise,” Parrott said.
In the last 10 years, international standards have begun to reflect these concerns by calling for things such as minimum stateroom size, wash basins in rooms with no head and natural light in living quarters.
“There is a scarcity of good crews in the U.S. now,” Parrott said. “To attract good crews, you have to have good work conditions. Everyone’s taking a look at that.”
In addition to boats that will help them attract good crews, operators are also looking to upgrade with more powerful boats. Part of the push for more power is coming from the insurance companies and the pilots. “Everybody wants more power,” Parrott said. “It’s not whether you need more power. It’s the perceived idea that more power is better.”
And the days of the single-screw line-haul tug are over. “You’re not going to tow a barge with a boat with only a single-screw,” Parrott said.
If the era of the single-screw tug is past, the age of the LNG tug fueled by liquefied natural gas is still just over the horizon. Part of the problem is that tugs are relatively small vessels.
LNG vessels must have specially designed tanks for holding super-cold liquids. Typically they must be located above deck, and because LNG has less energy content per unit of volume, they must be larger than a conventional tank.
“You can’t stick it in the bilge,” Parrott said.
Another problem is the lack of LNG engines that would be appropriate for all but the largest tugs. No approved marinized dual-fuel engines smaller than 1,800 hp exist, Parrott said.
“All the major diesel engine makers are focused on Tier 4, getting that squared away,” said Parrott.


One of many oldest “guidelines” in vogue is that white is banned after Labor Day. We’re undecided precisely the place this idea got here from, however that is clearly nonsense since most road type followers are all winter whites. Whereas these sartorial stars have just about debunked the parable, that does not imply carrying white-on-white appears is simple.
Going head-to-toe white can typically wash you out and nobody desires it. The secret is to go for various shades of white – ivory, ecru, off-white, eggshell – to maintain issues fascinating. Or you’ll be able to insert strategic pops of colour so as to add further dimension to your look. And do not be afraid to depend on different well-known neutrals like grey, black and brown or go for plaid or camouflage coats. Texture can also be essential as a result of it might probably add just a little kick to an in any other case austere ensemble.
Able to strive? This is an city type crib sheet on the best way to flaunt these winter whites with out mixing into the snowy background.
[ Next: White Boots Are the Street Style Secret to Transitional Dressing ]


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Recipe by *Pixie*
This cheesecake is true decadence. Not for the timid or those who don't love dark chocolate and caramel. Do not look at the calorie count at the side of the page. This is a special occasion cake that will make chocolate lovers say OMG.
Top Review by michy.sings
I made this cheesecake this week and let me tell you it is WONDERFUL! Just like something you would get at a gourmet cheesecake place. I didn't use all the chocolate that was called for. I used about 3/4 of each bitter and bittersweet chocolate. If you love thick, soft, gooey caramel and sweet chocolate cheesecake with that "bite" the dark chocolate gives...you'll adore this cake. One thing I would change is to make more of a crust. I'll try a cup and a half of cookie crumbs next time. WONDERFUL RECIPE!
- 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
- 1⁄4 cup butter, melted
- 24 ounces cream cheese
- 2 (300 ml) cans sweetened condensed milk (divided)
- 1 (170 g) packagebaker bittersweet chocolate
- 1 (300 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 eggs
- 30 caramels
- 4 tablespoons milk
Directions See How It's Made
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Mix the melted butter and oreo crumbs and press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
- Mix the cream cheese with about 1 and 1/3 tins of condensed milk until smooth.
- Microwave the chocolate chips and bittersweet chocolate for a minute or so until melted, stir to complete melting (make sure there are no unmelted lumps).
- Mix the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture until evenly blended.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix (on low speed with electric mixer) to incorporate, try to avoid adding too much air to the mixture.
- Pour mixture over the oreo crumbs in the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 55 minutes, then remove from oven and run a knife around the side of the pan (this will help prevent the top from cracking).
- Wait until the pan is cool to the touch then place on a serving plate and remove the outside of the springform pan.
- Mix the milk and remaining 2/3 tin of the condensed milk in a large microwave safe bowl.
- Add the caramels and microwave (stirring every minute) for several minutes until all the caramels are melted.
- Stir caramel mixture until smooth and creamy then spread evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
- When cheesecake is cool it should be refrigerated at least 4 hours before using, note the topping is better if the cheesecake is removed from the refrigerator 15 minutes or so before serving.
- Alternative serving method: Refrigerate the cheesecake at least 4 hours without the topping; make the caramel topping just before serving; to serve, put some warm caramel topping on the plate, add a slice of cheesecake and drizzle caramel over the top.

domain: food


text:
It the impulse to pack a backpack, grab the passport and to travel the world. To have goosebumps when seeing a new horizon. The feeling of wanderlust that never goes away.
The restlessness of being in one place for too long, the feeling of winds on the back of the neck, and the aspiration to pick a spot and to go there.
That how I’m feeling right now. I’m having such a strong feeling of wanderlust. I’m ready to put on a backpack, grab my passport and to go somewhere and get lost.
The awe of seeing new environments, a new horizon. The feeling of being captivated by your surroundings. Pinching yourself to make sure it all real. The speechlessness of doing something you never did before. It’s something you never ever forget.
I’m restless, I’m eager. I’m so ready to go. I have truly been bitten by the ‘travel’ bug. My feeling of wanderlust is stronger than ever.
So often we forget that there is a big wide beautiful world outside our front door and we have the complete freedom to visit it. Go anywhere our heart desires it.
I remember as a young girl being so fricking jealous of my sister who worked in the travel industry, she was always going off somewhere amazing – Egypt, America, and Asia. She also would occasionally take my mum away as well and I remember they went to Hong Kong once and I pleading with her to take me. When my sister had her old house she would decorate it with items she got from her travels and I would spend ages looking at them (or watching MTV, she had Sky and I was so jealous of that!) or read her various travel books. She then fell pregnant with my niece and left the industry.
I like to think this is how I got my wanderlust and the desire to see the big wide world. I remember going into travel agents and picking up travel brochures and looking at all the various destinations and saying to my mum ‘’can we go there?’’ umm, no would always be the response.
When I use to work at my old job, I would daydream about working somewhere that allows me to travel. I would read travels magazines and wished that was me at some exotic locations. I remember making a promise to myself that one day it will be my turn.
Now it very much is my turn, I can now work in some exotic location – wherever I choose. I still cannot believe that my luck has turned around.
My parents went on around the world cruise last year (I know, it alright for some!), they travelled to 4 continents, stayed in far off places and saw things we could only dream off. You know what they said when they came back?
The world is crap. I know, what a thing to say. They could see countries over polluted and overcrowded. I had a feeling they said this to me to deter me travelling. But It hasn’t.
I argued, that we should tackle pollution and an overpopulated planet. Instead of saying, ‘the world is crap’. Think of how to make improvement and to make the world a better place.
I have a family member who has no desire to travel anywhere. This person is perfectly happy staying in his little corner of the world. In this person lifetime, he never ventured further than the nearest farm near his home. I know, quite shocking to think that.
Every time I see this person, I would get told how it a fool errand to travel. It better to stay close to home and comfort. It must be said this person is now elderly.
But never stepping outside the little home bubble – would drive me mad! Seeing the same faces, doing the same routine, watching the world go back is a waste.
There so much to gain when you step outside and go further than you ever have gone to before.
Now with mobiles phones and photography social platforms such as Instagram and Flickr, you now can see a firsthand account of someone visiting a new place.
I’m forever watching travel Vlogs on Youtube. The ability to document your travel and to share it with people is a new privilege that past generations never had.
Hell, I made a promise a few day ago on one day going on the Eastern & Oriental Express at least once in my life.
There so many things and places to tick off your bucket list. The feeling of wanderlust just keeps on building and building.
Let me have my adventure now. I want to experience wanderlust first hand. Let me fly in first class (now wouldn’t that be nice!) to the far east, take the midnight train to Amsterdam, take a boat ride to an isolated island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Does anyone else feel the same way that I do? Who else here has the feeling of wanderlust? Where will you go on your journey?

domain: geography


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Some women have an increased risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect and are advised to take a higher dose of 5 milligrams (5mg) of folic acid each day until they are 12 weeks pregnant.
How much folate should a pregnant woman take?
Folic acid is better suited for food fortification because many fortified products, such as bread and pasta, are cooked. CDC recommends that women of reproductive age who could become pregnant consume at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folate every day.
How much folate is too much during pregnancy?
We don’t know of an amount that is dangerous. Yet, for most women, consuming more than 1,000 mcg of folic acid daily is of no benefit. Unless their doctor advises them to take more, most women should limit the amount they take to 1,000 mcg a day.
When is folate most important in pregnancy?
Birth defects occur within the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy. So it’s important to have folate in your system during those early stages when your baby’s brain and spinal cord are developing.
Is too much folate bad for pregnancy?
Pregnant women are often encouraged to supplement their folic acid intake to prevent birth defects, but too much may also carry risks, according to a new study which links excessive folate and vitamin B12 to a greater risk of autism in the child.
What is the best folate for pregnancy?
Best Overall: Thorne
It is recommended that women consume 600 micrograms of supplemental folic acid, in addition to the folate found in food. Thorne’s Basic Prenatal contains 1,000 micrograms of metabolically active folic acid—283 percent of the recommended daily intake for folate.
Is it better to take folate or folic acid when pregnant?
The nutrient is crucial during early pregnancy to reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spine. The recommended daily amount of folate for adults is 400 micrograms (mcg). Women who are planning pregnancy or could become pregnant are advised to consume 400 to 1,000 mcg of folic acid a day.
Is 4 weeks pregnant too late for folic acid?
The best way to protect your baby is to start taking folic acid at least 3 months before you get pregnant. This will decrease the chance of your baby developing spina bifida by about 50%. If you wait until you get pregnant or miss your period to start folic acid supplements, you are too late.
What happens if you have too much folate?
Folic acid supplements are generally safe and provide a convenient way to maintain adequate folate levels. That said, excess folic acid supplement intake may cause several side effects, including slower brain development in children and accelerated mental decline in older adults.
Is 800 mg of folic acid too much for pregnant?
So experts say that all women who are able to get pregnant should take a daily supplement that has 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid. Some women need even higher doses. Women who are pregnant with twins or more should take 1000 mcg a day.
Can I take folic acid and prenatal vitamins at the same time?
In the meantime, it’s up to you to let your healthcare provider know you want a prenatal supplement with a lower dose of folic acid. At the same time, while taking your prenatal supplement, choose more folate-rich foods and lessen the amount of folic acid you’re consuming from food.
When should I stop taking folic acid during pregnancy?
You usually take folic acid once a day, but sometimes you only need to take it once a week. Most adults and children can take folic acid. If you’re pregnant or trying for a baby, it’s recommended you take folic acid until you’re 12 weeks pregnant. It helps your baby grow normally.
What if folic acid is not taken in pregnancy?
If you do not get enough folic acid before and during pregnancy, your baby is at higher risk for neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are serious birth defects that affect the spine, spinal cord, or brain and may cause death. These include: Spina bifida.

domain: medical


text:
Determination Of Contents Of Cold Drinks
DETERMINATION OF CONTENTS OF COLD DRINKS
Recently, soft drink marks stayed placed on several questions concerning their reliability. Report flashed that they include toxic pesticide, which stimulates several advantages in understanding its contents because I have been taking them for years.
Considering the outset of cold drinks was extremely successful and attracting, many multinational companies launched their brands in India like Pepsi and Coke.
Nowadays, it is observed in general that majority of people viewed Sprite, Miranda, and Limca to give a feeling of lightness, while Pepsi and Thumps Up to initiate pulse and brain.
Cold drinks of different brands are made of alcohol, carbohydrates, carbon dioxide, phosphate ions etc. These soft drinks give the feeling of light, brightness and have a tangy flavor which is liked by everyone. Carbon dioxide is responsible for the development of bubble about shaking the bottle.
The carbon dioxide gas is dissolved in water to form carbonic acid which is also responsible for the tangy taste. Carbohydrates are the naturally occurring organic compounds and are a major source of energy to our body. The general formula of carbohydrates is CX (H2O)Y.
On the basis of their molecule size carbohydrates are classified as:-
Monosaccharide, Disaccharides, and Polysaccharides. Glucose is a monosaccharide with formula C6H12O6. It transpires in Free State in the ripen grapes in bones and also in many sweet fruits. It is widely distributed in nature in juices, seeds and also in flowers of many plants.
It is also present in human blood to the extent of about 0.1%. Sucrose is one of the most useful disaccharides in our daily life.
The main source of sucrose is sugar cane juice which contains 15-20 % sucrose and sugar beet which has about 10-17 % sucrose. The molecular formula of sucrose is C12H22O11.
It is produced by a mixture of glucose and fructose. It is non-reducing in nature whereas glucose is reducing. Cold drinks are a bit acidic in nature and their acidity can be measured by finding their pH value. The pH values also depend upon the acidic contents such as citric acid and phosphoric acid.
TEST FOR PH
Small specimens of cold drinks of various brands were taken in a test tube and put on the pH paper. The change in the color of pH paper was noticed and was compared with the standard pH scale.
Soft drinks are commonly acidic because of the presence of citric acid and phosphoric acid. pH values of a cold drink of different brands are different due to the variation in a number of acidic contents.
TEST FOR CARBON DIOXIDE
As soon as the bottles were opened, one by one the sample was passed through lime water. The lime water turned milky.
All the soft drinks contain dissolved carbon dioxide in water. The carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves in water to form carbonic acid, which is responsible for its tangy taste.
CHEMICAL REACTION INVOLVED
Ca(OH)2(s) + CO2(g) ———– CaCO3(s) + H2O(s)
TEST FOR GLUCOSE
Glucose is a reducing sugar acid. Its presence is detected by the following test:-
1. BENEDICTS’S REAGENT TEST:-
Small samples of cold drinks of different brands were taken in a test tube and a few drops of Benedict’s reagent were added. The test tube was heated for few seconds. Formation of reddish color confirmed the presence of glucose in cold drinks.
All the samples gave a positive test for glucose with Benedict’s reagent.
Hence all the drinks contain glucose.
2. FEHLING’S SOLUTION TEST
Small samples of cold drinks of various marks obtained practiced in a test tube and a few drops of Fehling’s A solution and Fehling’s B solution was added in equal amount. The test tube was heated in a water bath for 10 minutes. The presence of brown precipitate established the presence of glucose in cold drinks.
All the samples gave a positive test for glucose with Fehling’s (A & B) solutions. Hence all the cold drinks contain glucose.
TEST FOR PHOSPHATE
Small samples of each brand of cold drinks were taken in separate test tubes and Ammonium Molybdate followed by concentrated Nitric Acid (HNO3) was added to it. The solution was heated. The appearance of canary-yellow precipitate confirmed the presence of phosphate ions in cold drinks.
All the soft drinks samples gave a positive test for phosphate ions. Hence all the cold drinks contain phosphate.
CHEMICAL REACTION INVOLVED
NaHPO4 + 12(NH4)2MoO4 + 21HNO3 + 3H+ ———- (NH4)3PO4.12MoO3 + 21HN4NO3 + 12H2O
TEST FOR ALCOHOL
Small samples of each label of cold drinks were brought in separate test tubes and Iodine followed by Potassium Iodide and Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution was added to each test tube. Then the test tubes were heated in hot water bath for 30 minutes. Appearance of yellow colored precipitate confirmed the presence of alcohol in cold drinks
All the cold drinks samples gave a positive test for alcohol. Hence all the cold drinks contain glucose.
CHEMICAL REACTION INVOLVED
CH3CH2OH + 4I2 + 6NaOH —— CHI3 + HCOONa + 5NaI + 5H2O
TEST FOR SUCROSE
5 ml samples of each brand of cold drinks were taken in separate china dishes and were heated very strongly until changes occur. Black colored residue left confirmed the presence of sucrose in cold drinks.
All the brands of cold drinks contain sucrose. But the amount of sucrose varies in each brand of drink. Fanta contains the highest amount of sucrose.
After conducting several tests, it was concluded that the different brands of cold drinks namely:
All contain glucose, alcohol, sucrose, phosphate and carbon dioxide. All cold drinks are acidic in nature. On comparing the pH value of different brands Coca-Cola is the most acidic and Limca is least acidic of all the four brands taken.
1. Soft drinks are little more harmful than sugar solution. As they contain sugar in large amount which causes problems in diabetes patients.
2. Soft drinks can cause weight gain as they interfere with the body’s natural ability to suppress hunger feeling.
3. Soft drinks have the ability to dissolve the calcium so they are also harmful to our bones.
4. Soft drinks contain “phosphoric acid” which has a pH of 2.8. So they can dissolve a nail in about 4 days.
5. For transportation of soft drinks syrup, the commercial truck must use the hazardous matter place cards reserved for highly conceive material.
6. Obesity and weight-related diseases.
7. Soft drinks have also the ability to remove blood so they are very harmful to our body.
1. They can remove rust spots from chrome car Humper.
2. They can lose a rusted bolt.
3. In many states, the highway patrol carries a few gallons of Soft Drinks in order to remove blood from the highway after auto accidents.
Place a T-bone steak in a bowl of Soft Drinks and it will be gone in 2-3 days. The meat is consumed by the acid of the cola.
5. Toilet Cleaning: Pour a can of Soft Drinks into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit for one hour, then flush. It magically cleans better than if you had scrubbed it. The citric acid in Soft Drinks also removes stains from vitreous china.
6. Remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Soft Drinks into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Soft Drinks will help loosen grease stains. It is also an excellent cleaner road haze from your windshield.
7. The active ingredient in Soft Drinks is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days.
8. Clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour Soft Drinks over the terminals and the ultra-acid soft drink bubble away the alkaline corrosion in seconds.

domain: chemistry


text:
Dear Figure by Italian Buonapace Bronze Art Deco Animalier Sculpture 1930 circa
An Italian bronze casting sculpture of a roe dear female, standing on an oval shaped bronze base and signed Buonapace near the left hind leg by the Italian artist Francesco Buonapace (Lecce 1902- Bologna 1975).
This Art Deco animal sculpture is a lovely decorative item for any interior.
Good condition, great dark brown original patina, this animal casting bronze sculpture is a young work of the artist, comes from a private collection of Milan and dates back to the 1930s circa.
On the oval bronze base, behind the left hind leg you find the engraved of Buonapace.
Height: 39 cm
Width: 56 cm
Depth: 23 cm
Thanks to agreements with the most important transport companies we are able to deliver within 72 hours from all over Italy!
Each shipment is traceable and insured for the full value!
The attention and care in packaging allow us always to travel the purchased goods with confidence and safety.
Within each package you will find tax records and the object authenticity certificate.

domain: artistic


CEO of Time Express Parcels - UAE
o Majed is a veteran of the logistics industry with over 26 years of regional and international experience. Prior to founding Time Express, Majed held various senior positions in the logistics space such as Vice President at UPS (covering Middle East, India, Central Asia, Africa), CEO of RAK Logistics, CEO of Agility Logistics, and Chief Growth Officer at General Electric where he held various senior management positions for 11 years. In 2013, he was ranked 14th most powerful and influential 3PL executive in Middle East. Majed holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he graduated with honors. He was awarded a scholarship grant for his MSc in Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University and holds an MBA at Boston University.
All Sessions by Majed Zambaraji
EXPORT 101: Exporting to the Middle East & Africa- What you need to KnowOnline
Learn the in’s and out to expand and grow your business in the MENA region in a brief session.


DHAKA, Aug. 10, 2017 (BSS)- Naogaon District Sports Association (DSA) clinched title of the 4th Walton National Youth Women's Handball beating Jamalpur DSA by 27-17 goals in the final held on Thursday at Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali Handball Stadium in the city.
The winners lead the first half by 13-08 goals.
Renowned sports organiser and Youth and Sports Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Harunur Rashid witnessed the day's final as chief guest and distributed the prizes.
Walton operative director head of games and Sports FM IQbal Bin Anwar was present as special guest. Bangladesh Hadball Federation general secretary Asaduzzaman Kohinoor and among others were present on the occasion.
Addressing at prize distribution ceremony, Harunur Rashid said" "it's a good sign that like the other sports women are moving ahead in handball ......obey your coach's instruction and do hard work to get more good results.
He also hoped that these girls would able to present more quality game in future. Shahanaz Parvin the captain of the champions team said: " I really excited as my team emerged champions in the tournament...... it's a fruit of all hard work of the team."
Shahanaz, who represent for under-19 national handball team, said if they were provided a good coach, they would able to keep this place in the coming events.
She was later named the player of the match for her impressive performance in the final while Purnima of the champions team was given the player of the tournament award.
Besides, Fauzia of Jamalpur DSA was emerged the beat custodian of the tournament. Earlier, on way to the final Monday last, Jamalpur DSA edged past Gopalganj DSA by 23-22 goals in the keenly contested first semi-final while Naogaon DSA defeated Panchagarh DSA by 25-8 goals in the second semis.
A total of twelve teams, split into four groups, took part in the meet, sponsored by Walton and organized by Bangladesh Handball Federation (BHF).


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William Shatner, forever linked with the role of "Star Trek's" James T. Kirk, reveals a candid and revealing look at the motion picture industry as he details the goings on of the seven theatrical films adapted from Gene Roddenberry's original television creation. Shatner opens the book by with a personal take on the off-and-on discussions of bringing the series back, ultimately being reborn in the first film, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". The actor takes the reader through personal reflections of that film, along with the subsequent sequels "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock", "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier", and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country". Also included in his trip down memory lane is "Star Trek: Generation", a film that marked the film debut of the cast from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and, basically passed the torch from the old to the new. Shatner also responds to the many comments made about his temperament and relationships with his co-stars on the films as well as the television series.
Click here to see the rest of this review
The review of this Book prepared by Reginald D. Garrard

domain: library


Many twenty-somethings have spent their youth times and teenage fenced by the music of some of the artists that have set the fruition of music taste for the next generation. They have established a passion for this art. Also playing an instrument or just being passionate about a specific genre comes in handy during job interviews to build a mutual starting ground of discussion with the interviewer. Here are some tips to feat your passion for music to make the recruiter comprehend some essential qualities of your character.
Team Player: having experience of playing an instrument, you know how it is important to “play for the squad”! Even if you were the first guitarist and you were used to playing few minutes of guitar thrash, you still had to follow the general rhythm the rest of the time and if you risked a cleverness during the track, you could be sided out of the band. In music, the band consistency is more important than the discrete skill! Anyways, if you never have played any instrument but your friends had a band and you were there all the time you used up helping your friends to set the stage matters, a lot!
Creativity: it is well known that musicians vastly grow the right part of the brain, which is devoted to creativity! From the sole melody to lyrics, from the skill to the synchronization, every part of a track is the upshot of a creative procedure!
Determination: this trait can be clarified by both musicians and passion. For a musician, the persistence in trying and practice for remembering the track and each chord shoots into determination. While, for music avid, the time consumed hearing again and over the same track, the passion for data about a particular artist or band and all the info you gained through the years, will explain by themselves the determination and persistence you put into your appetite!
This information is inspired by a thrilling personality: Regis Ducatillon, also called the Dude and ResCap is a prestigious French music maker, author, and musician who has spent numerous years in the music profession making incredible music. A considerable lot of his famous works incorporate creating and delivering the collection ‘Needed’ which was delivered by Universal Music.
Two of the singles from that collection, ‘Be Happy’ and ‘Rock Da Juice,’ has been utilized as synchronizations in blockbuster films and popular T.V series like Inspector Gadget 2, Malcolm in The Middle, Scooby-Doo, and Kangaroo Jack. Also, they are even highlighted in numerous plugs like Kinder, Pepsi World, NYC Yankee’s Item, Wendy’s, and some more. Besides, he likewise had the chance to work with other well-known specialists like Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Juanes, and so on, as he made tracks for them when he moved to the USA back in 2003.
Ducatillon has spent numerous years in the music industry and has seen a theme that youthful artists will in general make when they begin. Subsequently, he had chosen a couple of tips that can help these skilled youthful people to shape better attitudes and personalities to inspire others in their journey.


Want to hear something scary? The boogeyman is very real…for toddlers, at least.
Toddlers’ fears are sometimes downplayed by parents because they’re not logical fears. For toddlers, though, the fears are as real as they feel. A toddler’s imagination is so vivid that the images in their head can cause a very real physical reaction.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a baby’s fear peaks during the eighth month of their life – which is the height of their “stranger anxiety” period – until the toddler years, when new fears can start to appear.
Fear isn’t fun to deal with, but it’s actually a normal and healthy developmental trait. In fact, eventually, it helps toddlers learn to avoid danger. When fear is first developing, though, it can lead to fears that don’t always make sense. Understanding what common toddler fears are can help parents and caregivers figure out how to guide toddlers past fears of things that aren’t dangerous.
For a lot of toddlers, the fear of being separated from their parents is heightened because their imaginations can get in the way of their trust in the fact that their parents or caregivers really will come back.
If Baby has been afraid about separation lately, you can help prepare them for partings ahead of time by telling them about the fun things they're going to get to do while you’re apart – sometimes starting as early as days before a planned separation, like the first day of preschool, happens. Since toddlers can’t fully grasp the idea of time or distance, talking about specific endings, like “I will wait for you at your Aunt’s house, which is just three minutes away,” or, “I’ll see you again in three hours,” isn’t as helpful or reassuring as you might want it to be. Instead, reassurances that use the landmarks of their day, like “I will pick you up after you eat lunch,” and promises to meet them at the exact spot where you dropped them off, so they can picture it, can be more helpful.
Seeing monsters inside the closet, under the bed, or in the bathroom are all common during the toddler years. Again, this fear happens because of toddlers’ powerful imaginations, which can make fears and fantasies feel very real. Your toddler’s fears may not be based in reality, but in their mind, they’re as real as any risk you’ve ever taken.
Getting up in the middle of the night again and again and again isn’t any fun for you or your partner. Believe it or not, Baby isn’t enjoying it much, either. Reassuring them each time they wake up afraid is the best way to build their confidence, and get you both back to sleep as quickly and as peacefully as possible.
Another way to help your toddler get past their fears is simply to keep them away from the things they are afraid of. If there’s a toy or picture on their room that scares them, there’s no reason it has to stay in their room. If they are afraid of the dark, a night light can keep them from staying anywhere too dim. As they grow, Baby will have plenty of chances to face their fears. Right now, when they are still working on their understanding of reality, there’s no harm in just avoiding being scared whenever they can.
Do you know why toddlers become hysterical when they scrape their elbows or get their fingers pricked? Well, aside from the pain, of course. It’s because they don’t fully understand how their bodies work.
When reassuring toddlers who aren’t sure where a scraped knee is going to lead, a matter-of-fact approach is key. If Baby is especially scared or injured, you can carefully explain to them what the injury or procedure is, and how their body will heal after. For more minor bumps and bruises, a quick and cheerful band-aid or kiss-it-better before sending them back out to play will reassure them, through just your reaction, that there isn’t anything to worry about.
Fears are normal, and generally nothing to worry about at this age, but fears that get channeled into physical reactions, like a headache, fatigue, or tummy ache, are worth checking in with Baby’s pediatrician about.
- Jacques Benun, Carol Lewis, Matthew Siegel. “Fears and Phobias.” Pediatrics. 29(7). July 2008. Retrieved July 5 2017. http://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/29/7/250?sso=1&sso_redirect_count=1&nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token.
- “Anxiety and Children.” American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. American Academy of child and Adolescent Psychology, October 2013. No. 47. Retrieved July 5 2017. http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/The-Anxious-Child-047.aspx.


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Tag : Nick Beighton
Significant investment 'disrupts' Asos profits Subscription
Profit before tax at Asos dropped by 68% year on year to £33.1m in the year to 31 August, following “significant” investment in its warehousing and sustainability credentials.
Rise in revenue at Asos Subscription
Asos has reported a 13% increase in revenue to £658.5m in the three months to 28 February, driven by an outperformance in sales in the UK.
Nick Beighton, CEO, AsosSubscription
In April, Nick Beighton said Asos was planning to “step on the gas” across several key areas, including technology and “game-changing” artificial intelligence functions, as well as warehousing and back office systems.
Missguided boss under fire for parliamentary no-show Subscription
Missguided chief executive Nitin Passi has been criticised by environmental audit committee chair Mary Creagh after refusing to attend a hearing on sustainability in the fast fashion industry.
Meet the man inside AsosSubscription
Asos chief executive Nick Beighton discusses building brand relationships, the future of fashion technology, UK manufacturing and preserving the start-up company culture.
The debate over how to eradicate poor employment practices in some UK factories flared up again this week, prompting retailers and manufacturers to call for more support from the government.
Head office roles under threat at Asos Subscription
Asos is reportedly consulting on around 100 redundancies at its head office in London.
Further redundancies loom at AsosSubscription
Asos is consulting with a further 100 members of staff across its head office over proposed job cuts, as part of its ongoing restructuring, Drapers can reveal.
Expansion boosts Raging Bull sales Subscription
Lifestyle brand Raging Bull has reported a 29% like-for-like increase in retail and ecommerce sales in the year to 31 December 2019.
Drapers Top 100 2017 – 1. Nick Beighton, CEO, Asos Subscription
Last year: 12

domain: economics


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Cinérir'Arfi - Le Workshop de Lyon (collectif ARFI)
Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel &Hardy...
Jean Aussanaire, alto saxophone, et soprano
Jean-Paul Autin, alto saxophone, et soprano, clarinette basse
Jean Bolcato, doublebass, voix
Christian Rollet, drum kit, percussions
Le Workshop de Lyon, a collective of explosive jazzmen, has chosen a few of the most famous short films from the golden age of burlesque. The musicians improvise musical accompaniment to the adventures of characters played by Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy.


Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Chelsea police officers in November made the dreams of terminally ill toddler Edison Cordero come true after his mother, Sandra, arrived at the department and told them that her son’s greatest wish was to meet a real-life police officer.
Within the hour, eight officers — the entire day-shift staff — arrived at the family’s home, bringing presents and letting the 2-year-old sit in their patrol cars.
This week, an even larger group of police officers came to Edison’s house with an early Christmas present: an electronic police car big enough for the toddler to ride in. The toy car is fully detailed with Chelsea police logos and has been made an honorary unit in the city’s fleet.
As they did last month, officers lined up their patrol cars along Webster Avenue, sirens loud and lights blazing blue. The group brought along a 9-foot-tall Christmas tree, a child-sized police uniform, and toys, as well as a certificate declaring Edison an honorary police officer. The Boston Police Department also donated $5,000 to help the family with expenses during the holidays.
The texts were sent between longtime anchor John Buccigross and Adrienne Lawrence, a former employee who filed a sexual harassment complaint this summer.Continue reading »
James “Whitey” Bulger, who is serving a life sentence at a Florida prison, was accused of violating a regulation prohibiting sexual activity.Continue reading »
The event was a chance for marijuana fans and businesspeople to mingle before their world bursts into the mainstream next summer.Continue reading »
Kenyatta Savage found himself featured on the front page of the Boston Globe as part of a story about racism in Boston.Continue reading »
A sleek, relatively new vaping device called a “Juul” has school administrators sending warning e-mails home.Continue reading »
Eric Alexander Hewitt, a leader in Boston’s contemporary classical music scene, was let go amid a Globe investigation of alleged sexual improprieties.Continue reading »
Can the T really claim to be a turnaround if riders still find the system unreliable?Continue reading »
The clock is ticking on a $10 million reward involving one of Boston’s greatest mysteries.Continue reading »
Duncan Ketter worked for his money, six days a week, at a rental car company. He believed in the power of education, enrolling in college, hoping to become an engineer.Continue reading »


text: Venice is an enchanting city with so much to see and do, it’s easy to eat in whichever trattoria or osteria you come across. However, this often leaves visitors eating at overpriced, tasteless restaurants, and consequently leaving Venice feeling dissatisfied. The truth is, Venice is full of delicious restaurants. If you plan your day wisely, you can get the best of both worlds–delicious Venetian food while still visiting all of the places on your list. So here you have it, our list of the Best Restaurants in Venice!


Sleek sweeping contours and meticulous fit and finish of the W1 redefined the standards of motorcycle design in the 1960’s.
The Kawasaki Z125 PRO is a visually striking naked motorcycle with edgy looks, and, it’s also a blast to ride! It fits into that perfect package for those desiring a small motorcycle with plenty of capabilities, low price and great gas mileage.
The fact is there are features in a motorcycle which are more akin to the average woman’s anatomy and demeanour – making its operation much more – fun and fabulous! But before we get into the six motorcycles for women listed below, let’s check out these preliminary factors you’ll need to consider in the mix of your decisions.
It is hard to believe that the Kawasaki Ninja 400 Kawasaki Racing Team edition is a 400. It’s likely you’ve heard that before of this model. The popular Ninja 300 was replaced with the 400 – and this Ninja is incredibly fun to ride!
Motorcycle racing has changed thanks to Spanish rider Ana Carrasco who took the World Championship title by a single point over countryman Mika Perez. Ana Carrasco has become the first female rider to win a motorbike world championship!
The KLX250 motorcycle is built to take riders to new places. Borrowing notes from the KX line and Kawasaki’s…
The Vulcan S is based on the Ninja 649cc parallel twin-engine. Its digital fuel injection liquid cooled and specific tuning give the engine its smoothness. This is a big advantage for new riders still finessing the power transitions either at high or low speeds.


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We have an excellent selection of The Caron Collection threads in stock. This week (March 28 - April 3 2020) all in stock Caron Thread is 25% off!
There are so many wonderful and beautiful patterns that as a shop owner it is difficult to limit ourselves while placing orders. It is challenging to know what will inspire a stitcher to pick up their needle. We enjoy seeing what everyone is working on and the process they go through to find a designer or theme that is right for them. Going forward we are going to share weekly a designer or two that we have come to admire.
Brings a whimsical and colourful style to her blackwork designs. While going through our baskets for this post it was surprising to find that we had only three of her patterns left in stock.
While her designs appear quiet and traditional her patterns bring a subtle attention to detail.
We are open Monday - Sunday for in person appointments. We are continuing to offer to zoom and curbside pick-up as well. Thanks Kim & Meagan
For more information on Zentangle please check out our site Kimatangles.
Special of the Month:
*All flash sales are while quantities last, and are available at this special pricing for a week after posting

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About Abergavenny Borough Band
"Abergavenny Borough is a brass band as it should be - big sound, big heart, big round of applause!" - Charles Hazlewood
Abergavenny Borough Band is available to play at a wide array of events such as fetes, carnivals, garden parties, formal concerts, weddings, birthdays and many more. In fact, if you feel a live brass band would enhance your particular event why not give us a call.
We have an extremely varied repertoire from traditional brass band items, music from stage and screen, christmas music and light popular and classical arrangements.
The Band rehearses every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7.30pm until 9.30pm
The band room can be found at the end of Prospect Road (NP7 5DU), just off Merthyr Road. It is close to the Somerset Arms Pub & Keith Price Volvo Garage
We don't currently have any future gigs listed for Abergavenny Borough Band.
Why not them on BandfinderUK to get updates?
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This recipe for Dublin Coddle is one of my favorites. When the weather starts to get cold and I start craving warm comfort foods, this is one of the first I go to. My preferred method is to cook it in my dutch oven, but I have included variations for cooking in a slow cooker (you get those amazing smells all day!) or in an instant pot (for when time is tight). The best part of this recipe (besides the taste) is the smell. As the smell starts to fill the house, my whole family just gravitates toward the kitchen. Before long we’re all sitting around the table talking and laughing. When I feel like everyone in the family is starting to get isolated, this is the dish I make to bring us all back together for an evening.
- 1 lb bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb smoked sausage sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 3 lbs potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 large carrot sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Method 1 - Dutch Oven (Preferred)
- Brown the bacon and sausage over medium heat until the bacon starts to crisp.
- Add onion and saute until onions are translucent
- Stir in potatoes, onions, carrots, and garlic.
- Pour broth over all ingredients. Season with black pepper.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Then put in oven and cook for 1-1/2 hours until vegetables are fork tender.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Method 2 - Slow Cooker
- In a large skillet, saute bacon and sausage over medium heat until bacon starts to crisp. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Add onion to large skillet and saute until onions become translucent. Transfer to slow cooker.
- In the slow cooker, stir in potatoes, carrots and garlic.
- Pour broth over all ingredients and season with black pepper.
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low 4-6 hours.
- Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Method 3 - Instant Pot
- Select the saute option on your instant pot. When the pot is hot, add the bacon and sausage and cook until the bacon is starting to crisp.
- Add onions and continue to saute until onions are translucent.
- Press Cancel to turn the cooker off.
- Stir in the potatoes, carrots, and garlic.
- Pour broth over all ingredients and season with pepper.
- Close and lock the lid on the instant pot. Select "Manual" and set the time to 20 minutes.
- When time is up, open the lid using the Quick Release.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
While It’s Cooking…
Dublin Coddle is your quintessential left over meal. In Ireland it is usually made to use up left over sausages, rashers, and whatever vegetables are on hand. Barley is often added as well. While some believe that American bacon is too fatty and assertive for the dish, I happen to love it so that’s what I use. If you want to make a more traditional version, substitute the bacon for Canadian bacon or even a mild ham. For more interesting facts about Dublin Coddle, visit British Food in America.
Make it a Meal…
Serve with a rustic loaf of fresh bread and some butter. That’s all it takes to make this an amazing meal!


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The lightweight bout between Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz tonight at “UFC Fight Night 20” just got a lot less interesting as it appears Frankie Edgar will get next dibs on BJ Penn’s UFC 155-pound crown.
Edgar is riding a three-fight winning streak and stakes claim to a dominating 11-1 mark, 7-1 inside the Octagon. As impressive as that may be, guess who handed him his only professional blemish?
That’s right, the same Gray Maynard that holds a perfect 8-0 record, but most importantly, out wrestled Edgar to an easy unanimous decision in their meeting at “The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale” back in June 2007.
So Josh Gross of SI.com, you’re telling us that even IF the Xtreme Couture-trained fighter steamrolls Diaz this evening, Edgar has already earned himself the 5Round affair, leapfrogging the man that schooled him?
“Edgar’s management said nothing was done, and Maynard’s performance could determine opponent,” Gross told us. “I’m hearing it’s Edgar regardless.”
One could argue that Edgar’s resume is slightly more credible than Maynard’s as he posts W’s over the likes of former champ Sean Sherk, Spencer Fisher and Maynard’s teammate Tyson Griffin; while “The Bully’s” most notable wins are over Roger Huerta, Jim Miller, Rich Clementi, POSSIBLY Diaz, but most importantly Edgar,
However, doesn’t a head-to-head win end the conversation?
It’s believed Penn will meet Edgar/Maynard at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi.

domain: news


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This bunny designed jewelry can take you to the forefront of fashion. No matter you are a girl or boy, this industrial barbell jewelry will give you an eye-catchy look.
✔BUNNY DESIGN JEWELRY: This industrial barbell earring comes in a beautiful design because it features a beautiful bunny and solid color for your fashion style statement.
✔OFFER MORE PERFECTION: This industrial barbell jewelry is specially designed to add a perfect touch to your personality. It even enhances the overall look and gives you more perfection.
✔LIGHTWEIGHT JEWELRY: This industrial barbell jewelry is extremely lightweight and durable. You will not feel any burden after wearing it.
- This industrial barbell jewelry doesn’t just look fantastic but it also feels great
- It is made of high-quality stainless-steel material
- A beautiful bunny design and solid color of this industrial barbell jewelry will improve your look
- Suitable jewelry for men and women
- Size: 14g
- Type: industrial bar
- Suitable for: ears
- color silver
very cute and good material
Came as pictured. I get lots of compliments on this piece!
Thanks for the feedback, we truly appreciate the continuing love and support and we love providing the best products to the homegirlz.


As part of our never-ending quest to provide a cleaner and healthier sleeping experience to as many people as possible, we're expanding our line of copper-infused sleep products to include more than a mattress and pillow.
We understand that not everyone is ready to ditch their old mattress—hey, it's a big change! So, we're creating yet another extraordinary product to upgrade your sleep, without requiring such a commitment.
We've sourced the healthiest and most innovative materials available to create a mattress topper unlike any other on the market. Incorporating a blended unbleached organic cotton cover and the same copper-infused 100% pure Talalay latex we use in our signature copper mattress and pillow, our unique topper is designed to breathe new life into any mattress.
The Only Mattress Topper of Its Kind
Our copper mattress topper's unique components deliver a cleaner, cooler, and more comfortable sleep quite simply unattainable on any other mattress topper within the industry.
Unbleached Organic Cotton Cover
Made from blended unbleached organic cotton, the cover is soft, breathable and hypoallergenic.
Copper-Infused 100% Pure Talalay Latex Core
Copper and Talalay latex join forces to create a clean, cool, more comfortable layer on top of any mattress.
How The Ultimate Copper Topper Can Improve Your Sleep
Designed to upgrade any mattress, no matter the material it's made of or its age, our copper topper delivers the sleep you've been dreaming about.
Your mattress is crawling with millions of bacteria that can make you sick. Our copper topper creates a clean layer between your old mattress and your body to protect you while you sleep. Naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial, copper is infused into hypoallergenic and dust-mite resistant Talalay latex to deliver a cleaner and healthier sleeping experience.
Cool & Breathable
The Unbleached Organic Cotton cover works with Talalay latex’s unique cell structure to provide exceptional airflow that maximizes circulation and breathability. Copper contributes its unique heat-dispersing properties to prevent the mattress topper from sleeping hot. These unique cooling and breathability enables sleepers to slumber cool, even if their mattress retains heat.
As a perfect addition to an older mattress that has lost its comfort, Talalay latex adds a plush 2” layer of enhanced comfort, on any mattress. Perfect for back, stomach and side sleepers alike, softens any mattress to deliver a great sleep.
Whether your current mattress is a bit too firm, or simply doesn’t help you drift off to sleep quite the way it used to, our unique topper can help! Try it risk-free for 30 nights.


Samsung Galaxy S5 Accessories
Browse this page and buy the best Samsung Galaxy S5 accessories for your excellent mobile phone. This flagship comes with a lot of new features - protect it with a Samsung Galaxy S5 case or cover, equip it with trendy headphones or useful wireless charger and enjoy - discovering the possibilities of your mobile phone sure is fun and makes difference.
Accessories for the Samsung Galaxy S5
The Galaxy S5 Specs
The Samsung Galaxy S5 measures 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm, weighs 145 grams and looks somewhat similar to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S4,
but with a number of improvements in the hardware and design department. The Galaxy S5 has a removable back cover that has a soft, leathery texture despite being made of plastic. The stitching pattern along the edges is gone and the sides have a metallic finish. The back cover is available in multiple colours – black, white, blue and copper. The S5 has a Super Amoled 5.1in display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 432ppi pixel density. Thanks to a tiny chip in the phone that senses the lighting environment around you and applies changes to the display (brightness, saturation, contrast), your screen will always look the way it's supposed to. On the inside, the Galaxy S5 sports a quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz and backed by 2GB of RAM. The smartphone comes with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD card (you can add up to 128GB). The Samsung Galaxy S5 runs on TouchWiz OS and has a removable 2,800mAh battery. On its back is a 16-megapixel camera (no OIS) with LED flash and autofocus, which can shoot 5312 x 2988 pixel photos and capture 2160p videos. The Galaxy S5 is completely water and dust resistant and comes with a fingerprint scanner that can unlock your phone and protect it, and a heart rate sensor that monitors your pulse. In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy S5 has NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, microUSB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE and GPRS. Go to Top
The Samsung Galaxy S5 Cases and Covers
MyTrendyPhone offers a wide selection of protective covers and cases for you Samsung Galaxy S5 at affordable prices. There is a case to suit everyone's taste and personality. Cases made of quality leather are both elegant and useful and will protect your phone to the maximum. They come with internal pockets that are ideal for storing credit cards or money. Armband cases are perfect if you want to keep your phone near you while exercising or running. They are adjustable and will keep your phone safe while you're at the gym. Official Samsung S-View Flip cases come in a number of colours and have precise cutouts that give you access to your screen and all the important ports and controls. TPU cases slide easily into your pocket and their raised edges completely protect the screen of your S5. The durable TPU ensures long-term protection for your phone.
Other Galaxy S5 Accessories
If you want to enjoy a better sound quality while listening to your favourite songs, then take a look at one of our headsets or speakers for the Galaxy S5. We have car holders, chargers and mounts that will make sure that your phone never runs out of power or breaks while you're driving. Keeping your screen intact is of utmost importance and that's why we recommend purchasing one of our screen protectors that will not only keep scratches away from your display, but dust and smudges, too. Other Samsung Galaxy S5 accessories include
: chargers, holders, keypads, USB cables, batteries etc. Go to Top


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Cost of living in Chilpancingo, Mexico compared to Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
|Personal Care||- 11%|
This comparison is lacking data. It provides a decent comparison, but it is not yet reliable. It is based on 409 prices entered by 59 different people.
These prices were last updated on January 21, 2018. Exchange rate: 0.05367 USD / MXN
Do you live in Albuquerque, New Mexico? We need your help!
Cost of living in Chilpancingo (Mexico) is 46% cheaper than in Albuquerque, New Mexico (United States)
For example, to keep the same standard of living that would require $3,800 in Albuquerque, New Mexico you would need to make just about $2,043 (Mex$ 38,073) in Chilpancingo.
Recent Prices Added
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in expensive area in Düsseldorf costs €800 (20 minutes ago)
- Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in Abu Dhabi costs Dirham 65 (38 minutes ago)
- 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) in Yangon costs 27 Kyat (about 1 hour ago)
- Ipad wi-fi 128gb in San Jose, California costs $350 (about 2 hours ago)
- Ipad wi-fi 128gb in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania costs $450 (about 2 hours ago)


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In late December 2017, Turkish President Erdogan and his Sudanese counterpart al-Bashir signed a number of bilateral agreements, including one providing for the temporary lease (for a period of 99 years) by Sudan of the Suakin island to Turkey, for development by Turkish investment projects.
Located in a bay of the coast of Sudan on the Red Sea, the island of Suakin has archaeological sites dating back to the Ottoman era, and has also a port mostly used for carrying commodities and passengers to Saudi Arabia on the opposite side of the Red Sea.
This bilateral agreement is reached in a context of tense relations between Egypt and Sudan on the one hand, and Egypt and Turkey on the other hand. There is in particular a long-standing sovereignty dispute between Egypt and Sudan over the border region known as the Hala’ib Triangle, which is currently under Egyptian ‘administrative’ control, and has been again recently claimed by Sudan as part of its territory.
International legal issues
Although the text of the agreement has not been disclosed, it is likely that the deal qualifies as a ‘territorial lease’ in the meaning of international law, that is, an agreement by which a State grants another State, the right to use and exercise control over part of the former’s territory. Territorial leases raise complex international law issues, in particular in terms of sovereignty over the leased land (or territory) and international responsibility. It is unclear at this stage whether the Turkish military would be allowed under the agreement to use the port facilities at Suakin.

domain: law


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Newlyweds Nicole & Keith Off to Honeymoon
What comes next for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban after such a lavish wedding ceremony? It's honeymoon. That's one thing for sure.
Where the Australia's hottest celebrity couple would like to spend their honeymoon is still a speculation for both parties remained tight-lipped about their post-wedding plans. Though so, local media have widely tipped either Fiji or Tahiti as the most likely destinations.
In fact, Nicole and Keith have on Monday morning spotted boarding the actress' private jet, heading for a secluded honeymoon getaway. Several reports have suggested the pair have spent up to 250,000 Australian dollars (US$183,000) to hire out Fiji's exclusive Wakaya Club Resort for a week.
The ultra-exclusive island resort is a preferred destination for superstars seeking to avoid the prying eyes of paparazzi and celebrity gawkier.
More Nicole Kidman News
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domain: celebrity


A candidate running for Cave Creek Town Council has withdrawn his name from the election.
Resident Steve Snider, one of 12 candidates running for a council seat in the March 17 election, has decided to step down from the race for personal reasons.
He ran promoting a platform of fiscal responsibility and criticized the town for its $62 million debt.
In an e-mail sent to The Republic Tuesday night, Snider said, “First and foremost I want to thank all those who have supported me in this process, you have blessed and humbled me more than you will ever know. With that said, due to personal issues I can no longer continue to seek a seat on the town council.”
He said he would not comment any further.
Snider was not present for the Cave Creek candidate forum sponsored by local newspaper Sonoran News, Jan. 30.
In the e-mail, he goes on to say, “But this is not about me, and it never has been. This is about a process that guarantees us equal representation. This is about us and our representatives being equal participants in this thing we call government.”
The Cave Creek Town Council is made of up of a mayor and six council members. Their terms last two years, with all seats being up for election on the odd year.
Other candidates running for council this year include:
Shelley Anderson, incumbent.
James Bruce, incumbent.
Ernie Bunch, incumbent.
Mike Durkin, electrical engineer.
Dick Esser, incumbent.
Steven LaMar, incumbent.
Thomas McGuire, incumbent.
Reginald Monachino, planning commission vice chair.
Charles Spitzer, technical support for Boston-based computer company.
Adam Trenk, lawyer, former town councilman.
Eileen Wright, retired.
Additionally, Mayor Vincent Francia is running unopposed.


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Lately, I find myself revisiting the ideas of the books I read on literary criticism and post-structuralist philosophy (authors like Barthes, Derrida, Foucault. Terry Eagleton's "Literary Theory" is a great starting point) in the late 80s and early 90s quite frequently. The idea of the meaning as unfixed and unstable and "the text" as being a creation formed from the connections between author, reader and other "texts" seem particularly relevant in contemporary, digital pop-culture.
The most peculiar piece of recent pop postmodernity has to be the Burger King "Spongebob" television ads. The ad features the resurrected, retro-nostalgic "king" mascot performing a musical incantation that mashes the worlds of hip-hop and and children's television. There is a 2 minute version but I find the short, 15 second version the most interesting. Has anyone ever packed more fractured meaning and references into 15 seconds? The spot plays like a kaleidoscope of referential shards. (It's awesome and you know it.)
I watched JCVD, a French film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as himself, a broke, has-been actor who gets caught up in a post office robbery. It's very good and oddly, fascinating. Towards the end of the film he floats up to the ceiling and engages the audience directly in a lengthy monologue about himself and his persona. Clever, French, excellently shot, SUBTITLED, crime film, starring Van Damme, playing himself... not much else needs to be said.
The blur between reality and fiction is now a normative feature of the pop-culture landscape. The retrograde glamour that accompanies the unspoken subtext on the lives of the actors in films like The Wrester, Balboa, and Rambo (and Michael Jackson's comeback, if it happens) is a large part of the spectacle and appeal. The twists of fate shown in these faces are arresting stories unto themselves. I like to them as visual press releases.
I was at the bookstore and I picked up a copy of Michel Foucault's book "This is Not a Pipe". The book itself is about signs and meaning. The image on the cover is a painting by Magritte. It features a painting of a pipe and painted text blowing which reads, in french, "This is Not a Pipe". A staff member must have placed a Post-it on the cover to resolve questions and uncertainties about what the book is about and what category it properly belonged to.
I thought it was funny.

domain: entertainment


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1970's, Agatha Christie, Albert Finney, Anthony Perkins, Colin Blakely, Denis Quilley, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Cassel, John Gielgud, Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, Michael York, Murder Mystery, Murder on the Orient Express, Rachel Roberts, Richard Widmark, Sean Connery, Sidney Lumet, Vanessa Redgrave, Wendy Hiller
Murder on the Orient Express
- Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot
- Lauren Bacall as Mrs. Hubbard
- Martin Balsam as Bianchi
- Ingrid Bergman as Greta Ohlsson
- Jacqueline Bisset as Countess Andrenyi
- Michael York as Count Andrenyi
- Jean-Pierre Cassel as Pierre Michel
- Sean Connery as Colonel Arbuthnott
- John Gielgud as Beddoes
- Wendy Hiller as Princess Dragomiroff
- Anthony Perkins as Hector McQueen
- Vanessa Redgrave as Mary Debenham
- Rachel Roberts as Hildegarde Schmidt
- Richard Widmark as Ratchett
- Denis Quilley as Antonio Foscarelli
- Colin Blakely as Hardman
Surely one of the best adaptations of an Agatha Christie novel, Murder on the Orient Express is a splendid, stylish and sensational murder mystery boasting what has to be one of the most star-studded casts ever assembled on film. Elegantly directed by Sidney Lumet and with a sumptuous recreation of the elite of the 30’s in costume and decor, Murder on the Orient Express is not to be missed for fans of movies that are often referred to as ‘films they just don’t just make like this anymore’.
Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective is travelling aboard the eponymous train from Istanbul to Paris, then he will travel to England to attend important business. The train is unusually crowded but the eccentric Poirot has managed to find a cabin by way of his friend Bianchi, who is also travelling on the same journey. Poirot is approached by a secretive businessman named Ratchett, who offers him a large sum of money if he can find out who has been sending him threatening letters. The detective has no interest in the case and turns it down. The next morning, Ratchett is found dead, stabbed a dozen times in his bed. It is then up to Poirot to investigate the case as the train has been caught in a snow drift somewhere in the Balkan Regions on the night of the murder. He is surrounded by a rich array of suspects including; the loquacious and obnoxious Mrs. Hubbard, the simple-minded Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson, the icy and glamorous Count and Countess Andrenyi, the quiet conductor on the train Pierre Michel, Colonel Arbuthnott, an officer in the British Indian Army, the buttoned up valet of the deceased, Beddoes, the ageing Russian royal Princess Dragomiroff, Hildegarde Schmidt, her personal maid, Hector McQueen, the secretary to the deceased, Mary Debenham, a teacher and paramour of Colonel Arbuthnott, Foscarelli, an Italian-American car salesman and Hardman, a secretive agent for a detective service. As he investigates, Poirot deduces that Ratchett was really a gangster, who played his part in the notorious kidnapping and murder of Daisy Armstrong, a prominent aviator’s daughter, many years before. Through interrogation and the exercise of his ‘little grey cells’ Poirot tries to figure out this bizarre case filled with secrecy and enshrouded with shocks and red herrings. So sit back and enjoy as the detective makes his way through the case in which nothing is as it seems.
Sidney Lumet keeps the atmosphere of the time and gradual deducing of the crime through employing a brisk pace to the film and making exceptional use of the camera. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Poirot’s excellent denouement in which he paces up and down the carriage and recounts his findings. The way the camera captures the faces of the guests, filled with anxiety, astonishment and shock as they silently listen, is quite masterful as the complex case is laid bare in front of them. The opening sequence in which the history of the Armstrong Case is shown whilst intercut with newspapers clippings, is another highlight of lighting and atmosphere, getting the film off to a suspenseful and haunting start. The magnificent score exudes suspense and glamour and is a great attribute to the film.
The star-studded cast is almost certainly the biggest draw in the film, even if some actors are underused in the process. Albert Finney is particularly eccentric and witty as Poirot, stealing the show as he delves into one of the most complex cases in his illustrious career. Lauren Bacall is acerbically funny as the chatty Mrs. Hubbard, her fussy outbursts masking her quiet intelligence. Martin Balsam has some great scenes with Albert Finney as the panicking Bianchi, who is the one who entrusts the case with Poirot. In a small but well-played part that won her an Oscar, Ingrid Bergman is luminous and touching as the missionary with poor command of English. Jacqueline Bisset and Michael York are icily impressive as the wealthy count and his beautiful bride. Jean-Pierre Cassel exudes a quiet intensity and shyness as the conductor Pierre, who is still a suspect despite helping out in the case. John Gielgud relishes the witty lines as the buttoned-up and knowledgable butler Beddoes. Wendy Hiller shines as the evasive member Russian royalty, along with Rachel Roberts as the terse German maid. Vanessa Redgrave glows in her role of the English teacher who doesn’t take kindly to Poirot’s questioning about her relationship with the colonel. In the brief but important role of Ratchett, Richard Widmark is sly and disagreeable even though he knows it’s only a matter of time before something happens to him. On the underused side, unfortunately is Sean Connery who has nothing much to do in the film except vehemently disagree with Poirot. Anthony Perkins could have been used better, instead of him turning in another variation on Norman Bates. Denis Quilley and Colin Blakely are also not used to any real effect.
Despite the wasting of certain actors talents and the pace lulling at various points, Murder on the Orient is none the less a distinguished and thrilling adaptation of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, presided over by the excellent direction of Sidney Lumet.


One day after being hired as the head football coach at the University of Louisville again, Bobby Petrino is busy at work in his new office.
Petrino is trying to put the finishing touches on his staff, is breaking down his current roster and has started to reach out to recruits.
Louisville had 24 verbal commitments before Charlie Strong bolted for Texas last week and many of those kids are still committed to the Cardinals.
One assistant coach with knowledge of the U of L situation said he feels like Louisville "has been very lucky keeping as many as they have."
Now, it's Petrino's turn to make sure they stay committed.
Offensive lineman Kavaris Harkless enrolled at Florida, while defensive lineman Poona Ford has eliminated U of L from his list. But the remainder of the 22 commitments are either still committed or still looking at the Cardinals.
Jacksonville, Fla., wide receiver Isaiah Ford decommitted from U of L but still said he lists the Cardinals as one the four schools that he's considering.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., wide receiver George Rushing also said he has re-opened the process but still has a visit set to U of L for later this month. Lakeland, Fla., defensive tackle Chris Nelson also said he is still likely to make a visit to U of L, while also considering other schools, including Texas.
But with the other players, so far the reaction has been positive.
"I am ready to sit down and talk to him ASAP," Bonnafon said. "I know he will keep this program moving in the right direction.
"Coach (Bob) Beatty (at Trinity) is close to him and gets a lot from him, so I feel like it will be (an offense) I am used to."
Powder Springs, Ga., linebacker Henry Famurewa said he had heard of Petrino before and "like him for what he has done."
"I hope we really click once we are together and once we meet," Famurewa said. "I will take my visit (on Jan. 17) and right now that's it."
Tallahassee, Fla., cornerback De'Eric Culver said he didn't know Petrino but was "aware of who he is and I am still committed." Culver also has a visit set for California this month and is hearing from Nebraska.
Jacksonville, Fla., wide receiver Desean Blair said he has heard of Petrino and his offensive prowess and remains committed to the Cardinals. He is also scheduled to visit Nebraska later this month.
"I have heard a lot of stuff about him and his offense," said Blair, who has already chatted with Petrino, Kolby Smith and Lamar Thomas. "It was a good start," Blair said.
Cincinnati Walnut Hills safety Nilijah Ballew said he's also only slated to visit U of L – on Jan. 17 – and remains committed to the Cardinals.
"I'm just waiting to get to know him," Ballew said. "I hope I can form a great relationship and I hope he and his staff can get me to the next level."
Columbus, Ohio, tight end Micky Crum said he has done some research on Petrino and "I kinda like the guy a lot."
"I like that he's one of the best offensive minds in the country," Crum said. "Yes, I am still committed to Louisville.
Fort Pierce, Fla., defensive end Rashawn Shaw is also listed as a "soft" commitment and will take some other visits.
Marion, Ohio running back L.J. Scott, junior-college defensive end Trevon Young and Indianapolis wide receiver Cameron Polk have already enrolled. North Carolina linebacker Isaac Stewart is hoping to enroll next week.


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UPDATED, 9 AM: Rob Riggle is set to host the 23rd annual Hollywood Film Awards next month at the Beverly Hilton. The multihyphenate Daily Show alum co-hosts ABC’s Stephen Curry-produced Holey Moley, stars in Sony Crackle’s Rob Riggle’s Ski Master Academy and fronts the upcoming Discovery series Rob Riggle: Global Investigator.
PREVIOUSLY, June 26: The 23rd annual Hollywood Film Awards are set for November 3 this year, placing it on the same weekend as the 2018 edition.
The event, produced by dick clark productions and to be held once again at the Beverly Hilton, is known as one of the earliest stops on the movie awards-season circuit. That will be the case again in a year that will see a compressed campaign schedule stemming from the Oscars’ early February 9, 2020 date.
HFA awards are pre-selected and honor films, actors and crafts. Last year, eventual Oscar Best Picture winner Green Book received the Hollywood Ensemble Award and the Hollywood Screenwriter Award, and Black Panther won the Hollywood Film Award.
Awards are also handed out for directing, cinematography, visual effects, film composing, costume design, editing, production design, sound and makeup & hairstyling.
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Image 1 of 1
WTC both towers burning.psd
Both of New York's Twin Towers burn after being struck by two hi-jacked airplanes on September 11, 2001.
- ©Protected Image. Photo by: John Muggenborg (917)721-7091
- Image Size
- 2036x3072 / 17.9MB
muggenborg, September 11, NYC, New York City, muggphoto, World Trade center, WTC, attack, twin towers, 09/11/01, war, collapse, ash, spread, "here is new york", HINY, image, download, downloadable, royalty free, RF, free, stock, stock photography, photo, picture, damage, tragedy, location, documentary, history, loss, debris, aftermath, crash, memory, sad, skyline, Brooklyn, bridge, plume, smoke, gray, cloud, plane, river, city, landscape, cityscape, never forget, 911, 9/11
- Contained in galleries


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14 February 2023
GBG, the global technology specialist in fraud and compliance management, identity verification and location data intelligence, today unveiled its top five predictions for 2023 as financial institutions (FIs) in Asia Pacific continue to navigate the challenges of global economic uncertainty.
Dev Dhiman, Managing Director, APAC, GBG said: “In 2023, we anticipate demand for greater transparency and identity security to move the business agenda forward in financial institutions. The world’s greatest innovations have emerged in times of major economic and political turmoil, and digital investments will remain the core foundation of true transformation in safeguarding financial institutions from modern digital risks and cyber threats.”
As all eyes turn to what this year may bring, here are five key predictions for how FIs are expected to be impacted in the evolving fraud landscape:
Expect tighter regulation to bolster fraud mitigation
The financial sector today is experiencing spikes in fraudulent online transactions as cybercriminals now have more attack surface to exploit as businesses continue to digitalise in the post-pandemic era. At least 51 per cent of organisations worldwide have encountered fraud in the past two years. Whilst the Asia Pacific region’s growing number of online users and digital payment channels have given rise to a more complex fraud analysis environment.
Scaling fraud detection to growing digital transaction volumes (39 per cent) and identity verification (38 per cent) were among the top challenges faced by Asia Pacific FIs, according to a TABInsights study commissioned by GBG. As FIs seek to expand their digital offerings, regulators are expected to further tighten fraud prevention and compliance policies. The findings show the most critical gap in fraud risk investigation lie in inadequate data standardisation and governance (38 per cent), and fragmented data with piecemeal systems and software (32 per cent), pushing institutions to increasingly explore regulatory technology solutions.
Government regulatory bodies are imposing hefty fines on FIs who fail to meet data protection regulations and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance requirements. GBG’s survey findings show stringent supervision and penalties on FIs have resulted in increased monetary losses in the form of regulatory fines, the highest-ranking component of fraud loss at 41 per cent, compared to direct fraud losses (28 per cent) experienced by FIs.
Digital risk and cybersecurity are starting to converge amid rapid digitalisation
Rapid digitalisation over the course of the pandemic sparked an uptick in self-service and online services. The focus has now shifted to central banks taking a proactive approach in policymaking and risk management strategy towards cybersecurity to combat digital fraud. The study revealed that FIs in the past year have expected money laundering (69 per cent) and malware (64 per cent) to continually grow amid the escalating threat dynamics. This underlines the urgent need for institutions to address accelerating fraud risks and adopt stronger fraud prevention capabilities.
Singapore saw a loss of S$346.5m to social engineering scams in the first half of 2022 alone, a significant portion compared to the S$453m stolen by scammers in the entire year of 2021. The evolving risk dynamics forcing FIs to drive the adoption of advanced fraud analysis, including device fingerprinting, user behaviour analytics, and account identification verification, highlights the digital trust imperative that will shape the consumer trend landscape.
In 2022, organisations across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) faced an unprecedented record number of malicious, large scale data breaches. As a result of these cyber-attacks, FIs are ramping up security measures and prioritising identity verification as the impact of identity theft continues to grow in this region. In fact, FIs in ANZ are prioritising solutions that offer a single view of their customer’s journey from identity verification through to fraud monitoring capabilities on one, seamless platform. Whilst confidently knowing they are keeping their customers’ data safe, improving their efficiencies and reducing manual operations.
FIs will ramp up AI adoption in response to AI/ML tools exploitation to evade fraud detection
Artificial intelligence (AI) is fuelling the development of a more dynamic world, but fraudsters are also misusing these same technologies for ill gain as deepfakes, AI-supported hacking and password guessing, and impersonation techniques take rise. FIs are increasingly adopting machine learning (ML) capabilities to train models in recognising the data correlation to a known fraud scenario, with 47 per cent of FIs having already adopted ML tools, while 37 per cent are now beginning to use them.
Advance technologies have made fraud more accessible to cybercriminals and validating the authenticity of communication is key to keeping up with sophisticated fraud techniques. Findings show strong ML adoption in Indonesia (71 per cent) and Thailand (69 per cent) and an uptick in the adoption of robotic analytics in Vietnam (67 per cent), Singapore (63 per cent) and Malaysia (62 per cent) to address fraud prevention and increase false positives detection.
As the volume of fraud continues to rise to new heights in 2023, near-real time decisioning through predictive analysis and a holistic view of end-to-end financial crime prevention are crucial components of FIs’ digital initiatives as they navigate an increasingly complex fraud landscape.
Cloud adoption becomes a focus to be better equipped for the onslaught of sophisticated fraud typologies
The survey indicates growing cloud adoption amongst FIs—69 per cent say they prefer their fraud management solutions to be hosted by solution providers rather than on-premise (31 per cent)—as their cloud strategy is split almost equitably between hybrid, private and public cloud.
Legacy architecture, silos of structured and unstructured data, and data governance, have accelerated the shift towards more agile, scalable and flexible cloud-based infrastructure as FIs upgrade legacy systems and invest in end-to-end financial crime prevention solutions. For Singapore’s mature banks, their technology investments will be geared towards real-time transaction monitoring, alternative data analysis, and machine learning capabilities to combat fraud.
A robust identity verification and authentication solution is essential for fraud prevention and risk management. FIs are paying attention and beginning to leverage modern cloud technologies and taking a more structured, strategic approach with proactive multi-pronged data and technology initiatives in a race to future-proof themselves.
Expect major changes to cryptocurrency markets as fraudster exploit vulnerabilities
Emerging blockchain technology (48 per cent) that forms the underlying foundation of decentralised finance (DeFi) and the growth of cryptocurrencies (31 per cent) have emerged as top concerns among FIs. Phishing, routing attacks and account takeovers are posing potential threats on blockchain networks. The risk perimeter is expanding with the uptick in new technologies such as cloud, open banking, blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies are among the leading payment methods on the darknet, and regulators are watching closely to curb the use of cryptocurrencies in money laundering and criminal activities.
Unfortunately, organisations across all sectors are at risk from cyberattacks and the rising sophistication of data breaches has highlighted the need for all to urgently take action to improve their data security practices. Whilst cyberattacks are not new, they are increasing in frequency and in nature, which is changing the paradigm of data security. With financial crime risk higher than ever, FIs need to move beyond a traditional reactive approach and adopt stronger measures, such as robust identity verification and authentication tools, and real-time threat detection to proactively combat fraud.


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Perle Elg |
Fabelagtig falafel opskrift (Danish)
DIY stamp, take the idea and use it with your own custom design
Beach crabs - cup, googly eyes, pipe cleaners
Hot glue jelly beans to tree branches for an adorable Easter Tree (suggestion only).
Starting Seeds… with a 2-liter bottle!
Easter Cake Pops | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
: drawing little birds on everything
Find a stencil online and trace it onto different colored scrapbook paper


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Kenya's Supreme Court has ordered the re-tallying of votes cast at 22 polling stations – out of 33,000 – in the 4 March presidential election.
The court said its agents would check whether the number of votes was higher than the number of registered voters.
Defeated candidate Raila Odinga says the result was manipulated to give Uhuru Kenyatta victory – a charge election officials deny.
Mr Kenyatta passed the 50% mark for outright victory by about 4,100 votes
The BBC's Frenny Jowi in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, says while only 22 of out 33,0000 polling stations are affected, the ruling is significant because of the narrow margin by which Mr Kenyatta avoided a run-off.
He won by 50.07% to Mr Odinga's 43.31%.
Under Kenyan law, the court has until Saturday to decide whether or not to confirm Mr Kenyatta's victory.
Mr Kenyatta – the son of Kenya's founding leader Jomo Kenyatta – is due to stand trial at the at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in July on charges of crimes against humanity, following claims that he orchestrated violence after the last election in 2007.
He denies the allegation, and his lawyers have asked judges to throw out the case.
Mr Odinga's Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) says his votes were "tampered with and reduced", while the number of ballots cast for Mr Kenyatta was inflated.
Chief Justice Willy Mutunga said the court would be impartial in its verdict.
"You must trust us to do our jobs," he said.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says it is confident that the final result was credible.
The court also ordered the IEBC to provide the voter registration list it used when tallying the presidential vote after an electronic system used to count votes broke down, causing massive delays and confusion, AFP news agency reports.
The election was largely peaceful, unlike in 2007 when some 1,000 people were killed after the results were announced.
Mr Odinga also lost that election, claiming it had been rigged in favour of outgoing President Mwai Kibaki.
The violence ended after he and Mr Kibaki agreed to form a coalition government.
Mr Odinga was appointed prime minister and Mr Kenyatta, who backed Mr Kibaki, the deputy prime minister.


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Despite the secrecy surrounding Kurt Russell's role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 during pre-production and principle photography, his character's name and relationship to a key Guardian was revealed last Saturday at Comic-Con International: San Diego. And, as director James Gunn explained it, it's part of the "imperfect world" we live in and the reality of marketing the film.
As he wrote in a post on his Facebook page, Russell "is very much a part of all of it" and it would be difficult to cut trailers or present clips omitting him and the character.
But, perhaps more importantly, Gunn wanted control of revealing the character himself. "This was going to come out soon, as much as we've tried to hide it (when our online press day happened on set, Kurt Russell sat in a chair that read "J'son," and all of our script pages and artwork featuring him used the same name)," he wrote. The confirmation that Russell was playing Ego and Peter Quill's father was one of the biggest cheers during the Marvel presentation in Hall H last week. Followed by laughs thanks to a clip from the film featuring Drax openly questioning how Ego fathered a child. Controlling the reveal certainly led to an exciting moment for fans.
And though Russell's identity in the film constitutes a spoiler of sorts, Gunn also explained that Ego — and his relationship to Peter Quill — is not a twist in the vein of classic spoilers like Darth Vader's relationship to Luke, Soylent Green's relationship to people or Barzini's role in the Sollozzo business. "Ego [is] the emotional center of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 from the beginning to the end," the director continued.
He also teased there will be many more surprises in the film, including how much people will enjoy the finished work.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 opens on May 5th, 2017.


Connecticut’s captive sector records 35% growth in 2020
Connecticut approved six new captive insurance companies in 2020, including five pure captives and one special purpose financial vehicle captive.
This represented growth of more than 35 percent for Connecticut’s captive insurance industry.
Connecticut’s Insurance Commissioner Andrew Mais said: “Our long-term goal is for Connecticut to continue to grow its presence as one of the nation’s most attractive and well-respected states in which businesses can domicile their captive insurance companies.”
He attributed the sector’s growth in 2020 to the captive division’s outreach initiative, which aimed to expand Connecticut’s presence and reputation as a domestic captive domicile. The initiative was developed in association with the Connecticut Captive Insurance Association (CCIA) and the Connecticut Society of CPAs (CTCPA), while the National Network of Accountants (NNA) conducted education outreach to accountants on the benefits of captive insurance for their clients.
“Given the difficult year we all experienced, 2020 proved to be a growth year for captives,” concluded Mais.