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We're VYRD
VYRD is setting the new standard in Florida homeowner's insurance, building a completely different customer-centric experience using modern tools and technology to ensure you always have what you need.
What Makes VYRD Different?
Built by Floridians for Floridians, VYRD is creating new and innovative homeowner's insurance from the ground up. Utilizing cutting-edge technology and a policyholder-first mentality, we aim to set the new standard in secure home protection. We're in this together and involve the customer to ensure we meet Florida homeowners' unique needs and expectations.
Trust, built through personal connections, is essential to modern insurance. We believe strong relationships with qualified professional agents are imperative to providing Florida homeowners with the proper coverage.
Deep Expertise
VYRD's leadership team has over 183 years of combined experience insuring homes in Florida, and we're partnering with companies based in Florida and beyond to meet our policyholders' needs.
We are committed to your security. VYRD is well capitalized, utilizes a financial model focused on balance sheet strength, and maintains a Financial Stability Rating® "A" Exceptional from Demotech, Inc., ensuring that we will be there to pay all claims despite any economic downturn or changes in the insurance marketplace. Demotech is a leading independent financial analysis firm.
Tech-Forward
Modern protection is about vision — and investing in research and development to bring you new market-leading solutions to provide better products, mitigate loss, and deliver exceptional claims handling.
David M. Howard
David Howard has more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in insurance, having served as a CEO, COO, EVP and President at several insurance carriers and managing general underwriters/agencies. He also brings a deep mix of experience in organizational management, business development, sales and agency management, regulatory compliance, and risk management. David is a licensed property and casualty agent in Florida, and holds non-resident licenses in 10 other states. In addition to his experience in insurance, David is a former Army officer and founder of VetCor, a Tampa-based water mitigation company that has been recognized for its track record in hiring veterans.
Homeowners across the state of Florida face increasingly frequent and severe threats. Yet the insurance market has been challenged to provide the solutions and protection homeowners need. VYRD understands this challenge and is poised to meet homeowners' needs with a fresh approach.
VYRD is made up of people like you. We are your neighbors and share your concerns about the safety and security of our homes. We understand the need to know that if the worst happens, your insurance company will be there to make things right.
We also bring deep experience in homeowners insurance and all that comes with it. And we have partnered with the best service providers in the business to offer Floridians better coverage and service at competitive rates.
We are committed to delivering more effective prevention, better protection and a smoother customer experience.
Elizabeth Bevelacqua
This former agency owner has worked in a wide range of insurance specialties, giving Liz Bevelacqua a solid background to become VYRD's strategic sales and marketing expert. Her experience includes sales roles at The Hartford, Nationwide, FWCI and Heritage Insurance. While at The Hartford, Liz successfully rolled out the first use of mobile devices for field sales representatives in personal lines, implemented timesaving workflow apps, and other best practices in support of the AARP auto and home program in the Northern California/Bay area. Most recently, she served as senior vice president of personal lines sales at Acentria, a Foundation Risk Partners company. After moving from agency life to the carrier side, Liz has worked closely with partners in Florida, California, Texas and Southeast United States, providing strategic planning, business development, agency education and profitability management services. Liz is a graduate of Florida International University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a concentration in Education. She is a longtime supporter of the Salvation Army.
Brian D. Bottjer, CPA
First and foremost, Brian Bottjer's role as VYRD's CFO is to earn the trust and confidence of our policyholders. He does this by responsibly overseeing VYRD's financial planning and operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory reporting requirements, developing internal controls, managing accounting procedures, and monitoring company cash flow. Brian understands no one ever hopes to have to file a claim on their homeowner's insurance policy – but when they do, he wants to be there in their time of need. He appreciates that the insurance industry provides many opportunities to serve and make a difference which he finds highly rewarding. He also appreciates VYRD's structure as a nimble and collaborative team that allows everyone to lend a hand, take on large and small tasks, and have a true impact on the success of the business. Prior to joining VYRD, Brian held financial roles at FG Financial Group, Inc., Biovest International, Inc., and at other publicly traded insurance, financial services, and retail companies. When Brian is not in the office, he if off doing something with (or for) his family. As a life-long sports enthusiast, Brian is a huge Tampa Bay Lightning fan, and is an avid golfer (working hard on improving his golf game, lowering those scores, and keeping his keen sense of humor through it all). He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of Buffalo.
Ian Caruthers
Agency and Insured Services
Support Team Leader
Agency and Insured Services Support Team Leader
If gratitude is an attitude, Ian Caruthers wins all the prizes. Every single day, he gets to fulfill his passion to help Florida families, protect their financial welfare, solve problems, and generally make life better. He credits all that to the open structure and opportunity at VYRD, where he now focuses primarily on overseeing agency compliance with the state of Florida. He also supports VYRD's service, underwriting, sales, and marketing teams with procedures, tools, and best practices so they can achieve optimal relationships with our partners, agencies, and policyholders. He maintains a 2-20 General Lines license and has worked in service, underwriting, sales, agency, first notice of loss, claims support, insurance project management, and insurance operations management throughout his 11-year insurance career. He loves relationship building, interacting with people, and doing all he can to help through a challenge. His motivation is seeing their smiles after resolving a problem – which helps him stay consistently upbeat! Ian graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in English and Technical Writing.
Laura Hanson
Chief Digital/Brand Officer
Laura comes to VYRD with a strong "get-it-done" attitude that taps into both her technology expertise and her 25 years of experience in insurance marketing. She understands the fine art of strategy and team development (two things that also come in handy when she's at the helm of her sailboat). Laura spent much of her career in various product management roles at national carriers including Travelers and The Hartford and developed a specialty using technology to create operational efficiencies and improve the customer experience. Just before joining VYRD, Laura was with SiriusPoint, a specialty insurer and reinsurer, where she supported investments in technology and data-driven insurance companies and MGAs/distributors. Now a fellow Floridian, Laura originally hails from the Northeast where she still enjoys sailing with family and friends. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from the University of Hartford.
Steve Harding
Managing Director, Operations
Steve Harding's quick wit and sense of humor are very much welcomed at the busy VYRD office – and we love his belief that people are always first. Steve works tirelessly to deliver on the VYRD promise to customers and stays keenly focused on the overall VYRD product and service ecosystem. This includes managing innovative product and systems development, facilitating integrations, and ensuring service excellence from VYRD partners. Steve's 30-year insurance career includes 25 years in leadership roles at Seibels Bruce where he led and developed business processes, outsourced business for underwriting and claims operations, and managed startup operations for five Florida carriers (serving as point person during multiple natural catastrophes). A life-long "tech junkie," Steve was right at home serving as subject matter expert on several system implementations, including the Guidewire suite of products. Steve's life in insurance began in claims at Geico, where he quickly climbed the ranks to underwriting, customer service, and sales management. He holds a B.B.A. with a major in finance from Florida Atlantic University. When he's not working, he is with his family, off on a travel adventure, or, of course, trying out some new comedy to share back at the VYRD office.
David Howard knows insurance. With more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in the insurance field, David has served as CEO, COO, EVP and president at several insurance carriers, insurance tech start-ups, and general underwriters/agencies. He is a former advisory council member of Careers for Life (CFL) at The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. He also is a licensed property and casualty agent in Florida and holds non-resident licenses in 10 other states. David also knows business. Throughout his career, he has accumulated a deep mix of experience in organizational management, business development, sales and agency management, regulatory compliance, and risk management. He successfully operated Howard Consulting to support and grow a variety of businesses and corporations. This experience was the basis for his desire to form VYRD as a new way to deliver insurance products to the Florida market. A former captain in the U.S. Army, David is committed to supporting veterans any way he can. He is the founder of VetCor, a Tampa-based water mitigation company that has been recognized for its track record in hiring veterans, and he is a board member of the Disabled Veterans Insurance Careers (DVIC) organization. He is a 1984 graduate of Central Michigan University and was the distinguished military graduate.
Lisa Kreide
Complex Claims and Litigation Manager
Growing up in a military family, Lisa Kreide very quickly learned the importance of discipline, order, service, and sacrifice. These traits are the driving force of her chosen profession in the insurance arena – and are crucial to helping her untangle the most complex and litigated first-party homeowner claims. During these investigative processes, Lisa ensures every customer (policyholders, agents, vendors, employees, and Florida residents) receives superior service – and everyone on her team at VRYD works towards the best total claim outcome. Lisa has been in the insurance industry since the early '90s and she has seen and done it all – from handling property, casualty, and commercial claims to being a litigation specialist, team lead, large loss analyst, and litigation manager. She also has extensive experience serving clients during life-changing catastrophic events. She loves her dad's motto which hails from his years in the military: "Never leave your buddy in the battle." In the insurance world, she adapts this motto to "Never leave your client in their time of need." In this way, Lisa knows that at the end of every day, she has made a difference.
Valerie LaTour
Valerie LaTour has built a distinguished career managing the financial teams within the insurance industry, allowing for the smooth operations of the companies she has served. Prior to her role as controller at VYRD, Valerie has held financial management positions at Wright Flood, Fidelity National Insurance Services, Insurance Management Solutions Group, and Bankers Insurance Group. At Wright Flood, she was the vice president of finance, managing gross premiums of $700 million. While there, she specialized in financial reporting for the National Flood Insurance Program along with strategic partners Zurich and Lloyds of London. Valerie has achieved a master's degree in Accounting and Financial Management from Keller Graduate School and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a minor in Economics from the University of Florida. She holds a Series 7 and 66 license and her Florida 215 license for life, health, and annuities. Valerie is a board member of Solve Maternity Homes and the Dream Oaks Camps for Children, both located in Bradenton, Florida.
Jesse Rehberg
and Data Analytics Manager
Product Development and Data Analytics Manager
Jesse Rehberg is our resident expert on all things Florida – coming from a family that spans six generations of Floridians – and he is the ultimate Florida history buff. Fortunately for VYRD, Jesse is also an avid problem solver (the more complex the better) and a fantastic listener! That's what makes him ideal as VYRD's product developer and data and analytics guru. Jesse works daily to transform data into knowledge so he can help VYRD develop (or improve upon) products and procedures that enhance the customer and agent experience. He knows insurance is constantly changing and requires continual innovation for organizational success – and being a part of this process is what makes his career exciting. Jesse comes to VYRD after two decades working with Capitol Preferred Insurance Company and Southern Fidelity Group – both in-house and as an actuarial consultant for each company. Through this experience, he is well versed in the property and casualty regulatory environment. Jesse holds a bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science and minor in Accounting from Florida State University in Tallahassee. And when he's not thinking about revolutionizing the insurance industry, he enjoys time outdoors with family and friends.
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Can Atabas discovered a cool way to select anything that is over a background object without moving the background object. It's simple. Press the Esc key to deselect everything, hold down the Shift key, and drag a selection rectangle around the object or objects you want to select. How easy is that?
Egg's Named Color TIP: Egg Bramhill discovered this named color tip. When you alter a named color in Xara (see Editing Named Colors), all instances of that named color change too. So if you want to have many objects in the same document with more than one instance of the named color, the buttons shown above, for example do this: Copy and Paste the object you are working on to a new page, modify the colors then copy and paste from the new page back into Xara. The original named colors will remain unchanged and the new pasted named colors will be named .2. You can repeat this as many times as possible.
PESKY GUIDELINES TIP: If you like your Guides layer on top so you can see the guidelines while you work, but get frustrated trying to select something under a guideline, open the Layers Gallery and uncheck the edit box for the Guides Layer. You will still be able to drag guidelines onto the page (just ignore the warning dialog). And you can always delete all the guidelines by right-clicking on the screen rulers and selecting Delete All Guidelines.
Want to turn a color vector or color vector and bitmap drawing into grayscale? Place a solid black rectangle over the objects and apply a Flat, 0%, Saturation transparency. 0% Saturation removes all the color and just leaves the grayscale color components.
Lost Galleries Found TIP: Sooner or later we all manage to drag one of the galleries off the page where it cannot be found. To bring the missing gallery back to where it should be, go to the Window menu and select Control Bars... When the Control Bars dialog opens, click Reset. What could be easier. NOTE: If you have created any custom button or tool bars, these will be lost but it is a small sacrifice to have your house back in order.
Shift Ctrl s is the keyboard shortcut for Convert to Editable Shapes. Sally Bode has discovered if you can hold down these three keys while you draw an ellipse, rectangle, or QuickShape, the shapes you draw will be converted to editable shapes at the same time. This is a time saving step if you want to edit the shapes immediately with the Shape Editor Tool (F4).
PowerPoint TIP: Stephen Robinson suggests: Create a good illustration in Xara on a 7.5" by 10" page and export it as a JPEG, it fits on one PowerPoint slide exactly (no loss of resolution due to resizing or funny side effects).
Related TIP: Not everybody works in inches. So, here's what you can do to convert Stephen's rectangle to your units preference. Make sure your units and ruler settings are configured to your units of choice (let's say Pixels for example), draw a rectangle to any size, do not switch tools. In the Width text entry box, key in 10in (just like that with no space) in the Height text entry box key in 7.5in and press Enter. The rectangle's dimensions will automatically be changed to your units of choice, in this example, 960 x 720 pixels.
Quick Colorful Copies - Stephen Robinson recommends this quick method for producing a series of colorful copies. Create an object, such as the gift box, or colored spheres shown above, group all the objects (for example, box, ribbon, bow), make a duplicate, and create a blend using as many steps as you want copies. From the Color Blend Effects drop down list, select Alt Rainbow. Convert the Blend to Editable Shapes (Arrange menu) and Ungroup.
Finding a Broken Control Point TIP: dvector recently asked if there was a way to locate a broken control point on a path. One way is to select a section of line and change the outline color. But sunland, suggested selecting the line segment, switching to the Shape Editor Tool, selecting any control point and pressing the Home or End key on your keypad to find the beginning and end of any line segment. The selected control points will change to a red outline square.
Egg's Change Case Discovery TIP: Xara's Help files suggest that you can change a characters case (uppercase or lowercase) by placing the Text Tool cursor to the left of the character whose case you wish to change, and pressing Ctrl W to alter the case. But in response to a recent request from Erik (EJ) in the Xara X Conference on TalkGraphics.com requesting a way to change the case on an entire paragraph, Egg Bramhill discovered you can hold down the Ctrl key and press and hold the W key. The text cursor will zip through the text changing case as it goes. To change the caps back into lowercase, do the same thing.
Browse to the Xara 3D installation folder and double click on x3d.exe to add it to the list.
Now start up Xara X. You should find all your measurements displayed to 3 decimal places.
John Rayner's Faded Photo Edge TIP: In response to a question by Mike 1 in the Xara X Conference, John Rayner offered this simple solution for fading the edges of a photo. Select the photo with the Transparency Tool. Click on the left side and drag to the right edge while holding down the Ctrl key to constrain the direction to horizontal. Select Repeating from the Transparency Tiling drop down list. Reverse the starting and ending transparency. If you want less fading, click the Profile arrow icon on the Infobar and apply a Profile 1 preset profile.
then press the Tab key, the selection moves in an anti clockwise direction.
Gail Robertson offers this nifty tip for creating a filled shape using overlapping paths. Draw several paths and let the ends overlap. Select the paths and Arrange > Combine Shapes... Add Shapes. Add a fill color. Then Arrange > Break Shapes. Delete the overlapping lines. Results: a shape that is now a closed path and to which fills may be applied.
Availor recently discovered that you can create text on an angle or even upside down when you click and drag the text cursor to create "Column" text. Click and drag in any direction to create angled text. Hold down the Ctrl key and the angle will be constrained. The text radiates out from the point on the screen where the Text Tool cursor was clicked and extends for 360 degrees.
12 meters = 39.3700787 feet. This is very handy and works with other units and types of calculation as well.
Availor offers this TIP for drawing straight lines and right angles with the Freehand and Brush Tool. To draw a straight line while drawing with the Freehand and Brush Tool, hold down the Alt key. To draw lines at right angles, to create a square or rectangle, for example, hold down the Alt and the Ctrl keys.
Bill Taylor (Soquili) came up with this cool way to flip a selection from a specific central point. Drag a guideline where you want the flip point to be. Click twice on your selection to enable rotate/skew mode. Drag the center of rotation bulls eye to the guideline. Clone the selection (Ctrl k) and press the Flip Horizontally icon on the Infobar.
You can also use the Set Origin Position icon on the Infobar to determine at what side or corner of a selection an operation will be performed. To flip a selection from its right side, press the right center square on the Set Origin Position icon and then press Enter. This works with scaling and rotation operations as well.
Dave Montgomery came up with this clever TIP for creating parallel lines. Create your line. Increase the line width to the space you want between the two lines. Convert the Line to Shape (Arrange menu). Use a rectangle or line to slice off the ends of the shape. Select the end control points with the Shape Editor Tool and use the Break at Points icon on the Infobar to break the control points. Delete the ends.


Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
"Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life. Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?
"Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.
But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.
But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.


In spite of the double burden of racial and gender discrimination, African-American women have developed a rich intellectual tradition that is not widely known.
In Black Feminist Thought, originally published in 1990, Patricia Hill Collins set out to explore the words and ideas of Black feminist intellectuals and writers, both within the academy and without.
Here Collins provides an interpretive framework for the work of such prominent Black feminist thinkers as Angela Davis, bell hooks, Alice Walker, and Audre Lorde.
Drawing from fiction, poetry, music and oral history, the result is a superbly crafted and revolutionary book that provided the first synthetic overview of Black feminist thought and its canon.


Smashwords – Books Tagged "spitwrite"
These results show books which have been specifically tagged with this keyword. You can also try doing a general search for the term "spitwrite" .
This ginormous boxset contains every Mythography book and story up to January 2019. Get it all in a convenient bundle. Contains: Nanodaemons Crying Over Spilt Light Slow Up The Girl Who Twisted Fate's Arm A Thousand Eves Girl Gone Nova and over 100 short stories.


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Q: Competition problem (unknown source) For what positive $x$ does the series
$$(x-1)+( \sqrt[2]{x}-1)+ ( \sqrt[3]{x}-1)+ … + ( \sqrt[n]{x}-1) + …$$
converge?

A: Clearly, the series converges for $x = 1$. Now we will show that it does not converge for $x \neq1$. Let us divide through by $x - 1$ and compare to the harmonic series. By the mean value theorem applied to $f(t) = t^{\frac{1}{n}}$, for each $n$ there exists $c_n$ between $x$ and $1$ such that
$$\frac{\sqrt[n]{x}-1}{x-1} = \frac{1}{n}c^{\frac{1}{n}-1}.$$
Then, it follows that
$$\frac{\sqrt[n]{x}-1}{x-1} > \frac{1}{n} (\text{max} (1,x))^ {\frac{1}{n}-1} > \frac{1}{n}(\text{max}(1,x))^ {-1}.$$
Summing, we find
$$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{\sqrt[n]{x}-1}{x-1}  \geq (\text{max}(1,x))^ {-1} \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n} = \infty, $$
which proves that the series diverges.
References:

*

*G.T. Gilbert, M.I. Krusemeyer, and L.C. Larson, The Wohascum County Problem Book, MAA, 1996.

*R. Gelca and T. Andreescu, Putnam and Beyond, Springer, 2007.

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Home » Gdynia » Arka Gdynia looses in a tight game
Arka Gdynia looses in a tight game
In Gdynia, Sport
Photo: Jakub Woźniak/Tricity News
Arka Gdynia – Jagiellonia Bialystok, Photo: Jakub Woźniak/Tricity News
Aleksandra Usarzewicz December 12, 2016
Arka Gdynia lost against Jagiellonia Białystok 2:3 in the last match played in Gdynia this year.
Tight first half
Arka began the match very defensive and let Jagiellonia lead the game. After first 15 minutes Yellow&Blues finally came to the fore, gaining more and more confidence with each action. After a corner for Arka, Antoni Łukasiewicz scored a header goal and Arka was leading 1:0. Arka's fans were not enjoying the winning score for long as Jagiellonia's response was quick. 4 minutes later Cernych defeated Pavels Steinbors and it was 1:1. Arka was not planning on giving up which resulted in the second goal for Arka. This time Siemaszko found the way do defeat Jagiellonia's goalkeeper and scored his 3rd goal for Arka this season. He had one more chance to score in the first half but Jagiellonia's goalkeeper was in the right place this time.
Fighting til to end
Yellow&Blues might have scored the third goal at the very beginning of the second half, but Siemaszko missed. Arka was fighting and trying to score again but Jagiellonia's defense efficiently destroyed Arka's attacks. In 65th minute, after a free kick Jagiellonia scored and it was 2:2. After losing another goal Yellow&Blues were very ambitious and kept on trying to get 3 points. But it wasn't enough as in 75th minute after a controversial decision of the referee, Jagiellonia got an indirect free kick in the penalty box. Vassiljev took the chance and scored the winning goal for Jagiellonia. Full of anger and determination Yellow&Blues didn't stop trying to change the result, but neither Abbott nor Hoffbauer manage to defeat Kelemen and the result didn't change. Arka's fans and players couldn't agree with the referee's decision, which in their opinion took away their chances for a draw.
Situation after the 19th round
After this win Jagiellonia is again the leader of Ekstraklasa having the same amount of points as Lechia Gdańsk which is now on the second place. Both Arka and Lechia will play one more match this year. Players from Gdynia are going to Wrocław on Sunday to face Śląsk and try to win the last match of this round. White&Greens are going to Kielce to face Korona on Saturday and try to come back ot Tricity as a leader of Ekstraklasa.
Topics: Arka Gdynia football Jagiellonia Białystok League Lotto Ekstraklasa Polish Soccer Tricity
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Aleksandra Usarzewicz

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Facial exercises have existed for years. In fact, it is believed that Cleopatra had tried it herself. The people advocating facial exercises believed that facial muscles are just like other muscles of the body. If you do not work them out, they will sag and will make fine lines and other signs of skin aging more visible.
These facial exercises make use of certain techniques that target different areas of the face and the neck. When done regularly, these exercises can help improve the appearance of sagging skin and eliminate signs of skin aging such as eye wrinkles, hog jowls, double chin, and the dreaded turkey neck.
Myth 1: Facial exercise cannot change the structure of the face.
Facial exercises can actually change the structure of the face though the changes do not happen overnight. Unlike cosmetic surgeries, facial exercises have this gradual effect on your facial structure. How fast you can see these changes depend largely on how frequent you do the exercise. Also, the desired changes will only start to appear if you consistently focus on that area that you'd like to improve.
There are facial exercises to get rid of your double chin, improve your skin tone, strengthen the cheek muscles, and reduce the appearance of fine lines around the mouth.
Myth 2: Facial exercise takes too long.
It actually doesn't take that long to do facial exercises. For the first month, it is recommended to do it for 20 minutes every day and then 2 to 3 times a week for the subsequent months.
The good thing with facial exercise is that you can do it wherever you are. You can do the 20-minute facial exercise while watching TV or while listening to podcasts. You will hardly notice the time when you do that.
Myth 3: Cosmetic procedures are better than facial exercises.
Many people are attracted to cosmetic procedures because the effects are immediate. What many are not aware of is that these procedures don't provide long-lasting results. Face lifts, for instance, can provide great result for the first 18 months but because they can cause scarring, there's a huge chance of getting back the sagging facial skin.
Another downside of cosmetic procedures is the cost. Getting under the knife again to get rid of the baggy skin require additional costs and time off from work. As with facial exercises, you don't have to constantly shell out money as it usually just require a one-time fee. Plus, you don't need to go on leave when you do the facial exercise as you can do it whenever and wherever is convenient for you.
Myth 4: Facial exercises are painful.
This is not true unless it's done incorrectly. In facial exercises, you only make use of your fingertips to apply gentle pressure on certain areas of your face. The pressure should just be right, not too firm to cause discomfort or pain.
In contrast to what many believe, facial exercises do not damage the sinuses. If you massage your sinus area, you may feel some stuffiness for the first few days. This is completely normal. In the long run, the stuffiness will dissipate.
Myth 5: Facial exercises worsen the sagging of the skin.
Facial exercises can actually improve, not worsen the sagging of the facial skin. Regularly doing it can help you achieve a younger-looking and more toned skin as it strengthens the facial muscles and improve blood flow to the face, feeding the underlying tissues and skin cells with oxygen and their-much needed nutrients.
Facial exercises provide many women and even men with an opportunity to improve the appearance of their skin without going under the knife, breaking their banks, or wasting their time. It has existed for years and it's still here for a reason.
For years, people particularly women, have been obsessed in looking younger that many are willing to spend thousands of dollars just to gain back the youthful look. Cosmetic facial surgeries like botox injections and dermal fillers have become increasingly popular in response to this growing need.
But for a group of women who can't tolerate invasive procedures and who find it impractical to spend thousands of dollars to look young, facial exercises have become the next best option.
Facial exercises are no longer new. They have been practised by French women, like Madame Ninon de L'Enclos in 1700s for the same belief that they can help women like her maintain her young-looking skin. However, the practice of moving the facial muscles only started to make a name in the beauty department when Senta Maria Runge published her book Face Lifting By Exercise in 1960s.
Facial exercises pertain to the routinary movement of the facial muscles with the belief that doing so regularly can help lift, tone, and firm the skin, preventing the development of wrinkles and other signs of aging.
According to the proponents of facial exercises, the facial muscles are like all the other muscles of the body. If you don't work on them, they'll end up sagging. But if you take time to move them, you can eventually tone and tighten them, leading to better skin tone and less skin tension. And that's what gives you a youthful look.
Examples of facial exercises include puckering your lips while sucking in your cheeks, inhaling and holding your breath then moving the air back and forth from one cheek to another, pressing down your forehead as you try to lift your eyebrows, and looking up at the ceiling while puckering your lips out.
There are a lot of reasons why facial exercises are a sell-out. For one, they are so easy to do. DVDs and free videos online can easily teach you how to do them on your own. While there are pop-up boutiques that cater to the facial exercise needs of people, one can easily do them in their own home.
Another reason why facial exercises are so popular is because they are non-invasive. For people who can't bear the fact that they need to go under the knife to look young again, facial exercises, which basically doesn't require you to put something on or in your skin, have become the next best option.
Lastly, facial exercises are cheap. You can do it within the comfort of your own home for free! There are a lot of free videos online where you can learn for no cost at all.
Proponents of facial exercises claim that this form of exercise is effective in helping you attain a younger-looking skin as movement of your facial muscles can improve the oxygen and blood supply to your skin, which promotes collagen production and prevents fine lines from developing.
Annelise Hagen, the author of The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift, said that facial muscles are no different from all the other muscles we have in our body.
If we don't move them, they will end up getting flabby. And just what yoga can do to the body, facial yoga can also help in toning the facial muscles.
For Eva Fraser, a facial fitness instructor who is often mistaken for being 20 years younger than her actual age, the only way to find out if it works for you is to try it. She recommends trying it out 10 minutes a day for 6 months.
Science doesn't seem to agree though with the claims of these women and all other facial exercise enthusiasts. In a study conducted regarding the effectiveness of facial exercises for facial rejuvenation, it was found out that the evidence is not enough to prove that this form of exercise can actually help in facial rejuvenation.
There may be in congruence with what women and science are saying regarding facial exercises on facial rejuvenation but as what Fraser has said, the only way to find out if it works for you is to try it. It also helps to do it together with other healthy skin practices like applying sunblock before sun exposure, not smoking, and having a healthy and balanced diet.
Does Facial Exercise Cause Wrinkles?
If you are interested in beginning a facial exercise program, you may be wondering if exercising the face really works or perhaps you have read somewhere that facial exercises cause wrinkles?
When browsing for information online, don't be surprised if you come across claims that exercising the face worsens the appearance of skin wrinkles, due to over-exaggerating facial movements. Many of these claims come from sources that have a vested interest in you not performing exercises for facial fitness, mainly from those in the cosmetic surgery business.
An article published on the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery (link will open in a new window) says facial exercise, when performed correctly, can be beneficial. For example, as part of a facial skin care massage. Needless to say a gentle facial massage may feel relaxing, but it is not going to reduce lines or sagging jowls, which is precisely the result plastic surgeons want.
If you look for a physician who works with issues related to facial aging or imperfections, he will be working in a cosmetic practice and his livelihood is based on convincing those looking for solutions to spend thousands of dollars on a procedure. Furthermore, it should be mentioned the procedure possibly might not have the desired results. Therefore, asking such a physician if he recommends you should exercise your face for free, in the comfort of your own home is, in all probability, a waste of time.
Once again, doing your own homework to find the correct answer seems the most appropriate solution.
Eva Fraser has been practicing facial exercise for around 30 years. See the video below.
She is now almost in her mid-eighties, so after three decades, the lady should look like a shriveled old prune if facial exercises cause wrinkles. However, the video above reveals that is not the case. Even around the problematic areas such as the eyes, mouth and neck, Eva has remarkably few lines and her face is highly well-defined.
Does facial exercise cause wrinkles – Look at the experts then decide!
In fact, if you look at any of the facial exercise experts who have spend large portions of their lives developing their programs and teaching others how to exercise the face, it can truthfully be said that none of them have anywhere near the severity of wrinkles that is commonly seen in a person of a similar age, and in addition, they all look at least 15 years younger than their respective biological ages.
It has been suggested that modern-day facial exercise 'gurus' may use other means to maintain a youthful look other than exercising, in order to help sell their programs. This is pure speculation, but in the name of research, you will find one of the first books written on the subject of removing wrinkles through exercise was Elinor Glyn's "The Wrinkle Book." Elinor, a life-long advocate of facial exercise, died in 1942, around 40 years before botox was first used on humans for cosmetic purposes.
The picture below was taken in 1942, and shows Elinor shortly before her death in 1943. She was 78 years old.
Elinor Glyn, pictured at the age of 78, performed facial exercises throughout her life. She is a perfect example to help you determine Does facial exercise cause wrinkles.


My testkit is finally ready to be booked out.
This post will also be used do document who is in possession of the kit.
Areas that could book from me Parow, Elsiesriver, Goodwood, CBD, Bothasig, Tableview, Parklands and all areas surrounding the above mentioned towns.
Kan ek die eerste wees om dit te boek vir Maandag 2016-10-03 asb?
So you want to book the testkit by me? please copy our terms and conditions and agree to it in this post.
Fubar currently has the testkit.
Could I book the test kit for Thursday so I can test this weekend?
This is unfortunately something that we HAVE to do at the moment, think anybody that held a test kit previously will tell you scary tales about the difficulty regarding test kit returns. I stand to be corrected, but think that we actually have some of the previous test kits that went completely missing.
Could I please book test kit.
I'm not the holder of this testkit anymore @cheaptrick is more central and is also more available than me. So please pm him or post on new thread.


INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Dr. Jamie Renbarger treated Tyler Trent before his untimely death earlier this year. On Saturday, Renbarger shaved her head at the Indy Fuel game to help benefit cancer research.
The money will go to the St. Baldrick's Foundation. The childhood cancer research organization has raised $230 million since 2005.


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Yara Shahidi Discusses The Power Of History And The Youth As She Covers Harper's Bazaar Arabia
Bunie Arah
A life, style and culture writer with a borderline obsession…
Rave News Digest: Actress Shan George Is Engaged, Cardi B Hires P.I. After Death Threat, Serena Williams Vs. Naomi Osaka
For its October 2020 cover, Harper's Bazaar Arabia features Iranian-American actress Yara Shahidi. For her cover story, the 20-year-old discusses her passion for history as a tool for growth as well as her initiative that teaches young people the value of voting. Yara Shahidi Harpers Bazaar
For a young actress, Yara is active in a lot of rooms that are often strange to young people her age.
"I hope I'm still around when she becomes President of the United States – and that is going to happen – if she wants it to."
– Oprah Winfrey on Yara Shahidi.
From her rise to stardom at just 14-years of age when she was cast as Zoey Johnson in the Emmy Award-winning show, Black-ish, to a conversation with Angela Davis about dismantling the patriarchy and the crucial value of voting to her Eighteen x 18 initiative encouraging young people to vote, her political footprint is evident to all.
There is so much crucial information we all could learn from Yara. Through growing up and belonging to two minority groups, Yara is no stranger to cultural diversity and the need to preserve history, especially how it's told. It will surprise you to learn that one of her biggest dreams is to be a historian.
"If I could rewrite the fundamental ways that we learn history, that would be incredible." She said. Yara Shahidi Harpers Bazaar
Here are 3 things we could all learn from Yara Shahidi in this issue of Harper's Bazaar…
#1. We should be ready to check our version of events in history
Yara Shahidi grew up in a predominantly tight-knit Iranian community where she learnt the value of her cultural heritage. With this, she also learnt to appreciate the heritage of other communities and minorities. It is important that we do not have a white-washed view of history and culture. Yara Shahidi Harpers Bazaar
"I think [we should] continue to create a more realistic version of history that doesn't push forward this [idea] that Europe was the centre of the world. What we're ignoring are the levels of contribution that everywhere else in the world made to our development and wellbeing. I don't know if people would equate technological innovation to the Middle East, although if there was a fair portrait in our history, there would be a better understanding."
#2. Being there for others is not about you
Yara explained how being there for other people is simply being present and giving a strength to their voices and their experiences, something she learnt from her mother. Speaking of her mother, she said, "When I think of the impact she has made on many people in our lives, whether they are just passing through or people we've had lifelong friendships with, it comes down to her being present enough to be able to service them to the best of their ability."
#3. She had to grow into the confidence she has now
Coming from a long line of achievers in their various fields, she has had to learn to build confidence in her chosen career path. On her father's side, her cousin, Anousheh Ansari, was the first Iranian-American astronaut and the first female private space explorer; while on her mother's side, famous, award-winning rapper, Nas is her second cousin. Yara Shahidi Harpers Bazaar
On confidence, she said, "It's something that, as I've grown up, I've had to be reminded of… It doesn't matter how qualified you are, or how many things you've done to get there. It's something that I need to be reminded of daily!"
Images: Harpers Bazaar Arabia | Greg Swales
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Featured Grown-ish Harpers Bazaar Harpers Bazaar Arabia Yara Shahidi Yara Shahidi activism
A life, style and culture writer with a borderline obsession for 80s fashion, though I made landfall a decade later. At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ ♥
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Starting October 21st, the Tiffany Series Concerts will kick-off with Sean Jones and Friends.
Sean is an internationally acclaimed jazz trumpeter as well as the new Peabody Jazz department chairman.
This concert will be held October 21st at 3 pm.
Next in the series, The BSO Brass will conduct A Brass and Organ Concert Sunday December 9th at 7 pm. In addition to the BSO Brass, Brown's own Michael Britt, organist will perform. They will be performing traditional brass pieces and holiday favorites.
Third in the series will be an organ concert by Christopher Creaghan. Christopher is from New York City's Riverside Church. This concert will be held Sunday March 17th, 2019 at 3 pm.
The final concert will be Brown Memorial's 150th Anniversary Concert. The Brown Memorial Chancel Choir will perform as well as the Beth El Congregation. The concert will be held Sunday May 5th, 2019 at 3 pm.


It is possible to maintain the mechanisms of «Burlak» from the interior. In the floor of the AT vehicle, there is a hatch, that leads to the hull — waterproof construction, containing the engine, fuel, air and braking systems.
Though, there are some components, which are placed outside of the car. For example, the wheels. In the hull there are holes for joining the wheels with other units. To protect the holes from water, show and dirt rubber-reinforced joints and Ravenol Russland oiling are used.


Elusive Bloodstock have announced the acquisition of FALCO from Haras du Grand Chesnaie to join their stallion roster for 2019 and beyond in a deal brokered by Richard Venn Bloodstock.
A proven Group 1 sire of both flat and National Hunt horses, he counts Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 winner PEACE AND CO and ODELIZ a winner of the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet amongst his best horses. With a lifetime winners to runners percentage of 56% his top performers in 2018 on the flat include the Group 3 winner XENOBIA and the improving French Listed winner MAIFALKI. His 2018 National Hunt horses include three-time Listed winner over hurdles at Autueil, the Grade 2 placed and 156 rated, BEAU GOSSE.
A top class race career saw him win the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp by 3 lengths beating Group 1 winners and subsequent sires Rio De La Plata, Thewayyouare, Tamayuz and Paco Boy.
By sire of sires PIVOTAL who had a memorable weekend with 3 Group winners and as broodmare sire of Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp winner Mab's Cross and One Master winner of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret, he is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Iron Lips.
Falco will stand at £3,000, Oct 1st SLF and joins Elusive Bloodstock foundation stallion Sun Central whose 2019 fee has been announced as £2,000, Oct 1st SLF. For all enquiries please contact James Gray on +44 (0)7743 042742.
Some changes have been made to the National Hunt program and with it, the series that the European Breeders' Fund support, have also been amended.
The first EBF supported National Hunt races of the 2018/ 19 season will be run at Worcester on 11th October. Trainers and owners should be aware that in order to run in the high-value end of season finals of the EBF series, all entrants must now be eligible by running to the required place in a qualifying race.
Today's edition of the Racing Calendar has a pull out detailing all National Hunt series in the country with qualification criteria. The changes affect: EBF Mares' National Hunt Flat Race Series, EBF Mares' National Hunt Novices' Handicap Hurdle Series and the EBF/ TBA Mares' Novices' Steeple Chase Series.
Details of the qualifying races can be found on the races section of the EBF website; qualification criteria are shown below and on the Race Series section of the BHA Racing Admin website where a list of qualified horses will also be published.
The E.B.F. & T.B.A. Mares' Novices' Steeple Chase Series culminates in the final to be run over two miles about five furlongs at Cheltenham on Thursday, April 18th, 2019.
Qualification for the final requires horses to have finished in the first eight in an E.B.F. and T.B.A. Mares' Novices' Steeple Chase Qualifier during the current season.
The E.B.F. Mares' National Hunt Flat Race Series culminates in the final to be run over about two miles at Sandown Park on Saturday, March 9th, 2019.
The E.B.F. Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle Series culminates in the final to be run over two miles about four and a half furlongs at Newbury on Saturday, March 23rd, 2019.
Qualification for the final requires horses to have finished in the first six in an E.B.F. Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' or Maiden Hurdle Race Series Qualifier during the current season.
The E.B.F. 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle Series culminates in the final to be run over two miles about four furlongs at Sandown Park on Saturday, March 9th, 2019.
Qualification for the final requires horses, prior to March 4th, to have been placed first, second, third or fourth in an E.B.F. 'National Hunt' Novices' or Maiden Hurdle race Series Qualifier during the current season.
64 horses are entered for the final of the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series at Naas Racecourse, on Sunday October 21, with total prize-money of €120,000. It is a timely reminder, before the yearling sales start next week, that horses purchased for €72,000 or less will be eligible for the series in 2019.
The entries include six winners from the qualifying legs of the series including the Ger Lyons-trained Kestral Prince and Burmese Waltz. Lyons, who is a great supporter of the series is also responsible for a further six more entries. Jessica Harrington has five entries with her Gowran Park winner, Dragon Roll, possibly the pick of the quintet at this stage. Trainer Sheila Lavery, who won this event in 2015 with Sevenleft, has four entries engaged this time round.
The Foran Equine Irish EBF partnership has significantly boosted prize-money and made the auction series a lucrative proposition for trainers and owners. The series is designed to create wide-scale opportunities for horses purchased as a yearling or a 2yo at public auction for €72,000 or less, with allowances for fillies and horses purchased at a lower auction price.
Nessa Joyce (Manager, Irish EBF), John O'Connor (Chairman, Irish EBF), Gareth Connolly (Sales and Marketing Director, Connolly's RED MILLS) and Tom Mullins, Trainer.
Irish European Breeders' Fund today announced Connolly's RED MILLS as co-sponsor of the Irish EBF NH Auction Hurdle Series that will run from September 2018 until April 2019. The series gets underway at Listowel on September 11th with a €20,000 maiden and finishes in April 2019 with a valuable €75,000 final and total prize-money of €355,000.
The series will consist of 14 maiden and novice hurdle races from September 2018 to April 2019, each worth a minimum of €20,000, with a final in April worth €75,000. Entry into the final is limited to horses which have run in one of the previous races in the series. The conditions will specify that all horses must be by an EBF registered stallion and bought as an unraced three or four-year-old at a recognised National Hunt Store sale for €45,000 or less, with weight allowances depending on purchase price. In addition, the ITBA have agreed to boost the series by including the €5,000 Weatherbys/ITBA NH Fillies Bonus Scheme for all races in the series.
Gareth Connolly, Sales and Marketing Director at Connolly's RED MILLS said: "This is more than a sponsorship, this is our direct contribution back to the industry that supports us 365 days of the year. We understand the challenges that trainers and owners are facing and felt this was another perfect opportunity to partner with the Irish EBF to deliver another valuable series. We have had remarkable success with Irish EBF and our partner supplement company Foran Equine, seeing huge interest and participation in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series. The aim is to do the same now on the National Hunt side with RED MILLS.


thanks. #27 got me kicked out of fringe_lims,lol. Oh well, I'm glad you liked them.
Nice icons. Snagging #20. Will, as always, credit.
Also lovely cropping as usual.
Very interesting cropping on these!
Lovely icons :) Snagging 4 and 13. Will credit, of course!
So beautiful, yet again. I have totally spammed you with comments, but you really are fantastic at this.
I will definitely credit, thank you very much!


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The last fourteen months have been a trying time for the Church with the COVID-19 restrictions affecting in-person worship. We have adjusted accordingly through the use of Zoom gatherings and the livestreaming the Sunday services on Facebook and YouTube. With the release and distribution of the COVID vaccines and the substantial drop in new COVID cases and hospitalizations within Miami County, the Leadership Team has made the decision to re-open our building.
Starting May 30th 2021, the Church will be fully open for worship and Sunday School. Sunday School will be held in the Fellowship Hall at 9:30 a.m. with Worship beginning at 10:40 a.m.
Masks are optional, and social-distancing seating will be available for both Sunday school and worship services. The Sanctuary will have the front pews fully-open and the pews toward the back accommodating social distancing desires. We feel that this structured-seating will provide the greatest options for those that want to worship in-person.
Your health and well-being is our greatest concern. If you don't feel comfortable coming to the Church for in-person worship, don't worry, we will continue to provide Zoom access to Sunday School and to livestream the Sunday worship service so you can continue to participate in the fellowship of the TCOB family.
The Leadership Team,
Keith Bowman, Leadership Team Chair
Brent Driver, Moderator
Contemplative Exploration of the Winter Solstice


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How to tour the Steinway & Sons factory in Astoria
Jan 20, 2015 • 03:00pm
by megcotner1
Nestled in the northern reaches of Astoria lies the Steinway & Sons piano factory – yes, that's right, the Steinway & Sons, makers of some of the most glorious pianos in the world. And did you know that you can take a tour of the factory itself? Indeed you can – Forbes has rated this factory tour one of the top 3 factory tours in the country, and we agree that is is pretty awesome.
So here's how to tour the factory. These guidelines are the most up-to-date ones, as of October 2012.
Factory tours are offered from September through the end of June; factory tours are not available in July and August.
Steinway Parking Lot Becoming a Green, Flood-Resilient Space
Nov 5, 2013 • 09:45am
by Emily Nonko
Astoria's Steinway & Sons Factory is redoing its parking lot, and this isn't just any old repaving. The 53,500-square-foot parking lot, made up of a non-porous concrete surface that produces massive amounts of runoff during storms, is going green. The New York Restoration Project, with help from the City Parks Foundation and the Greening Western Queens Fund, is transforming the lot into a storm-resilient space by installing storm water capture systems and plantings. The greenery will help absorb approximately 404,000 gallons of water annually.
The landscape architecture firm Quennell Rothschild and Partners designed the new parking lot, which features 340 feet of bioswales (streets designed with plants and low curbs to absorb and filter rainfall) along the perimeter, 30 to 40 shade trees, 1,000 new plants, and an irrigation system to feed the new plants with collected storm water. The project will wrap in the next two weeks as Kelco Landscaping and Construction installs railings, adds soil and final plantings. Once finished, the catchment of 404,000 gallons of storm water will significantly reduce flooding and simultaneously feed an irrigation system that supports the growth of the new green landscape. Click through for another picture of the lot pre-renovation. And stay tuned for photographs of the parking lot when this major overhaul is complete! GMAP
Steinway Village: How pianos shaped the history of Astoria
Feb 13, 2013 • 03:00pm
by joannaeng
Image source: Seabamirum on Flickr
Legendary Steinway & Sons pianos are made right in Astoria, and the factory played a huge part in the development of the neighborhood starting in 1870. The history of this company town is just one of the many fascinating topics we learned about on the highly recommended Steinway factory tour.
Steinway & Sons was founded in 1853 in Manhattan by Henry Steinway (originally Heinrich Steinweg), a cabinet maker from Germany who had built his first piano in the kitchen of his home.
Steinway & Sons has an optimistic business outlook
Oct 16, 2012 • 09:30am
Image source: Courtesy of Steinway & Sons, by photographer Chris Payne
Business Insider has a nice article about the Steinway & Sons factory, located in the northern reaches of Astoria (up the street from SingleCut brewery). The economic downturn did affect them negatively, but they feel that they are moving out of that and things are looking brighter. During the recession, the factory laid some people off – reducing staff from 300 to 215 – and made less pianos (hobbyist pianists were not spending their money on pianos for a while).
Storybox and more in the QNYC Evening Edition for Wednesday October 3, 2012
Evening Edition
Oct 3, 2012 • 03:45pm
Storybox it up and tell your tale
LIC tech startup Storybox caught our eye this week and they are doing something pretty cool. It's a new web application – a visual social network – allows users to tell a story with photos, creating a collage of images (16 maximum) from various sources. Founder Angie Min says "This way [people] can tell a story. We want it to be like a daily scrapbook page, which would be both personal and aspirational." You can make your collage then share it on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and G+. It's really great to see so many creative startups make their home in LIC. So give Storybox a try and let us know what you think.
Make alternate transit plans – the 7 train in LIC will be suspended on consecutive weekends this fall
Yes, it's true – more work is being done on the 7 train this Fall, on the portion between Queensboro Plaza and Manhattan. That said, they will run a FREE shuttle bus to get you to where you need to go in LIC. The train will be out on these weekends:
Oct 5-8
Oct 19-22
Nov 9-12
It looks like the weekends of October 12 -14 and November 2-4 have been spared. That said, we will also also see suspended train service from 11:45pm Monday (10/22) to 5am Tuesday (10/23).
Beware – your polling place may have changed
The November election is a month away, can you believe it? If you plan to vote, it's helpful to know where to go. We've been hearing rumblings from various people around Queens who've been startled to learn that their long-time polling place has changed. To double check your polling place, use this handy-dandy poll site locator from the Board of Elections in the City of New York.
Here's how to tour the Steinway & Sons factory in Astoria (the tour is awesome, by the way)
Astoria is home to Steinway & Sons, makers of some of the most super gorgeous pianos EVAR. Seriously. And you can take a tour of the factory – it's a fascinating experience, and when you go on the tour you'll see so much of what goes on in the secret life of pianos, since this place is an actual working factory. You might not know what to expect before you go on the tour (which was rated one of the top 3 factory tours in the US by Forbes), so we've got the info. Just for you.
A love for punk (and fashion and culture) in Astoria
We were tickled by this video of culture and fashion (including punk) in Astoria from the perspective of Astorians. Don't miss the trucker hat that is full of stories (he "shot it with a revolved a few times").
Photographs and interviews provide an insider's view of the Steinway piano factory in Astoria
Sep 28, 2012 • 03:00pm
Image source: Christopher Payne, via Bonni Benrubi Gallery
The Steinway & Sons piano factory at the northern tip of Astoria (GMAP) has gotten a lot of love recently. Photographer Christopher Payne took a series of fascinating shots of pianos at all stages of the manufacturing process. He has captured the beauty of the wooden materials, mechanical parts, and precise work that goes into making the legendary instruments.
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Home Newswire PressTV-'US looking to add Ukraine to NATO, encircle Russia'
PressTV-'US looking to add Ukraine to NATO, encircle Russia'
Dec 23, 2018: 10:54 pm
The United States is planning to add Ukraine into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as part of its plan to encircle Russia, an American political analyst says.
Keith Preston, director of the Attackthesystem.com, made the remarks while discussing Washington's decision to provide an additional $10 million in military aid to Ukraine.
Announcing the decision on Friday, the US State Department said the money would be used to boost its naval capability, after Russia seized three Ukrainian navy ships off the coast of Crimea in the Sea of Azov last month.
The Sea of Azov is a strategic ocean route linked to the Black Sea by the narrow Strait of Kerch where Russia has built a bridge to link the Crimean Peninsula with the mainland.
Tensions escalated earlier this year after Ukraine detained two Russian ships for port calls on Crimea, which rejoined Russia in a 2014 referendum.
The move prompted Russia to increase patrols off its Azov…


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Xi, Putin video call Ukraine war tests Sino-Russian partnership
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are meeting via video conference, and as the war in Ukraine drags on and China faces an unprecedented Covid outbreak, analysts are watching for any signs of softening in the Chinese leader's support for the Russian president.
In his opening remarks, broadcast on Russian television, Putin invited Xi to visit Moscow next spring. He added that the two countries would strengthen cooperation between the militaries, noting that trade would grow despite "unfavorable market conditions".
He said that the relationship between the two countries "is in the best period in history and has withstood all tests." "We share the same view on the causes, processes and logic of the ongoing transformation of the global geopolitical landscape."
Xi also delivered an opening speech, saying that "against the difficult international situation, China is ready to strengthen political cooperation with Russia" and become a "global partner," according to a Russian state media translation of the broadcast.
Moscow and Beijing have grown closer in recent years, with Xi and Putin announcing an "unrestricted" partnership between the two countries weeks before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February.
China has since refused to condemn the aggression, instead repeatedly blaming NATO and the United States for the conflict – and remains one of Russia's main backers as it becomes increasingly isolated on the global stage.
But after more than 10 months of grinding, the world looks very different — and the dynamic between the two sides has changed accordingly, experts say.
Instead of achieving the expected quick fix, Putin's invasion has been hobbled by numerous setbacks on the battlefield, including a lack of basic equipment. Morale is low in parts of Russia, and many civilians face economic difficulties during the harsh winter.
On Thursday, Russia launched what Ukrainian officials said was one of the largest missile strikes since the war began in February, blasting villages and cities across Ukraine, damaging civilian infrastructure and killing at least three people.
Ukrainian officials have been warning for days that Russia is preparing an all-out attack on the power grid to end 2022, plunging the country into darkness as Ukrainians try to ring in the New Year and celebrate the Christmas holiday. The country's Orthodox Christians fell on January 7th.
"China longs for (the war) to end," said Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank.
"Xi Jinping will try to emphasize to Putin the importance of peace," she added. "If Russia is impatient with the lack of progress on the battlefield, in China's view the time is ripe for peace talks."
Alfred Wu, an associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said China's stance on Russia was also increasingly isolated.
Wu cited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an example of his tough stance on Russia's war.
While India did not directly condemn Moscow's incursion, Modi told Putin in September that now was not the time for war and urged him to move toward peace.
The shift means China is now more isolated in its relationship with Russia, Wu said, another reason Xi may be keen to see a quick resolution.
Xi had already shown signs of impatience when he last met Putin at a regional summit in Uzbekistan in September. At the time, Putin seemed to be implicitly acknowledging their differing views by acknowledging that Beijing had "doubts and concerns" about the invasion.
But China's domestic situation has also changed significantly in the months since, experts say, and this time may call for a different approach to Putin.
The country is now battling its worst ever Covid outbreak after finally ditching its strict zero-Covid policy, easing restrictions and partially reopening its borders. The U-turn comes after an unprecedented wave of nationwide protests against zero coronavirus — which in some cases expanded to include broader discontent with Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party.
At the center of the crisis is Xi Jinping, who entered an unconventional third term in October with a tight grip on power and an intimate group of supporters.
"Now that the domestic issues have been resolved, Xi Jinping is in a better position to deal with Russia," Sun of the Stimson Center said of his October consolidation of power.
She added that despite the unpopularity of the war, China and Russia were "aligned because of geopolitics". Both countries face tensions with the West, and their leaders often tout a shared vision for a new world order.
"The two leaders will emphasize their partnership, cooperation and strong ties. Their message is that all of this goes beyond the war in Ukraine," Sun said. "(The war) has been troublesome for China in the past year, affecting China's interests in Europe. But the loss is not enough for China to abandon Russia."
Wu also acknowledged that the relationship is "the foundation of both countries," noting that China has the ability to profit from the Ukraine war because it has access to Russian oil.
However, he added that the protests in China, the coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing economic damage have left Xi in a more vulnerable position, which could mean less material and outspoken support for Russia.
"The policy tools that Xi can use to support Russia right now are very limited, quite limited," Wu said. "Politically, domestic support for Xi Jinping has plummeted. His third term actually didn't start off with a rosy picture."
Connect Biopharma offers commercial and clinical
Iowa dominates inaugural soldier salute
Wet weather forecast for New Year's Eve
Southwest Airlines: Planes are flying again; apologies keep coming.


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Q: How to Get A Div to Smoothly Move Up Using CSS Transitions? The title kind of describes it. Here's the code:

#main {
    float: left;
    width: 20%;
    height: 10vh;
    margin-top: 10vh;
    margin-left: 40%;
    text-align: center;
}

#k {
    font-family: Questrial;
    font-size: 70px;
    margin-top: -7px;
    margin-left: -2px;
    color: #404040;
    border-bottom: 2px solid #404040;
    line-height: 0.85;
}

#about {
    float: left;
    clear: both;
    width: 38%;
    height: 30vh;
    margin-top: 7vh;
    margin-left: 31%;
    text-align: center;
    background-color: #33CC33;
    border-radius: 100%;
    opacity: 0.6;
    transition: opacity .5s;
    -webkit-transition: opacity .5s;
    transition: margin-top .5s;
    -webkit-transition: margin-top .5s;
    transition: margin-bottom .5s;
    -webkit-transition: margin-bottom .5s;
}

#about:hover {
    opacity: 0.8;
    margin-top: 5vh;
    margin-bottom: 2vh;
}

#work {
    float: left;
    width: 38%;
    height: 30vh;
    margin-top: 0vh;
    margin-left: 10%;
    text-align: center;
    background-color: #323280;
    border-radius: 100%;
    opacity: 0.6;
    transition: opacity .5s;
    -webkit-transition: opacity .5s;
}

#work:hover {
    opacity: 0.8;
}

#contact {
    float: right;
    width: 38%;
    height: 30vh;
    margin-top: 0vh;
    margin-right: 10%;
    text-align: center;
    background-color: #FF6600;
    border-radius: 100%;
    opacity: 0.6;
    transition: opacity .5s;
    -webkit-transition: opacity .5s;
}

#contact:hover {
    opacity: 0.8;
}

.label {
 font-family: Questrial;
    color: white;
    font-size: 35px;
    margin-top: 80px;
}
<!DOCTYPE html>

        <title>KURB - Home</title>
        <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="kurb.css"/>
        <link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Questrial' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'>

KURB

Blah blah blah

Blah blah blah blah blah

Blah blah blah blah

Basically, what I'm trying to do is get the top div (#about) to rise up above the lower two by about 2 vh when moused over. As you can see, I've already kind of got it, but it's not doing an actual animation - it rises up instantly. Also, there should be a color transition on the mouseover - it should become less transparent. This works on the others, but not on this one.
It gets really interesting when you get rid of the dashes in margin-top and margin-bottom. Then, instead of the bottom two slowly moving down, they all just kind of snap into place. This is what I'm looking for, only with an animation. I have no idea what's going on. Is there something I'm missing here?

A: If you want to apply multiple transitions, you can't just write multiple rules, as in CSS the last rule will override all the previous ones.
Merge them into one rule each:
transition: opacity .5s, margin-top .5s, margin-bottom .5s;
-webkit-transition: opacity .5s, margin-top .5s, margin-bottom .5s;

Here's an MDN article about using multiple transitions.

A: Did you mean something like this? Fiddle: https://jsfiddle.net/99464tyx/2/
If so just replace all transitions with  transition: all .5s;


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Zamalek dominate Africa from Doha
Zamalek mission enjoyed a large welcome reception by White Knights fans, singing with the players who landed in Cairo at 11 PM on Saturday.
With fame comes fortune
Wydad's long wait is over
Morocco's Wydad reach CL final following Casablanca thriller
Uncommon conquest
'I love challenges and playing against big teams,' says Zamalek's Bencharki
Zamalek Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki has admitted his team will have a mountain to climb on Friday when they face Ahly in the African Champions League final, adding that he hopes to help the White Knights win the prestigious title.
"It's going to be a difficult game in which anything is possible," Bencharki told FIFA.com on Thursday.
"Personally speaking, I want to win the Champions League title because I love challenges and playing against big teams."
The 26-year-old, who joined Zamalek in the summer of 2019, is a key player in the White Knights' squad. He has made a number of strong displays throughout the season.
Bencharki shone against Esperance de Tunis in the African Super Cup last February, scoring twice in Zamalek's 3-1 win over the Tunisian giants.
Two weeks later, he scored again against Esperance in a 3-1 victory over the Tunisians in the Champions League quarterfinals, helping his team reach the competition's semifinals at the expense of the winners of the two previous editions.
He was also exceptional against Raja of Morocco in the semi-final, after scoring the winning goal in the first leg in Casablanca, opening the door for Zamalek to reach the final.
"The CAF Champions League is the number one tournament I like to play in. I love to show what I'm really capable of in major tournaments like this one," Bencharki said.
"Now I'm enjoying a very good period, like the one I had with Wydad. When you play for such big teams, it brings out the best in you," he added.
Bencharki helped Wydad win the Champions League title in 2017 at the expense of Ahly, and he was also instrumental in his team's triumphant campaign in the competition.
He scored the equaliser in the first leg in Egypt before providing the winning goal in Casablanca.
Zamalek are bidding for their sixth Champions League title, their first since 2002.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)


Peter is a successful business manager and leader who has successfully implemented new programs and strategies in a variety of roles, with more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. With high level of leadership and influencing skills, Peter is a very competent negotiator and communicator - a manager who people will readily follow. Peter focuses strongly on objectives and outcomes, culturally sensitive and has international experience beyond 'the norm'.
Peter joined Indrapura Pacific Cross on October 2009, taking responsible for growing and expanding the company's business in Indonesia. Prior to that, he had also been the President Director and Country Manager of ACE Insurance in Indonesia, and held position as Head of Sales Consulting for Allianz Group in Germany and Swiss Re Life & Heath in London.
Peter holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Business Management from University of Strathclyde Business School, Glasgow, and a Master of Science in International Marketing from Southbank University Business School, London.


In this case study the Energy Rehabilitation of the "Guajiro" farm is exposed. To do this, energy simulations have been carried out using software (Energy +) before and after the construction process.
The rehabilitation of the home, with a design based on the needs of a person suffering from SQM and EHS syndromes (multiple chemical sensitivity and electromagnetic hypersensitivity), establishes its facilities in the control of indoor air quality and adequate ventilation of the home. the spaces.
Due to these conditions, the innovation of the active systems used (solar collector of air, stoves of biomass), as well as the anticipated passive systems, by means of the use of ecological, innocuous and odorless materials (cork, lime, cellulose) make the Dynamic The thermal simulation acquires a greater degree of complexity.
To test the accuracy of the simulations, a low-cost device was designed and built to measure temperature and humidity for long periods (more than a month). These custom construction sensors have been installed in different rooms to compare the actual temperature and humidity with the simulations. These data and the data obtained from the meteorological station closest to the building will help the authors to calibrate the model simulated in Energy +, in this way the architects and engineers can adopt optimized solutions for future interventions.


The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Neurology seeks an Assistant Professor, non-tenure track to join our Multiple Sclerosis Division. Candidates should be Board certified in Neurology and have completed clinical fellowships in multiple sclerosis/demyelinating disease/neuro-immunology. Interested applicants should have clinical skills and facility with all treatment modalities for MS as well as other neuroinflammatory conditions such as neurosarcoidosis and the neurological manifestations of HIV, including oral and infusion therapies. Experience in clinical trials is desired. Didactic teaching at the resident and fellow levels is expected.


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Sean Addo
Sean A. Addo is a graduate student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He studied motion graphics at the University of Cincinnati, while working as a junior designer creating broadcast packages for several prime time networks such as FOX, ABC, NBC, and many more, before working at the Procter and Gamble company as a products researcher, and scientist engineer. After taking the time to travel in Europe and rediscover what meant the most to him, he realized that his passion was to help impact the world creatively, and he decided to pursue this feat through film. Since then he has completed award winning shorts, Medowo, and Deeper Than Black. His feature script has been considered as a finalist for one of Sundance's lab, and he has recently worked as the DP for 2016 feature film Inquisitor. Sean has established himself as a director, writer, and cinematographer that brings a unique voice to the big screen. His West African roots and his ability to communicate to a Western audience presents a rare cross cultural hybrid of content that is fresh to the ever evolving entertainment industry.


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For more information, contact Beverly Woodrome, Boren Mentoring Initiative director, at (405) 236-0006 or email bwoodrome@ofe.org.
Connect with the Boren Mentoring Initiative
Putnam City West High School senior Ashlyn Blankenship, a volunteer for Putnam City Schools' Teen Trendsetters mentoring and tutoring program, receives an Outstanding Mentor Award from Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Chairman David L. Boren (left) and President Anil Gollahalli during Oklahoma Mentor Day at the Capitol. Teen Trendsetters, a program of the Barbara Bush Foundation on Family Literacy, matches high school students with second-graders for reading activities. (Photo by Travis Caperton, Oklahoma State Capitol)
Teen Trendsetters, Putnam City Public Schools
Ashlyn Blankenship, a senior at Putnam City West High School, has been selected as the outstanding mentor for Teen Trendsetters of Putnam City Public Schools.
The program, sponsored by the Barbara Bush Foundation on Family Literacy, matches high school students one-to-one with first- or second-graders who are at least six months behind their peers in reading. The pairs use Scholastic Brainstorm, a science-based curriculum co-authored by Scholastic and the Bush Foundation. Teen participants also receive online reading and leadership training.
Ashlyn, who is senior class secretary, was nominated as outstanding mentor by Aundrea Reed, student council and mentoring program sponsor.
"Ashlyn is so enthusiastic about mentoring and always has a positive attitude," Aundrea said. "She is wonderful with her mentee and always makes her feel special. Ashlyn is great with young children, always engaging them and truly interested in their lives. She is a positive role model and would be a great representative of Putnam City West High School as an outstanding mentor."


Syracuse dismissed head football coach Scott Shafer after three years at the helm of the Orangemen football program. So here is a look at the Syracuse University football program since 2008. This time period covers Greg Robinson's last season as head football coach, all of Doug Marrone's tenure and all of Scott Shafer's time at the helm of the football program.
Below is a chart of offense, defense and total production by Syracuse since 2008 along with who would be the lowest ranked team during this time period (in purple) and the median team (sky blue). As you may notice, Syracuse has been above average on defense for much of this time period, but below average on offense (except for Marrone's last season in 2012). The rankings below come from my Complex Invasion College Football Production Model. More details about the program are after the chart below.
Syracuse finished the 2008 regular season at 3-9 and were bowl ineligible. The Orangemen played against a "much tougher" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average, meaning that their actual SOS was less than two standard deviations from the "league" average SOS, which is a rare occurrence. Syracuse's best game was their 24-23 victory over #60 Notre Dame and their worst loss was 28-42 to #64 ranked Akron. Overall, the Orangemen had the #110 most productive college football team with the #103 ranked offense and the #89 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model. With two games left in the regular season, Syracuse fired head football coach Robinson.
Under new head football coach Doug Marrone, the Orangemen finished the regular season at 4-8. Syracuse now played a "tougher" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that Syracuse's SOS was between one and two standard deviations below the "league" average SOS. The Orangemen best game was a 31-13 victory over #21 ranked Rutgers and their worst game was a 9-10 loss was to #103 ranked Louisville. Overall, the Orangemen had the #93 ranked team in terms of total production with the #99 ranked offense and the #71 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
Syracuse finished with a 7-5 regular season (with two of their wins over FCS teams) and defeated #69 Kansas State 36-34 in their post-season bowl game to finish 8-5 overall. Syracuse played an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that Syracuse's SOS was plus or minus one standard deviations from the "league" average SOS. The Orangemen best game was a 19-14 victory over #15 ranked West Virginia and their worst game was a 20-41 loss to #87 ranked Washington. Syracuse finished the season with the #49 ranked team in overall productivity and the #67 ranked offense and the #27 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
The Orangemen finished the regular season at 5-7 and out of bowl eligibility. Syracuse played an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. The Orangemen best game was a 33-30 victory over #22 ranked Toledo and their worst game was a 20-33 loss was to #80 ranked Pitt. Syracuse had the #75 ranked team in terms of total production with the #80 ranked offense and the #60 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
The Orangemen finished the regular season again at 7-5 and defeated #63 ranked West Virginia 38-14 in the post season to finish 8-5 overall. Syracuse played an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. Syracuse's best game was a 45-26 victory over #27 ranked Louisville and their worst loss was 10-17 to #90 ranked Minnesota. Overall, Syracuse had the #30 ranked team with the #26 ranked offense and the #46 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model. At the end of the season, Doug Marrone left Syracuse for the head coaching position with the Buffalo Bills.
The Scott Shafer era, Syracuse finished the regular season 6-6 and were bowl eligible defeating #71 ranked Minnesota 21-17. The Orangemen played against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. Their best game was their victory over #65 ranked Maryland 20-3 and their worst loss was to #69 ranked Northwestern 27-48. Overall, Syracuse had the #74 ranked team with the #83 ranked offense and the #55 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
Syracuse finished the regular season at 3-9. Syracuse again played against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. This season the Orangemen best game was a victory over #59 ranked Central Michigan 40-3 and their worst loss was to #77 ranked Maryland 20-34. Overall, the Orangemen had the #88 ranked team with the #119 ranked offense and the #17 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.


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Pocket Tits
Can pocket tits replace women, as dildos and vibrators have replaced men?
"Hey, Vinnie, what you doin' standing there like that?"
Angelo walked across the street to where his friend was standing with his hands in his pockets and smiling.
"What you mean?" Vinnie stopped smiling, but did not remove his hands from his pockets.
"You look like a fool smilin' like that with your hands in your pockets."
"Oh, I'm just happy," he said smiling again.
"It looks like you are playin' pocket pool with yourself," he said putting his hand in his pocket and moving it back and forth quickly while laughing.
"Pocket pool? Nah," he said laughing. "You're crazy."
"So, why you so happy?"
"Tits!"
"Tits?"
"What d'ya mean tits?"
"Oh, not just any tits, my fat friend, but pocket tits."
"Pocket tits?"
"Lemme see," said Angelo looking down at Vinnie's pocket.
"See," said Vinnie pulling a hand from his pocket, opening it, and showing his friend what he was holding. "It's a sex toy, but for guys."
"Sex toy? What d'ya mean a dildo?"
"Nah, it's a pocket tit," he said handing him the one in his hand and pulling out the other one.
"Mary, Mother of God, it feels real," said Angelo running his finger around the areola and feeling the nipple. "The weight of it and the soft firmness of it, it feels like the real thing."
"I haven't casino oyna stopped playing with them since I got them for Christmas."
"That was a Christmas gift?"
"Yeah," said Vinnie smiling again while he ran his fingers over the other tit that he still had in his hand.
"Who bought them for ya?"
"My girlfriend."
"Get outta here! Maria bought you pocket tits for Christmas." Angelo looked at Vinnie like he was crazy. "If I bought my Rose a sex toy, one of those dildos or vibrating things, she'd think that I didn't love her no more," said Angelo unable to stop himself from feeling and fingering the pocket tit that he still held in his hand.
"Really?" Vinnie suddenly had a troubled look on his face. "She'd think that you didn't love her no more?"
"Yeah, she'd think that," said Angelo, "If I bought her a sex toy, our sex life would be over." He looked at his forlorn friend. "I can't compete with no dildo and vibrator."
"Gees, do you think Maria doesn't love me no more?" He looked at his fat friend. "I hope our sex life is not over."
"I don't know, Vinnie, things don't look so good with you standing like this on the street corner smilin' with your hands in your pockets and playing with pocket tits."
"Yeah, now that I think of it, I haven't touched Maria's tits since she bought me these things."
"If I were you, I'd go home right now and squeeze her tits. Yeah, go home, feel slot oyna her up, go right up her bra, take them out, and suck them a little bit. You know, let her know that the real things are better than pocket tits." He looked down at the pocket tit in his hand that he was still holding, feeling, and fingering. "Yeah, make sure you tell her that the real tits are way better than these pocket tits," he said mindlessly looking down again at the pocket tit. "But this feels so real."
"You can't? You can't what?"
"I can't go home, feel her up, squeeze her tits, go up her bra, take them out, and suck them a little bit." He looked at Angelo with a sorrowful expression. "I can't tell her that her tits are way better than these pocket tits."
"Why? Because these pocket tits are way better than real tits?" He looked at his friend. "Lie to her. Tell her that they are."
"No, it's not that."
"Why then? Why can't you go home, feel her up, squeeze her tits, go up her bra, take them out, and suck them a little bit? Why can't you tell her that her tits are way better than these pocket tits? Why, Vinnie? Why?"
"Tonight is her sex toy party."
"Sex toy party? What's that?"
"She sells sex toys, you know, dildos, vibrators, and now these new pocket tits. She said that even have a portable vagina."
"Get out! A portable vagina? You mean a pussy? A portable pussy? What are they going to think of canlı casino siteleri next?"
"Yeah." He looked at his friend. "It's suppose to feel like the real thing, only better because you can squeeze it for more pressure around your cock. She said that she would get me one for my birthday. I guess the good ones, like this one is, are really expensive."
"Yeah, ain't that the truth. Good pussy always cost ya a lotta dough."
"I'm fucked," Vinnie said with a rejected look on his face.
"I don't know, Vinnie. I suspect you are doomed because once these broads discover dildos and vibrators; they don't need us guys no more. That's how they turn lesbian, you know, by using sex toys."
"Seriously? Lesbian? God, I hope Maria doesn't turn lesbian on me."
"When was the last time you two, you know, ba da bing ba da banged," he said moving his hand forward and back."
"Not since…not since…Jesus, not since she started selling these sex toys," he said looking to his friend with tears in his eyes.
"See? I told ya." He handed the pocket tit back to Vinnie. "Here. I don't want any part of this thing. It's evil. I'm just glad my Rose doesn't have any sex toys."
"Rose?" Vinnie looked at his friend with sorrow. "I'm sorry, Angelo."
"Sorry? What are you sorry for?"
"Maria invited Rose to the party tonight. She's there already."
"Give me that freakin' pocket tit back." Angelo rubbed the pocket tit at a feverish pace as if it was a worry stone. "Do these come in a bigger size? A double D cup?"
"I'll find out."
"Do you think Maria can get another portable Vagina? Just tell me what it cost and I'll give ya the money."