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Loan Types for Home Purchases or Refinances
Basic Loan Types for Home Purchases or Refinances.
Although there are many different types of loans out there in the market, there are some basic issues you need to be aware of and be certain to get all the information prior to the closing if at all possible.
Interest rates, points, and fee- The interest rate and its terms are either fixed or adjustable. You will need to know the terms of the loan, including whether there are points (normally a percentage of the loan amount, payable to the lender) to be paid and a schedule of other fee, if any, payable to the lender. Having this information in advance will assist you in determining how much up front fees to expect, plus the monthly payment over the life of the loan. Be aware that you will also have real estate taxes and homeowners insurance, also normally due on a monthly basis. When your anticipated monthly payment is given to you by your loan officer be sure that the taxes and insurance are added in to that figure so you will have a true picture of you obligation.
If the rate of interest is adjustable there will be a rate adjustment or a “balloon payment” on a set date. With an adjustable rate the interest rate may be fixed for a certain period of time, then it will adjust, either up or down, depending on the market at the time. In the event that the interest rate adjusts up and you are not able to make the payment at the higher rate, you may need another loan, or refinance, which means more fees, points, closing costs, etc.
Be aware of the potential of a prepayment issue in the loan documents, if there is one and you decide to pay off the loan ahead of time you may be responsible for additional fees at that time. This is an item you should discuss with your lender before you proceed with the loan in the event you should move before the loan is fully paid through monthly payments. Some of these can be rather costly, however, a reputable lender will discuss all of this with you and answer any questions you may have. Ask your Realtor, Attorney, or your local Title Company for a recommendation to a reputable lender if you are not sure who to call.
Any questions can be directed to Benchmark Title at 618-239-3750. Please feel free to call or email:
Dates to Remember
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domain: economics


Mr. Samuel Agbotsey of IDEC Ghana has called on patients to sue health insurance providers when they reject their NHIS cards.
The Integrated Development and Empowerment Centre (IDEC Ghana) has called on patients to sue health insurance providers that will turn down the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards.
Reports indicated that patients holding the NHIS card were turned down as private health insurance providers are demanding arrears covering six to eight month owed them by government.
Some health insurance providers said patients will seek health care if only they pay.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director of IDEC Ghana, Samuel K. Agbotsey, “We believe that as part of efforts to access their rights to quality health care as guaranteed under the local and international laws and conventions, these individuals have registered and duly paid their premium as prescribed under the National Health Insurance Act 852 of 2012.”
“This is an agreement binding on both parties therefore it is subject to be enforced for compliance in case of default. That is why under the Act, subscribers are refused services when they failed to renew their Health Insurance Cards upon expiration.
“With the above background, we believe that there is no acceptable reason to turn-away a subscriber when he/she showed up at a health facility for treatment without adequate compensation for default.
“We therefore encouraged anyone that is turned away to sue the authorities of the health facility that turned them away, joining them with The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Attorney General.
“We plead with lawyers all over the country to make their legal services available to these subscribers free-of-charge especially the elderly, women, pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and people leaving with disability,” it added.
Meanwhile, the government has directed the release of GH¢180 million for the payment of arrears owed health insurance providers.
The money is expected to clear part of the more than GH¢460 million owed National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) service providers across the country.


“Silver 25th Anniversary” is this year’s theme for Arcadia High School’s annual Orchestra Benefit Dinner and Concert. This annual event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at the Arcadia Masonic Center (50 W. Duarte Road). The hors d’oeuvres reception and silent auction begin at 5:30 p.m. Dress is formal attire.
Twenty-five years ago, a group of “orchestra moms” proposed an idea to showcase the orchestra program. Over the years, this event has evolved into a successful fundraiser for the Arcadia Music Club.
The program begins with a catered dinner and is followed by entertainment featuring string ensembles from the Arcadia High School Orchestras. Also performing are special guest artists Isaiah Gage, cellist, featured on the musical scores of numerous television shows and films; and violinist Grace Rodgers whose musical career spans from classical to pop and includes many studio recordings and live productions. The unique grand finale showcases all 300 orchestra performers completely surrounding the guests.
Funds raised from this event provide orchestra necessities (coaching, musical instruments, materials and supplies) that may not otherwise be available to the orchestra program. There are four ways to support the event: purchase event tickets, purchase program book advertisement by Feb. 1, become a benefactor, or donate silent auction items. Premium seats are $65 while reserved tickets are $55. The deadline to purchase tickets is Feb. 15.
For tickets or event information, contact Frances Cheng, at VP.firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Thanks to our friend Michelle Dotdot's recommendation, we got a chance to work with Matt. Matt was one of the contestants for Mister Guam 2016! Thanks Michelle and John Cortez for assisting in the shoot, although they were mostly catching up with Kim over coffee while supervising from distance :) It was great working with you Matt and thank you for repping our Inarajan V neck shirt in style! Available at www.island-stylin.com. Island Stylin'
We went to Phoenix to visit my brother and his girl, Andrea. Jason is having his first son with Andrea and we are so excited for him. Our Hong family is growing. We all went together to San Diego to visit our friends and had such an amazing time. We were there for 3 weeks and we were missing our island with our family especially our doggies Pika and buddy. My brother has a business degree and PGA golf certifications from Arizona University! Now he is teaching golf and how fun is that! He also got lucky finding Andrea to be in his life. Very supportive girl and super sweet too! Jason is repping Island Stylin's Biba Guam tank top...
We had an amazing 3 weeks vacation to visit friends and family at Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix! Life is too short not to make some time to see some old and new friend! So happy to see that they are all doing great! Arizona was scorching 115 degrees hot but Southern California's weather was perfect. We got to connect with our friends Kristy and Mike and did a small photo session with our Island Stylin's Inarajan Pool tank tops. Looks like their babies, Pika and Kux took the show though :) Thanks guys for the warm hospitality and see you guys soon! Island Stylin'
We are proud to have Skye as our Island Stylin' feature! She has always helped us out whenever we needed her and we are thankful for that. Skye is Miss Earth Guam 2015! She also made it to top 13 in the national final which hasn't happened for Guam in a long time. She just got back from the Philippines to do an UNO magazine photo shoot! Skye attends college in Hawaii and comes back to Guam whenever she is on break! She is a young girl who is on a mission! Island Stylin'
We got to photograph our long time friend Julius Santos at Unified Crossfit Gym! We've been friends for a long time and I got to witness Jules move from being a radio DJ Malafunction style, to assisting our Governor Calvo to now helping our island grow with art and film! Not to mention I get crossfit session when I ask him to work out with me! A definite mover and a shaker! Julius is sporting the Polynesian Dancer Tank. Thanks to Unified for letting us use their gym for the shoot! Check out their website www.unifiedguam.com if you're interested in getting some abs and a stronger body! Island Stylin'

domain: geography


text:
He crossed the centuries to find her…
For months Lord Arik has been trying to find the right combination of runes to create the precise spell to rescue his wife, Rebeka, but the druid knight will soon discover that reaching her four hundred years in the future is only the beginning of his quest. He arrives in the 21st century to find her memory of him erased, his legacy on the brink of destruction, and traces of dark magick at every turn.
A threat has followed to take away all they hold dear—forever…
Bran, the dark druid, is more determined than ever to get his revenge. His evil has spread across the centuries. Arik will lose all. Time is his weapon, and he’s made sure his plan leaves no one dear to Arik, in past or present, safe from the destruction.
But their enemy has overlooked the strongest magick of all…
Professor Rebeka Tyler is dealing with more than just a faulty memory. Ownership of Fayne Manor, her home, has been called into question. Convenient accidents begin happening putting those she cares for in the line of fire. And then there’s the unexpected arrival of a strange man dressed like he belonged in a medieval fair—a man who somehow is always around when needed, and always on her mind. She doesn’t know who to trust. But one thing is certain. Her family line and manor have survived for over eleven centuries. She won’t let them fall, not on her watch… in any century.
Earlier in the saga, Rebeka's father had taken her forward in time for her protection. When she returned to her true time, she didn't remember anyone or anything. At the beginning of Knight of Rapture, they determine to shut the last portal that would enable her to return to the future (and also to prevent the villain Bran from trying to muck things up again.
But, as Shakespeare wrote in Midsummernight's Dream (Ii) "the course of true love never did run smooth," If it did, this would either be an extremely short, or totally different kind of book.
I was kind of impressed with Arik. His determination to not shut the last portal (even when it would have been safer to so do) until Rebeka had made a free choice to return to the future or to stay in the past (with him) speaks well of his character and his love for his wife. And his ability to discuss the situation with his brother, and willingness to change his mind shows he is a good leader of the people.
And poor Rebeka, she must feel like the men in her life are playing ping pong, and she's the little plastic ball. She's born in (what to us is) the past, taken forward in time by her father for her protection. Due to Bran's evil she finds herself once again in the present day, unable to remember that she is really from the past, yet having to fight for it. Then there's Arik, who winds up finding Rebeka wherever she is.
Sometime in books involving time travel, it's kind of like watching people having a conversation in a car in a movie. If you look hard enough, you can see the lines indicating that it was filmed in front of a blue screen and the desired background has been digitally inserted after the fact. By that long-winded explanation, I mean that there is a noticeable, perhaps jarring difference beween the various times. Not so in Knight of Rapture. I was equally at home in the past and present/future. The transformation between times was as seamless as I've seen, and really added to my enjoyment of this story.
Having read Knight of Rapture, I now have to explore the other works of this fine author. There is of course, Knight of Runes, book one of this series, as well as other works.
Ruth A Casie is a seasoned professional with over twenty-five years of writing experience but not necessarily writing romances. No, she’s been writing communication and marketing documents for a large corporation. Over the past years, encouraged by her friends and family, she gave way to her inner muse, let her creative juices flow, and began writing a series of historical time travel romance novels.
When not writing you can find her home in Teaneck, New Jersey, reading, cooking, doing Sudoku and counted cross stitch. Together with her husband Paul, they enjoy ballroom dancing and, with New York City close by, going to the theater. Ruth and Paul have three grown children and two grandchildren. They all thrive on spending time together. It’s certainly a lively dinner table and they wouldn’t change it for the world.
Ruth is a Trustee and on the Executive Board of Shelter Our Sister (SOS) in New Jersey. SOS is Bergen County’s only shelter for victims of domestic violence. She frequently speaks at various functions around Bergen County on behalf of the Shelter.
For more information visit Ruth A. Casie’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Sign up for Ruth A. Casie’s newsletter.
To enter to win an eBook of Knight of Rapture & a $25 Amazon Gift Card please complete the giveaway form below.
– Giveaway starts on March 30th at 12:01am and ends on April 11th at 11:59pm EST.
– Must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner will be notified via email.
Click the logo above to go to the official blog tour page at HFVBT, where you can find more reviews as well as guest posts. You can also apply to become a reviewer for HFVBT yourself!
(Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author and publishers via HFVBT in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.)

domain: library


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SANGRUR: The much-hyped roadshow of the AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal
in support of the president of the state unit of the party and Sangrur candidate Bhagwant Mann
got marred to two separate protests at Khanouri and Sunam.
As the party chief started his five-day campaign in Punjab with the roadshow from Khanauri, a group of youth showed him black flags for portraying Punjab as the land of drug addicts. The protestors, mostly youngsters, alleged that during the assembly elections Arvind Kejriwal had often called Punjab a haven for addicts and later, he had tendered an unconditional apology to ex-minister Bikram Singh Majithia for levelling charges of his involvement in the drug trade. They demanded that if his barbs against the people of Punjab could be substantiated with evidence, then why did he tender an apology to Majithia. This, they said, proved that Kejriwal only wanted to exploit the situation for his own political gains in the state and now he must tender an apology to the people of the state. However, the party claimed that the youth had been instigated by the Congress to hold a protest against the party chief.
Later, a large number of villagers held a protest as the roadshow reached Sunam. Here the protestors lamented that party candidate Bhagwant Mann, who is also the sitting MP from the Sangrur seat, had failed to bring around any development in their villages and all his claims were nothing but baseless lies. The villagers said Mann had promised grants worth Rs 5 lakh to each of their villages, but he failed to get even a single penny released for development.
Meanwhile, beginning his campaign in Punjab Kejriwal targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh
saying both the leaders had sold lies to the people to come to power at the centre and the state, respectively. At Lehragaga he lauded Mann as an MP claiming that he had done a commendable job by redressing the core issues and concerns of all categories of people.
He also went on listing achievements of his Delhi government
focusing primarily on improvement in health services and education and reduced cost of power, a key issue Punjab. He also tried to strike a chord with the farmers by speaking about the Swaminathan recommendations for the farmers and how Narinder Modi could not implement any of these, while the Delhi government started paying the equivalent price to farmers as per the recommendations. Comparing the prices being paid to the farmers, he said while farmers in Punjab and Haryana were getting Rs. 1840 per quintal, respectively, in Delhi they were getting Rs 2616 a quintal.
He said Captain Amarinder Singh reneging on all poll promises peddled under oath, while the Badals had to pay a heavy price for the ‘misdeeds’ of their alleged role in the desecration incidents in the state.
Kejriwal will be campaigning for the party candidates in Punjab till Friday.

domain: sociology


Fort Collins Elects New Mayor, Bans Plastic Bags, Keeps Hughes Open Space
Fort Collins made its voice heard at the ballot box.
The Fort Collins City Clerk office released the unofficial results from the April 6 election. Jenni James Arndt won the mayor position, a citywide plastic bag ban won support and the vote determined the old Hughes Stadium site should remain parks and open space.
Official results will be posted on April 16.
Large grocers will soon be prohibited from providing disposable plastic bags after the initiative passed with 58.98% of the vote. Disposable paper bags will still be allowed for a 12-cent fee.
What to do with the former Hughes Stadium site had also been up for debate. The ordinance to keep the land open space and parks passed with 68.61% of the vote. Other proposals had wanted to develop the space into more housing and commercial businesses.
Mayor Wade Troxell's tenure as Fort Collins mayor had hit is term limit this year after leading the position since 2015.
The April 6 election pitted Jenni James Arndt, Gerry Horak and Molly Skold against each other for the mayor position.
Fort Collins 2021 Mayor Race
- Jeni Arndt - 23,778 (62.72%)
- Molly Skold - 9,541 (25.17%)
- Gerry Horak - 4,593 (12.11%)
Here's our profile with Arndt before the election:
Tuned In to NoCo: Meet Fort Collins Mayor Candidate Jeni James Arndt
City Council positions were also determined in the vote.
Fort Collins District 1 City Council
- Susan Gutowsky - 3,333 (50.26%)
- Nick Armstrong - 3,299 (49.74%)
Fort Collins District 3 City Council
- Tricia Canonico - 3,634 (55.08%)
- Gavin Kaszynski - 2,964 (44.92%)
Fort Collins District 4 City Council
- Shirley Peel - 2,199 (30.22%)
- Melanie M. Potyondy - 2,170 (29.82%)
- Erin Hottenstein - 1,571 (21.59%)
- Jessica Dyrdahl - 988 (13.58%)
- Sidna Rachid - 349 (4.8%)
Fort Collins District 5 City Council
- Kelly Ohlson - 3,193 (67.48%)
- Jeff Hansen - 1,539 (32.52%)
Old Town Fort Collins: Ten Years Ago, and Now


Trouble positioning the Honda Avancier in the lineup? It's an Accord-based follow-up to the Crosstour.
Regular Car Reviews takes a stab at the Honda Element, one of the most innovative yet strange crossovers of the 2000s.
Honda hasn't said if its eye-catching CB-F will hit the production line.
Honda has been struggling with poor sales in Australia and is making drastic changes.
Fortunately, neither the cammer or the Jeep driver were injured in the collision.
The 2021 Honda Insight is also available with a new exterior color, dubbed Radiant Red Metallic.
Both the Honda CR-V Hybrid and RAV4 Hybrid return about 40 mpg combined.
The new Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition is said to be 47 kg lighter than the standard Type R.
All Honda plants in North America will close for six days beginning later this month.
This idea has reminded some of the WWII and production of the Spitfire aircraft.
The Honda Clarity Electric was only available to lease in California and Oregon.
Honda will present the 2021 Odyssey at the New York Auto Show next month.
On paper, the Fiat 500e offers more range on a single charge than the Honda e, but it's also more expensive.
Honda is reducing production at Japanese factories building the Vezel and Odyssey.
This Honda S2000 racer features a massive turbocharger and delivers almost 1,000 hp.
This 1991 Acura NSX boasts a mid-mounted V6 engine, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The new Honda CR-V Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient CR-V yet, returning 38 mpg combined.
Honda will announce its new parts catalog for the S2000 in June.
Honda is currently talking to Red Bull about extending its engine supply deal beyond 2021.


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02 Nov On This Day in UB History: November 2 (Bishop Daniel Shuck)
Daniel Shuck, bishop 1861-1869, died on November 2, 1900. He was 73 years old. During his lengthy service as a United Brethren minister, he served in several states, and deserves considerable credit for rescuing our ministries in California and Sierra Leone.
“He has never made any particular form of church work a specialty,” wrote biographer Henry Adams Thompson. Over the years, in addition to pastoring churches, he helped advance UB ministeres in publishing, higher education, and missions. He became a member of the denominational Missions board when it started in 1853, and was among those who encouraged us to begin work in West Africa.
Shuck’s father, a Kentucky native, was a modest farmer with a firm faith, a man who diligently studied the Bible. He moved his family just across the Ohio River into Corydon County, Indiana. Daniel was born there on January 16, 1827, the fifth of 14 children, seven of them step-siblings (Daniel’s mother, who had been converted by a United Brethren evangelist, died when he was very young). He grew up in a Christian home, in a religious community, with regular visits from several clergy uncles. This kept him on the straight and narrow path, with the early conviction that he would become a minister. He placed his conversion at age 14, when (like Martin Boehm) he was working in a field.
Young Daniel was licensed as a United Brethren minister in 1844, at age 17. His first assignment required a journey of 200 miles to cover the 28 appointments, which he visited every four weeks. In 1845, he planned to enter the State University of Indiana, and even purchased textbooks. However, the bishop and other ministers talked him out of it (back then, Christian folks looked down on college education, thinking it sapped the zeal from young ministers). So he accepted a circuit of churches, on which he would be the junior minister. However, when the senior minister learned of his desire to attend college, he released him to pursue that dream. Thus, Daniel Shuck ended up attending college for one year, focusing on courses which would help as a minister of the Gospel.
While in college, ministers from another denomination tried to lure him away with promises of a good church and financial security. He told them, “If you think a horse and buggy, fine clothes, and a good living are enough to buy me, you’ve misjudged me. I’m not on the market.”
Daniel and Harret Shuck were married in 1847. They never had their own children, but they took in many other children in what was described as “a kind of orphan’s home.” Harriet often traveled with her husband, a true partner in ministry. He led devotions every morning in their home, and she led devotions at night. Early in their marriage, they resolved to not go into debt for living expenses, and to not keep a tab with local merchants.
After ten years of pastoring circuits in Indiana and Kentucky, the Shuck ventured West. In 1858 he became a missionary to Missouri. UBs, with their anti-slavery stance, were not welcomed–and, in fact, sometimes found themselves in danger–in Missouri, and were eventually forced to abandon their work in the southern part of the state. But Shuck was accustomed to such opposition, having pastored a circuit in southern Kentucky. Next came assignments on the west coast–in Washington, Oregon, and California.
The 1861 General Conference elected him as bishop of the Pacific District. He was a mere 34 years old. The Civil War had just started; a dozen of his fellow Indiana ministers had volunteered for the Union army, and he felt he should remain in the East, in case he was drafted. However, when he learned that the work in California was on the verge of falling apart after the tragic death of their leader, Israel Sloane, Shuck and his wife boarded a steamer in New York, crossed to the Pacific through Panama, and arrived in San Francisco 35 days later, in March 1864. From March through August, he criss-crossed central California, preaching and rallying the demoralized UBs. When they held their annual meeting in October, people who had predicted the end of UB work in California now felt hopeful about the future.
The Shucks also visited Oregon. On the way back to California, they encountered two robbers who shoved a cocked revolver into the bishop’s face and demanded all of his money. He was tied up while Harriet was searched. All of their money and some of their possessions were seized, but they were unharmed.
Shuck was re-elected bishop in 1865. During that second term, he organized Walla Walla Conference in Washington. In Oregon, Philomath College was founded in 1865, and when the Oregon churches held their campmeeting in 1868, over 2500 people attended the Sunday service.The 1869 General Conference seriously considered ending our involvement in Sierra Leone. But Shuck gave a compelling speech on the conference floor, urging us to stay…and it turned the tide. We stayed.
When the 1885 General Conference established a commission to change the UB Constitution and Confession of Faith, Shuck saw it as a great blunder which could divide the denomination. But when Bishop Milton Wright led our group away, Shuck was not among them.
Daniel and Harriet spent their latter years, from at least 1889 on, in California, serving various charges in the San Joaquin Valley. In 1897, they celebrated their 50th anniversary. He passed away in 1900, and Harriet followed in 1907. They were buried in Woodbridge, Calif.

domain: history


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“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”
~Napoleon Hill, “Think and Grow Rich”
Back when I was a single working mom the last thing I had time to think about was what I desired. There were plenty of things I wanted, like more time with my kiddos, but after working a full time job, managing a home and their activities little time remained for me to consider what I truly desired in my life. At the time I was in the mindset of work your job to pay the bills and feed your kids, which allowed me to do just that. One day while eating my lunch (at my desk) I realized I was on the proverbial hamster wheel going nowhere fast. I was unhappy even though I was making more money than I ever had and I hated what I was doing. While it was one of the hardest moments of my life, I truly cherish it because it provided me the most incredible clarity. At the time the clarity was “I hate this – there’s GOT TO BE MORE to life”.
I was a woman of action so I decided I was going to quit my job. The thought of it actually shocked me because on the other side of that decision was the unknown and tons of fear. The momentum of something better took me over both emotionally and intellectually. Out of this garbage came a true jewel – I desired to do what I loved rather than live an unfulfilling life as a shadow parent to my 2 little ones. There and then the true DESIRE hit me. I wanted more than anything to help others and be abundant while doing it. But how was I going to do it? I wrote down 3 things that I desired deep down in my heart of hearts.
1) Job that I loved making great money (I wrote down the amount)
2) A partner in my life who would love the 3 of us
3) And have fun being a mom.
I kept the list beside my bed and read it 1st thing each morning before I started my day and every night before putting my head on the pillow to sleep. Those 3 things became an aspect of who I was and what I was attracting to me, so much so that doors opened so quickly it turned my head. Within weeks from having my clarity breakthrough, I met my future husband and the man who my children to this day call Popi. Doors continued to open and I soon had my own thriving business doing what I love and I was enjoying myself by having fun being a mom. The first step to living the life of your dreams is getting clarity on what you truly desire. Even if your experience takes you to the garbage heap like mine did – you see the jewel and reap the rewards!
Info about Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill was an American author in the area of the new thought movement who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. He is widely considered to be one of the great writers on success. His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich (1937), is one of the best-selling books of all time (at the time of Hill’s death in 1970, Think and Grow Rich had sold 20 million copies). Hill’s works examined the power of personal beliefs, and the role they play in personal success. He became an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1936. “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” is one of Hill’s hallmark expressions. How achievement actually occurs, and a formula for it that puts success in reach of the average person, were the focal points of Hill’s books.

domain: psychology


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Since Covid hit, Daniel Andrews has been perched atop his throne, ruling Victoria with an iron fist. There has been no end to the extent he would go to in the name of “keeping Victorians safe.” Lockdowns, restrictions, mandates – he has had them all. His state has resembled a prison, with Melbourne becoming infamous for claiming the title of most locked-down place in the world. For the last two years, Dictator Dan has been seemingly untouchable. That is, until now.
For much of the last few weeks, the talk of the town has been Dan’s permanent pandemic bill. It has been widely discussed, with legal experts, including 60 QCs and the Victorian bar, and others with common sense opposing it in all its tyrannical nature. The bill was the Premier’s key to unlocking almost unlimited power and control over the people of his state. After some deals with the crossbench in Victoria’s Legislative Assembly, it was practically inevitable that the Bill would pass through both Houses and into law, making Dictator Dan a reality.
But just when we thought all hope was lost, there was a twist of fate, and along came an unlikely hero — or a spanner in the works, anyway.
On Wednesday afternoon, Adem Somyurek, a man who has been plagued by investigations by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission into branch-stacking, someone we all could be forgiven for forgetting was still a member of the Victorian Legislative Council, handed over his proof of vaccination to Victorian Parliament and was admitted to Parliament House.
And so began the swirl of speculation that the unthinkable was about to unfold. Without Somyurek’s vote, the numbers would fall out of the Premier’s favour, and leave his Bill in the dust.
As protestors gathered outside Parliament for a fourth consecutive night, Somyurek took to the Herald Sun with an op-ed tearing apart Dan’s bill, writing “it gives too much power to the government.” With that, the rumours were confirmed – Somyurek was going to be the silver bullet that would deal the fatal blow to the bill, and along with it set fire to Daniel Andrews’ hopes and dreams of becoming an all-powerful dictator.
It is, in essence, one of the greatest political revenge stories of our time.
See, this does not just affect a single bill. It goes much further than that. Daniel Andrews was rushing this bill through the Parliament not just because he wanted the degree of power and control it would grant him as soon as possible, but because he has run out of legal power to extend the pandemic, and with it all the restrictions.
This is not just the bill. It is the whole reign of tyranny. With the death of this bill, the emergency powers expire in December, specifically on December 15, and Andrews loses complete control of the state.
That is what makes this move from Somyurek so enthralling. Not only has he potentially torn Dan’s beloved bill to shreds, but he has also brought the whole show crashing down. The empire Dan has built has begun to crumble, his opponents celebrating, laughing at the man who thrives on instilling fear. The dictator’s throne has been whipped out from underneath him, leaving only a meagre footstool for Andrews to spend his days sat upon contemplating what could have been.
Thanks to Somyurek, Victorians are likely to be free in every sense of the word sooner than they would have thought. Andrews has already pulled a number of restrictions in the aftermath, although many are still in place for those who have chosen not to take the vaccine. While this is not yet perfect, it is progress, and is in some sense an admission of defeat. It is a last gasp of control, an attempt to sate an addiction, a man weening himself off the immense power he has obtained, knowing that it is likely to end in a matter of weeks.
The only hope Daniel Andrews has of retaining that power lies in convincing a crossbencher in the Upper House to come over to the dark side and become one of the most despised politicians in Victoria. He needs one person to flip in order to make up Somyurek’s vote and pass the bill. The likelihood of this occurring is low. Given all the cross-benchers bar Fiona Patten and Andy Meddick have indicated their opposition to the bill, it is unlikely Andrews will be able to find one who is willing to sell out Victorians for the Premier to gain unprecedented powers.
Even with amendments made to the bill, there is still strong opposition to it, given the amendments do little more than provide a façade that there are adequate checks and balances in place to prevent what would essentially be a dictatorship from occurring. The bill remains dangerous to the rights and freedoms of Victorians, and to democracy itself.
With Dan’s bill practically dead in the water, Adem Somyurek has been hailed as an unlikely hero. His antics – first the handing over of vaccination status, then writing the op-ed in the Herald Sun — have the air of Paul Keating’s famous line of doing him slowly. Having been the head of a faction of the Victorian Labor Party, Somyurek clearly has a knack for strategy in this regard and has played Daniel Andrews like a fiddle. His actions are not only a massive blow to Dictator Dan, but a huge middle finger to the Labor Party.
If anything, Somyurek’s revenge will be the sweetest of all, not only for him, but for Victorians and Australians all over the country who have watched and waited for this day to arrive.
Dictator Dan is about to be dethroned.
Joel Agius is an independent writer. If you would like to read more of his work, you can do so at JJ’s Outlook.
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domain: news


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domain: literature


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时间：2020 01-25 作者：nbcmkrq 浏览量：25022
'More recently,' said Dumbledore, 'I became concerned that Voldemort might realise that this connection between you exists. Sure enough, there came a time when you entered so far into his mind and thoughts that he sensed your presence. I am speaking, of course, of the night when you witnessed the attack on Mr Weasley'
'Kreacher is what he has been made by wizards, Harry,' said Dumbledore. 'Yes, he is to be pitied. His existence has been as miserable as your friend Dobby's. He was forced to do Sirius's bidding, because Sirius was the last of the family to which he was enslaved, but he felt no true loyalty to him. And whatever Kreacher's faults, it must be admitted that Sirius did nothing to make Kreacher's lot easier - '
'Is there a defence? I defy anyone who has watched you as I have - and I have watched you more closely than you can have imagined - not to want to save you more pain than you had already suffered. What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were alive, and well, and happy? I never dreamed that I would have such a person on my hands.
'Oh, yes,' said Dumbledore. 'You see, Kreacher was not able to betray us totally. He is not Secret Keeper for the Order, he could not give the Malfoy's our whereabouts, or tell them any of the Order's confidential plans that he had been forbidden to reveal. He was bound by the enchantments of his kind, which is to say that he could not disobey a direct order from his master, Sirius. But he gave Narcissa information of the sort that is very valuable lo Voldemort, yet must have seemed much too trivial for Sirius to think of banning him from repeating it.'
'Voldemort's aim in possessing you, as he demonstrated tonight, would not have been my destruction. It would have been yours. He hoped, when he possessed you briefly a short while ago, that I would sacrifice you in the hope of killing him. So you see, I have been trying, in distancing myself from you, to protect you, Harry. An old man s mistake . . ."
'Snape made it worse, my scar always hurt worse after lessons with him - ' Harry remembered Ron's thoughts on the subject and plunged on '- how do you know he wasn't trying to soften me up for Voldemort, make it easier for him to get inside my - '
'We can discuss that after I have sent Harry back to Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore.
'Now see here, Dumbledore!' said Fudge, as Dumbledore picked up the head and walked back to Harry carrying it. 'You haven't got authorisation for that Portkey! You can't do things like that right in front of the Minister for Magic, you - you - '
'I have nothing more to say to you, Potter,' he said quietly. 'You have irked me too often, for too long. AVADA KEDAVRA!'
'Are you all right, Harry?'
And when the creature spoke, it used Harry's mouth, so that in his agony he felt his jaw move . . .
'Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men - and win, again!' said Dumbledore in a thunderous voice. 'But a few minutes ago you saw proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong man for twelve months, and it is time you listened to sense!'。


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Geography derived from the Greek word + graphia, earth, "earth" +"descriptive of", through drawing, writing, or some other media. This last is a combining word
from graphein "write, express by written characters," earlier "to draw, represent by lines drawn," originally "to scrape, scratch" (on clay tablets with a stylus). Thus, Geography is an umbrella word for a field of science which studies the nature of all aspects of planet Earth including its historic and current geology (gē + logos), "earth" +"study".
Traditionally, geography has been associated with mapmaking and place names, which is how I encountered it in grade school decades ago. Since then the geographers field of study has expanded to include not only the physical geography but human geography.
There actually is a Geographical Names Board of Canada, a branch of National Resources, Canada. "Official geographical names data are provided (to them) by the federal, provincial and territorial naming authorities... Working together as a multi-jurisdictional national body, GNBC members coordinate efforts to ensure that geographical names are consistently managed." Additionally, they have a website which gives access to the Canadian Geographical Names Database, gives guidelines for proposing a geographical name, and lexplains geographical terms and the origins of Canadian place names. In addition it tells you where there have been name changes. It can tell you where you are by latitude and longitude. These days, a GPS device is quicker and more accurate. Highlighted above, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.
In the case of naming names, "Mahone Bay" gives two current possibilities, one a town the other an actual bay. THe town is situated largely on the western side of "Mahone Bay" which is actually a harbour located at the extreme southwest of the bay proper. There are two streams emptying into the harbour: Mushamush at the north boundary and Anney, located centrally on the harbour and trending from there to the southwest. To cofuse the issue it is alternately known as Anney Anney, Maggie Maggie, Litte Anney or Ernst Brook, for reasons which are uncertain. Mushamush is supposedly of Mi'kimak origin and could be an English corruption of their word for "cleared land." In fact, the area above the river is still named Clearland. The First Ntion had a summer camp somewhere southwest of the Mushamush. Historian Brian Tennyson thinks it was further afield in the vicinity of the town reservoir between Long Hill Road and Highway 325, or even further away near Blockhouse.
"Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively." It is no longer confined by handwork using pen, ink and watercolours, as seen above.
The earliest French maps may have identified "Mahone Bay" as les baye de toute iles", By 1755, it was represented as currently named. In the following century Mushamush was indicated on maps, althouh the only settlement of size was Lunenburg. "Originally a Mi'kmaq encampment and clam harvesting site known as āseedĭk, the site became a Mi’kmaq and Acadian village named Mirliguèche for over a hundred years." - Wikipedia. This kind of information, which is sparse when it comes to hard data, lies more within the realm of the Art of History although Human Geography impinges upon it.
Cartography continues as a current job description. These folk study, design, produce and distribute digital and conventional maps, charts, spreadsheets and diagrams for public sector and commercial customers. The graphic business that the advantage of creating images which are quick (and at best easy) to understand, although they can generalize to the point of being deceptive. This map wraps two years of events into one The DeMonts settlement at Isle de Saint Croix, near my home town, took place in 1604 and they removed to Port Royal in 1605. On their way in they visited the La Have river area in Lunenburg County before curving into the Bay of Fundy and naming the lower division of the Fundy Basin des Mines (now Minas). This rrflected the fact that they found copper mines in the area. In later years they contacted native peoples who were wearing copper decoations.
As mentioned previously, some of the earliest maps were interested in pinpointing the location of valuable minerals, in this case the "Coale cliffs" at present-day Joggins. Note also, the words "Copper Ore" on the north bank of "Minas Bay". For a while in this decade, the capitol of Acadia was transferred by the French from the Annaplois Royal area to "la Have", which may be why it is emphasized on the map. Fortress Louisbourg is here described as "A Great Town" but the counter-balancing British town of Halifax was not established until 1749. However, all these last facts are of historic rather than major geographic interest.
We will pay more attention to historic cartography in days ahead. A.H. Church had a harder time collating information in the middle of the following century, but he was a bear for detail. Oak Island is the most famous (or infamous drumlin island) in Mahone Bay. At the present it has been more than 220 years since treasure hunters started looking in the ground at Oak Island, and they still don’t know what they’re looking for, pots of pirate gold; Shakespeare’s manuscripts or treasures of the Knights Templar. Legend has it that seven people will die before the treasure is found, and six treasure hunters have been killed in various accidents. This is the stuff of folklore, legend and myth rather than physical geography. Church identified the treasure pit as created by Captain William Kidd, later Captain William Kidd, a Scottish sailor who was tried and executed for piracy after returning from a voyage to the Indian Ocean.
Church also created this minor masterpiece, which was printed in sections and glued to a linen backing of amazing size. All of his maps were promotional in nature, backed by people who were "patrons" before actual publication.
Even the physical sciences of Geography are not immune to the possibility of finding financial backing, fame and fortune, aside from economic Mineralology. We will consider them in relation to Nova Scotia and Mahone Bay (the town as well as the bay): Biogeography. Climatology and Meterology, Coastal Geography, Evironmental Geography, Geodesy, Geomorphology, Hydrology and Hydrography, Landscape Ecology,Oceanography, and Pedology, and that's the short list.
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Age-defying icons: 9 legendary women (Sophia! Twiggy! Yoko!) on the art of personal style
Read what Sophia Loren, Twiggy and more have to share about the wisdom of aging and the stories of art, music and fashion.
Working with wardrobe departments on more than 90 films, Sophia Loren has a relationship with clothing that few can fathom. In fact, the 77-year-old Neapolitan actress insists it is because of her close ties to the people she calls “the greatest fashion and costume designers of our time” that she feels qualified to impart any fashion wisdom.
“Find someone who lives for clothes and learn from them,” she suggests via phone from her home in Geneva. “Along with Valentino and Yves Saint Laurent, who taught me how to choose great fabrics, I had the fortune of knowing the maestro—Emilio Schuberth,” she says. The late Italian designer’s claim to fame was dressing golden age beauties such as Ingrid Bergman and Rita Hayworth. “Although I believe stylists and designers should not influence your personal style, they can educate you when it comes to things like cuts and fabrics,” says Loren. “Your clothes are highly personal and your choices tell people who you are. Having someone dictate your look can be like surrendering your identity.”
Self-assurance is something that Loren is quite comfortable speaking about. Having been in the public eye for more than six decades (she was 15 when she filmed her first feature) in one of the most youth-driven industries on the planet, Loren says she quickly learned to stop comparing herself to other actresses in her league. “I never had Audrey Hepburn’s body, so I never bothered to dress like her,” Loren says. “My experience in the world of cinema taught me to listen to my curves—they dictate the designs I choose.
“I also learned how not to dress from three characters I played in Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” she says of the 1963 comedy she starred in. “They were extreme versions of women. One was an underprivileged lady named Adelina who sold cigarettes on the streets—she looked sloppy,” she says. “Another character I played in the film was Anna, a sophisticated politician’s wife in Milan. The house of Dior made her furs and dresses—they were very conservative and too constricting for me. And the third [role] was Mara, a Roman call girl, who wore brilliant but far too revealing pieces for me.”
Referring to herself as “an eternal 12-year-old spirit,” Loren says her Oscar-winning performance in 1960’s Two Women changed her life and her aesthetic. “That film took me in a serious, artistic direction,” she says intensely. “Every part of me was transformed.”
Twiggy’s career as a model may have lasted for less than five years—she debuted in 1966 and retired in 1970—but her beanpole figure, boyish hair and Bambi-like eyes have made her one of the most inspirational names in fashion history. In fact, Twiggy’s daughter, Carly Lawson—who works for Stella McCartney as a print maker—has grown so accustomed to seeing vintage photos of her mother around the office that she barely bats an eyelash when mom is mentioned.
“Carly often phones me up and says, ‘The design team just referenced another photo of you,’” says Twiggy (whose real name is Lesley Lawson), from her home in London. “Some shots I haven’t even seen.”
When it comes to her personal fashion philosophy, Twiggy—who recently designed a line for Marks and Spencer—is a sartorial libertarian. “I don’t think anyone should put an age on what people wear. If you look in my wardrobe, it’s still mainly trousers and great 1940s jackets. I’m not going to run around in hot pants at my age, but I’ve got a look that hasn’t changed enormously,” she says. “One of my idols is Fred Astaire.”
Twiggy’s career choices have been just as nonconformist as her tomboy looks. After leaving the modelling biz, she was soon cast in a musical film called The Boy Friend, in a role that earned her two Golden Globes (18 films and 20 albums followed). Her latest disc, Romantically Yours, has her singing love-struck standards from artists such as Gershwin and Neil Young. As with her confident approach to dressing, Twiggy wasn’t preoccupied with the originals. “I wasn’t trying to compete with Ella Fitzgerald!” she says, laughing. “I just felt the need to offer my own spin on something classic.”
Birthdays are not low-key affairs for Yoko Ono. This past February, when the activist/artist/singer turned 79, Ono asked her son, Sean Lennon, to book her reformed Plastic Ono Band—the rock group she founded with her late husband, John Lennon, in 1969—to play at New York’s indie music mecca Le Poisson Rouge, so she could “rock the place down.”
“I stopped believing in time long ago. It’s such a man-made concept,” the New Yorker says. “So is acting your age. John came from an era when rockers were afraid of getting old. Life keeps my heart and mind young.”
It isn’t surprising that fashion designers ranging from Marc Jacobs (whose Fall 2007 show paid tribute to Ono) to Proenza Schouler (whose Fall 2012 collection reflected her closet circa 1970) have been tapping into Ono’s Tribeca-meets-Tokyo look. “My taste level gets better by being in a constant state of transformation,” she says. “Movement—I highly recommend it.”
In the past year, Ono ventured back into the studio to record a song for an upcoming Occupy Wall Street benefit album and launched art exhibits in New Delhi and Tokyo (in June she opens another show in London). “Whether it’s fashion, music or art,” she says, “events make the best teachers.”
You are what you wear. At least that’s what actress Joan Collins thinks. And with a past filled with opulence—she regularly had her hair styled by Vidal Sassoon in the ’70s, sat front row at Gianni Versace’s shows in the ’80s and walked down the aisle in designer bridalwear five times—it should come as no surprise that the 78-year-old thinks that in some cases, clothes do make the woman.
“How you look is a manifestation of how you feel inside,” Collins says from her penthouse in West Hollywood. “If you feel like hell then you’ll look like hell. Dressing should enhance you. The older you get, the more important it is to look put-together and groomed—without looking like a throwback to the 1950s.”
Most often associated with the big hair, big shoulders and big-top glamour connected to her portrayal of Alexis Carrington on Dynasty, the Downton Abbey of the 1980s, Collins is pleased to see that a few of her most lavish looks from that time have been reimagined on the runway. “I happen to think the 1980s was [one] of the best decades in fashion,” the Brit says, adding that she feels that much of Alexis’s wardrobe was ahead of its time.
“Especially when you look at what is going on with Balenciaga. At the time, I don’t think that I was given great reviews for my clothes,” she says, taking a dramatic pause. “It’s nice to be appreciated a couple of decades later…I still wear a lot of my ’80s pieces. It’s important to go back into your closet and reuse what looks good on you. I don’t think you should buy new pieces just for the sake of buying,” she adds, sharing Kate Middleton’s approach to dressing.
Currently touring a one-woman show, Collins is also penning her 18th book, a memoir titled Passion for Life. “I’ve collected over 300 photographs for it,” she says. “Of course, photos of me with Versace, Michael Kors and Valentino are all in the pile!”
When Donna Karan is asked if the term “age-appropriate dressing” is a useful one, she succinctly offers this response: “Feeling good is the most appropriate way to dress at any age. That’s the goal. The older you get, the more you know your body and style and what looks good.”
It is precisely this type of conviction that makes the 63-year-old New Yorker one of the most consistently well-reviewed fashion designers in America. Case in point? Her Spring 2012 collection was praised for its prints inspired by the work of Haitian painter Philippe Dodard, whom Karan discovered while travelling to Haiti in 2010 for philanthropic work. For Fall 2012, Karan injected an extra ounce of esteem into her designs, naming her ready-to-wear collection WoMan because, she says, “it’s about the strength and shoulder of a man with the sensuality and sculpture of a woman’s body.” Echoing Karan’s longstanding mission to redefine what womenswear can be, her latest designs aim to combine yin, yang and Zen.
“I was striving to empower women through a marriage of strength and softness,” she says. “A well-shouldered, well-tailored jacket gives you a sense of authority and therefore confidence.” Aside from actual clothes, Karan notes that there is another way to fuel your personal style: “Listen to your inner voice,” she suggests, “not outside ones.”
Warning: Anyone who approaches Annie Nightingale with all that “30 is the new 20” talk will be immediately shut down. Holding the Guinness World Record for having the longest career as a female DJ, the 70-year-old Brit insists that the above maxim about aging needs to be “put to pasture.”
“Nobody should ever be seeking to be the new anything,” Nightingale says from her home in London. “Nothing’s more hip than finding yourself, and nothing’s more depressing than living your life trying to be someone else.” It’s hard to disagree with someone who’s credited for chronicling the rise of both the Rolling Stones and the Beatles (Paul McCartney proposed to her—she declined), all while wearing outfits by Courrèges and Mary Quant. Then there’s her ongoing BBC Radio 1 show, which airs every Friday from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. Week after week, Nightingale urges her listeners to support what she thinks will be the next British invasion—a group of hip, young breakbeat artists.
“So much can be learned from them,” she says of street-style-savvy artists such as Katy B and Krafty Kuts. “It’s such a rush being around people who are constantly experimenting with their tastes. My job never gets old, and neither do I!”
Having been privy to a mountain of fads in fashion and music through the years, Nightingale feels that most trends are born in nightclubs and music festivals.
“The crowds at these places are so investigational with the way they dress,” she says, recalling how platform shoes went from the disco dance floors to the catwalk, and mini rave backpacks jumped from warehouse parties to design houses. “It’s like watching pre-runway,” she says. “Now we have jumpsuits and fun fur again. All the pieces that come from house music and electro camps, it’s all on the high street! If you pay attention to the way these looks come and go and the way they get modernized, you’ll always have an upper hand.”
In the spring of 1973, Deborah Harry fell in love with a bottle of peroxide, an East Village bar called CBGB and a guitarist named Chris Stein. By the time the winter of ’75 rolled around, she had dyed 80 per cent of her hair platinum, formed a band with Stein named Blondie and headlined the CBGB stage.
Billboard hits followed (including “Heart of Glass” and “Rapture”), which branded Blondie as one of few punk-era outfits that dared to mix ska, disco, reggae and rap into their rock. In an effort to mirror the band’s idiosyncratic sound, Harry went on to construct one of popular culture’s most enduring and emulated personas (see: Madonna and Lady Gaga).
Over the phone from New York, Harry, 66, says that her punk–meets–pin-up look had everything to do with the people she loved hanging out with. “I couldn’t help but get affected by spending time with all these great artists who seemed to be on the fringes of everything,” she says. “Meeting [fashion designer] Stephen Sprouse was a revelation. We bonded on so many levels. He took that Hollywood bombshell idea and that mod ’60s idea I was playing with and helped me toughen it up, modernize it. No one else has shaped my taste level in that way.”
Similar to Sprouse—who designed his collections purely on instinct—Harry’s own fashion tips hark back to her rabble-rousing CBGB days. “I’m a big believer in how your reaction to your environment can make for interesting style,” she says. “I was running furiously away from becoming one of the New Jersey housewives I grew up seeing,” she explains. “Out of sheer frustration, I went the other way, styling myself in ripped-up clothing. I still like that deconstructed look.”
Aside from touring the world to promote Blondie’s ninth studio album, Panic of Girls, Harry is keeping busy in the studio. Her newest pair of recordings includes a soon-to-be-released track for the Occupy Wall Street benefit disc and a duet with Nick Cave on a tribute album for the late Jeffrey Lee Pierce.
“Problems don’t seem to be as threatening,” she says, referring to her outlook on aging. “You become better and better at what you do.”
At 90, Iris Apfel is becoming more of a household fashion name than some of the busiest runway models in the business. The interior designer—who has worked on rooms in the White House—has been the focus of an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, collaborated on a makeup collection with M.A.C and been featured in several books including Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel and the recently published Advanced Style.
Typically seen in piles of heavy bangles, multi-hued separates and saucer-sized glasses, Apfel has turned so many heads in her time that Albert Maysles—one of the masterminds behind the original Grey Gardens film—is directing a documentary on her glittering life and times. All this attention stems from the fact that Apfel breaks more style rules than women a quarter of her age.
However, that doesn’t mean she won’t call out a fashion faux pas when she sees one. A definite Apfel no-no is going under the knife in an attempt to turn back the clock. “I’m very against cosmetic surgery,” she says from her home in New York. “Subjecting yourself to all that pain just to make yourself look a few years younger is madness…as Coco Chanel reportedly said: Nothing makes a woman look so old as desperately trying hard to look young.”
And what of style advice? “I think anyone without lipstick looks half dead—at least I do,” she says, laughing. All joking aside, Apfel feels outfits should be chosen with a sense of joy rather than panic. “People get so uptight about getting dressed,” she says. “If you make a mistake, so what? The fashion police aren’t going to haul you off.”
In an industry obsessed with all that is young, fresh and new, Mary McFadden’s approach to style is rare. Credited with being one of New York’s most cerebral fashion designers during her eponymous label’s rise in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, McFadden’s design process included touring the world in search of ancient art. Many of these inspirational adventures have been chronicled in a new self-titled tome published by Rizzoli.
“It took three editors and two years to sort through my archives,” the 73-year-old reveals via phone from her home in New York. “I have two warehouses in Manhattan filled with clothes, so you can just imagine the amount of work!”
Her advice to those who wish to achieve great style? “Convention isn’t something you should follow. You have to be artistic to want to create yourself in a unique image,” she suggests. “If you want to live artfully, dress artfully.”
Having just finished planning her next trip—an excursion to India to visit Alchi’s Buddhist temples, situated at an altitude of more than 10,000 feet—McFadden says her expeditions have fuelled her creativity. “So many of my collections came from travelling to Greece, China, Rome and India,” she says. “The clothes I have are like things you pick up from each journey. I still wear them. They remind me to learn from the past.”

domain: artistic


As you may be aware, listing marks and celebrates a building’s special architectural and historic interest. These buildings can be hundreds of years old and often carry a compelling past - making their protection integral to maintaining a community’s unique character. Read on to explore some important reasons why listed buildings should be preserved and cared for.
Old buildings are often made of high-quality materials, such as rare hardwood and wood from primary forests that no longer exist. In many cases, these impressive buildings would have been built by different standards which may make a century-old building more aesthetically and practically appealing than its modern counterparts. The unique properties of these buildings are often standout features within towns and cities, representing a community’s historical roots.
Less environmental impact
It probably comes as no surprise that reusing and restoring old buildings has less environmental impact than building new ones. This is because the destruction of buildings results in a large amount of waste from concrete, metals, glass, plastics and more - waste that is often disposed of in landfills or incinerators and consequently pollutes the land and air.
The construction sector actually uses 400 million tonnes of material every year, which results in 100 million tonnes of waste being produced (a third of the UK’s total yearly waste amount) with 25 million tonnes of construction waste making its way to landfill. While the construction industry has implemented improved recycling and reuse practices in recent years, it still has a long way to go. With many old buildings boasting sustainable features, reusing and restoring will have a reduced impact on the environment than demolishing and building from scratch.
Another prominent reason for the preservation of listed buildings is their ability to attract tourists and visitors. Older buildings consist of unique properties that many people find interesting and appealing. In many cases, listed buildings signify important aspects of England’s social, economic, cultural or military history.
They may also hold close historical associations with nationally important people. Whether it’s the use of materials such as old brick or unusually placed marble, intriguing historic roots or even some ornate detail, older architecture is likely to contain standout features. Not only can these buildings be utilised by businesses to fulfil new uses, but they can also retain their existing appeal within the community.
At London Sash Windows & Doors Ltd we have many years of experience in sympathetically and skilfully restoring windows and doors for listed buildings throughout London. Our work on listed buildings includes bespoke secondary glazing, timber sash window installations and draught proofing. For more information on heritage doors and windows, please contact us today.


One of the most important concepts in this lesson that students have trouble with is figuring out the wind direction from a station model. Make sure that you do not leave this section without mastering this skill. Also, make sure that you can express the wind speed (including the units) for a given a station model "flag."
One of the most fundamental rules that you will learn as an apprentice weather forecaster is that the direction of the wind is always the direction FROM which the wind blows, and NOT the direction toward which the wind blows. So, if the wind blows from the north, for example, it is a "northerly" (or "north") wind, NOT a "southerly" or "south" wind. If you own a weather vane, remembering this rule should be rather easy because a wind vane points into the wind and thus toward the direction FROM which the wind blows.
The rotating cup anemometer shown on the right is a popular instrument for measuring sustained wind speed at airports and weather stations. It is the sustained wind speed that routinely appears on station models. To determine the sustained wind speed, the revolution rate of a rotating cup anemometer is typically averaged over a one-minute period and then mathematically converted to knots.
The wind is sometimes unsteady, with brief, sudden increases in wind speed called gusts. As a general rule, gusts last less than 20 seconds. Weather observers typically only report gusts when the wind varies by greater than 10 knots (between the peaks and lulls). However, reported wind gusts do not appear on station models.
On a station model, the thin-solid line (often referred to as the "flag") extending outward from the sky coverage symbol denotes the wind direction. Remember, wind direction is always the direction from which the wind is blowing. Rather than brand the wind with a general direction such as "north" or "southeast," weather forecasters routinely use standard compass angles to fine-tune the wind direction. For sake of illustration, the wind direction from the north is said to blow from a direction of 0 degrees. A wind that blows from the east is a 90-degree wind, while a wind direction of 70 degrees (as in the example on the right) corresponds to a wind that blows from the east-northeast.
Now we turn to the decoding of sustained wind speed, which, on station models, is always expressed in units of knots (1 knot = 1.15 mph). To quantify the speed of the wind, again examine the example on the right. On the clockwise side of the line representing wind direction at the station, note the two relatively long counting notches and one shorter notch (often called "wind barbs"). Each longer notch counts as a tally of 10 knots (actually, each longer notch represents a speed of 8 to 12 knots, but weather forecasters operationally choose the middle value of 10 knots as a representative value and, of course, for simplicity). The shorter notch counts as a tally of five knots. Thus, the representative speed of the wind at the station at the time of observation is 25 knots.
To convert between knots and the more familiar "miles an hour," multiply knots by a factor of 1.15. For a quick and easy way to perform this conversion, imagine you're at a restaurant and the bill is $25. You want to leave a 15% tip. To compute a 15% tip, first multiply by 10%. You get $2.50. Then take half of $2.50. You get $1.25. Now add the two to get $3.75. That's your tip. Your total bill is $28.75. Converting knots to miles an hour is the same as computing your tip and total bill at a restaurant. So, 25 knots equals 28.75 miles an hour. That's the same result you would get if you multiplied 25 by the 1.15 factor in the conversion formula!
If the surface wind is "calm," then it has neither direction nor speed. In this case, a larger circle is drawn around the circle that represents the weather station. As an example, check out (below) the 1543Z map of station models over a portion of the western United States on January 13, 2012. Note the number of station models in northern California and Nevada with circles drawn around them, indicating relatively calm winds. For the most part, the skies were clear where winds were relatively calm, but there were a few stations reporting light fog and haze in central California.
For very strong winds, a "triangular" barb counts as a tally of 50 knots. The use of the 50 knot symbol is a bit unrealistic at the surface in most locations, however, because sustained winds rarely reach such speeds. Of course, wind gusts of 55 knots are always possible (severe thunderstorms, strong cold fronts, etc.). You're more likely to observe a sustained 55-knot wind near the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts with a hurricane nearby. For example, check out the sustained 50-knot wind at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, early on August 27, 2011 (12Z station models and isobars), as Hurricane Irene approached from the south (Irene's track; satellite image of Irene at 1245Z on the 27th).
Looking at the animated station model tool, remember that the direction the wind is blowing from is denoted by the position of the flag stick. Experiment with different wind directions to see how they would be represented on the station model. Moving on to wind speed, try out different wind speeds and examine the resulting group of wind barbs. Remember that a long barb counts for 10 knots, a small barb for 5 knots, and a black triangle for 50 knots. Don't forget to also try an observation with calm winds.
Quiz Yourself...Think you have a good handle on wind speed and direction on a station model? Take this self-quiz below to see how you do. Begin by hitting the "Quiz me" button. Fill in the missing wind direction and speed, and then hit "Submit" to check your answer. Wind direction can be rounded to the nearest 10 degrees and wind speed is to the nearest 5 knots. You may also turn on some directional hint lines if you have trouble estimating angles.
Lest you think I'm splitting hairs by resorting to specific compass angles to designate wind direction, I stress that slight changes in the wind direction can translate into large changes in the weather forecast. For example, suppose it's December along the Northeast Seaboard. At this time of year, sea-surface temperatures over the offshore waters of the Atlantic are typically in the 40s (Fahrenheit). Thus, the temperatures of the air overlying Atlantic waters are often higher than air temperatures over the colder land. Now suppose a storm system approaches New York City from the south and the wind direction at Central Park is 20 degrees. Such a north-northeast wind would bring cold air into the Big Apple strictly via a land route, which, as you might guess, increases the chances of snow. If the wind direction were 70 degrees, however (meaning that the trajectory of the air comes into New York City from the Atlantic), then a changeover from snow to rain is more likely. We'll learn more about similar kinds of weather situations later in the course. I raised the point because I wanted you to know that I'm not just splitting hairs and asking you to learn something that has little meteorological meaning.


Today, Thursday 8 April 2021, Romani people worldwide are celebrating International Romani Day. This is the 50th anniversary of the historic, important, first-ever World Roma Congress held in Orpington near London in 1971 in the United Kingdom.
That Congress laid the foundations for the international collaboration of Romani people and their movement attained its international, sociopolitical dimension as a result. Romani people annually commemorate their common culture, language and origin, their shared collaborations and unity, and above all their Romipen ("Romani-ness").
Just like last year, celebrations and commemorations of this important day are being held online. The first historic congress was held thanks to the initiative of Slobodan Berberski, Ján Cibula, Juan de Dios Ramirez Heredia, Grattan Puxon, and Vanko Rouda.
Interpretation at the meeting was provided by Donald Kerrick and Mateo Maximoff. There were about 30 official participants, but many more Romani people than that also attended the congress, above all those who were visiting the festival associated with it in nearby Hampstead.
The participants from 14 countries and observers from another six countries agreed on the form of the Roma flag and the international Roma anthem. One of the main outputs of the congress was the rejection of the term "Gypsy/Cikán" and adoption of the autonym "Roma".
That congress was also attended by four members of the Union of Gypsies-Roma (Svaz Cikánů-Romů) from Czechoslovakia. In the year 1977, in order to more smoothly organize the Second World Roma Congress, the first international Romani organization was established, the International Romani Union (IRU).
The second congress was held in 1978 in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1979 the IRU registered as an NGO with the United Nations.
8 April was not recognized as an international holiday until much later, in 1990, at the Fourth World Roma Congress in Warsaw, Poland. In the Czech Republic, International Romani Day was not spoken of until the second half of the 1990s; the very first celebrations of International Romani Day in the Czech Republic were held in the year 2001 by Athinganoi, the association of Romani university students. THE ROMANI FLAG
The co-creator of the flag was the late Dr. W. R. Rischi, a linguist and Romani Studies scholar from Chandigar, India (who later established a Center for Romani Studies there), who passed away on 1 December 2002. The flag is comprised of two horizontal stripes, the lower green one symbolizing the Romani people's connectedness to the natural world and the upper blue one symbolizing the heavens, or spirituality, philosophy, etc.
The wheel in the center, which overlaps both bands of color, symbolizes life on the road and pilgrimage, and is also based on the ancient Indian wheel of fate. Originally it had 16 spokes, the bright red color of which corresponds to the first chakra, the element of the earth. THE ROMANI ANTHEM
The international Romani anthem, "Gelem, gelem", uses a traditional Romani tune for which the lyrics were written by the Romani musician and poltician Jarko Jovanović of Belgrade, who has long lived in Paris. Czech and Slovak Romani people also have their own anthem, "Čhajori romani", which was composed in the Auschwitz death camp and handed down by Holocaust survivors; the international anthem was not adopted by Romani people in the Czech Republic and Slovakia until the 1990s.
ryz, translated by Gwendolyn Albert
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Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide, significantly impacting their quality of life. However, medical cannabis, particularly the active compounds THC and CBD, may offer potential benefits for chronic pain management. In this blog, we will delve into the potential benefits of THC and CBD for chronic pain relief, the medical conditions that may benefit from cannabis-derived products, and the potential side effects and legal concerns surrounding their use. We will also discuss the different forms of medicinal cannabis available, the starting dose, and the daily dose of THC and CBD ratio for pain relief. This article is brought to you by weedinDC Cannabis Delivery, your trusted source for Weed Dispensary Delivery in DC.
The Role of THC and CBD in Pain Relief
THC and CBD, the primary cannabinoids found in cannabis, have gained significant attention for their potential therapeutic benefits, especially for pain relief. Both compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the human body, which is responsible for regulating various functions such as pain, inflammation, and immune response.
THC, known for its psychoactive effects, offers pain relief by binding to CB1 receptors in the brain and nervous system. This action produces feelings of euphoria or relaxation, which can help alleviate body pain symptoms. This mechanism makes THC particularly useful for managing neuropathic pain, a condition often resistant to traditional pain medications.
On the other hand, CBD may offer pain relief by interacting with the TRPV1 receptor, involved in pain signaling. CBD’s interaction with this receptor can help reduce pain and inflammation. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties can be particularly useful in managing pain caused by conditions such as arthritis.
The right combination of THC and CBD, as well as the correct dosage, can significantly impact the effectiveness of pain relief. The method of consumption can also affect their pain-relieving properties. For example, smoking or vaporizing cannabis may produce immediate effects, while ingesting cannabis-based products may produce longer-lasting effects.
It’s important to note that while THC and CBD have shown promise for pain relief, more research is needed to fully understand their mechanisms of action and potential benefits. Additionally, cannabis-based medicines may not be suitable for everyone and may have adverse effects, particularly when used in high doses or with other medications such as blood thinners.
CBD’s Potential in Chronic Pain Management
Cannabidiol (CBD) has been gaining attention for its potential therapeutic effects on various health conditions, including chronic pain. Several studies suggest that CBD may help reduce pain and inflammation by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system and other receptors, such as the serotonin and vanilloid receptors.
One study published in the European Journal of Pain found that CBD applied topically to the skin could help reduce pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Another study suggested that CBD may help reduce chronic pain and neuropathic pain by targeting the alpha-3 glycine receptors.
CBD may also be effective in managing symptoms of multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia, which are two conditions known to cause chronic pain. In a study, researchers found that CBD reduced pain and spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis. In another study, researchers found that CBD may improve the quality of life in people with fibromyalgia.
While these studies provide promising results, more research is needed to fully understand the potential therapeutic effects of CBD on chronic pain and related conditions. It’s also important to note that CBD may interact with certain medications, such as blood thinners, and should be used with caution. As always, it’s best to consult with a healthcare professional before using CBD or other cannabis-based medicines for chronic pain management.
THC’s Potential in Chronic Pain Management
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is another active compound in cannabis that has shown potential in managing chronic pain. THC binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and nervous system, producing feelings of euphoria or relaxation that can help alleviate body pain symptoms. This mechanism makes THC particularly useful for managing neuropathic pain, a condition often resistant to traditional pain medications.
However, THC is known for its psychoactive effects, which can cause altered perception and mood changes, making it less tolerable for some individuals. It’s also important to note that THC may be more effective for certain types of pain, such as nerve pain. In a clinical study, patients with neuropathic pain who used cannabis-based medicines containing THC experienced significant improvement in pain severity compared to those who used a placebo. However, the study also reported adverse effects, such as dizziness and drowsiness.
Choosing Between THC and CBD for Pain Relief
When it comes to choosing between THC and CBD for pain relief, it’s important to consider your individual preferences and needs. Both compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system in the body, which can help regulate pain and inflammation. However, THC is known for its psychoactive effects, which can cause altered perception and mood changes, making it less tolerable for some individuals. On the other hand, CBD is non-intoxicating and may be more suitable for individuals who want to avoid psychoactive effects or who have conditions that cause inflammation.
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Ultimately, the choice of THC or CBD product will depend on your specific needs and preferences. It’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare provider to determine the best course of action for managing your chronic pain.
Side Effects and Legal Concerns of THC and CBD
Both THC and CBD may cause side effects, such as dry mouth, dizziness, and changes in appetite. THC may also cause psychoactive effects, such as altered perception and mood changes. It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider before using cannabis products for pain relief. Additionally, the legality of cannabis products may vary depending on the state or country. In DC, for example, Weed Dispensary Delivery services like Mr. weedinDC Cannabis Delivery are legal and offer a convenient way for patients to access medical cannabis.
In conclusion, the potential therapeutic effects of THC and CBD for chronic pain have been extensively studied and show promise in providing relief for individuals suffering from this debilitating condition. However, it’s crucial to approach the use of cannabis products with caution and responsibility. It’s essential to consult with a healthcare provider before trying any cannabis product, and choosing the right product that suits your needs and preferences is also important.
Furthermore, it’s important to be mindful of the potential side effects associated with the use of medical cannabis products, such as drowsiness, dry mouth, and impaired cognitive function. It’s also crucial to be aware of the legal status of cannabis products in your region and ensure that you are purchasing products from reputable sources.
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Well, this is it! Today is Good Friday, and we are in full swing for this Semana Santa 2020 in Honduras, except that we aren’t! Covid-19 has pushed many places in the World into a lockdown. Honduras is no exception. As a matter of fact, Honduras was second, only to El Salvador in declaring a total lockdown to fight against the coronavirus that everybody talks about day in and day out. Honduras had a total of two cases of Covid-19 when they decided to go into a lockdown. For me, it was an unexpected action.
I was directly affected for two different reasons. For one, Soledad, my wife and myself run a small bed and breakfast on the Cangrejal River Valley. We had guests staying with us La Villa de Soledad and they found themselves trapped in out little piece of paradise. They were going to stay with us three nights and it ended up being 10!
The second reason is that we had traveled only two days before the lockdown to Mexico City. With all flights coming into Honduras cancelled, it was a nightmare getting back into Honduras. I even wrote a post that I titled “homeward bound” in case you are interested in reading about my adventures getting home. But let’s get back to Semana Santa 2020 in Honduras…[themify_hr color=”light-gray” width=”1″ border_width=”1″]
The busiest week of the year for travel in Latin America is Easter Week, which we call Semana Santa. However, this year is an anomaly. There are zero tourists out and around. Hotels are not open, and there is a strict curfew, where you can go out to buy medicine, food and fuel. Up until this week, the curfew was total 4 days of the week. That is, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, no one can go out on the streets. This of course is with exception of authorities, doctors, farmers and truckers. But hotels and restaurants are not open, beaches are empty and rivers and national parks are also empty. My friend Brian Rowland from Guanaja just shared these photos of the beaches at the End of the World Resort in Guanaja. Spectacular beaches, but absolutely empty!
It turns out that this week will indeed be a “holy week”. We are all home and praying to our God that this storm ends soon. So far, there is no telling how long it will be. The department of Cortes, where San Pedro Sula is located has been on a total lockdown for one week and going into its second. This is are of the country where Honduras has more confirmed cases of Covid-19. In La Ceiba, the Municipality has declared a total lockdown for one week, starting tomorrow, Saturday April 11 at 7 pm. The effort is to flatten the curve and keep the public health system from collapsing.[themify_hr color=”light-gray” width=”1″ border_width=”1″]
So far, I can go once a week into town to buy groceries, medicine, and other things. But the malls and most businesses are . Being a senior citizen has been helpful these days. Tomorrow will be my shopping day. We can go out according to the last digit in our local ID cards. Senior citizens have two hours early in the morning when they have a direct pass into the supermarkets. This means that I do not have to stand in line for hours in the sun waiting to get into the markets.
As for our plans to reopen our bed and breakfast, we are looking into ways to preparing our business for the occasion. For one in addition to packaging our product as sustainable, we will need to add an element of social distancing as well as virus free. The social distancing tourism concept goes well with our product. We are a small 5 room bed and breakfast with expansive social areas. There is plenty of room for 5 couples to be comfortable and maintain social distancing. We are looking into the virus free concept, that will require deep cleaning daily, as well as taking extra cushions and decorative elements out of the rooms to insure they can not house a virus or bacteria. We are ready for the challenge.[themify_hr color=”light-gray” width=”1″ border_width=”1″]
I know that my colleagues in the Cangrejal River Valley and in La Ceiba are also working on this new strategy. We are adapting and ready to have you visit us as soon as the government reopens our borders. In the meantime, our Semana Santa 2020 in Honduras will be indeed, very quiet! On the Brightside, we always have many highway accidents and drownings during this eventful week. I can anticipate that we will have record low deaths due to the above!


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You have to mark up Bill Kitson as a prolific writer. Within the space of only two and a half years Robert Hale has published five novels in his Detective Inspector Mike Nash series. A sixth, Identity Crisis, is due in May 2012. Kitson has built a loyal and growing following, so what does the series offer and Back-Slash in particular?
If you are tormented by the abundance of contemporary crime novels that invoke violence to the extent they verge on the horror genre, then Kitson’s series may be one for you. The Mike Nash novels are contemporary police procedurals set in north Yorkshire, much in the tradition of Colin Dexter’s Morse and R D Wingfield’s Frost, and with a setting true to its heart. Back-Slash opens with a troublesome backstory: a woman is killed in a car park in 1999 and the following year sees her husband, Alan Marshall convicted of her murder. But by 2006 the verdict is set aside by the Court of Appeal following the presentation of findings of inconsistencies in the original evidence.
DI Mike Nash’s immediate problem in the policing of his area is the lack of available staff due to a rampant flu bug over the festive season. DC Lisa Andrews is called back from an attachment to Yorkshire Central and receives a call out to a case on arrival at Helmsdale. Andrews is sidetracked by the apparent dangerous driving of a Land Rover on her way, only to discover a seriously injured man at the wheel, following an accident with a chainsaw. However, her connection is not severed when she leaves him safely at the hospital, for the following morning she learns that the hospital can find no trace of him in NHS records based on the identity details provided via his vehicle registration. The Mr Myers in the hospital bed eventually agrees to explain his chosen anonymity to Andrews when he leaves the hospital.
Following New Year’s Eve celebrations, a Leeds couple is found in their suite at The Golden Bear: both with their throats cut. DC Andrews finds her connection to Mr Myers continues when he is linked to the murders and, under the direction of DI Mike Nash, it takes some unexpected and unorthodox turns in the ensuing investigation…
Interspersed with occasional telephone dialogues between a ‘Mr Jones’ and a ‘Mr Brown’, it is obvious that a hit man is contracted to protect the economic interests of major project. Back-Slash’s plot then enters the arena of greed and fraud in property deals and local government, and it’s a tightly plotted novel. For a main protagonist, DI Mike Nash takes a bit of a back seat in this novel, bringing DC Andrews to the fore. Neither is Andrews the only strong female character in Back-Slash, with Nash at the behest of a female boss who is to police management what Tesco’s demographic stocking plans and logistics are to supermarket distribution and sales. Where Nash may not be a maverick copper per se, he is prepared to think creatively in his investigation and employ a ‘maverick’ approach. Back-Slash plays out a fine tune in this aspect which forms a great twist.
Kitson also deserves applause with Back-Slash for his depiction of a man’s (or woman’s) relationship to his (her) dog. Expect your emotions to be prodded in more ways than one here.
Robert Hale is mainly a publisher of books for libraries in the UK. Thus you will find Kitson on your local libraries’ shelves, but Back-Slash can also be purchased in HB format from Amazon. Previous novels Depth of Despair and Chosen are available from Amazon in Kindle format.
Kitson’s Nash series continues in the tradition of police procedurals that feed from the trough of realism over horror. If that’s what you seek, you will find it here, plus a bevy of creative twists and creative police investigation techniques in the plotting. Back-Slash provides a satisfying and enjoyable read on all those fronts, plus a big ‘thumbs up’ to women depicted as strong characters and not victims only.


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The Springfield Lasers will not be returning to Cooper Tennis Complex in 2022.
Jenny Edwards of the Springfield Greene County Park Board tells KY3 Sports the Lasers will not play any home matches this year.
The team is not currently scheduled to play any matches at all.
Edwards says World Team Tennis has yet to communicate a plan with her and other Lasers management, and it’s unclear if the league even plans to hold a season.
It appears the World Team Tennis website has not been updated since November 2021.
The Lasers have played the last two years at remote sites with the rest of the league because of the pandemic.
Edwards says the park board wanted to host matches this year, and hopes to do so again in 2023.
She also says she has received several messages and phone calls from Lasers fans asking about the team’s plans.
KY3 Sports has reached out to World Team Tennis for comment but has not yet gotten a response.


SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is asking people to stay away from a black bear that is traveling through northwestern Illinois near Henderson County.
The bear has traveled from Wisconsin, to Illinois, to Iowa.
IDNR wants to make sure people do not bother the bear. They have been monitoring it since it crossed into Illinois on June 10.
The bear went into Iowa and then back into Illinois in southern Rock Island County June 18.
About 300 people gathered to watch the bear as it traveled through northwest Henderson County last weekend. IDNR said people were following and harassing the bear.
It was last seen June 21 going south toward Stronghurst in southern Henderson County.
While IDNR officials said they know it is a novelty to see a bear in central Illinois, people need to give it space and leave it alone so it can continue on safely.
Officials believe the bear is coming through the state looking for a mate. They do not believe it will stay long, because Illinois does not have the right habitat for an animal of its size.
If you do happen to spot the bear, stay at least 100 yards away. You can watch it from a distance.
Black bears were common in Illinois when settlers arrived, but disappeared by the mid-1880s.
They are now protected by the Illinois Wildlife Code. They can not be hunted, killed or harassed. The only exception is if there is immediate threat to life or property.


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