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I only recently began playing Standard again, since Extended season was in full swing. I started with Swans, the saga of which I chronicled in one of my past articles here. I assumed that Faeries was mostly dead due to the fallout from the release of Conflux, Fallout of the Volcanic variety even. Ok, that one was pretty bad. In any case, I rarely played against Fae online, and I was under the impression that the deck maybe wasn’t as good as other options.
Still, Faeries did quite well for Josh Utter-Leyton and myself at the Superstars 5k, so I set out to see how it played online. Luckily for me, the MTGO Championship series just started, which is a great incentive to play.
You get one Qualifier Point (QP) for each 8-man you win, draft or constructed, and three points for every Daily Event or Premier Event you Top 8. Everyone who gets 15 points in the month is qualified to play in the end of the month championship, the winner of which is qualified for the MTGO World Championship (plus normal Magic Worlds). Since the minimum prize of the MTGO Champs is 4,000 dollars, this series is pretty insane. It’s like a Grand Prix at the end of each month, albeit with the prize only going to first and with no Pro Points. Still, a free Grand Prix that you can play from your home is quite the nice bonus, and I anticipate playing in all the monthly champs that I can. This series also makes articles about MTGO formats much more relevant, since even though Alara Reborn comes out shortly, those of you interested in qualifying online will be playing without it for at least an additional month.
Instead of focusing just on the decklist and general strategy, I will actually take a look through the events I played in online and how the deck has evolved since. The deck has changed quite a bit, and its interesting to see how it evolves over time.
The list I decided to start with probably looks familiar, as it is just about the same as the list Josh and I played at the 5k:
The first thing I did was to change around the sideboard some, as Persuasion and Puppeteer Clique as one-ofs weren’t great. I cut those two for two Negates, and started to battle.
I kicked off the festivities with a Daily Event, although I still refer to them as Premier Events (PE’s).
03/31/2009 (Event #261259)
+0 QP points (the season didn’t start until April 1st)
Using the nifty “Decks of the Week” feature, you can actually take a look at the rest of the Top 8 as well. I lost to BW Tokens (Profane Command), after beating one of the 5-Color Control decks.
Sygg was still decent, but the surprising hits from this version of the deck were Jace Beleren and Plumeveil, and more specifically, Jace + Plumeveil. Having Jace online is an engine all by itself, although maybe I should say “himself” to respect the mighty Planeswalker. Now you don’t just rely on an early Jace to start gaining advantage, as Jace works just as well, if he is unmolested. Many games I would kill or counter their first creature, then drop a Jace. They would play another threat, but I would use all the extra cards off Jace to keep trading for their cards. This plan is a little reliant on being on the play, but it is pretty effective.
After a few 8-man queus, I dropped Sygg in favor of a 4th Jace and 3 Plumeveils main. This build was a little extreme, and even though Jace performed pretty well, I changed a few things. Like I mentioned a little earlier, Jace is really awesome on the play but often too vulnerable on the draw. On the draw, I couldn’t counter their turn two play, so if they had turn two and turn three threats, I was dealing with one of them at most by the time my third turn rolled around. Jace didn’t do much without protection, which is why the Plumeveils were there. The plan was good when it worked, but Plumeveil was often a dead draw against control decks, as well as not helping pressure the opponent when I was on the offensive. As awesome as it would be to play quad Jace and triple Plumeveil in Seattle, it just doesn’t seem right. I also changed my manabase back to the previous configuration, since with three Plumeveils in the deck I added an extra Island in place of one of the Swamps.
I re-read some of Paulo Vitor’s articles about Faeries, and he made quite a persuasive case for Scion of Oona. Initially I rejected Scion due to its vulnerability to Volcanic Fallout, but I was beating the only good deck that played Fallout (5-CC) mostly on the strength of my sideboard anyway. Plus, Plumeveil is almost strictly worse than Scion maindeck anyway, so that argument seemed less relevant. On the other hand, almost all of my losses were to Black-White Tokens or Red-White Boat Brew, both decks where Scion could have a big impact. Against BW in particular, Scion is one of the best cards you could play against them, since it lets your Blossom tokens fight theirs even when they have a Glorious Anthem up. BW also plays much less removal than RW, since they just have four Terrors. Scion can even run interference for Mistbind Clique or Sower, since they need multiple Terrors just to get by.
With all of that in mind, I joined my second PE with the deck:
04/03/2009 (Event #274453)
+3 QP Points (total: 3)
I unfortunately took a quick exit in the Top 8, losing to moonkist1985’s Black-Red Burn deck in something like seven minutes flat. It was a bad matchup to begin with, and my mulligan to five left me with not much room to maneuver. It was a little annoying to get knocked out so quickly, but it’s a risk I am willing to take when playing Faeries. My matchup against red aggro decks like Blightning is pretty bad, but those decks themselves are also pretty bad. Finding one in the winner’s bracket after a few rounds is a rarity, much less the Top 8 of an event. Their matchup against Spectral Procession decks is just so bad, that I am fine with just writing the matchup off. It isn’t even unwinnable, as Bitterblossom plus enough Mistbind Cliques will beat just about anything.
Afterwards, I upped the Scion count to four and cut one of the Spellstutter Sprites. Both Sprite and Scion are pretty reliant on Bitterblossom, but maximizing the chances of the dreaded double Scion super-untargetable killing machine prompted me to go up to four of them. Turn three Scion into turn four Sower of Temptation is quite a beating, and makes life very hard for any creature-based deck without Volcanic Fallout (which is basically all of them, although RW does board Fallout sometimes).
In the intervening time before the next couple of PE’s, I do a few drafts and play some 8-man Constructed events, raising my total number of QP’s to 7.
Premier Events (and Daily Events) are the best way to gain QP’s, as it is much easier proportionally to Top 8 one of the six or seven round (or five if you play a less popular format like Classic or Extended) events than to win nine matches in 8-mans. An 8-man is a smaller time investment, so playing in them certainly is easier, but if you have the time for a PE I suggest you take it. Standard PE’s go pretty fast, and I played one from start to finish in six hours (and that is with winning, and therefore playing all the possible rounds).
Before I talk about the next few events (which unfortunately haven’t gone up on the Decks of the Week section yet), I figure I should address why I like Faeries. There are plenty of good decks in Standard, so why go with what appears to be a fragile aggro-control deck?
1) Faeries is filled with ridiculous cards. Card strength alone isn’t a reason in and of itself to play a deck, but there is something to be said to playing a ton of insane cards. Mistbind Clique, Bitterblossom, and Cryptic Command are the main offenders, as they just have such an unfair effect on the game. Drawing multiple Mistbinds or Cryptics usually leads to one of the blowouts Faeries is (in)famous for, and any hand with a Bitterblossom and means to cast it is keepable (at least in the dark, I can see mulliganing something as ridiculous as three lands and four Bitterblossoms against 5-CC”maybe).
2) Faeries is very tricky. Those pesky fae! By that I mean it has a lot of room for play, which includes your good play and your opponents bad play. This is an advantage not to be overlooked, since especially online or at local events, you can run into people who just don’t know how to play around your cards. I rarely ever play Mistbind Clique upkeep now, since I can count on most opponents attacking into it anyway. To be fair, the sick synergy between Cryptic Command and Mistbind Clique makes it pretty impossible to play correctly against a Faeries deck with four lands untapped. If they attack first, Clique gets them, and if they cast spells first, Cryptic gets them. Wouldn’t you rather be the guy holding these broken four mana spells then the guy trying to play around them?
3) The additions of Jace and Scepter of Fugue gives Faeries enough early card advantage engines to reliably see one almost every game. Sticking Bitterblossom, Jace Beleren, or Scepter of Fugue will win the game in short order, and gives you a good focused plan. You just sit back on your wall of counters and removal and let whatever engine you have going grind them out. It used to be that Fae just had Blossom to fill that role, and that made it a little too reliant on drawing that particular Tribal Enchantment. Now, Jace or Scepter do essentially the same thing, letting you counter a few spells and come out way ahead. Countering spells without one of these permanents in play doesn’t afford you any sort of natural advantage, but if you are generating free Faerie Rogues, drawing free cards, or hitting their hand for free then your counterspells gain a ton of value. After all, its all about value. I know Scepter isn’t universally good, and that is exactly why it is in the sideboard, but it functions like Blossom or Jace in the matchups you want it to.
That’s enough for me, especially since Faeries has the general matchup percentages even disregarding the above reasons.
In the next PE, I ran almost the same maindeck, although with the aforementioned +1 Scion of Oona, -1 Spellstutter Sprite. The sideboard underwent some interesting changes, since I wasn’t happy with the previous sideboard.
My previous plan against the white decks was to board in Agony Warps, Infests, and Plumeveils. The idea is that Plumeveil plus Infest would combine to stop their hordes of Spirit tokens and whatnot, but in practice it wasn’t too effective. White decks accounted for the majority of my losses, so a new plan was in order. Especially now that I had Scions and Sowers, Infest definitely had to go. Plumeveil seemed worse than Sower, now that I had Scion to protect it, and the number of Agony Warps could go down.
Oddly enough, I found myself wanting an extra land in the mirror and vs 5-CC. I figured since Scepters came in for both those matchups (at the time), than a Swamp was the optimal land. One Wydwen, the Biting Gale also made an appearance, just to have a threat with Flash for those matchups.
Due to GerryT’s article on Esper Lark, I started seeing more of it, so I also wanted a card to improve that matchup a little. Enter Puppeteer Clique, who does double duty against 5-CC and even helps a bit against Mono-Red.
My final SB was:
1 Wydwen, the Biting Gale
2 Sower of Temptation
2 Puppeteer Clique
3 Scepter of Fugue
4 Thoughtseize (I was also being ridiculously greedy by playing only three of these previously, as the mirror demands the full set)
I again made Top 8, eventually losing to a Doran deck in the Top 4. The matchup seems fine, especially with all the Sowers, but Game Three his hand was insane. He had a turn two Doran, the Siege Tower accompanied by three removal spells, so my Scion plus Sower plus Mistbind Clique all just died. The fast one big creature plus all removal draw can be tough, but if just one of those elements isn’t there my chances are pretty good that game (the one accel + the one threat + the three removal spells). I actually don’t mind playing against the Doran decks, since Scion into Sower is really tough for them to beat, and their attack with one huge guy strategy isn’t that hot against Bitterblossom.
+3 QP points (total: 10)
After some more 8-mans (losing in the finals of three, sadly), I determined that the Swamp and Wydwen were just cute, and not actually good. I decided to replace them for the next PE, which wasn’t until Sunday the 12th.
Cut to a few days and an unsuccessful PTQ later (although the oft-mentioned Potes did Top 8 the PTQ with Zoo before losing to the eventual winner with TEPS, and is undoubtedly going to blog about it in the forums!) and the Sunday PE had arrived.
It has been awhile since I have actually listed the deck out, so here is the current incarnation of the Faerie menace:
The Vendilion Cliques replaced the Negates as additional ammunition in the 5-CC matchup. Initially I thought Clique was bad since it just dies to Fallout, but the value of looking at their hand is worth it. Playing an end of turn Clique not only gives you information but makes them tap mana if they want to counter it or kill it with Fallout. Plus, if you have a ton of tokens out, just don’t play the Vendilion Clique. They will have to Fallout the tokens anyways, so as long as you are smart about it the Clique should pull its weight. I included the Mind Shatter because it is a random blowout card in the 5-CC matchup, and if you can ever get them to tap out with Mistbind or Vendilion, landing a Mind Shatter is usually game.
This PE also went well, and since it happened during the writing of the article I can even give a more in-depth report.
Round 1 vs MonoR
Starting off the tournament against my worst matchup is a little annoying, but round one is where you are most likely to see Red.
Luckily, my hand Game One is really good in the matchup, with a turn two Bitterblossom into Remove Soul, Terror, and Mistbind Clique. Once I land a Clique I have two counters to stop it from dying, and I easily outrace him.
Game Two I get crushed by an Ashenmoor Gouger, as I am unable to counter or kill it in any fashion.
Game Three is all about Puppeteer Clique, as my pair of Cliques blank his Demigod of Revenge and keep sending in Gougers and Mogg Fanatics at him. He can’t really attack into my Bitterblossom tokens plus Puppeteers, and I overwhelm him shortly.
Round 2 vs Faeries
Game 1 we both have the nuts, and there are soon two Bitterblossoms cranking out tokens on each side. Unfortunately for him, he casts a Thoughtseize somewhere in there, and he actually just dies to his own Blossoms a turn before I do. Nice game.
I have gone back and forth about sideboarding in this matchup, as sometimes it seems like Scepter of Fugue is good here. I think with all the Scions and Sowers in my current list, I don’t have room to put in the Scepters.
Game 2 I think I misplay, as I tap out to Sower an irrelevant Spellstutter Sprite. Granted, he had no cards in hand, but I really didn’t need to do that. He punishes me for my mistake and peels a Sower to take my Mistbind, and I lose as a result.
Game 3 neither of us has Bitterblossom, but I stay ahead by getting advantageous trades via Spellstutter and Cryptic. Eventually my random Mutavault and Spellstutter damage adds up, and a Warhammer finishes the game.
Round 3 vs Kithkin
Game 1 I get crushed, as he curves out and I really don’t do much.
Game 3 I have the textbook Faeries draw, and go turn two Blossom, turns 3-5 removal or counter, t6 Mistbind and crush him.
Round 4 vs Faeries
Game 1 I don’t know what he is playing, so I keep Mistbind, Mistbind, Sower, and lands on the play. He Thoughtseizes my Sower and I of course play two Bitterblossom over the next few turns, prompting the concession.
Game 2 I keep a good hand of Thoughtseize, Broken Ambitions, Scion of Oona and lands on the draw. He Thoughtseizes my Thoughtseize and plays two Bitterblossoms. I figure I am just dead, but play Scion at the end of his turn four anyway. He drops his own Scion in response, so I obviously punish his misplay by peeling a Sower. Now I have two Scions (voltron!) and a Sower, and he has two Bitterblossoms and a bunch of useless tokens. When he Thoughtseizes and sees my double Cryptic Command, he just scoops em up.
Round 5 vs EsperLark
These games go about how they “should”, at least from my perspective. He can never land one of his expensive threats, and I eventually defeat him with powerful instants. Makeshift Mannequin and Cryptic Command are really his only way to interact at instant speed, and both cost more than my counterspells do. As long as you don’t fall too far behind on the board, it is very difficult for Lark to really get anything going.
Round 6 vs BG Elves
Game 1 I have lethal on the board, but after a little tiebreaker math I determine I like my matchups in the Top 8 better if I concede here, so I do.
Top 8 vs BG Elves (not the same guy)
These games are short and brutal, as I have turn two Bitterblossom and turn four Mistbind Clique both times. Game One I even have the turn three Scion to prevent Eyeblight’s Ending from ending my turn four Mistbind, and Game two I have two Bitterblossoms so even his turn one Thoughtseize can’t stop me.
Top 4 vs EsperLark (again)
Game 1 is pretty funny, as I mulligan into these six on the draw: Mutavault, Bitterblossom, Bitterblossom, Sower of Temptation, Terror, Broken Ambitions. I draw an Island on my first turn, and he Scullers me. He takes the Sower, and I call for a Secluded Glen. I untap and drop Glen revealing Bitterblossom, followed by Sunken Ruins. The game goes pretty long, but my runner runner runner lands make my draw good enough to get there.
Finals vs BW
I win some fairly uneventful games, which I cut short in favor of getting this article up as soon as possible. I wanted to incorporate this PE report into the article, but that did provide a bit of a timing problem.
I like the “final” version of Fae, although I do anticipate changing it often. MTGO is great, because you can develop a deck on a tournament to tournament basis, incorporating your latest lessons into each version. It lets you condense what would normally be weeks of playtesting into mere days, depending on the time you wish to spend.
Let me know what you think in the forums, and if you have any questions I will do what I can to answer them!

domain: hobby


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This event was extremely timely, current and relevant. Timely, because Africa's growth has been consistent in the past decade -- almost 6% growth per year. The global crisis in Europe is not stopping Africa's growth.
Current, because the narratives about Africa need to change; we are witnessing great progress in the continent and this needs to be highlighted. Relevant, because African CEOs need a platform where they can share and learn from one another.
Most of the African CEOs have never met before but share common problems. However, only time will tell what impact the event will have on the CEOs when they return home. Africa faces enormous problems. A conference in Geneva can only ever be one step towards solving them.
Good governance and transparency are still a challenge in Africa. African CEOs need to implement good procurement systems to fight corruption and leaks. They must create a culture of performance and challenge mediocrity at its core.
The forum was packed with journalists from all around the world including young African bloggers and journalists from France's biggest newsrooms. The question we are all asking ourselves now is how can we create, maintain and retain talent in Africa?
As the Apps4africa 2012 competition team travels to find the next tech CEO in Africa, all these questions were left unanswered at the African CEO Forum. The forum failed to talk about the youth of Africa, the Diaspora, technology hubs, and the growth of micro-economic dynamism we are seeing today.
It dramatically failed to address what development strategies African companies should employ to sustain and scale up their businesses.
CEOs did not fail by any means to demonstrate that Africa is changing and growing despite all the negatives press.
Their energy and enthusiasm were palpable. The continent is needed more than ever, they said, but I think African CEOs must start working together, trusting each other, thinking of implementing a regional integration package and finding a route for transferring solutions between African countries.
They must have a common platform where they can continue to learn from each other and share ideas. This is currently lacking.


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Each religion. Community of Kerala could be well distinguished from the kind of Jewels they wear. Though modern jewellery takes a pinch of all the traditions and blends it well, traditionally, each community has a unique set of ornaments to distinguish themselves. An attempt has been made below to list the traditional ornaments of the main religious groups in Kerala. That is, Hindu, Christian and Muslim.
Hindu Women: Most of the traditional jewels listed above are closely related to Hindu religion and its tradition. Lakshmi mala, karimani mala, mullamottu mala, patakkam etc forms an integral part of Hindu wedding and beauty concepts of Kerala Hindu women.
Christian women: The traditional CHRISTIAN women wore MEKKAMOTIRAM or Kunuk(heavy gilt gold ring) on the upper ear lobe. No ornaments for nose. Some Christians do not use ornaments. They wore a necklace called Ottezhapatakkom and rings of various kinds for fingers and anklets.
The traditional Nadar Christian ear ornaments are very different from other. The women wear necklaces and earrings of elaborate and considerable weight. The ear rings consist of Studs on the upper portion of the ear as on the earlobes. MUDICHI, PAMPATAM, THANDOTE and ARITHALAPPU are the ear ornaments. The traditional necklace is called the CHITTIRU.
A type of THODA, THAKKA made of wood, lead or brass in the dilated earlobe is worn by AVARNA women. They also used to wear OLACHUTTU (scroll of PANDANUS or coconut leaf) in the earlobe. A bead necklace, Kallumala was the usual ornament for the neck.
Muslim women have innumerable varieties of ornaments for the different parts of the body. The ornaments for the ear are MEKKATH, PACHAKALLU, ALICATH and JIMIKKI. They wear a number of coiled gold or silver earrings called ALICATH.
To adorn their hair MUDIPOO and MUDICHAKRAM are used-Nettippattam is worn on the forehead. Different types of PATHAKKAM, ASHTIK OTTAPATHAKAM, PADIMALA, PAANGOA and CHAKRAKANNIMALA are worn. They also used a waist belt called ARAPPATTA (of gold or silver is worn) silver ankle chain are also popular among them.
Today, jewellery concepts and designs are widely evolved from the traditional concepts. There are wide range of jewellery designs and patterns available with all the jewelers in Kerala.
The tribal women in the hills used to wear ornaments made of palm leaves, wood and beads from wild plants to adorn themselves. The Paniya women wore rolled palm leaves in their dilated earlobes. The cholanaickam use neck chains of beads from wild plants and bangles were made of a kind of grass.
The unmarried Mullu Kurumba women wore metal ear studs and a nose-pin known as PATHA. The married women wore bangles on both forearms and metal rings on the upper arms-KATHILA were also worn in the ears after marriage and a chain known as ELACE was worn round the wrist.
Fashion has caught on with the malayalee in a large way. All those traditional types of ornaments have given way to newer and newer fashions. KAMMAL (modern stud) gold rings, Jimikkies have stamped upon the old TODA or THAKKA. Various fashionable long chains and necklaces are available now-KAPPA (bracelet) has been replaced by vala (bangles) of numerous designs.
The jewellery of Kerala is specifically noted for its artistic perfection. Each caste or community had its typical ornament. Most of these traditional ornaments have become quite difficult to find today. However, Kerala women are still found in large number of ornaments, and jewellery items like necklace, bangles, chains, earrings, studs etc., in a variety of attractive designs.
The artisan traditions of Kerala also catered directly to personal adornment including decoration of the idols worshipped in temples. These are jewellery, handlooms and embroidery, jewellery in Kerala seems to have originated in connection with ritual and magical beliefs, though later it developed its aesthetics as an independent tradition. Rings were made in the old days out of the seeds of the Pala tree which is sacred to the patron goddess of the Hindus of Kerala. Moreover, rings were also made of tiger-claws and the teeth and hair of elephants. It was believed to be magical protection against wild animals. The memory of the first human settlements which involved clearing the forests and fighting the wild animals that infested them is preserved in these traditional amulets. Even when these unusual materials were used, the affluent used to set them in gold or silver.
Later, a tradition of work in precious metals and stones evolved in the state. The flora of the milieu insensibly affected the designs. Gold was cast in the shape of pepper seeds or rice flakes and worked into chains. Green stones were delicately cut to the contours of the mango in miniature to form necklaces. The appeal of the traditional designs in the jewelleries of Kerala has been able to stand competition from the sophisticated designs of the modern type that has come into vogue during the last decade or so.

domain: artistic


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If you've got a hankering for a good, local pork tenderloin, look no further than Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.
The national burger chain has partnered with Chuckies, a locally founded food trailer business famous for its tenderloins, to sell tenderloins at its Iowa locations.
Freddy's currently operates nine Iowa restaurants, one located at 916 W. Kimberly Rd. in Davenport. The fast food chain was founded in 2002 in Wichita, Kansas, and has since grown to operate more than 400 locations in 33 states.
Chuckies owner Chuck Cox said the partnership is going on its second year, with hopes to expand it in the future as Freddy's opens more locations.
Cox's first began perfecting his tenderloin recipe in 1980 at TC's Point After, the restaurant he opened in downtown DeWitt. After 30 years in the restaurant business he took the tenderloin on the road, operating food trucks that travel around Iowa and all over, from Arizona for Chicago Cubs spring training to different NASCAR events.
He eventually connected with one of the Freddy's owners, and offered to bring in a tenderloin for them to sample. If they didn't like it, they'd never have to discuss it again, he said.
"I took it in first, I'm sitting on a table in Cedar Rapids, and the guy says, 'We're in,'" Cox said. "First bite."
The tenderloins are the Chuckies recipe, same meat, seasoning and breading, just smaller, Cox said. He uses the "prime rib of the hog," the boneless pork loin, and ensures that each tenderloin has the correct ratio of bread to meat.
Looking to the future, Cox said people may see Chuckies tenderloins come to other chains' menus.
"It's a very good product, and all I ask, all I've ever asked is just the chance, that's all I've ever asked," Cox said. "And I've I've got a couple chances out there."

domain: food


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Our newest little guy is here! Meet Hedgy. Letterpressed in Pea Green - he looks great with Navy, Sky Blue and Chocolate. He's so cute. My new favorite. I keep saying that - but I really do mean it.
Marisa Haedike's characters, as I blogged about the other day, have the greatest names - like Pearl the spider, Bart the penguin, Knut the polar bear... I love them. I have only named one of my characters - Frank (the alligator) - after my dad:
I don't know why I thought it would be a good fit - but he's so much more Frank to me than Alligator. And I think I love him more because of it. (Frank the alligator, that is, not my dad. My dad is my favorite person in the world - but I don't love him more for his name.)
So Marisa's names have gotten me thinking about naming characters b/c I believe, although I don't know this for certain, that she has stories behind all her characters and paintings. And for the most part, I do too. Moose Peeking is definitely after my love for all things from Maine, and the only place I have ever seen one. Cows remind me of my childhood trips to my mom's farm in Pennsylvania. Roosters remind me of old hand-towels and china from childhood. Flamingos was a two-part inspiration: one for my friends Barbara and Bob, who have the quirkiest love for them, and two, when thinking for a design for our Cure Card, I wanted it be something elegant, strong and graceful. And now Hedgy - who comes from my friend Jess, who I've known most of my life as Bird. Maybe Hedgy should actually be called Bird? That would be confusing. But sweet, actually.
I wonder what would happen if I let you all influence my character choice - you guys pick the character/animal/thing - I design it, and then maybe you also name it? That would be kinda fun... thoughts?


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November is here! And with it your weekly dose of robotics-related news and projects. As you will see below (especially in the events section), I’m ticking off some TODO items and making space for more robotics activities. As usual, the publication of the week section is manned by Rodrigo. The most clicked link last week was the video of pneumatic artificial muscle with 10.4% opens.
Huge thanks to all of the Weekly Robotics supporters helping this project through Patreon
Remote Robotics Consulting - 3.5 Years Inmsadowski.github.io
It's official: I've been a robotics consultant for half of my career. It's been a mix of luck, persistence with a touch of hair pulling every now and then. In this blog post I describe my thoughts in the past 1.5 years since the last update.
Humble Book Bundlesmsadowski.github.io
Humble Bundle has two book bundles that I think you might find interesting. The first one Raspberry Pi uncut features some books on programming, UI interfaces with Pi and multiple project books. Coding & Hardware Book Bundle features multiple project books by Make. As always with Humble Bundle links - if you decide to purchase any of the bundles you can decide to support this newsletter, which will be highly appreciated!
Retrofitting a Classic Mini with an autonomy stack
In this article, Adam Rodnitzky from Tangram Vision describes how they added sensors to a classic Mini. I recommend this high quality write up full of technical information. I will be looking forward to seeing this project evolve!
Autonomous Boats Seem More Solvable Than Autonomous Cars
Roboats (WR #54) keep on progressing. Looking at the images and the videos it’s hard to believe that just two years ago these boats were only built as scaled prototypes. Having these boats battery-powered and built for different functions (transporting thrash, building modular bridges, transporting passengers etc.) sounds like the idea was well thought of.
The Robot and the Baby
Here is a short 2004 thought-provoking science-fiction story by John McCarthy. The story describes how household robots could look like in the future, and how different weights applied to various behaviour rules could play out in case they are conflicting.
Fast indoor 2D localization using ceiling lights
These are some seriously good results for vision-based localization for an indoor racetrack, all running on a Raspberry Pi 3 with a fisheye lens camera at 640x480 resolution. Interestingly, the author says that the localization update for this setup is 1ms. All the work done by Andy Sloane here is available in this repository.
Starship is Still Not Understood
A very nice write up showcasing the current state of SpaceX Starship, and how this design can allow us to think bigger about space transport.
Publication of the Week - A Robust Illumination-Invariant Camera System for Agricultural Applications (2021)
Agriculture is a challenging problem for robotics because of its unstructured environments with many changing conditions. This paper proposes a camera system with a high-power set of flashes that create images invariant to all lighting conditions with no motion blur. This process generates consistent quality images that enable the use of neural networks with considerably fewer data (4 times less according to the authors) and comparable results with larger datasets using regular images.
Wevolver is currently holding multiple events you might be interested in. The Knowles AISonic Hardware Grant will give away 5 voice and machine learning development kits. The high-temperature carbon-fiber 3D printing challenge is looking for designs to make use of newly-developed carbon-fiber filament.
WR Community Meeting #14 - Aerial Robotics With the Crazyflie (18th Nov)
The Crazyflie is an open source lightweight quadcopter developed by Bitcraze located in Sweden. This year is Bitcraze’s 10th anniversary and in those years the platform has evolved from a hobbyist-only platform to being used by universities and research departments all over the world. In this talk Kimberly McGuire will present the Bitcraze ecosystem and go over multirotor fundamentals, positioning with Lighthouse and existing ROS integrations.
Previous Meeting #13 - ROS2 Control with Bence Magyar and Denis Stogl
The video from the last meetup on ROS2 Control is now up! I have a feeling I will be coming back to this talk multiple times when I will start exploring ros2_control in detail. Huge thanks to Bence and Denis for a great talk!


text:
Collected by a major museum
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Mazzoleni at Art Basel in Miami Beach 2017,
Modern & Contemporary,
Bugno Art Gallery
My Weapon Against the Atom Bomb is a Blade of Grass: Tancredi, A Retrospective,
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
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text:
Russian Gala – the stars of Russian opera are performing in Monaco
This year, there's a new look for the "Russian Gala" – opera will take center stage in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
This year, there’s a new look for the “Russian Gala” – opera will take center stage in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Some of the greatest singers from Russian opera will perform at the Grimaldi Forum’s Salle des Princes.
The audience will have the privilege of hearing some of the leading opera stars tonight, including Maria Guleghina (soprano), Alexey Markov (Baritone), Veronika Dzhioeva (soprano) and Vladimir Galouzine (tenor), not forgetting Ekaterina Sergeeva (mezzo-soprano) and Dmytro Popov (tenor), in a repertoire from the great classics.
Mikhail Agrest will conduct the Philharmonic Orchestra of Nice. The organizers hope to repeat the success of the first Gala and showcase the vitality of Russian culture.

domain: entertainment


text:
Binance is defending itself against the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with a juicy detail: SEC chief Gary Gensler had offered himself as an advisor to the crypto exchange in 2019. Meanwhile, Coinbase is also responding to accusations.
At the beginning of the week, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published complaints against crypto exchanges Binance and Coinbase. Now the defendants are beginning to build their defenses. In the process, Binance reveals a juicy detail about SEC chief Gary Gensler and calls for him to be personally excluded from the proceedings. As reported by US broadcaster CNBC, Gensler had offered to act as a consultant to Binance in 2019. In this context, there had also been several meetings between Gensler and Binance representatives, up to CEO Changpeng Zhao. CNCB bases its report on Binance’s legal representatives. According to the report, the latter now want Gensler to be excluded from the proceedings.
Genser was a lecturer at the University of Massachusetts in 2019, teaching on blockchains and cryptocurrencies. It was not until 2021 that he took over as head of the SEC at the suggestion of U.S. President John Biden. Contact between Gensler and Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao reportedly continued informally in 2019, but did not lead to any official engagement. According to CNBC, a spokesperson for the SEC dismissed suspicions of conflicts of interest and said Gensler was aware of ethical obligations as well as bias rules. However, the U.S. press has also unearthed an appearance by Gensler before the House Finance Committee in which he asserted that he does not own cryptocurrencies or advise crypto companies. An aftertaste remains, according to the tenor.
Coinbase and Binance to continue US business as usual for now
Meanwhile, Coinbase has also had its say in its own matter. Chief legal counsel Paul Grewel said on The Scope podcast that they have not yet made a decision on whether to delist cryptocurrencies due to the SEC lawsuit. The SEC accuses Coinbase, among other things, of offering some cryptocurrencies for trading, although these should be classified as securities and are therefore subject to admission. The list includes Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL) and Polygon (MATIC), 3 of the 10 most capitalized cryptocurrencies worldwide.
Binance, in turn, had initially announced after the lawsuit that it would delist around 100 trading pairs in the US. In the case of Binance, the SEC specifically objected to the listing of 12 cryptocurrencies. Now, however, Binance has reconsidered its position and announced in an update that it will only take 10 trading pairs off the market, and only 2 of them against the US dollar. This had been decided after thorough considerations and due to customer requests. The list of cryptocurrencies attacked by the SEC in various lawsuits has now grown to at least 55.
Conclusion: crypto industry moves together to fend off SEC attack
Coinbase in particular had in the past – albeit grudgingly – regularly relented when the SEC had something to object to, withdrawing an interest offer on deposits in stablecoins, for example. This cozying up to the SEC is apparently over, and Coinbase seems to be bracing itself for a long court battle. Binance had announced “resolute resistance” immediately after the lawsuit against itself and is now even showing offensive power with details unpleasant for Gensler. The two heavyweights among the crypto exchanges are also demonstrating that they do not want to take on the dispute with the SEC on the backs of customers and have so far largely refrained from voluntary listings of popular cryptocurrencies, which the SEC wants to ban de facto. Meanwhile, the overall crypto market is showing signs of consolidation and the initial shock after the SEC broadside seems to be fading because the market participants under attack are not buckling.

domain: economics


text:
'Sonnet XLII' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
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' My future will not copy fair my past'--
I wrote that once; and thinking at my side
My ministering life-angel justified
The word by his appealing look upcast
To the white throne of God, I turned at last,
And there, instead, saw thee, not unallied
To angels in thy soul ! Then I, long tried
By natural ills, received the comfort fast,
While budding, at thy sight, my pilgrim's staff
Gave out green leaves with morning dews impearled.
I seek no copy now of life's first half:
Leave here the pages with long musing curled,
And write me new my future's epigraph,
New angel mine, unhoped for in the world !
Editor 1 Interpretation
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet XLII: A Critical Analysis
Oh, how thrilling it is to delve into the depths of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry! And Sonnet XLII, with its poignant themes and masterful use of language, is an excellent example of her brilliance. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the poem's structure, imagery, and themes, as well as its historical and cultural context.
Sonnet XLII follows the traditional format of a sonnet- fourteen lines, iambic pentameter, and a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDCDCD. However, Browning deviates from the typical sonnet structure by splitting the rhyme scheme in the final six lines, creating a sense of tension and instability. This technique reflects the poem's themes of love and loss, as well as the speaker's internal conflict.
Browning employs vivid and sensory imagery throughout the poem to convey the speaker's emotions. In the first quatrain, the speaker describes her love as a "child" who "cried" and "laughed" in her "childhood's faith." This imagery evokes a sense of innocence and vulnerability, as well as the idea of love as a force beyond the speaker's control.
In the second quatrain, the speaker describes the effect of love on her life. She imagines herself as a "bird" who has lost its "wings," unable to fly or reach the heights she once did. This image of flightlessness and restriction reinforces the idea of love as a burden or constraint.
The final six lines of the poem are full of striking imagery. The speaker describes her love as a "star," "angel," and "guide," while also acknowledging its ephemeral nature. She compares her love to a "fountain" that "may rise and fall," suggesting that it is unpredictable and ever-changing. This imagery also reinforces the idea of the speaker's internal conflict, as she struggles to reconcile her feelings of love with the reality of loss.
The themes of love and loss dominate Sonnet XLII, as the speaker reflects on the past and the pain of separation. The poem also explores the idea of the self, particularly the ways in which love can shape and transform an individual. The speaker's internal conflict reflects the tension between the self and the Other, the individual and the beloved.
Another theme that emerges from the poem is the idea of temporality. The imagery of the "fountain" and the "star" suggests that love is fleeting and transitory, existing only in the moment. This idea is reinforced by the structure of the poem, with its split rhyme scheme and sense of instability.
Historical and Cultural Context
Sonnet XLII was written during the Victorian era, a time when traditional gender roles and social norms were deeply ingrained. Women were expected to be submissive and domestic, and romantic love was often idealized as a means of escape from the restrictions of society. Browning's poem challenges these norms by presenting a speaker who is conflicted and complex, rather than passive and idealized.
Furthermore, Browning's own life and experiences likely influenced the poem. She was a woman of great intellect and literary talent, but she also suffered from chronic illness and was confined to her home for much of her life. Her marriage to Robert Browning, a fellow poet, was also controversial at the time, as it challenged social conventions regarding gender and class.
In conclusion, Sonnet XLII is a masterful work of poetry that explores complex themes of love, loss, and identity. Browning's use of vivid imagery and traditional sonnet structure, as well as her challenges to Victorian social norms, make this poem a timeless classic. Its themes and insights continue to resonate with readers today, reminding us of the enduring power of love and the complexities of the human experience.
Word Count: 667
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet XLII is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. It is a sonnet that is filled with emotion, passion, and a deep sense of longing. The sonnet is a reflection of the poet’s own experiences and emotions, and it is a testament to her skill as a writer.
The sonnet is written in the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, which consists of three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which is a common rhyme scheme used in sonnets. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, which is a meter that consists of five iambs per line. An iamb is a metrical foot that consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
The first quatrain of the sonnet sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The poet begins by asking a question: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” This question is a rhetorical device that is used to draw the reader in and to create a sense of intimacy between the poet and the reader. The poet then goes on to list the ways in which she loves her beloved. She loves him “to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.” This line is a powerful statement of the depth of the poet’s love. She loves him with all of her being, and there are no limits to her love.
In the second quatrain, the poet continues to list the ways in which she loves her beloved. She loves him “with a love I seemed to lose with my lost saints.” This line is a reference to the poet’s religious faith, which she has lost. The poet is saying that her love for her beloved is greater than her love for God. She also loves him “with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life.” This line is a powerful statement of the poet’s devotion to her beloved. She loves him with every breath she takes, every smile she gives, and every tear she sheds.
The third quatrain of the sonnet is a reflection on the poet’s own mortality. The poet says that she will love her beloved “better after death.” This line is a statement of the poet’s belief in the afterlife. She believes that her love for her beloved will continue even after she has passed away. She also says that she will love him “with the passion put to use in my old griefs.” This line is a reference to the poet’s own experiences of loss and grief. The poet is saying that her love for her beloved is born out of her own pain and suffering.
The final couplet of the sonnet is a powerful conclusion to the poem. The poet says that she loves her beloved “with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.” This final line is a statement of the poet’s unwavering love for her beloved. She loves him with every fiber of her being, and she believes that her love for him will continue even after she has passed away.
Overall, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet XLII is a powerful and emotional piece of poetry. It is a testament to the power of love and the depth of human emotion. The sonnet is a reflection of the poet’s own experiences and emotions, and it is a testament to her skill as a writer. The sonnet has stood the test of time and continues to be a beloved piece of poetry to this day.
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Basildon Council have set strict rules about how responses can be submitted and what can be included. Please read the guidelines - shown to the right - to ensure your response will be allowable.
The relevant forms can be obtained from the Council website by clicking this link:
See responses to questions posted by BAG, Billericay Society and Billericay Residents' Association.
Aims of BAG
To protect the green belt around Billericay from development.
To prevent the character of our historic town from forever being destroyed.
Link to Basildon Council Local Plan pages
Link to Basildon Council Billericay traffic mitigation document
Reasons to respond to this consultation -Click here


text:
But those roots should be attracting Jews, if they truly understood their faith. The growing trend of Jews moving to conservative ideas is reflective both of the attractions of tradition and the ongoing disappearance of the secular Jew. It also makes political sense. Jews are marginalized because party professionals realize their votes are not really in play, which limits any leverage Jews might have on the political system.
Despite the gradual move to the right that reflects Jewish population patterns, it is as yet not enough to counter the allure of nostalgia for an idyllic liberal past that really never was and in any event will not be seen again.Rabbi Steven Pruzansky
About the Author: Rabbi Steven Pruzansky is a pulpit rabbi in Teaneck, New Jersey, and the author of “Tzadka Mimeni: The Jewish Ethic of Personal Responsibility” (Gefen Publishing).
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domain: sociology


BEZZERA: CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST ESPRESSO MACHINE
IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION IN MILAN FOR INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS
Bezzera produces under its own roof in Milan. 70 employees are now part of the team that exports the manufactory's products to more than 50 countries. Bezzera is particularly known for espresso machines made of high-quality stainless steel with an edgy, innovative design. The elegant aesthetics combined with excellent workmanship make the products particularly resilient and durable. Bezzera has a range of different machines for beginners in the art of coffee, as well as for advanced hobby baristas. For beginners, for example, the Bezzera BZ09 S tilt valve portafilter is perfectly suited. It convinces visually with classic design and tilt valves. The single-circuit portafilter has an internal thermostat, so the temperature is kept stable. It was processed in high quality, the stainless steel housing is stylish and robust at the same time.
TRADITIONAL FEATURES IN MODERN MACHINES
The amateur barista will enjoy the Bezzera Magica S portafilter machine. The machine with the E61 brew group has features such as a heavy-duty vibration pump, dual-circuit technology, and two pressure gauges that indicate boiler and pump pressure. The vintage toggle switches give the Magica S a great, high-end design. What sets the Strega S AL portafilter machine apart from the very modern machines is that it has a traditional hand lever. The necessary pressure comes from a built-in spring, and not from the brew group as usual. Not only visually it is a highlight, but also the installed technology of the Strega S AL is absolutely convincing.
Via Luigi Bezzera, 1 | 20088 ROSATE | MILANO - ITALY


text:
Organize Your Craft Room in Five Steps
One glance at your craft room and you know you’re in trouble. With no organization in place, it’s quickly gone from creative space to epic disaster. Rather than attempt crafting in chaos, it’s time to invest in some tools to help you whip your room (no matter what the size) into fantastic shape.
1. Start with the Closet
For many craft queens (and kings) the quick solution to a disorganized room is streamlined closet space. If you have a walk-in, put a modular system at the top of your list. These organizing units provide plenty of adjustable storage to keep potential messes in check. While the shelf space is made for storing bits-and-bobs, a hanging rack is great for finished sewing projects or large pieces of fabric.
Stuck with a small closet space? A little creative thinking, a few small, free-standing shelving units, and a file cabinet are all you need to cobble together your own closet system.
Be creative: Purchase rolling units and you’ll be able to pull them out when you need them and tuck them away when you’re done.
2. Add Bins, Baskets, Boxes and Buckets
A craft room can never have too many bins, baskets, and buckets. These containers are key to keeping your shelves in tip-top shape. Don’t go for bland and boring — a craft room should be inspiring. Look for storage containers in bright colors, or those made from interesting materials. Or let the materials speak for themselves: See-through containers and those with attached labels nix the mystery of what’s inside.
Be creative: Indulge in more than one kind of craft? Color code your containers. That way you’ll never mix up your scrapbooking supplies with your sewing accoutrements.
3. It’s All About the Wall
A craft room with limited or no closet space means you’re really going to have to use your walls. Plain Jane shelves and free-standing bookcases are workable, but wall-mount storage racks geared toward crafting may be the lifesaver you’re looking for. Many of these specialized units are designed with space for hard-to-store items like spools of thread, yarn, ribbon, and tissue paper.
Be creative: In a room with minimal space, install an over-the-door shelving unit or shoe bag as extra storage.
4. Don’t Forget Furniture
While storage units and shelving are important, the right furniture is going to make or break your craft room. Economy is the name of the game — choose furniture with plenty of drawers, or opt for a table that you can tuck rolling storage racks or drawer units underneath.
Be creative: Outfit the room with seating that also doubles as storage.
5. It’s the Little Things
Craft rooms are full of little odds-and-ends that can end up creating a huge mess. Drawer dividers, jewelry organizers, jars and small bowls are all key in keeping buttons, pens, pencils and other sundries from wreaking havoc.
Be creative: Use a kitchen utensil holder to keep crafting tools like scissors and Exacto knives organized and easy to access.
Have a favorite organizational tool? Don’t keep it a secret! Let us know all about it in the space below.


text:
Comics is an escapist medium, no matter what the psychologists say. If you entertain and make a valid social point, then all the better. But first and foremost, entertainment is our bag.
And just as Atlas was a Titan in Greek Mythology, so plan we to be a titan of comic books. If there's a doubt in your mind as to whether or not we can do it, take a look at out line-up. 'Cause this is what comics is all about!
Exciting and lusty adventure await IRONJAW, a savage sword and sandal epic set in the far future and brought to you by the team of Michael Fleisher, Mike Sekowsky and Jack Abel.
A dearth of souls-in-torment causes Satan to summon the services of THE GRIM GHOST, a Michael Fleisher/Ernie Colon presentation in blazing Hadescope.
The Greatest Story Ever Told is what you'll find in THE PHOENIX, Atlas' sci-fi Man of Tomorrow. And if that sounds cryptic, don't sweat it! Jeff Rovin and Sal Amendola assure one and all that they know what they're doing!
Off in space, the saga of WULF THE BARBARIAN is set on a planet the size of which is beyond mortal comprehension. Written and penciled by Larry Hama, inked by Klaus Janson, this is sword and sorcery comics at it's very best.
But Hama's not one to rest on his laurel's! Together with Pat Broderick on pencils and Frank McLaughlin on inks, he has created a terrifying vision of the tomorrow in PLANET OF VAMPIRES. It's the story of six astronauts who return from a Mars mission to find earth devastated by biological warfare. And the end result of this holocaust is a world divided into savages and a super-scientific race of vampires.
Meanwhile, back in the present, we've got TARGITT, a story of one man's vengeance against the Mob. Ric Meyers and Dan Adkins is an unbeatable pair to tell the story of an unbeatable man!
Is he human or is he plant? After you read the adventures of MORLOCK 2001, you can decide for yourself. Michael Fleisher and Al Milgrom, with an Abel assist from Jack, spearhead this exciting super-hero series.
After thousands of years, a Neanderthal man frozen in a block of ice is revived. Impossible, you say? Think again, and take a look at THE BRUTE, a CroMagnificent comic from Michael Fleisher, Mike Sekowsky and Pablo Marcos.
Meanwhile, with the world of 1974 as his playground, Steve Mitchell and Ernie Colon bring us the action-packed adventures of the COUGAR, a Hollywood stuntman-turned-thrillseeker.
And what THE COUGAR does for excitement, THE SCORPION does for money! Howie Chaykin helms this book, serving as writer/artist. Set in the 1930's THE SCORPION is fraught with the kind of adventure that made the pulps great! Move over DOC SAVAGE!
As if these were not enough, there's POLICE ACTION, VICKY, KID CODY AND THE COMANCHE KID, SAVAGE COMBAT TALES featuring SGT. STRYKER AND HIS DEATH SQUAD, TALES OF EVIL, MIDNITE MADNESS, and two super-hero titles so different, so exciting, that, for now, we've gotta keep 'em under wraps.
This, not to mention our colossal black and white books, MOVIE MONSTERS, WEIRD TALES OF THE MACABRE, TALES OF THE SORCERESS and THRILLING ADVENTURE STORIES. The latter three are comics titles all, and showcase the talents of such men as Jeff Jones, Leo Summers, Pablo Marcos, Mike Kaluta, Jack Sparling, Russ Heath, Neal Adams, Steve Ditko, John Severin, Ramon Torrents, Mike Ploog, Tom Sutton, Pat Boyette, and a host of other top-notch comic folk!
As for Atlas' hard-working behind-the-scenes men, publishing our comics are Martin and Chip Goodman, the men who created Marvel Comics. If you think their performance there was impressive, give'em full rein with Atlas!
The editorial chores are in the calloused-but-capable hands of Jeff Rovin and Larry Lieber, supported by actor-turned-office-gremlin Ric Meyers. In the production corner is expert mechanical man Steve Mitchell, whose first major crisis was learning that comics are not colored with Crayolas.
But when all is said and done, no matter who's behind them, comics are entertainment.
Atlas is might.
And Atlas Comics are mighty entertaining!
See you next month!
|all titles & characters Copyright © 1975 Seaboard Periodicals||Comments or Suggestions ? Let us know !||29-Sep-2010 9:06|

domain: literature


Georgia qualifier switched to neutral venue
BERNE, Switzerland, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Georgia's World Cup qualifier against Ireland scheduled for next month will be moved to a neutral venue due to the tensions in the country.
World soccer's governing body FIFA issued a statement on Tuesday saying it had decided to switch the fixture due to security concerns after 'closely monitoring the situation'.
The conflict erupted over South Ossetia when Georgia sent in troops and tanks to try to take back the province on Aug. 7-8, provoking a huge counter-attack from Russia.
FIFA said the Georgian Football Federation would have until Aug. 26 to nominate a neutral venue for the Group Eight game which will go ahead on the originally planned Sept. 6 date.
'We are hugely disappointed that the match will be played at a neutral venue,' Georgian FA President Nodar Akhalkatsi said.
'It was a crucial qualifier because it will be our first and we worked very hard at the fixtures meeting,' Akhalkatsi told reporters at Britton Ferry, near Swansea where Georgia face Wales in a friendly on Wednesday.
'But we have a bigger situation at home and it won't matter where we play. The players will use this as a bigger motivation against Ireland to get a result.'
The Irish Football Association (FAI) requested the change of venue a week ago for what will be their Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni's first competitive match in charge.
Georgia defender Zurab Khizanishvili, who plays for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League, said he believed the decision to move the match would favour Ireland.
'I wish we could have played in Georgia because it will be easier for Ireland to play somewhere else...Ireland have a lot of quality players,' he said.


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SEOUL Authentic Oliver Bjorkstrand Jersey , Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korean peace activists urged the United States Wednesday to immediately stop any hostile policy on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and launch talks with Pyongyang for peace treaty on the Korean Peninsula.
An association of 65 liberal advocacy groups and peace activist groups held a press conference in Gwanghwamun square beside the U.S. embassy in Seoul, issuing a joint statement toward the U.S. government.
The statement said the Trump administration should immediately scrap any hostile policy on the DPRK and launch negotiations on peace treaty on the peninsula.
The Korean Peninsula is technically in a state of war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in armistice, not peace treaty.
The activists said South Korean people living in the peninsula would not be able to accept the U.S. threat to wage a war in their home country.
U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that his country was "totally prepared" for military option on the DPRK, though he said it was not a preferred one, noting that if the U.S. takes the military option, it will be "devastating."
The U.S. leader resumed the war of rhetoric with Pyongyang as he warned last week that the DPRK would be faced with total destruction if Pyongyang continues to threaten the U.S. and its allies.
In response to the Trump speech, top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un issued a rare statement that warned Washington of the highest-level of hardline countermeasure in history.
The activists planned to hold a peace rally outside the U.S. embassy in Seoul after the long Chuseok holiday, which will last from this weekend to Oct. 10. The Chuseok is a South Korean version of Thanksgiving Day.
The statement said sanctions, pressure and military threat will only bring a war to the peninsula, rather than resolve the security crisis on the peninsula, stressing that the only solution to the crisis was to sign a peace treaty and drop a hostile policy.
Xi says international community must cooperate on global security
Chinese vice premier visits basketball players before friendship game
Highlights of Turkish-Iraqi joint military drill
Mexico quake death toll rises to 333
Modern manufacturing, transport help six Chinese provinces develop fast
A look at Kantuman Bazaar in China's Xinjiang
Scenery of terraced fields in Houyuan Village, China's Fujian
Scenery of high-speed rail networks in south China's Guangxi
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BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorologists issued a yellow rain alert for the next 24 hours in parts of the south on Saturday.
Torrential rains of up to 180 mm will hit southern provinces including Guizhou, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and Zhejiang, with gales and thunderstorms in some areas, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.
The NMC advised local governments to take emergency responding measures and prepare for waterlogging in cities and landslides in mountainous areas.
A four-tier color-coded warning system is used to judge the severity of rain, with red being the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
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domain: news


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It was in 2016 when Diljit Dosanjh's life took a turning point. Since his Bollywood debut with the movie Udta Punjab, he is drinking to the victory of success. His last Bollywood release Phillauri (2017) was also a hit. Although he is now a big name in Bollywood, he has not forgotten his roots. The singer-actor still is equally active in Pollywood as he is in Bollywood. The actor recently spilled some beans about his journey and success in Bollywood. In an interview with DNA, Diljit said that he feels that he hasn't put much effort to be in Bollywood.
I’m very happy. Main shayad deserve nahi karta itna, which I have got in the last two years. I’m saying that because I don’t know many people in Bollywood, yet I get offers. I haven’t put in much effort to get work here.[caption id="attachment_24197" align="alignnone" width="696"] Diljit Dosanjh[/caption] He said that rather than Bollywood, he has to work really hard for Punjabi movies.
I have had to work really hard for Punjabi films, bahut mehnat ki hai sab haasil karnke liye.Talking more Bollywood, the actor told PTI that he is not really after money in Bollywood but wants to experiment.
“I am not earning a lot of money in Bollywood. I am earning (more) money by doing shows and Punjabi films than Hindi films. Let me establish myself here (in Bollywood). I am not running after money in Bollywood, I am experimenting with films and roles here,”[caption id="attachment_21017" align="alignnone" width="696"] Diljit Dosanjh and Pankaj Batra (Director, Sajjan Singh Rangroot)[/caption] Talking about life in Pollywood, he promised that he will do one Punjabi movie every year. As his upcoming Punjabi war movie, Sajjan Singh Rangroot is due to release in March, he said that he plans to release it in Mumbai as well with subtitles.
It was my dream to do a film about Sikh soldiers who went to England during the war. Not much has been done on them in cinema. When I go to England, I meet several people who tell me stories of their bravery.The actor admitted that he has been wanting to do this movie since last four years. Diljit said that being a Sardar (a turbanator) he felt he should do this film. The Pankaj Batra directorial stars Sunanda Sharma in the female lead and will release on March 23.

domain: celebrity


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July 24, 2010
"Cute Critters" Giveaway
Hi guys! Beth over at http://stinkinsweetscrappin.blogspot.com/ is having another great giveaway.. and yes I'm attending! lol I made this real simple "gratitude card" and I chose an owl because well.. I just love them. haha The blue cardstock is cut at 8 1/2" X 5 1/2", the yellow cardstock is cut at 5" x 4", the light green pattern paper was cut at 5 1/4" x 3". I used the Animal Kingdom Cricut Cartridge for the owl, he's cut at 3". I added some brads to his eyes.. that I bought at Michael's Craft Store and added some ribbon. If you'd like to participate.. head on over to Beth's site. (I have her blinkie on the left hand side of my blog) Thanks for looking.

domain: design


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Developers Call it “A Total Coincidence”
As it turns out, the purported teaser website for Project Needlemouse that we were first on the web to debunk is a point of reference for a different kind of Needlemouse project–a new Sonic fan game.
Today, Jono Forbes, the artist behind those crazy 3D renderings of Green Hill you may have been, along with Boston University student Matt Schoen revealed Needlemouse: The Emerald Hills to the world on Needlemouse.com. Mr. Forbes first disclosed the project as a comment on our previous story.
The timing was all a little too convenient, according to the developers, and now, thanks to all this sudden attention, the gears will begin rolling on disclosing new information on the SFG to the public. This, according to the duo’s press release:
You may think you’re looking at a sample of the upcoming Sega game, which according to recent speculation is called Project Needlemouse. What you’ve stumbled on is actually a fan-created game that we’ve been calling Needlemouse: The Emerald Hills since we began working on it a few months ago.
Here’s the story. What you see above is some early environment art from a 3D re-imagining of a classic series, aimed recreating the tried-and-true side-scrolling platformer with a lot more eye-candy. We are Jono Forbes and Matt Schoen, a pair of game developers who really loved the original, kinematic hedgehog, and decided it would be fun to give him an update.
We registered www.needlemouse.com to host our hobby project while we continue to collaborate over a long distance. (A quick Google search turned up no references or links to other games, so we — ironically — thought it would be a unique handle for the project.) We had no idea Sega was working on their just-announced Project Needlemouse. No kidding: a total coincidence. Our project officially began in early May although, as with many of our ideas, it had been “on the table” since long before and neither we nor the project have any connection whatsoever with Sega (other than being satisfied customers).
Needlemouse: The Emerald Hills is purely a tribute, a nod of the head, an homage to one of the gaming world’s watershed events. We’re just having fun with a piece of extreme (interactive) fan-art as a tribute to our favorite game and the developer of many of the games we grew up on.
We must stress that we have no interest in benefitting commercially from our project, and value it only in terms of a representation of our skills and hopefully a fresh experience while taking a stroll down memory lane. We will continue to update this site for like-minded fans who are interested in our progress.
Stay tuned here for a news feed, forum, more game content, and upcoming Windows and OS X public beta!
Thanks for stopping by.
So, in the end, no harm, no foul on their part–at least, none of it was intended. But on the art direction alone–unique in its own right–this SFG bears watching in the future, and that’s exactly what we’ll do.


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The robust immune system keeps the body safe and healthy. Using the best help for the immune system will follow us out of the trouble. Why? The weak immune system can not protect the body from invaders. A simple cold can turn into the biggest problem, such as catching flu or feeling fatigued. The best way to help the immune system is to prevent it from various ups and downs.
Antioxidant support, anti-inflammatory remedies, and tonics to strengthen the immune system will work for us.
Natural products provide antioxidant support, strengthen the immune system, and do not harm the body.
The grape seed extract is a source of flavonoids. It helps maintain general health and prevents age-related diseases like cataracts, cardiovascular diseases, and macular degeneration.
Pine bark extract from French maritime pine contains active ingredients that protect from free radicals. It helps the immune system concentrate on other things.
Co-Q-10 or coenzyme Q is produced in the body. It acts as an antioxidant, increases oxygen usage at the cellular level, and boosts heart muscle cells, improving their functions.
Alpha-lipoic acid decreases insulin resistance, augmenting the body’s antioxidant defenses. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, alpha-lipoic acid helps people with a tendency to gain weight around the abdomen and high blood pressure.
Tumeric has the active component curcumin, which helps fight inflammation.
Ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
Basil, green tea, and rosemary could treat minor and significant inflammatory disorders.
Astragalus has antiviral and immune-enhancing properties. It helps to stay in good condition during cold seasons. Astragalus is inexpensive and easily obtained at health stores and online.
Immune-boosting mushrooms, including edible mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster, and maitake, are nontoxic and used as dietary supplements. China, Japan, and Korea have long traditions of successful usage for enhancing the immune system.
The immune system protects us from intruders when the proper diet, lifestyle, and dietary supplements enhance and help her. Natural remedies such as astragalus, turmeric, ginger, grape seed extract, alpha-lipoic acid, pine bark extract, coenzyme Q, and immune-enhancing mushrooms help the immune system.

domain: medical


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A Birthday by Christina Rossetti
Transcript of A Birthday by Christina Rossetti
About Christina Rossetti
- Born in 1830 in London
- She helped her family run a school
- Her poems were first published when she was 18
- She broke off two engagements because of religious differences (she was a strict Anglican)
-Suffered from Graves disease (immune system disease)
-Worked with House of Charity and the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge
-diagnosed with cancer in 1892 and died in 1894
My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a water'd shoot;
My heart is like an apple-tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit;
My heart is like a rainbow shell
That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder than all these
Because my love is come to me.
Raise me a dais of silk and down;
Hang it with vair and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves and pomegranates,
And peacocks with a hundred eyes'
Work it in gold and silver grapes,
In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;
Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come true to me.
What does the poem mean?
Summary: Christine just wants to express her undying love as she has been reborn. She feels like its not enough just to love, she wants to tell the world. She finds comfort in not having to worry about whether or not she is loved back, because she knows she is.
Love and Passion: she treasures this feeling of love and being loved back and the experience of falling in love
Nature and its Meaning: Rossetti compares her feelings to nature because true love grows like nature
As compared to her other poems, this one presents a much happier tone. She's excited and joyous about her love.
In " A birthday" Christina used repetition of describing how her heart feels. She also used aesthetics in describing her love for nature. She does not however, have a rhyme pattern, which is actually one of the things she is famous for.
"A Birthday" by Christina Rossetti is a very happy and cheerful poem. Her themes are positive and moving. Overall, she has a very good message to share. Her use of literary devices worked well as well.
Constantakis, Sara, ed. Poetry for students: VOl 10. Detroid: Gale, 2011. Print. editor.


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Prep 10 mins
Cook 35 mins
Its Hatch green chile season again so I guess its time I put my recipe on here to share with others that might be new to Colorado's Chile tradition.
- 1⁄2 lb pork roast (finely diced into pea-size pieces)
- 5 cups fresh hatch hot green chili peppers (diced into pea-size pieces)
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Heat your stock pot on medium high heat and add oil. Add your pork and cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Next, add your flour and stir to combine. (If too thick you can add a teaspoon of water so that the roux is manageable).
- Once the flour has turned a light brown color (2 minutes), add half of the water and stir frequently to incorporate and avoid any lumps. Then add your green chilies, the rest of your water, cumin, and garlic salt.
- Cover the pot and allow the chile to come up to a boil. Drop your heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. Salt to taste just before serving allowing the chile to cook for an additional minute to let the salt dissolve.
It's unbelievable to see this recipe here,i worked in a place here in az. And we made this almost exactly! Wonderful,authentic,a great traditional mexican recipes,and thanks for posting.


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I think it’s a crying shame that we don’t have a thread on here/ channel on Slack for pet pictures given how many people on here love cats and Monzo has a dog in the office regularly!
What pets do you guys have? (visual proof required).
I have none of my own so I’m pimping out my friend’s pets with this picture. They have their own Instagram account here

domain: pet


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In the House of Commons on April 7th, 2008. See this statement in context.
Day of Reflection on the Prevention of GenocideRoutine Proceedings
April 7th, 2008 / 3:10 p.m.
It is not a question of who said what. It is now a question of unanimous consent, and that has been denied.
Share on Twitter or Facebook
View on Parliament’s site
See context to find out what was said next.

domain: law