As I have served the Lord for these past 21 years (and may I add they have all been with my lovely wife, Beth, who was saved 2 weeks after I was) I have often been troubled why many Christians I have known have no real joy in their relationship with Christ. There seems to be so much surface zeal in the place of the true "joy of the Lord" Why do Christians who have the blessed privilege to commune with a resurrected Saviour who died for their sins, find something else to fulfill their Christian experience and joy? Why do so few seemingly have so little interest in heaven? I still do not have all the answers, but I believe I understand the reason a little better.
I believe we find some of the answer in 1 Corinthians 15:19. Listen to what Paul says in this verse, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." As I read this verse and meditated upon it in prayer, I saw something that, on the surface, seems impossible. But it is not impossible at all. There are two phrases here that look impossible for an individual to have said about them at the same time. It seems impossible that these two characteristics can be active in a person at the same time. Paul says man can have "hope in Christ" and, at the same time, be "of all men most miserable." How can Paul say that an individual can have "hope in Christ" and yet be "men most miserable?" It seems to be a contradiction, an impossibility. Yet, it is the very reason many have so little joy in their lives as Christians. They have "hope in Christ," but it only makes them "miserable." They talk about hope, they talk about Jesus, but, for the most part, they are miserable. Paul said, "There is a hope that maketh not ashamed" (Romans 5:5), but this hope makes one miserable. How can this be?
This "hope in Christ" is "in this life only." Look at the verse again, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1 Corinthian 15:9) Men are most miserable whose "hope in Christ" is "in this life only." They have "hope in Christ", but it is "for this life only." These are men who have "hope in Christ" for things they want to accomplish, places they want to go. Their "hope in Christ" is that He will help them accomplish and achieve much of that which they have set their eyes upon. They have goals and achievements they desire to be met and they have "hope in Christ" that He will assist them. The only problem is that most of this "hope in Christ" is for things "in this life only." A tremendous amount of energy and effort is directed at obtaining the "good life" here, at the expense of losing the joyous expectation of heaven in the life to come. These become miserable when this "hope in Christ" does not bring about the desired results in certain situation and circumstances. Their joy, for the most part, is dictated by their blessings or lack of in this life.
Jesus said about His disciples, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17:16) Many today in the church are in the world, of the world, and consumed by the world. Paul said to Timothy, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their ownselves….lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1, 2a, 4b) Multitudes have run to the god of pleasure, pandering to their selfish desires. They have an appetite for the world and those "things" thereof, that refuse to be left unsatisfied.
"And when the lusts of the flesh have had their last day, and the pride of life has only a dead body to nhabit, the soul of man which remains will know at last that it has nothing of its own, nothing that can say, "I do this", or "I possess that".
Then all that man has or does, will either be the glory of God manifested in him, or the power of hell in full possession of his soul.
The time of man's playing with words and intellect, or grasping after positions among men or of amusing himself with the foolish toys of this vain world, can last no longer, than he is able to eat and drink with the creatures of this world.
When the time comes that he must take his leave of earthly treasure and honors, then all the stately structures which genius, learning, and proud imaginations have painted before his own eyes or those of others must bear full witness to Solomon's "vanity of vanities, all is vanity"."
When people who call themselves "Christians" have a "hope in Christ" that is "for this life only", something very destructive begins to happen in their spiritual walk. That hope not only makes them miserable, but it also brings spiritual blindness. The word "miserable" that Paul used in 1 Corinthians 15:19 is only used one other time in the New Testament. I believe both of these times, it is used to speak to the church of the danger and deception of this "false hope." We find this word "miserable" again as Jesus speaks: "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Revelations 3:17) Here Jesus is speaking to the church. He uses the same word that Paul used in 1 Corinthians 15:19. Jesus says to those within this church that they are miserable. But before He tells them, He makes a profound statement. Jesus says, "And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Jesus says they are miserable and don't even know it.
How can a person be miserable and not even know it? Jesus tells us how. He says these Christians have also become blind. The word "blind" here comes from a word that means "opaque." This blindness causes things to become shady, dark and obscure. It causes one not to see clearly or limits one's ability to be very observant. This blindness causes things to be easily hidden from a person. But it also means something else. It means to "envelope with smoke." What is Jesus saying? He is simply saying that when His children have "hope in this life only," with this riches and increase of goods, these "things" begin to act as a smoke screen which prevents you from seeing clearly what is beyond. When God's children become earthly-minded, too much about self and the temporal things of this life, they become surrounded with a smoke screen that clouds their vision for those heavenly places. They become miserable and blind to the "blessed hope of His appearance" and don't even know it.
Multitudes in the church today have had their vision for heaven consumed. But this is not by happenchance; it is the very design and deception of the enemy. It is the deception of the enemy, the spirit of this age, which seduces the children of God, causing them to be very earthly and worldly-minded. This is all designed to cloud their vision for those things that be of heaven. This blindness deceives its victims until they are inflated with self-conceit. They become high-minded and lifted up with pride until the smoke slowly consumes them without the flames.
This is the same deception Satan used in the Garden of Eden. He offered Eve an apple for a paradise. Eve failed to realize the hook that was in the bait. Now Satan's apple represents the things of this world which are exchanged for the heavenly vision. Man is still failing to see the hook that is in the bait. Man is failing to see the devil's fire behind the smoke. Multitudes of God's children are getting caught up in the smoke of enticing television commercials and magazine ads featuring "the good life." The latest fashions modeled by macho men and seductive women are all presenting a set of false values.
We live in a high-tech generation whose lights keep shining brighter and brighter with a spirit that says, "Get all you can now." These bright lights have moved right into the church. Drama, plays and theatrics with all the proper costumes, sound effects and high-tech lighting have filled many sanctuaries. The "foolishness of preaching," (1 Corinthians 1:21) has been replaced in many pulpits with the "foolishness of acting." Many preachers have substituted hours of prayer over a message with hours of practice on all the right lines. "Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God" preached by Jonathan Edwards in the 18th century has been replaced with "The Misunderstood on the Couch of the Psychologist." Adam and Eve are still being deceived by the enemy. Paul said, "For I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:2,3) The victim may not be named Eve and the bait may not be an apple, but the enemy is still the same; and multitudes are being deceived by the smoke from his fire.
Have you ever been riding down the highway and someone was burning leaves in the ditch? The smoke had crossed the highway and you could hardly see through it. But you could see enough to know that it was not very wide, so you moved quickly through it to the other side. You were amazed how quickly the smell of smoke got in your car and on your clothes, but it soon went away.
What about that time when you were traveling and there was a forest fire close by? The smoke had become very dense and emergency personnel were on the scene to slow you down making sure that you proceeded with caution. This time the smoke affected your breathing a little, and your vision was limited to just a few feet ahead of the car. Eventually you broke out of the smoke, but the effects were longer lasting. Your car and clothes had that "smell of smoke" and it took some effort to get it out.
Then there is that person who woke up to a smoke filled house. The smoke was very heavy and they were having difficulty breathing. They had to find something to cover their face, hopefully a damp cloth, as they stumbled to escape with their life. Some in the house made it out on their own; others had to be rescued; while still others were consumed by the smoke—not the fire—and lost their lives.
Where are you today? Maybe of you are traveling down the road where the leaves are burning. There is just enough "smoke of this world" to bring a few tears to your eyes and a little smell on your clothes.
There may be some of you who are having to proceed with caution. The "smoke of the world" in your life is like the forest fire. You can see the danger all around you and it is really hindering your vision. Your spiritual progress has been brought to a virtual standstill.
This "smoke of the world" has affected many lives. These worldly enticements have consumed the "blessed hope" in many hearts.
Peter once knew what it was to "savour those things of the world." Listen to what Jesus said to Peter, "But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." (Matthew 16:23) Peter also had the smell of this smoke in his life.
However, something happened to Peter. The power of the Holy Spirit changed Peter's life on the day of Pentecost. The wind of the Spirit blew the smoke away. "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: Let them also that hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away…" (Psalms 68: 1,2a) God will arise through the power of the Holy Spirit and drive away this enemy of your soul.
Heaven is real, don't miss it for this world.


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Autumn is here at last and that means it's time to get the vegie garden prepped and planted for winter crops.
I used to run my vegie garden all year (I live in a temperate zone) but for the last few years, I've chosen not to plant out during the summer. My reasons are two-fold: excessive heat; and lack of water.
Thankfully, this summer we didn't see too many seriously hot (40+ C / 104+ F) days and the average rainfall was statistically near the average but… the nature of that rainfall changed. When it rained, it was torrential. To the point where my gutters backed up on three separate occasions and I had water coming through the ceiling and down the walls. Thank goodness for pine lining boards! If I'd had plasterboard on my walls and ceiling it would have been a disaster. I'm seriously considering extra down pipes off the roof before next summer.
But, back to the garden, given the heavy downpours didn't get a chance to soak into the soil, everything in the garden looked thirsty again within a day. Frugal gardening is nearly impossible if you have to buy water. So, until my rainwater tanks are sorted out, I'll be skipping the summer garden.
The most important skill in frugal gardening is, of course, resourcefulness. Anyone (well, mostly) can create an impressive kitchen garden by throwing copious amounts of cash in its direction but, if your aim is frugal gardening you'll need to develop your resourcefulness along with your green thumb.
Don't buy new materials to edge your garden, look around and see what you've already got. Remember, too, you don't need to edge your garden, you can just keep it neat with a sharp spade.
The single most important thing to consider when creating your vegetable garden is its position. It needs to be bathed in full sun for about eight hours. Any less than that and you'll probably be disappointed with the results. Save yourself time and money by getting the position right first time.
Do you have family, friends or neighbours who are gardeners? Not only will they be a source of considerable knowledge and experience, they might also have seeds (saved from previous crops), seedlings (that they've grown from saved seed) or plants that they've propagated that they're happy to give you. You'll find gardeners are a very generous bunch and will happily share with and guide budding gardeners.
There's a simple truth about growing food that is often overlooked: if the nutrients are not in the soil, they wont be in the food. This means, caring for and feeding your soil is a vital step to a thriving and healthy garden. The most frugal way to improve your soil is make your own compost. This is easily done using kitchen and garden scraps. There is a science to it, but in the beginning the focus is on getting started not perfecting it. Check out How to Build a Compost Heap for a step by step guide. Also, the richer your soil the better your plants are at resisting pests so you wont need to worry about the pests getting your produce before you do.
Gardening usually requires added water, unless (from what I hear) you live in Seattle. Frugal gardening requires free water. Depending on where you live, mains water can be expensive enough to negate any monetary benefit you get from your vegetable garden. So, you need to find a way to frugally harvest rainwater. There are plenty of ways to do this, from large tanks to rain barrels. Hopefully, my tank will be back in action before next spring – I just need to build a new base for it (a project that scares me a bit).
There's no point in wasting space and resources on vegetables you don't already eat. Frugal gardening is about adding value to your budget not spending time and money on vegetables you might not like. You can get creative later. At the start, just grow the basics that you know you'll eat. Your list will be specific to you and your family. Most people look at me funny when I say cauliflower is my favourite vegetable! Don't worry about growing too much of a good thing, you can always preserve it or share the produce with friends and family.
Your standard weed killers are not only highly toxic, they're also expensive. Frugal gardening, as I mentioned earlier, requires resourcefulness. There are a number of different ways to handle weeds and some methods are more appropriate than others. Here are some great suggestions from Good Housekeeping.
Gardening is not an exact science. A garden's health and productivity are in constant flux so it's important not to set your expectations too high. Some seasons you'll grow more green beans than you know what to do with and the next you'll struggle to get enough for a couple of meals. As long as you're feeding your soil, planting strong seedlings, rotating your crops (I'll chat about this soon) and providing water when needed, you ought to reap much, much more than you sow.
Will you be planting a vegetable garden this season? Do you have any frugal tips for beginners?
We had our first garden last year. It went pretty well, but I am going to grow fewer items this year. I got a little over zealous and tried to grow too much variety.
Yes, it's easy to lose control of a vegie garden. Before you know it, it's like Day of the Triffids out there!
Growing cover crops in off seasons is a good, cheap way to build your soil's fertility. I like to do fava beans in the winter. Not only do they add nitrogen, but if you let some fruit you'll have delicious beans for soups and salads! Plus you can save some for the next year.
Yes, legumes are great as a cover crop.
I am so jealous for I live overseas and starting a garden is not an option for me. My friend use to give me groceries from her garden when I was in the states and the goods were always so delish. Good luck and I hope we get an update later on.
You can always use this time for research so once you're back in the states you'll be ready to jump straight in. In the meantime, enjoy the experience of where you are.
Oh I love this post! I started my veg garden at the beginning of Summer. Our rainwater tank carked it halfway through so we had some losses due to scorching summer temps and lack of water but some did survive. I have just harvested my first bowl of cherry tomatoes!
I've found that seed saving and homegrown groups of Facebook often have great tips on where to buy cheap seeds and sometimes can organise swaps via post. I recently got 10 packets of seeds for $10 and free postage, I now have tiny baby onions, cabbage, broccoli and some herbs sprouting. For some reason I forgot to order Cauli- sad because the price at the shops is crazy right now.
The price of cauliflower is nuts! I saw them for $6.98 yesterday. I'll be squeezing as many as I can in the garden this winter.
It's very satisfying picking and eating food from your own garden. Good luck with your vegies!


text:
John Heartfield Exhibitions. Current Events Prove John Heartfield Anti-Fascist Political Art Remains True, 1993 – 2016
The Cinematic Life Of John Heartfield – Famous Political Artist & Graphic Design Genius /
<< HEARTFIELD CHRONOLOGY - ALL YEARS1993 2011 2013 2016
"It is better to be high-spirited
even though one makes more mistakes,
than to be narrow-minded and
all too prudent."
John Heartfield Exhibitions. Collage Art & Graphic Design As A Weapon Against Fascism & War
Explore the years from 1993 to the present. Learn how The Official John Heartfield Exhibition began. Discover why the frightening actions of Donald Trump's administration prove Heartfield's anti-fascist art is as relevant today as it was when the courageous artist activist challenged the power of Adolf Hitler and The Third Reich. Trump's presidency may be the most crucial years in history.
For too many years the Heartfield Archiv, Akademie der Künste, have treated John Heartfield's art as treasured relics rather than necessary powerful political masterpieces containing messages that must be available to the public.
Shortly after his return from his visit to the Heartfield Archiv (Heartfield Archive) in Berlin, attorneys acting for John J Heartfield and his sister, Catherine Jacobson, challenge the assertion that the Akademie der Künste controls the copyrights to John Heartfield's work.
In a letter dated May 1, 1993, the Akademie der Künste finally admitted that copyright approval for John Heartfield's work should have always been the right and responsibility of The Heartfield Community of Heirs.
This concession came too late for the two major books John Heartfield (one German edition, one English edition) released in conjunction with a world tour of John Heartfield's original art. The tour concluded with a critically acclaimed exhibition that took up the entire second floor of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). The exhibition is packed every day. It is universally acclaimed by critics in newspapers such as The New Times. Incredibly, John J Heartfield was told by MOMA that the exhibition was almost cancelled. MOMA was furious about demands made by the Akademie Der Künste regarding the display of the art.Beginning in 1993, John J Heartfield uses every means possible to persuade the Akademie Der Künste to help increase his grandfather's recognition and renown. He continues this effort today. One suggestion was a temporary loan of Heartfield's art to museums such as the Getty Museum, The Holocaust Museum, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Many world-class museums and institutions told Heartfield's grandson of their desire to display John Heartfield's original art.
The Akademie Der Künste categorically refuses such requests. Their reason is that the originals in the Heartfield Archive can only be properly preserved inside the archive. Also, they claim that Heartfield's real art is reproductions of his originals, not the original art. No major museum in the world is interested in displaying reproductions of original art.
The curator believes the Heartfield Archiv has good intentions. However, those in control hold the belief that John Heartfield's art is a collection of treasured relics of another era, rather than a highly relevant warnings of propaganda lies and out-of-control nationalism leading to fascism and war. John Heartfield risked his life to get the messages in his art to as wide an audience as possible. The curator knows his grandfather would tear down the doors of any institution that kept them hidden.
The Chronology section will always grow. Please check the Exhibition's Networking Sites such as – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest – for updates.
Professor John J Heartfield is John Heartfield's paternal grandson. He gives live interactive presentations around the world that focus on his grandfather's life and work and modern political art. Please write to him to request his presence at your event or ask any question. He is always pleased to hear from exhibition visitors.

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text:
Wedding Trends For 2023
By Web Publisher A, January 23, 2023
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Wedding Ceremony at Ft. DeSoto Beach in Tierra Verde, Florida
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OUR BEACH LOCATIONS SERIES- Part 3 of 4
Pass-a-Grille Beach, Pinellas County Florida
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Wedding Ceremony at Pass-A-Grille Beach in St. Petersburg, FL on 11/16/22.
It was a comfortable, breezy, and serene day out on Pass-A-Grille Beach in St. Petersburg, Florida. These two sweethearts, from…
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This couple took the plunge and said I DO on 11-11-22. It was a gorgeous evening as the sun set…
Wedding Ceremony at Philippe Park in Safety Harbor, FL on 11/11/22.
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It was a warm and beautiful Florida day out at Philippe Park in Safety Harbor, Florida. These two lovelies, from…
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Going to the beach to get married can be romantic, spontaneous, and full of excitement. The idea of eloping –…
OUR BEACH LOCATIONS SERIES – Part 2 of 4: Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County, FL
By Publisher M, October 17, 2022
The mesmerizing waters of the Gulf of Mexico are a bountiful ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean. Its waters are legendary and…
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The beautiful sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico make a stunning backdrop for your special day. Our 4 -pre-set…
Acquiring Your Marriage License
By Owner, July 11, 2022
If planning to get married in Florida, a marriage license can be applied for in any county within the state…
Not everyone wants to have a big wedding, and in some cases, there are reasons why it's not possible to…


text:
Thomas Crawford American, 1813-1857
A Commemmorative Work
18 1/4 H x 11 W x 15 D inches
Another version of this piece resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Crawford was one of America's best carvers and his ability and technique is highly refined. Crawford's marbles are rare and stand as some of the finest work of the period.
This rare and stupendously carved work by Thomas Crawford depicts the young boy from his iconic work Babes in the Woods executed circa 1850. The large version was popular and two versions were carved for patrons, one of which resides at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The subject depicted two young children who affectionately hold one another as they fall asleep and on to eternal slumber. However, it has been noted that at this time, Crawford's intent is to draw out the innocence, poignancy and tranquility of their situation.
It is interesting to speculate as to why he carved this bust which is clearly a small version perhaps meant as a small commemorative funerary headpiece for a patron who lost a child. It was highly common for sculptors to break out a single figure from their large works. The young boys garb is almost identical to that in the large version as is the position of the head and the expression. Crawford was one of America's best carvers and his ability and technique is highly refined. As demonstrated in this work, the carving of the plaits of hair is much deeper and more impressive than one would find with an Erastus Palmer, Hiram Powers or most of his counterparts. It is also possible that Crawford carved this in the hope of placing it and more orders for small funerary pieces, which would explain it not being signed. It may have stayed in Crawford's studio or it may have been placed with a client who did not wish to have Crawford's signature directly on the marble. This work was discovered in a barn where it had lain somewhat abandoned and it is also possible that it was pilfered from a cemetery. It is not unusual for many of our Neo-Classical marbles to have a history of neglect as they have fallen from favor a number of times since the time in which they were executed. Crawford's marbles are rare and stand as some of the finest work of the period.
From the Collection of a Private Family in Boston
Descended in the above collection
Similar artworks
Thomas Ball La Petite Pensée
Please notify me when works by Thomas Crawford become available.


If you've been following, we've been featuring the Kodachrome slides my father shot in England and Germany in the mid-'50s, starting with this post. We'll take a short break from those for now and turn back to my street photography here in dear, dirty New York.
This wall, which I've photographed several times before, is a lovely creamy white, especially against a cloudless deep blue sky, as here. Unfortunately it's grown more difficult as the building next to it on the corner has pulled down their always-locked, "public" garden (don't get me started) and spent the last year and a half jack-hammering it into a monstrosity of modernist retail space with the gardens on top, mind you, so as to be available only to their residents. Such are the ills of capitalism.


When we stepped into Montreal, the sun was just setting and the night life was revving up. Montreal is known for its night life and food apparently, so I thought it would only be fitting to check it out.
We stumbled into an indy car festival, right on the street which I thought was awesome. They closed down a street so people could look at cars. Street festivals are one of my favourite things to attend so Montreal was already growing on me.
My absolute favourite thing about Montreal however was all the French people!
I loved how they would speak in French with me because they assumed I was francophone. I had read articles in the paper before about how it was difficult for an anglophone person to fit in with the culture and how they feel alienated and such. Controversial former Globe and Mail columnist Jan Wong even suggested the Polytechnique Montreal, Concordia University and Dawson College massacres were because the three shooters didn't fit in.
I also enjoyed their French accents when they would switch to English to talk to me once they realized my French level was subpar. Montreal feels more like a European city than a Canadian one.
This was a free concert by Karl Wolf, a Canadian singer most known for his hit "Africa". It was just down the road from where we ate.
In the morning we got out of bed relatively early (9 am), but Montreal turns out to be somewhat laid back. Rarely anything was open for breakfast even though it was a Friday.
I thought the below bank was somewhat fishy. Bank of Toronto in Montreal? What is going on!
We walked up Rue Catherine, which is one of the main streets (kind of like Queen St. in Toronto) and sat down at Cacao, a chocolate cafe.
They had about 30 different varieties of chocolate from different regions in the world. I was in love.
We ordered breakfast, but it also came with a dipping plate with fruit and melted chocolate. It was really delicious.
I also ordered a Belgian hot chocolate which was extremely rich and lovely.


Home > News > Breaking News: The mystery of discolored black hair finally solved !!!
Breaking News: The mystery of discolored black hair finally solved !!!
It's for years now that heated discussions occurred and controversial theories were circulating,about the causes of the red- or brown discoloration of the black hair coat of dogs. At last the mystery has been solved in technoligists team of Nature's Protection brand. Although exposure to sunlight or water was often mentioned, a more fundamental food based cause has been identified.
Indeed, the multifunctional team of the Super Premium Lithuanian brand, composed of nutritionists, veterinarians, biologist, breeders and food technicians, along with external scientific researchers and external nutritionists, has found both the cause and the remedy. And this will be a big relief for numerous breeders who participate to shows and events.
Results of fundamental research, literature search and wise deduction showed a clear link between the level of a particular amino acid (a building block for protein) in the blood plasma and the loss of quality of the black hair coat.
In particular L-Phenylalanine, which is a precursor of Tyrosine (another amino acid) but also of Melanin (a black skin and hair pigment) is of paramount importance in this instance. The levels of L-Phenylalanine (and thus of Tyrosine) seem to impact the level of Melanin in the blood en consequently the incorporation of the black pigment into hair as demonstrated by microscopic examination. Conclusion of the Nature's Protection and external team of nutritionists was that the current recommended levels of these amino acids in the food might be too low for black haired dogs.
The Nature's Protection team immediately tried to confirm findings of investigation with a test diet and the results were stunning! Over 73% of participating dogs had a clear increase in quality and vibrancy of the coat, while the diet showed over 87% palatability and 100% digestibility.
This success leads to an innovative Nature's Protection Superior Care product. The Black Coat variety will be of tremendous value for Newfoundlanders, French Bulldog, Black-coated Spitz, Spaniels, Giant Schnauzer, black coated Retrievers, and many more!
Of course this diet strictly respects the nutritional charter of the Nature's Protection Brand. Poultry and Salmon as protein source, Yucca extract, prebiotics and natural fibre, complemented with gluten-free sweet potato, assure a perfect digestion, even for highly sensitive dogs, as the diet contains no maize nor wheat. Rich Omega-6 and Omega-3 sources, along with the well-known and unique MicroZeoGen complete the picture. But most importantly … the formula has been enriched with Tyrosine and L-Phenylalanine to protect black hair from browning and to maintain a vibrant, lustrous black coat.
Another valuable innovation of the successful Nature's Protection brand and a win-win opportunity for all breeders and owners of black haired dogs!


Are ghost bingo players a real threat?
When online poker was first introduced, many were wondering about the dangers posed by the so-called ghost players, which allegedly play for the poker rooms. There were many suppositions made regarding these players, with some claiming that they are professionals hired by the companies to make money on their behalf. There were some who went a step further and assumed that these are basically bots that are programmed to compete at multiple tables and there are given an unfair advantage over the field.
Most of these misconceptions have been ruled out and as a result of poker rooms being audited by prominent companies, many of these worries were put to rest. Those who play bingo games over the Internet are also wondering whether there are any ghosting of players out there and try to determine if they pose a real threat or not.
It took a while for players to take a leap of faith and leave the familiar environment where they used to compete against neighbors and people they knew. Trading this for the virtual arena was difficult but reasons such as convenience and the possibility of playing for less money eventually won the argument. In the absence of human interaction, and with nothing more than a checkbox to communicate with fellow players it comes as no surprise that some people expect the worst.
Online operators did their best to create a friendly setting for players to interact at multiple levels, but it is still very difficult replicate the one from a bingo venue. The idea that players are in fact competing against the house which is represented by these ghost players is frightening, because it makes it downright impossible to win. It makes perfect sense that if the operators sank to such lows as to use software to compete against players, they would also program the game itself to make the latter win often.
There is nothing wrong in investigating the issue and looking at the problem from different angles, but it is excessive to draw radical conclusions. You can never be 100% sure that the games are fair, but in order to mitigate the risks, it is recommended to choose those bingo rooms that have been around for a while. If reputation precedes them, have a lot of customers already and are regularly audited, it is less likely for them to risk it all by using unfair apps.
This entry was posted on January 30, 2014, in Bingo Tips.
The ones who create and direct advertisements, know that they have the power of convincing people to buy a certain item, even if they don't absolutely need it. Furthermore, if the commercials are done professionally, they are likely to tilt the market in the favor of one type of product or service and this also applies to lottery games. YouTube is full of inspiring and funny lottery commercials, with some of them standing out from the crowd.
One such commercial, features a lucky couple who apparently want a huge amount playing the lottery, who celebrates the occasion in a special way. While enjoying all the perks of being filthy rich, they also find the time to relieve the special moment. Another amusing lottery advertisement, highlights the importance of being frank and presents the potential downsides of playing a prank on a friend.
Commercials don't necessarily need to be hilarious to achieve their goals and a Scandinavian company did a brilliant job in advertising their game. By choosing an unlikely character as a lottery winner and emphasizing the importance of setting correct priorities, they, with an inspiring ad. They also draw valuable conclusions, such as the fact that lottery players regardless of age can greatly benefit from winning the jackpot and there is more than meets the eye to them.
Another idea that transcends these amusing commercials is that the sky's the limit for those who win the jackpot and pretty much anything becomes accessible and affordable. Not even purchasing a baseball team is out of reach for winners, but the lucky ones should think twice before indulging in new hobbies or making lavish purchases. Enjoying everything with moderation is one of the powerful conclusions that can be drawn after having some fun with the lottery games.
This entry was posted on November 22, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
There is nothing wrong in exploring new possibilities all the time while trying to make your bingo experience as convenient as possible. For those who no longer find brick and mortar venues suitable, but have no intention of forsaking their favorite game, online bingo is the only alternative. There are plenty of reasons to make this transition and convenience stands at the top of the list, but there are also some unique dangers that players need to factor in.
Knowing that bingo is still immensely popular game worldwide, many scam artists are now focusing on this increasingly larger community. There is pretty much nothing that they would refrain from doing if they have a good chance of tricking honest people and scam websites are just one of the scams they perpetrate. Granted, these bogus websites require some time and effort to create and slightly bigger investments that regular scam e-mails, they also have the potential of generating bigger profits.
The threat is all too real and those who are poised to play bingo over the Internet should know which are the signs that they might be walking into a trap. There is no guarantee that a professionally designed website is actually genuine and people should do their due diligence and conduct research before depositing money or disclosing personal information. On the other hand a website that is littered with grammar mistakes and has content written in poor English should raise alarm flights right away.
Many scam artists have high expectations but they don't have the money to back them up and that's why they released subpar websites. What they count on is that most of those who land on the fake website don't know English well enough to spot those mistakes. This is only partially true and unfortunately for those who don't have a strong command of English language, there is no definitive way of distinguishing between genuine and bogus websites.
Design on the other hand is a more relevant indicator, because of professional company which spins millions of dollars while organizing legal bingo games is more likely to have an eye candy websites. All these elements should be factored in before making a decision, because what sounds too good to be true usually is. Last but definitely not least, bingo players are advised not to fall into the trap of those who claim that they are organizing the games on the half of worldwide famous companies such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Apple or other instantly recognizable brands.
This entry was posted on October 14, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
There are so many lottery syndicates out there, that those willing to join don't need to look around for long before finding one that meets the expectations. Assuming that no such group is suitable for your needs or you have your personal idea about how the syndicate should look, there is nothing wrong in setting up one yourself. Obviously, there are a couple of guidelines that can help you start on the right foot and keep the organization going smoothly but all of them are subject to tinkering.
The very idea of lottery syndicates is that people pool money together to make it more affordable to purchase tickets. This allows them to spend the same amount of money while buying additional tickets, with the only downside being the fact that you have to split the jackpot if the group wins. It is a small price to pay given the fact that the odds of winning are remote, but nevertheless this is something to take into account from the very beginning.
In order to prevent any unpleasant situations, people are advised to be careful when setting up a lottery syndicate and be very scrupulous. The first step is to select your team and start playing right away and it is entirely up to the one who creates the syndicate to choose his colleagues. One way of doing this is by allowing only people from the inner circle, such as relatives, close friends and acquaintances to join.
The advantage is that you can put your trust into these people, but on the flip side, you would have fewer players which translates into less money being pooled together. Assuming you welcome strangers your lottery syndicates, it is even more important to be very strict about the terms and conditions. It can never be too safe and that's why it is recommended to set the ground rules and create some official papers that all members are supposed to sign.
There are plenty of websites out there who offer practical syndicate kits for those who want to start from scratch, so help yourself to one. It is also the duty of the one who leads the syndicate to see how errands are assigned, so that all members have the same duties and privileges. If the rules are coherent and all the players in the syndicate agree to them, nobody will have to take care of too many chores and the entire group will be content.
It goes without saying that if the syndicate ends up winning the main prize, all the members in the group will have to enjoy a fair share. The question is what to do with second-tier prizes, which are by definition considerably lower and wouldn't make rich the members if divided equally. Some lottery syndicates consider that it is better to use this money to purchase more tickets, others stick to the rules and split these prizes as well. Regardless of the choice, make sure all the members agree from the start.
This entry was posted on September 27, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
The game of bingo has been around for long enough to become immensely popular among people of all ages and it is still going strong after all these years. What makes it so popular is the fact that the rules are easy to understand and chance alone determines the outcome, so players regardless of skill will have the same chances to win. Not many make the transition to online bingo, not because they don't trust the technology, but because they prefer to keep it a social game.
Luckily, those who offer these games over the Internet went to great lengths to create a friendly gaming environment and made it possible for players to interact on multiple levels. Online bingo is gaining popularity, but it will be a while until enough players will shift from brick-and-mortar venues to virtual ones. Meanwhile software developers make giant leaps forward and some of them dedicated their efforts to creating new types of bingo.
RTG Roaring Twenties Bingo is a shining example of how technology comes to the rescue and although it bears many similarities with the traditional game, the differences are what make it stand out from the crowd. Players are expected to create various patterns with different numbers and to some extent it is more similar to a slot game than traditional bingo. Players enjoy all the popular RTG features, such as playing several hands in a row by using the autoplay function or doubling up with gamble functions.
It is only a superstition that you need a powerful computer to enjoy bingo over the Internet, because a regular machine is more than suitable to run such games. Software developers did their best to create titles that look great, feature state-of-the-art gameplay and still function properly on pretty much any computer regardless of operating system or specifications. An Internet connection is also mandatory, but then again most of those who have a computer are also connected to the network.
This entry was posted on September 11, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
The advantages of playing the lottery as a syndicate are numerous and every now and then, we are presented with another example. The same goes for pretty much any game of luck that revolves around numbers being extracted and even Internet bingo can be included into this category. Players prefer to pool money together and purchase more tickets to improve their chances of winning, without paying more money or increasing the frequency of games they play.
16 people who worked at the Ocean County Vehicle Maintenance won a share of the $448 million Powerball jackpot and received roughly $5 million each after taxes. The college decided that it would be better to play the games together instead of buying tickets individually and their decision proved to be a wise one. Their story is narrated by the media and a compelling article about their success was posted at http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/08/08/2-of-3-winning-448m-powerball-tickets-sold-in-new-jersey/.
For a couple of days, the only thing that was known about these players is that they worked at the same venture but eventually they reveal their identity. They have all the time in the world to do so, but it is hard to believe that with so many people involved it is possible to maintain anonymity. This is a very serious question that those who join the syndicate need to ask, because otherwise they risk running into trouble.
As for the other two winners who share the other two thirds of the Powerball jackpot, one resides in Minnesota and the other is also a New Jersey resident. This makes this case particularly interesting as it's been 20 years since two players from the same state won a Powerball jackpot. These two guys played the lottery individually but there are plenty of successful syndicates out there who can reinforce the theory that playing as a group is a smart choice.
This entry was posted on August 28, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
What does a bingo syndicate stand for?
Bingo is generally a game played individually despite its social nature, so the very concept of a bingo syndicate is somewhat abstract and puzzling for regular players. This doesn't mean that it can't be done, and those who want to find more about such a group should check out what the lottery equivalent stand for. http://contests.about.com/od/lotterieslotteryresults/tp/Lottery-Pool-Contract-Questions.htm has some insightful articles about how to set up such a syndicate and which are the ground rules that are mandatory.
The benefits are similar for bingo and lottery syndicate has the members for money together and compete for the same prices, while spending less individually. Whenever someone wins big, the prize is equally divided between the members so with more people tagging along the better the chances are for someone to win. Don't let the upside blind you and completely neglect the potential perils, because there are several cases of people who set up a syndicate that imploded immediately after the jackpot was won.
This is less likely to happen to a bingo group due to the fact that the payouts are lower but this doesn't make it any less important to have clear regulations. By having all the members bound to a lottery or bingo pool agreement, you will avoid unpleasant situations when members go at each other's throats. First of all, someone needs to be in charge of purchasing the tickets and there should always be a backup so on those rare occasions when the designated person fails to buy them, someone else will step up.
By doing so, you offset the risk of missing out on a rare opportunity to win and there will be no doubts about whether ticket was purchased if the regular numbers are extracted. There are some differences between bingo and lottery but both of them are games based on luck and prizes are awarded to the ones who matched the winning numbers. There should be a rule determining whether members can pool more money than their peers and receive a larger share of the jackpot if the syndicate wins.
Another thing that should be on each member's mind is how the lower tier prizes will be distributed, because there are two ways of handling these payouts. One implies that smaller amounts are going to fuel of the next syndicate pool, so that more tickets can be purchased while the jackpots are immediately divided among members. Deciding whether members can purchase tickets individually or not is just as important as there have been many cases of people claiming they bought the winning tickets for themselves not the group, therefore they don't need to share the money.
Last but not least, bingo and lottery syndicate members alike should be prepared for the best case scenario which is to win the main prize. Assuming that the jackpot is very high, a rule should exist stating whether the winners are allowed to go public or anonymity should be uphold. The lottery group needs to make the sensitive decision as soon as possible and unanimity is required.
This entry was posted on July 31, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
There are not many things that lottery players need to concern themselves with, because the outcome of each draw is determined by luck and luck alone. Intricate strategies and betting systems are worthless and paying a dime for purchasing them is an utter waste of money. On the other hand, there are a couple of concepts that are worth the attention and one thing that players need to understand is expected value.
Even though they have no control over the outcome of the game and luck dictates the result of lottery draws, there is still an upside in understanding expected value. Lower tier prizes are frequently underestimated by players, as they instinctively focus their attention on the jackpots. In order to accurately calculate expected value, it is essential to factor them in and players need to keep an open eye on the odds of winning any amount.
When calculating the returns, lower tier prizes count as well and on the long run the smallest amounts are the ones that keep players afloat. Scooping the jackpot should be the main priority for players, and lotteries who only reward two or three categories of winners should be avoided. On the other hand, it is worth playing those games where players are presented with a prize even if they match only a handful of numbers. The probability of winning in various categories is calculated in the same manner, so those who want to take an analytical approach to evaluating expected value should resort to mathematics.
Fortunately most of the lotteries that truly matter worldwide have an online website that highlights the chance of winning prizes in each category. These values in conjunction with the price of a regular ticket will eventually highlight the expected value and help players decide whether the lottery can be profitable or not on the long run. The fascination for jackpots shouldn't be underestimated and people will always fancy those lotteries that offer the highest potential payouts.
Expected value is also calculated based on the size of the jackpot and depending on the cost of a ticket, there are values above which jackpots are worth pursuing. If we are to take the immensely popular Powerball lottery as an example, players should know that whenever the jackpot exceeds $276 million, they should double their efforts and purchase more tickets. Keep in mind that expected value has nothing to do with the actual odds of winning independent draws and regardless of it, the chances to win any prize stay the same.
This entry was posted on June 25, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
Lottery and bingo players are divided into categories, with some claiming that the only way of being a successful player is by using a system or strategy. They claim that a select few have cracked the code and now are reaping the benefit, while others believe that pure luck and positive thinking are the only things that help. Those who side with the latter will find additional arguments in the article posted three months ago at http://www.play-internet-bingo.com/how-can-positive-thinking-enhance-bingo-experience/.
The former have very few arguments simply because there are not many lottery players who won the main prize several times in a row. In fact there are very few who succeeded in winning sizable amounts and that's what makes Melvyn Wilson of Woodbridge so special. The former postal worker won four lottery prizes in the last eight years and the most recent amount of $500,000 took his total lottery earnings to a bit over $2 million.
Before getting overly excited and using this story as an argument in favor of allegedly miraculous lotteries systems and strategies, people should know that Mr. Wilson is no lottery guru. In fact he is not a big fan of traditional lottery games and made this small fortune by focusing his attention on scratch cards tickets. This explains why he needed to win four prizes to exceed the barrier of $2 million, given the fact that most lottery jackpots are considerably larger.
Having said this, his performance is every bit as remarkable and the fact that Melvyn Wilson confirmed that there is no science behind his success, should encourage regular players. The first time he won, the prize was a mediocre $25,000, but this was only the beginning and 2005 was his lucky year. Eight years ago he won two more scratch cards tickets, with one of them making him $500,000 richer while the second granted him an additional million.
It comes as no surprise that following these consecutive successes Melvyn chose to quit his postal worker job and is now enjoying a peaceful retirement. For more than seven years he kept purchasing lottery tickets with moderation but it was only in 2013 that he won another major prize. Once again he scooped half a million and although he has plenty of money in his bank account, he will probably keep playing just to see how long will his luck last.
This entry was posted on May 20, 2013, in Bingo Tips.
Very few products if any are getting cheaper these days, and we tend to get used to witnessing prices going up every single day. Pastime activities such as the game of bingo used to be an inexpensive entertainment, but are bingo tickets prices on an upwards trend? At a first glance, one might be tempted to say that quantifying the increase in prices is impossible, given the fact that this is a game usually played in land-based venues.
Those who enjoy spending a couple of hours every week in such a place, can probably confirm that the prices have gone up but at a snail's speed pace. The changes are even more difficult to notice or downright inexistent when it comes to home games, but things are quite different online. Now that bingo can be enjoyed in online casinos as well, players have a broad range of places where they can deposit funds and play their favorite game.
At least in theory, these online casinos have unrestricted liberty in setting the prices, but competition keeps them reasonably low. The average ticket price of one dollar per bingo slip can be regarded as a standard for online games, but then again the prices vary a lot. Casinos like to encourage players to experience the thrills of bingo for free and that's why they run freeroll tournaments, in a very similar manner to how Texas hold'em events are organized.
While the same link between the price of tickets and potential gains apply in bingo as in other games of chance, the nature of the game makes it unattractive for highrollers. Bingo is played by the same rules all over the world and very few of those who play it often regard it as a lucrative business or attempt to make it a way of living. What happens in online poker and other casino games doesn't apply to bingo, and this explains why the game remains more attractive to beginners and casual players.
In brick-and-mortar locations, the organizers try to differentiate between their bingo games by offering visitors different packages. An excellent example of how diverse the offer is, and which are the options that players are presented with can be found at http://www.mysticlake.com/gaming/bingo/packages. The combinations are almost limitless, so the odds of finding a reasonably priced package are stacked in your favor.
This entry was posted on March 15, 2013, in Bingo Tips.


There are various airports that operate within Lucknow. Amausi Airport (LKO) is one of Lucknow's primary airports with at least domestic flights and international flights departing from its runways every week. As of today, Amausi Airport (LKO) offers nonstop flights to cities and has airlines operating out of it.
Some of Lucknow's other primary airports include; Kanpur Airport (KNU), offering nonstop flights to cities, with airlines operating out of it on at least domestic flights and international flights each week.


text:
If you live within a mile of these 50 US airports, you won't get real 5G in January
You won't be downloading any movies on this runway.
Image: REUTERS/Chip East
Nicolás Rivero
and David Yanofsky
For months, US airline regulators have been sparring with cell carriers over the looming rollout of a new version of 5G, which operates on so-called "C-band" frequencies. C-band connections promise noticeably faster service for smartphone users, but the aviation industry worries that the new networks will interfere with crucial airplane instruments like altimeters.
AT&T and Verizon are set to debut their new C-band networks in 46 US markets this month, after paying $70 billion to secure the rights to the frequency and spending billions more to build out new cell towers. Originally, they planned to launch their networks on Jan. 1, but pushed the start date back to Jan. 19 in response to a last-minute request from US regulators.
On Jan. 2, regulators and telecom giants reached an agreement (pdf): When AT&T and Verizon debut their C-band 5G connections on Jan. 19, they won't offer service within about a mile of 50 major US airports. If you live or work within an airport buffer zone, you may not be covered for at least another six months. The cell carriers have promised to maintain their C-band buffers until July 5.
The C-band 5G controversy, explained
Cell carriers launched 4G networks in 2008, which would soon power the data-hungry apps that defined the way people use smartphones. But 4G networks aren't fast enough to support applications like hosting meetings in virtual reality, streaming video games without a console, or whatever the metaverse does. The new 5G C-band service is designed to solve that problem.
You can think of C-band as the Goldilocks spectrum, a middle ground between two existing 5G frequencies: Low-band 5G frequencies—which your phone may already connect to—have plenty of range, but aren't noticeably faster than 4G. High-band millimeter-wave 5G promises speeds up to 80 times faster than 4G, but has about as much range as a public wifi hotspot.
C-band, which sits in between low- and high-band frequencies, promises download speeds up to 10 times faster than the most advanced 4G connections, with enough range that a network of cell towers could realistically cover an entire city. In short, C-band service is the version of 5G that is fast enough and has enough range to meaningfully change the way people use their smartphones.
But airlines worry that C-band networks, which operate in a frequency range between 3.7 and 3.98 gigahertz (GHz), will interfere with airplane instruments like altimeters, which operate in a neighboring frequency range between 4.2 and 4.4 GHz. To placate airline regulators, AT&T and Verizon have agreed to create a C-band "buffer zone" around 50 airports. The cell carriers won't operate C-band cell towers within 1.3 miles (2100 m) of the end of any runway. They'll offer reduced C-band speeds for an additional 0.3 miles (540 m) beyond that.
The US Federal Aviation Administration released the list of airports with buffer zones on Jan. 7. It includes global hubs like New York's LaGuardia Airport, Chicago O'Hare, and Los Angeles International Airport alongside smaller regional hubs like the Greater Rochester International Airport and the Orlando International Airport. There are a few notable omissions, including Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta and Boston Logan International Airport, in cities that either won't get C-band 5G this month or have 5G towers that are so far away from runways that there's no need for a buffer zone.
LaGuardia's airport buffer zone covers part of Queens
In densely cities like New York, where residential areas are close to airports, the C-band buffer zones will prevent people in from accessing faster 5G at home. The LaGuardia airport buffer will affect Queens residents who live in parts of Astoria Heights, Jackson Heights, and Flushing, plus anyone going to a Mets game at Citi Field or working in or visiting the prison on Rikers Island. (Incarcerated people aren't allowed to have phones.)
Las Vegas's airport buffer zone covers parts of the Vegas Strip
In Las Vegas, the C-band buffer zone partially covers the casinos on the Vegas Strip. Guests at the MGM Grand, Tropicana, Luxor, or Mandalay Bay will only have access to a low-power C-band connection that is at least 30% weaker than a full-strength network. Gamblers probably won't notice the difference: Electronics are banned at casino tables, and the walls of most casinos are so thick that they block cell service anyway.
San Jose's airport buffer zone covers Intel, Oracle, and NVIDIA offices
On some of Silicon Valley's corporate campuses, full C-band coverage won't be available. The footprints of Oracle, Intel, Ebay, and NVIDIA offices straddle the low power zone. PayPal is entirely within in the low-power area and the soccer stadium it sponsors, PayPal Park, is fully inside the exclusion zone.


You know, it's easy to say that we should be marketing our work or business. I mean, we say this constantly time, and time, and time again….if you want to sell you have to advertise. You have to market yourself.
As crazy as it sounds I see people desperately trying to do this, day in and day out, with social media or their laptops or mobiles taking over their lives completely.
Selfies….intrusions into their real world. Constant public scrutiny. Constantly trying to be things they aren't in order to sell themselves to other people who are also not really what they say they are.
If you want to advertise yourself you have to keep it real, for if you keep trying to be somebody that you're not, putting on a persona, then it is very hard to keep it up.
More and more people kill themselves these days, and I believe strongly that a lot of it is the strain of trying to be someone else… The someone they think people want them to be.
Not enough people take the time out to be who they really are and to just enjoy life as it really is.
How many of you reading this go out daily? I mean, not just shopping and normal day to day life, but how many of you take time to go out and just live in the moment?
Have you got bucket lists? Have you done anything on those bucket lists? Why not?
When was the last time you walked on the beach or walked in the woods, or just walked in the countryside?
How many of you walked without a mobile.. without taking photos …without filming?
When was the last night you had a date night if you've got a partner. With yourself in a new restaurant if you haven't, or your partner is away.
If the answer was yesterday, or even the day before yesterday, then you're doing very well. If the answer was last week that's not too bad….. but if the answer was over a week ago then I suggest you stop reading this…you put on your shoes and you go for a walk…. Or a meal… Out just window shopping if that's your thing.
And don't take your mobile.


1880s autograph album that may have belonged to Lucy Etta Friend of Sedgwick, Maine, and Portland, Maine.
The first signed page in the album was signed by Lucy E. Friend. Presumably she was the owner, but I can't be sure of that, although one signer referred to her as Lou, and Lucy Etta Friend eventually left Sedgwick, Maine, for Portland, Maine, where all but one of the pages were signed.
The signer who inscribed her page to "Lou" was Eva S. Tabbutt of Portland, Maine, who signed a page on April 23, 1884.
The album is approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains only 8 signed pages. An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.
Lucy Etta Friend was born 7 January 1868 at Sedgwick, Maine, the daughter of John W. and Clarissa N. (Bridges) Friend, who were both born at Sedgwick, Maine, I believe.
On 25 December 1886 at Portland, Maine, Lucy Etta Friend married William H. Homan, son of Elihu and Lucy P. (Marston) Homan of Portland. William was born at Portland, Maine, on 29 June 1857.
Lucy Etta and William had five children, three of whom died young, though Lucy was spared the grief, as she had died before them, in 1895 of consumption. William and his sons had a painting business.
If you have access to Ancestry.com, someone has uploaded two photographs of Lucy Etta Friend, which you can access by searching for her. That person also noted that Lucy's sister Blanche helped take care of the children in the summers after Lucy's death.
If you have corrections to the information above, if you feel that the album belonged to a different person, or if you have information on any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly. Thanks!
Sedgwick, Maine [A] and Portland, Maine [B] You may have to zoom out a click or two.


text:
Unlock the world with a piece of chalk in free puzzle game Chalkboard
By Tom Sykes 2019-12-13T11:18:49Z
Chalk and cheers.
(Image credit: Delrel)
Chalk. It doesn't just go lovely with a bit of cheese, you can also use it to draw on things. Blackboards, for example. Walls, for another. If you do the latter in the aptly named Chalkboard, you'll cut bits out of the environment, and solve puzzles.
Neat idea, isn't it? And it's used in a handful of puzzles that unfold in beautiful ways, but that are unlikely to trouble you too much. This is a decidedly chill puzzle game with a huge margin for error. It's very sweet, though I do wish the central mechanic had been explored in a bit more depth.
This isn't the next mind-blowing puzzle game, but it is a lovely puzzle toy where you feel something like a wizard, shifting the fabric of an ambient, chalky world. You can grab Chalkboard from here. (Thanks, Warp Door.)
For more great free experiences, check out our roundup of the best free PC games.


text:
Procurement that stresses solutions, not specs
By Paul McCloskey
The city of Long Beach, Calif., is about to launch a set of municipal projects for which it is requiring that few -- if any -- technical specifications or prerequisites for bidders be included in advance.
Instead the city is opting to pursue a new "problem-based" approach to procurement, which asks both city managers and potential vendors to shift their focus away from products and technologies the city needs to buy and instead focus first on the problem it needs to solve.
That tactic is the brainchild of Citymart, a Barcelona- and New York City-based firm that has claimed a string of successes with the new approach over the last few years in cities including San Francisco, Moscow and Madrid.
This fall Long Beach will launch the first two of five challenges using the Citymart method. The effort will be supported by a recent $50,000 grant from the Knight Foundation that Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia was able to secure to support the project partnerships.
Garcia said he believes the project "not only has potential to save the city money, but is a great way to support innovation in the public and private sector."
The Citymart business proposition is based on its belief that most city procurement proposals are so entangled with financial and legal red flags and other requirements that few bids survive the procurement process.
And those that do are rarely the most innovative or address the root cause of the problem, said Citymart CEO Sascha Haselmayer, who estimated most cities looking to launch a procurement are aware of only about 3 percent of solutions available to them.
"Instead of rapidly sharing the best solutions, our communities spend billions every year reinventing solutions, when they could be delivering the best possible services," Haselmayer said. "Solutions that might arise in months instead take years, if they are discovered at all."
In an effort to open up the bidding process to a larger community of innovators and to generate more proposals, the firm has been pioneering a technique that substitutes a simple problem statement or challenge for the specs found in more traditional requests for proposals.
Where a traditional procurement for streetlights might request for data on power consumption or liability, a problem-oriented procurement aims to generate dozens of proposals by soliciting responses to a more open-ended question such as, 'How can we make our city safer?'
The first challenge, designed to help make Long Beach more business friendly, has been given the moniker, "Launch, Do, Grow." One aim of the project is to clear potential confusion surrounding the procurement process that often stands in the way of first-time entrepreneurs looking to bring their ideas to the city.
"The classic example is somebody who's got a great idea for a business. They go out and reserve their commercial space and then come to city hall to get a business license," said Rachael Tanner, a program analyst in the Long Beach city manager's office. "And at that moment they learn there are a number of other things that need to happen before that space can be opened to the public -- that's the worst case scenario."
For Long Beach, challenge-based procurement is intended as "another tool in our toolbox," said Tanner, an option to use when appropriate. "But if there's a new method out there, we want to be able to be on the forefront and take that method and innovation and incorporate it so that we have the capacity to do it ourselves."
A second challenge will be mounted around the theme of "sparking a culture of innovation," Tanner said. With it, the city aims to gather people with experience building innovative organizations and identifying the city's role in putting that together.
Haselmayer sees similar themes spreading around the world. "The essence of this is that we are asking cities to consider what they are set up to do in government -- which is essentially problem solving," he said, noting that "currently in government, this process is fragmented."
Since its launch in 2011, Citymart has completed more than 100 "problem challenges." In Barcelona, the city launched six challenges spread over a $1.5 million budget, including a solution for how to reduce bicycle theft across the city. Other challenges focused on how best to tackle social isolation among the city's elderly, including a request to apply social media and shared calendars to promote 'permanent dialogue' across the city.
The Barcelona competition drew 119 qualified bids, 12 of which were developed by companies expressly formed by citizens to respond to the challenge. In all, 55,000 citizens and entrepreneurs showed interest in the challenge.
"This was much better stuff than they would get from the usual five bidders," said Haselmayer. "It was innovative. All six contracts were awarded 30 percent below budget. The whole turnaround of the RFP was 9 months, which was the 'speed of light' in our world," he said.
Problem-solving workflow
To help guide the problem challenge, Citymart offers support to cities at various points in the procurement process, from launching a challenge, to holding face-to-face summits with vendors to winnowing incoming proposals.
"Most city governments initially don't have a grip on what problems they might have in the organization," Haselmayer said. "So we help them surface problems by engaging employees and stakeholders and begin to develop a workflow on how they can select the right path to solve a problem."
Ultimately the city and vendors start learning from each other, drawing from what has been successful in the past. "In some cases, you go into a procurement process, in others you might go into co-creation processes. In other cases you might pilot a new idea to get a better understanding of what a technology might be capable of."
At that point, the city begins to learn a process that "becomes pretty normalized."
Sharing solutions
Citymart also encourages sharing of proposal content. "Every problem we run has its own feed where we publish solutions as we're finding them," Haselmayer said.
This tends to serve as a catalyst for self-organizing groups that might circulate information about a new solution. In Barcelona, he said, individual citizens collaborated with commercial entrepreneurs to form 12 new bidding teams competing to be funded. "The other thing that happens is that some cities are running similar problems, and so they're building on what one city has learned in solving its problems."
An RFP for setting up streetlights in the San Francisco challenge, for instance, was built on top of an urban lighting project in the Netherlands, which in turn inspired a similar program in Christ Church, New Zealand. "So the cities are learning from each other, both about what the market offers and their experiences in solving the problem," Haselmayer said.
The firm has learned a number of lessons in the past five years, according to Haselmayer. When Citymart first launched, he said, problem challenges tended to be engineering oriented, often a variation of "how do we automate urban services."
"We've moved away from these engineering-focused solutions into looking at citizen value," he explained. "Cities have moved toward challenges like how do we revitalize public spaces, how do we tackle health issues or independent living for the elderly using technology.
The firm also isn't particularly focused on reforming the procurement process, he said. "If you say that procurement reform is about changing laws and regulations I think that certainly wouldn't be our starting point -- that would take far too long in my view," he said.
"It's actually just making the best use of everything we have," Haselmayer added. "Ultimately we want to see innovation and change embedded in everything we're doing because it give us better solutions and better decisions."
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Game Order Up!To Go tells the story of budding chefs, who will undergo a complex path from avtozakusochnoy a network of fast-food to cook in the high-end expensive restaurant.
Enter your address and place your order online. . Download the OrderUp app for iPhone and Android. When you're on the go, .


This is a highly sophisticated battery-powered wah-wah and fuzz pedal and is part of a comprehensive range of pedals from the Japanese Roland Corporation that is marketed in the U.K.
The pedal is exceptionally sturdy and the top case is cast and the fittings are added later. The unit consists of a pivoted pedal to control the degree of wah-wah signal distortion and this operates on the well-tried principle of geared potentiometer movement. The wah-wah effect is switched in and out by a metal foot-switch placed underneath the pivoted pedal. Thus a firm stamp on the pedal can turn the effect on or off. The section of the pedal is located beside the pivoted section as the fuzz unit. This has a steel on/off switch to bring in and cancel the effect and three controls for governing the fuzz sound. These are a three position tone selector switch, a rotary output lead control and a rotary sustain control. In addition, a standard jack socket is mounted on each side of the unit for connection to the instrument and guitar.
The pedal worked well with a high degree of both fuzz and wah-wah effects. We only had two major criticisms and these are that the guitar to pedal jack socket is mounted on the left side of the pedal and the output socket positioned on the right. Thus the guitar lead has to cross the body of the usual right-handed guitarist and potentially gets in his way. It would be extremely simple for Roland to reverse the position of these sockets. Second, we found that the fuzz on/off switch was difficult to find in a hurry although with use it got a lot easier.
It was difficult, we felt, because it was located only one inch away from the pivoted pedal which demands a certain degree of toe-delicacy to locate it.
Our praise for the pedal covers many points. The battery operated unit is automatically switched on when a lead is plugged into the input socket and we feel that this is far more sensible than a couple of pedals we have seen which use the output socket for this purpose. This way the pedal can be left plugged into the amplifier before it's needed and is only switched on when the instrument is plugged in.
We also found the degree of tone control on the fuzz excellent. The symbols over the three tone position are a sine wave, a square wave and a pointed wave and these really describe best the tones available. The first position offers a degree of sharp sustain to the main signal. The second position produces the standard distorted "fuzz" signal and the third position produces a thick electronic kind of fuzz.
Perhaps the most useful fuzz control is the output level, as this allows infinite control over the fuzz level as against the normal signal level and this completely eliminates that annoying signal jump when switching to or from fuzz. The sustain control offers a wide range of sustain time and also affects the speed with which feedback builds.
Battery access is easy and the manufacturer claims a working life of 200 hours for each battery.


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Northwell Nurse Health Choir sings "Stand By You" America's Got Talent 2021 AGT Finals
Sep 15, 2021 Sherry Ann Guzman America's Got Talent, Television 0
Northwell Nurse Health Choir sings "Stand By You" on America's Got Talent Season 16 Live Finals on Tuesday, September 14, 2021.
"What a treat. You are an inspiration," said Sofia. "You will walk away with a million thank you," said Heidi.
"You've been so consistent. You made us remember what you do. I think you could win this," said Simon. "I'm gonna stand by you. You are a good human beings, you deserve to win," said Howie.
Watch Northwell Nurse Health Choir's performance on the video below.
What can you say about Northwell Nurse Health Choir's performance? Share comments below.
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series aired on NBC, and part of the global Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of one million dollars.
America's Got Talent airs every Tuesday on NBC. Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara serves as judges while Terry Crews as host.
Northwell Nurse Health Choir
Northwell Nurse Health Choir agt
Northwell Nurse Health Choir agt september 14
Northwell Nurse Health Choir Stand By You
Josh Blue America's Got Talent 2021 AGT Finals Performance
iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max Price Philippines, Release Date & Full Specs


Understood as Cenote Angelita (Spanish for Little Angel ), a secret undersea river is found flowing under the ocean in the Yucaton Peninsula of Mexico.The place is reachable after a 10-15 minute travel south of Tulum. The underwater forms when a thin layer of hydrogen sulfate divides the saltwater from the fresh water, paving even scuba divers to swim along the underwater river which resembles the one on the ground. In confirmation , fallen trees and leaves remain stuck on both sides of the shores developing a dream-like seascape. Cenotes are generally deep pits or sinkholes, common in Mexico, which form from the caving in of limestone bedrock revealing the groundwater underneath .
So look out for lake inside the ocean you may need. If you are browsing for river flowing, you have actually land on the cool lading page.


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Recycled Biofuel By-products Could Make Biofuels Even Greener
Chemicals derived from plants can break down other plants into fuel
By James Urquhart, Chemistry World on August 27, 2014
Ionic liquids – salts that are liquid at room temperature – could potentially be made more cheaply and greenly by recycling by-products from biofuel production processes, according to US researchers. These ionic liquids derived from biofuel waste could then actually be turned to extracting sugars from biomass to be made into fuels.
One of the biggest challenges in breaking down biomass into useful chemicals suitable for making biofuels is finding ways to selectively depolymerise lignocellulosic biomass into its monomers: glucose, xylose and lignin. Imidazolium-based ionic liquids have previously been shown to be highly selective and efficient for this process, compared with thermochemical methods. However, use of these petroleum-based ionic liquids has been held back due to their high cost.
Now, Seema Singh and colleagues at the Joint BioEnergy Institute and other US institutions have developed a closed-loop system that could potentially reduce the cost and environmental impact of making ionic liquids suitable for biomass processing. 'Until now ionic liquid cations have been petroleum based,' says Singh. 'Using by-product from biofuel production to convert it into ionic liquids closes the loop and make the process sustainable, non-toxic and much cheaper than petroleum-based ionic liquids.'
The researchers made their ionic liquids using furfural, vanillin and p-anisaldehyde, which are aromatic aldehydes derived from lignin and cellulose. These were each treated with diethylamine and sodium triacetoxyborohydride, which causes reductive amination and the synthesis of tertiary amine-based ionic liquids. They then used these ionic liquids to pre-treat lignocellulosic biomass from switchgrass.
The furfural and p-anisaldehyde derived ionic liquids performed best with both providing 90–95% glucose and 70–75% xylose yields from switchgrass after 72 hours incubation with digestive enzymes. 'We demonstrated that these ionic liquids are excellent in pre-treating biomass and compare well with imidazolium-based ionic liquids,' Singh explains.
'This is the first time I have heard of anybody using biomass to make ionic liquids,' says George Huber, who investigates biofuel production at University of Wisconsin-Madison. 'The reason it has not been considered before is that the chemistry community is only now starting to realise the vast amount and complexity of products that can be made from biomass. Everything that can be made from petroleum can be made from renewable resources but the challenge is all with the economics.'
Indeed, the new biomass derived ionic liquids still have economic challenges to overcome – one disadvantage Huber raises is that the process to make them uses expensive commodity chemicals, diethylamine and sodium triacetoxyborohydride, for reductive amination. Seema and colleagues also estimate that making the ionic liquids from biomass currently costs around $12–$15/kg. They say this could be cut in half to $4/kg if the diethylamine and sodium triacetoxyborohydride can be replaced with ammonia and hydrogen. Imidazolium ionic liquids can cost in the range of $17–$25/kg.
This article is reproduced with permission from Chemistry World. The article was first published on August 27, 2014.
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Aerosol particles are generated in human airways and leave the body with exhaled air. The particles originate from the respiratory tract and contain non-volatile compounds that potentially may be used as biomarkers for various medical conditions. To utilise any information provided by the particles, they must be characterised. The work performed in this thesis focuses on measuring concentrations and size distributions of endogenous particles in exhaled air. The results give indications on how and where in the airways particles are formed. Number size distributions of exhaled particles, obtained from different individuals and breathing techniques, were measured. The results show that the inter-individual variation in number concentration is very high, while the size distribution peaks at about the same diameter for all subjects. The distribution peaks at a smaller particle diameter for tidal breathing than it does for breathing eaching airway closure. Moreover, deep exhalations result in significantly higher particle concentrations than tidal breathing. Exhalation followed by a few seconds breath hold amplifies the number of particles emitted in the subsequent exhalation, whereas breath hold after inhalation reduces the concentration. It was also found that a particle quickly shrinks when it leaves the saturated environment inside the human body for a surrounding with lower relative humidity. The results obtained support the theory that exhaled particles are created through a film rupture process. Following exhalation, airway closure and subsequent inhalation, fluid films are spanned across the airways. These films burst and form particles that leave the body with the next exhalation. It is suggested that tidal breathing activates the very smallest airways and produces the smallest particles. As exhalation depth increases, additional, larger airways close and larger particles are formed. Breath hold at low lung volume results in extensive airway closure and increased particle concentration, while breath hold at high lung volume causes deposition and loss of particles. It is further suggested that the particles are supersaturated liquid droplets shortly after leaving the human body.


The Tank Louis Cartier W1560002 is the perfect timepiece for a man who appreciates a sense of history in his style. This is a classic and attractive watch and is a relic of an important time in history.
'House of Cartier' was originally a jewelry boutique founded in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier. The modern watches crafted by Cartier are still based on the designs and fundamentals developed by Louis Cartier. The Tank Cartier was originally introduced in 1917 and the design of the original was influenced by the Allied tank commanders who defended France during World War I. Therefore, the Tank Louis Cartier is a timepiece of historical significance.
This particular model of the Tank Louis Cartier is highly aesthetically pleasing to the eye with its brown leather band and shiny brown dial accentuating the 18 karat rose gold case and bezel. The case is rectangular with nice smooth rounded edges and the leather band connects seamlessly to the case. The golden roman numerals on the dial are also laid out in an attractive rectangular pattern giving the watch a serious and professional look yet the brown color of the dial and matching leather band along with the golden case provide this watch with a very warm and inviting color tone, making the watch look much less stern than it might otherwise.
Cartier uses, of course only exceptional materials and that can be guaranteed in the Tank Louis. It has a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal dial window, water resistance to 30 meters and has mechanical movement. This is a classic among classics in the designer watch world, however, that does come at a price with a US retail value of $20,300.
Owning a piece of history does not come cheap yet history combined with this level of style might make it worth it. If you have a man in your life who likes to spend his free time watching the history channel or reading World War I novels then you might just be on to something in considering this watch as a gift. The French tank commanders during World War I must have known what they were doing to both have won some of the most important battles of the 20th century and to have a hand in designing a watch which has proven with withstand the test of time. The Tank Louis Cartier is a watch that can be worn with both style and pride.