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Spa 1851 draws inspiration from Kiehl’s roots as an old–world
neighborhood apothecary developed by innovative pharmacists
and herbologists. Dedicated to delivering exemplary service, Spa
1851 will provide the most personalized care, visibly healthy
results and energy to both skin and body.
Our services include facial treatments that utilize high concentrations
of uniquely efficacious, natural ingredients in combination with
cutting-edge technologies for smoother, radiant, younger–looking skin.
Body treatments make use of old–world techniques to invigorate
circulation while nourishing and softening skin. Spa 1851 also offers
world–class grooming services, from refreshing shaves and classic
haircuts to signature brow, lash and waxing services — all in a relaxed
and inviting setting, true to Kiehl’s long–standing traditions.
Call 1–917–432–2503 or 1–888–SPA–1851
to book an appointment.
Roll over to pan across the room
The Ultra Facial – 60 minutes | $160
The ultimate facial to regenerate skin, maintain balance and restore optimal skin health and hydration levels. This treatment includes thorough cleansing, manual exfoliation, extractions and a hydrating infusion therapy. Products used contain high concentrations of Squalane, a Kiehl’s signature ingredient.
Deep Pore Cleansing Facial – 75 minutes | $180
Say goodbye to clogged, enlarged pores, blemishes and shine with this intensive, yet gentle facial treatment. This treatment includes deep–cleansing methods, a skin–type specific exfoliating peel and extensive extractions to treat clogged pores. Lastly, a calming vitamin–rich balancing infusion will leave skin feeling fresh and invigorated. The perfect option for those who have not had a facial in quite some time to deeply purify pores.
Anti–Wrinkle Rejuvenating Facial – 75 minutes | $195
Rescue and revive skin with this antioxidant–rich facial to repair and minimize signs of skin aging, including fine lines and wrinkles, while protecting skin against further damage. This treatment includes a skin–type specific exfoliating peel or micro–dermabrasion. A vitamin–rich, customized infusion therapy fights aging to leave skin looking younger, feeling both rejuvenated and hydrated.
Ultra Riche Revitalizing Firming Facial – 75 minutes | $195
The ideal facial remedy to infuse lifeless, tired–looking skin with vitality while diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improving firmness. This treatment includes a skin–type specific exfoliating peel or micro–dermabrasion to effectively refine skin texture. Micro current stimulation and LED technologies are then used to increase facial circulation and lift the contours of the face and neck, for a younger–looking, firmer and healthier appearance.
Men’s Refueling Facial – 60 minutes | $170
Transform fatigued skin with the ultimate men’s facial workout for a renewed and invigorated look. This treatment will thoroughly cleanse skin, using a skin–type specific exfoliating peel or micro–dermabrasion to refuel, and a customized infusion therapy to re–energize and revitalize skin. Our highly effective products are specifically designed for a man’s skin to combat surface wrinkles and loss of firmness for a healthier overall appearance.
Re–Texturizing Micro–Dermabrasion Facial – 60 minutes | $235
This restorative treatment diminishes fine lines and wrinkles through deep exfoliation, skin regeneration and by increasing circulation, leaving skin smooth, even–toned and rejuvenated.
Mini Re–Texturizing Micro–Dermabrasion Facial
30 minutes | $135
Maintain–younger looking skin with this mini–treatment. A perfect way to get set for a night on the town or to refresh your appearance between full–service sessions.
Superbly Restorative Mini Facial – 30 minutes | $90
Perfect for those with limited time. The mini version of our Signature Facial includes a cleanse, pressure point massage utilizing Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate and a customized apothecary mask, delivering maximum results in minimum time. Mini Facial does not include extraction.
Custom Peel | $45
Our customized exfoliating and refining acid peel jump–starts cell regeneration, evens skin tone and firms sagging skin. We have a peel for everyone – those with acne prone skin, hormonal skin concerns, discoloration, loss of firmness, or fine lines and wrinkles.
Micro–Dermabrasion Hand, Face, & Neck Treatment | $65
This targeted treatment provides immediate and visible improvement of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone and texture. Ideal for those looking to refine skin’s texture in areas of concern.
Vitamin–Infused Oxygen Treatment | $45
This treatment infuses skin with oxygen and antioxidants in the form of Vitamins A, C and E to smooth, brighten and deeply hydrate the skin’s surface for a revived glow and overall healthy appearance.
Collagen Mask | $45
Suitable for all skin types, especially aging skin. This soothing mask utilizes special hydrating ingredients to increase cellular metabolism and to preserve collagen, which helps maintain elasticity and prevent premature aging of the skin. The mask also helps rejuvenate eyes by firming, toning and brightening the eye area and replenishes lips by moisturizing and alleviating chapping and dehydration.
Herbal Scalp and Hair Treatment | $45
The perfect treatment for your specific hair and scalp needs using Kiehl’s signature vitamin–enriched hair products. A targeted scalp treatment and deeply conditioning hair mask improves circulation and restores hair and scalp health.
Deeply Nourishing and Moisturizing Body Polish – 60 minutes | $160
Immerse your skin in this ultra–rich treatment to visibly improve its overall texture and appearance, with deeply nourishing Kiehl’s signature ingredients – Squalane and Beta–Carotene. This treatment includes a Soy Milk and Honey body polish to refine skin texture. Formulated with a blend of naturally–derived emollients and antioxidants, this treatment leaves the skin instantly soft, smooth, and moisturized.
Ultimate Kiehl’s Body Restoration – 2 hours, 30 minutes | $330
The ultimate experience in body care, this treatment begins with a customized salt or sugar body scrub, to exfoliate impurities and imperfections and prepare skin to effectively absorb the Superbly Restorative Argan Treatment. A full body parafango wrap locks in the natural benefits of antioxidant–enriched Argan Oil, leaving the skin deeply hydrated, resilient and restored. Finally, our signature 60–minute massage soothes over–worked muscles and reinvigorates the body from the inside out. This treatment is ideal for those who seek the ultimate body–restoring experience.
Kiehl’s Superbly Restorative Massage
Relieve stressed out, tension–plagued muscles while hydrating parched skin and improving circulation with Kiehl’s famous signature body products.
30 minute – $80
60 minute – $150*
90 minute – $190*
*Includes a customized re–mineralizing herbal pack.
Intensive Deep–Tissue Massage
This treatment is designed for the physically active, combining a muscle–melting, hot parafango pack with an intensive, deep tissue massage to soothe sore, over–worked muscles.
60 minute - $170
Brow Styling – 20 minutes | $75
Define and enhance the natural beauty of brows with precision, shaping and tweezing.
Customized Full Eyelash Extensions – 2 hours | $460
Half Eyelash Extensions – 1 hour | $275
Awaken eyes with individual natural lash extensions applied along the outer corner of the lash line for a full, voluminous look.
Extensions Interim Maintenance – 1 hour | $150
Maintain the perfect look between treatments.
*Additional 15 minutes – $30.00
Individual Lash Application – 15 minutes | $50
Lash Consultation – 30 minutes | $60
Lash Removal Services – 15 minutes | $35
Basic Bikini | $35
Brazilian Bikini | $75
Full Leg | $95
Upper Leg | $65
Lower Leg | $40
Full Arm | $45
Half Arm | $35
Underarm | $24
Lip | $15
Eyebrow | $35
Call 1–917–432–2503 or 1–888–SPA–1851 with questions or BOOK NOW

domain: health


Bring history to life with this brand new powerful virtual reality Holocaust Educational Experience: Triumph of the Spirit.
Triumph of the Spirit - a 360-degree Virtual Reality Holocaust Educational Experience
Triumph of the Spirit is a 360-degree Virtual Reality experience located in Jerusalem, that transports you directly into the heart of the Auschwitz and Birkenau camps. Through the visionary collaboration of innovative filmmakers and the power of modern technology, this immersive experience allows you to grasp the magnitude of the tragedy that unfolded during that horrific period.
Scroll down to the end for details and for a moving 360° preview video!
Discover the remarkable opportunity to embark on a transformative journey that brings history to life in an all new way. For years, educators and historians have sought ways to make Holocaust education accessible and impactful for all audiences. Now, in the heart of downtown Jerusalem, an extraordinary new film experience awaits you.
What sets Triumph of the Spirit apart?
What sets Triumph of the Spirit apart is the unique timing of its creation. Filmed during the days of the Corona travel bans, the camps were captured in their unadulterated form, free from any visual interruptions. The result is an exceptionally sterile, yet natural glimpse into these historically significant sites, providing a window into the past like never before.
How did the Project come about?
This groundbreaking project originated from an unexpected source in the world of modern
media. Three charedi (ultra-orthodox) Israeli women had a profound vision to utilize the power of Virtual Reality to offer their community an authentic experience of visiting the camps.
Recognizing the practical and financial limitations that hinder many from traveling to Poland,
they seized the opportunity to create a portable experience that could be shared with
audiences of all backgrounds.
Guiding the audience through the experience is Rabbi Yisrael Goldwasser, a renowned Holocaust educator from the charedi community, who has skillfully woven universal messages and stories to make the presentation authentic and deeply meaningful. The original Hebrew text has been meticulously translated into English and presented by seasoned professionals, and is enhanced by an evocative original musical score.
How to book?
Triumph of the Spirit is now available in English for age15+ for individuals, families, and groups of up to 40 people at their exclusive Viewing Center located in the Mamilla Mall in Jerusalem, entrance from the mall’s -1 floor. Follow the signs for the Jerusalem Time Elevator.
Reservations are required to secure your spot on this profound journey.
Book tickets now at https://jvr360.co.il/en/ and prepare to be forever changed by the Triumph of the Spirit experience.
For a 360°view on a smartphone, move the device or drag the video with your finger.
On a computer, click and drag the mouse.


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Gretsch guitars have always been renowned for their unique tone and style, and this 1961 Gretsch 6125 Anniversary model is a great example of both. Featuring a laminate maple body with a single FilterTron pickup in the neck position, this guitar is finished in the rarely seen two tone tan finish, also known as Jaguar Tan & Bamboo Ivory. The neck features thumbprint fretboard inlays, Anniversary headstock plate and a factory fitted 'G' cut out trapeze tailpiece, all of which are synonymous with the signature style found on vintage Gretsch guitars.
This guitar is in excellent condition, with only some minor signs of cosmetic wear to the finish and binding. The guitar is internally and externally original, and includes a non original hard case.

domain: design


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Agri chief pushes Basmati-type varieties for rice export to Middle East
MANILA, Philippines—The country should start experimenting with rice varieties to export as the Middle East is keen on buying Basmati rice from the Philippines, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.
Alcala said rice self-sufficiency is “within arm’s reach” of the Philippines. He noted that the Philippines could have halted its importation program this year if not for the farm losses caused by typhoons last year.
Alcala said the country lost 1 million tons of palay (unmilled rice), equivalent to 650,000 MT of milled rice, due to the typhoons.
“So, even if we don’t reach the sufficiency level, our feeling in the Department (of Agriculture) is to begin looking for varieties that we could export like Basmati. We have talked to Qatar and Kuwait and they are willing to accept Basmati rice that we will plant,” Alcala said in a media interview.
The Philippine and Qatar government recently signed several agreements to boost trade and investment ties. One of the agreements focused on agriculture and fisheries sectors.
The Philippines used to be the world’s top rice importer, purchasing as much as 2 million tons of rice in 2010.
The Aquino government has vowed to make the Philippines sufficient in rice by 2013. Since 2011, the country has drastically cut down its import requirement.
For 2012, the Philippines said it will import 500,000 MT of rice, half of which will be brought in by the private sector.
This year, nineteen rice traders and cooperatives were given permits to bring in half of the country’s rice import requirement, the National Food Authority said. Of that, 11 traders are based in Luzon, the rest are in Visayas and Mindanao.
Those who won import contracts for Luzon were: King Casey Trading, Loui London Trading, St. Andrew’s Field Grains and Cereal Trading, Wish Granted Enterprise, Montevallo Enterprise, Formosa Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC) Riverview MPC, Ugnayang Magsasaka sa Kaunlaran MPC, GPI San Miguel MPC, St. Dominique Rice and Food Stuff Enterprise., and Pure Country Trading.
The winning bidders from the Visayas and Mindanao region are the Chon Buri Trading, Mahindra Rice and Food Trading, Nemic Fusion Rice and Grains Enterprise, West Point Rice and Cereals Enterprise, Jaded Ranch Grains and Cereals Trading, Red Mountain Grain and Cereal Dealer, Sitio Muzon Farmers MPC, and Sta. Cecilia MPC.
The NFA said each importer is allowed to bring in 10,000 MT of rice. The agency said the private sector importation program gave the NFA a P1.14 billion income, which came from the winning bidders’ service fee.
The average service fee for this year’s private sector importation was at P6.28 per kilo or P614 per bag, which is a record high despite the lower volume this year.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.

domain: agronomy


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Villain SimulatorBy MiniPlay on June 10, 2018 17:41
Discover this naughty 3D fighting game -- control one of your favorite villains and wreak havoc! If you're tired of playing the classic respectful hero and you'd like to go for some evil deeds instead, this is your game! Climb buildings, uncover secrets, pick up on the people you come across... Do as you please! You can unlock new characters as you make progress in the game.

domain: game


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Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush's Himanshu Soni: Playing Buddha took a toll on me; learnt to not get affected post that
Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush premiered on Colors from August 5 at 8: 30 PM. The show sees Himanshu Soni play Lord Ram as Shivya Pathania plays Sita. Produced by Siddharth Kumar Tewary, the show will see Ramayan from the perspective of Luv Kush and while that sounds exciting, this is Himanshu's fourth portrayal as lord. He earlier played Lord Krishna in Radha Krishna, Lord Vishnu in Ramayan, Buddha in the show by the same name and a modern Lord Shiva in Neeli Chatri Waale.
In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, when asked if, in this competitive world, he feels the nervousness of getting typecast, Himanshu said that he doesn't. "It takes a lot to play a divine character and if I am getting approached to play such roles, there must be a reason behind it. Why say no to it for no reason? And if this leads to me being typecast then be it. As long as I am enjoying playing the characters, I am fine with it."
Ask him if playing such mythological characters, ever take a toll on him, is switching on and off difficult on a daily basis? To this, Himanshu revealed, "Playing Buddha had taken a toll on me. I remember it affected me so much that I found it very difficult to come out of that character but post that I have learnt to switch on and off as per requirement for my own sanity. I have learnt to not let any character affect me so much."
Himanshu also shared that he is very excited to be playing Ram and for that, he as an artist has to understand and restraint himself from certain emotions and that is the most interesting part.

domain: entertainment


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Still thinking about all of the delicious Thanksgiving food from yesterday? Here is a food-themed collection of book reviews and articles for you to dig into over leftovers: Christel Lane : The Cultivation of Taste: Chefs and the Organization of Fine Dining. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014. 368 pp. $45.00/£30.00, hardback. Read the review by Michaela DeSoucey … Continue reading Delectable Reads: An Abundance of Book Reviews and Articles About Food
Looking for holiday gift ideas or just a good read to relax with over the long weekend? We've provided you with three insightful book reviews to sink your teeth into. Saru Jayaraman. Behind the Kitchen Door. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press/ILR Press, 2013. 208 pp. ISBN 978-0-8014-7951-9. $15.95 (Paperback). Read the review by Janice Fine … Continue reading A Cornucopia of Book Reviews!
[We're pleased to welcome Carolyn M. Plump who collaborated with William Van Buskirk for Clare Morgan's What Poetry Brings to Business.] While searching for creative ways to reach our students, we came across Clare Morgan’s book, What Poetry Brings to Business. The book has innovative suggestions for how one can use poetry to expand business … Continue reading Can Poetry Benefit Business Students?

domain: library


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Joey Gallo is probably the most exciting prospect the Texas Rangers have had since Jurickson Profar was the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball. Even that might have been less just because power and home runs are sexy, and Gallo brings both of those in spades.
Gallo is unsurprisingly making noise in some batting practice sessions that are currently underway in Arlington before the team heads off to Arizona for spring training. This after he made headlines at the MLB all-star weekend when he shattered the windshield of a pickup truck that had to have been more than 500 feet from home plate at Minneapolis' Target Field in batting practice for the MLB Futures Game, which he also homered in.
But it's imperative the Rangers take it slow with Gallo, something they didn't do with Profar.
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
The 21-year-old set High-A on fire last year and was named MVP of the Carolina League despite only playing half the season there before being promoted to Double-A Frisco. His average dropped nearly 100 points with the move to Frisco and his strikeouts nearly doubled. However, he hit 21 home runs in each league and actually had more RBIs in Frisco.
So he showed he can still mash, regardless of level, but the batting average and strikeout numbers suffered dramatically with the promotion.
So not only should Gallo not see Arlington in 2015, unless it's a cup of coffee in September, but he should start the year at Double-A and stay there until he can improve on the plate discipline and hitting for average. In other words, take it really slow with the guy. There is a guy named Adrian Beltre who has third base pretty well locked down in Arlington. Gallo has a chance to be a transcendent player and you hate to see him ruined by a fast track.

domain: news


Greece: When will PPP resistance end?
What does an investor expect from a public private partnership (PPP) in the port sector?
To make money of course albeit within the ‘rules’ set under the terms of the governing concession agreement and within the framework of any port masterplan. But it seems this is more of a challenge in Greece with PPP’s suffering from what can be interpreted as an unusual degree of tinkering as highlighted recently in the port of Piraeus.
Greece’s Committee of Planning and Development of Ports approved a range of expansion plans for the Port of Piraeus, valued at USD673 million, but, for the time being at least, turned down the plans of COSCO Shipping, the port’s majority owner (51%), to realise a major expansion of container terminal capacity.
In business terms, given that COSCO is satisfied with its business plan for the new container terminal expansion, there seems to be no real commercial justification for the Committee not to sanction the plan.
The motivation to do so appears to originate more from what can be termed wider considerations. It is a matter of record that Greece under the previous left wing Syriza Government was effectively dragged to the table by the EU to privatise key infrastructure including its main ports – Piraeus and Thessaloniki – as a primary condition of its massive economic bail-out.
Prior to this there was resistance all the way down the line to the idea of implementing PPPs and then when this became inevitable so began a process of bureaucratising PPPs from which port sector privatisations continue to suffer today.
Indicative of this when the left wing Syriza party came to power in 2015, Alexis Tsipras, the new prime minister, appointed Thodoris Dritsas as Shipping Minister who promptly announced, “The port sell-off stops here!”
This didn’t last long, however, with the Syriza Government compelled to implement the major port sell offs as part of the new EU July 2015 bailout agreement. The response to this on the part of government, however, in the case of Piraeus was to tinker with the terms of the original deal which included removing a large non-operational section of the site from the opportunity.
Then came the setting up of a port authority whose function, COSCO complained at the time, overlapped with that of several existing bodies and created unnecessary bureaucracy. And all the time, prior to COSCO signing the deal, in April 2016, Mr Drisitas and others fought the deal inside government. There was then a hiatus whereby Mr Drisitas took until 29 June to submit the contract to Parliament for approval.
When it was submitted the text of the deal contained changes that COSCO had not seen before – a major one being that the government would no longer have to abide by 90-day deadlines for granting licences to COSCO’s activities thus creating the opportunity for various ministries to delay projects.
This led to Angelos Karakostas, acting on behalf of COSCO, writing a pointed letter to lawmakers suggesting that someone in government was “completely reversing” the deal “unilaterally.”
The terms of the original contract were hurriedly restored and the deal was eventually ratified on 30 June 2016. Under the terms of the whole port privatisation COSCO purchased 51 per cent of Piraeus for USD280.5 million and contingent on completing investments worth USD350 million over the next decade it has the right to purchase a further 16 per cent for USD88 million after a five-year period.
COSCO formally signed the agreement that made it the 51 per cent owner of Piraeus on 10 August 2016 with the signing ceremony taking place at the Athens Stock Exchange.
There has, of course, recently been a change of government in Greece – the centre right New Democracy party assuming power with promises of progressive economic reform. So far, however, this does not seem to have translated into PPP’s “without strings attached.”
Piraeus has taken a step forward with part of its expansion plans approved but the justification for holding up its container terminal expansion does not appear to have been formulated on pure business grounds.
Generally, the jury is still out on exactly what New Democracy will do to oil the wheels of progress in Greece’s port sector and facilitate the primary goal of investors, to generate reasonable returns on the substantial investments made.
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The fast-paced, high-energy Bullet Train sped into the box office station this weekend and will come out the other side relatively on time. The action movie, which stars Brad Pitt as a thoughtful assassin just trying to do a quick smash-and-grab job, took a big step toward paying for itself and delivering on expectations with a solid performance over its first three days. Current estimates have it taking home more than thirty million dollars this weekend, which is a really solid start but not exactly a dream scenario for a movie that reportedly cost around $90M to make.
You can check out how Bullet Train faired, along with everything else in the Top 10 below…
|Title||Weekend Gross||Domestic Gross||Last Weekend||Theaters|
|1. Bullet Train||$30,125,000||$30,125,000||Row 1 - Cell 3||4,357|
|2. DC League Of Super-Pets||$11,200,000||$45,101,882||1||4,332|
|4. Thor: Love & Thunder||$7,600,000||$316,064,051||3||3,400|
|5. Minions: Rise Of Gru||$7,110,000||$334,577,685||4||3,188|
|6. Top Gun: Maverick||$7,030,000||$662,510,244||5||2,760|
|7. Where The Crawdads Sing||$5,650,000||$64,623,404||6||3,164|
|8. Easter Sunday||$5,250,000||$5,250,000||Row 8 - Cell 3||3,175|
|10. The Black Phone||$1,460,000||$85,897,535||8||1,197|
Bullet Train's Opening Weekend Is Perfectly Solid
There's always a rush to quickly label newly released movies as either big winners or big losers, but a lot of films have a debut that fall somewhere between those extremes. That's how I would look at Bullet Train. On the one hand, it's an action film with a $90M budget that stars Brad Pitt and was getting a fair amount of positive word of mouth. I'm sure the studio had fantasies of a spectacular box office run, and I get it. On the other hand, it's not part of a franchise, its source material isn't that well known outside the target demographic, and the supporting cast, while great, isn't exactly Ocean's 11.
The film's financial future will likely depend greatly on how things look next weekend. The movie has been getting positive word of mouth. It went over very well in the screening I saw, and it's rolling at a B+ on CinemaScore. If people tell their friends and a good percentage of them turn up, and it's able to have a pretty solid hold, it'll likely be in good shape for a nice little box office run leading into streaming. If it has a weaker than expected second weekend, it likely won't have a ton of long-term legs.
Nope Is About To Cross $100M
Jordan Peele's third movie, Nope, continues to do steady business at the box office. His latest horror film, which has gotten pretty positive reviews from critics and a range of responses from audiences, made an additional eight million plus this weekend and will very shortly pass $100M at the domestic box office, per The Numbers. As a comparison, Peele's first film, Get Out, did $175M and change at the local box office and his second film, Us, also did $175M and change at the box office.
It seems unlikely Nope will get to that figure during its initial release, but with a budget reportedly in the $60-$70M range, that's still pretty solid business. No doubt it'll be very widely consumed once it hits streaming services, as well. There's still some time on that, however, as the film is only in its third weekend of release.
There's nothing too crazy at the box office this weekend, but I will shoutout a few interesting things from my perspective. First, a huge shout-out has to go to Top Gun: Maverick for somehow still being the number six movie in its eleventh weekend after release. That's an incredible stat. A lot of movies don't even make it five weeks in the top ten, let along eleven weekends in the top six. What a run.
Jo Koy's Easter Sunday also opened to steady business. The delightful comedy was expected to make somewhere in the mid-single digits per Deadline, and it achieved exactly that. It'll be interesting to see how well that movie holds moving forward, though. Did those it was seeking to reach all make it a point to go the first weekend or will there be any word of mouth to keep it at this level for a few more weekends?
We'll see next weekend when you can check back here for more box office coverage.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Enthusiastic about Clue, case-of-the-week mysteries, a great wrestling promo and cookies at Disney World. Less enthusiastic about the pricing structure of cable, loud noises and Tuesdays.


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As the Senior Editor of IndependentTraveler.com, one of the inevitable questions I’m asked when someone finds out what I do for a living is “What’s your favorite place?” Or the equally impossible-to-answer “What’s the best trip you’ve ever taken?” Honestly, I’d have a hard time just narrowing it down to my top five. You might as well ask a mother to choose between her children.
Of course, if you travel long enough, you’ll also develop a list of places that maybe you didn’t love as much. In the Huffington Post, fellow travel writer David Landsel has come up with a doozy on places he’d rather not see again: 10 Terribly Overrated Destinations (And Where To Travel Instead).
Landsel dubs San Francisco a “grotfest,” disses Denver as “a weirdly bland, Midwestern snore” and rejects the entire Caribbean region in one sweeping stroke (“Too many of the islands are depressingly violent, pathetically corrupt and/or hopelessly dysfunctional”). Ouch.
He also takes issue with Asheville, North Carolina, describing it as “a bottlenecked blot on a lovely landscape” and a “physically and emotionally fragmented mountain town full of people who seem really annoyed by everything.”
But after returning from my second visit there a few months ago, and having included it in IndependentTraveler.com’s favorite spots for a weekend getaway, I have to disagree. Maybe Landsel should have come with me and my mom to one of Asheville’s Friday night drum circles, when it feels like the entire town gathers for a lively, joyful musical party that goes for hours.
And Asheville’s food is “just fine”? Bummer — he must’ve missed out on the decadent, dinner-plate-sized sweet potato pancake at Tupelo Honey Cafe, topped with spiced pecans and peach butter. I’m still dreaming about it.
Of course, everyone’s entitled to his or her opinion. My own let-down list would probably include Belfast, Northern Ireland; Atlanta, Georgia; and Aix-en-Provence, France. I’d heard good things about all of them, but somehow they just didn’t speak to me. That said, I’d be willing to give them all a second chance; maybe I was in the wrong neighborhood, or simply the wrong mood.
So lest any readers out there are considering avoiding places like Buenos Aires, San Francisco, Costa Rica or Chicago on the strength of this article, allow me to throw my own advice into the ring: take the trip and see for yourself.
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

domain: travel


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Poodle named "Clover" rescued in Madera County
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Madera County Animal Shelter officials are now caring for a dog they say suffered a severe case of animal cruelty.
On Monday, a Good Samaritan saw the poodle mix dog through a fence in a backyard. It was tangled and tied with a rope cutting into its neck. The animal shelter says it appears the plastic rope was put on the dog's neck as a young puppy and never taken off or adjusted. The dog has been given the name "Clover". Police hope to charge the owners with animal cruelty.
"When we approached the dog he was very scared. We saw that the collar was embedded," said Animal Control Officer, Chelsea Roble. "When I reached to touch him to see how bad it was you know and I actually touched him -- he went to bite because he was in so much pain."
"Clover" underwent surgery to remove the rope from his neck. The vet says he is doing better Thursday night and is eating food.
animal, madera, madera county, local
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domain: pet


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Why Choose Us?
At Diamond Leaf Landscape Dubai, we provide you different options for a water feature. Our landscape architects and engineers will understand your needs and desires, and accordingly come up with a fabulous water feature design. We have the expertise to design and construct a water feature for your garden or indoor living space.
Most of our clients prefer having a water feature in their garden or backyard and the preferred choice is a water fountain. We provide you with different design options, including classic water fountain and futuristic or contemporary designs. We make sure that whichever design you choose, it is in complete harmony with the theme and décor of your garden.
We also have the expertise to design and construct waterfalls. We can create Oriental-type waterfall, step-style falls, or wall-style waterfall, depending on your taste, preferences and desire. Each type of waterfall is unique and can have a profound effect on your garden. Our expertise will give you the pros and cons of each type of water fall, so that you can make an informed decision.


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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
First Committee Member
Second Committee Member
Third Committee Member
Fourth Committee Member
Number of Pages
Successful test performance is essential to nursing students. Poor performance comes with consequences such as inability to progress or removal from the program, leading to attrition. The influence of academic factors on test performance have been widely researched and stress is known to hinder it, yet other factors may also impact test performance.
Dispositional mindfulness has the potential to support test performance, but no known studies have focused on these two variables among undergraduate nursing students. A gap also exists in relation to the influence of nonacademic factors on undergraduate nursing students’ test performance. Due to the ongoing nursing shortage, understanding these relationships may be impactful to support undergraduate nursing students in their program completion.
Using the Yerkes-Dodson Law, this study served to fill the gap in existing literature using a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design. Five research questions were identified. After Institutional Review Board approval, this study was conducted with a convenience sample from five Midwestern schools with a sample size of 99 participants. Recruitment criteria included senior nursing students taking the Assessment Technologies Institutes (ATI) Comprehensive Predictor examination as a measure of test performance. Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression were used to test the research questions and analyze findings while controlling for relevant variables.
Analyses of the research questions revealed no significant correlations between dispositional mindfulness and test performance as well as nonacademic factors and test performance. Neither mindfulness nor nonacademic factors moderated the relationships between stress and test performance or between nonacademic factors and test performance. However, it was found in the regression models that the severity of nonacademic factors was a negative predictor for test performance after controlling for relevant variables. Findings also showed that there was significant moderate to strong correlations between mindfulness and stress, nonacademic factors and stress, and mindfulness and nonacademic factors. These findings add to the literature due to the current gap in evaluating these factors among undergraduate nursing students.
The results of this study provide new information that can be used to inform future research and can be utilized by nurse educators and nursing schools to enhance student support. Enhancing nursing student support services in nursing programs can potentially enhance retention, progression, and completion, and ultimately increase the nursing workforce.
Daily hassles; Mindfulness; Nonacademic factors; Nursing; Stress; Test performance
Education | Nursing
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Baumeister, Rebecca A., "Relationships between Mindfulness, Nonacademic Factors, Stress, and Test Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study" (2021). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 4232.
IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

domain: psychology


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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Posted: 02/5/2013 4:13 PM | Comments: 0
Ahead of their big fundraising gala, the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba was poised for a flood of donations.
But there was a flood of a different kind.
On Tuesday morning, the society’s Donald Street office was flooded when a sprinkler line froze and blew apart — all while staff were preparing for the Winnipeg Gala on Feb. 7 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, and sent scrambling to save thousands of dollars' worth of auction items.
"Basically, our ceiling opened up," said Kim Mardero, ASM manager of events and corporate giving. "It looked like a giant waterfall. It was crazy."
However, Mardero said while the office, which houses a staff of 17, will require extensive renovations and repairs, the auction items — "there were some things floating around" — were saved.
The Winnipeg Gala — called the Night to Remember in Africa — is budgeted to bring in $260,000 for the society.
Mardero said workers from Derksen Group, an ASM sponsor that ironically includes plumbing services, arrived in four trucks to haul away thousands of dollars worth of paintings, iPads, diamond necklaces and sports memorabilia.
However, Mardero noted that services offered by the office, including counselling and support groups, will have to be relocated for at least a few weeks. The ASM will look for temporary offices in the meantime.
"There’s no way we can work there," Mardero said. "It’s just wrecked. There was a foot of water on the carpet."
Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.
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Hiker rescued from Mantario Trail after abdominal pain
Hundreds take part in Labour Day march
Suspects sought after Osborne Village assault
Mix of sun and cloud today, but risk of showers tonight
Mounties rescue hikers
Manitoba woman dies in B.C. highway collision
Cause of electrical fire still unclear: Hydro
Man charged after stabbing puts another man in hospital
Wet and cool today, sunny on Labour Day
Power-line fire shuts down Main Street
River can't dampen celebration
Teen adds name to trustee ballot
Bailey's owners proud of old-world charm
What I learned working at the Free Press
Missing in action: Wasylycia-Leis has kept a low profile this campaign
Some online readers perplexed by poll results
Things to Do
Sunday horoscope august 31
Downtown outage causes 1,400 to lose power
RCMP investigate knife assault at Selkirk bar
Prairie Barge Festival brings Manitoba, Saskatchewan artists to The Forks
Stabbing in Weston area sends man to hospital
Approaching cars will be a no-no
Thoughts from those with their hands out
Long weekend to see mix of showers and sunny skies
Finding our voice: A primer on the Manitoba dialect
Blaze razes West Hawk landmark
Scientists back in Winnipeg
Teen denied bail in nightclub shooting
Judge slaps cable's Marty
Damaged bridge divides a town
New kitchen, less distress
Moose-hunting ban expanded in Manitoba
Sniffing out zebra mussels
Spat over who will step down


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Unalaska's Aquatic Center Reopens After Renovations
Unalaska's Aquatic Center is reopening this weekend after six months of renovations.
While the swimming pool its?elf remains the same, Aquatics Manager Brina Lynch said the area has been upgraded with new start?ing blocks, a new scoreboard with a touch-pad timing system, and new speake?rs.
Those improvements should help the Raiders swim team and its supporters, according to Lynch.
"One of the things we heard from swimming fans was they could never hear the names of the kids swimming or the results," said Lynch. "So we now have a speaker system that plays music but can also make announcements."
Outside the pool area, Lynch said visitors will find remodeled locker rooms, resurfaced floors, and a family changing room that's fully accessible to pool-goers with disabilities.
The showers have also been renovated in the men's and women's locker rooms. Lynch said communal showers have been replaced by individual stalls with curtains for privacy and timers to conserve water.
"That was actually a public request," said Lynch. "We heard: 'The showers are always running. It's such a waste of water.' So now we've fixed that problem."
Despite the improvements, Lynch said she's not sure if the Aquatic Center will have a flood of new visitors when it reopens.
"We have a regular group of people who come for lap swims." she said. "But with the sauna expansion, I think I expect to draw a little bit of a bigger crowd."
The new sauna doubles the seating space of the previous steam room, and Lynch said its foldable bench makes it fully accessible.
The newly renovated Aquatic Center is hosting a grand reopening celebration on Sept. 4, when Unalaskans can tour the facility and swim. The pool's regular hours will resume on Sept. 6.


When are the NHL Playoffs 2021?
The 2021 NHL Playoffs are all set to commence. Here is everything you ought to know about when and where game will be played, as well as tipping on who is favorite to win the Stanley Cup. All three divisions on the American side of the border will begin the playoffs this weekend in what should be an exciting start to the tournament.
How Does it Work?
The Top four teams in each division make the playoffs, the No.1 seed playing No.4, the second-best team against No.3, with the winners all progressing to play each other. After this round of events, one team will be crowned the winner of their division. The four teams that win their respective division will be re-seeded based on the total points acquired during the regular season. All this simply means that this year we could be in for some very keenly contested and unexpected encounters.
A Long journey to Glory
Winning this tournament is far from a straightforward task. Teams must go through three playoff rounds before battling it out in the Stanley Cup final which comes just after the 56-game regular season.
The goal is to rank in one of the eight teams in the postseason from each conference. The Vegas Golden Knights are just one of a number of teams who made a historic triumph in an unimaginable feat. Let’s have a look at who were the other outsiders in history to win the cup.
- In 2012, The L.A. Kings headed into the playoffs as an eighth seed and were 20-1 to take home their first title. They secured a remarkable 10-1 road record, and while winning 16 of 20 playoff games, they outplayed and outscored their opponents by an impressive 57-30.
- In 1995, The New Jersey Devils were a fifth seed when the playoffs started. They failed to impress in the regular season and very few predicted a result in their favor against the The Red Wings. They however defied all the odds and went on to win 4-0.
- In 1986, the Montreal Canadiens shocked the Hockey World with a 4-1 finals victory over the Calgary Flames with a team that included inexperienced and rookie players.
Who are the Favourites to win the 2021 Tournament?
The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights both stemming from the West Division, are a cut above the rest and considered the biggest favorites to claim the trophy. Defending Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning look to be way short of the team who last won the cup; and having won just eight of fourteen in April, they will surely need to level things up if they are to be with a chance of repeating their success.
First Round (Beginning May 15)
|New York Islanders
|Tampa Bay Lightning
|West Division No. 1
|Saint Louis Blues
|West Division No. 2
|West Division No. 3
|Toronto Maple Leafs


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I am going to be a mother. Its the greatest gift of my life. I am tremendously fortunate to have a loving family, and a perfect husband to support me in my choice to be a mother. My life has been a series of coincidental blessings. I wouldn't say that it has been a perfect road, however I would say that it has brought me to what feels like a perfect destination.
I married my best friend despite our drastically different upbringing, and our misguided understanding of what normalcy meant. I had the courage to follow my heart in a world where people get caught up in the logistics.
If I could pin point utter and complete happiness, it would be me today. I feel that I have everything. Does this mean I have a mansion in the hills? No. Does it mean that I have fulfilled my aspirations of being a successful artist? Maybe.
What my happiness means to me is that I have followed my heart, and allowed the beautiful spirit to guide me.
My life mission is to convert negative energy into positive energy. Its to come into a place where I can choose to be happy no matter what the given circumstances are. I hope to impact peoples lives in a positive way, and to surround myself and my family with as much beauty and light as possible. As a singer, my goal is to spread love and light. I consider myself a communicator before I am even a technical singer. I also want to be a good mother. A good teacher, and a good partner to my husband. And I am sure our child will teach us just as equally. Those are the things that are important to me.
I haven't documented my pregnancy thus far publicly. Mainly because I am a pretty shy person, although I know thats not how it might seem. I felt that it would be important for me to include the people that have so inspired me in years past. You. So, here is my baby girl all wrapped up in her little cocoon in my belly. She is healthy as far as we know, and very used to her daddy's music as we have been on tour throughout his rise up the charts. In a few weeks Nico Vega will tour for about ten days on the west coast and I am hoping to see some of you.
Thank you for allowing me to share this beautiful experience with all of you. If there is one last thing I would like to leave you with, it is this...
Its easy to find problems to focus on. Its also easy to take issue with every menial misfortune in life. The challenge is to find and experience happiness. The trick is that its not something that you must find. Its something you already have. You either choose it, or you choose otherwise. That is how I became happy. I chose it. And this little girl is every bit a part of that bliss.

domain: artistic


GMC Terrain: Interior Care
To prevent dirt particle abrasions, regularly clean the vehicle's interior. Immediately remove any soils. Note that newspapers or dark garments that can transfer color to home furnishings can also permanently transfer color to the vehicle's interior.
Use a soft bristle brush to remove dust from knobs and crevices on the instrument cluster. Using a mild soap solution, immediately remove hand lotions, sunscreen, and insect repellant from all interior surfaces or permanent damage may result.
Your dealer may have products for cleaning the interior. Use cleaners specifically designed for the surfaces being cleaned to prevent permanent damage. To prevent overspray, apply all cleaners directly to the cleaning cloth. Cleaners should be removed quickly. Never allow cleaners to remain on the surface being cleaned for extended periods of time.
Cleaners may contain solvents that can become concentrated in the interior. Before using cleaners, read and adhere to all safety instructions on the label. While cleaning the interior, maintain adequate ventilation by opening the doors and windows.
To prevent damage, do not clean the interior using the following cleaners or techniques:
○ Never use a razor or any other sharp object to remove a soil from any interior
○ Never use a brush with stiff bristles.
○ Never rub any surface aggressively or with excessive pressure.
○ Do not use laundry detergents or dishwashing soaps with degreasers. For liquid
cleaners, use approximately 20 drops per 3.78 L (1 gal) of water. A concentrated
soap solution will leave a residue that creates streaks and attracts dirt. Do not
use solutions that contain strong or caustic soap.
○ Do not heavily saturate the upholstery when cleaning.
○ Do not use solvents or cleaners containing solvents.
Bi-level heating This setting allows you to direct air of different temperatures from the instrument panel and foot outlets. The air from the foot outlets is slightly warmer than from the ...
Traction Control System (TCS)
The traction control system limits wheel spin. The system is on when the vehicle is started. ○ To turn off traction control, press and release located on the console. illuminates and the ...
Jump Starting Instructions
WARNING: вЂў Never attempt to jump start your vehicle if the battery appears to be frozen. Batteries in this condition may explode or rupture if jump starting is attempted. вЂў When making jum ...


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A statue of Jesus Christ has been decapitated at a Florida church, as a wave of vandalism and arson at churches continues across the nation.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski is requesting that the vandalism be investigated as a hate crime.
The statue at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Southwest Miami-Dade was found vandalized and knocked from its pedestal on July 15.
“This incident has saddened the parish community,” Good Shepherd said in a statement. “It is too soon to arrive to any conclusion, but we have seen other churches vandalized around the country. We totally ‘condemn’ this action. We invite our community to pray for peace.”
Read the full story from The Gateway Pundit
Want more BFT? Leave us a voicemail on our page or follow us on Twitter @BFT_Podcast and Facebook @BluntForceTruthPodcast. We want to hear from you! There’s no better place to get the #BluntForceTruth.


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President Muhammadu Buhari and vice president Yemi Osinbajo are expected to arrive Umuahia, the Abia state captial today Tuesday, for the mega rally of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress. Security has been beefed up in the town ahead of the visit. The rally will take place in the Umuahia Towship stadium on School Road. APC national chairman, Chief John Oyegun, the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha and other APC chieftains from the South East and across the country are expected to be in attendance. The State Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Benedict Godson, told Punch that arrangements have been completed to host Buhari. “We are talking about the visit of the Number citizen of Nigeria here and we are prepared to give hi
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation, on Tuesday lambasted the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo for saying the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan withdrew the sum of N100bn and $289m two weeks to the 2015 presidential election. The former Minister described the Vice President as a “pernicious liar and a sanctimonious, self-serving dwarf” for making such statement. In a tweet via his official Twitter handle, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain dared the Vice President to “leave Jonathan alone” and clean up their mess. “There is nothing worse than a pernicious liar and a sanctimonious, self-serving dwarf. “Leave Jonathan alone and clean up ur filthy mess!,” he wrote. Osinbajo had recently said the massive looting of the nation’s resources by the Jonatha
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has uncovered what he described as “incredible things” former President Goodluck Jonathan did in office. Osinbajo said this while speaking at the legislative economic summit themed “Legislative Framework for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Development” in Abuja on Monday. Osinbajo uncovered things which he said happened in Nigeria a few weeks before the 2015 general elections. He said under the administration of Jonathan, Nigeria witnessed barefaced stealing and waste of resources unprecedented anywhere in the world; the situation, he alleged, caused the recent economic recession. He said between 2013 and 2015 with oil prices averaging up to $110 per barrel, “sometimes going to as high as $150, the government of the day somehow contrived to incre
The camp of former President Goodluck Jonathan has called Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, a Pastor that tell lies. This is in reaction to Osinbajo’s claim that Jonathan doled out the sum of N100 billion and $295 million in cash two weeks to the 2015 elections. A statement by Jonathan’s former special assistant on New Media, Reno Omokri said Osinbajo lied to divert attention from the ongoing saga involving former Pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina. Omokri’s full statement below… “My attention has been drawn to claims in the media by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, against former President Jonathan. Speaking on Friday the 27th of October 2017 in Lagos at a ‘Greater Nigeria Pastors Conference’, the Vice President said: “Weeks before the 2015 elections, the government the
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, has issued a correction to the figure stated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on the amount released for “early works” construction on the Second Niger Bridge by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. He issued the clarification Tuesday, stating that Osinbajo was quoted as saying that $2 billion instead of N2 billion had been released to the contractor handling the project. According to Akande, during the APC Governorship campaign in Onitsha, Anambra State, on October 20, the development came about when Osinbajo reiterated the Buhari administration’s commitment to honouring its pledge to the Nigerian people on important projects and programmes including the construction of the Second Niger Bri
It appears that the last as not been heard about the NNPC contract issues brought to light by Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu. Nigeria's vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has clarified his earlier statement where it was assumed he had backed the alleged NNPC position that he signed the contracts while the president was away as he was then acting president. But according to a clarification statement on the Daily Trust website from Laolu Akande, spokesman to the vice president, Osinbajo did not sign any contracts but only approved loans for the NNPC. Looks like the VP has taken several steps to distance himself from the issue.
The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is currently presiding over a meeting of the National Economic Council. The meeting, which began at 11:20am, is being held inside the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. The chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and many of his colleagues are in attendance. The Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Habitat Lawal, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun as well as the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, are also in attendance. The National Economic Council; established by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), as amended, Third Schedule, Part I, Section 153: Sub section (18 & 19); is one of the Federal Ex...
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, John Odigie Oyegun and other big wigs of the party are expected to participate in the party’s mega rally in Abia State. The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Benedict Godson told newsmen on Monday in Umuahia, the state capital after the inauguration of the party’s Contact, Mobilization/Rally Committee that the event would hold in the state capital in October. Godson explain that planned mega rally was to present new members of the party including former Governor of the state, Dr. Orji Kalu, Chidi Onyeukwu Ajaegbu, immediate past President Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Dr. Sampson Uche Ogah, CEO Masters Energy and former Abia PDP
The media aide to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has responded to the 2019 Presidency campaign launched by a group of supporters on behalf of the Vice-President. A group, Osinbajo Volunteers initiated a website dedicated towards advancing a course for Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s contest as President in 2019. Although the group clearly stated on its website that the vice-president has no hand in their support campaign as they have not yet met him in person, the Presidency sent a stern warning to Nigerians against the act. A tweet by Laolu Akande, the media aide reads: “Please disregard this website created by faceless people for mischievous purposes. It has absolutely nothing to do with the Vice President.”
The cabal in the Presidency has again gained control of power and influence, with the return of President Muhammadu Buhari from London, United Kingdom, where he spent 104 days receiving medical treatment. This group is said to have the ear of the President, influence policy-making and determine those who get major appointments. A source who is close to the president said, “While Buhari was away, they tried to ensure that Osinbajo was not in control of the government, by keeping away information from Osinbajo. Kyari’s main job in the villa is to make Osinbajo look bad.” However, with the return of the President, the cabal is said to be back in power. Reliable sources who are privy to the goings-on in the corridors of power described the President’s return as ‘bittersweet’. T


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Samantha Minas, Belle’s Field
My garden, Belle’s Field is a ‘two acre Forest Garden planted on Permaculture principles’. Or so I’m told, my first admission is that I have little understanding of that statement. My second admission is that I did not create it. The Garden was transformed from a potato field to a varied and diverse ‘art garden’ by a land artist called Magda. She held it for around 12 years before I acquired it in the winter of 2013. I took on what appeared to be a large overgrown bramble patch with a few trees. Over that spring I saw this incredible piece of land transform in to a stunningly beautiful garden full of herbs, roses, young trees and diverse flora and fauna. As the trees grow and the canopy gets higher different birds have started to arrive for the nesting season.
I have learned so much in this garden, from the discovery of the incredible sounds of the Grasshopper Warbler to watching a Tawny Owl hunting at dusk it is a privilege to own and care for it.
I look after the garden with a group of close friends and my very useful ride on mowers, called Belle, Dora and TonyThePony. They also contribute to the soil enrichment where needed with little encouragement. This will be my sixth summer at Belle’s Field and I would say my gardening style is guided by the structure that Madga planted and keeping a watching brief for the first three years while amazing things popped over the brambles, like an entire privet hedge and several wonderful specimen trees. It is home to badgers, foxes, adders, butterflies, dragonflies, bats, mice, hedgehogs, moths and more.
Belle’s Field is managed in collaboration with ‘Dave The Field’ owner of 16 acres of conservation grazing which is slowly being restored to wild flower meadow with the aid of the horses and a programme of rotational grazing and clearance.
The focus of everything we do is biodiversity, we are constantly learning and it is a privilege to have this opportunity to make a difference in this time of large scale habitat loss.
So if you like your gardens on the wild side, come and visit us. We have lots of places to sit and contemplate, stunning views and at the kettle is always on!
Practically you will need stout shoes as the ground is uneven but mostly flat.
Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome.
We have plenty of car parking, but equally this is a fantastic garden to include as part of a circular walk taking in Porth Clais and Clegyr Boia.

domain: geography


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How can I turn all my mods back on?
Found a bug
I have the same problem as


text:
Students at Crestview Elementary used creativity to solve a Halloween dilemma that is common across the South Plains.
The city of Lubbock is notorious for its unpredictable weather. Halloween had a record low of just 20 degrees in 1991 and record high of 88 degrees in 1934. Costumes and treat bags are purchased weeks in advance and weather patterns can change quickly.
With this debacle in mind, students at Crestview were tasked with creating a prototype of a costume or treat bag suitable for any weather that comes their way during trick-or-treating.
Students devised costumes with internal heating and cooling systems, adjustable sleeves and hemlines, and various materials used for temperature control. The treat bags designed during the project were heated, cooled, vacuum sealed, and more.
“My favorite part of this project was building my prototype to see if the costume would work in real life,” explained 5th grader Hana Hutchison.
The hands-on Halloween project was created in one of Crestview’s new Innovation Labs. Opened this year, the Innovation Labs are used to give students the chance to explore different aspects of education.
“The innovation labs are designed to give students a more collaborative and hands-on approach to learning while reinforcing TEKS standards,” explained Media Specialist and Innovation Lab instructor Denise Salmon.
Students will continue to explore engaging projects in the Innovation Labs, concluding with a Shark Tank-style presentation of their inventions at the end of the school year.


text:
MOSCOW -- For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart in 2010. For most of that time, he admits, few took his argument -- that an economic and moral collapse will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the U.S. -- very seriously. Now he's found an eager audience: Russian state media.
In recent weeks, he's been interviewed as much as twice a day about his predictions. "It's a record," says Prof. Panarin. "But I think the attention is going to grow even stronger."
Prof. Panarin, 50 years old, is not a fringe figure. A former KGB analyst, he is dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry's academy for future diplomats. He is invited to Kremlin receptions, lectures students, publishes books, and appears in the media as an expert on U.S.-Russia relations.
But it's his bleak forecast for the U.S. that is music to the ears of the Kremlin, which in recent years has blamed Washington for everything from instability in the Middle East to the global financial crisis. Mr. Panarin's views also fit neatly with the Kremlin's narrative that Russia is returning to its rightful place on the world stage after the weakness of the 1990s, when many feared that the country would go economically and politically bankrupt and break into separate territories.
A polite and cheerful man with a buzz cut, Mr. Panarin insists he does not dislike Americans. But he warns that the outlook for them is dire.
"There's a 55-45% chance right now that disintegration will occur," he says. "One could rejoice in that process," he adds, poker-faced. "But if we're talking reasonably, it's not the best scenario -- for Russia." Though Russia would become more powerful on the global stage, he says, its economy would suffer because it currently depends heavily on the dollar and on trade with the U.S.
Mr. Panarin posits, in brief, that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar. Around the end of June 2010, or early July, he says, the U.S. will break into six pieces -- with Alaska reverting to Russian control.
I want to state that this is NOT my opinion, just an article I found. I would like to know what you think about this?

domain: politics


text:
Get your afternoon strolls going with the SKECHERS® GOwalk Joy™ Memorize shoe!
Mesh upper engineered to naturally expand with your foot while you walk.
Goga Max® insole for next generation cushioning and support.
Innovative and highly responsive 5GEN® midsole cushioning.
Featherweight sockliner adapts to the foot while you walk.
Natural expansion provides a comfortable, natural fit.
GOwalk logo detail on side panel.
Integrated outsole pattern for easy walking comfort.
Product measurements were taken using size 7.5, width B - Medium. Please note that measurements may vary by size.
Weight of footwear is based on a single item, not a pair.


text:
This Silly Cat is fun and easy to make. She has big, pointy ears and a little perky tail. She is sure to make a great addition to your amigurumi collection.
What you will need: 4 ply worsted weight yarn in Main colour (your choice) and Nose colour (pink or brown recommended). Fiberfill stuffing Beads or safety eyes. NOTE: Do not use these if the amigurumi is intended for a small child. Instead, embroider on the eyes with thread only so that they can't be chewed off and swallowed.
Silly Cat's height is 18 cm/7 inches from toes to ears.
This pattern is great for beginners or anyone who just likes cute stuff. There are pictures, easy to follow instructions as well as an explanation of ScDec.
This pdf is 0.8 MB and will be available as a download following your purchase.

domain: hobby


We are getting ever closer to the future that science fiction has imagined as technology and architecture advance. Although we may not yet be riding hoverboards, there are some incredible developments in the works, according to the construction sector. Let’s look at how smart technology is reshaping our environment and how the construction industry is utilizing it, from smart fridges to smart cities.
What is Smart Construction?
Smart construction is the design, building, and operation of a structure that, through cooperative partnerships, fully utilizes digital technologies and industrialized manufacturing techniques to increase productivity, reduce whole-life costs, increase sustainability, and maximize user benefits.
This method of operation has the potential to not only revolutionize the housing sector but also maximize a home’s benefits for its residents and improve their quality of life.
Smart technology is poised to revolutionize entire cities, constructing extraordinary webs of information and analytics everywhere. It doesn’t just stop at buildings and specific construction sites. Smart cities are intended to monitor systems and residents while attempting to enhance city flow, hence enhancing overall wellness. This is similar to how smart buildings monitor systems and residents.
The building industry’s future is undoubtedly promising and already starting to resemble what science fiction had predicted. Our infrastructure will be able to reach astounding new heights thanks to smart technology as we adopt a completely new “smart” way of life.
Smart construction, however, goes much beyond those fundamental corporate productivity and teamwork technologies. Drones, for instance, are frequently used in building projects to monitor site conditions, identify issues, and evaluate risks. Meanwhile, more and more advanced technology, including “programmable” cement, “self-healing” concrete, and robotic and autonomous equipment, are being used in construction projects. However, as academics continue to hunt for new applications for machines and technology to address challenging engineering problems, these present technological solutions are but the tip of the iceberg.
Sensing technology known as Wi-Fi sensing collects information about one’s environment. This information can be utilized for a number of things, including controlling equipment, comprehending the environment, and informing consumers. A large number of sensors work together to produce information in ambient sensing, such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, water, and other object sensors.
And it’s not just the productivity we must be concerned about. The sector of construction
has a significant impact on environmental factors, including the resources it uses, as well as it production waste.
More sustainable design and construction are now possible because of advancements in the construction industry. Sustainable design, sometimes known as “green construction,” is the organization and use of resource- and environmentally-conscious practices throughout a construction project. Examples of such developments include the use of green insulation, biodegradable construction materials, and solar electricity on buildings that can lower energy use by changing the amount of solar radiation that can be reflected.
Those in charge of design and planning can thoroughly explore ideas, concepts, processes, and materials while keeping some degree of flexibility by using smart construction Digital technologies have the potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the whole design, planning, and implementation process, from early design parameter refinement through the materials utilized and the final building details.
Smart building isn’t just for a particular type of home or fashion. The flexibility to replicate and repurpose designs is one advantage of smart construction, but that doesn’t imply all homes must have the same aesthetic.
Security and Health
Smart construction software enables businesses to analyze designs during the design phase and ensure that factory and site activities are planned and optimized to ensure the best outcomes for health, welfare, and safety.
Any hazards or detrimental effects on operations can be reduced, if not entirely eliminated, at all stages and from all angles. Smart building techniques, for instance, minimize the overall impact of noise and dust pollution, as well as the number of workers on-site and vehicle movements, which restricts the effect on nearby neighbors and lowers the chance of accidents.
The fight against climate change will be one in which smart development will be crucial. But in order to be prepared for combat and take full advantage of what smart construction has to offer, we must first comprehend, arrange, and structure our data. This will improve our ability to work together on all of our projects.
It entails accepting digital tools that let you collect data and offer you total control over your tasks. Once this is accomplished, we can start creating a more sustainable future, conserving resources like time, money, and the environment.


text:
So I decided to take a leap and go see a movie, by myself, in downtown Denver. The reason I headed there was because the movie I wanted to see was a Japanese anime import, and it was only being shown in the area in one location: the Sei FilmCenter.
I honestly had no idea what to expect as I drove down to the theater. Would the place be empty? Would I find ample parking? Would the movie be any good? Out of all of these, the last question was the least of my concerns. After all, I had a lot of experience with this particular Japanese anime.
So a little background first...
The Series: Naruto
|See that white-haired guy at the top?|
He's my favorite character, Kakashi.
Don't be fooled - he's always had
white hair - he's only 30 years old!
The show was called Naruto. It had been going on for a few years, based on a manga (Japanese graphic novel) that had started in 1999. The story revolved around a 12-year-old boy named Naruto, who as a baby had a demon nine-tailed fox sealed inside him to stop the fox from destroying his village. Oh - did I mention that this is a village that trains ninjas? So the boy goes to the ninja academy and does horribly, but his hard work and perseverance helps him improve in his skills. He also has a huge rivalry with his team member, named Sasuke. He has a whole backstory that you don't really need to know.
The TV series is funny, scary, serious, and dramatic - something I wouldn't expect from a cartoon, but is routine for an anime. It took me a bit to get used to it, but I kept coming back.
The first arc revolved around Naruto and his team - the aforementioned Sasuke, a pink-haired girl named Sakura, and their sensei, Kakashi. That arc helped to introduce the core four characters (well, except Kakashi, but his backstory was huge and deserved more build-up than this) and see how the different kinds of things ninjas in this world could do.
It was the second arc that got me hooked. The "beginner" ninjas (genin) can apply to be promoted to the next level of ninja, called a chunin. This introduced us to many other characters in the village, and they were all fantastic. They had unique abilities and unique personalities, and it made for incredible stories.
Once I got into the Chunin Exam arc, I couldn't stop. My brother and I would watch multiple episodes at a time, marveling at how the characters were developing. None of them got stuck as a one-note character. And even after the Chunin Exam arc, the show still got better.
One of my favorite parts was the opening credits. Every 20 or 30 episodes, the opening song and credit sequence would change, depending on the story arc. Some of the songs were okay, and some were incredible! One of my favorites is below.
...And then we caught up with the Japanese airings. It was just about the time that the Naruto anime had caught up with the manga, so to keep the show fresh in people's minds, the anime made a bunch of episodes that weren't from the manga. (Filler episodes.) They were part of the story, but didn't have the same emotional impact.
They made over 80 of these filler episodes, and I just wanted to get back to the main story. So my brother and I both stopped watching. I hoped that someday I would get back into it.
Fast forward to this September. I had just bought Netflix to watch another amazing cartoon, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and saw that they had Naruto! I put it on my queue, and came back to it when the fall shows still hadn't premiered.
I re-watched all the episodes I'd seen over 10 years ago and loved it all over again. I had forgotten a few things and was surprised once again. My favorite characters back then (Shikamaru, Lee, Gaara) were still my favorite characters now. And best of all? The anime had gone back to airing manga episodes about eight years ago, and I had 400 new episodes to watch on Hulu!
Needless to say I raced through the new anime, called Naruto Shippuden, showing all the characters grown up into teenagers (the setting was 3 years after Naruto ended). Everything got more awesome, and I ate it up.
There were two arcs in particular that had me on the edge of my seat as I watched it - one involving one of my favorite characters, Shikamaru, and the other featured Naruto at his best and finally revealed a pretty major plot point. I will rewatch those episodes as much as possible.
But then the anime stopped! And it wasn't done with the story! I checked online, and saw that the manga had wrapped up last fall in Japan, but the final mangas had only recently been translated into English and released in the States. As a matter of fact, the final volume had only been released just three days previous from the time I checked.
To my delight and amazement, my local libraries carry the Naruto manga! So I checked out the final four volumes and was able to complete the story. I was so pleased with the ending, and pleased with myself that I was able to finish it without being too spoiled.
But now what? Would I just go on Pinterest and pin Naruto fanart until Star Wars comes out? Well, yes. But I also saw that the animators had also made several Naruto movies - one of which had just been released on DVD in the States called The Last! (I was having amazing luck with timing.)
I bought it and watched it and loved it, and then saw there was an even more recent movie about the next generation of ninja. Like the other movie, I checked online to see where I could buy the DVD. But it turned out, the movie had just been released in theaters in the States, and to my shock, the movie was showing at the Sei FilmCenter in Denver the exact same day that I was researching it online. And that day only.
The stars were aligned. I had to go.
I made it to the theater without any problems and in plenty of time. They had a nice little lobby where they were showing playoff baseball on a TV and a few small tables and chairs. Like any theater, there was a concession stand, but I've trained myself not to even bother. Plus, this showing was at 9:30 at night, so I wasn't very hungry.
There was another movie showing at the same time, but as I drove into the parking garage, the first people I saw were actually doing cosplay of Naruto characters, so I knew there would be at least a few people in my theater.
When I got out of the bathroom I milled around by the theater entrance, which was still being cleaned from a previous movie showing. I wasn't thinking anything of it as I checked my phone and picked up a poster I saw on a table, but then I turned around. There was a line of people waiting to get into my theater! That made me excited.
I was close enough to the front of the line to snag my favorite theater seat: front row of the back section with the railing to put up my feet. I got in a conversation with the girls next to me who were recommending other Japanese anime, and right before 9:30 I took a look around.
It was so awesome; the theater was packed! I definitely was not expecting that. Even when the show started, people were still coming in and couldn't find a seat - they sat on the stairs!
Two guys I sat by must have worked in the theater, because one of the workers went up to them before the movie started and said, "So I guess I'll have to show more anime, huh?" He was clearly as shocked as I was that the theater was so full for a kid's anime. Nearly everyone was in their 20s or 30s, except for a girl who must have been 7 or 8. I almost gave her a high-five for her good taste, but held back.
Most of you - if not all of you - have had experience watching shows on your computer. While it is incredibly convenient, the screen is pretty small and the sound quality is merely adequate. I had just spent 6-7 weeks watching an entire anime series this way - and by myself, with only my own comments and reactions.
So you could imagine my eyes widening and my jaw dropping when the first scene of the movie came up, and it was a massive fight scene. The surround sound! The animation! The cheers! I was swept up immediately from the first frame.
The crowd in the theater was great. They laughed at the comedy, they expressed shock at the dramatic parts, and they cheered when something great happened. This movie took place 15 years (or so) after the anime, so whenever a character returned looking older, everyone got really excited.
The movie was very good. The experience was phenomenal. It was so great to be sitting in a theater with people who loved this anime and manga just as much as I did. It can be hard to fall in love with a show or movie and not have people around you to appreciate it with you. This theater experience was just what I needed.
Would I do any more of these small theater/international movie showings? Absolutely. The Sei FilmCenter was a very nice place to watch a movie, and I would go there again. Clearly it knows what will attract an audience.
As I got into my car, I was relieved for those hours that I had spent not thinking about that awful football game and just relishing the opportunity I'd been given. It was worth every cent I spent!


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- Item Inserta Clamp
- Height 1/2 in
- Width 8 1/2 in
- Depth 4 in
- For Use With BuildPro Welding Tables
- Load Capacity 400 lb
- Includes 1 pc. Threaded Adaptor
- Features 25/32 in x 3/8 in Rail Size
Inserta clamps fit into 5⁄8" grid holes on welding tables for fast and easy clamping.
Compliance and Restrictions
- This item is manufactured or supplied by a small, minority, woman, veteran or disadvantaged business.


text: During development, the formation of mature neural circuits requires the selective elimination of inappropriate synaptic connections. Here we show that C1q, the initiating protein in the classical complement cascade, is expressed by postnatal neurons in response to immature astrocytes and is localized to synapses throughout the postnatal CNS and retina. Mice deficient in complement protein C1q or the downstream complement protein C3 exhibit large sustained defects in CNS synapse elimination, as shown by the failure of anatomical refinement of retinogeniculate connections and the retention of excess retinal innervation by lateral geniculate neurons. Neuronal C1q is normally downregulated in the adult CNS; however, in a mouse model of glaucoma, C1q becomes upregulated and synaptically relocalized in the adult retina early in the disease. These findings support a model in which unwanted synapses are tagged by complement for elimination and suggest that complement-mediated synapse elimination may become aberrantly reactivated in neurodegenerative disease.

domain: biology


text:
Hecker v. Deere & Co., 45 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2761 (7th Cir. Wis. Feb. 12, 2009) began with a preamble that signaled the distaste of the Court for litigation directed at plan asset mismanagment. Judge Cook opined in the opening paragraph that:
Even before the stock market began its precipitous fall in early October 2008, litigation over alleged mismanagement of defined contribution pension plans was becoming common. This type of litigation received a boost when, in LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc., 128 S.Ct. 1020, 169 L. Ed. 2d 847 (2008), the Supreme Court held that “a participant in a defined contribution pension plan [may] sue a fiduciary whose alleged misconduct impaired the value of plan assets in the participant’s individual account.” 128 S.Ct. at 1022. Section 502(a)(2) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (”ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a), provides the basis for such an action.
The ending was no less than advertised from this inauspicious beginning. The service providers were exonerated from any culpability as functional fiduciaries and Deere was exonerated from any inattentiveness to service fees.
While Deere may not have been behaving admirably by creating the impression that it was generously subsidizing its employees’ investments by paying something to Fidelity Trust when it was doing no such thing, the Complaint does not allege any particular dollar amount that was fraudulently stated. How Fidelity Research decided to allocate the monies it collected (and about which the participants were fully informed) was not, at the time of the events here, something that had to be disclosed. It follows, therefore, that the Hecker group failed to state a claim against Deere based on the revenue-sharing arrangement and the lack of disclosure about it.
The problem depicted in Deere is not a new one. Plan fiduciaries have known for years that investment firms were charging fees paid with “soft dollars”. Some took due diligence measures that ameliorated the problem, but many didn’t.
All of this is by way of setting up the essential purpose of this post which is notice of a amici brief posted on SSRN supporting a rehearing en banc in the Deere case.
Amici curiae law professors filed this brief to urge the Seventh Circuit to grant the plaintiffs’ petition for rehearing en banc to clarify the proper scope of the fiduciary duty under ERISA in the context of investment funds. The brief argues that members of the Seventh Circuit have taken conflicting positions on the central issue regarding whether the market for mutual fund fees is competitive, that this case presents an excellent opportunity to reconcile its doctrine in this area, and that the panel’s decision to expand the Section 404(c) exemption to the fiduciary duty eviscerates an essential element in the security of retirement savings plans.
Birdthistle, William A. and Secunda, Paul M.,Seventh Circuit Amicus Brief of Law Professors in Support of Rehearing En Banc, Hecker v. Deere, Nos. 07-3605 & 08-1224(March 18, 2009). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1362553
Note: Drafting a complaint that will survive a motion to dismiss in this context is a daunting task. As the case developed, the plaintiffs amended their complaint twice. Nonetheless, the Court found fault. In their attempt to draw the investment firm into the case, the plaintiffs argued that ”notwithstanding the language of the Trust Agreement, Fidelity Trust exercised de facto control over the selection of the funds and Deere rubber-stamped its recommendations.” The Court rejected this argument, observing “That is not, however, what the Complaint alleges.”
Expense Of Fiduciary Litigation – The problem for plaintiffs in ERISA litigation such as the Deere case do not end with a potential loss. Consider this award of costs:
Fidelity asked for $ 186,488.95 in costs, and the court awarded it $ 164,814.43. While this is a substantial amount, we see no abuse of discretion in the district court’s decision. Plaintiffs’ principal complaint is that it was improper to award Fidelity its costs for document selection, as opposed to document processing. Fidelity responds that the costs were for converting computer data into a readable format in response to plaintiffs’ discovery requests; such costs are recoverable under 28 U.S.C. § 1920. The record supports Fidelity’s characterization of the costs, and so we will not disturb the district court’s order

domain: finance


text:
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Massive Wisconsin pileup caught on camera
James Gray and his family react to beating Austin Badon for the District E City Council seat.
To hear the Internet tell it, Jennifer Aniston throws Hollywood's favorite holiday party.
The 44-year-old actress and her fiance, Justin Theroux, held their third annual tree trimming fiesta on December 8, and invited some of Aniston's old "Friends" a...