There is a war going on in your body every minute of every day. Everything you eat, drink, breathe, do and think can take a toll on your health.
You see, certain foods, chemicals and even bodily functions create free radicals. These are inflammatory agents that cause oxidation within your body. And oxidation has been associated with many age-related diseases, including heart disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's and even cancer.
As these cellular "bad guys" wreak havoc on your cells, your body fights back with a secret weapon — a tumor suppression protein called p53. Affectionately known as the "guardian of the genome," p53 regulates your cells, helping to prevent cell mutation and DNA damage due to things like oxidation.
This amazing protein has a mind of its own. When it senses a cell or cells in distress, it quickly monitors the situation. If the cell is merely damaged, it works to repair the DNA. But if the cell is beyond repair, p53 initiates apoptosis (cell death) and eliminates the damaged cells.
In this way, p53 is engaged in a never-ending dance with oxidation as it works to keep your body and DNA safe. So what if there was something you could do to help this little warrior out? Something that would make its job easier by cutting down on the amount of oxidation in your body?
Turns out, Spanish researchers wondered the same thing. They set out to determine if eating a certain kind of diet, paired with an effective antioxidant, could help reduce oxidative stress and, in turn, the myriad of diseases associated with oxidation.
The Mediterranean diet has long been associated with heart health. This type of diet includes very few processed (i.e., packaged) foods. Instead, it focuses on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, fish, nuts, and olives and olive oil.
Compare that to the standard American diet, which tends to feature high-calorie, salty and sugary foods. Many of these are highly processed and high in saturated fats.
Given this stark contrast, researchers from Sofia University Hospital, at the University of Cordoba in Spain, set out to determine if the quality of the fat from a person's diet could affect the oxidation of their DNA.
In addition to comparing the effects of the Mediterranean diet and the standard American diet (appropriately called SAD), the researchers wanted to check one more thing — if the addition of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) could boost oxidative protection.
CoQ10 is a fat-soluble compound found in every plant and animal cell. It has a very special relationship with your mitochondria, your cells' energy factories. The mitochondria have many functions, one of which is to produce 95 percent of your body's ATP, the active, readily available form of energy. The mitochondria also play a vital role in cell metabolism.
As an essential component of the mitochondria, CoQ10 has a unique capacity to transfer an ionic charge across membranes, which, in turn, drives the production of ATP. Without CoQ10, the body cannot survive.
Given this, the researchers then decided to add yet another layer to their research. Seems that many studies have been done on diets, and on CoQ10 and oxidation, but no human, crossover, randomized, controlled studies had been done. And none had tested oxidant levels after eating (versus after fasting). So, the researchers set up a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study with 20 patients (10 men, 10 women), all of whom were over age 65.
Three different diet scenarios were set up, all of which were followed for four weeks each. The first included a Mediterranean diet that consisted of 15 percent protein, 47 percent carbohydrates, and 38 percent fat. The fats were broken down into monounsaturated from olive oil (24 percent), saturated (10 percent), and polyunsaturated (4 percent). This group also took a placebo capsule, so they would not know if they were in the CoQ10 group or not.
The second was the same Mediterranean diet with the addition of 200 mg of CoQ10 a day in capsule form.
The third was a standard American diet with 15 percent protein, 47 percent carbohydrate, and 38 percent fat… same as the Mediterranean diet. Where these two differed was in the fat distribution. The SAD diet had 22 percent saturated fat, with 12 percent monounsaturated and 4 percent polyunsaturated.
All participants ate all three diets, all for four weeks each, for a total study period of 12 weeks. In this way, all participants ate all three diets, which researchers reasoned allowed the people to act as their own control in terms of adherence.
The results were quite amazing. In terms of DNA damage, the Mediterranean diet produced less damage than the SAD diet. And the addition of CoQ10 to the Mediterranean diet reduced damage even more.
Also, after the SAD diet, there was an increase in p53, meaning that it was called in to offset oxidation and potential damage to DNA. However, there was no increase after eating the Mediterranean diet, with or without CoQ10 supplementation.
The only difference here was that p53 levels were actually lower after the Mediterranean diet plus CoQ10 supplementation. This means the p53 wasn't needed, which is a good thing.
Once again, science shows that dietary changes are the key to great health. To help prevent oxidation, DNA damage and premature aging, give the Mediterranean diet a try.
And to really up your oxidation protection, add 200 mg of CoQ10 a day. You can find CoQ10 in health food stores and organic food markets.
Remember, as this study shows, there is no magic bullet when it comes to healthy aging. By eating right, taking well-researched supplements, and getting daily moderate exercise, you'll find the "fountain of youth" has been within your grasp all along.
 Fito M et al. Effect of a traditional Mediterranean diet on lipoprotein oxidation: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(11):1195–1203.
 Gutierrez-Mariscal, FM et al. Mediterranean diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 induces postprandial changes in p53 in response to oxidative DNA damage in elderly subjects. Age (Dordr). 2011 Mar 15. [Epub ahead of print].


ExtremeTerrain no longer carries the Mammoth 8 Wheel - 17x9 Wheel and BFG KM2 Tire 265/75- 17 Tire Kit (07-18 Jeep Wrangler JK). Please check out Jeep Wheel & Tire Kits for an updated selection.
Easy "One Click" Shopping. This wheel and tire combo kit features (4)17x9 Black with Polished Lip Mammoth 4x4 8 wheels and (4) BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 LT265/70R17 tires that have been put together into an easy "one click" to buy combo kit. An optional (5) wheel and tire kit is also available, see drop down option above.
Application. This 17x9 Black with Polished Lip Mammoth 4x4 8 wheel and LT265/70R17 BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 Fits 2007-2018 JK Jeep Wranglers.
If I want them to stick out further than the factory fenders, what does the offset have to be?
Hello! If you would like your wheel to stick further out from the car, you would want a higher negative offset.
Will these wheels work with 35x12.5x17 tires without using spacers?
Hello, for the Mammoth 8 Black Wheel - 17x9 (07-17 Wrangler JK) it will all depend how wide the tires are, 33" is the height of the tire, they usually are 12.50" wide, and for that width you would be fine using these Wheels without Spacers.
The Mammoth 8 Wheel - 17x9 Wheel and Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ 265/70- 17 Tire Kit (07-17 Wrangler JK) should be okay to run on a stock wrangler from 2007-2017.
beautiful, needs special lug nuts.
So far so good. For a cheap wheel they've been very durable.
The rims look awesome. They're lighter weight than I thought they'd be, but they look amazing. The ring of silver offsets the black well, so they look sharper than fully black rims in my opinion.
Look fantastic on my 2011 Black Rubicon Unlimited. This is actually my 3rd set of these they balance well and look great.
Glad I didn't go the flat black that everyone is going, the gloss black with polished rim looks awesome. Got so many compliments from my friends that I knew I made the right decision.


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Q: storing domain in multiple storages I am developing some kind of web-based RPG. So for my player domain I came up with this.
player object is going to have a lot of parameters like class, level, name and so on. As it rather plain object I store it in the relational database like PostgreSQL for example. I have an entity RPlayer for that.
Also I wanted to introduce for the player the ability to make contacts with other players - some basic feature of social network. For that reason I decided to use graph database like Neo4J. I have an entity GPlayer for that. It is simpler object with some unique fields like id or name.
As object became somehow distributed - I keep the data for it in different storages - I added mapping of id in RDBMS to id in graphDB. In the end it looks like this. (I don't know how to add fields in draw.io to table so I have only three fields here and name is missing).

I didn't connect players and mapping table as one of the fields is external so I had no reason to connect relational_uuid to id in players table.
When I need to retrieve everything - I merge all the data from GPlayer - player representation is graph - and RPlayer - player representation is the table - into CompletePlayer object that contains all the fields from both objects.

When I add new player
1. I create record in app.players table and get r_ID
2. I create node in graphDB and get g_ID
3. I create record in util.mapping for r_ID and g_ID

Also those 3 steps I am planning to do in scope of global transaction.
Does such approach is ok? Should I somehow store domain in the single database and not spread it across different storages?

A: In principle, you're not wrong (assuming you really do need separate databases). A few possible improvements:

*

*Unless you have a specific reason for it, you should probably not store the player's name in the graph database, just the IDs and relationships between the players.

*If every player is going to be associated with exactly one entry in each database, there's no need for a mapping table. Just use the same Id for both. If you cannot use the same Id in both databases (for some reason), store the Id created in one database as a field in the other database's records: e.g. store g_Id as part of a player record.

*It might make sense not to merge the information into a single object, but rather to only retrieve the player object and then have a ComradesService or some such thing that you can use to obtain information about relationships.
Especially the last point depends a lot on what you're really using the graph DB for. However, if the information you retrieve is reasonably complex, loading it every time may not be wise. If it is simple (e.g. just who's a comrade of whom?) then you might be better of getting rid of the graph DB altogether.
Finally, if you have to do complex graph queries, but also have a simple feature like the one mentioned above, you could replicate the simple information in the relational DB.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


yay! It's time for my giveaway! I'm so excited to be able to share a few of my favorite things with y'all. Well, wait, I'm not giving away wine or chocolate…so a few of my favorite STYLE things.
You will need to head over to my blog at Fredericksburg Parent, here, for the details on how to enter and what I'm giving away. I know you'll love it.
You only have two weeks though, so don't wait. The giveaway ends on October 28! Consider it my Halloween gift to you 😊 The winner will be announced on Instagram and my Rain In Style Facebook page.


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Juice WRLD becomes the most-streamed artist in the U.S. following his death
In the aftermath of Juice WRLD's sudden death at 21, fans of the Chicago rapper streamed his genre-blending hip-hop by the millions, launching him to Number One in both streams and song sales on Sunday.
Juice WRLD's on-demand audio streams spiked 487 percent on Sunday to over 38.2 million in the U.S., nearly 24 million more than any other artist. Songs by Juice WRLD accounted for four of the top 10 songs across platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
"Lucid Dreams," the wounded, Sting-sampling track that hurtled him into stardom, was the most-streamed song of the day, with nearly 4.4 million on-demand audio streams, according to data from BuzzAngle Music. "Legends," which features the eerily prophetic lyrics "What's the 27 Club? / We ain't making it past 21," was fourth with 3.1 million. "Robbery" and "All Girls Are the Same" followed at seventh and ninth, respectively.
Juice WRLD also had the top two albums of the day by album project units, which combines digital and physical album sales, digital song sales, and audio streams. His 2018 debut album, Goodbye & Good Riddance, led with just under 13,000 units, and 2019's Death Race For Love — which became his first Number One album — followed with around 10,300 units.
The rapper born Jarad Higgins died early Sunday morning after suffering a seizure shortly after his private plane landed at Chicago's Midway Airport. Many questions surrounding the death remain unanswered, with the Cook's County Medical Examiner's Office announcing on Tuesday that "[additional] studies are required to establish the cause and manner of death."

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The Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum welcomes the return of Harvard's Graham Allison and The Brookings Institution's Fiona Hill for a program, "Reconsidering the Trilateral Cooperation Study: Relationships Between Japan, Russia and the US." A discussion of their research, presented in a Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum in 1995, considers where Russia-Japan, Russia-US and US-Japan relationships stand, on the eve of the Presidential election. The free program also celebrates the 110th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt's Nobel Peace Prize for orchestrating the Portsmouth Peace Treaty.


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Smash Pages Q&A: Maria Llovet
The multi-faceted comic creator talks about illustrating Faithless, collaborating with Azzarello, and gives insight on her work.
The big name on the new comics series Faithless is writer Brian Azzarello, but it's artist and colorist Maria Llovet who has really blown readers away with her style and aesthetic choices, her sense of fashion and her use of color. Her approach has helped to define and shape the book in the way that a good artist and a good collaboration should be able to do.
Llovet has written and drawn a number of books that were published in Spain, including Eros/Psyche, Porcelain, Heartbeat and Insecto. She also drew There's Nothing There, which was written by Patrick Kindlon and published in the U.S. Spending some time on her website and social media, it's clear that Llovet is a busy and inventive artist with an agile mind. She was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions by email about Faithless, another book coming out in the U.S. later this year and how she works.
Please note this interview includes preview art containing nudity that is NSFW or for kids.
Maria, I always like to start by asking people: How did you come to comics?
My parents were comic readers, so I grew up looking at Asterix and Tintin, and they took me to the Barcelona comic convention as a child, so you could say comics were always a part of my life. All the children in my generation grew up watching Dragon Ball, Dr. Slump or Ranma 1/2 on the local TV, so I think we were very fortunate. And when I was around 12, manga landed with force in Spain. That's really when it started for me.
Before considering comics as a profession, I studied graphic design and artistic jewelry. I also considered 3D modeling and fashion design. In the end, I decided on comics. I guess because I can mix my two great passions, writing and drawing. Then I discovered the magic between the two, the "transparent" art of visual narrative.
How did you end up working on Faithless and what interested you about the project?
I was contacted by my editor, Sierra Hahn. She was preparing this project with a writer (I didn't know who yet!) and she asked for some examples of my work. They liked what I sent them, and when they explained what Faithless was about, I was very excited to be able to work on it. The story touches many subjects I'm interested in; it felt completely right from the start.
And they wanted to do a very sexy book, which is awesome because sex and sexual tension bring something special to a story, bring it closer to the reader in my opinion, and play a big part on what I like to do in my works. That they were looking for this specifically guaranteed that there was going to be a certain vibe to the story that I would love. I feel very lucky to work on Faithless, both for the people involved (a true dream team), but also because it's a daring and brave project.
Brian is known for leaving very light descriptions and focusing more on the dialogue. How much are the page design, and a lot of the art and design choices, yours?
I adore the way Brian's scripts are written. Not only is the story awesome, but also how he tells it is great. That's a curious thing, thinking this sentence is funny or clever, but it's not going to reach the public because it's the way he's telling it to me and some other insiders. But it creates a mood in my brain, and I try to convey it to the page. In any case, I really appreciate when a writer gives space to the artist to take the scene the way it's visually necessary. You'll have to do it eventually, so it's better if the space is given and you don't have to struggle for it.
I'm not sure how other artists deal with this but when I get a script I try to read it without the "technical" specifications (that is the kind of shot or POV, etc). Just read what's happening. And then I imagine how I would narrate that, and compare it with the writer's "technical notes" and the space I have in the number of pages, etc. Sometimes the writer's specifications coincide with what I imagined and sometimes not. If they diverge, I only follow them if there's a real reason for doing it; if it's something justified regarding the script or it affects how the action in particular will be perceived, etc.
Other than that I trust my own judgment. That doesn't mean I can't be wrong, but I have to take the lead in what I believe is my field of action, in this case the visual narrative. If the result isn't perfect, then we'll discuss and change it later. For me it's always better to do it like that or there's a real danger of leaving the visual narrative unattended. There's nothing worse, in my opinion.
In all your work, you tend to use a lot of horizontal panels and break down the page into horizontal shapes. I wonder if you could talk a little about the comics and cinematic influence on how you think about page and panel design?
I think the use of horizontal panels started as a very early influence from my partner, Jesús Orellana. He's a comic author and filmmaker (author of the CG short film Rosa).
We met at a comic school in Barcelona, and we've grown together both as people and artists. Reading something he has narrated is really like seeing a movie, and that has always been inspiring for me. We dissect every movie we see and spend hours talking about narrative and scripts and art.
I love watching films and learning through them. Cinema seems to provide with much more stimulating info and options than comics do for me, but that's ok, because if you only take from your own source you end up in an endogamic circle. I think it's healthy to take things from other fields that are so close to yours in a way. I also love fashion photography. For me it's very stimulating to do research in this field. I have lots to learn from it regarding composition and color. Not everything that works on photography works on a drawing though, it's interesting to discover the differences, too.
You're not just drawing the line art, but coloring the book. So often in American comics, these are two different jobs, but why is color so important for how you think about and work on pages?
Did you know that actually my first ever work on comics was as a colorist? I colored two comics for Les Humanoïdes Associés with my partner Jesús Orellana, Messiah Complex 1 and 2, written by Alex de Campi and drawn by Eduardo Ocaña. This was in 2006, I think.
I've never wanted to just draw, or just color, or just write. I'm interested in all aspects because I'm interested in telling stories and telling them in a personal way. So for me it is natural to try and cover all aspects of what I'm doing.
It was only recently that I decided to start working as an artist and collaborating with other writers. I had the opportunity before, but for one reason or another I ended up saying no every time. I think that was because I was searching for my own style; it was important for me to know who I was and why I was doing what I was doing. Once I started to find myself I felt safer saying yes to collaborate with others because then I knew what I could bring to the exchange without fear of losing my voice in the process.
I still have a very long way to go, especially with colors, but I feel I've reached a point where I've stopped walking in circles and can finally follow a certain direction to improve.
More specifically, can you talk about some of the color choices you made in the first issue of Faithless? Because you don't use a palate that screams – or even suggests – horror.
I think the story of Faithless will be slowly building up, and so will the colors. In this first issue we're just seeing normal scenes in a normal girl's life. Except we readers know that's not true.
But Faith is unaware of that. Right now, Faith's day is just a little more colorful than a regular day because of Poppy. There's nothing horrible in her life at the moment, even a stranger's suicide can affect you only so much when you're falling in love. The colors are accompanying Faith and the mood surrounding her. As that changes, the colors will too.
That being said, I really don't think it's necessary to have a very dark palette or very "classic horror" mood to convey the anxiety or pressure that a story like that is likely to provide. And also, is Faithless a horror book? Maybe, but it's certainly not only that. I think the colors can play a part in telling the reader, ok, there's horror in this story, but that's not the only thing you're going to find here.
After two issues, I think how you're using color to help tell the story is more apparent. What were your conversations with Brian and Sierra about the color scheme for the book like?
We didn't really talk about it, it just happened that way because that was what felt right. It's easy to rationalize it now but I really go with my gut. We discuss later and if there's something that can be changed or improved we do it. I really like some things in issue two that come from this kind of afterward changes. The scene of the party for example. I first did it in purples and they asked me to change it to make it more different from Poppy's place. As I had done the fire escape scene in reds, I thought it would be a great contrast to try green on the party. It really improved the overall scene. Every single note from Brian and Sierra makes the thing better.
Besides the sense of style and design, you also have a great feel for fashion. I wonder if you could talk a little about fashion and using it to help build character.
I love fashion in every aspect, the clothing design, the stylist approach of mixing and matching clothes, and also fashion photography and aesthetics as I was telling you before. So I'm really drawn to this world in general. I very often do sketches of fashion clothes or models, just because I take great joy in doing it. I'd love to collaborate with clothing brands or work as a fashion illustrator sometime.
Since I have this passion, I try to infuse it to my work and it's great because I can do a bit of all of them in my comics. Clothing can say so much in a drawing. It says things about us in real life, of course, but in a comic it is a real part of the character because of all the info that we can extract from the way a character is dressed or moves in a certain clothes. It's a bit like a caricature of the personality, sometimes through clichés but sometimes in a more subtle way. The character descriptions of Poppy and Faith included a general idea of the kind of clothes they would wear, and they were focused in a direction that I particularly liked very much, so I built from there.
Faithless is introducing you to new readers, but the only other American book of yours is There's Nothing There, which was written by Patrick Kindlon, but you've also both written and drawn a number of comics yourself. How does your process change when you're drawing your own script vs working with a writer?
It changes in every possible way. I really think being an author or working in collaboration with other writers are two completely different jobs. They share many obvious similarities, and one can enjoy both, but they're fundamentally different at their core.
Who is the author of a certain work? Who thought it? Who brought it from disconnected ideas to a fully developed story? I'm not saying the artist doesn't have an important part to play. On the contrary, the way the story is translated into images through the storyboard and the visual style of each particular artist will flesh the comic out into what it is. But the direction the characters are following or the fates that await them will never be his or her responsibility. That's what the writer is here for.
We can kid ourselves all we want, but the author of the work is the writer. Even in the cases when we like that particular work just because of the art or narrative, the author is still the writer. I'm being very categorical, right? Maybe I won't agree with myself if you ask me tomorrow. [laughs]
The main difference for me is that if I write the script, I generally have already seen in my head more or less what I want to do. Sometimes the scenes play in my head like a movie, with all the elements of tempo, silences and dialogues. When this happens, I write it down in detail, on rare occasions I even do a temporary storyboard for a certain scene, but this is not usual, with notes is normally enough. Other times I just write it normally and have only a general idea of what I'll do on storyboard step.
The crucial moment of translating words into images is the most important and most different aspect. When you "move" your own characters you already know them, know them inside, every aspect of the story is linked in your head and it makes it easier. It's my favorite part. Once you complete the storyboard the comic is done. When you are working with another writer you need to understand the script and the characters and make them yours in a way, to be able to make the process work in a convincing way. That's always more difficult, but it's also very rewarding.
On your website you write "Sex and death are the big two central themes in her work." Which made me laugh but my next thought was, "What are the other themes worth making art about?"
Yeah, right? [laughs] The thing is it took me a while to realize I was following a certain pattern in my work. Sometimes you're the last person to see yourself clearly, or rather, the author is the last person you should ask about the art he or she is doing because we are too involved!
So after a long time I saw clearly a pattern in my work; of sex and attraction and romance and desire, mixed with certain violence, real and metaphorical death, decadence and a fascination with blood and immortality (both of the concept itself and also extrapolated to other subjects like love for example). That mixed up with fashion and BDSM aesthetics and you pretty much have a description of what I like doing in my works.
I actually wrote this down on a post-it and look at it sometimes, because I tend to forget my own conclusions.
It was announced that Black Mask is publishing your graphic novel Loud this year. Do you want to say a little about the book?
Yes, I don't know the exact date when it will be out, but I'm so excited about it!
I warn you, it's a very weird work, it has all the above mentioned, but not in the way I usually develop my stories. I wanted to do something fresher, something more loose and wild in a way. Loud is a mosaic of interrelated characters and stories, all happening in one night at a club. It has almost no dialogue and that was so much fun to do, to explain so many stories in one without words.
Narrating with only visual storytelling is something awesome, and I always include scenes with no text in them, they let you feel and experience what the characters are feeling more deeply. Without intromission of words, the feeling gets directly to you without intellectual reasoning, and I love that. It requires a certain mood, of course, not every scene can work like that. But I've never done it so radically before. On the other hand, my stories tend to be very moody and Loud is not; it's sordid but festive. So I guess the silence works differently here than in the more melancholic stories. Actually you can argue there's no silence at all, the loud music in the club is present through onomatopoeias in almost every panel. I'm honestly curious to see what people thinks about it when they read it.
You've posted some bruja drawings on Twitter, you have a couple unfinished projects on your website. What are you interested in doing next or what are you thinking about?
Yes, the Bruja project is a compilation of illustrations about witches and occult themes I started doing some months ago. I think about it as a side project while I work on Faithless. It is proving difficult to work on it because when I have time there are other things I want to draw, too. Time management is complicated.
The unfinished stories on my site are likely never going to be really developed, but the pages you can see in my website were done at a transitional moment in which I was developing my current style, so I wanted to share them.
Right now, I have some different projects I want to explore after Faithless but I have so much work I don't have much space to decide on which of my ideas I want to settle on, let alone writing anything. Some of these projects are more developed than others but many times a new idea overrides the other ones and becomes the new "current" project. So we'll see, it's too early to say.
Faithless is described on the cover as "an erotic depiction of faith, sex, and the devil in the tradition of the Divine Comedy." I asked Brian what the Divine Comedy meant to him and he refused to answer, saying he wanted people to read the book, but I wonder if you can talk about what it means to you.
I think it's natural to have Dante in consideration when creating something that approaches the kind of subjects Faithless does. His depiction of hell might be the most interesting piece of Western literature in human history. Its impact in our culture is undeniable. One of those rare examples that resonates through the ages and still influences artists and creators all over the world today. And it's partly because of that influence that the work lives on and on. Take, for instance, the wonderful engravings of Gustave Doré for the Divine Comedy that are absolute masterpieces, and that inspire many others in turn. That's how all art works, of course. The wheel never stops.
Author Alex DuebenPosted on June 18, 2019 Categories InterviewsTags BOOM! Studios, Faithless, interviews, Maria Llovet
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Red Deer and area.
Funding is provided through the Network.
How do I access the program?
Red Deer FASD Service Coordinator (403) 347-8844.
Who do I contact for more information?
Red Deer FASD Service Coordinator (403) 347-8844
FASD - First Steps - Edmonton Region
The First Steps Program was initiated to help women who are at risk of giving birth to a child with FASD. First Steps is a 3 year relationship based mentorship program.
First Steps is for women who are pregnant, or up to six months postpartum, who have used alcohol or drugs during this, or a previous pregnancy, and:
Wish to make a change in their lives
Lack an effective connection to other community services
May have a child suspected of having FASD
What services are provided?
By providing long-term support to mothers including mentoring and advocating, the Mentor will help the client to:
Identify personal goals and develop strategies for positive growth
Address income, housing, and food needs
Access alcohol or alcohol/drug treatment
Balance income, finances, budgeting
Access health care and immunizations
Where is this service provided?
Edmonton, AB T5N 3A2
Service is provided in the community, with home visits and transportation support as needed (e.g., doctor's appointments and addiction counselling appointments).
To reduce the number of births that have pre-natal exposure to alcohol and/or drugs
There will be a reduction in the number of children requiring protective services
There will be an increase in the establishment of healthy, positive relationships for the individuals we serve
To increase the ability of individuals to advocate for themselves and their families in order to meet their needs
To increase community knowledge of FASD prevention
Funding for this program was initially provided by the McDaniel Family Foundation. Funding is now provided by the Edmonton & Area Child and Family Service, and the Edmonton and Area Featl Alcohol Network.
How do I access this program?
Call the First Steps Program Intake Worker at (780) 378-2535.
Denise Plesuk, Program Manager (780) 471-1122.
Lisa's Story – as told by her First Steps Mentor
Lisa phoned me early one morning, barely able to contain her excitement. Lisa had some news she wanted to share, and she was anxious to talk with me. Lisa shared that she was pregnant and she knew she could tell me this without worry of my judgement or criticism. Even though this was not Lisa's first pregnancy, in some ways she said it felt like it was. The circumstances were not ideal, but she felt safe and ready to embrace the joys and challenges this time.
When Lisa came in to the First Steps Program 2 years earlier, her life was very different. Lisa was 8 months pregnant, she was homeless, had no money, and had been using both drugs and alcohol throughout her pregnancy. Lisa was grieving after her mother was murdered through domestic violence, and had reached out to no one. In fact, Lisa had not been to see any health care providers during her entire pregnancy.
During her journey with First Steps Lisa was supported through the delivery of her little girl and was helped to get stable funding, housing and addictions support. Lisa was able to create a safe home for her daughter and was successful in working with Children's Services to maintain custody of her daughter.
Lisa told me she was ready to do everything she could to have a healthy pregnancy this time. Lisa wanted to book a prenatal doctor's appointment and to get connected to Health For Two, as soon as possible. Lisa also made arrangements with her outreach addictions worker to be sure she could stay on track, and she and her boyfriend were asking about counselling supports to strengthen their relationship. Lisa was full of hope for her future and for her children.
FASD - Step by Step - Edmonton Region
The Step by Step Program was created to address the needs and issues facing mothers and fathers, who are suspected of or have been diagnosed with FASD, and parenting children (with or without FASD). The Program supports parents with basic living/parenting skills and expands their supports. This is a 3 year one-on-on mentorship program.
If you are parenting and have been diagnosed with FASD or suspect you may have been pre-natally exposed to alcohol, you may be eligible for assistance from a Step by Step mentor
Learn basic life skills
Address housing and safety issues
Access health care services
Access and integrate parenting information
Connect with other community supports
Connect with and explore employment and educational options
Break the cycle of isolation, assisting the parents to expand their support network
Provide families with strategies and tools to decrease the risk of secondary disabilities (e.g., financial or legal difficulties)
Funding for this Program was initially provided by the McDaniel Family Foundation. Funding is now provided by the Edmonton & Area Child and Family Service.
Call the Step by Step Program Intake Worker at (780) 975-4896.
Debra has been involved with the Step by Step Program for 2 years and has been going through a difficult time. She was having a high risk pregnancy as she had health issues and was parenting 5 children. Debra's oldest child has mental health issues and was turning 18 years old. Debra was under a lot of stress as her daughter was on expensive medication that she could not afford and the child was having negative behaviors. Her child would no longer be on her health care plan with the Assured Income for the severely handicapped once she turned 18 years old.
The Step by Step Program Mentor helped Debra by assisting her with transitioning her oldest daughter into adulthood. This was done by assisting Debra in applying for financial help and finding appropriated respite care for her daughter. As a result of this added support , she was able to obtain medication and financial help for her child.
The respite care was started before the delivery of her 6 child, therefore giving her time to recover from labor. Debra was more relieved and was able to enjoy her time at home knowing that she didn't have to worry about these obstacles anymore.
FASD - Coaching Families Program - Edmonton
Coaching Families helps families learn about and respond to the needs of their children (up to the age of 18) who are affected by or are strongly suspected of being affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
This program is available to parents, step-parents, grandparents, foster or adoptive parents, or any adult responsible for a child or children who have been exposed to alcohol pre-natally.
It is designed to work with families for 6-18 months.
This service is usually provided in the community with mentors visiting clients in their homes.
Call the Coaching Families Intake Line at (780) 975-4896.
Families with children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will be more stable and can handle problems related to FASD better.
Families with children with FASD will be connected to supports in the community.
This program also works in the community to raise awareness about FASD.
"The mentor was very informative, down to earth, non-judgmental, and quite understanding of life with FASD children. I found her easily approachable, friendly, knowledgeable, yet willing to listen to differences within situations."
"Just talking helped immensely. The mentor's visits were the highlight of my day. She responded to our needs with resources and strategies which helped me see other perspectives. She provided a listening ear and a springboard for ideas I was able to come up with myself."
"My mentor gave me information I didn't have on FASD. She came into the school with me, attended very intimidating meetings with me to help advocate for my girls."
"I learned to look at my daughter from a different point of view. I learned a lot about FASD through both workers who worked with our family. They were supportive yet truthful, and asked tough questions to help us move forward.
FASD - McDaniel Youth Program - Edmonton
Provides mentorship supports to youth aged 14 to 19 years who are affected by FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) to help them access community supports and make a successful transition into adulthood. Mentors work with youth for a period of up to 3 years.
Youth between the ages of 14 to 19 who have been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder can access this Ministry. If a youth has involvement with the Justice System, is between the ages of 14 and 19, and is suspected of having FASD but does not have a diagnosis, they will be considered for the program.
Services are provided in the community. Staff may assist with transportation for the youth to attend appointments.
Initially funded by the McDaniel Family Foundation, this program is now funded by the Edmonton Fetal Alcohol Network and the Sign of Hope fundraising campaign.
Contact the Program Intake Worker at (780) 378-2508.
Call (780) 471-1122.
The McDaniel Youth Program aims to provide mentorship, support and advocacy for youth and young adults affected by FASD as they transition into adulthood. Community Outreach Workers provide both one-to-one and group based mentorship to enhance and encourage the development of necessary life skills through engaging, client-driven and relationship-based practice. Working in collaboration with the youth and their other supports, Community Outreach Workers assist in identifying goals and the strategies to achieve them, as well as identifying and connecting youth with life-long community resources that can continue to assist them once they have transitioned from the program.
The Program "has made a difference in my life because I am now ready to move out on my own and be more prepared for the adult world."
"When I was in a bad situation, my mentor has always been there for me."
The Program "has helped me understand that it ok to be who I am."
The Program "has helped me out and realize that I can do anything!"
Edmonton Fetal Alcohol Network
Government of Alberta - FASD Information
The Central Alberta FASD Network
How do I access these Programs?
Edmonton (780) 471-1122
Red Deer (403) 347-8844 and ask to speak to the FASD intake worker.
Wetaskiwin (780) 352-5535
Wainwright (780) 842-6899
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Jivi Mobiles is an Indian smartphone brand that is pairing up with the telecom industry giant Reliance Jio to bring, what its claiming to be the cheapest 4G LTE phone in the country.
Jivi Mobiles is an Indian smartphone brand that is pairing up with the telecom industry giant Reliance Jio to bring, what its claiming to be the cheapest 4G LTE phone in the country. Though the company has launched a slew of new budget smartphones, the cheapest among them is the Energy E3 which is effectively priced at Rs 699.
There are various new options under this scheme which includes smartphones from three different Jivi series. The Energy E3 is priced at Rs 2,899, which will be the money one will have to shed for the device initially. The cashback Rs 2,200 will be offered by Reliance Jio in the form of 44 recharge vouchers worth Rs 50. Currently, the offer is only available for pre-paid users.
These cashback vouchers can be availed by the user only through the MyJio application and can be availed till May 31, 2022. To avail the offer, the buyer will have to buy a recharge worth Rs 198 or Rs 299. The Jio Football offer is available for both existing and new Jio customers.
Reliance Jio is calling it the 'Jio Football offer' and can be availed on various other popular smartphone brands like Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi, Nokia, LG, Honor and many more.
For the offer to work, the device will have to be capable of using 4G networks. The low prices of these 4G phones and the cashback offer will help Reliance Jio acquire more subscribers.
The Energy E3 comes equipped with a dualSIM slot which can support 4GVOLTE. The device houses a 4-inch WVGA screen which has a 2Megapixel front facing camera and at the rear panel it sports a 5 Megapixel camera.
Recently, Xiaomi launched the new Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro. These devices are also available under Jio's Football offer.


Here are the best Netflix shows you can watch on UK Netflix right now.
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We'll show you how to get an NHL live stream for the Stanley Cup playoffs online from anywhere in the world.


In every professional sport, world-class athletes are at the core. Tennis is no different, and for an entire week every year, the absolute best tennis players in the world are at the epicenter of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. But it's not just another event - it's an experience. One that the Wasserman team is proud to be a part of.
Hosted at the O2 Arena in London since 2009, the event brings together the top 8 men's singles players and the top 8 doubles teams in the world to compete against one another in a round robin format, playing 30 matches over the course of a week. Each year, we have been there to work with the ATP to transform the O2 into an energy-packed showcase of elite tennis talent.
The event hinges on the ATPs desire to highlight the inherent "gladiatorial nature" of tennis, whilst maintaining the integrity of the game. This means more access to players, more sensory experiences throughout the arena and more action between games and sets. It is a markedly different experience from the traditional atmosphere that is enjoyed at Wimbledon every summer, which is exactly what the brief required. The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals represents tennis for the modern age.
We work with the ATP to manage the show from concept to on-site delivery, a process that includes event management, player choreography, lighting, sound and special effects for both the daily pre-game show and final presentation ceremonies. We are constantly working with the ATP to innovate and push our own boundaries to create a more advanced adventure for fans, bringing them closer to the game and the athletes they love, year after year.
For instance, we improve our hardware each year, adding more screens, content and media surfaces to increase excitement - including a digitized player entrance runway, which offers a fantastic aesthetic for fans watching at home and in person to enjoy. In recent years, we've been the first to mic up the umpire, adding an entirely new element to the overall experience. 2015 marked the launch of MyATP, the first ever social tennis app, which brings fans closer to the game than ever before with live match updates and video streaming.
We worked with the ATP to integrate the functionality of the app into the match experience, giving fans the chance to interact live with the big screens and comment on the action on court. The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals is an unparalleled event that is recognized as the largest indoor tennis tournament in the world, consistently hosting over 250,000 fans each year, and we will always strive to find new ways to keep this spectacular event at the forefront of innovation.


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Dez Bryant left the field early last game, but claims he still has faith in Romo
Was Dez Bryant wrong for leaving the field earlier last week? I honestly would have left too, because if you listen to the Sound FX file, he was the only one trying to motivate the Boys. They were steadily looking lost, but Bryant tried to bring a little hope. So today when Bryant was asked if Romo is the franchise quarterback, he made sure he backed his QB.
"That's our guy," Bryant said. "We all love him. Things happen. Unfortunate things happen. Those things can be fixed. That's by staying together.
"If you make a guy feel like you've got trust in him, you believe in him and you're behind him, it makes you go extra hard, just like me. If I'm down and I know I've got somebody behind me, keeping me up, you're going to make me work harder than I worked before. We're all behind him."
"He wants to win," Bryant said. "It'd be different if he didn't want to win. Everybody would be just lollygagging and going on about their business. But it's different.
"He wants to win, and we're going to stay behind him. That's what we're going to do. That's what we want to do. And we believe. We're just going to continue to keep believing. That's all we can do."
Related TopicsDallas CowboysDez BryantNFL


August 10, 2018 (Orlando) — Listen up! The Greater Malibu Groves Neighborhood Association is taking it back. The association is hosting an "Old School Reunion Block Party" on this Saturday, August 11 on the block – on Malibu Street. From 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. organizers are inviting neighbors to come out and meet each other and see old friends. Free admission and there will be food and music.


Deciding on what type of air filtration system is best for your home can be a complicated process. Everyone wants less dust in their home! Starting with a good quality furnace and duct cleaning will greatly help.
Once that is done, lets get a good filter in there! There is always the balance to restricting the air flow just enough to capture the particles in the air, yet not enough to burn out your furnace. The higher the rating of the filter, the smaller the particles that it captures. This also usually results in the increase of the frequently that you will need to change the filter. Our sales team is trained to balance your needs are and balance with your world demands coupled along with budget!
Pleated air filters are more effective, cost-effective, last longer, and available with a variety of media types for specific applications. Matching the right MERV rating to your needs will improve your home's air quality and will extend the life of your furnace.
PerfectPleat SC M8 filters are designed to consistently increase efficiency throughout the service life of the filter. They have an initial MERV 8 rating respectively, but the efficiency increases significantly when dust loading begins. PerfectPleat SC M8 filters have distinctive self-supporting characteristics that allow a pleating pattern, which promotes airflow and maximizes dust holding capacity (DHC). The PerfectPleat SC M8 filter is best suited for standard capacity pleated panel filter applications, where pleated filters are currently in use. They can also be used to upgrade applications using panel filters.
Download the product brochure to learn more!
The Aprilaire Model 2210/2410 (MERV 13) Air Purifier is the best choice for homeowners who suffer from allergies. Equipped with state-of-the-art filter media, the Model 2210/2410 whole-home air purifier delivers exceptionally clean air throughout your home at an affordable price. Why suffer from airborne allergens, when you can remove them for good?
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The Aprilaire Model 1210/1410 (MERV 11) Air Purifier provides highly efficient, whole-home air cleaning and effective removal of pollen and mold.
Download the Aprilaire model 1210/ 1410 owners manual.
This Aprilaire model will get rid of the smallest particles, cleaning up to 98% of indoor air. With little maintenance required, it prevents dust building up in your house.
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Worcestershire Removals
Hereford Removals
Worcester Removals
Evesham Removals
Ledbury Removals
Malvern Removals
Between 1974 and 1998, Worcestershire was merged with neighbouring Herefordshire, to make Hereford and Worcester. Nowadays, Worcestershire stands on its own two feet and is split into six districts: Worcester, Redditch, Wychavon, Malvern Hills, Wyre Forest, and Bromsgrove.
If you are moving to or from Worcestershire, get in touch with Britannia Bennetts to make your move stress-free and easy. With their office located in Malvern, Britannia Bennetts are ideally situated to help you with all your moving and storage needs.
Days Out in Worcestershire
Visitors are able to step back in time with a superb day of steam hauled splendour on the Severn Valley Railway. Located in Kidderminster, passengers can board a historical steam train, with the scope to get on and off at various attractions as you please. There are some fantastic events held at the Severn Valley Railway, such as 1940's Weekend, Classic Vehicle Day, Ghost Trains, and Spring and Autumn Steam Galas.
If you are inspired by the history of the railway, head to Tudor House in Broadway or wonder around the city of Worcester. Tudor House is brimming with exciting objects from the 17th to the 21st centuries, including paintings by great artists such as Gainsborough, Reynolds, Millais, and Landseer. No trip to Tudor House is complete without scaling Broadway Tower – the unique Capability Brown Folly Tower with picturesque views across Worcestershire.
Take to the streets of Worcester to be enveloped in history. The city saw the first and last battles of the English Civil War in the 15th century, with the Commandery museum being the Head Quarters for King Charles II. There are a number of regular Civil War re-enactment events, with Cavaliers and Roundheads battling on the streets.
For the outdoor lovers among you, Little Owl Farm Park (Dunhampton), Arley Arboretum, and Windmill Hill Nature Reserve (Evesham) are all great places for family days out.
Famous Faces of Worcestershire
Despite the county having one of the smallest populations in the UK, Worcestershire has been called home by many famous faces. Before landing key roles as Jon Snow and Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, both Kit Harrington and Charles Dance were born, and grew up, in the county. TV stars include Midsummer Murders John Nettles, presenter Chris Tarrant, and comedian Alistair McGowan. Better known as Mr Weasley from the Harry Potter films, Mark Williams was born in Bromsgrove.
And, without Worcestershire, we may not of ever had the prepaid postage stamp. Sir Rowland Hill was born in Kidderminster in 1795 and was an important Victorian reformer who wanted to improve living conditions for everyone. He believed that by making it possible for all people to send letters, that a natural increase in the number of people wanting to learning to read and write would be the result – improving people's lives.
Britannia Bennetts
Britannia Way Enigma
Worcestershire WR14 1GZ
Click for Branch Website
Directions from Worcestershire
Monday to Friday – 7.30am to 5.00pm Phones answered 7 days a week


Sunny's Entertaining ~ My Own Thoughts and Dreams! Refresh. Recharge. Meditate. Exercise. This is where I share my favorite ways to spend time alone entertaining my own thoughts and dreams and making sure that I am living my best life, everyday. Check back here if you are an introvert, like me!


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A Lip Reader Revealed What Prince Harry Said to Meghan Markle During Their Trooping the Colour Carriage Ride
Kayleigh Roberts
Marie Claire June 15, 2019
From Marie Claire
During Trooping the Colour, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted talking to each other in their carriage (as married humans tend to do-albeit not usually in carriages).
The Daily Mail tapped a lip reading expert to crack the mystery of what Harry said to Meghan.
Apparently, Harry said, "Turn around...Look," to his wife.
Even at the most public of events, some of what the royal family says and does remains a mystery to us mere commoners-unless we hire and believe lip readers, of course.
Meghan Markle stepped out for her first post-birth royal engagement this month at Trooping the Colour, where she celebrated her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, along with the rest of the country.
Even though Meghan, along with her husband, Prince Harry, and every other senior-ranking member of the royal family, was very much in the public eye during the entire event, some royal fans just needed to know what exactly she and Harry were saying to each other during their carriage ride on the big day.
So, the people over at the Daily Mail did the only thing they could do and brought in a professional lip reader to solve the mystery. What were Harry and Meghan saying to each other, you ask? Exchanging sweet nothings? Discussing fascinating details about Baby Archie? Nope. They were just talking about very practical matters of the moment, like where Meghan should look during the parade.
Per the Daily Mail:
"Analyzing the footage, MailOnline's lip reading expert concluded Prince Harry said to Meghan, 'yes, that's right' when she looked at him the first time, before adding: 'Turn around... Look,' when she turned back to him a short time later."
According to the Daily Mail, it's customary for members of the royal family to face the crowd during the national anthem, which started playing moments after the exchange. So basically Harry was just reminding Meghan about one of the many, many royal protocols she's expected to somehow memorize and follow. Sweet and drama-free.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
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Michael: During the last Government shutdown, January 2019, President Trump asked for the following, which would have helped with this problem; -$800 million dollars in humanitarian assistance, medical support, and new temporary housing. -$782 million to hire an additional 2,750 border agents, law enforcement officers, and staff. -$563 million to support our immigration court system, including hiring 75 new immigration judge teams to reduce the immigration court backlog of 800,000 cases. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats refused to approve those funds.
Apparently, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's Recent Hangouts Were Straight-Up PR Stunts
Teddi Mellencamp Just Opened Up About Her Weight Loss With New Before-And-After Pics


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Final Fantasy 15 - Kingdom Hearts Combat Comes to Final Fantasy
You control Noctis in the Kingdom Hearts-inspired combat system of the Final Fantasy 15: Episode Duscae demo.
Published March 10, 2015, 4:29 p.m. about Final Fantasy XV
by Bryan Dawson
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is almost upon us. If you pre-ordered the game, you have a good chance of getting the Final Fantasy 15: Episode Duscae demo. We've known for some time that the combat system in Final Fantasy 15 would differ from the combat experienced in almost every previous Final Fantasy adventure. However, thanks to PAX East, we now have hands-on experience that we can pass on to you.
In the past we compared the combat system in Final Fantasy 15 to the combat in Kingdom Hearts. That's still a fair comparison, but it goes a bit deeper than simply action-based combat. As you may have guessed, the turn-based combat of older Final Fantasy titles is gone. However, even the party system was revamped. This is an entirely new Final Fantasy experience that fans of the series will have to adjust to.
Although you have a party that you spend most of the game with, you won't be able to control every member of the party. In fact, this goes a step beyond the party system in Final Fantasy 12, which allows you to issue commands to your party members. In the Final Fantasy 15: Episode Duscae demo you control the main character, Noctis. The leader of your party will change from time to time, but you will never gain the ability to control the other characters.
This is similar to how combat works in Kingdom Hearts. Donald and Goofy assist Sora, but for the most part you control Sora and only Sora. With the action-based combat system of Final Fantasy 15, it somewhat makes sense that Square limits your control over the party. Imagine playing Kingdom Hearts and trying to attack a Heartless with three characters at once. Things would quickly become hectic, and the same can be said of Final Fantasy 15.
There aren't any menus when doing battle in FF15. Instead you have more action-oriented controls. If you hold down the attack button, Noctis will continue to attack until you release the button. You get a variety of weapons selected on the fly, each of which has a special ability. One weapon may perform a ranged special attack, while another may perform an attack that heals Noctis.
Since there isn't a dedicated mage class like in other Final Fantasy games, your MP controls more than just magic-based attacks. Most of your combat actions require MP. When you run out of MP you enter a state in which your movement and general actions are greatly reduced. Instead of going crazy with a flurry of different attacks, much of the strategy in Final Fantasy 15 will come from managing your MP and knowing what attacks to use so you don't run out of MP at a bad time.
On the defensive side of things, Noctis has a general defensive position by holding what is essentially a guard button. While holding the guard-like button, Noctis will evade most attacks aimed in his direction. In addition, if you press the parry button after dodging an attack, Noctis will perform a parry that will allow you to go right back on the offensive. The timing is fairly easy once you've done it a few times, but once again, this is a different combat system compared to most Final Fantasy titles.
Everything else experienced in the demo is fairly similar to other action games. You can lock-on to a single enemy and keep them in your sights until you switch to another enemy or defeat your target. You can also teleport around the environment to get closer to an enemy, or make an escape to replenish your MP.
As long as you're expecting an action game with RPG elements, you should enjoy your time with the game. Thankfully it won't be long until you experience it, but in the meantime, be sure to check out our impressions of the Final Fantasy 15: Episode Duscae demo.
Final Final Fantasy 15 DLC Finally Gets Release Date
by Chris Higgins
You read that title correctly, Episode Ardyn arrives March 26 to finish the story at the start.
Prima Game of the Week | Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition
March 9, 2018, 1:30 p.m.
Final Fantasy XV has finally come to the PC and added Royal Edition to spice things up a bit!
Final Fantasy 15 Walkthrough and Guide - Weapon Upgrades, Dungeons, Side Quests
March 7, 2018, 10:27 p.m.
If you're stuck in Final Fantasy 15, or finding things harder than they should be, we've got answers for you!
When Does Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition Release?
by Josh Hawkins
Find out what time Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition releases.
Final Fantasy 15 Sells Over 6 Million Copies
by Christopher Buffa
Square Enix's beautiful action RPG continues to crush it at retail and digital.


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The price includes all community fees, electricity and water.


Alden Ehrenreich, best known for his work in the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, has landed the lead role in the upcoming series Brave New World.
The show was originally developed at Syfy and then was picked up to series for USA Network, but it's now rumored to be a blockbuster show for NBCU's new streaming platform, according to Deadline.
The NBCU streaming platform will debut in 2020.


SPOILER ALERT-- these were the little scenes meant to weave inbetween the main chapters of Dramatically Ever After (I went with social media and emails, instead, in the final version) and hint--a little ridiculously, but STILL--at the action in the text of the book, itself. Read at your own spoiler-y risk.
Dresden's Striezelmarkt at 11 pm. The stalls are brightly lit and couples stroll through the alleys between them, speaking softly in German. In the background is the famous Christmas pyramid. Standing to the side of a stall selling lit glass, plastic, and paper stars is seventeen-year-old EMMA, dressed in a white winter coat with a scarf and gloves made of shimmering yellow yarn. Like the stars, she stands out against a crowd dressed in dark coats. She adjusts her vintage-styled yellow cloche confidently and waits.
That's her? The American actress? Emma Kat? She's even prettier in person.
From what I hear, they call her the shooting star of Broadway. I can't believe she's here, in Germany.
I'd kill to look and act like her.
Enter WILLIAM stage right, eighteen, much taller than EMMA, blond and handsome, with a heavy German accent. EMMA pretends not to notice him until he wraps his arms around her, but her smile gives her away.
Too long, but I'm here.
And I'm glad we're working together again. I missed you.
It's safe if we speak low. No one will suspect a Tony award winning actress or a famous photographer of being secret agents.
True. People never see things right under their noses if they don't expect it. So, fill me in on what you know about the jewel so far.
It is called the Prussian Rose. Not only is it very valuable, but its carvings also act as a key to a vault full of international secrets. They believe an enemy agent moving in the highest parts of society has taken it. You and I are to slip unnoticed into the elite, discover who it is, and recover the stone.
Piece of cake. Or should I say, stollen?
Aren't they adorable? I love seeing young people in love.
Yes we are. Adorable, that is.
The ballroom home of a very wealthy family in Dresden society, 9 pm. A string quartet plays in the background and couples in formalwear stand around talking in small groups while waitstaff weaves through the scene with trays of drinks. KRYS, seventeen years old with dark hair, stands far stage right.
Enter EMMA stage left, wearing a classic silver 1940s column gown that shines with every movement. She walks at a leisurely pace toward WILLIAM, who is in a full tuxedo, and puts a gentle hand on his arm to catch his attention.
No. No one must know we are together. It may jeopardize the mission. We will have to put our feelings aside for the sake and safety of all the world.
Understood. So, tell me what I'm looking out for.
Sources say that is our enemy agent, Krys. He has taken out half of our people and we suspect he has the jewel either on him or knows where it is hidden. We need to get close to him and recover the jewel.
Getting close to people is my specialty. Leave this to me. I know exactly what to do.
Why, hello. I thought I was going to be trapped here with a bunch of stuffy old socialites and canapes, but I think I've just found the most delicious thing in the room. I don't think we've met. I'm Emma.
It's a pleasure to meet you, Emma.
I have a feeling things are about to get very interesting now that you're here.
A hospital room in Germany, middle of the night. The room is empty except for a nurse injecting medication into an IV attached to the pale and worn figure in the bed. WILLIAM is a shadow of what he used to be. He is hooked up to a number of machines. He doesn't notice EMMA as she rushes into the room.
EMMA drops onto the side of his bed and grabs his hand.
Oh, William what happened? I didn't hear from you for days and then I got a message from headquarters that you were here. I was so worried.
Emma, liebling. I didn't want you to worry. You are my heart and I cannot bear to see you upset or distract you from our mission. I told them not to contact you.
But I could have been here earlier. Taken care of you when you first got sick. I thought you were avoiding me.
Do they know who did this?
They think I was poisoned the night of the party, likely by the enemy agent or one of his friends in the kitchen. I am past the danger zone, but I need to stay here until they are sure the antidote has fully taken effect.
I'll make sure he suffers for what he did to you.
No, just stop him and recover the jewel. That will be enough.
Oh, William, I thought you didn't want to be around me anymore.
Never, my love. I will always love you. In this life and the next.
Don't say that. It's going to be a long time before you have to worry about the next life.
If only I had your strength. But being near you… now… is enough.
If I don't make it, you need to carry on our mission. The safety of the world depends on you.
I will, but stay. Fight for me.
Dresden's Semperoper, aka the Dresden opera house, at 9:30 pm. KRYS is the only person seated in the Loge as an opera performance plays below. The only light comes from the stage and a few sconces towards the back of the Loge. EMMA enters through the doorway, wearing a 50's style gown, and quietly makes her way over to where KRYS is seated.
You bought out the entire balcony?
So do I. But people can still see us.
How about after this we go back to your place for a nightcap and some real privacy? You can show me some of the pretty historical things you've picked up on your travels so far?
What's your game, little butterfly?
Yes, game. It's too easy to see right through you. Go home to America, actress, and leave the work to the professionals before you get hurt.
Oh, and butterfly? Don't trust everything you're told.
What the heck was I thinking? He's right. I'm just an actress, and not even a good one if he's already on to me. Definitely not secret agent material. I'm going to fail and the world will be in danger because of me.
No, I promised William I'd save the world. I will beat this evil agent. Even if it kills me.
Krys, this "butterfly" is taking you down.
Dresden's waterfront at sunset. EMMA, in a yellow dress with a jaunty fedora, is walking arm-in-arm with WILLIAM. Both seem distracted.
I haven't been able to convince him to let me into his flat, even though I think I fixed things from the opera situation the other night. He's suspicious of me. Ugh. This is going nowhere.
I admit, part of me is somewhat relieved to hear that. The only flat you should be visiting is mine.
Cute. Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice, agent?
I am not superhuman, liebling. I love you, with all my heart. Of course I will be jealous.
I would very much hope so.
Anyway, we have plans to go to the Semperoper again tonight to see Sonntag aus Licht, so when he thinks I'm meeting him for the performance, I'll head for his flat, instead, and search for the Prussian rose.
Be careful. I would come, but I am still too weak from the poison. I would only be a hindrance. But I know you will be able to find the jewel and bring it back.
KRYS' flat in Dresden, simply decorated with expensive, modern furniture. One lamp is lit stage right, casting a glow over the scene, and pale moonlight streams through the windows. The only color comes from an abstract-styled chandelier made of red glass ovals and bubbles dominating the center of the room. EMMA, dressed in a skintight black outfit with her hair tied back in a black headband, enters stealthily stage left, shuffling through drawers and scanning the room as she passes through.
If I was trying to hide something, where would I…?
You found it. Good girl. Now, give me the stone.
William! I thought you couldn't come with me tonight?
I changed my mind and decided it was too dangerous for you to go alone. You did a very good job, Emma. Now, hand that to me, I'll keep it safe.
No, Emma, don't! He's the enemy. He's been tricking you all this time.
What? No. Not William. You're the enemy agent. Aren't you?
Exactly. He is lying, Emma.
Hold still, Emma! I'll save you!
I'll save myself, but thank you for offering.
Ugh. I really can't believe I thought I loved you. [She then walks over to KRYS] And I can't believe I fell for his lies!
He was one of the most sought-after operatives for the enemy. We assumed it was him, but I didn't know until the night of the party. When he called you in to help, I thought you were working with him, but it was obvious at the opera house that you had no idea what you were doing. I tried to warn you, but you were apparently blinded by his act.
You don't have to rub it in. I know.
It's not your fault. You are an actress, not a real secret agent. Come on, let's get this jewel back to the vault. Now that the mole in the organization has been revealed, the Prussian Rose is not in danger anymore. We won, Emma.
Times Square, New York City. EMMA exits one of the theatres, the marquee above it spelling out her name in bold black letters. She is dressed fabulously in a fourties-style suit and signs a few autographs before waving away the fans. Just as she's about to step into the swirling crowd, KRYS enters the scene. He grabs EMMA's forearm, stopping her and turning her around to face him. His expression is intense. People rush around them, but their attention is laser-focused on each other.
I got your text. You know we can't keep playing this game, Em. Dresden was different from here.
It wasn't as different as you think. We can be partners, Krys. We can work on missions together. You and me, we have something special.
At first, I thought you were right. I thought maybe I wasn't meant to be a spy. But then I realized that, with you around me, anything is possible. We're possible.
Emma, I wish things could be different, but you're the theatre. I'm spy games and espionage. You're a butterfly and I'm a hawk. It just won't ever work. It's too dangerous for you out there.
But, but—we can make it work.
I need someone who is level-headed and ambitious. I don't need some dramatic girl who will get herself shot on her first solo mission. Admit it, Emma, we're not right for each other.
I thought we could be different.
Don't you know, Emma? This was all a part of the game.


NSIAD-99-139R: Published: Apr 15, 1999. Publicly Released: Apr 15, 1999.
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) personal property programs.
GAO noted that: (1) there are noted differences in the scope and management between the DOD and GSA personal property programs; (2) GSA is responsible for moving between 12,000 and 15,000 government employees a year, whereas DOD handles approximately 775,000 service member moves annually; (3) GSA deals with far fewer household goods carriers (330) compared with DOD (1,300 carriers); (4) each government agency has the option of selecting one or more carriers from a list of approved GSA carriers, while DOD makes an effort to equally distribute service member moves among its approved carriers; and (5) another important difference is that DOD allows a second phase in the process, in which carriers are permitted to change previously offered rates to match those of the carriers offering the lowest rates.