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Police say police protected scammers force their victims to fake their own abductions in order to secure ransom money from their families
So-called “virtual kidnapping” scams are on the rise in the Australian state of New South Wales, police warned on Friday. The scammers dupe Chinese students into thinking they have to pay to avoid deportation, before extorting lucrative ransoms from the victims’ families.
Four such fake kidnappings have been reported to New South Wales Police in the last month alone, the police said a press release. In each case, Chinese international students were targeted.
The scam begins when a Chinese student receives a phone call from someone speaking Mandarin and claiming to be an official from a Chinese embassy, consulate, or police department. The scammer tells the victim that they have been implicated in a crime, and must pay a large sum of money to avoid deportation and prosecution.
The conversation then moves to chat apps such as WhatsApp and WeChat, where the victims are told to hand over up to AU$280,000 (US$186,000). Those unable to pay the full amount are instructed to take photos faking their own kidnappings and send them to the scammers, who then contact the students’ families back in China and extort the ransom money from them.
The scammers will continue to make threats and ransom demands until the families are unable to pay any more money, at which point they often contact law enforcement in China, NSW Police explained.
In one of the four cases recorded over the last month, the family of a 23-year-old female student paid a fake ransom of AU$270,000 before the student was tracked down by NSW Police officers. One 22-year-old woman handed over AU$20,000 before she was contacted by police, while two other teenage victims were found before any money was paid.
Chinese embassy police liaison officer Zhang Zhengping told Australia’s ABC News that law enforcement in China is working to crack down on the crime networks behind these scams. Chinese officials assured families that no government agents or officials would ever call students looking for money.


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Lady Gaga will be the last artist to ever perform at New York City’s famed venue Roseland Ballroom. The native New Yorker has announced four shows in the intimate 3,500-capacity venue: March 28, 30, 31 and April 2, 2014.
Gaga’s Roseland performances will support her new album “ARTPOP,” for which she promises a theatrical affair that blends music, art, fashion and technology.
The ballroom moved to Manhattan’s theater district in 1919 and, over the years, has hosted jazz, disco and EDM. Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Metallica, Radiohead, Deadmau5 and Beyoncé have all played Roseland.

domain: artistic


Apple releases a major update to iOS, the iPhone’s operating system every year. Major iOS updates can add significant features to existing iPhones–making you feel like your old hardware is a new device. But Apple doesn’t release iOS updates for older iPhones forever. Here’s what you need to know.
Why iOS Updates Are Important?
iOS updates are important for lots of reasons. The biggest of which is major iOS updates (iOS 12, iOS 13, iOS 14, etc) add significant new features to the operating system. For example, iOS 13 added a system-wide dark mode. iOS 14 added home screen widgets, etc.
And then there are the “minor” iOS updates. These are the updates like iOS 14.0.1 and iOS 14.1, etc. Sometimes these updates add major improvements to specific existing features, but many times they add critical security and bug fixes.
Keeping your iPhone up to date with the latest iOS release is important because it ensures your iPhone has the latest features and security patches. That’s why if there’s an iOS update for your iPhone, you should ALWAYS update.
Here’s how to update to iOS 14 on your iPhone right now!
Which iPhones No Longer Get iOS Updates?
That being said, sometimes Apple might release an iOS update, but it might not be compatible with your phone. This happens because the iPhones in question are too old that they could no longer reliably run the newest software effectively. For example, they might not have the processing power the new operating system requires to run.
Generally speaking, Apple will provide updates to an iPhone for at least five years after the original release date. For example, the iPhone 6s came out in 2015, but when Apple released iOS 14 in 2020, the iPhone 6s was still supported.
However, iPhones that came out before the iPhone 6s no longer get iOS updates. The only exception is the very, very rare critical security fix that Apple might release an update for via a patch of the last iOS version that an outdated phone can run.
Here’s a list of all the iPhones Apple has ever made that no longer get iOS updates:
- iPhone 3G
- iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5c
- iPhone 5s
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
Will My iPhone Still Get Point Upgrades?
“Point upgrades” refer to iOS updates such as iOS X.x.x (for example, iOS 14.2.1). If your iPhone can install the major iOS upgrade (for example, iOS 14.0) it will always be able to receive all point upgrades for that major version of the OS.
Are iPhones That No Longer Get iOS Updates Useless?
Hardly. While iPhones that are no longer updated won’t have the latest and greatest features, they are still perfectly usable. There are plenty of people who still own and use iPhone 6’s as their main smartphone even though that iPhone can’t run iOS 14. However, note that some of the coolest features of iPhones require the latest iOS. For example, if you have an iPhone 6, the maximum iOS you can install on that is iOS 12. Since the iPhone’s Dark Mode requires iOS 13, you’ll be missing out on that cool feature.
What makes an older iPhone that can’t be updated “useless” is when that iPhone’s hardware becomes outdated. For example, the camera on an iPhone 3G is virtually useless by today’s quality standards. Likewise, while an original iPhone might still be able to run, it couldn’t even connect to modern 4G networks, much less 3G networks, since the original iPhone only worked with 2G networks.
Are iPhones That No Longer Get iOS Updates Safe?
This is the main issue with older iPhones that can no longer be upgraded. Upgrades almost always patch bugs in addition to adding new features. If your iPhone’s old software is no longer receiving updates, it’s no longer getting bug fixes, which can leave it more vulnerable to attacks, such as hacking and malware.
While an iPhone that no longer gets updates can still be used, it’s a point in the device’s lifecycle where you should think about upgrading to a new iPhone.


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I was sitting in Trumplandia thinking if we tear up the climate deal in a fit of denial, then what other possibilities are there? So I smoked a doob and saw it, an undiscovered intelligent lizard species that survived the big asteroid hit and have been hiding underground in Antarctica for millions of years. The media went wild, people rebelled against their religious leaders and saw the lizards as devils, civil war soon followed. After our nuclear annihilation we finally rested in peace knowing we did it for the good of humanity, and yet they survived us, only to watch earth die. Yea Humanity! We’re # 2.
Record heat despite a cold sun
Climate change temperature hikes could be worse than thought
Ice sheet mass loss from #GRACE: #Greenland exceeds projections, #Antarctica in between mid and upper RCP8.5 scenario
At least one million tons of chemical weapons dumped after the World wars lie rusting on the ocean floor. As the metal rusts away, the toxic chemicals will be exposed threatening marine life around them, scientists warn
2016 will be the hottest year on record, UN says: It means 16 of the 17 hottest years on record will have been this century.
The World Bank broke its own rules and contributed to the suffering of hundreds of Kosovans who were forced from their homes to make way for a coalmine, a leaked report reveals.
Europe on brink of US-style leap into unknown, top EU official warns — Pierre Moscovici says a growing revolt against elites and globalisation has potential to destroy the European Union
The war on drugs has been a failure, declares leading medical journal
India kills 7 Pakistan Army soldiers in firing across LoC
French government creates illegal database on over 60 million citizens
Hundreds of trafficked children missing from UK care homes
Noam Chomsky: ‘The Republican Party Has Become the Most Dangerous Organization in World History’
Shot in the Back at Standing Rock
Hydroelectric dams emit a billion tonnes of greenhouse gases a year, study finds: Impact of dams on climate change has been underestimated, researchers warn, as rotting vegetation creates 25% more methane than previously thought
Hope (white rhino injured by poachers), died in 2016.
Climate change is affecting all life on Earth – and that’s not good news for humanity
Germany’s power generation would have to be climate-neutral by 2030 in order to reach the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal
Fate of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – Strong decline under continued warming and Greenland melting
For The Arctic Ocean Above 80 North, It’s Still Summer in November
That red blob is a 20 degree temperature anomaly in the Arctic right now (2016-11-14)
Slashed Budgets and Toxic Chemicals: Planning for Environmental …
World Waits for Trump to Speak on Climate
A Record 25% Of Used Car Trade-Ins Are Underwater
Soros And Liberal Mega-Donors Plot For War With Donald Trump
Government’s Demonetisation Shock Has Hit the Poorest the Most
German media demands military buildup in response to US election
Monte Paschi Begins Bondholder “Bail-In”: Will Equitize Over €4 Billion In Junior Bonds

domain: news


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Simpson touts 'kissable' beauty
Sun | Your Life
NEW YORK -- Singer and reality TV star Jessica Simpson can add beauty exec to her resume, partnering with D'Lish founder and president Randi Shinder to create a line of "lickable, kissable" beauty products, the company announced recently.
Dessert products will have fragrance and flavor, and will be available in Sephora stores in April.
The products will come in three flavors -- Creamy, Dreamy and Juicy -- and will include "kissable" fragrance, whipped body cream, bath bubbles, lip plumping cream and powdered sugar body shimmer.

domain: celebrity


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100 million American suffer from chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than six months, and of course, in many cases people suffer from it for years.
It can be mild or excruciating, episodic or continuous and can, at times, be incapacitating.
Because of the randomness of the chronic pain, often pain sufferers become frustrated with their pain and the people who treat it. Many of the people who treat chronic pain are primary care physicians and not pain specialists.
In our recent discussion with Dr. Richard Radnovich, who is an osteopath and runs the Injury Care Medical Center in Boise Idaho, we probed about the communication gap that often exists between patient and provider. Dr. Radnovich is nationally known in the pain management field and has been involved with numerous clinical studies on pharmaceutical and medical devices that treat chronic pain (he’s working on studies in lower back pain and fibromyalgia currently).
We thought a couple of his answers regarding patient/provider communication were worth sharing.
National Pain Report: “What recommendations can you give to family practice/internist physician assistants and nurses about recognizing and treating a patient’s chronic pain?”
Dr. Radnovich: “Many non-pain specialists feel comfortable and do a great job treating chronic pain. Those providers listen to their patients and try a variety of medical and non-medical interventions. Practitioners need to trust their patients, have a legitimate medical purpose for prescribing and take steps to verify appropriate use. They should have a complete informed consent, a prescribing agreement, use functional status as a measure of success (not just pain scores), and use lab testing like urine drug screens.
The 2 biggest problems I see, actually, are the over reliance on opiates as mono-therapy and the under-treatment of pain. A ‘pain pill’, in my opinion, should rarely be the cornerstone of a treatment plan. Patients frequently have a good, partial response to treatment, but would do great if they had relatively modest increases in their opiates, or the addition of non-opioid medications for pain.”
National Pain Report: “Now, let’s ask that from the patient point of view. What should patients be sharing with their family practice/internist, p.a. and nurse about recognizing and treating their chronic pain.”
Dr. Radnovich: “Quite simply, vote with your feet. If you are not getting adequate treatment, find another provider; get another opinion. Describe your pain in terms of loss of function, what you cannot do that you would like to be able to do again. Set reasonable, specific goals. Patients have told me they would like to be able to walk their dog again, or swing a golf club. I had one patient say she would simply like to be able to get out of the bedroom and be with her family. When I heard that, it made the impact of her pain very real to me.”
Here’s the recent story we did with Dr. Radnovich regarding the state of pain management in the U.S. As we mentioned above, Dr. Radnovich is a nationally known instructor, researcher, author and expert on soft tissue injuries, pain management and injection techniques.
We will be sharing other opinions from other providers in future articles.
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domain: medical


The Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric, which has just been launched in Brazil, won the Top Savety Pick+ 2022 (TSP+ 2022) award, presented by the Instituto de Segurança Rodoviária (IIHS). The award is a seal that confirms the high level of car safety.
C40 Recharge features many safety technologies; Take a look
“Volvo Cars’ vision that no one should be killed or seriously injured in one of Volvo’s new vehicles drives the continuous innovation of new safety features, including speed limiters, cross-road protection and advanced assistance systems of drivers. driver (ADAS)” , praises the Swedish car manufacturer in a press release.
The Volvo C40 Recharge has all the benefits of an SUV in a stylish, premium design and includes an intuitive, built-in Google infotainment experience. It’s also the first Volvo in the company’s history designed exclusively as 100% electric and the first to feature a sustainable, completely leather-free interior with recyclable materials.
“The C40 Recharge is the latest demonstration of Volvo’s commitment to a zero-emissions future and aims to become an electric car company by 2030,” the statement said.
The car arrived this month at the brand’s dealers in Brazil with a starting price of R$ 419,950 and, of course, it stands for the amount of technological products aimed at the safety of passengers and drivers.
The Volvo C40 Recharge offers the most advanced driving assistance, just like modern 360 degree camera that, close to Cross traffic alert (CTA), with automatic braking, assists and avoids collisions when exiting and entering parking spaces. The car also hasLane change warning system (LKA) isblind spot warning system (BLIS).
Another technology is City Securitywhich detects pedestrians, cyclists and large animals and can apply the brakes and even steer to avoid or minimize a collision.
The car comes with accessories adaptive cruise controlwhich has sensors and cameras that monitor road lanes and a system that controls acceleration and braking, helping the car to move, for example, when going around open curves on the highway, as well as controlling the distance of the car in front. .
Resources Maintenance Key allows speed limit control via software and master switch.


Nikola is an electric car manufacturer that in May received an order for 100 trucks for Total Transportation Services. On the other hand, the price is with a 80% discount from the high of $ 80. Is it time to go in? He wonders Rekha Khandelwal in The Motley Fool.
What are your plans?
Nikola plans to start delivering trucks before the end of this year. In the long term, the company aims to develop battery electric vehicles (BEV), hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) and heavy duty trucks. It is in the process of validation and testing of 14 prototype trucks. It has made substantial progress in building manufacturing facilities in Arizona and Germany. It expects to begin trial production at its facility in Germany this month and in Arizona next month.
Nikola’s energy business unit focuses on the development of hydrogen filling stations for your FCEVs. The company collaborated with TravelCenters of America in April to install hydrogen filling stations at two of its sites.
While Nikola’s progress looks encouraging, the electric vehicle market is intensely competitive. Major traditional automakers are looking to seize market opportunities from BEV and FCEV.Hyundai Motor, Toyota Motor and General Motors are among the automakers working in fuel cell electric trucks. Similarly, in the segment of BEV, Nikola faces competition from Volkswagen, Tesla, Daimler, BYD, Volvo and others that have launched or plan to launch heavy-duty battery electric trucks in the coming years.
Learn to invest and win in the stock market in the short, medium and long term
Psychotrading. Why don’t we seize opportunities on the stock market and hold on to losses? Human beings with emotions, who feel euphoria or panic when they win or lose.
“These legacy automakers have increased financial, technical, manufacturing and marketing capabilities than Nikola. Therefore, profitably producing and selling electric trucks would be a huge challenge for Nikola. Even if the company succeeds in launching the initial models, which in itself is a difficult task, carving out a place in the competitive market would be incredibly difficult for Nikola, “says Khandelwal.
Nikola is believed to have bright prospects due to his growth plans in the FCEV segment, as batteries at the moment are not very optimal for heavy duty vehicles. However, it faces competition even in this segment from legacy automakers. Additionally, advances in batteries and the availability of charging infrastructure can erase those benefits as well. Volkswagen Scania has already launched battery electric trucks, while Tesla plans to launch its battery-powered semi-trailer soon.
Lack of trust
“The company has made false claims about its technology earlier that led to the departure of its founder. With that background, the possible successful launch of their first truck remains questionable, “says Khandelwal.
Suppose the new management is more committed to the company and its shareholders. Still, the shares have a market capitalization of around $ 6.7 billion. Even with its sales target of around $ 3.2 billion for 2024 that the company provided at the time of listing, the current price implies a price-to-sales ratio of more than two. Aside from Tesla, all of the legacy automakers working on electric trucks have a price / sales ratio below one.
Nikola is still ahead of revenue and has yet to deliver his first truck. Your ratio is based on sales more than three years into the future. Production delays are quite common for car startups and the sales numbers seem optimistic. The company has already revised down its projected 2021 revenue from the previously announced $ 150 million to $ 30 million. In fact, the lower end of the guide is revised to $ 15 million for the year. But even $ 30 million is a fifth of what it had previously led. Lower expected revenue makes the price / sales ratio even higher.
“Nikola seems to be progressing, albeit slowly, in the right direction. However, with Nikola’s past problems and the risks he faces, it’s hard to assume that he will deliver what he promises. I would consider the value only when you start production and deliver trucks that meet safety and performance benchmarks. Considering the substantial risks involved, investors would be better off avoiding stocks for now, ”concludes Khandelwal.


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Human Settlements MEC Lebogang Maile said he has repeatedly cautioned municipalities to use public funds in a transparent and prudent manner.
Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Urban Planning and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Lebogang Maile has written a formal letter to Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina, giving him seven days to respond about allegations of a R1.9 billion chemical toilets tender scandal.
On Wednesday, an investigative report published by AmaBhungane in Daily Maverick claimed that the Ekurhuleni metro spent a staggering R1.9 billion on chemical toilets over three financial years from 2017 to 2019.
The report claimed the project to supply chemical toilets sourced from 16 small suppliers was a get-rich-quick scheme for some underperforming contractors.
The three-year tender to provide toilets to informal settlements was meant to replace the inhumane bucket system. The contract will run until June 30, 2022.
In a statement, Maile said he views the allegations contained in the article as grievous.
Maile said an official letter was dispatched earlier Wednesday morning to Masina, soliciting a detailed response to these glaring allegations. Masina is expected to respond within seven days.
“If indeed, these allegations are true, there needs to be corresponding consequences,” Maile said.
Maile said he has repeatedly cautioned municipalities to use public funds in a transparent and prudent manner, in accordance with finance regulations as determined by government.
“Government funds should not by any means be misappropriated nor used as ‘get rich quick scheme’ for cronies, and dubious business people,” he said.
In terms of Section 106 of the Local government, Municipal Systems Act, the MEC is empowered to conduct an investigation if he has reason to believe that maladministration, fraud, corruption or any other serious malpractice has occurred in a municipality in the province.
Maile is expected to meet all municipalities across the province to probe the auditor-general’s report on spending and unqualified opinions contained therein.
Meanwhile, Masina has rubbished AmaBhungane’s allegations, saying that it gave misleading figures on the money spent on the project.
“Then we are told we attack journo’s even when we give them facts about allegations they making. Daily Maverick was such a trash this weekend. They publish a story we had corrected that it’s not R1.9 billion rather R800m, but still go ahead misleading.
You might also like…Inmates should make furniture for ministers: Ronald Lamola
Newly appointed justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola may have a solution to his cabinet colleagues’ decor headaches. Lamola, who is the political head responsible for SA’s prisons, wants his colleagues to furnish their offices and ministerial homes with furniture manufactured by prison inmates.
This comes just weeks after public works minister Patricia de Lille reportedly warned cabinet ministers that she won’t be entertaining any requests for new furniture for offices, ministerial homes or parliamentary villages…Read more here

domain: politics


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During these times of social distancing, I’m discovering new ways to stay creative within my own home. I’m definitely not a macro shooter by design, but necessity has made me into one. This is the first of a series of tutorials where I’ll share my journey into everyday macro at home with you. With my camera and a macro lens (I'm using a Sony α7R IV and the Sony 90mm f/2.8 G Macro), sound knowledge of photography fundamentals and a few homemade tools, I’m hoping to create some photographic art on a small scale.
There is no substitute for learning from a master (like this Macro Quick Start Guide by macro pro Caroline Jensen). However, sometimes I feel it’s equally helpful to get the perspective of a novice and ride along on the journey of discovery and synthesis. I hope you’ll join me as I try to set up and photograph everyday things I find in my home and backyard.
"With my Sony α7R IV & Sony 90mm f/2.8 G Macro lens, sound knowledge of photography fundamentals and a few homemade tools, I’m trying to create some photographic art on a small scale."
Because I’m so new to macro, I’ve been doing a ton of research online, so you won’t have to. None of the ideas I present are novel and so many creators have brought them to light much more elegantly than I am about to. However, I do think it’s the process that’s most important. If you can learn a little bit of that from me, then I’ve accomplished my goal.
I love macro shots of flowers, but I wanted to do something different. Recently, I discovered the magic of water droplet imaging. I’m not talking about taking pictures of plants with water sprayed on it. I’m referring to shooting through a single or a few droplets of water to frame something special beyond it.
The image below, for example, was made with a flower petal, a drop of water and a single rose. Let me first share with you the equipment I used and how I set everything up. Then I’ll go over my camera settings.
Photo by Mahesh Thapa (@starvingphotographer). Sony α7R IV, Sony 90mm f/2.8 G Macro lens.
I’m using a Sony α7R IV with the Sony 90mm f/2.8 G Macro lens. I set it up on a simple table-top tripod. I took another table-top tripod and put a Lume Cube as a single source of light. I’m also using a couple of Helping Hands clamps to position the subject. Finally, a small syringe with tap water serves as my source of droplets. It could have been better with a narrow gauge needle which would have allowed for finer control over the water droplet, but I didn’t have one, so I made do with just the syringe. I’ve chosen to photograph the entire set up in a light booth I had, but that’s not necessary.
Positioning the water droplet on the flower petal with the syringe.
Helping Hands are extremely useful for home-studio macro photography.
Now for the setup. I positioned the flower and petal about six inches or so apart. The Helping Hand clamps are…well…very helpful in achieving this. I carefully used the syringe to place a drop of water on the petal then I positioned my single light source so that most of the light fell on the flower and a small amount spilled over onto the petal. I used a Lume Cube, but a small flashlight can work as well. Position your camera so that you’re looking through the droplet to the flower beyond. I found that f/8 – f/11 works best and helps avoid uneven softness of the flower caused by the shape of the water droplet. That’s it!
The complete setup in the home studio light booth. The Lume Cube is on the table top tripod on the right.
Here’s another image where I used the same technique. Instead of a flower, I placed an image of my wife and myself. It made an amazing anniversary gift! Here’s a pro tip: The image you want to showcase in the droplet needs to be positioned upside down.
Photo by Mahesh Thapa (@starvingphotographer). Sony α7R IV, Sony 90mm f2.8 G Macro lens.
The possibilities of shooting macro with water droplets like this are endless. Once you have the fundamental technique down, try experimenting with different subjects. I think you’ll find that it’s addictive and exploring the macro world is just as revealing as exploring a grand landscape.
Mahesh Thapa is a member of the Alpha Imaging Collective. You can see more of his macro images and follow him on Instagram @starvingphotographer.


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The following guidelines could prevent you or a loved one from becoming the next dog bite statistic:
- Avoid approaching unfamiliar dogs. If approached by an unfamiliar dog, remain motionless.
- Avoid petting a dog without giving it an opportunity to observe and sniff you.
- Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.
- Avoid running away from a dog.
- Avoid disturbing a dog that is eating, sleeping or attending to puppies.
- Avoid leaving children, especially young children, alone with a dog.
Additional resources regarding dog bite statistics and prevention can be found through the American Humane Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

domain: pet


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Senate Bill 0415
DIGEST OF SB415 (Updated February 23, 2009 7:51 pm - DI 84)
Grain buyers and warehouse licensing. Makes various changes regarding the grain buyers and licensing warehouse agency (agency). Makes changes to the definition of a warehouse. Provides procedures for an annual renewal of an application. Allows the director of the agency to prorate certain annual licensing fees. Provides that the agency may disclose the names of grain buyers or warehouses and the county where they are located. Allows the agency to accept other forms of surety to show the net worth of a grain buyer or warehouse.
Latest Printing (PDF)
Conference Committee Reports

domain: agronomy


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Khaavren of the House of Tiassa is a son of landless nobility, possessor of a good sword and "tolerably well-acquainted with its use." Along with three loyal friends, he enthusiastically seeks out danger and excitement. But in a realm renowned for repartee and betrayals, where power is as mutable as magic, a young man like Khaavren, newly come from the countryside, had best be wary. His life depends on it. And so does the future of Draegara.
Set in the same world as Stephen Brust's beloved Vlad Taltos books, The Phoenix Guards is a fantasy rewrite of The Three Musketeers—a swashbuckling tale of adventure.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Tom Doherty Associates; October 2008
- ISBN: 9781429997317
- Edition: 1
- Read online, or download in DRM-free ePub (digitally watermarked) format
- Title: The Phoenix Guards
Series: Phoenix Guards
- Author: Steven Brust
Imprint: Orb Books
In The Press
“Delightful, exciting, and sometimes brilliant, Steven Brust is the latest in a line of great Hungarian writers, which (I have no doubt) includes Alexandre Dumas, C. S. Forester, Mark Twain, and the author of the juiciest bits of the Old Testament.” —Neil Gaiman
“Steven Brust might just be America's best fantasy writer.” —Tad Williams
“Watch Steven Brust. He's good. He moves fast. He surprises you. Watching him untangle the diverse threads of intrigue, honor, character and mayhem from amid the gears of a world as intricately constructed as a Swiss watch is a rare pleasure.” —Roger Zelazny
About The Author
STEVEN BRUST is the New York Times bestselling author of Dzur, Issola, Dragon, Jhegaala, and many others. A native of Minneapolis, he currently lives in Las Vegas.

domain: library


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Steven Wise, associate professor of mathematics, will present “Simulations for Solutions: Solving Problems Through Scientific Computing” on Friday, April 4, at this week’s Science Forum.
The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research with the general public in a conversational presentation.
The presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. Science Forum presentations are free and open to the public.
Wise will discuss the advent of scientific computing, from the early days at Princeton University and Los Alamos National Laboratory and the building of the first atomic weapons to the present day and the great triumphs of modern computing. He also will look into the future of scientific computing and how computers might—and might not—be able to help solve some of the biggest problems.
Here’s the list of future Science Forums:
- Friday, April 11: Stacy Clark, research forester for the US Forest Service, discussing “American Chestnut Restoration: Can We Bring Back the Mighty Giant?”
- Friday, April 25: Pete Claussen, founder and CEO of Gulf and Ohio Railways Inc. and Knoxville Locomotive Works, discussing “Green Locomotives”
The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research and Quest, an initiative to raise awareness of the research, scholarship, and creative activity happening on campus.
For more information, visit the Science Forum website.
C O N T A C T :
Amanda Womac (Amanda@HellbenderPress.org)
Mark Littmann (865-974-8156, email@example.com)
Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, firstname.lastname@example.org)


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Actress and movie producer Kafui Danku has revealed what Ghanaians branded her as a prostitute when she got married to her husband.
According to the gender advocate, she indicated that her marriage came as a blessing while Ghanaians branded her as a gold digger who is only just after the man’s money.
She noted that it had been, “a blessing even though people say it’s because of the man’s wealth.”
Kafui added that she has been called “ashawo and gold digger” for marrying an old man.
She added that she has been with men of her age and there was nothing to write home about.
She stated that she has positioned herself mentally not to let such statements get to her because according to her, she married early and to a mature man.


Get rid of old tires, fight mosquitoes
CENTRAL POINT — The annual event designed to get rid of unwanted tires and give mosquitoes one less place to set up shop returns this week at the Jackson County Vector Control District.
The agency’s free tire disposal event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 15-17, at 555 Mosquito Lane in Central Point, Vector Control reported.
Only Jackson County residents can participate, so organizers are asking people to bring either a picture ID or utility statement with a home address to verify residency. Each attendee has a 15-tire limit, with a 30-tire limit per vehicle. Tires that are more than 34 inches in diameter and/or are still on the rim will not be accepted, event organizers said. Tires also can’t be in pieces.
Its the fifth year Vector Control has hosted the dropoff event, with the purpose of reducing breeding grounds for mosquitoes, a resourceful species when it comes to places they lay eggs. Sources that hold standing water in area yards, including buckets, coffee cans, and wheelbarrows, can be veritable maternity wards for the insects, producing “hundreds of mosquitoes per week,” a Vector Control news release says.
And the 40,000 or so tires residents have dropped off thus far seem to be having an impact, officials said. Cement plants then use the tires as fuel.
“It does appear that it’s made a difference in the locations where these tires are coming from,” said Vector Control manager and biologist Jim Lunders. “Some of these tires sites were known. When our technicians were there doing a service request, they found larvae in the tires, and gave them one of our fliers to try to get them to bring them in and dispose of them. And numerous times in those situation, that has solved those people’s problems in their backyards.”
Lunders hopes the event is a consistent reminder of the importance of policing yards and seeking out potential environments where mosquitoes can thrive. Those include flooded fields, clogged gutters, buckets, coffee cans and, of course, old tires. Anything that holds water for seven days can produce mosquitoes, an insect that spread serious diseases such as West Nile Virus.
For more information about mosquitoes and Vector Control, call 541-826-2199 or visit jcvcd.org.
For more information about the West Nile virus in Oregon, see https://bit.ly/33AVeiD.
Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at email@example.com or 541-776-4468.


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Bathroom Vanities and Vanity Cabinets
Furniture that’s adorned with faux fur typically seems quite comfy and welcoming. Recently, the furry household furniture such as mane addicts should you use a straightening brush instead is in their method of being fully a tendency inside the world of home design. Normally, furry vanitys appeal to inside designers or home decorators who intend to emphasize the animal-friendly perception. However, don’t be in a hurry to start looking for things furry before you read the rest of this article. There are some tips which you need to be aware of when it has to do with imitating the look of the room by furry household furniture. In the event that you recklessly add all the furry objects — which include the gas giant planets — to the room, it’ll only render the area looks like an area in Antarctica.
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In the most recent edition of their Bus Banter podcast, Disciple announced their plans for two potential side projects. One project will be a worship album under frontman Kevin Young's name, and the other will be a metal EP in partnership with Wolves at the Gate's Nick Detty.
The band shared that although the worship album will be created completely by the current members of Disciple, they plan to release it under Kevin Young's name instead to avoid any confusion on the band's overall musical direction, which will continue to be their intense, gospel-centric brand of hard rock. The idea of releasing a worship record follows naturally from the fact that each of the members individually is either involved in leading worship currently or has been in the past, and from the fact that both Kevin Young and guitarist Josiah Prince frequently write songs that best fit the worship or AC format. "We have all these ideas, and we just feel like Disciple is not the right avenue to use these ideas," Kevin Young explained during the podcast. "We're thinking about doing an album half originals, and half covers."
In addition to the worship project, Disciple is ambitiously planning to work on a metal EP as well in 2017. They will be enlisting the aid of Nick Detty, lead vocalist for Wolves at the Gate, to lend his screams to the project. The EP, which is primarily the passion project of guitarist Andrew Stanton and drummer Joey West, aims to be even heavier than Disciple's material.
Both projects are currently in their creative infancy, with official timelines to be determined later. Disciple attributes their ability to pursue such a wide range of ventures in part to their independent status. Although distributing last fall's Long Live the Rebels in partnership with BEC Recordings, Disciple has functioned as an independent band since 2014's Attack. The full creative calendar also proves the work ethic that has made that independent route successful for the band. "I just love that we have goals," guitarist Josiah Prince shared. "It's not like we're just coasting through another year, thinking OK, Long Live the Rebels is out so we can just kind of play shows this year. No, we're trying to do more. We're trying to be creative."
Just in case any fans were worried however, Kevin Young clarified "we'll never stop Disciple." The band has already begun working on some material that will be held in reserve until the next Disciple album release.
Disciple has been spending their spring headlining the City Rockfest tour, which is currently in its final month. For a full list of tour dates and continued updates on Disciple's projects, you can follow them on facebook, twitter and instagram. You can also subscribe to their Bus Banter podcast here.


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Kanye West and Drake will shortly be taking the stage together after finishing their long-running beef.
You are watching: How long is kanye west concert
The 44-year-old rapper and fashion mogul, that recently adjusted his name to Ye, announced on Saturday (Nov. 20) the he and also Drizzy will carry out at the “Free Larry Hoover” benefit concert at Los Angeles’ Coliseum top top Dec. 9.
“God’s Plan,” Ye captioned the announcement on Instagram, referencing Drake’s 2018 hit, i beg your pardon debuted at No. 1 ~ above the audioeditorfree.com hot 100.
The poster list Ye together the evening’s headliner and also Drake as the distinct guest. Tickets will certainly go on sale on Monday (Nov. 22) at 10 a.m. PST.
After year of feuding, Ye and the OVO MC officially hidden the ax on Tuesday (Nov. 16) after ~ reuniting throughout a Dave Chappelle comedy show and later hanging the end at Drake’s mansion in Toronto. In a authorize of peace, Ye shared a picture on society media of self posing through Drake and Rap-A-Lot CEO J Prince.
In at an early stage October, J Prince furious on Instagram the Ye and also Drake were functioning to “free our brother Larry Hoover.” weeks later, Ye and J Prince showed up in a video clip together asking for Drake’s assistance in gaining convicted felon Hoover released from federal prison.
“I think this event will not only carry awareness come our cause, yet prove to civilization everywhere exactly how much an ext we can achieve when us lay our pride to the side and also come together,” Ye said in the clip.
West previously supported for the release of Hoover, the convicted co-founder of Chicago’s Gangster practical worker gang who was very first sentenced to offer life in jail in 1973 after that was uncovered guilty of murder. More than two decades later in ’97, Hoover received six extr life sentence after the was discovered guilty on charges of ongoing gang activity while imprisoned.
In 2018, Ye attempted to help complimentary Hoover by appeal to former U.S. Chairman Donald Trump, however he to be unsuccessful. Most recently, the featured Hoover’s son, Larry Hoover Jr., on the song “Jesus Lord” which shows up on his latest album, Donda. In the track, Hoover Jr. Thanks West for his involvement in his father’s case.
While Ye vs. Drake had actually been walk on for more than a decade, the two most recently target heads end the summer during the lead-up to their Donda and also Certified Lover Boy albums. ~ Ye summary leaked Drake’s address, the Toronto MC seemed to take it shots in ~ him ~ above his song “7am on Bridle Path” and also later leaked Ye and also André 3000’s “Life of the Party” collab that didn’t do the reduced on Donda.
See more: How Many Calories In A Shot Of Jack Daniels, How Many Calories In Jack Daniels
See Ye’s “Free Larry Hoover” benefit concert Instagram article below.


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|Nanoporous metal organic frameworks as hybrid polymer–metal composites for drug delivery and biomedical applications|
S Beg, M Rahman, A Jain, S Saini, P Midoux, C Pichon, FJ Ahmad, ...
Drug Discovery Today 22 (4), 625-637, 2017
|Adapalene loaded solid lipid nanoparticles gel: an effective approach for acne treatment|
AK Jain, A Jain, NK Garg, A Agarwal, A Jain, SA Jain, RK Tyagi, RK Jain, ...
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 121, 222-229, 2014
|Galactose engineered solid lipid nanoparticles for targeted delivery of doxorubicin|
A Jain, P Kesharwani, NK Garg, A Jain, SA Jain, AK Jain, P Nirbhavane, ...
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 134, 47-58, 2015
|Surface engineered polymeric nanocarriers mediate the delivery of transferrin–methotrexate conjugates for an improved understanding of brain cancer|
A Jain, A Jain, NK Garg, RK Tyagi, B Singh, OP Katare, TJ Webster, ...
Acta biomaterialia 24, 140-151, 2015
|A synergistic approach of adapalene-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers, and vitamin C co-administration for treating acne|
A Jain, NK Garg, A Jain, P Kesharwani, AK Jain, P Nirbhavane, RK Tyagi
Drug development and industrial pharmacy 42 (6), 897-905, 2016
|Administration of antioxidants in cancer: debate of the decade|
RK Khurana, A Jain, A Jain, T Sharma, B Singh, P Kesharwani
Drug discovery today 23 (4), 763-770, 2018
|Novel cationic supersaturable nanomicellar systems of raloxifene hydrochloride with enhanced biopharmaceutical attributes|
A Jain, R Kaur, S Beg, V Kushwah, S Jain, B Singh
Drug delivery and translational research 8 (3), 670-692, 2018
|Beta carotene-loaded zein nanoparticles to improve the biopharmaceutical attributes and to abolish the toxicity of methotrexate: A preclinical study for breast cancer|
A Jain, G Sharma, V Kushwah, G Ghoshal, A Jain, B Singh, US Shivhare, ...
Artificial cells, nanomedicine, and biotechnology 46 (sup1), 402-412, 2018
|Cationic bovine serum albumin (CBA) conjugated poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles for extended delivery of methotrexate into brain tumors|
P Kesharwani, A Jain, A Jain, AK Jain, NK Garg, RK Tekade, TRR Singh, ...
Rsc Advances 6 (92), 89040-89050, 2016
|Recent advances in galactose-engineered nanocarriers for the site-specific delivery of siRNA and anticancer drugs|
A Jain, A Jain, P Parajuli, V Mishra, G Ghoshal, B Singh, US Shivhare, ...
Drug discovery today 23 (5), 960-973, 2018
|Nano-constructed carriers loaded with antioxidant: Boon for cardiovascular system|
A Jain, P Kesharwani, N Kumar Garg, A Jain, P Nirbhavane, N Dwivedi, ...
Current pharmaceutical design 21 (30), 4456-4464, 2015
|Development of a validated liquid chromatographic method for quantification of sorafenib tosylate in the presence of stress‐induced degradation products and in biological …|
T Sharma, RK Khurana, A Jain, OP Katare, B Singh
Biomedical Chromatography 32 (5), e4169, 2018
|QbD-driven development and validation of an efficient bioanalytical UPLC method for estimation of olmesartan medoxomil|
S Beg, A Jain, R Kaur, SS Panda, OP Katare, B Singh
Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies 39 (13), 587-597, 2016
|Stimuli Responsive In Situ Gelling Systems Loaded with PLGA Nanoparticles of Moxifloxacin Hydrochloride for Effective Treatment of Periodontitis|
S Beg, S Dhiman, T Sharma, A Jain, RK Sharma, A Jain, B Singh
AAPS PharmSciTech 21 (3), 76, 2020
|Application of chemometric approach for QbD-enabled development and validation of an RP-HPLC method for estimation of methotrexate|
A Jain, S Beg, S Saini, T Sharma, OP Katare, B Singh
Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies 42 (15-16), 502-512, 2019
|Functionalized carbon nanotubes and their promising applications in therapeutics and diagnostics|
B Singh, S Lohan, PS Sandhu, A Jain, SK Mehta
Nanobiomaterials in Medical Imaging, 455-478, 2016
|Metal–organic frameworks as expanding hybrid carriers with diverse therapeutic applications|
S Beg, A Jain, S Saini, T Sharma, MS Hasnain, SS Imam, I Kazmi, ...
Organic Materials as Smart Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery, 1-34, 2018
|Systematic development of drug nanocargos using formulation by design (FbD): an updated overview|
B Singh, T Sharma, S Saini, R Kaur, A Jain, K Raza, S Beg
Critical Reviews™ in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems 37 (3), 2020
|Anti-proliferate and apoptosis triggering potential of methotrexate-transferrin conjugate encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles with enhanced cellular uptake by high-affinity folate …|
A Parmar, A Jain, S Uppal, SK Mehta, K Kaur, B Singh, R Sandhir, ...
Artificial cells, nanomedicine, and biotechnology 46 (sup2), 704-719, 2018
|QbD-driven analytical method development and validation for raloxifene hydrochloride in pure drug and solid oral dosage form|
A Jain, T Sharma, G Sharma, RK Khurana, OP Katare, B Singh
Analytical Chemistry Letters 9 (4), 463-477, 2019

domain: chemistry


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Mini Stapler Style Hand Sewing Machine for Quick and Easy Sewing
Material: High Quality Plastic & Metal - Receive Original AMI when buy from AndAlso
Size: 14x11.5x5.5 Cm Colour: orange - color, simplicity, and cost
A great product at such an affordable price. Please note - its not a replacement to the Big stitching Machine - but its a Quick Fix it Tool For small Fix Works.
Receive Two Manuals - with youtube Link explaining how to use - when purchase from byc
The images represent actual product though color of the image and product may slightly differ.

domain: hobby


The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, has described the proposed Al-Ansar University as the most important project presently in Borno State.
According to him, the proposed school is capable of attracting both students and seasoned academic staff not only from the region but other parts of the country.
He said the institution, set to become Borno’s first private university, will change and greatly transform the physical and psychological wellbeing of the North East, by the time it begins running academic programmes.
Prof. Rasheed, made these observations when he received a delegation of the proposed University’s Planning and Implementation Committee, at the NUC Headquarters, recently in Abuja.
The delegation, which was led by Dr Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, Chairman of Al-Ansar Foundation and chief promoter of the private university, submitted the complete planning documents of the proposed school to the NUC management.
The documents included duly completed application forms; Evidence of payment of processing fee; Academic Brief; Draft master plan; Environmental Impact Assessment report; Subsoil investigation report; and Draft University Law.
Rasheed, who said he was delighted to receive the team, also described Kyari Dikwa as a courageous, proactive and committed patriot, with an uncommon passion for education.
The NUC Scribe, saluted the courage of Dr. Dikwa for being the first eminent personality to contemplate establishing a private university in Borno State, and by extension, in the entire old Kanem Bornu Empire. A region, he said, had in the recent past, been in the news for the wrong reasons.
Prof. Rasheed, a former Vice Chancellor (VC) of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), also commended his guests for putting together a draft academic brief and Physical master plan, which NUC would subject to reviews before approval.
He further advised them to take a second look at the programmes being proposed, so as to start with those more relevant to the people and economic development of the North East.
Earlier, Dr. Dikwa, while presenting the documents to the NUC helmsman, said their Foundation had already secured 100 hectares of land, which would serve as the permanent site of the University in Maiduguri.
He added that Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who issued the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O), also promised to construct roads and some blocks of staff houses, saying other prominent Nigerians have also pledged one project or the other when construction works begin at the site.
Dr. Dikwa, said their Foundation would strictly follow the procedure for licensing the proposed University by developing the necessary physical facilities for its take off by 2021.


The Lehigh County Conference of Churches (LCCC) presents "People Without Homes," a photography and poetry exhibit and community discussion, 5 p.m. Feb. 27, Tower Auditorium, Sacred Heart Hospital, 421 Chew St., Allentown.
"People Without Homes" is the recent sabbatical project of LCCC Executive Director Rev. Dr. Christine L. Nelson.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. Free parking is available.
A discussion on chronic homelessness begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 27.
Light refreshments will be served.
Submissions are now being accepted for the eighth annual award-winning Student Poetry Project.
In celebration of National Poetry Month in April, three poems will be selected in each of the Elementary, Middle School and High School categories and published in the April 24 and 25 Focus section in the Lehigh Valley Press newspapers.
The student whose poem is selected as the best poem in each category may have his or her photo published with the selected poem.
The Lehigh Valley Chapter of Score holds a Round Table on marketing products and services on a small business budget, 8 - 9:30 a.m. Feb. 28, Dunkin' Donuts, 3670 MacArthur Road, Whitehall.
Sue Kovacs, owner of Fusion Marketing Services and publisher of MD News of Eastern Pennsylvania, is moderator.
Round Table discussions are facilitated by a Score member. Introductory comments on the topic are offered. The session is then open to discussion and questions by participants.
Evangelia Papadopoulos and Maureen Longernecker have joined Keller Williams' Northampton County office in Bethlehem.
Papadopoulos has been a full-time Realtor since 2006 and was previously with Weichert Realtors. She was a member of Weichert's Executive Sales Club in 2010, Director's Club in 2011 and Million-Dollar Sales and Marketing Club in 2007, 2008 and 2009. She has been a certified relocation specialist since 2008 and became a certified mentor in 2012.
As part of the "Year of Faith" campaign, the Salesian Center for Faith and Culture at DeSales University is hosting a symposium on faith and relationships with Erika Bachiochi, J.D., a nationally-syndicated author and speaker; moderated by Anne Lewis, professor of theater at DeSales University, at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, University Center, DeSales University, Center Valley.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by the Diocese of Allentown. No tickets are required.
Civic Theatre of Allentown holds open auditions 7 p.m. March 11 for its May 4 -10 production of "Next to Normal," the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning musical by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, in the upstairs rehearsal hall, 19th Street Theatre, 527 N 19th St., Allentown.
Callbacks will be held the following evening, March 12. The musical will be directed by Civic's Artistic Director William Sanders with music direction by Justin Brehm.
Information: CivicTheatre.com, 610-432-8943
The Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors (LVAR) released a new research report indicating year-to-date sales, pending sales and the affordability index up over the same time last year.
January 2013 data comparisons over last year at the same time indicate that closed sales were up 2.3 percent to 307, while pending sales were up 30.7 percent to 511.
Inventory decreased 16.8 percent to 3,157 units and new listings decreased 2.4 percent to 953.
WDIY, 88.1 FM is celebrating the 13th anniversary of its annual fundraiser, "Heart of the Valley" Antiques Show, March 2 and 3. The City of Bethlehem is once again a major sponsor for the event.
During the first weekend in March, the Charles A Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Sand Island, Bethlehem, will be transformed into an antiques collectors' emporium.
Twenty-five select dealers will be offering quality wares in the form of textiles, pottery, folk art, quilts, primitives, toys, holiday décor, painted, formal and country furniture and more.
Dr. Christopher Wagener, Coordinated Health's Mayo Clinic-trained spine surgeon, will hold a free seminar, 6 p.m. March 5, Coordinated Health Allentown Campus, Second Floor, 1503 N. Cedar Crest Boulevard, Allentown.
Light refreshments will be provided.
To register: 610-861-8080, ext. 24108


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Longtime racer Rod Proctor is taking back the track at Orange Show Speedway.
Proctor is betting that if you make racing more affordable with lighter entry fees, help with tire costs and lower ticket prices, the fans and racers will come back to support local tracks such as San Bernardino.
“The place needs to be taken back to the 80s with low-cost, low-budget racing done right,” Proctor said.
Saturday night, Orange Show Speedway will hold its second night of a 10-event schedule of racing. Fans can check out Bandeleros (5- to 11-year-olds racing modified go-karts skinned with NASCAR-type bodies), Mini-Stock, Street Stock, Open Late Models, Street-Stock Figure Eight and Skid-Plate cars.
The skid-plate cars, which are front-wheel cars that have been modified with a metal plate welded to the back wheels to cause drifting, will be making a first appearance at Orange Show Speedway hopefully to the delight of spectators.
Along with the 10-race schedule, Orange Show Speedway will also host the Loan Mart 200 street stocks race in September and the West Coast Outlaw Figure Eight Championships on November 8.
Proctor, who grew up in Norco and lives in Riverside, has been racing local tracks for years.
An old school outlaw figure-eight racer, Proctor said he’s has watched as other promoters have attempted to revive OSS in past years with little result. But, “Hot Rod” sees value in creating a place for enthusiasts to race and have fun.
“It gets expensive to race, and I got sick of it being about money,” Proctor said. “Its been that way for a while.”
Proctor has traveled the country to race and had contact with many promoters. Now, he’s taken much of what he’s learned from those experiences to make racing about the race again.
“I don’t want to make this not for profit but want it to be a place to race and have fun.”
To do that, Proctor has temporarily hung up his crash helmet for a promoter/organizer hat.
“Right now I’m not racing,” Proctor said. “I want to concentrate on getting the track going, listening to driver input and keeping the place motivated.
“We all want this to work, so I want to keep my focus on organizing things right now. Before long I’ll get back in the car.”
NASCAR RETURNS TO IRWINDALE
Looking for some local NASCAR racing this weekend? Have I got a ticket for you.
Dozens of Inland racers will be competing in six classes as part of the NASCAR competition tonight in Irwindale. Drivers will compete in Trucks, Legend Cars, Mini Stocks, Open Comp, Southwest Tour Trucks and Super Late Models.
Toni McCray, of Highland, and Ryan Partridge, of Rancho Cucamonga, head up a contingent of Inland drivers who will be on hand to compete.
McCray, daughter of longtime racer/promoter Rick McCray, will be racing in the Super Late Models. She finished runner up last season and is currently third in points.
Partridge, who’s father Bernie is credited with establishing the NHRA along with Wally Parks, is perfect so far this season, leading the Trucks class. Partridge also is leading the Lucas Oil Late Models.
Gates open at 4 p.m. for qualifying, an autograph session is from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m., the opening ceremony is at 6:55 with class racing to follow.
BROMME JR. NAMED GRAND MARSHAL
Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian recently announced that National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Bruce Bromme Jr. will be the grand marshal of the 19th annual Budweiser Oval Nationals in November.
“Over the years we have had racers, officials, owners and fans as grand marshal, but we have never had a crew chief,” Kazarian said. “Bruce is one of the best sprint car crew chiefs in the history of the sport. He is virtually a living legend, and his expertise is known across the nation.”
Broome Jr. grew up learning at the knee of his father, Bruce Sr., and grandfather Louis in the family race shop. Broome raced quarter midgets as a kid but it didn’t take him long to realize he liked working on the cars better than driving them.
He has tuned cars that have won over 250 main events and more than 20 championships. He also has won championships with Mike Spencer, Richard “The Gasman” Griffin, Damion Gardner and fellow hall of famers Lealand McSpadden and Dean Thompson.
Since 1995, Bromme he has been crew chief for Ron Chaffin. In 19 seasons, Bromme and Chaffin have won 14 season championships. They also won three Non Wing World Championships and the 2012 Oval Nationals with driver Spencer.
Riverside’s Stronghold Motorsports is in Sparks, Nevada this weekend racing in Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series’ Reno Off Road National at Wild West Motorsports Park. Drivers Brandon Bailey (Pro 4) and Larry Job (Pro Buggy) will battle the most unique track on the Lucas Oil Series circuit.
Auto Club Speedway is site this weekend for the NHRA Pacific National Open Series and Junior Drags. For more information: autoclubspeedway.com
If you want to get your motocross on today, the Racing Enterprises Motorsports Saturday races are at Glen Helen. Practice is open to all bikes and classes except 65cc, 885cc and 150cc. Gates open at 7 a.m., practice is at 8:30 a.m. and racing begins at 10 a.m. Spectator admission fees are $10 for adults and $5 for children, ages 6-12. for more information: remsatmx.com.
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.org


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I borrowed my Dad’s minidisc player and microphone today. Guess what that means? I finally got around to recording a rough demo of two songs I’ve been playing regularly for almost two years now, plus a brand new one. Here they are.
99% – The story of a guy who gets abducted by aliens while driving down Route 206 in New Jersey.
All My Dreams are in Cartoon – My brother Jake once said that most of his dreams were in cartoon and I thought that was pretty funny. The lyrics walk around different areas like a dream, but there is some sinister (animated) stuff going on in there.
1% – The story of a guy who is put in charge of watching over a human transport ship in space while everyone else is in suspended animation.
Let me know what you think, especially about the new song (1%). I have another song in the works that I’m pretty exicted about. I’ll try to finish that up soon.


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Medical and prescription coverage is provided through the Genesee Area Healthcare Plan (GAHP) and administered by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Employees may be eligible for the PPO and/or PPO D-2 plans as determined by collective bargaining agreements and Board of Education policy. For more information, visit the Genesee Area Healthcare Plan website. Summaries of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for each plan is provided below. Contact Wendy Hoffman in the Business Office for enrollment forms or with questions. Open enrollment is the month of June and the plan year is July 1 - June 30.
Once enrolled, employees may create an online account to view claims and plan information at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield/GAHP.
Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)
As part of the health care reform law, the government established a new health plan information document called the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC). The SBC will help you understand and compare different medical plan options. It provides an overview of each medical plan in a standard format and is written in easy-to-understand language.

domain: health


For all Back to the Future fans, ThinkGeek has created a Flux Capacitor USB car charger. The Flux Capacitor was the machine responsible for time travel in the movie franchise, located in the iconic DeLorean. Consisting of a rectangular shape and three Y-shaped light tubes, the USB charger authentically emulates the movie version, finished off with the same lighting sequence. Although the product won’t let you time travel, it can charge your portable devices when plugged into your vehicle’s 12V power adapter. Head over to ThinkGeek’s website to purchase for $25 USD.


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Spicy, Sweet or Savory: Order Pizza Near 35178
When your stomach starts talkin' and your tastebuds start tinglin' for a classic slice of meaty, cheesy goodness, we know you're not craving any old pizza near 35178 You want a scrumptious pizza prepared with a flavorful tomato sauce, hearty piles of mozzarella, perfectly diced pepperoni, and a golden crust that's simultaneously chewy and crispy. You want pizza, perfected. You want Domino's.
At Domino's near 35178, it's never been easier to get the fast and fresh pizza you want. Order your pizza online or over the phone, or stop by and place a carryout order at the Domino's nearest you.
Get started by picking one of our homemade crusts, including a fluffy, garlic-seasoned hand-tossed crust, a gluten-free crust, a pan crust featuring two monstrous layers of cheese, or even a crispy thin pizza crust! And then, select your sauce and start loading up on the pizza toppings of your choice. Whether you're a serious fan of mushrooms and spinach or love spicy pepperoni and tangy asiago cheese, your nearest Domino's location has it all.
There are more than 34 million ways to make a single Domino's pizza, which means you can be sure we've got a slice that suits your tastes. No matter how unique they are! Build your own pizza from scratch or choose from one of our specialty pizzas, like the ever popular Ultimate Pepperoni, MeatZZa™, or Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch, and have it delivered hot and fresh to your doorstep, today!
Demand the Best Pizza Delivery Near 35178: Demand Domino's!
Here at Domino's near 35178, we're serious about pizza delivery. In fact, we're so serious about it that we'll make you a promise. We guarantee that your pizza will arrive toasty hot and fresh at your doorstep, straight from our oven! Can't wait for your pie to arrive? Use our patented Pizza TrackerⓇ system and follow your pizza order as it's prepped, baked, and headed out the door for delivery... and in the meantime, do your best not to drool on your computer or phone.
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We deliver pizza, but we're also superstars when it comes to speedy pizza takeout near 35178. Feel free to order from our pizza menu or take home something more! Give your tastebuds exactly what they're looking for with one of our hand-tossed salads, oven-baked sandwiches, rich pastas, spicy chicken wing platters, and even dangerously decadent desserts. Add a cookie brownie, lava cake, or warm bunch of Cinna StixⓇ to your order and satisfy your sweet tooth.
With more than 12,000 stores in 80 plus countries, we know quality and customer service. It's our mission to be the best pizza delivery company not only in Vincent, but in the world, and everything from our courteous delivery drivers to our stellar pizza coupons reflects this commitment. Call your local Domino's restaurant near 35178, use our free smartphone app, or place your order online for fast pizza delivery and carryout today! We're different than other pizza restaurants. We're your number one pizza place near 35178!

domain: food


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There is little doubt rapid innovation is occurring in the financial technology space. While a paradigm shift in financial services was already well underway, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to exacerbate that shift. My role as CEO at SuperMoney has provided me with some insight into how things are evolving in the fintech space. Below are some of my predictions for the future of fintech.
An acceleration of branch closures
Banks have been pruning branch locations for years. The net loss of branch locations will accelerate.
While most bank services are more conveniently accessed from our phones, branches have historically been an important part of bank customer acquisition and retention as many people prefer to open an account and seek financial advice in person.
The COVID-19 pandemic will change consumer behavior and shift account openings online. We will also see the adoption of AI and teleadvisory services replace branch-based advisory services.
A new model for advisory services
The trend to digital is not limited to banks or other brick and mortar financial institutions. All sorts of financial professionals will see more of their business shift towards a digital remote experience.
Real estate agents, independent financial advisors, financial planners, and wealth managers are being forced to take their business digital. These are services where in-person interactions are the standard way to acquire customers and fulfill services.
These professions were already under attack. The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the need to adapt.
Contactless payment adoption
When you hand over cash or a credit card, you put yourself and the person accepting your payment at risk.
A survey from early March shows that a growing number of people in the U.S. consider contactless payments a basic need after the spread of COVID-19. These tap-and-go payments don’t require any physical contact between your phone or payment card and the sales terminal while being more secure than traditional cards.
Germs aside, it’s pretty wild to me that in American restaurants we still hand our credit cards over to strangers who then walk away out of sight to process our bill.
This is going to change. Various forms of contactless payments will gain traction but ultimately, mobile wallets will broadly replace physical wallets.
Accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence
A world with fewer in-person financial service interactions means a world with more cybercrime and financial fraud. Fraud prevention is a key area where AI’s ability to recognize patterns is proving valuable and will expand.
Automated customer service interactions via AI chatbots are already being adopted but will expand to include more tailored financial advice. In the future, increasingly personalized AI advisors may be perceived as more trustworthy, objective, and reliable than in-person advisors.
The use of machine learning to improve credit decisioning models isn’t new to the financial service industry. The applications of this technology will expand to new applications, such as monitoring borrower spending behavior post-funding to identify risk patterns for default so a financial institution can proactively take steps to intervene.
Banks and other financial service providers were early to adopt AI broadly. AI allows for faster transactions while giving customers the convenience they demand and significantly reducing operating costs. The adoption of AI will accelerate to broaden existing implementations and expand into new ones.
A return to bundling and financial intermediation
Over the last decade, financial technology upstarts scrambled to digitize specific product categories that had been traditionally bundled into a diversified set of product offerings by traditional banks. LendingClub for consumer loans, OnDeck for business financing, Chime for deposits, Wealthfront for wealth management, and the list goes on. The underlying idea being that disaggregating the components of traditional banking would result in targeted solutions with better experiences for both retail consumers and businesses.
With billions of venture capital dollars going to startups building an app for every specific financial service, you inevitably end up with a customer base that is overwhelmed. Consumers can’t keep up with 10 different applications to manage their finances.
At least a few firms who touted disintermediation and disaggregation of traditional banks in their early days have shifted their strategies in the last couple years towards aggregating an ever-growing set of product lines, often as intermediaries to banks or other financial partners. It seems in the end that bundling financial services makes a lot of sense for both businesses as well as customers, and we can expect that trend to continue.
The resurgence of banks
Many fintech companies who positioned themselves as challengers to or disruptors of banks ironically ended up building on top of the business or technology rails of the banks they were supposedly disrupting. Some built front-end skins on top of the technology backbone of existing banks, such as Chime’s relationship with The Bancorp Bank. Others built an entire technology stack of their own but used partner banks to address licensing requirements, such as LendingClub’s partnership with WebBank for loan originations.
We’ve seen a gradual shift towards these companies attempting to become banks themselves. For example, SoFi filed an application to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to charter an industrial loan company unit called SoFi Bank. It later decided to back out of the process in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. LendingClub recently went so far as to acquire Radius Bank.
Behind the scenes, banks have kept busy and are moving forward with new or improved direct to consumer online offerings in lending verticals, deposits, and mortgages. By launching Marcus, Goldman Sachs disproved the idea that banks are too slow to compete against Silicon Valley online. Other incumbents like Chase have invested heavily in their digital experiences and typically offer a more unified experience than the competing upstarts.
The economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has hit many fintechs hard bringing significant liquidity and demand shocks. Pandemic aside, a wave of fintech companies were reaching mid-stage, and are at the point that they must raise a mega venture capital round, become profitable, or sell. All three options have become more challenging due to the pandemic. I expect we are going to see considerable consolidation as banks with ambitions for digital expansion swoop in and buy up these companies to extend their own platforms.
The return of personal finance management apps
Both banks and fintechs trying to be banks face the same problem – consumers like choice.
Google and Amazon gained monopolistic positions within their respective industries by enabling consumer choice, not by focusing on selling their own products.
Regulatory, technological, and financial market constraints have mostly kept financial products undifferentiated. Some entrants believed customer experience would help them differentiate and win market share. While customer experience is hugely important, financial service providers are primarily differentiated on their rates, fees, and other key terms. A lender can build an awe-inspiring digital experience, but at the end of the day if a competitor offers a competing loan at a 5-point APR reduction, that competitor is likely to win the business. So, I can’t see a scenario where any one of these direct financial service providers achieves a monopolistic position in the market.
Personal finance management (PFM) apps are a neutral intermediary that can help consumers bundle a variety of financial service providers into one financial picture. The PFM tool Mint showed promise of becoming a major player. But after getting acquired by competitor Intuit in 2009, Mint has largely withered away ever since.
Credit Karma managed to bring on a sizeable userbase by offering free credit reports, but the core product offering remains surprisingly unchanged (not to mention that you can get a free credit report just about anywhere these days). Credit Karma was moving towards a more unified personal finance experience with the launch of Credit Karma Tax. However, they were treading too close to Intuit’s TurboTax business and Intuit has gone forward with a $7.1B acquisition of Credit Karma. It remains to be seen whether Credit Karma will follow the same fate as Mint.
The opportunity to develop an Amazon-like financial services marketplace intermediary with accompanying personal finance management tools remains wide open. The SuperMoney financial service marketplace aims to capitalize on that opportunity.
Growth in embedded finance
Acquiring financial service customers is getting more expensive. A challenger bank or a new fintech must build a customer base from scratch in an incredibly competitive market. Rather than slog it out, some of the most exciting fintechs are opting to build platforms that enable embedded finance for brands that already have customer loyalty. Brands with mindshare are leveraging these platforms to integrate financial services and make their product or service easier.
We’re seeing that with Uber Money, which includes a digital wallet and upgraded debit and credit cards. We will likely see that trend continue and expand with big brands that you wouldn’t typically associate with financial services. We will almost certainly see major tech companies like Amazon and Google make a more focused run at your wallet.
Digital layaway will disrupt credit cards
In the 1930s Great Depression era, retailers nationwide came up with an innovation to make it easier for people to shop. It was called layaway. Customers placed a down payment on the goods they wanted so that the store would hold them for a set amount of time. The customer would then pay off the purchase over the course of a few weeks or months until the full purchase price had been paid.
In the 1980s, credit cards came around and reversed the order of operation – allowing the customer to buy now and pay later.
In the 2020s, an emerging trend in e-commerce is the adoption of a new breed of digital layaway companies like Klarna and Affirm. These firms combine the instant gratification of credit cards while giving the customer a more structured way to pay it all off in a short installment period.
The COVID-19 lockdowns undoubtedly broadened the usage of e-commerce into new product and service categories while igniting a recession to rival the Great Depression. The combination of an expanding addressable market with the need to be more financially conscious will likely accelerate the use of digital layaway services and take a significant cut of credit card transactions.
This trend is not limited to e-commerce. Any small business will be able to offer financing without having to pay additional fees or discount rates to do so. Financing will be available for anything that is consumable.
Bitcoin may face a day of reckoning
At the height of COVID-19 panic, pretty much every asset in the world fell in value, even supposed safe-haven assets such as gold and bitcoin. This was bitcoin’s time to shine as the digital currency is supposed to be completely uncorrelated with the rest of the market.
With central banks globally adding many trillions to their balance sheets, significant fiat currency inflation is expected to occur. There is a non-trivial risk of collapse of confidence in the monetary system. In this scenario, the real test for bitcoin will occur.
Bitcoin will either show that it can succeed as a global, apolitical store of value and medium of exchange. Or, given that bitcoin does not have any real industrial or consumer value in the way that precious metals do, bitcoin will go to zero as investors flood to an asset-class with an underlying intrinsic value.
Regardless of the performance of bitcoin as an asset class, blockchain technology adoption will grow as we continue to apply the technology where it is best suited.
America will become a nation of savers
America is facing the biggest economic recession since the Great Depression and it’s all happening as about 30 percent of Americans have zero emergency savings, and only one-fifth have savings sufficient to last six months. The consumer financial pain that comes out of this will have long-lasting behavioral effects.
As Americans emerge from this financial crisis, many people will start saving, not for a rainy day, but for years to come. This change in behavior will be enabled by fintech services that make savings easy and automated. For example, savings apps that round-up the pennies from your purchases and allocate them to an investment account.
These are interesting times for the financial services sector. Fintech startups have revolutionized what we expect from financial institutions. However, this has not been a wipeout for the old guard of financial institutions. On the contrary, some are riding the fintech wave and coming out as market leaders. Often it is a marriage of necessity between startups and major financial institutions in the pursuit of faster, simpler, cheaper, and more transparent financial services. We are on the brink of major technological changes that will change the way we manage money. However, transforming all this potential into reality in these challenging times will require resilience and partnership from all stakeholders.

domain: finance


Movio stands as an innovative AI-powered video generator that revolutionizes the way videos are created, bringing professional-quality content within reach for users across diverse industries. With the seamless integration of synthetic media and advanced AI, Movio empowers users to effortlessly transform text into captivating videos. This tool introduces a paradigm shift in video creation, offering a streamlined and efficient approach to producing top-tier video content.
- Effortless Video Creation: Movio enables users to generate videos from text with remarkable ease.
- Diverse AI Avatars: Access a library of 80+ AI avatars with varying ethnicities, styles, and accents.
- Multilingual Lip-Syncing: Achieve authenticity with lip-syncing in 20+ languages.
- Customizable Templates: Choose from 200+ options for background music and customize your video.
- High-Quality Downloads: Enjoy the option to download videos in 1080P quality.
- Guidance and Support: Tutorials and demos assist users in quickly mastering the platform.
- AI Limitations: The quality of the generated video might be influenced by the effectiveness of the AI algorithms.
- Nuances: Human creativity might still be required for highly nuanced or complex content.
- AI-Powered Video Generation: Transform text into professional-quality videos using advanced AI.
- Diverse AI Avatars: Access a library of 80+ AI avatars with different ethnicities, styles, and accents.
- Multilingual Lip-Syncing: Achieve authentic lip-syncing in over 20 languages.
- Customizable Templates: Choose from 200+ options for background music and customize visuals.
- High-Quality Downloads: Download your videos in 1080P quality for a polished finish.
- Guidance and Support: Tutorials and demos assist users in navigating and mastering the platform.
- Marketing and Sales: Create captivating videos to promote products and services.
- Training and E-Learning: Generate engaging video content for educational purposes.
- Business Communication: Enhance internal and external communication through videos.
Movio emerges as a trailblazing tool in the realm of video content creation, harnessing the power of AI and synthetic media to offer users an exceptional platform for generating high-quality videos. With the capability to seamlessly transform text into captivating visuals, Movio opens doors to efficiency and creativity that were previously unattainable. By providing a library of diverse AI avatars, supporting multilingual lip-syncing, and offering customizable templates, the tool empowers users to craft videos that resonate with their audience.
While the quality of the generated video relies on the efficacy of the AI algorithms, Movio’s potential to revolutionize video content creation is undeniable. It introduces an efficient and accessible way to produce professional-quality videos across various industries. Nonetheless, for nuanced or complex content, a balance between AI-generated content and human creativity might be beneficial.
Movio’s versatility positions it as an indispensable asset for marketing and sales efforts, training and e-learning initiatives, and overall business communication enhancement. As users harness the power of AI to create captivating videos 10x faster than traditional methods, Movio redefines the boundaries of video content creation. With customizable templates, high-quality downloads, and comprehensive guidance through tutorials and demos, Movio stands as a beacon of innovation in the video creation landscape.
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Watch Willie Nelson's Audition Tape for The Hobbit
“You shall not pass…an unlit joint, man. That’s just not cool.”
He’s already got the presence of and the long locks of a legendary wizard, and so, yes, Peter Jackson, Willie Nelson would be a wonderful Gandalf, because hell, he’s Willie Nelson.
In celebration of the country music icon’s 80th birthday today, Conan released Monday, via the Team Coco website, a hilarious “audition tape” from Willie Nelson, in which the singer makes his case as for why he should play Gandalf in The Hobbit.
And what makes this video even better? The actor who currently plays Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movie franchise, Ian McKellen, tweeted his response to the video:
Dear Willie, You are far too young to play Gandy.But nice try; have a stoner of a birthday. Love and admiration. Ian bit.ly/11S8A3k
— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) April 30, 2013
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Not only is todays “old timey” String band a frequent guest on the radio show “A Prairie Home Companion”, but they were formally inducted into the Grand ole Opry, September 17, 2013.
Discovered by Folk/Country legend, Doc Watson, in Boone, North Carolina, the bands “front man” is heavily influence by Bob Dylan and even shares a co-author/co-copyright with Dylan on their most recognized song – that song was nominated Song of the Year for the 47th Annual Country Music Association Awards Single of the Year. They moved to Nashville in 2000 and were mentored and embraced by Marty Stuart and the whole of the Grand OIe Opry community.
They’ve already been a heavy influence on many current Bluegrass & folk bands. Todays song is from their album released in February, 2004.
Rate this Mystery Lyrics
Please rate the music, not the presentation. No registration needed, just a simple click on the number of stars you wish to give.
User Review( votes)


A new line of work trucks and van is set to crash the U.S. market in 2013.
Ram Trucks, a subsidiary of Chrysler (which is owned by Italian carmaker Fiat), will introduce the Ram Commercial lineup of vehicles next year — and one of its first entries in the space will reportedly be the Ram ProMaster, an as-yet-unveiled van modeled on the popular Fiat Ducato (pictured), set to be released in the fall.
Ram has been tight-lipped so far on specs for the new full-size ProMaster, saying only that the power-train will be comparable to other full-size vans in the United States, such as the Chevy Express and Ford E-Series.
“We feel that from a prouct-feature and launch-timing standpoint, the all-new Ram ProMaster van is going to be a home run with commercial customers,” Fred Diaz, the president and CEO of Ram Truck brand, said in a release. “Our relationship with Fiat, one of the world’s foremost commercial truck makers, has given us access to great products and technology that will resonate with our U.S. and Canadian Ram Truck customers.”


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Shirley Saasto – Stopyra
My Paintings are comprised a variety of mediums including acrylic, & watercolor paintings on Wrap around canvases, & watercolor paper. I also have published an annual Calendar for the past 5 years of my paintings. Interested individuals are able to view my art at Hymer’s Fair annually and various fall fairs here in Thunder Bay. I also have Greeting cards available of local scenes, plus this year I have branched out to include “ One of a kind” watercolor greeting cards. You may contact me through my Facebook page @ShirleyElizabeth, my cell phone number: 807-631-3337 or my email shirley [email protected] to view my art. I also will do paintings on consignment. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Isabelle Michaud est une artiste visuelle multidisciplinaire francophone. En 2021, elle a lancé un espace de création virtuelle, la Galerie Sans Clous dans son espace de studio. Isabelle continue de s’inspirer de son histoire personnelle, des matériaux et de la terre qui l’entoure pour sa création. Elle s’intéresse à la domesticité, à l’écologie, à l’inclusion de la personne autiste, et aux liens entre l’être humain et son environnement.
Isabelle Michaud is a francophone multidisplinary visual artist. In 2021, she launched a virtual space of creation, Galerie Sans Clous in her studio. Isabelle continues to be inspired by her personal history, by materials, and by the land that surrounds her. She is interested in domesticity, in ecology, in Autism inclusion, and in the relations that human beings have with their environment.
Foxy Lady ~ oil on linen 9 by 12
I began my personal art journey 11 years ago with the pastel medium. The vibrancy of the colour awakened my soul. From there, I discovered the wonderful world of oils, watercolour and acrylic. I had found my passion in life. There is always a joy in the process itself. Not a day goes by that I am not thinking of art and creativity. Most importantly, the art itself can bring joy to others ~ capture memories of time and place. Painting with a purpose took on new meaning to me when I donated a painting to our local hospital during the early days of Covid. History is filled with art throughout the ages. It is time for the North.


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MoMA Art Lab: Line, Shape, Color
July 1, 11:00 am –December 4, 5:00 pm
Suggested Ages: All
Work with wire, design emoji, engage in light-box play, and more in this all-ages, hands-on space. Drop in and choose from a variety of activities. Weave paper patterns, browse beautiful picture books, build with unique toys, follow fun drawing prompts and more creative fun.
To get to The Heyman Family Art Lab, walk across the Sculpture Garden, or down the corridor on the second floor of the Museum (past Café 2), then downstairs to the first floor of the Education and Research Building. Small but next to the Sculpture Garden with room for more active play (and snacks for sale).
Daily 11 am–5 pm