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South Africa, a country sometimes referred to as rainbow nation due to its vast cultural diversity and known for its platinum and gold mines is also a world’s second largest fruit producer. It has a diverse agriculture sector that involves from growing grains and cereal to fruits to dairy farming, every part has its own importance. South Africa’s diverse climate and vast arable land have helped its agricultural sector not only to be self-sufficient but a net food exporter too. Like every sector, there’s a room for improvement which can be achieved by moving towards machinery and advancement. When talking about advancement in farming, first thing comes to mind are tractors and the best tractors are brand new Massey Fergusson tractors from Agro Asia Tractors.
Brand new Massey Ferguson tractors are being exported to many parts of Africa including South Africa by Agro Asia Tractors, a reliable name in tractor exports. Massey Ferguson tractors demand have been increasing as it’s becoming the most suitable option for every farmer who desires to wear off the work load and get the maximum high quality amount of products at a reasonable cost.
We have a wide range of brand new and best quality Massey Ferguson tractor models available for sale in South Africa which can be bought rendering to the farm requirement. Available models are MF-240(50hp), MF-260(60hp), MF-375(75hp) and MF-385(85hp) with the options of 2WD or 4WD. Agro Asia Tractors are also exporting brand new and premium quality New Holland Tractors to many countries and are available for sale in South Africa as well. The available models are NH Ghazi 2WD (65hp) and NH 7056 4WD (85hp).
Export quality farm implements are also available and ready for sale in South Africa. You can choose from a variety of farm implements offered by us according to the condition and necessity of your farm and product such as disc plough, boom sprayer, sugar cane planter and ridger, farm trailer and more available.
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domain: agronomy


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71000 1962-10-28 Crewe North
A splendid colour image of 71000 from October , 1962 this being the month prior to " Duke of Gloucester 's " withdrawal from service , following which it was destined to spend five years " in store " here at Crewe.
With a decision in 1967 that this fine engine was not to be preserved , and following removal of both sets of outside cylinders and associated Caprotti valve gear , 71000 was saved from the cutters' torches being purchased from Barry by the 71000 Preservation Group in 1974 .
Fate could , however , have robbed us of this engine's being saved as it was sent , in error , in 1967 from Crewe to Cashmores at Newport from where , had it had not been seen by a former railwayman , it would almost certainly have been cut up .
Hastily despatched thereafter from Cashmores to its intended destination at Woodhams at Barry , where Dai Woodham was fortunately in no great hurry to dispose of is expanding stock of withdrawn locomotives 71000 was eventually saved for preservation.

domain: history


University of Iowa
2020-2021 Distinguished Lecturer
Magmatism at rifted margins: The story from drilling in the South China Sea
Our understanding of the magmatic response to rifting and continental break-up as recorded at passive continental margins was revolutionized in the 1980s and 1990s through ocean drilling and seismic data, largely from the North Atlantic margins. This led to a broad classification of rifted margins as either ‘magma-rich’, characterized by seaward dipping reflector sequences of stacked basalt lava flows and significant magmatic underplate, or ‘magma-starved’, characterized by hyper-extended continental crust and exhumed serpentinized mantle prior to igneous oceanic crust formation. In this talk, I will summarize results from IODP Expeditions 367/368/368X in 2017 and 2018 that drilled a sequence of basement holes in a transect across the highly extended northern rifted margin of the South China Sea marginal basin. Contrary to expectations, results from the recovered cores revealed rapid initiation of Mid-Ocean Ridge basalt-type magmatism from normal temperature mantle. Thus, the northern South China Sea rifted margin appears to be an ‘intermediate’ case, where there is a relatively sharp transition from thinned continental crust to steady-state seafloor spreading and development of typical thickness oceanic crust.
David Peate is Professor and Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iowa. He is an igneous geochemist primarily interested in how basaltic rocks record details of mantle sources and melt generation & differentiation processes in different tectonic environments. He sailed as a petrologist on ODP Leg 163X to the East Greenland rifted margin and IODP Expedition 368 to the South China Sea rifted margin.


This all-in-1 multi functions indoor air quality meter is capable of measuring the inhalable particles in 2.5 & 10 micrometers, Formaldehyde (HCHO), Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), air temperature and relative humidity.
It engages the high-quality sensing elements to provide precise & reliable readouts. Four (4) levels of LED signal indicators on the front panel are equipped to present the condition of air quality in accordance with the level of measurements, along with the high-frequency audible alarm. It certainly provides a good indication of how healthy of your environment you are living in.
A related article “How healthy of your environment you are living in?“.
|Air Quality Measurement|
|PM2.5||0 ~ 500 µg/m3||1||±1||Every 60 minutes|
|PM10||0 ~ 999 µg/m3||1||±1||Every 30 minutes|
|0 ~ 99.99 mg/m3||0.001||±2%||Every 60 minutes|
|TVOC||0 ~ 99.99 mg/m3||0.001||±2%||Every 60 minutes|
|Temperature measurement||-15～50 °C (5～122 °F)|
|Humidity measurement||15 ~ 90 %RH|
|Date & Time display||Yes|
|Display||LCD display with LED backlight|
|Alarm||Audio & LED alarm indicators|
|Calibration||Restore to factory setting applicable|
|Power supply||3 x 1.5V AA batteries / 5V Power adapter|
|Dimensions||130 × 83 × 53 mm|
|Weight||180g (without battery)|


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Mike Terry, Deseret News
Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn and Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow during a scrimmage at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011.
Check out the latest on Norm Chow from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The Utah offensive coordinator is Hawaii's choice to be the new head coach of the Warriors.
— Urban Meyer responds to Ohio State's sanctions.
— ESPN.com notes that the Pac-12 may struggle for NCAA bids.

domain: news


150mm (6") Load Bearing Floor Pack for Twin Wall Flue Pipe
Used where twin wall flue pipe penetrates a combustible floor and needs to be supported (minimum every 6 metres). Pack includes a Ventilated Support Plate, Radiation Shield and a Ventilated Firestop plate with Fire Sealing Collar. Suitable for joist heights from 150mm to 250mm.
Measurements: A = 373mm square.


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I will be the first to tell you I'm not a huge yellow fan. I love it when I marble and do designs, but alone it very rarely is a standout in my collection. Then again, Unicorn isn't your average yellow. I find that on my lighter skin, fluorescent yellow looks really hard. With the pale tones I think it comes off very fresh and different. Its a lovely cream that I can see myself rocking next spring with some flowery decorations for sure!
Sinful Colors in Unicorn.
Base: Nail Life Hide Ridges Ridge Filler
2 Coats of Unicorn, Clean Application
Top Coat: Nail Life Speed Demon Polish Dryer
Check out these nail polishes on Amazon for something similar!

domain: artistic


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When we expose our soft underbellies, we risk ourselves. There is a freedom in risk when your heart is aching to tell the truth. Yet in doing so, we grant the courage to others freedom to do the same. This is my underbelly of truth, how it is. Living with severe sleep apnea, which in the past was a point of shame. I practice kindness now even in my difficult places. My wish for you is to do the same. ♥
When one is alone long enough, it is out of necessity you grow accustomed to days upon days spent alone. You accommodate yourself. Too many days float by, like leaves on a stream, where dressing or brushing your hair becomes a bother—because, really, who is going to see you?
In fact, you prefer your aloneness over the feeling of having to entertain others because there is little energy for it. You’re practiced at keeping busy even when you’re doing nothing at all.
You’re okay with phone calls to ask how you are to which you usually make light of with a joke; or calls from those who just need a listening ear and they know you’re there. Because you’ve always been good at listening or speaking a timely word and it makes you feel useful.
Yet to pick up the phone and ask for something is akin to lifting a 50 lb. weight. It’s difficult. Friends complain you never call. You know you should. Everyone has their life to live and you’re no different.
You mostly seem to find a way around things on your own because you’re a seasoned soldier and survivor. You know how to go it alone—for the most part.
Once upon a time oh so very long ago…I didn’t know…
I stumbled across this faded photo again tonight. A boyfriend and dear friend of so many years and I in front of the fireplace. I didn’t know then how time would pass so fast. There was so much life in front of me. I didn’t know how we would lose one another while we were busy making other plans. How years of illness or homelessness or death and marriages and so many other things would descend upon one or the other of us. I didn’t know how you can lose touch with someone you swore you could never lose.
These days, however, my intuition is stronger than ever. I’m learning the wisdom in living life with a heart that is willing to open to loss or joy or confusion. I’m learning that life with an open heart requires much wisdom. Wisdom–a bit of hardwon gain in exchange for oh so many losses. In that, I’m lucky. Wisdom is partly listening to intuition, that still small voice that says, go here, turn there, you’re okay. Wisdom is also partly resilience, learning how to bounce back from tragedy, how it’s okay to grieve or cry, how to let go of what fails to serve our life or the greater good any longer.
Too many people refuse the necessary changes that get you to wisdom. Wisdom requires boundaries in this world. Boundaries that are necessary for protection of your beautiful heart, for letting go of suffering, for not allowing the entire world, or even a smidgeon of it to take your heart hostage. Your heart is your own. You get to choose whom you share it with, whom and what you open it to. You must treat it well.
Change is inevitable. We are designed for it. We are not meant to hold on to anything too tightly, for in the tightness of our grip, we create suffering.
To be sure, life has a funny way of landing you in the most unexpected places. You never know where that might be or what will happen along the way. but I’m learning to live the questions, as poet Ranier Maria Rilke said to his young protégé. And as in all things, life is an inside job.
I believe it is ours to come into this life to learn how to lessen not only our own suffering but then the suffering of others, as well. Kindness helps, starting with you. But it can take many years to learn that. You are very fortunate, indeed, if you have discovered it and become infinitely and patiently kind with yourself while you learn the special kind of braille that is required to navigate your way through the darkness: Indeed, it is the first step towards living a few answers.
Uncertainty is hope when you don’t know the outcome.
Photo by S. Wolfington
By now, I’ve gotten used to an array of recent diagnoses I’ve been on the receiving end of…reminders of my mortality, some having the potential to shorten a life. In the beginning, admittedly, it throws you off balance. And after a time, life then becomes a new normal where adjustments have been made, answers are being sought. You learn to manage your new normal—or a new version of the old.
Apart from the most trusted of confidantes and after the first period of mourning and shock of news, whatever it might be, you learn to keep the bad days to yourself and share the good ones by putting on your dancing shoes, getting out to catch up with life and friends.
You’ve come to recognize your survivor-hood by now.
And when someone asks, you work to keep your answers brief and hopeful. You recognize quickly the glazed eyes, the subject changed. Vulnerability can feel awkward.
Yet you know in the end analysis, everything is alright.
Yesterday I ran into a somewhat new acquaintance who upon seeing me, recognized and embraced me immediately. Embarrassed because I was having problems remembering our exact meeting and conversation, I played along. So much has happened since then. Before we parted, she made sure to take the time to let me know the takeaway of our first meeting while she cried in front of me, how she had walked away feeling so much hope. Unbeknownst to me, I had apparently conveyed knowing that no matter what calamity befell me, I was always certain I would be okay (after a period of adjustment). Nothing was the end of the earth, not in death or life. And that gave her hope right up to moment we bumped into one another yesterday.
It’s interesting, while just being who we are, what we never suspect what people will take away in their meetings with us we’re not aware of. I wonder who of us asks ourselves if our presence is an ordeal to bear or a welcoming breath of fresh air.
My hope for each one of us in the darkness to always keep the vulnerability welcome light on. However it looks, there is a way home.
The beautiful wild calls to me more and more. Days and years pass, and I am moving closer to death now that I am in the last third of my life. Being here now, I feel done with so much focusing on the logical minutia of my days. It’s easier than when I was thirty or forty in a way. This minutia feels stale as I move towards lightening the agendas others have for me, the ones I have of myself, the tyranny of the urgent cracking its whip over me to move faster, work harder, accomplish more. I am ready to become a human being now rather than a human doing. My commodity is not valued in how much I can accomplish but in realizing my mystery, to be tenderly compassionate towards all that I have deemed as less than perfect within and around me.
This is what makes perfect sense to me now, the alchemical weaving and blending of logos and mythos together into a substance that becomes far more valuable than either alone. Gold, if you will. I have spent the better part of a lifetime mostly doing one or the other, furiously scurrying around to accomplish whatever long to-do list I had in order to be able to live in the mystery. As if I had to earn the right to lie on my back in the grass and gaze at shape shifting clouds or put my pen to the page when the first lines of a poem slipped in to my awareness or try my hand at putting some color on the canvass—or merely to take a much needed nap.
What makes sense now is living on purpose, living with awareness of all that I am doing in each moment, of acceptance wherever I might find myself. Washing dishes turns into an act of grace as I feel the warm water running over my hands, handle each fork and cup, happy there are dishes to wash, food to prepare, food at the end of my arm anytime I want it, blessing the earth and each hand that went into its growth and preparation; or paying bills, feeling the abundance of the universe, that I have been graced with a roof over my head, a place to lay my tired body at night.
I am grateful I have what I need when I need it even if it is not always exactly what I think I want.
Today I was counting the last of my former life, the years I have spent in caretaking. I believed it mine to shoulder the atlas as I cared for seriously ill friends and family, along with a serious illness of my own. Counting too many years in the business of living and dying, emergencies, and crisis and drama in the physical, mental and emotional arenas—I am just done.
Now I feel ready to count the stars in the midnight sky, to watch the sailing ships of clouds passing by. I am ready to take long walks, write books, and rise up and up into my one beautiful life before dissolving back down into the primordial soup from which I came.
Yet even in the sad and the bad, the worry, the hurry that has consumed my days, I am utterly grateful. These are gifts of pain I have been graced with. Deep within me lies a dark underworld from which arises a priceless seam of gold, a transmutation of the pain and fear into a precious metal. I couldn’t have fully understood this until more recently. I am multi-dimensional, of the stars and of the earth. In this suit of flesh and bone, lives a being descended from the stars, from the source of life itself. I am meant while I am here to dwell in both myth and logic, to learn equally about both, to learn to weave them into a beautiful tapestry. Everything is purposed in my life to propel me towards the realization of this wisdom…to be heavenly minded while tending to life, to mend that which is broken with my compassion, to seek forgiveness, to forgive, to be a place holder for love, to be in a possession of a heart that has been broken wide open, to become fertile ground where life can grow.
I have not entirely mastered these things yet. It’s okay. It is not mine to completely master. Better to accept my own humanity, my fragility, my missing the mark so many times. This is true wisdom to know there is perfection in failure and fragility. It is part of the dying process, the cycle of life. Everything has to eventually die so that something else can live. At every moment, ten thousand things are dissolving at the same time ten thousand things are arising, taking their turn at form, at life, deciding what they will be, just for the joy and the experience of being in any particular state. For are we not each and every one and everything nuances of the one life that runs through us all, here to learn about life, ourselves, each other?
Grace is continually born out of pain, life arising out of death. Our pain becomes another’s grace as we reach out to touch and comfort. We can do this because we’ve been there, walked through the same fire of suffering. Lives and hearts are made whole from shards of anguish and heartache. Love grows. We’re not alone.
Last year my sister and I took a long anticipated trip to Cabo San Lucas. Landing at the airport in San Jose at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, we rented a car, anticipating a happy drive to our resort. I brought my trusted electronic GPS with me in order to navigate our way there.
Zigging when we should have zagged at a fork in the road, we became horribly lost along the way. The GPS wasn’t any help at all as we found ourselves out in the middle of the Baja desert staring at nothing but cactus, sand and sun. The red car icon on the screen showed us going round in circles in one spot while the female voice instructed us to “turn right at the next alleyway.” What? What alleyway? Where? (We’re still laughing over that one!)
We ran out of road at a half finished freeway end zone that dropped off into nowhere, wild eyed and asking directions in English from workmen who knew only Spanish, who then pointed us down a dirt embankment into a dusty, dry flood zone.We were incredulous. But then more incredulously, we drove down that embankment because we didn’t know what else to do, soft pillows of red dust kicking up everywhere as the back end of the rented sedan wildly fishtailed about, not misconstruing the overheard Spanish “loca” (crazy) as we drove off.
At a loss to know how, the flood zone got us there—eventually. Eventually, and as we later learned, the GPS had righted itself taking us on what we thought was a wild goose chase while we zigged and zagged between crumbling adobe houses, abandoned construction, and third world city boulevards, and children in the streets while we pretended we knew where the hell we were. Then suddenly, there we were—right in front of the resort, where after checking into our rooms with much too much luggage and exhaustion—sand, sea and salt rimmed Margaritas beckoned with relief.
It’s been a wild ride these last months that have left many of us attempting to turn right at the next alleyway in the middle of foreign deserts, our psyches and emotions left going round in circles. Personally, I’ve run the gamut of inhospitable feelings and disbelief. I’m exhausted. Isn’t there a Margarita somewhere on an island resort waiting around the next corner?
And frankly, the pile of unfolded laundry on my bed isn’t going to fold itself. The piles of paperwork aren’t going anywhere until I attend to what needs attending. There are impending deadlines to meet while I stare off into space or sleep late trying to insulate myself from pain, while my fear or guilt tell me to do something now—anything, no matter what it is.
This is often how trauma impacts us at first.
We are a traumatized nation at war with itself while the whole world watches in horror. And I often feel like the first world I knew is heading into some surreal third world landscape I don’t recognize anymore.
Then I realize that in order for something to live or be born, it is often true that something has to die. Death and birth is the natural order of life. And when what fails to work anymore, life will find another way. Chaos and order coexisting all at once. One way dying while another is being born. Yada, yada—I could write a whole chapter on that one subject. It’s painful. People suffer, even die. You know. Our egos and ideologies threatened, our existence, too. None of it is personal, but it sure feels like it.
Presently and at the same time everything is going on, I’m actively resisting the notion to intellectualize myself into a nihilistic state of stupor, or numb myself in other vice. I’m fighting to stay awake. I don’t want to miss my life or fail to connect to the suffering or joy of another.
Where true value lies is remembering to consciously breathe, meditate, pray and listen, take time out of each day in order to decipher or intuit what is yours to do, your personalized marching instructions, your “true north”, as they say.
I know that as humans we react to trauma in the most human of ways. We must grieve, allow ourselves to experience its stages in order to heal. Life must wait. It isn’t helpful to hear others tell us to calm down—which can feel for us like a manipulative tactic to alleviate the discomfort of another who is not yet grappling with their own pain.
After all we are humans, not machines.
Against a backdrop of black landscape out there, there is a still a wide vista of blue sky inside myself. In the spaces in between I choose to create, be it a minute or an hour or more, in between the crazy, the chaotic, the confusing, is where our internal guidance lives. Learning to lean in and listen is what saves us from the clamoring voices that demand we do this or go there or be quiet. Not always that we receive clarification in the exact moment of quiet breathing or prayerful listening, but that the stage is set for direction to come, often in the most unexpected ways. We learn resilience here, how to bend in hard winds. Directional leading tells us what is ours to do and what is not. Like the Wheel of Fortune in the Tarot, it is in the hub of that wheel that shelters, knowing that all is okay no matter how harsh the storm, or who might be coming at you with fear in their eyes.
I know. Easier said than done. But it’s a conscious practice. I still fall out of practice though even after practice over many years. Why do I do that? It’s the human part of me.
I’m learning it’s okay to fall, even as a nation. Failure strips the veneer off. It’s the great revealer of what’s been hidden. Healing cannot come until you uncover the hidden that has been having its way with your life or your nation planet. It’s the beginning of the end to what hasn’t been working. This could take a while though while that which has been hidden fights hard for its existence or way of life.
My GPS always knows right where I’m at, at any given moment even when I am feeling wildly off course, flailing about or melting down into a puddle of emotion. I always trust I will, however, settle down. My own true north always knows where I’m at, always comes for me to lead me back. It is always talking to me even when I’m not listening. It could say, sit still, rest, prepare, learn, take care of yourself, eat right, move now—fast, go, stop, you will be okay, you are okay, talk to someone, talk to and help the person next to you, remember what and who blesses you, write that letter, make that phone call, here’s who to see or where to go, write that book or poem—here’s the first sentence, run fast, don’t worry, trust, sleep, be careful, watch out, see the doctor, don’t go out, stay in, it’s okay, love yourself, you’ll learn, find grace in your fall, you haven’t failed.
It is intimately connected with every moment of your life. Helps you to open your heart to the world, feel the magic of and get inside of your body, identify with the suffering of another, disengage with suffering that doesn’t belong to you without losing your compassion. It’s all there. Everything you need as a guide to your life is inside of you, guides you to the next step, the next thing to do. May not give you the second step until you have completed the first. It has kept you alive to this point even if you’ve failed to see it. You’ve survived until now for something else you’re supposed to do or be or flower into. It’s fierce. It brings clarity of vision you didn’t expect in ways you couldn’t have foreseen. It can save your life, bring you home when the time comes.
Last night, I was reminded in conversation with someone dear to me about making a commitment to myself to listen more to that still small voice that knows. I am making a commitment right now that every day for the next week, I will start my day by listening in, by being still, by breathing consciously in and out, by praying for direction, clear hearing and vision. Be it for a minute several times a day or an hour when I awaken, I will listen for my marching orders, for what is mine to do. At the end of the week, I will commit to another and then another. One day at a time.
Today I am not going to rush out into the world in attack mode without hearing what it has to say first. It might only be a quiet hint, a sign, an intonation, but I have learned to recognize that voice through years of practice. It always comes with peace, with expansion of being and not contraction. There is grace in it even if the work is difficult or the suffering around me heart rending.
What is important is to keep my heart open and my ear to the ground. This is how we work for the greater good. This is how we heal in time.
This is what I woke up to this morning—sunlight streaming through my window, a brilliant blue day out there. Somebody turned a light on inside my head.
Unusual for February in the Pacific Northwest when the temps are normally quite chilly and the sky overcast, and when the gray seeps through everything, including yourself.
But we seem to be having long stringed days of uncommon weather, missing our freeze, warming everything so that even though it is not officially spring, it is springing, nonetheless. In propitious pinks and milky white cherry blossoms, in fat fisted dogwoods and citron yellow crocuses peeking their heads above the earth. Which doesn’t usually happen until the end of March into April.
Someone got their memos mixed up.
Expect the unexpected, they say. Like in everything. That’s how it is in life. Just when you get settled in to your humdrum routine or you’ve run out of answers to most everything, life decides to rearrange itself again around you, and you have to figure it all out or it figures it for you—and sometimes in the most delightful ways you never saw coming after a dark winter.
I’ve had a burning question inside of me for a while now, going back and forth on. One minute decided what I’m to do, and the next vacillating. And though there are no neon signs over my head pointing the exact way to go, there seems to be some kind of bright encouragement being broadcasted right here in my own living room telling me to keep stepping forward, like notes from some higher plane unexpectedly showing up when I need them the most. Like this morning. Zingers from the Universe, kind of like paper airplanes zipping all around or bouncing off my head, chock full of illuminated insight written into their folds and wings, like why didn’t I think of that? Simple, brilliant, wonderfully uplifting and motivating.
Just a couple months ago, I was fresh out of everything, which makes it all the more rousing and thrilling now.
Well, you’re not ready ‘till you’re ready, I suppose. And spring around these parts was ready much before anyone thought it should it be. At least this month.
So here’s the thing: Sometimes you just have to be brave and take risks—do that thing you’ve been contemplating for a while. Put your big toe in the water and start even if it all seems kind of muddified (I know that’s not really a word, but I just made it one) at the moment. Sometimes that is what it takes to make things clear. The water doesn’t clear and the answers don’t come until you actually commit to the risk through action. Some action, even the smallest one is a beginning. (And maybe that small action might even be asking for help or admitting a secret that’s been tearing you up for awhile.)
Sometimes you think you’re not ready, not prepared enough, don’t have the right answers yet. You might be mistaken to assume that idea so quickly. Dig a little deeper. What is really holding you back? You might fail or embarrass yourself? Public opinion? You might die? Well, you just might. Any of these things can happen. That’s the risk you take being alive every day—and we are all terminal in the end. Yet maybe, just maybe, you are being given another chance to live in a brand new way, a chance to make up your own song, start your own blog, develop your best ideas into something phenomenal. It could take some time, and there will be mistakes and learning curves. It doesn’t have to be perfect—that’s not the point–unless you are developing lifesaving equipment.
This morning, as spring was springing just outside my door, everything was conspiring in my favor, informing me that all the traumas of the past are about to become my greatest strengths. Everything I have been through, and like you, it has probably been plenty, contributes to the strength of my tomorrows if I allow it and move forward toward that thing I’ve been thinking about. Like forever.
From Joseph Campbell in The Power of Myth, I’ll share what sprung me out of my sleepy head and into the clear light of the day:
There is an important idea in Nietzsche, of Amor fati, the “love of your fate,” which is in fact your life. As he says, if you say no to a single factor in your life, you have unraveled the whole thing. Furthermore, the more challenging or threatening the situation or context to be assimilated and affirmed, the greater the stature of the person who can achieve it. The demon that you can swallow gives you its power, and the greater life’s pain, the greater life’s reply.
“The struggle against an obstacle inevitably propels the fighter to a new level of functioning. The extent of the struggle determines the extent of the growth. The obstacle is an advantage, not adversity. The enemy is any perception that prevents us from seeing this.” Ryan Holiday in The Obstacle is the Way
Maslow says, “What one can be, one must be.”
I know I don’t want to die with all these beautiful words left inside me. I want to give them away, to scatter them everywhere. And whatever it takes to get there, whatever the obstacle, I’m okay. I’ve been thinking about these words of mine since I was five years old. If not now, when? And the universe seems to think I’m ready, so who am I to argue with that? There are some upcoming and real challenges that lie directly in my path over the next several months, but I am committing to whatever it takes to embrace them and move through them to the best of my ability—and that is all I can ask for. Do my best—yes. And let go of all self-recriminating thoughts when I don’t or it’s not perfect enough. I’m practicing at this whole thing called human life.
Today I am filled with overwhelming gratitude, as I stick my toe in the water and swallow the demon, for all the challenges and obstacles in my life today as I think about all the beautiful good it is propelling me to in my life. And it feels huge.
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” ~~Lao Tzu
I am over it–I’m throwing out my “Goo-B-Gone” in exchange for authenticity, giving up the sanitized version of myself for a more authentic me. Me with all my messiness, my pain and my outrageous laughter.
This is not to say I don’t still sometimes dig through the trash for that stuff in a moment of panicked meltdown. But the general theme of showing up as myself is having its way against my compulsive need to look strong for everyone. I am finding freedom in asking for help, in admitting my vulnerability.
It’s heady stuff, exhilarating when you finally begin to let the truth of yourself out.
It’s taken me awhile to get here after much grief and loss, and I’m not about to throw away all this hard work in order to look good for a lot of people that don’t really care because they are too busy worrying about how good they smell or how well they clean up.
I have given up my dreams of reaching total enlightenment or perfection in this lifetime and have decided to go out and live. If I have to fall down, that’s okay—let my life be worse or better than I could ever have imagined.
I’ve spent too many years believing certain things are fixed or healed and put away for good. These are just silly notions I’ve entertained. I have come to realize that I am at my best when I am broken wide open to both myself and others; and that because of the brokenness, there are far vista-ed rooms that wait for me, things within them I could never have conceived of on my own. It’s not that I go out looking for it. It has a way of finding me when I’m least expecting it. Wait long enough, it will come around. Life can be really surprising on both ends of the spectrum.
What I have often thought of as healed or finished so often returns for another day of reckoning, another layer of awareness in order to enter into wholeness, to make you ready for certain gifts that are waiting in the wings to enter your life.
I know my perception of how things are is limited by my stoicism, my blind faith, my rigidity, the wounds that live inside me. It is only by becoming soft inside, by allowing life to do its best work on me, and my eventual surrender to the whole beautiful world living inside my beingness that I am given the password to enter the sacred expanse of rooms or realms beyond anything I knew existed. Openness is where the sweetest of grace sweeps in. Brokenness is where it can find me, where I tumble down to my knees in gratitude for this one moment of pure release, knowing I am seen.
Pain is often the chisel that cracks the heart open when I have refused to surrender.
And it’s okay that it might take a while to learn this. I am learning to be tender with myself.
I am done with trying to sanitize and rationalize my life away.
Life doesn’t work like this on a more organic level. It will always find a way to come to you in order to crack your most carefully crafted exterior wide open. We are not as together as we would like others to believe.
Sometimes you just have to fall apart in order to come together. That toughened exterior has to crack wide open–the one that always wants to tell the world how fine you are, the one you hide behind with your doubts and fears and wounds.
There are some wounds that are buried deep, and like a splinter, take their own sweet time to surface. Sometimes the abyss looms large and we fall in.
On the way down, open your eyes and look around. Don’t fall asleep. Don’t judge yourself in the falling. Life is having its way with you, hoping you will surrender your heart to it—that you will find a way to say yes.
Life and the ability to laugh will cycle around again.
Life has a rhythm to it like the natural inhalation and exhalation of breathing, like the tides going in and out. No less your very own life, too. Expansion and contraction, contraction and expansion. There is no getting around it.
There are times you are required to give out and then just as naturally, simplify your life or days enough in order to take in the necessary nurture and nutrition your depleted body and soul requires. You cannot serve from an empty vessel. If you habituate yourself to serving from that place or believing there is no other way, life will come in the backdoor to simplify it for you. It will make a way where you thought there was none.
Recently, I let the windshield washer tank in my car run dry. I discovered this one day when I went to turn it on, and the only thing that came out was disgusting brown ooze all over my windshield. It’s kind of like this when we let our tanks run dry without taking the time to fill them back up.
In my years, I am coming to recognize that I always have enough. It might not appear to be so, I still too often hit the panic button; but it starts with the knowing that I am enough in whatever comes along. It is my perceived inner lack that I project out into the world and then draw back to myself.
Knowing this requires a daily commitment first to show up for myself, even if in the smallest of ways, such as consciously and simply inhaling and exhaling first before taking action or deciding what to say when things fall apart. And maybe that is all you can do in the moment. You might have to keep breathing, on purpose and with awareness.
No matter how we perceive it, we don’t know the end of the story yet. It could be better or worse than you ever imagined and then circle back around again. And remember that at the end of every story, a new one begins, whether that story ends by death or circumstance.
Put away the veneer and shellac, and begin to peer into the holes of your life with new eyes–there are stars in there!
If I were to get a tattoo on my arm to remind me in every minute when things fall apart, here’s what it would say: Everything Is Okay.
As I enter the last third of my time here on earth, looking back over my life, I find that some things never change as much I might have believed they did. I am still starting over again as I’ve done many times before. It’s all about “beginner’s mind”. I won’t officially arrive until I graduate from this life. Until then I am still learning–and in fact, learning many things are not to be taken as seriously as I once thought, that laughter counts for a lot and kindness starts with me.
I love these exerpts by spiritual teacher and author of Life With A Hole In It, A Guru in the Guest Room, Vicki Woodyard :
“….Here’s the deal. No one reaches full potential until they die. Not only that, no one appreciates them until they do. I am speaking of both literal and psychological death. ‘The price of kissing is your life.’ …….
Things come and go. People come and go. You’ll leave and probably forget your hat. If you do, that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. It just means you forgot your hat. See, that’s the thing about death. You can’t come back for your hat.”
WHAT I REMEMBER IS JAYNE. Jayne Mansfield, that is—the bursting at the seams, large bosomed, blonde bombshell and sexpot of the 60’s. The Hollywood star with the heart shaped pool in her backyard lived a large life in my mind. I wanted to be her. I was nine or ten playing house in my bedroom—as Jayne Mansfield, of course, stepping into the cool darkness of my closet to make out with an imaginary, muscle ripped Mickey Hargitay, while my girlfriends, all the while sighing and moaning, languished on my bed waiting for me to come to my senses and come out of the closet.
Then one day she was beheaded. I was devastated. Riding in the front seat of her car, slamming into and under the backside of a semi-truck, and…off went her head—I imagine right into the back seat! Just like that.
I imagine that she believed she still had a lot more making out with Mickey left to do, but as you know in all things, they end. Time runs out, and all you’ve ever done is all you’re ever going to do. And besides all that, I had already grown tired of making out with Mickey and was feeling the intensity of my puberty bearing down on me in the crush of feelings I had towards the boy down the street.
So much innocence left behind as the crush of life began to have its way with me. I almost succumbed to it more times than I care to say. Lucky for me, I made it this far into my sixties. Surprised to be here now, I was sure I would die before I was fifty. My entire adult life was white hot with extreme busyness and caretaking, and then total collapse—all of which I believed to be a badge of honor I wore proudly.
While at lunch the other day, my friend, Mystic Meena (whose odometer is getting ready to roll over to seventy), happened to remark on a sixty-seven year old actor that had passed away recently. Meena related how television pundits had observed after his passing that at least he had lived a long, full life—to which my friend exclaimed, “Bullshit!” When I was thirty, sixty-seven was definitely old—and death not so unexpected—that is, of course, unless you are sixty-seven. Unless you are ready for it, the pronouncement of death always comes as a surprise at any age. I don’t feel done yet.
Here I am, and the sun is beginning to dip in the sky. There isn’t a whole life left in front of me as I have a series of “holy shit” realizations that I’ve got to begin now if I want to find and use my real voice. My dreams are still the same. It’s just that I have a little less physical energy to realize them with. Maybe the point of the body sliding past the apex of youth is this: it compels you towards your realness. I don’t know for certain. It’s just a hunch I have.
Now that the leaves are beginning to turn into blazing yellows and crimson reds and oranges, into their most flagrant and final stand for beauty, I am wondering how I didn’t see there could be so much splendor in moving towards that inevitable final breath of falling from the tree. What a metaphor to our lives—the grace-filled allowing, the gentle welcoming of age, the coming home to ourselves, finally. Perhaps, the leaning into our wisdom years, of spreading our brightly colored canopy over the lives of those coming up after us as way-showers is what really matters. Personally, I don’t want to waste it, not a single drop, not a single brilliant colored leaf of it between now and the time whatever pronouncements over my impending demise are made.
I am heading towards my glory years; and it going to take some careful planning and execution as I begin to re imagine myself, playing smarter, not harder. There is still time enough whether it be one year or forty years. I cannot take my body for granted anymore. I cannot ignore and punish it. As long as I am able, there is a strict requirement for honor and listening, then supplying it with the necessary rest, nutrition and nurturance it requires. In this one moment I have been gifted. It almost didn’t happen.
Whatever has happened in my life has brought me full circle. I am lucky to get the chance to have a “do over” in the last act of my life, playing the part of me rather than someone else. My fear, in whatever time is left, is leaving this life realizing I never had the courage to live an authentic life.
Admittedly, I am scared. It’s a moment by moment thing requiring a firm commitment. Holes must be plugged in order to enter into right relationship with myself. Gone is the bent towards extremism in my thoughts and actions, doing everything at once or nothing at all. It is not mine to single-handedly save the world.
If I want to live out the richness and the depth of all that has brought me here, I must practice sacredness and gratitude in the gentle or not so gentle breath of each day, in allowing, in letting go, in lightening up, and in laughter, and last but not least, in the flow of words that find their way from my heart to my fingertips. I am rising up and up into this voice that has been given me, flowering quietly or noisily, vibrantly and brilliantly. I am practicing freedom, using the only voice I have to set this prisoner free.
This poem, Kindness, by Naomi Shihab Nye, arrived in my inbox this morning. I have read it before, but now it seems especially appropriate after several years of deep loss. Anymore, nothing makes sense to me apart from kindness in the dealings of human relations, including the relationship I have with myself. I am learning more everyday what it means to be infinitely kind in this kind of exhaustion from loss, beginning here with my own body, emotions and self-care.
Evening on Puget Sound / Photo by S. Wolfington
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and

domain: literature


text:
I attended the Lignum Vitae Film festival yesterday with fellow Filmmaker Craig "Amaziyah the great" Kirkland who I met at the 2012 Jamaica International Reggae Film Festival through Barbara Blake Hannah. One of the gentlest giants you could ever meet.
I picked him up at the Toll Road round about in Spanish town and we drove down to Mandeville not having a clue how to get to NCU. Luckily with Android GPS we were able to locate it. We arrive 3:53 PM giving us enough time to ask around for directions to get to the front door by 4 PM. It was held in a large auditorium that I estimate holds about 200 – 250 persons and it was packed with as many people if not more. I kid you not these were the most enthusiastic movie watchers I have had the pleasure of encountering. Not even Carib during a kickers compares.
The event started with the national anthem being sung by all in attendance, followed by opening remarks a prayer and the showing of the films. The screening opened with my film “Protect and Serve” the black and white silent film about a cop who turns to alcohol abuse after shooting a 9 year old girl while on duty. This makes the second time this film has opened a screening, the first being Kingston on the Edge 2012.
I was extremely nervous. Sweating profusely and even though the AC was not working I guarantee you this was not just the heat. I kept wondering, what if no one enjoys it, what if people don’t get it? Man I hope this girl next to me doesn’t recognize me in the film. To my amazement, when the film ended, everyone applauded. Like Amaziyah said, complete strangers. I was shocked. They actually liked it. The next film in the category of Silent film was a film called “Roses”. Now let me tell you, I have a special place in my heart for my film “Protect and Serve” but without a doubt the emotions I felt while watching “Roses” I knew right away it was the winner. The film was amazingly clever, the story telling was excellent, the imagery, cinematography was great. The crowd was ecstatic. They were driven wild by every moment of it. Man these kids are amazing I thought.
There were only two silent films in the category so the next segment was the animation category. I was the only one that entered an animation, so I figured I had won, but since there was no competition, I was listening for the crowd’s approval to determine whether this film was a winner. Again this film was dear to me because it’s my first proper animation over a minute. The crowd was not only excited by the driving action but they were bowled over by the comedic moments. I was very grateful for that. To hear the laughter I thought man, I need to do more of this.
Then came the short film section which had over 12 films each potentially running 10 minutes each. I can’t get into each film at this point as there were so many good ones. One was a documentary, so unfortunately it was stuck in a category it couldn’t possibly compete in and the rest were story based. The crowd had a mix of emotions all the way through. When “Stay Firm” played, the crowd was definitely emotionally invested. Amaziyah’s film was certainly a hit. Palace amusement would love this crowd. It really proves that people like to see themselves or their own people on screen.
After the screening it was time to mingle and eat. Amaziyah was snapping pictures, making everyone a star. Several people came up to us and complimented our films, took pictures with us, we had discussions on varying aspects of films and then we went back inside to hear the judges announcements. I was first to receive an award for best animation. It was a very proud moment. It was the only award I expected based on the competition (LOL) so I pretty much wasn’t paying much attention from that point until a former colleague hit me on the shoulder and said go collect your other award. I was like what? Huh? Only to look at the podium and see people staring at me. I collected the prize and came back to my standing spot and asked my former Colleague, “what did I win this for?” she laughed and said best Foley for “Enter the Blackeberri”. Wow, I was shocked. I was never expecting that film to win an award. I did work very hard on the sound but never thought it would be recognized.
After I collected the second basket I thought man wouldn’t it be great if Amaziyah won something, but with all this great competition I wondered what the chances were. When best script, best story and best actor past I thought well, it looks as if it was just wishful thinking. Amaziyah was busy snapping away with the camera playing director when all of a sudden I heard “Best director goes to Criag Kirkland for stand firm”. I don’t know whether he didn’t hear, or he heard and thought his hearing was going but he wasn’t budging. I extended my arm to grab his camera and he stared at me as if to say “Did they just call my name.” I had to say out loud to him, bro give me the camera and go collect your prize big director. It was then he proceeded to do so.
What a big night. Never would have expected all that. We did our photo ops and interviews and it was time to head back in at 9:35. All the way back Amaziyah and I were talking about how we weren’t going to enter or show up because the timing was inconvenient but we persevered and it paid off. I drove a little bit faster to shave some time off the 2 hours journey so I could get home and get back to doing some work at 11:30 PM till 2:00 AM, all the while occasionally looking over at my trophy. Thinking, that’ll do Kev...that’ll do.
I am a Filmmaker, Animator and Writer. I love telling stories and making them come true. You will see me on the big screen soon enough.


This is part II of a series of tutorials on ESP8266 programming that break down the process of building an IoT weather station. If you missed the first part, you can find it here: Part I. In this post, we’re going to go over the protocol for MQTT before we set up a MQTT server that we’re going to use in part III to communicate with our little weather station.
MQTT stands for MQ Telemetry Transport and is a lightweight messaging protocol that was built as an easy way to exchange information without much overhead. MQ stands for Message Queueing even though there’s actually no message queueing happening. It’s been standardized since 2013 as the protocol for IoT devices. The standardization society OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) describes MQTT as:
“Providing a lightweight publish/subscribe reliable messaging transport protocol suitable for communication in M2M/IoT contexts where a small code footprint is required and/or network bandwidth is at a premium.” The protocol functions in a publish-subscribed way where clients, such as sensors and actors, subscribe to a MQTT broker that opens a channel and processes further actions based on the incoming data. Processing on the broker can be really anything, from further publishing the data to other actors to simply displaying data or triggering another server. This function pattern is best displayed in a graph:
With the rising popularity of IoT and MQTT as de facto and the main protocol for most IoT applications, there’s a huge variety of software available. A few examples for MQTT brokers that are free for you to use: mosquitto, Eclipse Paho, Emitter or emqttd. Most of them are open source with a fairly substantial community backing the software. I decided to go with mosquitto, as it’s one of the more lightweight brokers that’s also available for basically any platform out there.
I’m going to install mosquitto on my MacBook Pro. As a big fan of homebrew, the missing macOS package manager, I’m going to use the package they provide for mosquitto.
To install mosquitto with homebrew we only have to run
brew install mosquitto and homebrew will do the rest. After the successful installation of mosquitto, homebrew showed us how we can run mosquitto by either executing
mosquitto -c /usr/local/etc/mosquitto/mosquitto.conf if we want to run it now, or
brew services start mosquitto if we want to have mosquitto startup now and again after restarting. I decided to go with the first option because I don’t need mosquitto every day and want to keep control of when to launch it. Once we launched it with
mosquitto -c /usr/local/etc/mosquitto/mosquitto.conf we want to know if our server works. So we’re going to open a channel by subscribing to a new topic and then sending a new message. Here’s a video showing you how to do that:
Here’s step by step of what we did:
- We started mosquitto by executing
mosquitto -c /usr/local/etc/mosquitto/mosquitto.conf
- Once mosquitto started and told us that the server is up and running on port 1883, we opened a new tab on the terminal. This is important! Don’t close the old one as we want the server to keep running.
- In our new tab, we issued the following command:
mosquitto_sub -v -t 'test/topic'. The -v option gave us some more output (verbose), the -t option did let us choose a topic name.
- Next, we open another tab and issue
mosquitto_pub -t 'test/topic' -m 'helloWorld'. We use -t again to specify the topic and -m for the message.
- If we go back to our second tab now, we see the messages we’ve sent to our topic and if we go back to our first tab, we can see when we connected to our server and when we disconnected.
Congratulations! You’ve just setup a MQTT server, published a channel/topic and sent MQTT messages to that channel.
In the next part of this ESP8266 programming series, we’re going to use our weather server to publish sensor data to our MQTT server. Once the data reaches the MQTT server, we’re going to display the current data and historical data. Stay tuned for the next part of this series!


Barcode: 0 89195 87124 4|
Case Pack: 24 pieces per master carton
Box Size: 7.5" x 13" x 1.8"
The 178m-long USS Arkansas (CGN-41) was a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser of the US Navy that was commissioned in 1980. Her primary mission was to use her Harpoon, SM-2MR and ASROC missiles, Phalanx 20mm guns and Mk 46 torpedoes against air, surface and submarine threats to defend aircraft carrier task forces. Additionally, CGN-41 also carried Tomahawk cruise missiles. Because Arkansas was nuclear-powered, she was able to keep pace with similarly propelled carriers. Her first tour of duty was off the coast of Lebanon supporting the multinational force in late 1982. In 1986 USS Arkansas also deployed to the coast of Libya in the wake of US strikes against the country in retaliation for terrorist actions. The 9,473-ton ship was eventually decommissioned in July 1998.
Not so long ago a 1/700 scale replica of the USS Virginia (Item No.7090) joined Dragon’s Sea Power lineup of model kits. That release was significant as it was the series’ first modern subject, which obviously meant all the parts were brand new toolings. Now the Virginia’s sister ship has joined Dragon’s fleet. Although the kit doesn’t have any new parts, it does contain all the appropriate markings via Cartograf decals to depict USS Arkansas. This impressive kit is finely detailed - for example, the superstructure carries fine detail such as hoses and ladders molded in place. The bridge itself is a product of a three-directional slide mold, and a generous collection of photo-etched parts like radar antennas and railings provides finesse. To exhibit USS Arkansas, the modeler has the option of building a full-hull or waterline-hull version.


text:
Confetti throwing is one of the most special wedding traditions. For a photographer is a perfect opportunity to capture great moment of the happy couple.
The word confetti often conjures up the image of masses of tiny paper or foil shapes scattered on party tables or in greeting cards. Paired with New Year’s Eve, it may mean long strings and paper shreds bursting from the end of noisemakers and dropping from popped balloons. But “confetti” paired with “wedding” inevitably reminds us of the traditional confetti-throwing ceremony: the time when guests line up to shower the departing bride and groom with confetti-even though actual paper confetti is rarely used for this tradition.
Different kinds of Wedding Confetti
Rice: The Original Confetti
Petals and Leaves: Nature’s Confetti
Bird Seed: A Modern Confetti Alternative
Bubbles: The Fun of Confetti without the Mess
Johann & Lesley
Ceremony: Kloovenburg Lookout


text:
Japanese chinese gardens harmony between man and nature one of the themes of sustainability was an integral part of the philosophy and way of life of the . Although inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement by spiritsitecom we have tried to include many of the countrys most . North georgia mountains between helen hiawassee blairsville the perfect setting for your retreat two hours north of atlanta enota is situated between . Arizona cancer center at umc north image courtesy ten eyck landscape architects the therapeutic landscapes networks primary focus is gardens in healthcare facilities
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domain: geography


text:
Do you have a milk allergy or are you lactose intolerant? You are not alone; many people are. Unfortunately, because of this, you may not be able some of your favorite dishes, including mashed potatoes.
Mashed potatoes date back as early as the 1700s in England and are now served in homes and restaurants all over the world. They are delicious and can be paired with almost any main course. But, an important ingredient in mashed potatoes is milk.
This problem is near and dear to my heart because my son is lactose intolerant. Mashed potatoes have been a staple in my family for generations, yet my son can’t have them. So, I set out to find a way to make mashed potatoes without milk.
The following is my favorite milk-free mashed potato recipe.
You will need
- Slow Cooker – This 6-Quart Programmable Crock Pot is my favorite.
- 5 pounds of red potatoes, washed and cut.
- You can peel your potatoes before dicing if you prefer.
- Russet, White, or Yukon Gold potatoes work well for mashing too
- 1 ½ -2 cups chicken broth, divided
- If you prefer, a vegetable broth/stock works well too
- Be sure to stay away from low-sodium options, you need the flavor since you are eliminating the milk.
- 1 cup butter, cut into small chunks
- Keep your butter in the refrigerator until you are ready to cut it; it makes it easier to cut.
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Potato masher – I prefer to use one designed for non-stick surfaces, such as this Nylon Potato Masher, so as to not scratch my slow cooker pot.
1. Prepare and cook your potatoes:
Place your cut potatoes into the slow cooker. Some prefer to grease the pot with butter or oil, but I do not and have never had a problem with sticking. Then add 1 cup of chicken broth (or veggie broth if you choose) and chunks of butter. Season your potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. You may also want to add other flavors, such as garlic or onion.
Watch famous chef, Alton Brown shows you how to best cut potatoes for mashed potatoes
2. Cover and cook:
Cover your slow cooker and cook your potatoes on low for 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender. If you don’t have all day, you can also cook the potatoes on high for3-4 hours. Cooking times will vary as each slow cooker may be different.
Watch how “One Hungry Mama” makes a similar recipe from start to finish

domain: food


text:
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The ASP.NET MVC 5 Framework is the latest evolution of Microsoft s ASP.NET web platform. It provides a high-productivity programming model that promotes cleaner code architecture, test-driven development, and powerful extensibility, combined with all the benefits of ASP.NET. ASP.NET MVC 5 contains a number of advances over previous versions, including... more...
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"As someone who uses jQuery on a regular basis, it was surprising to discover how much of the library I?m not using. This book is indispensable for anyone who is serious about using jQuery for non-trivial applications."-- Raffaele Cecco, longtime developer of video games, including Cybernoid, Exolon, and Stormlord jQuery is the "write less, do... more...
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XSLT is an essential tool for converting XML into other kinds of documents: HTML, PDF file, and many others. It's a critical technology for XML-based platforms such as Microsoft .NET, Sun Microsystems' Sun One, as well as for most web browsers and authoring tools. As useful as XSLT is, however, most people have a difficult time getting used to its... more...
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This book is aimed at Java developers, system administrators, application testers using WildFly, and anyone who performs a DevOps role. Whether you are completely new to WildFly or just require an understanding of WildFly's new features, this book is for you. more...
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A new edition of this title is available, ISBN-10: 0132354799 ISBN-13: 9780132354790 Completely revised and up-to-date coverage of Multithreading ?including the java.util.concurrent library, locks, condition objects, futures, thread pools, thread-safe collections, threads and Swing Collection classes ?collections framework,... more...

domain: library


text:
Jalapeno Pimento Cheese is a classic Southern cheese spread recipe made with cheese, mayonnaise, pimento (peppers), and seasonings. Jalapenos add a spicy kick.
I don’t know how pimento cheese became a Southern social essential, but I just know that it is.
Jalapeno Pimento Cheese
Pimento cheese is a staple at Southern gartherings from game parties, family reunions, showers, and potluck socials. Not only is it popular, it seems that every family has a favorite way to make it. (Don’t be offended. We’re the same way with potato salad and deviled eggs. We make them like Grandma made them and the way they’ve been made for generations!)
Furthermore, you’ll almost always find a debate brewing regarding what mayonnaise is the best in pimento cheese. For me, it has to be Duke’s or Blue Plate. I legit never but another brand. What’s your favorite?
I added jalapenos to my recipe but it’s still as versatile as the orginal. You can serve it as a hot or cold dip or spread with crackers or vegetable sticks. It’s great on a sandwich, grilled cheese, and on burgers.
The full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post. You can save a tree and save the recipe to your personal and private recipe box right here on Call Me PMc. This way you’ll never misplace it.
- Colby cheese shredded
- cheddar cheese shredded
- pimento, diced
- Jalapeno, seeded and diced
- Mayonnaise, Blue Plate or Duke’s
- Dry mustard
- Salt, to taste
The last thing I want to do during a hot day is cook. Instead, I made this no-cook simple recipe. My version of pimento cheese is full of flavor with sweet pimentos and spicy jalapeños!
- I used two different types of cheese in my recipe. You can use one or your favorite. I like gouda and Monterrey jack in pimento cheese as well.
- Shred your cheese. Do not use preshredded cheese, it has additives that change the taste and texture.
- If the jalapeno doesn’t add enough kick for you, add a dash of cayenne pepper.
- This is a great addition to my Southern Inspired Charcuterie Board.
- Olive oil mayonnaise is a great alternative if you’re trying to lighten up this recipe.
This Jalapeno Pimento Cheese would be great on a cold sandwich or with crackers. Try it also as a spread on your cheese tray. Additionally, it makes a tasty addition to a hot grilled cheese sandwich or as a hot dip where the cheese gets ooey and gooey and delicious!
Pimento Cheese is a staple at our tailgate as well. It is so simple to make and a crowd-pleaser that we just cannot have game day with out it. Click here for more tailgating recipes.
I updated this post from an earlier version dated June 4, 2013. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
Jalapeno Pimento Cheese
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- 8 ounces Colby cheese shredded
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 ounces pimento
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- ¾ cup mayonnaise I only use Blue Plate
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- salt to taste
- Drain pimento, reserving liquid.
- In a large bowl, combine cheeses, pimento, jalapeno, mayonnaise, mustard, salt (pinch), and 1 tablespoon pimento liquid.
- Mix together until completely combined. Taste and add more salt and mayonnaise if necessary.
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
Love Pimiento Cheese!! Maybe it’s the Southerner in us?! Love the kicked up version with jalapeno too 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing
Pretty awesome, PMc!! So glad I stopped by from Busy Monday Party! I’d love to have you share at What to do Weekends but before I send you the link, I am also following you on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and Bloglovin. Best wishes, Linda
I love anything that has tons of flavor and this recipe sure sounds great! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday!
It’s spicy! Thanks for visiting!
This sounds wonderful – it would be great on a turkey sandwich. Thank you for coming by and sharing this on Fluster Buster’s Creative Muster Party.
I haven’t had it on turkey, but I have on ham. It was good. I like it best on Ritz crackers 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Oh man I love making pimento cheese! I’ve added jalapeño peppers too and I’m convinced its the only way to eat it!!! Looks wonderful Paula!
Thanks so much, Tanya!
Sounds awesome I love a dish with a kick.
HI Paula! I’ve actually never had pimento cheese before.. didn’t realize how simple it is to make! Thanks for sharing! I’ll be making it soon and will let you know 😉
Cindy Eikenberg says
Paula, this sounds like a yummy summer appetizer…well, yummy anytime, not just for summer! 🙂 Thanks for sharing and pinning! Have a happy rest of the week!
Thank you Cindy. I love Pimento Cheese anytime. Thanks for pinning.
Pimento cheese sandwiches with sliced red onion on wheat bread is my favorite summer lunch. I never thought about adding jalapeno. Now I’ll just have to make this one. Oh well…..!
Thanks for sharing, Paula.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
It’s my favorite too, I like it on buttery crackers. Thanks for visiting Linda.
Stacy @Stacy Makes Cents says
Visiting from Wonderful Food Wednesday – and I just slobbered all over myself. Thanks! 🙂 Pinned!!!
lol, too funny, glad you liked and thanks for pinning 🙂
YUM! Like the idea of putting jalapeno in it! Pinning!
Thank you, I like it spicy too! Thanks for pinning.
I cannot stand macaroni and cheese! Can you believe I never once had Pimento Cheese until I moved to Missouri?? Now I love it and adding a little jalapeno to it sounds perfect! Thank you ma’am!
My kids don’t like mac and cheese and I could live off it. They don’t like Pimento cheese either and it’s a close second favorite for me. Have a great week, Danni.
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
Being a southerner, I do love my pimento cheese. I too put a little jalapeno in mine for heat. Kind of kicks it up a notch.


text:
Similar Questions with Answers
Question: Hi ... mera baby 1 year 2 month ka h or uska wait 8.2 h or uska himoglobin b 9 aaya h to Dr. Ne blood ki kami b btayi h ... to plese suggest me k m uska kya diet du jisse wait b putt on ho nd blood ki kami b puri ho jaye ... vese Dr ne usko calcium nd folic acids iran medicine b diya h...
At times more calcium intake hinder iron absorption.
Please dont give him dairy products more than 350 ml per day.
Give him spinach, meat liver, leafy veggies, legumes, kidney beans more in his diet apart from the supplement.
Also try and take a test to see how much hemoglobin is less in count than normal.
Good luck and take care!
Question: hi mera 36 week running h nd aaj mera scan hua h to pani ki kami btayi h nd bola h jaldi hi delivery karni padegi nd wo b operation se m pani ki kmi fill karne k liye kya karu jisse operation na ho normal delivery ho jaye...plz help
Answer: Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water each day. One of the simplest ways to increase your amniotic fluid is to make sure that you are always hydrated. When you increase the amount of water you have in your body, your amniotic fluid levels will also rise.
Drink water throughout the day and try to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses at a minimum.
Eat fruits that have water contents. A great way to stay hydrated while also getting good nutrients is to eat fruits and vegetables that have high water concentration.
Question: Hi i m 12 week pregnant meri ultrasound report mei water ki kami bata rhe hai doctor ,pani ki kami se bacha sikuda hua hai mai daily 3-4 litre pani peeti hu fir bhi ye dikat aa rhi hai ...what to do plz advise
Answer: Please apna level mention kariye.
Below 5 is risky.
Immediate fructodex inj aur drip lagwaiye cord collapse ho sakti H.

domain: medical


text:
This estimated monthly lease payment is an estimate based on a 36-month term, a vehicle sale price for the selected trim including an estimated amount of typical options (excluding Acura and Honda vehicles), an estimated drive-off (“due at signing”) payment, current finance rates, regional sales tax and estimated dealer document fees.
This lease calculation assumes the following: a money factor of .00125, a residual value of 57% of the selected trim's MSRP, and an average credit score qualifying for the current finance rates.
The option and amount to purchase the vehicle at lease end, mileage allotment per year, excess mileage charges, and any included maintenance may be determined at lease signing. Any excess wear charges are to be determined at lease end
This estimated lease payment is not a guaranteed monthly price or offer, it is only an estimate based on the above factors.
This estimated monthly finance payment is an estimate based on a 60-month term, a vehicle sale price for the selected trim including an estimated amount of typical options (excluding Acura and Honda vehicles), an estimated down payment of 10% of the selected trim’s estimated total purchase cost, current finance rates, regional sales tax, registration fees and estimated dealer document fees.
This finance calculation assumes the following: an average credit score qualifying for the current finance rates. Any included maintenance varies per Manufacturer and may be negotiated with and/or purchased from the selling Dealer. This estimated finance payment is not a guaranteed monthly price or offer, it is only an estimate based on the above factors.
Includes Lounge leather interior upholstery.
Includes leatherette interior upholstery.
Includes Piano Black colored dashboard and door trim.
Includes Dinamica/leather interior upholstery.
Includes Satellite Gray colored lower dashboard trim and door armrests.
Includes chrome finishes on instrument panel knobs and dials, central air vents, gear shift, and front and rear cup holders.
Includes multi-function remote control.
Includes 410 watt harman/kardon sound system w/ digital sound processor and 12 speakers on eight channels.
Includes 1 year subscription.
Includes Comfort Access keyless entry, convertible wind deflector, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, auto-dimming and power-folding exterior mirrors, heated front seats, satellite radio w/ 1 year subscription, and harman/kardon premium sound system.
Includes rear view camera, rear park distance control or parking assistant, navigation system, MINI Connected XL, real time traffic information, and Wired Package (includes 8.8" widescreen and MINI touch controller).
Includes storage net in passenger footwell, two storage nets in luggage compartment, and 12V power socket in luggage compartment.
Includes auto-dimming rear-view mirror and auto-dimming, power-folding exterior mirrors.
Includes rear bumper-mounted sensors that activate an audible warning system to alert a driver of obstacles located behind the vehicle.
Includes front and rear sensors with visual and audio assistance.
Includes camera-based active cruise control, collision and pedestrian warning with initial brake function, high beam assistant, and road sign detection.
Includes 6-way adjustable Sport Seats with height control and larger side-bolsters.
Includes 3-stage heated front seats.

domain: finance


text:
Man Of Steel #3 // Review
Man Of Steel #3, by Brian Michael Bendis, Ryan Sook, Jason Fabok, Wade Von Grawbadger, Alex Sinclair, and Josh Reed, opens with Rogol Zaar coming to Earth and ends with him confronting Superman and Supergirl. What happens in between, though, will give a readers an unexpected shock and delivers a blow to our heroes that they never expected. Bendis promised to shake things up and that promise is in full effect here.
Rogol Zaar arrives at the Fortress of Solitude and wrecks the place, but Kelex is able to get off a distress signal. Superman, investigating the string of arsons in Metropolis with Batman’s help, receives the signal and races off to the Fortress. Supergirl joins him there and they make a shocking discovery. They trail Zaar to Metropolis, the table set for an epic confrontation.
Unlike last issue with its plethora of plot lines, this one is relatively simple. There’s a feeling of momentum to it, as it moves things forward to the inevitable confrontation between Zaar, Superman, and Supergirl. There’s a specific thing that Zaar does at the Fortress that’s going to be a gamechanger in this story, especially for Supergirl. It brings a small, but important, part of the Superman mythos to an end. It also works perfectly with what readers know about Zaar and what he is. It’s a shocking moment because it’s so unexpected, even though it makes perfect sense from a story standpoint.
The script for this issue seems to be one of the most efficient scripts Bendis has ever wrote. There’s a minimum of filler and it gets to the point as quickly as possible. One of the book’s strengths so far is that Bendis is setting things up in an effective fashion. Everything feels like it’s going to build to something important. The inclusion of Batman in this issue is very nice and has a legitimate laugh out loud moment, but it’s also a parallel to John Byrne’s Man Of Steel mini-series, which also had Batman in the third issue. The Metropolis arson subplot is addressed nicely and it makes perfect sense for Superman to bring in Batman. Sure, Superman can use his super senses to see things Batman couldn’t, but he doesn’t have the crime solving chops of the Caped Crusader. A lot of times, Batman cameos in DC books feel like cash grabs, but here it makes total sense. Bendis gives readers another clue about what happened to Jon and Lois, revealing the culprit in silhouette. Using this series to set up what he’s doing down the road is the right way to go. The main plot with Zaar is good, but it’s all probably going to come down to a cliche Superman slugfest, whereas the arson plot and the disappearance of the Kents have a way more personal effect on Superman. He may be Kryptonian, but his only link to it is genetic. Metropolis and his family are way more real to him than the homeworld of his birth, and these plots pave the way for more personal stories to come. One of the strengths of the Rebirth Superman books was that the creators involved made sure to make things as personal as possible for Superman, allowing readers to empathize with him more than they have in the past. These plots give the impression that Bendis is going to keep that up and that’s a great thing.
Ryan Sook’s art impresses throughout and is probably the strongest issue of the book artistically so far. His linework is very clear and detailed. There’s a lot of double page spreads in this issue and every single one impresses. He uses the multiple panels to give the whole thing a sense of movement that plays into the momentum of the issue. There’s really only weak part of the art for the whole issue, and it’s when Superman and Supergirl make the discovery of the most terrible thing Zaar did at the Fortress. It’s a great looking scene, but it’s not as emotionally affecting as it could have been if it was laid out in a different way. It’s a blemish on an otherwise beautifully drawn issue.
Man Of Steel #3 delivers a big moment and sets up the cataclysmic confrontation between Zaar, Superman, and Supergirl. Bendis paces the issue perfectly and Sook’s art brings it all to life, granting it a fluidity and sense of movement that it needs. It’s a straightforward issue, but Bendis is still able to include little teases of other plots in a way that doesn’t slacken the pace of what’s happening. Bendis seems to have learned a lot of lessons about the deficiencies in his personal writing style and worked to correct them. So far, Man Of Steel has been an entertaining ride and this installment keeps that up.


text:
Swedish businessman Carl-Henric Svanberg is to remain chairman of oil group BP
But he said he intended to step down as a member of the board of mobile network gear maker Ericsson.
We are no longer in the acute crisis phase of the oil spill situation, Svanberg told Reuters, referring to the consequences of BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
He said he would be able to combine the work of roughly three days a week for BP with the Volvo chairman job.
(Reporting by Patrick Lannin)

domain: economics


text:
Prevent Vasovagal Syncope
Everyone hates a vasovagal episode. The front desk staff watches as a client who came in for a routine immunization hits the ground for no apparent reason. The clinician in the middle of an IUD placement hears the client’s voice trail off and in the eerie silence jumps up in time to see the client’s eyes rolling back. As scary as these episodes are for the office staff and as badly as they impact the day’s schedule, the client is the person who suffers. If we are lucky, the client is lying down and doesn’t get a blow to the head or break a bone. If you recognize the signs and symptoms of a vasovagal, you can almost always stop it and prevent loss of consciousness.
Best practice: give your clients anticipatory guidance so they can prevent their own vasovagal reactions!
Vasovagal reactions are common, scary, and preventable. Tensing the muscles of the arms, hands, feet, and legs can instantly stop a vasovagal reaction and prevent fainting.
Pathophysiology of a Vasovagal Reaction
A vasovagal reaction is a reflex—like a “knee jerk” or a Babinski reflex. It begins with pooling of blood in the extremities which decreases peripheral vascular resistance, causing a sudden drop in blood returning to the heart. This triggers a reflex bradycardia—an abnormally slow heart beat—along with a drop in blood pressure. This combination leads to reduced blood flow to the brain and syncope. If, at any point in the reflex, the drop in peripheral vascular resistance is reversed by contracting the muscles in the extremities, the reflex will stop.
1 Simple Step: Stop the Vasovagal Reaction!
Isometric contraction of the muscles of the hands, arms, hands, feet, and legs can immediately stop the vasovagal reaction in its tracks and prevent fainting. This is because, contracting the peripheral muscles pushes blood back into the center of the body which interrupts the reflex and stops it from progressing to loss of consciousness.
Know the Common Triggers
Some common events in patient care that can trigger vasovagal reactions:
• Invasive procedures like cervical or uterine biopsies or placement of an IUD
• Pap tests or other cervical swabbing
• Blood draws
• “Fainting at the sight of blood”
• Injections (immunizations)
• Watching a loved one have a procedure
• Patient's Victorian-era corset is too tight
Be Alert for Pre-Syncopal Signs or Symptoms Before a Trigger
Maintaining communication with your client before and during these types of triggering procedures can help you to notice signs or hear from the client if there are any symptoms of vasovagal.
• Lightheadedness, dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• Blurred or reduced vision (spots, dark, grey tone, or tunnel-vision)
• Fatigue, restlessness
• Sudden sensation of feeling hot or cold
• Sudden feeling of need to urinate or defecate
• Face looks pale or green or grey
• Dilated pupils
Is Your Client a Fainter?
Vasovagal reactions occur more frequently in people who have had one before. So, you can ask your clients if they have ever fainted or passed out at the sight of blood or when having an injection or procedure. If they say “yes,” let them know that they can prevent it from happening again by contracting the muscles in the extremities as soon as they notice it starting.
It is also helpful if they:
Drink plenty of water before coming in
Eat before coming in
Cross their legs and tense the muscles in the contralateral hand and arm before a blood draw or an injection.
Be Alert for Signs of an Impending Vasovagal Response
If you haven’t talked with your client about how to prevent a vasovagal reaction beforehand, watch for signs and symptoms of a vasovagal. If someone starts to show signs or have symptoms, touch the extremity closest to you and say: “Tense these muscles very, very tightly. Grip all the muscles in your arms, hands, legs and feet. Release the muscles in your belly, your buttocks, and your chest. Keep squeezing your muscles really hard.” When you sense the client needs a break after 30 seconds or so: “OK, go ahead and relax. How do you feel?” You can continue to do this for as long as it is necessary, but often only once or twice is enough.
Debriefing with your client can help to reassure them that this is a common reaction. “You were having a reaction that is common for people having this done. If you start to feel weird again, just grip your muscles again and that will stop it.”


There are a few different ways to install a tar.gz file on a Chromebook, but we’ll cover the two most common methods in this post. The first way is to use the Chrome browser to extract the file and install it manually. The second way is to use an app called crouton to install the file for you.
Each method has its own set of pros and cons, so let’s take a closer look at each one.
What Is a tar.gz File?
tar.gz is a compressed file format that combines the tar archive and the GNU zip compression utility. What this means is that the file can hold multiple files and directories together in one compressed archive.
This makes it a popular choice for distributing software over the internet, as it can reduce the download size by quite a bit. And because Chromebooks run on Chrome OS, which is based on Linux, you’ll be able to install tar.gz files on your device without any trouble.
Install tar.gz File on a Chromebook
We are going to show you how to install LibreOffice, one of the best Linux apps for Chromebooks, in this tutorial. It comes in a tar.gz file format and requires extraction and manual installation on the Linux container. I am assuming you have already set up Linux on your Chromebook. So without further ado, let’s jump to the steps.
- First of all, move the tar.gz file to the ‘Linux files‘ section under the Files app.
Next, press the “Ctrl + Enter” keyboard shortcut on your Chromebook and copy the file name. Make sure you copy the whole file name, including the tar.gz extension.
Now, fire up the Linux Terminal and run the below command. Make sure to replace the filename with the one you copied above. It will extract the tar.gz file from a folder on your Chromebook.
sudo tar -xf filename.tar.gz
Once the tar.gz file is extracted, move to the ‘Linux files’ section under the Files app and copy the folder name. This time, you will have no extension.
Now, run the below command to move inside the extracted folder. Remember to replace the folder name in the command with the actual name you copied above.
- Under the folder, look for .deb files. As for LibreOffice, the DEB files are under the “DEBS” folder, so we need to move them to that folder. Run the below command to move to the particular folder.
- Once here, execute the below command, and it will install all the DEB programs under the tar.gz file on your Chromebook. The installation will take a while, so please be patient.
sudo dpkg -i *.deb
- Finally, once the installation is complete, you can access the apps from the App Drawer under the Linux folder. That’s it.
Extract and Run tar.gz File on Chrome OS
So that is how you can install a tar.gz file on Chrome OS. I have also mentioned how you can extract the content of a tar.gz file through the Linux Terminal. If you don’t have access to Linux or just want to extract the content of a tar.gz file, follow our guide on how to extract ZIP, 7Z, or TAR files on a Chromebook. Anyway, that is all from us. If you have any questions, let us know in the comment section below.
You have just downloaded a tar.gz file, but you’re not sure how to install it on your Chromebook. Don’t worry – we’re here to help.
First, you’ll need to open the Files app on your Chromebook. Then, go to the location of the tar.gz file and click on it. A new window will open, and you’ll see a number of files inside the tar.gz file. Click on the file with the .tar extension.
A new window will open, and this is where you’ll choose the folder where you want to install the tar.gz file. Click on the folder and then click on Install. The installation process will begin, and when it’s finished, you’ll be able to use the files inside the tar.gz file just like any other files on your Chromebook.


text:
Why CBN denied Nigeria telcos mobile money licenses
GOVERNMENT| Feb. 18, 2012, 12:54 p.m.
By Lukas Ajanaku, Lagos, Nigeria
Despite knowing their about 100 million subscribers, Nigeria's financial sector regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it refused to license mobile phone operators to operate mobile money services in the country.
The CBN which spoke to Biztechafrica on the sidelines of the 66th edition of Telecoms Consumer Parliament (TCP) convened on Friday at the Excellence Hotel, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, explained that granting telecommunication service providers license to offer the service might compromise service quality in the country.
MTN, Etisalat, Airtel and Globacom are the gladiators in the global system for mobile (GSM) communication in the country, Visafone, Starcomms, ZomMobile and a few others operate in the sick code division multiple access (CDMA) section of the telecoms industry in the country.
George Sansa, a representative of the apex bank at the event, said when the issue of granting licenses for mobile money came up, it was debated thoroughly and it was agreed that mobile operators should not be burdened unnecessarily with offering mobile money services.
The issue of depreciating telecoms services has remained a daunting challenge to operators and regulators in the country with subscribers usually left to lick their wounds.
Sansa explained that in view of the challenges facing the operators, the CBN restricted their role in the scheme to providing only the traffic for the exercise.
“The CBN went through a rigorous process in rolling out the guidelines which are of international standard for the scheme.”
“The operators are supposed to be carriers. In order to avoid a clash, telecoms operators were exempted from the grant of operational licenses. We want to avoid a clash on interest,” Sansa said.
On security of the payment system in view of the massive fraud that greeted the introduction of automated teller machines (ATMs) in the country a couple of years ago, the CBN official said the apex bank has constituted an e-fraud forum which will not only collate electronic fraud cases in the country but investigate the modus operandi of such crime and suggest ways of nipping it in the bud.
On power failure factor which may likely scuttle the success of the scheme, he said there were dedicated lines for e-payment connectivity in the country, arguing that with the relentless investment of the federal government in the power sector, there appears a light at the end of the tunnel soon.
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