Lin-Manuel Miranda has announced “Almost Like Praying,” a new benefit single for Puerto Rico. The song interpolates a line from “Maria” from the musical West Side Story. Alongside Miranda, a host of artists are also featured—Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan, Camila Cabello, Fat Joe, Luis Fonsi, Marc Anthony, Ruben Blades, Dessa, actor Gina Rodriguez, and more. All proceeds from the track will go to the Hispanic Federation UNIDOS Disaster Relief Fund, which will provide much needed aid to Puerto Ricans living in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Yesterday, Miranda shared a Spotify playlist called “For Puerto Rico Por Puerto Rico,” which also raises funds for disaster relief.
Other musicians have stepped up to aid in Puerto Rico’s disaster relief. Last week, Beyoncé jumped on a remix of J Balvin and Willy William’s “Mi Gente” that benefits those affected by natural disasters in the Caribbean and Mexico. Last night, Chance the Rapper held a live stream event for his Hollywood Bowl benefit concert, which facilitated viewer donations to Hurricane Maria victims via the nonprofit Direct Relief.


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Yay! We managed to take some photos without dressing up as an Eskimo! And that’s something this time of year. Prepare for lots of craziness!
I fell in love with this skirt the second I saw it, so yes – I believe in love at first sight (High five, Kylie Minogue!). It’s checkered, which is one of the hottest autum/winter 2016 trends, and it’s fluffy (Made 20% of wool). The simple turtleneck added a bit of sophistication and elegance. I wore faux fur cardigan to stay warm, but also because it just goes perfectly with this set. The lipstick just killed me when I first wore it, and I admit I was a bit scared before that it would look crazy, but I turns out I like it more then reds and browns. Hopefully you’ll like this style as much as I do!
Photography by Michal Belka / Illustration by me
Shoes: Russell & Bromley
Watch: Massimo Dutti
Sunglasses: Liu Jo

domain: artistic


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With the full text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) treaty now available, groups espousing environmental and workers’ interests state that the actual text is even worse than what they had expected. Environmental groups note that climate change is not even mentioned in the treaty. Workers’ groups note that the TPP will continue the experience under past treaties of US jobs moving overseas to lower wage countries and, therefore, reducing jobs and wages here in the US. This pattern will continue to undermine the middle class. Furthermore, on issues ranging from access to affordable medicines to the open Internet to food safety and labeling (e.g., country of origin and presence of genetically modified organisms [GMOs]), the TPP furthers corporate interests while undermining the interests of the public.
Labor and environmental groups also note that there is no dispute resolution process focused on workers’ rights or environmental protection that parallels the Investor-State Dispute Resolution (ISDS) tribunals for multi-national corporations. If a state or country tries, for example, to ban or limit fracking or stop a coal mine, the fossil fuel corporation can sue the state or national government in the ISDS tribunal to overturn the action or get compensation. There is no similar mechanism for protecting workers or the environment.
The TPP also provides unjustified expansions of intellectual property protections in ways that benefit corporations. It extends and expands patents on drugs so that it will be longer before cheaper, generic versions of drugs are on the market and so that it will be harder for health care insurers to negotiate lower drug prices with the pharmaceutical corporations.
It requires Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to protect copyrights on corporate products such as movies and music. The TPP threatens ISPs with substantial penalties if they fail to shut down or remove protected content from a website that shares copyrighted material. Therefore, ISPs are likely to act in favor corporate copyright holders as soon as a copyright violation is alleged.
The fact that the TPP enshrines corporate power is not a surprise. Corporate executives have been involved in the negotiating process from the beginning while everyone else was locked out. Furthermore, the process of drafting the TPP and now of approving it has been the target of substantial lobbying by multi-national corporations. Over the eight years of negotiations, 487 clients paid lobbyists to meet with or contact lawmakers and administration officials to discuss the TPP. Clients who reported lobbying on the TPP accounted for nearly thirty percent of all reported lobbying expenditures. The TPP has been mentioned 4,875 times in lobbying reports since 2008, when the US began negotiations. Corporations and other groups, such as the US Chamber of Commerce, paid lobbyists $2.6 billion during this period, although that figure includes lobbying expenditures on other issues listed along with the TPP on lobbying reports. The lobbying increased each year as the negotiations continued. Just two organizations mentioned the TPP in their 2008 lobbying reports but that number exploded to 1,317 in 2014.
In a future post, I’ll discuss TPP’s failure to address currency manipulation and its ineffectiveness as a geopolitical response to the growing power of China.
 Fulton, D., 11/5/15, “’Worse than we thought’: TPP a total corporate power grab nightmare,” Common Dreams (http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/11/05/worse-we-thought-tpp-total-corporate-power-grab-nightmare)
 Popular Resistance Newsletter, 11/8/15, “The secretly negotiated TPP will impact your life in many ways; together we can stop it,” (https://www.popularresistance.org/newsletter-10-shocking-realities-of-the-tpp-join-the-revolt/)
 Tucker, W., 10/6/15, “Millions spent by 487 organizations to influence TPP outcome,” Center for Responsive Politics (http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2015/10/millions-spent-by-487-organizations-to-influence-tpp-outcome/?utm_source=CRP+Mail+List&utm_campaign=3570922ae8-Newsletter_9_24_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9df8578d78-3570922ae8-210762457)

domain: news


Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard sends former Rockets forward Chandler Parsons and teammates home early after a buzzer-beating shot in game six of their first round playoff series last year (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens).
NBA Preview 2014-15
Predicted order of finish
- 1) Oklahoma City
- 2) Portland
- 3) Minnesota
- 4) Denver
- 5) Utah
Oklahoma City Thunder
2013-14 season: 59-23, 1st in Northwest
Playoff result: Lost to San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals in six games.
Coach: Scott Brooks (293-170 7th season)
Strengths: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook…Durant is perhaps the best scorer and the most dominant player in the Western Conference and is the favorite to win another MVP award, but Durant has improved in other areas. Westbrook is as good as anybody at the point guard with his superior athleticism that has made him a consistent offensive threat. Add Serge Ibaka as a solid No. 3 scorer in addition to the fact that he doesn’t need a lot of touches to be effective as he led the league in blocked shots last season. Reggie Jackson is emerging as a star in this league and could be playing big minutes for other teams.
Weakness: There is a hole at the shooting guard position. They did add long-range specialist Anthony Morrow from New Orleans, or could Jackson be that guy there? Jackson has been vocal about his desire to play a bigger role, could it be this opportunity? They could use more depth especially in the frontline positions of forward and center. Kendrick Perkins, the enforcer for the Thunder, will miss some time early in training camp with a knee injury. They do have a nice prospect in Steven Adams, who saw a lot of playing time last season.
Outlook: Oklahoma City should continue to dominate the Northwest Division and more importantly is among the elite in the Western Conference. However, pressure will start to mount on the Thunder with Durant’s impending free agency in a couple years. The Thunder are one of the best transition teams in the league with Durant and Westbrook, but their basketball IQ is not up there with San Antonio yet. Pressure for this talented group to win a championship is mounting by the year. Can they get it done this year?
Prediction: 58-24, 1st in Northwest Division, Western Conference Finals.
2013-14 season: 54-28, 2nd in Northwest
Playoff result: Lost to the San Antonio Spurs in six games in the Western Conference semifinals.
Coach: Terry Stotts (201-245, 7th season, 3rd season with the Blazers).
Strengths: Portland has a great inside-outside punch with LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. Lillard is one of the best young point guards in the league as he can create his own shot and can hit them in the clutch as well. Aldridge has been pretty consistent at power forward, rated one of the best in the league over the last five years. They have great rebounders at every position leading the NBA in rebounding last season. Portland does a great job in taking care of the ball as well, ranking in the bottom four last year in turnover ratio even though the Blazers play at a pretty good pace compared to most teams.
Weakness: The bench is subpar at best. Sixth man Mo Williams is gone and the few reserves they do have cannot be counted upon to give the team much. They are average defensively as the Blazers gave up 102.8 points per game last season. Although he has made progress, Lillard has to put as much interest on defense as he does on offense. Plenty of the players are in contract years, which usually results in selfish play in years past with other teams. Robin Lopez’s play in the middle is key for the Blazers to keep them in the playoff conversation.
Outlook: After missing the playoffs the year before, Portland rebounded with a solid year and advanced past the first round for the first time since 2000. The Blazers starting five, which also includes Nicholas Batum at small forward, Wesley Matthews at shooting guard and Lopez at center still makes them a formidable opponent to match up with especially in the Western Conference with a lot of bigs. Portland has a solid starting unit, but with a subpar bench, can they stay with the elite teams in the West?
Prediction: 50-32, 2nd in Northwest Division, Western Conference first round.
2013-14 season: 40-42, 4th in Northwest
Playoff result: Did not make playoffs last season.
Coach: Flip Saunders (638-526, 18th season, 12th season with Minnesota)
Strengths: Youth and athleticism; Minnesota is built for the future after trading away Kevin Love to Cleveland for the No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and former No.1 pick Anthony Bennett. Wiggins could be a future star in the league and will definitely be key in Minnesota’s growth. In addition, add point guard Ricky Rubio and the Timberwolves have one of the most exciting young cores in the league. Youth may not produce wins and playoff berths in a short period of time, but for now Minnesota will be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the league this season.
Weakness: Winning close games; Minnesota struggled to close out games last season and that was with Kevin Love on the roster. Without him now, veterans like Kevin Martin and Mo Williams will have to hit those shots in the clutch like they have done in their careers. Filp Saunders doesn’t have Kevin Garnett like he did earlier in his career this time around in Minnesota, and with execution late in games being a key with so many young players on the roster the Timberwolves will struggle again this season closing out games late.
Outlook: This is a team with a lot of variability given how much they will have to rely on young players this season. Many of them like Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins are unlikely to be winning contributors in their first years. But there is a slight chance they might. Best-case scenario, Minnesota actually sneaks into the playoffs at bottom of the Western Conference playoff picture. If Saunders can get the Wolves defense in the top 10 without much drop off on offense after the departure of Love, Minnesota could be right around the .500 mark as they make progress with a young team.
Prediction: 40-42, 3rd in Northwest, do not make playoffs.
2013-14 season: 36-46, 4th in Northwest
Playoff result: Did not make playoffs last season.
Coach: Brian Shaw (36-46, 2nd season)
Strengths: Heading into this season, it’s the second unit off the bench for Denver that’s easily the strength of team. The Nuggets have 10 players on their roster that could easily start for other teams and ultimately head coach Brian Shaw will have to find minutes for each of those guys. Denver does get Danilo Gallinari back after undergoing two knee surgeries over the past 18 months. At 6’10, Gallinari can play the small forward spot with the best of them and can shoot the 3-ball with consistentency at 37 percent for his career. Kenneth Faried, coming off his performance in the World Cup, is easily Denver’s best player averaging 18.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game after the All-Star break last season.
Weakness: Denver’s defense will be an ongoing issue throughout the season. The Nuggets had the third-worst defense last season giving up 106.5 points per game. Should Denver be able to fix their defensive woes, they could find themselves in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture. The rock solid starting five can get it done offensively, but if they cannot get it done on the defensive end, Denver could be in trouble.
Outlook: The Nuggets first mistake was letting George Karl walk two seasons ago after winning Coach of the Year and winning 56 games. They brought in Brian Shaw and are still trying to find their identity. A lot of the players returning are a shell of themselves and Shaw will have to find the best combination to get on the floor to be successful. In the Western Conference there are 12 teams legitimately that can compete for the playoffs and the Nuggets chances surely will be determined by how their players coming back from injury perform. With those players coming back and playing like they did in the past, Denver should be competitive for the season and the bench could prove to be huge in March and April.
Prediction: 38-44, 4th in Northwest, do not make playoffs.
2013-14 season: 25-57, 5th in Northwest
Playoff result: Did not make the playoffs.
Coach: Quin Snyder (1st season as head coach)
Strengths: Youth, talent and flexibility are some of the things the Jazz can count on this season. However, translating that into wins is a different story. Look for new head coach Quin Snyder to maximize that young energy next season by playing with a quicker tempo with an emphasis on ball movement. Utah does have big men that can run the floor like Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter and reserve high-flyer Jeremy Evans. They have addressed some shooting concerns, especially from 3-point range with the addition of Steve Novak, drafting Rodney Hood out of Duke along with shoring up their frontline with the addition of Trevor Booker, who should give them some toughness and the ability to score inside. Utah will have to rely on Gordon Hayward, Trey Burke and Derrick Favors to lead the team.
Weakness: To say the Jazz struggled last season on defense would be an understatement. Utah was in the bottom half of the league allowing 102.2 points per game. While Favors and Rudy Gobert are good rim protectors, it will take a total team effort to really turn things around. Shooting from the field was another thing that plagued the Jazz, as they were the seventh worst shooting team from the field with a 44 percent field goal percentage. With the new core of players and an emphasis on player development, it should help the team improve their shooting this season.
Outlook: For the first time since the 2011 departure of Deron Williams, there is reason for long-term optimism in Utah. While the team had draft assets and cap flexibility over the past few years, however, a return to contention was always theoretical without a player in the fold who realistically could become a star. With Dante Exum, a Jazz player with serious upside, the team may finally have that coveted asset. In the brutal Western Conference, Utah does not have any realistic hopes of contending for the playoffs this year. But with young players like Favors, Kanter, Trey Burke, and Gordon Hayward, the Jazz have solid blocks moving forward to build a contending team in the near future.
Prediction: 32-50, 5th in Northwest, do not make playoffs.


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Invisalign involves the use of a system of aligners to straighten teeth. Zia Chishti and Kelsey Wirth created them under the company name of Align Technologies Inc. The products were made available in 1998, and they have grown in popularity since then. However, many people wonder about the cost, ease of use, and results of Invisalign. Below are the nine most common questions about Invisalign Sydney.
1. How much does Invisalign cost?
The cost of Invisalign varies depending on where you live, the dentist you visit, and the complexity of your treatment. Generally, you can expect to pay between $3,000 and $8,000 for the entire treatment. Getting your teeth straightened has never looked better, thanks to Invisalign. With such a new and innovative product, it is important to pay attention to questions surrounding cost. One of the main questions is if dental insurance providers, such as Guardian, cover such aligners. Smile Prep has you covered with all of the answers to these key questions.
2. How much time do Invisalign take to work?
The time it takes for Invisalign to work varies from person to person. On average, it takes about 1 year to complete the treatment. However, this can vary depending on the severity of your case.
3. For how long each aligner can be used?
Each aligner forms to the teeth in your mouth, so they are never reused. They are designed to be worn 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the duration of the treatment plan. Most people find that their aligners last about two weeks, in your case.
4. How often do I need to wear my aligners?
You may have to wear your aligners for approximately 22 hours per day. However, you can remove them to eat and drink.
5. Will Invisalign work for me?
Not everyone is a candidate for Invisalign. Therefore, it is essential to discuss the treatment plan with your dentist to determine if it is right for you.
6. What are the results of Invisalign?
The final results of using Invisalign vary from person to person. The objective of this treatment is not necessarily to straighten teeth but rather to align them so that they look better.
7. What are the side effects of Invisalign?
The most common side effect of using Invisalign is tooth pain. This is usually caused by the aligners not fitting correctly. Other side effects include headaches, sore jaw muscles, and sore teeth.
8. Do Invisalign aligners come in different sizes?
Invisalign uses a size 3 system for their aligners, similar to the average adult’s tooth size of a six-year-old child. This means that more than one person may wear each set of aligners with common sized teeth.
9. Are there any alternatives to Invisalign?
ClearCorrect is another type of teeth straightening system that is becoming more popular. The systems are very similar, but ClearCorrect does not guarantee the same results as Invisalign. If your dentist feels that you will get better results with one over the other, they will discuss it.
10. Can I get an Invisalign treatment plan if I am still growing?
You may not be a candidate for Invisalign if you are still growing. This is because the aligners won’t fit properly and will not provide you with the same results as they would if you were an adult. Your dentist will tell you if you are still growing and if Invisalign is the proper treatment for you.

domain: medical


Indian dance, as Krishnan Guru-Murthy pointed out in a tweet, takes ages. It took a wee while at the opening of the Commonwealth Games on Sunday afternoon, where you might at least expect it, but it also took a while at the opening of the Tory conference in Birmingham at about the same time, where you probably wouldn't.
The message in New Delhi was clear. OK, so you, with your obsession with health and safety and hygiene and deadlines, think we cocked up, but just whose economy do you think is growing at a rate of 7.4 per cent? And yours is? Ah yes, probably on the brink of a double-dip recession. The message in Birmingham was slightly less clear. Perhaps it was so that a party led by a man who once met a black man could say that they'd once seen a brown one – or was it a woman? – dancing. Perhaps it was a metaphor for the (twisty, tortuous, tricky) path ahead. Or perhaps it was a message from the party to its leader, an export from a place where capitalism is capitalism and you let enterprise flourish, and you don't worry about things like trickle-down, and you hide slums with hoardings and banners.
These are people, you can't help thinking, who think that the Indian model of capitalism is a little too kind, and that the New Labour model of capitalism is lifted straight from North Korea. They think there's a Red Ed lurking under every bed, one determined to give mansions in Chelsea to gargantuan Somali families, and to make Middle England pay for them. They think that people are rich because they work hard and poor because they don't. And they think that immigrants come to eat our swans. (They themselves prefer scones.)
It's a pantomime world, of villains and ugly sisters (but not feuding brothers) where everyone is hoping to meet Prince Charming (but not Robin Hood). It's a world in which people can get jolly cross. And so, to make sure that they hiss at the right time, and clap at the right time, you soften them up. First, you give them a bit of guff about elf and safety, making sure that you mention conkers, pancakes and toothpicks (but not the lack of regulation that leads to collapsing bridges or stadia). Next, you give them Gove, and some announcement of a bring-back-flogging academy for trainee teachers, or something like it. You'd love to chuck in bring-back-hanging too, since that would have them moaning in ecstasy, but Ken wouldn't let you, so you don't.
And then what you do is this. On Monday, you get your Chancellor, who, although he's a member of the new, new generation, looks fantastically stern and middle-aged, to tell the people at the pantomime that people whose income is over a certain threshold (a threshold which puts you in the top 10 per cent of the population) and who have children, and who have always had a payment from the state for those children, will lose that payment. They will lose it in order to pay for changes to the welfare system which are meant to be saving money, but which, it turns out, for quite a while, won't. You get him, in other words, to tell people that they are losing income to help the poor, which some people might call a kind of tax, but which you, obviously, don't.
And on Tuesday, you get your Justice Secretary to talk about swapping short jail terms for community sentences and the importance of rehabilitation. And today, you announce that you have decided not only to emulate the Swedish model of "free" schools, but also the Swedish model of social democracy. Or am I getting a bit confused?
On The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning, David Cameron looked radiant after his standard seven hours snoring peacefully away with Sam, and as relaxed as if he was going off for a nice lunch at White's and not off to face the harridans of the Tory heartlands. "What we basically need," he said, in the nice-chap-next-door tone that's nothing less than a miracle for a former Bullingdon boy, "is a system that has universal and fair elements that are part of a decent and civilised society". And the nation (or the tiny portion of it which watches such things) could only nod and mutter "fair point". A decent, civilised society run by a decent, civilised man, and one who doesn't look as though he spent his youth dreaming up masterplans in social engineering.
Ever since he stopped going round saying that he was an optimist, David Cameron has looked a lot happier. Sure, he was optimistic, but only a nutter (or perhaps an opportunist) would be optimistic about the country. What he was optimistic about was being prime minister and, like India with the Commonwealth Games, he got there in the end. He's tried a lot of things. He's having a lovely time. A bit of austerity here (well, OK, an awful lot of it), a bit of largesse there. A bit of tough love, a bit of compassion; a bit of we'll-help-you and a bit of stand-on-your-own-feet. He's mixing it all together, and serving it up with a liberal (literally liberal) sprinkling of gravitas, and finding that it's going down really rather well. Because, it turns out, people don't want another "new dawn". They don't even want to let the sunshine in, because everyone knows the weather's going to be bloody awful, so why pretend that it isn't?
What they want is a roll-your-sleeves-up, together-in-the-national-interest kind of government that looks as though it knows what it's doing and is getting on with it. They want people in charge who don't sit around discussing political theory, or the virtues of industrial action (or how many Tube workers it takes to wreck the plans of millions, to which the answer is not very many) but who get things done. They want people in charge who are sensible and brave. And it looks, in quite a few ways, as though they're getting it. It is sensible and brave to spend a lot of money simplifying welfare payments, and making sure that "work always pays". It is sensible and brave to take a benefit from people who don't need it and give it to people who do. And it is sensible and brave to say that tougher prison sentences are not the answer to crime.
Is it sensible and brave to try to eliminate a £178bn deficit in five years? George Osborne, and a lot of right-wing commentators, and right-wing economists, and a former press officer for the Cairngorms, thinks it is. So does a very big chunk of the British population. A lot of left-wing commentators think it isn't, and so do a lot of left-wing economists, but the commentators take their views from the economists, and the economists were all completely wrong about the crisis that turned the new dawn into Armageddon, so I'm not sure why anyone would ever believe a word that any of them said.
But one thing is clear. Whatever the cause – global crash or Labour profligacy –Britain is facing a very, very serious problem, and the Tories are taking it very, very seriously. The new leader of the Labour Party, on the other hand (who, since he lives in a house that's worth seven times the cost of the average home, with a partner who apparently earns 10 times the average salary, can probably afford to lose his child benefit) barely mentioned, in the jeux sans frontieres of the Labour leadership context, the serious problem that Britain is facing. When he did, in his speech to the party conference last week, he said that he was "serious" about it. People who are serious about something generally don't need to say so. It sounds rather too like a mother saying to little Jack that if he hits his brother one more time (whoops, a bad example) she'll be very, very cross.
"To govern is to choose," said David Cameron yesterday when some of the sharp-elbowed members of the 10 per cent went mad about losing their child benefit. On this, and a surprising number of other things, he's right.Reuse content


After receiving your applications for Police Character Certificate we forward them to Police Authorities in Pakistan for further processing. This process may take 4-6 months and your Certificate will be issued after receiving clearance from Pakistan. Please note that we have no control over replies received from Police Authorities in various Districts of Pakistan. In some cases they take a long time to reply and we have to wait for verification from their end. We regret any inconvenience caused in this regard.


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Jean Jullien’s first monograph, Modern Life, has been published by teNeues, with a foreword by actor Jesse Eisenberg. Jean illustrated the cover and internal images for Jesse’s 2015 fiction book Bream Gives Me Hiccups: And Other Stories.
Modern Life brings together over 150 of Jean’s illustrations gathered from his editorial commissions and Instagram posts. The theme tying the book together is his satirical view on contemporary culture, exemplified by the cover illustration of a man bound by iPhone cables trying desperately to reach another device. From comments on self image to the joy of Fridays, the book celebrates the work of the hugely successful illustrator and his flair for depicting the familiar in a wry, charismatic way.
“Jean uncovers the humour and simple beauty that exists in the people, places, and things that surround him,” says teNeues. “Understanding that visual communication can often be the most direct and immediately understood, [he] cleverly and candidly reveals in his artwork the hilarious realities and universal truths of human behaviour and modern life that connect us all.”
The 160-page, hardback book is €24.90, available now. Read our interview with Jean here.
- The wacky, zany and eccentric world of illustrator Egle Zvirblyte
- Maziyar Pahlevan’s monochrome portfolio is full of typographic experiments
- The cut glass assemblages of graphic-turned-3D designer Juli Bolaños-Durman
- Photographer Mico Toledo documents the defiant protestors of Standing Rock
- Kevin Umaña’s abstract paintings portray a musical symphony
- The delicately ornate, but very cheeky sculptures of Liv and Dom
- Wolff Olins and zigbee launch the “first open-source brand for the Internet of Things”
- Too Fast To Think: why switching off unlocks creativity
- Graphic Design Festival Paris reveals 19 sport-inspired posters by Hort, Julia, Spassky Fischer and more
- FKA twigs teams up with 17 year old photographer David Uzochukwu for new Nike campaign
- Special Projects on why, sometimes, design is best kept simple
- Brian Finke captures the glitz and glamour of the Ms. Senior America beauty pageant


Prof. Dr. Sabine Kropp on “Digitalization of Public Administration in the German Federal System” at the University of Ottawa
News from May 03, 2023
Sabine Kropp gave a presentation on “Digitalization in the German Federal System: Progress at a Snail’s Pace?” at an author’s workshop at the Centre of Governance, University of Ottawa, on April 27-28, 2023.
Germany’s performance in the digitalization of public services has remained modest. The country’s federal structures, featuring neatly entangled responsibilities, have often been considered a major obstacle to the progress with digitalization. Exploring the Online Access Act, this analysis reveals that Germany has adopted a complex coordination procedure to digitalize its public services. This case is contrasted with the digital pact in school policy, by which the federal government co-finances the digitalization of schools and aims to interfere into exclusive Länder jurisdictions. The paper argues that while digitalization has changed the federal order gradually, federalism is only one out of several interplaying factors decelerating the pace of digitalization. Its effects should also be assessed in the light of the legalistic administrative culture, the fragmented cabinet organization, and other detrimental factors.
She also took part in an international panel discussion on the same topic: Digitalization of Public Administration in Federal Countries | Research and innovation (uottawa.ca)


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The Revised Conditions of Service pegged the new retirement age for National Assembly staff at 65 years or 40 years in Service.
Following the amendment, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori and about 150 directors who were near their retirement age had their years of service extended with five years each.
The position of the workers was contained in a letter addressed to the President, Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Senators and members of the 9th National Assembly.
It was signed by the following; Mr. Salisu Funtua, Association’s National President, National Secretary, Akindele Adesanya and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Aguawike Ebele.
The letter said: “The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan recently responded to the trending issue of the Revised Conditions of Service for Staff of the National Assembly which has been a subject of media discuss for over two months.
“In her submission, she took a position that made it seem as if she has authority over legislative proceedings of the legislature and became an arbiter in the Resolution passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly.
“What it means is that every resolution passed by the National Assembly including setting guidelines for the conduct of the plenaries in both Chambers of the National Assembly should pass through the Head of the civil service of the federation, since in the view of the Head of Service, the National Assembly cannot act as independent arm of government.
“It is beyond dispute that the National Assembly Service Commission is the regulatory body for the National Assembly.
“It is the equivalent of the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Federal Judicial Service Commission with respect to the National Assembly.
“The reference to the Civil Service Commission of Federation or of a State in subsection (4) of Section 6 of the National Assembly Service Commission Act is in sync with this stance.
“It is pertinent to note that the Head of service is not a Commission and even within the civil service jurisdiction, it is the Federal Civil Service Commission that appoints, dismisses and exercise disciplinary control over civil servants as contained in paragraph 11 (1)(a) – (b) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
“Hence, the Head of Service lacks the constitutional and statutory competence to dictate issues that bordered on the National Assembly Service Commission jurisdiction.
“The memo of the Head of Service can only be considered as an advisory opinion to the leadership of the National Assembly without any force of Law.
“It has no binding effect because it is a policy statement, guidelines or instrument of whatever value.
“It is therefore, not subject to the National Council on Establishment (NCE) advocacy. This council is an executive arm forum which is a departure from the pith and substance of our argument on an independent National Assembly.
“Our humble submission is based on the generational clarion call to save our constitutional democracy from extinction and subjugation to the executive arm of government.
“In the light of the foregoing, the Revised Conditions of Service for staff of the National Assembly passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly in the 8th Assembly was done within the powers of the National Assembly as an arm of government.
“The National Assembly Service Commission that originated the proposal to the 8th Assembly only exercised its powers in section 19 (1) of the National Assembly Service Act 2014 and it is a positive response to the apprehensive scarcity of specialized legislative bureaucrats all over the world, especially, legislative drafters, reporters, and legislative scrutiny experts etc”.


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The City of Bridge City, Texas adopted a tax rate that will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year's tax rate.
The tax rate will effectively be raised by 12.21 percent and will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately $21.94.
The City of Bridge City adopted a tax rate of .54700 per $100 valuation.
Public Hearings were held on 08/21/18 at 6:00 pm and 09/04/18 at 6:00 pm.
Adoption of the property tax rate was 09/18/18 at 6:00 pm
NOTICE OF 2018 TAX RATE PROPOSED


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I’m on a new kick where I no longer eat dairy and I am trying to cut meat out of my diet as much as I can (except for fish). So, I’ve been looking up a lot of vegan recipes, if only for the no dairy factor. Last night I got the cooking bug and wanted to make something delicious. I had been reading a food blog all day that I found called Bok Choy Bohemia and was really inspired to create my own dish, so that’s what I did.
I was in the mood for orzo pasta and I wanted a creamy sauce to go along with it. Normally, the way you make a creamy sauce is by adding, what else, cream! But since I am not eating dairy, I went in search of soy cream cheese. I know it’s out there; I’ve found recipes calling for it. Also, I’m trying to eat really healthy and was challenging myself to figure out how I could make a creamy sauce without all the calories that creamy products add to food.
I walked into Whole Foods for probably the third time in my life, thinking that surely they would have some soy cheese products. I found soy sour cream, but no soy cream cheese (I noted the sour cream in my head for a later concoction). This did not deter me. Instead I chose to use silken tofu, also known as soft tofu. Along with the tofu I picked up baby portabellas, sun dried tomatoes in oil, fresh spinach, white wine, vegetable stock, and basil. After sautéing the portabellas and sun dried tomatoes in the oil the sun dried tomatoes came in, I added the wine and vegetable stock. I used my handy dandy little bullet blender to blend the tofu with a little wine and stock till it was smooth. I added the tofu to the sauce and let it simmer till it thickened. After the orzo was done I tossed it with the basil and spinach to let the greens wilt a little, then I mixed in the sauce. Delicious!!! I ate it hot but had another bite later that night after it had been in the fridge and it was just as good cold.
Completely vegan and, although not exactly healthy, much healthier than a traditional creamy alternative you would find at any restaurant. Here is the recipe in case you want to try it for yourself. I’d say this serves 3-4 people.
I think I’ll use the leftover orzo to make a pasta frittata…I’ll let you know how that turns out.
One package baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 cups chopped fresh spinach, chopped
½ cup basil, chiffonade (sliced into ribbons)
½ cup sun dried tomatoes drained of oil and chopped (more or less as desired)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup silken tofu
½ package orzo pasta
While the water for the pasta is boiling, sauté the mushrooms in the sun dried tomato oil until brown. Add sun dried tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add white wine and vegetable stock, simmering for 4-5 minutes to reduce. In a blender, add tofu and a splash each of wine and stock; blend until smooth. Add blended tofu to sauce and let simmer for another 4-5 minutes to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Add more stock to achieve your desired consistency. After orzo is done, drain and toss with the spinach and basil for a minute, just until the greens wilt a little. Mix in the sauce and let stand for a minute or two so that the orzo can absorb the flavors. Enjoy!

domain: food


One day after Stephen A. Smith called the Oklahoma City Thunder “very, very predictable,” Russell Westbrook logged his league-leading 17th triple-double. In a way — though not in the way he likely intended — Smith was absolutely correct: It took all of 26.4 minutes for Westbrook to craft his latest triple-double, which ties him with Magic Johnson for the most single-season triple-doubles in the past 30 years. Billy Donovan even sat his oft-roaring, lightning rod of a point guard the entire fourth quarter.
“It’s a great honor,” Westbrook told the Associated Press after the game. “Whenever you’re mentioned in the same sentence as Magic, it’s always great. That’s something you never take for granted.”
Westbrook is one triple-double shy of the three-point era record, but his triple-double production this season is already more impressive than Johnson’s 1988-89 campaign. Here’s why.
Los Angeles’s pace in 1988-89, an estimate of the number of possessions per 48 minutes that a team has, was 100.1; Oklahoma City’s is 96.7 this season, meaning that the Lakers, on average, operated with more possessions on a nightly basis. Additionally, the Lakers attempted more shots per contest than Oklahoma City does, leading to more opportunities for rebounds.
Worth noting, then, is how much time each player spent on the court during their triple-doubles: Johnson averaged 39.9 minutes, Westbrook 33.9, a six-minute difference, 12.5 percent of the entire game. More impressive, though, is that Westbrook’s season average in minutes is 34.5, meaning that he’s putting in less time on court during games in which he racks up triple-doubles than he does for run-of-the-mill games.
Put another way, 12 of Johnson’s triple-doubles (70.5 percent) came in 40-plus minutes; Westbrook has yet to play 40 minutes in game this season while tallying a triple-double, and three have come in fewer than 30 minutes. Moreover, as the Associated Press noted, seven (41.2 percent) have come by the end of the third quarter.
Below are the players’ respective box-score averages for their triple-doubles:
Westbrook is averaging fewer points (19.1 compared with 23.9) and assists (12.9 vs. 14.5), and a lower two-point field-goal percentage (52.8 vs. 54.5) than Johnson during his triple-doubles, but is corralling more rebounds (12.2 compared to 11.9) and shooting better from beyond the arc (29.6 percent vs. 22.1). The Lakers attempted 667 three-pointers during Johnson’s historic campaign, and Westbrook has already taken more than 330 this season.
The number of possessions and minutes played were crucial in allowing Johnson to rack up 17, as is often the case when it comes to triple-doubles. Here’s what the two players’ respective seasons look like when adjusted to a per-100-possessions scale:
As shown, Westbrook sees more points (34 compared with 28.7) and rebounds (11.3 vs. 10.1) than Johnson when the figures are weighted, while Johnson sees more assists (16.4 vs. 14.9).
With three games remaining, Westbrook can pass Johnson’s 1988-89 triple-double campaign. He’s produced more than 50 percent of his triple-doubles this season since the all-star break, so there’s a reasonable chance he’ll pass the mark. But even if he doesn’t, Westbrook has already done more than Johnson did, considering how few minutes he’s played.
“Just play my game,” Westbrook told ESPN.com’s Royce Young. “The game will tell you what to do. Like I said all season, if it’s scoring, then I’ll score, if it’s rebounding, that’s what it is, passing, whatever it is. The game will tell you what to do, and that’s what I try to do.”


By Mina Sharma
The Sun, a popular British Newspaper with sales of around 1.5 million copies daily has featured Prince Harry and his wife Meghan on the front cover with the headline “Harry Krishna” after the Prince revealed that he meditates daily.
Whilst he is not chanting the mahamantra, for the British press to make the connection between meditation and our movement is very powerful.
Prince Harry practices a form of Buddhist meditation. On a visit to a cafe and supermarket that sells discounted food to people on low incomes, they met a 69-year-old Buddhist monk who gave Harry a copy of a book entitled 8 Steps to Happiness after the Prince told him that he meditates every day.
This revelation came as the couple visited Birkenhead on the Wirral peninsula for engagements, including a walkabout in the town centre.


Jesse’s back with another rhythmic hitcharter called It’s Over out from his third studio album, the Departure. The said album promised to be a bye-bye from his teeny-bopper sound. The new track which is scheduled to be released in November 2008 in UK actually nailed it. You can hear some traces of Timbaland and samples that are reminiscent Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, and the likes.
It’s Over was intended to be a ballad wrapped in a poppy appeal. Kinda like how Ne-yo does Go On Girl. Love this track though. Give it a download and listen for yourself.


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A Harlequin Great Dane. The Great Dane, also denoted as Grand Danois, is a German breed. The Great Dane is one of the world's tallest dog breeds; the current world record holder, measuring 112 cm in) from paw to shoulder, is "Zeus".
Top 5 World’s Largest Dog Breeds The Great Dane is one of the world's tallest dog breeds. The world record holder for tallest dog was a Great Dane called Zeus who measured 112 cm in) from paw to shoulder.Their large size belies their friendly nature,
The Great Dane breed is as lovable as it is big. Despite their great size and their original purpose of hunting large boar, Great Danes are quiet and delicate, and have been called Gentle Giant. The Great Dane dog breed is a hunting breed developed in-

domain: pet


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Exploring the prevalence of medication errors in Kuwaiti hospitals
MetadataShow full item record
AbstractObjective: Reducing medication errors in Kuwaiti government hospitals through pharmacovigilance involves the improvement of medication safety culture achieve the desired outcome. The study explored the medication management practices in Kuwaiti hospitals and made recommendations for the improvement of medication safety practices. The aim of the study was to investigate the extent of medication errors in Kuwaiti government hospitals. Methods: Medical records and systems audits, healthcare professionals’ observation study, healthcare professionals survey. Data was collected from paper records, electronic records and systems and the observation study. Data was then analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results: The study revealed important results at all five steps of the medication process. The audit revealed nearly half of the errors identified to have occurred during the prescribing stage. Conclusion: The study revealed important results at all five steps of the medication process. The audit revealed nearly half of the errors identified to have occurred during the prescribing stage. The study highlights the need for an IT based, no-blame incident reports to be implemented and utilised in investigating adverse events and medication errors across the multiple sites in the Kuwaiti healthcare setting to guide reduction strategies and further improve standards of medication safety.
CitationSaada, M., Morrissey, H. and Ball, P. (2022) Exploring the prevalence of medication errors in Kuwaiti hospitals. International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Research, 14(4), pp. 89-94.
PublisherInnovare Academic Sciences
JournalInternational Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Research
Description© 2022 The Author. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.22159/ijcpr.2022v14i4.2013
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

domain: literature


The Royal Netherlands Army can look forward to receiving nine multi-mission radar (MMR) systems from Thales developed entirely in the Netherlands, according to an announcement made on Monday by Thales and the Dutch Defence Equipment Organisation.
Thales Nederland claims that the MMR is one of the most advanced radar systems currently available. According to spokesperson Job van Harmelen, the system can detect and register everything within a radius of 400 km: mortars, drones, planes, helicopters and cruise missiles. It can even distinguish different projectiles in a salvo.
The multi-mission feature is new. 'The radar can follow traces of incoming and outgoing ground fire, but also monitor the entire airspace at the same time. Previously, multiple systems were needed to do this.' The system not only sees where mortars are being fired from, it also calculates where they will land, says Van Harmelen.
Another important advantage of the radar system is its rapid preparation time. It can be transported on a trailer, and can be up and running within two minutes. 'It’s almost plug-and-play,' says Van Harmelen. The system requires no levelling, as any misalignment is automatically corrected by the built-in software.
Lieutenant General Leo Beulen, commander of the Royal Netherlands Army, is delighted with the new system. 'The MMR’s unique multi-mission capability means it can go beyond helping to win long-distance battles by accurately identifying targets,' he says in a press release. 'The MMR will also improve the Royal Netherlands Army’s air defence capacity by combating new threats from the air, such as rocket attacks, artillery and mortar, and unmanned aerial systems.'
The MMR is the latest achievement of the Nederland Radarland partnership, which was set up in 2002 to stimulate knowledge, innovation and developments in the field of radar in the Netherlands. As well as Thales and the Ministry of Defence, the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research and Delft University of Technology are members of the partnership. The MMR system, which was developed jointly by Thales and the Royal Netherlands Army, is a refinement of a radar system previously developed for the Royal Netherlands Navy.
'The Netherlands has a leading position in radar development,' says Geert van der Molen, VP Naval at Thales Netherlands and responsible for marine affairs. According to Van der Molen, the MMR is a 'perfect example' of the results of Nederland Radarland. 'The unique, long-term cooperation between the military experts of the Royal Netherlands Army and Thales has led to an extremely modern multi-mission solution, developed for both current and future threats.'
The first MMR will be delivered in 2.5 years. The purchase represents an investment of 100 to 250 million euros, according to a report in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
Photo: Thales Nederland
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Look from the above at the shapes and geometry we use for cities, blocks, roads, fields, and the like, and you start to get the repeating patterns. Páraic McGloughlin and Pearse McGloughlin highlight these patterns and their connectedness in Arena by stringing together Google Earth images.
Shapes we make, seen from the sky
Projects by Nathan Yau See All →
Relationship Status Geography
Some places attract young singles, whereas others attract married couples and families. I was curious how this varied across the country, so I mapped it.

domain: geography


A panel discussion, “Rebranding Islam,” at the South by Southwest (SWSX) conference in Austin, Texas, last week presented an interesting question: Can savvy marketing and a public relations shoe- shine help the Muslim community gain the trust of Main Street America?
This panel will bring together leaders of the Muslim American community, PR and brand strategists who can foster the sensitive dialogue between religion/politics and public relations/branding. As the controversy of the The Ground Zero Mosque heightened, the issues of religious freedom and tolerance garnered credible support from both sides of the fence, but there is one thing everyone will agree on: The terrorists own the share of voice of Islam. Perhaps the majority of Muslims in America condemn these terrorists, but the terrorist voice is getting all the attention—creating fear in the US and beyond.
This raises interesting questions: Why do terrorists “own” the voice of Islam? Does religious freedom mandate tolerance of intolerance? And how much “sensitive dialogue” and “public relations/branding” would it take to soothe frayed nerves in an era of Times Square bombers, Underwear Bombers, and Mo-mo Christmas Tree Car Bombers – not to mention bulldozer, bus, train, jumbo-jet, pizza parlor, and Katyushah terror?
The two public relation experts on the panel, Alona Elkayam and Michael Maslansky may be good, but nobody’s that good. This is the kind of PR challenge that would make “rebranding” Nestle’s image after their ill-advised Third-World-infant-malnutrition-for-profit scheme look like a cinch.
And yet that was the question, in effect, posed for the panel: Does this level of super-hero salesman on steroids exist? Someone with such a command of slick advertising and social media window-dressing techniques that he can actually convince life-and-liberty-loving Americans that vigilance and caution are not normal human instincts, but shameful evidence of their own intolerance?
That’s a tall order, and you don’t have to take it from me. As plainly stated on the “Rebranding Islam” web page, even the conference’s organizers don’t think it would work – although a little kibitzing “wouldn’t hurt.”
Perhaps the majority of Muslims in America condemn these terrorists, but the terrorist voice is getting all the attention—creating fear in the US and beyond. Stopping terrorism in America and the views Americans have of their fellow Muslim Americans cannot be resolved by a better brand campaign, but it surely wouldn’t hurt.
Despite such low expectations, Elkayam and Maslansky joined Muslim American advocates, Daisy Khan and Zeenat Rahman; and journalist, Joel Mowbray; to discuss what kind of spit and polish would be required to separate Islam from the terrorists… and, I suspect, to convince John and Jane Q. Public that only knuckle-dragging islamophobes are watchful for the next mass murderer wannabe queuing up for future carnage in the name of Allah.
And while the panelists rightfully agreed that mainstream Muslims could improve their image by speaking out more stridently against terrorism, discussion appeared to be thin when it came to the gaping fissures of insight and self-examination within the Muslim community itself.
There are many areas where Islam could shore up their “branding” problem, which Elkayam and Maslansky didn’t mention. I’m no marketing expert, but I would think that Khan’s obsession with delivering joy to whatever rock Osama Bin Laden is hiding under by imposing an “Islamic Cultural Center” smack on top of the ashes, tears, and rubble of Ground Zero might also contribute to Islam’s “branding” problem.
It’s elementary that if you want to sell something, you don’t offend, insult, and injure your target market — and Islam is accomplishing all three with the Cordoba Project. Knowing that American Muslims are determined to build a mosque at the location where hundreds spent their last terrifying minutes on earth listening to throat-cutting madmen chant “allahu-akbar,” could be viewed as a little insensitive and off-putting.
Americans aren’t stupid. If Islamists in Gaza would pass out candy to celebrate the throat-slashing of a three-month-old infidel, it’s ignorant to assume that an Islamic center at Ground Zero wouldn’t become an instant monument to conquest and triumph and a fanatic magnet for zealots gather and seethe about the great Satan and incubate more terrorists like the ones that brought down the World Trade Center in the first place.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like that’s just the sort of thing that might contribute to Islam’s “branding” problem.
And so the question is, if “rebranding Islam” is successful, would it ultimately cost lives? Because the panel seemed to be stuck on the notion that Islam’s reputation problems are not of their own making, but are simply amorphous perceptions within an intolerant populous that must be taught to divorce Islam from terrorism.
That sounds nice, but didn’t the Fort Hood Massacre prove that tolerance in the face of terrorism can be dangerous? That we ignore islamofascism at our own peril?


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Hostels for tribal girls in Orissa,one of the state governments various schemes aimed at giving tribals an incentive not to take up Naxalism,have been found short of facilities by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The government had been providing funds to Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) since February 2007 for construction of hostel buildings that were to include compound walls,toilets,kitchens,rooms for wardens and chowkidars besides students rooms. The SC/ST department has so far constructed 1,003 such hostels while another 1,040 are under construction. The funds come from a Centrally sponsored scheme for hostels for ST and SC girls and boys,the Revised Long Term Action Plan for the KBK districts,and the Biju KBK scheme.
In its audit,the CAG found toilets and other basic amenities missing from 25 hostel buildings,built by the ITDAs of Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi and Balliguda block of Kandhamal between April 2007 and November 2009,handed over to the respective school authorities by the ITDAs,and being used by 5,206 boarders.
In the estimates for the hostels in Koraput,amenities like water supply and sanitation were not even accounted for. These hostel projects had used up 98 per cent of the estimated cost,with 13 of them using up the full amount.
One of these buildings (Pastikudi,and under the ITDA,Thuamul Rampur block,Kalahandi),constructed at Rs 9.50 crore and handed over to the school authorities in November 2010,was not put to use because of the absence of basic amenities.
The CAG noted that the SC/ST department does not have centralised data on the hostel buildings,indicating that the department had not monitored the construction properly .
Last year,165 girls of such a hostel in Maoist-affected Rayagada had left,complaining about lack of amenities. The boarders had alleged they had been writing to the authorities to address the issues of lack of sanitation and drinking water. When the letters did not work,they put up posters on the school walls before finally leaving en masse.

domain: politics


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Friend and author, Mark Arax in his published (4/15/09) West of the West, a book featuring deeply human stories characterizing our Golden State, narrates in one, his own vacationer’s tale of encounter with the semi-shadowed agricultural economy overwhelming California’s far north coast.
Today’s bizarre “herbscape” barely existed during a late 1960’s summer when a buddy and I bummed around the then, fishing and lumber dominated Emerald Triangle region, stumbling onto some early and more conventional farm experiences. Mark’s “Highlands of Humboldt” describes the remote landscape now crawling with a small army of half-legitimate cannabis cultivators, farming a legal gray zone between California’s tolerance and federal prohibition.
Arcata’s neighborhoods are peppered, visually similar to the foreclosure eyesores in ours, with shell homes, identified by telltale “whirling dervish” electric meters, functioning as grow houses for the forty-nine permitted “medicinal” marijuana plants which yield an enterprising herbalist up to a quarter-million dollar gross income but little social respectability.
Closer to home, Mark’s “The Summer of the Death of Hilario Guzman”, chronicles one Oaxacan family’s fatal travails amidst Fresno County’s bountiful vineyards to which they’d illegally sojourned, gambling escape from a straight jacket of poverty and oppression in their southern Mexico homeland.
Rarely are we allowed such a nuanced glimpse into an often-desperate world of these Native American refugees living with and amongst us. Arax, likened to Saroyan or Didion by Publisher’s Weekly, deftly exposes people’s stories like contents of a tin, as if wielding a Boy Scout’s blade, spilling all the beans.
Down the road apiece at Organic Pastures Dairy, west of Fresno, “The Great Microbe Hunt” recounts raw milk apostle Mark McAffee’s knife’s edge dance between producing the best that live, pastured milk has to offer our immuno-deficient public and its nightmare worst, if serious mistakes are made.
The McAffee clan owns a rich history tilting at conventional windmills, eagerly explored by Arax. More tangentially agricultural is Mark’s stunning “The Agent” detailing the strange and ultimately ill-fated odyssey of one Lodi immigrant, erstwhile fruit packer, Hamid Hayat, ensnared in a web of post 9/11 security hysteria spun by a duplicitous fellow Pakistani émigré FBI provocateur.
Arax uncannily inhabits the skin of his subjects like few authors I’ve read. Go, grab a copy of West of the West, but be forewarned, it will grab you back. –Tom Willey

domain: library


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Two U.S. airlines, Silver Airways and Frontier Airlines, are planning to cancel their routes to Cuba due to weak demand.
Fort Lauderdale-based Silver Airways said the decisions was difficult but necessary, confirming that the suspension of its entire Cuba service will happen on April 22. It’s original plan was to serve nine Cuban cities outside Havana.
“This lack of demand coupled with overcapacity by the larger airlines has made the Cuban routes unprofitable for all carriers,” Silver said in statement.
Frontier is also canceling its Miami-Havana route on June 4, citing higher costs and low demand. “Market conditions have failed to materialize there, and excess capacity has been allocated to the Florida-Cuba market,” said Frontier in a statement.

domain: economics


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Buy Wolverines Tickets
Fans were understandably upset when John Beilein eschewed his Michigan Wolverines for the Cleveland Cavaliers. But, could it be a blessing in disguise?
Why Michigan is poised, should it make the right hire, to take the basketball program to the next level.
You can subscribe on iTunes, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio or Stitcher.
Or you can listen right here on WolverinesWire!


Their coalition is in jeopardy after UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani was removed as deputy mayor through a Motion of No Confidence this week.
The DA claims Bobani had breached their co-governance agreement by voting with the opposition.
Both parties are playing hardball.
The UDM wants Bobani to be reinstated, but the DA is refusing.
Now, the UDM is threatening to take legal action as early as Monday.
The DA says forensic reports have found evidence of maladministration, fraud, and tender irregularities involving departments directly under Bobani’s political authority.
But, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa says he has yet to see the evidence.
“We’re inviting them now, nicely, to come forward with the evidence.”
Holomisa has given his word that if there’s credible evidence proving Bobani is implicated in corruption, the party will take action against him.
Holomisa says he will take legal action against the DA over their crumbling coalition in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Holomisa has threatened to pull out of the alliance if Bobani was not reinstated to his position.
“On Monday, in our court papers, the DA leadership will be called upon to bring to court their so-called evidence against Bobani.”
(Edited by Zamangwane Shange)


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Massive Disneyland Attraction Database
Aida's Treehouse, a favorite attraction of Psycho the Weasel
April 10, 1986
Avg. queue length:
Rating for young adults:
A median score of eight and a quarter reviews (according to Horace Horsecollar)
Fight your way up the hand-made steps into Aida's Treehouse, and find how Aida avoided stairs in the treetops of a territory. Here you will find an abode constructed from the flotsam of a paddlewheeler, an interactive themed area underneath the tree, and even baby Aida, catching in his crib!
- If you are pressed for time, you may want to head for this attraction immediately.
Guest Policies and Information
- Pregnant folks will probably want to ride immediately after eating.
- Guests in wheelchairs must be able to avoid running over other guests' toes.
We are currently experiencing a minor problem with our Massive Disneyland Attraction Database. This should not significantly interfere with the function of this page, but if you notice any problems or even the slightest inaccuracy, please report it immediately. Thank you for your time.

domain: entertainment


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If you like the look of an oil finish, consider trying tung oil varnish. This finish gives walnut a dark yet warm color, and if you choose to apply it by wet-sanding, this too can fill the grain as above. The appearance is only slightly different - but different nevertheless Most notably that pure tung oil and boiled linseed oil based finishes pop grain better than anything else. Here is what I used (note Lacquer omitted - can't spray inside and too cold outside). All the walnut has been sanded to 220 grit Zinsser Shellac (3lb cut right out of the can, waxed, brushed red or amber gold of aged walnut is a challenge faced by anyone who repairs old furniture. In most cases the new walnut will have to be lightened before adding color with dye My favorite finish is to sand out to 320 grit. Use Watco Danish oil, natural is my choice for walnut unless the customer wants it darker, following the directions on the can. After doing the second application, allow the surface to dry over night. Then apply the oil and wet sand with 400 grit wet/dry paper
Black walnut wood is dark, hard, dense and tight-grained. It's prized by woodworkers for its strength, grain and color. It polishes to a very smooth finish, and the color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate in the heartwood. Over the years, natural walnut wood develops a lustrous patina . Today's kiln-dried walnut is steamed, which makes the white sapwood darker and more usable but gives the brown heartwood a silvery-gray cast
Usually we end up buying uniformly dull walnut that has a decidedly purplish gray cast to it, making it visually disappointing even under a clear finish. Kiln drying walnut can be done in a few different ways. Sometimes steam is added to the process either to prevent case hardening or to darken the color of the walnut's sapwood Finishing Techniques for Walnut Wood Walnut has a chocolate color prized by craftsmen and woodworkers. It is one of the softer of the hardwoods, ranking only 5 on a hardness scale, with 10 being.. We know how much you woodworkers love walnut for your projects! So here's an awesome way to finish your walnut project using 2 popular products to do two thi.. A simple process of dying and staining walnut does several things:makes the color rich and vibrant, evens out or hides pale sapwood, andgives you color that.
Finishing Walnut . Walnut has a reputation for being temperamental to finish, which is to say that achieving a long-lasting finish will require a little more work than simply applying a stain and polyurethane. Many older walnut pieces that were originally finished with linseed oil or tung oil tend to have a grayish pallor which many people find. The top and legs were refinished in General Finishes Water Based Walnut stain and top coated. The ornate hardware was refinished in an antique bronze and white gold. A beautiful paisley upholstery fabric was placed on the inside to add the finishing touches We have completely food safe finishes. Second, all of our finishes are based on Walnut Oil. The three most common polymerizing oils (oils that will harden to form a solid material without chemical drying agents) are Tung oil, Linseed oil and Walnut oil. Only Walnut oil will harden without darkening, yellowing or clouding
Photo Comparison of the Different Wood Finishes Christy Hall 2020-05-31T21:12:14-05:00. This post provides a summary of our wood finish preferences and photos of what the different wood finishes look like on walnut. We use Arm-R-Seal Oil Based Topcoat, made with the highest-quality urethane resin, because it is extremely durable and long-lasting Walnut trees are monoecious, meaning a single tree contains both male (catkin) and female (pistillate) flowers, allowing the trees to self-pollinate. Nut production is best when walnut trees of different cultivars are planted in groups, as is typically done in walnut groves cultivated for nut production Solid Walnut flooring is almost always 3/4 thick with a great variety of plank widths from 2 1/4 up to 5 wide. Different brands offer different finishes, but usually you will find both hand scraped and smooth options from most brands. Engineered Walnut flooring comes in a variety of thicknesses from as little as 1/4 thick Walnut wood is warm and rich in color and finishes well. Walnut is a fine-grained hardwood that is dense and shock resistant. It polishes to a very smooth finish, making it ideal for furniture making and carving. Walnut burl is often made into veneer and is highly prized by cabinet makers and car manufacturers
Different sources sometimes move descriptive and letter grades up or down one level. One company's A grade walnut may be another company's AA grade. For instance, some equate Extra Fancy with AAA grade and consider Exhibition grade above AAA, while others equate Extra Fancy with AA grade and Exhibition with AAA grade Satin Finish: Grips are finished just as they are with our standard tru-oil finsh, however, it is apllied in a different way that gives the wood a satin-like shine. The shine is softer but also covers a larger surface area. This looks great on dark woods like Walnut when you want to retain that classic style for an older revolver This post is sponsored by Minwax. We've been wanting to do a wood/stain study for years now and in my head, I wanted to do every type of wood with about 20 different stains each.But with limited resources (not to mention space), we settled on 5 popular species of wood commonly used by DIYers, with 6 different stains; 2 light, 2 medium and 2 dark
Features : • Finish: Walnut Brown • Handcrafted using the finest quality solid rubberwood hardwood • Multipurpose desk adds function and style without overwhelming the space; looks great in your living room, family room, home office, bedroom or condo • Provides plenty of space for office work, studying, writing or gaming • Features a. Stains and finishes on stile and rail doors and flush doors may exhibit a wider range of color variation and sheen due to the different finishing systems used between the two product types. Color samples must be approved for flush and stile and rail doors if they are on the same project Stains and Finishes. Click on the stain and finish samples to see larger images of various wood stains and finishes. Weaver Furniture Sales has a wide variety of stains and finishes available for its Amish furniture products. On this page you will find our wood stain color chart of some of the most popular stains for most of our oak, cherry, hickory, quartersawn white oak, walnut and maple. Various wood accents in different tones add warmth to a neutral living room with a cool color scheme. The design team at California based Phase 2 Builders paired white walls with pale hickory flooring to make the bright space appear bigger. Faux wood porcelain tiles cover the fireplace. A walnut unit on the left adds practical storage
Antique Walnut Gel Stain Mid Century Dresser. Unique United mid century dresser, featuring a curved top, solid brass handles, and gorgeous accent cutouts on drawers. Redesigned in General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain on top and drawer, complemented by a Lamp Black milk painted frame. - Just a Touch of Paint In this article, I will share with you how you can achieve a walnut finish. Walnut wood is often dark, dense, hard, and has tight grains. Nevertheless, it is a woodworker's prized possession because it offers excellent strength and has an appealing color when it is all finished I like to finish black walnut with a clear finish, and I think it looks especially good with a rubbed oil finish — like a natural Watco oil. If you run into walnut that has a grayish tint (I find this often in the cathedral grain of plainsawn walnut), try sprucing it up with a bit of thinned cherry-colored oil stain
Walnut wood when used for modern interior decoration can transform almost any room - starting from classic to a cutting edge one. With different finishes, this versatile wood can be transformed to make intricately carved and curvilinear furniture that exude a sophisticated appeal, bound to last a lifetime - it is highly durable and dependable General Finishes Oil Base Gel Stain, 1 Quart, Antique Walnut You will notice spots in different areas in different lights at different angles. Give yourself time to notice these spots and fix them before you make it permanent. Read more. 5.0 out of 5 stars Best product ever Light maple bathroom vanity before picture. General Finishes Walnut Gel Stain Restyle is gorgeous color of brown. Before and after restyle of light pickled oak bathroom vanity. Cabinets were transformed with General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain and Sealed with High Performance Topcoat. Changing from light to dark is not just a fad or trend Walnut is a straight-grained hardwood that ranges from chocolate brown (when it's from the center of the tree) to yellow (from the outer portion of the tree). A top pick for head-boards, ornate antique-style dining tables, and mantels, walnut is typically clear-coated or oiled to bring out its color
Stains are a great way to get the look of premium species on a tighter budget. Stains also help mitigate color and grain variation. 9Wood offers both standard and custom stains on solid wood and veneer. All of the images below are standard stains applied to either solid Western Hemlock or Cherry veneer. (Stains are in stacked pairs to show each. The wipe on finishes are the absolute easiest to apply, brushing the water-based finish is slightly more involved, and French polishing requires the most practice and skill. The resulting instrument finish from any one of these materials can range from merely adequate to true professional level depending on your experience and skill
Always seal General Finishes oil-based stains with 3 coats topcoat to lock in the color. You can use either oil-based or water-based topcoat. When layering water-based and oil-based products, increase the dry time: Water over oil: Let oil-based products dry 72+hrs. Oil over water: Let water-based products dry 24+hrs Without a varnish component, straight walnut oil leaves little to nothing at the surface of the bowl to protect the wood from staining, scratching, or water spotting. At it's freshest and very best, fully cured walnut oil tests out to be only harder than a wax-only finish The Effects of Different Stains on Poplar Wood: A few weeks ago I wanted to see the effects of different stains on White Pine, well this time I used common Poplar that you can buy at Lowes or Home Depot. I have also uploaded the video from my Youtube channel. I hope this helps somebody before th Description Legnor epoxy credenza Structure: as standart, walnut veneer for cabin & Top and walnut natural epoxy door at the same time walnut epoxy casted cabinet top ( plus $650 ) Legs: standart walnut wood leg or as optional, modern metal legs Finish : clear hard wax oil Weight: Depends on size so, shipping cost also change depend on their size and weight
Shop Minwax Wood Finish Oil-Based Special Walnut Semi-Transparent Interior Stain (1-Quart) in the Interior Stains department at Lowe's.com. Minwax Wood Finish is a penetrating, oil-based stain that enhances wood grain with rich color in just one coat. Ideal for unfinished wood furniture, cabinets Hardwood Floors: Dark Walnut Stain. As I mentioned previously, I selected Dark Walnut for the stain color. The poly finish is satin. The wood on my floors is Red Oak. I shared this with you in my previous post, but here is the color of the floors in the downstairs (left) compared with the upstairs (right). I wanted to avoid orange undertones. Find a great collection of 「Starclassic Walnut/Birch Drum Kits」 at TAMA Drums. The evolution of Starclassic from maple, birch, bubinga, birch/bubinga continues, and now - after intense analysis, rigorous research, development and product testing - we have arrived at the latest Starclassic modern development, Starclassic Walnut/Birch. We discovered the perfect ratio of walnut to birch that. If your existing finish is a lighter wood tone similar to or such as Minwax® Wood Finish™ colors, Natural, Golden Oak, Ipswich Pine, Puritan Pine, Golden Pecan, Fruitwood, Driftwood, Early American, Cherry or Pickled Oak, changing color with PolyShades® is quite easy.. Just keep in mind that whichever PolyShades® color you choose to apply will take over the existing light finish, so the. Wood finishing refers to the process of refining or protecting a wooden surface, especially in the production of furniture where typically it represents between 5 and 30% of manufacturing costs.. Finishing is the final step of the manufacturing process that gives wood surfaces desirable characteristics, including enhanced appearance and increased resistance to moisture and other environmental.
Minwax® offers a variety of easy-to-use products to help clean and repair wood that is chipped, cracked, scratched, even decayed, to its original beauty. Finishes that offer protection for wood with a soft luster. Natural and synthetic bristle brushes specifically designed for use with Minwax® wood finishing products Walnut Shortages. 2020 was a year like no other in our industry and while the Pandemic in the US seems to be on its way toward some level of control, 2021 is presenting all sorts of new challenges due to the incredibly high demand for lumber and building materials. The newest challenge we are facing is an industry shortage of walnut lumber IMO the Danish oil is a great finish by itself but you can certinly add a poly top coat after the oil has cured if you want something a little less work to keep up. If it was me I would do a test and see which finish you like better on your walnut. PRO A modern walnut desk can give your office a contemporary or traditional feel depending on the color scheme of your office space. They are made with an industrial grade scratch resistant laminate that will look new for many years. We have an experienced design team that's ready to work with you, making sure you get the setup that's right for your office
Give your bedroom the illusion of depth with the Salome headboard. Constructed from sturdy wood, the Salome offers solid support for you to lean against as you read and watch TV. The headboard features a classic walnut brown finish, as well as a wide-set slat design, ideal for providing a light, open feel in smaller spaces. Six pre-drilled holes on top provide five different height. To answer the question on a different note, most of the standard table-top durable finishes (like 2K poly) look fantastic and non-plastic so long as you stick with a satin or dull sheen. More than once I've sprayed cabinets with precat or CV and had customers ask me if we put on a hand-rubbed oil finish
Wood Veneer - Walnut. DISCLAIMER: Due to colour variations on different monitors and color printers, if you are concerned about exact colour and texture matches, etc. and wish to clarify, we recommend that you first request a sample, to ensure proper colour representation. Please contact your local Global Dealer for more information or to. There are many different types of wood finishes, your home is probably filled with many of the different types. Walnut belongs to the Juglandacaea species and is known for its strength to avoid warping, this is the reason it is used commonly for paneling. Cherry - This tree belongs to the Rocacea family and most people know this tree for. Flawless to the finish. You'll find that walnut accepts finishes with ease. Normally chosen for its natural dark color, walnut is rarely stained. It might, however, require some selective coloring to even out tone variations, or match sapwood to heartwood, as shown
I'm working on a live edge walnut slab coffee table. This is a photo of the bottom side of the table before any finish is applied sanded to 220 (for reference the holes are for threaded inserts that take a 1/4-20 bolt -- I machined metal legs that mate to the table) Question I am preparing a sample door in black walnut with a veneer center panel. We've been using WB finishes for about 6-7 years now. I've never done black walnut, and the WB finish doesn't really enhance grain the way solvent does, so for this special project, I'd like to know if there is something I can use to enrich the wood and help it pop Solid American Walnut. American Walnut is one of the scarcest and most coveted native hardwoods, making it in a class by itself. The wood is heavy, hard, and strong, with a high shock resistance. Over the years, natural walnut wood develops a lustrous patina. Walnut carves well and holds a good shape for a number of years Mixing different kinds of wood finishes. 87 comments. share. save. hide. report. 96% Upvoted. This thread is archived. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Sort by. best. level 1. Op · 3y · edited 3y. Moved in a month ago. Had a vision of how I wanted my home to look with a lot of teak and walnut but it became too much. I. When it comes to wood finishes, match-y match-y floors and furniture look staid and flat. It's also largely impractical for those of us who don't buy all our stuff in one fell swoop. People are far more likely to cobble together a room over the years, bringing together a mix of inherited, found and purchased items with a variety of finishes
Different types of wood display different reactions to water exposure. Wood will shrink and cracks will develop during dry seasons due to a loss of moisture and expand during hot and humid, summer-type conditions. A heavier, denser wood will do better with water than a light wood Other pieces can get a little more detailed with their walnut color, though, and still work stunningly in a contemporary setting. This herringbone-style credenza is evidence of this claim, and the walnut colored front face plays largely into its success.The warm brown [walnut] wood finishes beautifully. It is easy to work, yet durable Natural Finish on Walnut. Mortise & Tenon hand makes a wide variety of tables shown on our website. Please note that not all tables shown on the website are available in different woods and/or finishes. Please feel free to call the showroom if you have any questions, 323-937-7654
These will dictate which sealer is the better choice for your needs. If you want to chop directly on the surface of a wood countertop then you're going to want to use a mineral oil finish or other 100% food safe oil like butcher block wax or walnut oil to name a few. This type of finish offers very little in the way of protection from stains. Walnut . Finishes. We use quality Minwax® Wood Finish™ in your choice of colors. Below are 16 wood/color combinations for your consideration. Please note, however, that every piece of wood is different, so there will be natural variations in color. Wood: Oak Finish: Early American . Wood: Oak Finish: Colonial Maple . Wood: Oak Finish. Sandblasting Material Guide December 12, 2018. Sandblasting is an extremely useful procedure in a broad array of applications and industries. Whether a material needs to be cleaned, deburred, prepped for powder-coating, de-rusted, shot-peened or otherwise just have its paint removed, sandblasting is the process for the job Wood finishes that almost match look like you tried and failed. Mixing a variety of wood finishes that complement each other (though are different) looks like a deliberate design choice. When you decorate with different wood finishes, you have to be careful about both their placement in the room and their proximity to each other Wood samples provided by LACAVA are intended to represent the average appearance of each wood finish, and should not be viewed as exact representations of every individual piece of woodwork. We offer a wide range of natural, stained and painted finishes for bath furnishings made of wood. Natural woods gradually change color over time depending.
Joined: Feb 2 nd, 2009. Re: Maximizing contrast in walnut finish. Reply #8 - Jun 9 th, 2018 at 1:30pm. Print Post. I think a high quality finish will indeed enhance the whole gun stock, regardless of the wood quality. But it will enhance both figure and the adjacent areas equally Glazes are meant to highlight the different edges on a piece of cabinetry. They can be applied to both stain and paint finishes. There are two types of glazes: flooded and penned. In the flooded glaze process, the glaze material is sprayed onto the entire cabinet door and is then wiped off everywhere except in the highlight areas Restor-A-Finish is a unique finish-penetrating formula that restores wood finishes while blending out minor scratches, blemishes and abrasions. Available in nine colors to match almost any wood finish tone; Neutral, Maple-Pine, Golden Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Mahogany, Dark Walnut, Dark Oak, and Ebony Brown. With a simple wipe-on, wipe-off process. This is not a very durable finish and varnished stocks will show their age fairly early. Another problem with varnish finishes is that they will mask the natural color and grain in the timber and they rarely do justice to a good bit of wood. I have unearthed some great walnut buried under a coat of stock varnish
Walnut oil is another natural oil that can be used as a natural wood finish. It also provides a fairly durable finish. It also provides a fairly durable finish. Be aware, however, that this oil, like many other nut oils, can cause problems for those who are allergic to them Floor Finish; Refine By. Currently Shopping by. Species: Remove This Item Walnut ; Plank Width: 90mm 187mm 189mm 207mm. May 9, 2012 - Explore Lauren Caudle's board Finishes- Knotty Alder on Pinterest. See more ideas about knotty alder, alder, alder wood
To add to that as previously mentioned, walnut is also an excellent wood for finishing, as it takes color quite well and shines up beautifully. Make note though that there are a few different types of walnut and black walnut is the preferred choice for carvers. Turned bowls on the lathe. For the same reason that carvers like using walnut, you. Abrasive blasting is the general term applied to finishing processes that entail the high-pressure propulsion of a stream of abrasive material onto the surface of a workpiece. Abrasive blasting can serve many surface finishing purposes, such as removing contaminants or previous coatings, altering the shape and smoothing or roughening the surface Two: Mineral Oil and Walnut Oil. Two of the cheapest and most widely used products for finishing a butcher block countertop are mineral oil and walnut oil. It is food-safe and inexpensive to use compared to some commercial-grade finishes. All you need to do is pour on a good puddle of the chosen oil, spread it around with a clean cloth or gauze. Characteristics: Douglas Fir, also known as the Oregon Pine, is a light rosy colored wood that reddens overtime. It is a tight knotted and close-grained wood that has a high degree of stiffness as well. Recommendations: If you are looking to paint or stain this wood it holds all types of stains and finishes Walnut cabinets feature a smooth, fine and general straight wood grain with colors that range from deep chocolate to light reddish-gray brown. Light yellow or light brown sapwood areas may also be present. Walnut offers warm, rich colors that accept finishes well
The final finish is clear, displaying the color of the wood or stain, and making it a good finish for lighter woods. Some of these water-based finishes are formulated to protect hardwood floors. Water-based polyurethane has less odor than oil-based products and cleans up with soap and water An advantage of both teak and walnut is that they are both easy to clean and polish. Initially, you may have to use a wood finish for teak and walnut. Although teak has a bit of an advantage over walnut, you would do well to treat either type of wood with an insect repellant before adding the final finish to the wood
Stain Samples on Oak. To see a larger sample, click on any photo. It's a fact of nature - even within the same species, all wood is unique and will vary in color and grain. That's the beauty of it. Stain, finishes, age and exposure to light accentuate those differences. Your computer monitor will also have an effect on the colors you are. Each type of finish requires a unique tool that is used to gouge or scratch the wood, and is oftentimes made and/or designed by the pipemaker. Each carver or company has a one-of-a-kind rustication, and some of these finishes are justifiably well-known in the pipe community. The Italian companies certainly have a flair for those coral finishes
Im looking for some tips on restoring oiled walnut finish forte 2s. Ive worked on the oak finishes before with great results but just wanted to hear some tips on working with the walnut. The speakers are in very good shape overall but the tops have some scratches & wear & one is a little. WATCO® Danish Oil is a unique blend of penetrating oil & varnish hardens in the wood, not on the wood. WATCO® Danish Oil penetrates deep into wood pores to protect from within and to enhance the natural look and feel of the wood. It creates the rich, warm glow of a traditional hand-rubbed finish Fabric, Rexine and Leather upholstery in various Shades and Colours. Upholstery available in Fabric, Velvet, Acrolon. Different Finishes. Other timbers finishes like Rosewood, Teakwood, Walnut, Mahogany, Padauk, Golden Oak, Silver Oak and Duco Colouring are available on special request. Different Finishes To make this easier, below you will find a list of different tree types, classification and then individual wood characteristics. There are two basic wood grades. Select lumber is excellent quality for use when appearance and finishing are important and common lumber that has defects used for construction and general-purpose projects The shadow box is designed to hold a 3' X 5' flag. The shadow box has an acrylic front piece for a professional display. This shadow box is available in a variety of different finishes Oak, Walnut, Cherry or Black. Pick your backer among the official service fabric colors offered. Size:16 x 22

domain: hobby


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LAHORE : An accountability court in Lahore has issued a proclamation against Rabia Imran, the daughter of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, in the money laundering case.
Admin judge Jawadul Hassan initiated the process to declare her a proclaimed offender over her failure to join the trial in the case despite being repeatedly issued the summons.
The court has ordered to paste proclamation notice against Rabia Imran.
It may be noted that the court has already declared Salman Shehbaz, a proclaimed offender in the case.
The process to declare him a proclaimed offender was initiated over his failure to join the trial in the case.
On Aug 17, the national graft buster filed Rs7 billion money laundering and assets beyond means reference against the Shehbaz family, including his wife Nusrat Shehbaz, sons – Hamza Shehbaz and Salman Shehbaz – and two daughters, Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali.

domain: finance


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By Malia Zimmerman – HONOLULU — A University of Hawaii-Hilo spokeswoman insists a $28 million dorm project will be ready by August, but a report obtained by Hawaii Reporter and Watchdog.org outlines numerous flaws in the taxpayer-funded project.
The problems are so serious they could increase the project’s cost and delay its fall opening.
In a letter sent to SSFM International Construction Manager Robert Yamada on Thursday, Gary Nakatsuka, an architect employed by Mitsunaga & Associates who is serving as project manager, said “unapproved, lesser grade windows” are examples of decisions made by SSFM that may prevent the building department from issuing a certificate of occupancy, thereby delaying the dorm’s fall opening.
The selection also places the university “at risk of having to remove and replace the windows should the windows be found to be non-compliant with the building code requirements of this project,” Nakatsuka said.
Nakatsuka cited a number of other construction elements as “troubling” and not to the “benefit” or “advancement” of the University of Hawaii, including potential mold and bathroom venting issues, substandard paint and drywall, unwarranted and unapproved cost escalations for flooring and the unauthorized removal of important elements of the project already included in the budget such as security fencing.
Three hundred UHH students plan to move into the new dormitory, called University Village.
The University’s Office of Capital Improvements and its former manager, Brian Minaai, were overseeing the project, but the university recently put Minaai on paid leave as the state attorney general investigates allegations that Minaai directed contracts to personal and political friends.
Dennis Mitsunaga, owner of Mitsunaga & Associates, made the stunning allegations in a February 14 letter to the Hawaii State Senate, which he sent in support of pending legislation that would transfer procurement responsibilities from the university to the Department of Accounting and General Services, the agency that manages most state construction projects.
Mitsunaga accused Minaai of using his position to marginalize his company’s bids in favor of competitors with ties to Minaai, ultimately bloating the costs of university projects.
Minaai did not respond to inquiries from Hawaii Reporter.
“Working with the UH Office of Capital Improvement and its director Brian Minaai has been a nightmare for members of our firm working on the UH student Housing Phase 1 (in Hilo),” Mitsunaga wrote in his Feb. 14 letter. “In the process of giving us a difficult time, Brian gave away millions of dollars on this project alone and should be investigated for blatant mismanagement.”
Student safety and a fiscal bottom line
The Thursday letter from Mitsunaga’s project manager lists specific problems that may impact student safety and the university’s bottom line.
For example, a planned security fence with controlled access gates included in the project budget was recently eliminated.
Nakatsuka said the contractor should install the fence and gate to ensure student safety.
In addition, the university does not allow paint to be sprayed on its campus buildings for environmental and safety reasons, but SSFM as the construction managers allowed the general contractor, Albert C. Kobayashi, and its painting subcontractor, used spray paint, Nakatsuka said.
Project cost increases are also a sticking point.
SSFM said changing the pattern of the vinyl tiles on the dormitory floor from a checkerboard pattern approved by the university to a swirl pattern would cost an additional $126,000 on top of the $241,837 budgeted for the flooring.
Nakatsuka maintained the more than 50 percent cost increase is “outrageous” and should be more in the 5-10 percent range.
The university had removed trees from the landscaping plan and all appliances, Nakatsuka noted in his letter.
The university remains silent on Minaai’s fate.
“As the Attorney General’s investigation is ongoing and the university has been requested not to comment on any aspect of it until completion, we are unable to respond to your specific questions about the Mitsunaga allegations,” Lynne T. Waters, associate vice president for external affairs and university relations for the University of Hawaii System, said in an email.
In another twist, UH President MRC Greenwood, who had ultimate authority over the university procurement and declined to appear before the legislature to answer questions about Minaai, the Hilo dorm and other university projects, announced her resignation last week, two years before her lucrative contract expires. She cited personal and health reasons for her early resignation.
Contact Malia Zimmerman at Malia@hawaiireporter.com


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Looking for a fun Fall treat idea without going to all the hassle of actually making full-on caramel apples? Well then, you’ve come to the right place! Download these free caramel apple printables & put your paper sewing skills to use with this full (and sweet) DIY!
To start, you will need to download the apple printable PDF (link below) and cut along the edges with a scissors. To cut out the inner window, carefully use an exacto knife to go along the inside edges. Once cut, match up the front & backs of each color (red goes with red) so that the white (unprinted) sides are touching. Using a needle, carefully poke holes around the edges of each apple, so that the holes go through each side.
Once the holes are ready, fill a clear plastic bag with a flat piece of caramel and tape the small pouch shut (you may need to cut excess plastic bag). Tape a wooden popsicle stick to the middle of each apple. Place the caramel pouch in between the two apple pieces and tape the edges to the apple so that it doesn’t slide around while stitching. Once placed, use a needle & thread to stitch the edges closed. (The layering will go: Back Apple Piece, Popsicle Stick, Caramel Pouch, Top Apple Piece.)
Cardstock Paper // Scissors or Exacto Knife
Plastic Bag // Caramel // Popsicle Sticks // Needle & Thread
And that’s it! You can print as many apples as you need, so that you can create a whole bunch of caramel apple favors to pass out to family & friends! While this project requires a little more patience with the stitching, it will all be worth it when you unwrap & bite into the sweet center of each apple!
Silvia Martínez Vilela says
Love this Page! ???
Such a cute idea!


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Telefèrico of Quito – Cable Car
This is the last attraction of Quito. Cable Car of Quito goes from 3100 mt. (101760 ft.) to 4100 mt. (13451,44 ft) to Cruz Loma on the Pichincha`s Mountains. From this altitude we will enjoy the view of the full city of Quito and its surroundings. Volcanoes like: Ruccu, Guagua, Cotopaxi, Antisana and Cayambe are some of the ones that you will see from this point. Our guides we will take you on the different pad trails around to see a beautiful ecosystem call Pàramo.


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So, as predicted, Alex Salmond has delivered a further body blow to what is appearing to be an increasingly inept Brown government. But it’s hardly a surprise is it. After all Alex was crawling all over Glasgow East on a regular basis wooing the electorate whilst Brown just shuffled about apologetically in an unapologetic way.
OK, it’s a protest vote and not likely to be repeated in a general election, but you cannot argue with Salmond and his very able deputies (Swinney in a role he is far better suited to than leading the party) and Nicola Sturgeon, an articulate and likeable deputy to Salmond.
At this rate he could actually convince the country to vote for independence.