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(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)
by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds
By Host Plant Genus
By Host Plant Common Name
To Liromyza species in Glasshouse and/or Quarantine Interceptions
Parasitoids
Stigmella perpygmaeella (Doubleday, 1959)
[Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae]
Least Thorn Pigmy
Nepticula perpygmaeella Doubleday, 1959
Tinea pygmaeella Haworth, 1828
Stigmella perpygmaeella (Doubleday, 1959).
Leaf-miner: The first half of the mine is filled with brown frass and the early gallery is broad. The frass is later coiled and the larva is yellow. S. crataegella has a thinner initial gallery. Mines starting in the petiole are harder to name without seeing the larva (British leafminers).
Oviposition on the underside of the leaf, rarely on the petiole (in Scandinavia the reverse is true, see Johansson et al., 1990a). The mine is a corridor that quickly widens into a secondary blotch without, ar only a very short, free initial corridor part. The mine is constrained between two veins or, less frequently, a lateral vein and the leaf margin. In the pseudoblotch the frass is warm brown and coiled (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Larva: The larvae of moths have a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding), six thoracic legs and abdominal legs (see examples).
Yellow (British leafminers; Emmet, 1983a; Gustafsson and van Nieukerken, 1990a; Bladmineerders van Europa).
Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
Adult: The adult is illustrated in UKMoths by Rob Edmunds. The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Comments: Skala (1939a) found the mine once also on Prunus domestica. He also mentions the species from Hippophae; the latter association has also been reported by Szocs (1977a) (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Crataegus British leafminers
Crataegus Pitkin & Plant
Hosts elsewhere:
Crataegus Belgian Lepidoptera
Crataegus laevigata Midland Hawthorn Bladmineerders van Europa
Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn Bladmineerders van Europa
Time of year - larvae: July, October (British leafminers).
Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.
Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Banffshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Caernarvonshire, Cambridgeshire, Carmarthenshire, Cheshire, Denbighshire, Derbyshire, East Kent, East Norfolk, East Suffolk, Glamorgan, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Kincardineshire, Middlesex, North Essex, North Hampshire, North Somerset, North Northumberland, North Wiltshire, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, South Aberdeenshire, South Essex, South Lancashire, South Northumberland, South Wiltshire, Stafford, Surrey, West Gloucestershire, West Kent, West Norfolk, West Suffolk and Worcestershire (NBN Atlas).
See also British leafminers distribution map.
Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Fauna Europaea and National Biodiversity Data Centre Map).
Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Portuguese mainland, Romania, Russia - Central, Sardinia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spanish mainland, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine and Yugoslavia (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:
Chalcidoidea
Chrysocharis amanus (Walker, 1839) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Cirrospilus vittatus Walker, 1838 Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Seladerma aeneum (Walker, 1833) Pteromalidae: Miscogastrinae
Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available
Adelius subfasciatus Haliday, 1833 Braconidae: Cheloninae
Adelius viator (Förster, 1851) Braconidae: Cheloninae
External links: Search the internet:
Belgian Lepidoptera
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist
UKMoths Find using Google
Find using Google Scholar
Find images using Google
Last updated 12-Jul-2019 Brian Pitkin


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MFP Destinations: A Staycation at Biltmore Hotel
Coral Gables, Destinations, Special Feature January 30, 2018 coral gables, hotel, miami, Palme d'Or, pool, The Biltmore, The Biltmore Hotel
We love Coral Gables. It's a balanced city: Whatever your interests — food, history, culture, etc. — there's something for everyone to enjoy in the neighborhood. That's why it's the perfect place for a staycation.
If you were to ask a local where to stay in The City Beautiful, odds are that the Biltmore Hotel would be at the top of the list. No building is more iconic — the structure's history dates back to the 1920s. And while it is a luxury hotel, we found out firsthand that a big budget isn't required to enjoy its accommodations.
'I Recognize That Place': Ballers Edition
Special Feature June 14, 2016 June 14, 2016 ballers, contest, dwayne johnson, el pug, hbo, juvia, little havana, miami, prime 112, The Biltmore, the dutch, The Forge, the rock
Here's a fun fact about Miami Food Pug: We love Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. We're also suckers for any show filmed in the Magic City. When it was announced he'd be starring in an HBO comedy filmed in Miami, we were ecstatic. We literally counted down the days to the Ballers premiere.
Watching The Rock's character Spencer Strasmore, a retired NFL player turned financial manager, navigate the football and financial world with all its ups and downs was fun, especially with unique characters like John David Washington's Ricky Jerret. Side note: Did you know that's Denzel Washington's son? Now you do! Plus, how could you NOT like a show that has pugs in the opening credits?
While we watched the first season — out on Blu-Ray and DVD today — we found ourselves saying "I recognize that place" so many times that we thought we'd put together a guide to all the restaurants we could spot.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


What's the Best Home Décor Accessory?
'What's the best home décor accessory?' It's kind of a silly question, isn't it? When you think of all of the accessories you can add to a home – pillows and throws, baskets and boxes, artwork and sculpture, light fixtures and accent furniture – how could you possibly pick just one? But, along with other topics such as which shade of white is the absolute best, these are the kinds of questions interior designers ponder.
If we were headed to a deserted island and had to choose just one type of home accessory, it would be glass. Think of all the things which are rendered in glass: Stemware and serving pieces; light fixtures and candle holders; artful objects and household necessities. And consider its limitless looks: Clear or colored; weighty or paper thin; translucent or almost opaque; brushed or polished. Glass really is the clear winner.
At Welch Company: A collection of glass spheres in a variety of beachy blues arranged in a jute-covered tray; an effortless way to add an impact to any room.
From one of our interior design projects: This kitchen has a fairly low ceiling. By arranging a collection of vintage glass bottles on an open shelf, the eye is drawn up making the ceiling feel higher and the space more open.
At Welch Company: These hanging light fixtures range from classic New England to coastal with a vintage vibe to cool and contemporary, but all have one thing in common...glass.
From one of our interior design projects: This oversized coffee table, which has both a glass top and lower shelf, is substantial enough to feel proportional in the large room but doesn't feel too weighty. A trio of glass orbs in a burnt orange hue seem to glow when the light hits them just right.


Fourth of July is our Superbowl.
Okay, the Superbowl is our Superbowl, but Fourth of July is when we really pull out all the stops. It's the perfect holiday – it's casual, it's warm, it's patriotic – and at our houses it's always all about the food.
What do your guests want this Fourth of July? They want you to think beyond the standard burgers and Brats and come up with something extra-memorable. This is no time to look into diet recipes or to buy anything pre-made at the grocery store. This is your moment.
Here are some classic, crowd-pleasing dishes to master this Fourth of July.


Matt Moore grew up in the small county of Van Nuys, California just outside of Los Angeles. Moore began his journey to the pros at Wlliam S. Hart High School in Newhall, California. With Moore at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, you are probably guessing he played that position his whole life, well think again. Moore played safety his career through pee-wees up until he decided to make the transformation to the quarterback position his freshman year of high school.
Moore led his team to a 13-0 record and a Division III championship his senior year. In that game he recorded 277 yards, four touchdowns, and carried the ball for 97 yards and six points. Moore was officially named the CIF-SS Division III Offensive Player of the Year, First-team All State (impressive given California's population) and First Team all CIF-SS.
After high school was over Moore jumped around with two colleges, University of California Los Angeles and Oregon State University. Freshman year, he went on to play at UCLA in which he appeared in only six games. With the injuries to Bruins' quarterbacks Cory Paus and Drew Olson it was Moore's time to shine. He had an average year as he made 33 completions out of his 62 pass attempts for 412 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
His second year at UCLA wasn't as clear cut as his freshman year. Throughout the 2003 season he started four out of the eight regular season games he appeared in, but threw for only 555 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Moore took a different approach in 2004, as things weren't really working out for him at UCLA and it was time to move on. College of the Canyons, a small community college in Santa Clarita, is where he took his education too, but little later did he know something big was on the verge.
You frequently see professional athletes start off by playing two sports, including Nate Robinson and Antonio Gates who both made the transformation playing football and basketball. In result of playing baseball in high school, Moore was more keen to play baseball.
The 20-year-old played semi-pro baseball in Southern California in his spare time while attending community college. During his time in the league, there were many MLB teams scouting for wanted positions. And in the 2004 MLB Draft he was chosen at pick no. 24 by the Los Angeles Angels.
Given the circumstances, Moore would have had to give up football and he did not want that, so he took his services to Oregon State University where all the magic began to happen. Right from the get-go he became the leader and starting quarterback for the Beavers.
In the 2005 season with Mike Riley's team, he recorded the ninth hightest single season yardage total in history for the Beavers with 2,717 yards. Moore's senior year was one to remember.
Back-to-back successful years at Oregon State University led him to an All Pac-10 honorable mention leading the Beavers to a 10 win season and a Sun Bowl victory over the University of Missouri. Moore was awarded with the MVP of the bowl game.
The Panthers took him into a quarterback role for four years where he was successful leading up to 2008. That year it felt like it was the end of the career for the former Beaver after breaking his left fibula in the first pre-season game.
Moore's breakout season coincidentally came about a year later after replacing Panthers' starting quarterback Josh McCown in the first game of the regular season. Stuggling to show the Panthers his skill set, he was waived this past summer.
With the Miami Dolphins' having quarterback issues, whether it be due to injuries or inconsistency, they were looking to find a quarterback they can count on. They did just that on July 28, 2011, with Chad Henne going down against the San Diego Chargers with a separated left shoulder. Miami then gave the call to Matt Moore.
In this 2011-12 season, Moore has been the best the Dolphins could ask for. After starting 0-7, the Miami Dolphins have been 4-1 with Moore under center. Thus far, Moore has tallied 1,769 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions.
With the Dolphins having all sorts of help coming from the offensive line, running backs Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas, wide receivers like Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline, Davone Bess, tight-end Anthony Fasano, and the defense as a whole, Moore can only get better from here. He has shown he can be a starting quarterback in the past, present, and down the road the future.


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Measuring abortion opinions gets murky
Women to watch: Erica Sagrans
Juliana Batista - Cornell University
all issuesNational SecuritySocietyRepublicansEducationElectionsEconomyDemocrats GreenEquality Health
all datesany date
E.g., 1/19/2020
Women in Politics: College Edition – Nova Southeastern University
By Anna Brand
Welcome to Women in Politics: College Edition, where promising women leaders in student government on college and university campuses across the country will be featured on msnbc.com. Celia Wright has been nominated to represent Ohio State University as a leader making a difference not only through key issues on campus, but in bridging the... read more
Feminist camp seeks to break barriers
Samantha Hahn and Sarah Castro talk about attending a camp in New York City, which helps explore how women can change their lives through feminism. watch
Will 2016 bring the first female UN Secretary General?
By Aliyah Frumin
In the 70 years since the United Nations was founded, never has there been a woman Secretary-General. But with a new leader of the global body set to be selected in 2016, many believe the time to shatter that glass ceiling is now.Advocates and several diplomats are urging for the next leader to be female. They point to the fact that women... read more
Women in Politics: College Edition – Ohio State University
The women bridging tech and politics in the 2016 election
By Nisha Chittal and Anna Brand
In the 2012 presidential election, Twitter was the gold standard for being digitally savvy, playing a huge role in how the public -- particularly millennials -- viewed the candidates. The social media platform set the tone for debates, speeches and the party conventions. At the time, the 2012 election cycle broke Twitter records: with Election... read more
In the 2012 presidential election, Twitter was the gold standard for being digitally savvy, playing a huge role in how the public – particularly millennials – viewed the candidates. The social media platform set the tone for debates, speeches and the party conventions. At the time, the 2012 election cycle broke Twitter records: with Election Day... read more
By Anna Brand and Nisha Chittal
Women in Politics: College Edition – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Welcome to Women in Politics: College Edition, where promising women leaders in student government on college and university campuses across the country will be featured on msnbc.com. Sarah Hochman has been nominated to represent the University of Illinois as a leader making a difference not only through key issues on campus, but in bridging the... read more
Carly Fiorina softens on gay marriage
By Jane C. Timm
GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina softened her stance on gay marriage on Monday, telling a blogger that she didn't support a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage any more."I think the Supreme Court ruling will become the law of the land, and however much I may agree or disagree with it, I wouldn't support an amendment to reverse... read more
Women in Politics: College Edition – Rutgers University
Welcome to Women in Politics: College Edition, where promising women leaders in student government on college and university campuses across the country will be featured on msnbc.com. Ariel Koren has been nominated to represent the University of Pennsylvania as a leader making a difference not only through key issues on campus, but in bridging... read more
Women in Politics: College Edition – Fairleigh Dickinson University
Women of 2016: The Twitter Trail
Young candidate facing racist, sexist attacks
The dark side of being a child prodigy
Women in Congress: The Twitter Tracker


Funny coffee mug that will also make a great gift idea to a boss, manager, superior or supervisor. They will love seeing this on their kitchen table for morning coffee or on a desk at work or an office coffee break. Will also make a funny gift for a wife or husband to show who really is the boss.
- "Because I'm The BOSS" Coffee Mug.


The play "Trifles" is a murder mystery, which takes place in the kitchen of the Wrights home. In the beginning of the story, Glaspell sets the murder scene in the audiences mind by having Mr. Peters and Mr. Henderson interview Mr. Hale on his discovery of Mr. Wright's body. Mr. Hale then begins to talk about the condition of Mr. Wright, and then continues on and talks about the behavior of Mrs. Wright The rising action in the story begins after the men leave the women, and go upstairs to potentially find evidence, or a motive.
The women began to ask many questions, and examine the kitchen, and how it was left after the murder. The men then overhear the women pondering on whether Mrs. Wright was to knot or pierce the rope. The men laugh at the women because they found such matters to be of little importance. The rising action continues with the women finding the bird cage, and the nervous stitching. All through the rising action, ironically, the women were shown inadvertently finding evidence to solve the murder case.
Just after these discoveries, the climax of the play is signaled. The women find a dead bird inside of a box placed in the sewing basket. The women then notice that the bird's neck was wrung, similar to how Mr. Wright had died. Glaspell then narrates that there was a look of growing comprehension between the two. This line is important because, their questions were answered, and the women know who murdered Mr. Wright. It is also ironic because the women find little 'trifles' that the men just deem as unimportant, which ironically solves the case.
This is also because the men and even the women themselves wouldn't expect to be capable of aiding in the murder investigation. Inadvertently, the women solve the murder case. It is also interesting that the discoveries were all found inside of the kitchen where the men tend to go very little throughout the play, but also just in general. The purpose of doing so was probably done in order for Glaspell to empathize on the theme of the play: Women are not appreciated by men, and seen lowly by them. This can also be supported because the men thought of what Mrs.
Peters brought in was something that was harmless, and couldn't possibly hold the main evidence that they would need in order to prosecute Mrs. Wright. After secretly and accidently solving the murder case, the women decide to not tell the men that Mrs. Wright did indeed murder her husband. The women mainly resolved to do this out of sympathy. The women's decision is the resolution and beginning of the falling action of the play. The falling action of the play becomes intensive because the reader thinks that The Attorney will find the dead bird, and the women will be caught.
The falling action of the play also achieves the purpose of the plays structure because it shows that women are actually useful in tasks other than housework, which is a sub-topic of the theme. Also, it achieves it because the women hold the key to the one piece of evidence that the men needed in order to find Mrs. Wright guilty. "Trifles" was a murder mystery with a dramatic structure, but also an ironic twist to it. The women unknowingly find all the evidence, inside of the kitchen.
Glaspell structured the play, so that the women and men would think that the women's findings would be such small trifles, but in actuality were the clues to solving the case. Also, that was done so that Glaspell could place the theme of men believing that women are unhelpful, and unappreciated. Glaspell supports this theme by having the women solve the case, but not tell the men. The structure of this play also gave a underlying truth in the theme. "Trifles" ironically was structured off of dismissed trifles.


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The Upshot|Who Will Care for the Caregivers?
Short-Handed
Who Will Care for the Caregivers?
Some 40 million Americans give daily help to a parent, grandparent, relative or neighbor, assisting with basic things like dressing, bathing, cooking, medications or transportation.CreditCreditMark Makela for The New York Times
By Dhruv Khullar
I should have put his socks back on.
The thought kept nagging me as I finished my clinic notes, replaying the afternoon in my head. My final patient of the day — a man with dementia — was a late addition to the schedule, after his daughter, herself a patient of mine, called to report he hadn't been himself lately. We scheduled him for the last appointment, so she could join after finishing work across town.
She recounted the subtle changes she'd noticed in her father. He'd been eating less, sleeping more. He was less steady on his feet and seemed uninterested in playing with his grandchildren — an activity that normally filled him with irrepressible joy.
From her purse, she pulled out no fewer than eight pill bottles — each with a dose, time and frequency meticulously labeled. She handed me a handwritten transcript of his other recent appointments: an ophthalmologist, a neurologist, a cardiologist. As I examined him, her phone rang.
"Grandpa isn't feeling well, sweetie," she said. "There's macaroni in the fridge. We'll be home soon."
She hung up and apologized for the interruption. Then she leaned over to pull his socks over his bare feet — socks I'd removed moments before and left on the exam table.
There are some 40 million Americans like my patient's daughter. Every day, they help a parent, grandparent, relative or neighbor with basic needs: dressing, bathing, cooking, medications or transportation. Often, they do some or all of this while working, parenting, or both. And we — as doctors, employers, friends and extended family — aren't doing enough to help them.
According to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, the typical family caregiver is a 49-year-old woman caring for an older relative — but nearly a quarter of caregivers are now millennials and are equally likely to be male or female. About one-third of caregivers have a full-time job, and 25 percent work part time. A third provide more than 21 hours of care per week. Family caregivers are, of course, generally unpaid, but the economic value of their care is estimated at $470 billion a year — roughly the annual American spending on Medicaid.
A recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine suggests that society's reliance on this "work force" — largely taken for granted — is unsustainable. While the demand for caregivers is growing because of longer life expectancies and more complex medical care, the supply is shrinking, a result of declining marriage rates, smaller family sizes and greater geographic separation. In 2015, there were seven potential family caregivers for every person over 80. By 2030, this ratio is expected to be four-to-one, and by 2050, there will be fewer than three potential caregivers for every older American.
This volunteer army is put at great financial risk. Sixty percent of those caring for older family members report having to reduce the number of hours they work, take a leave of absence or make other career changes. Half say they've gotten into work late, or had to leave early. One in five report significant financial strain. Family caregivers over 50 who leave the work force lose, on average, more than $300,000 in wages and benefits over their lifetimes.
Even worse, perhaps, is the physical and emotional toll of extended caregiving. Family caregivers are more likely to experience negative health effects like anxiety, depression and chronic disease. One study found that those who experienced mental or emotional stress while caring for a disabled spouse were 63 percent more likely to die within four years than noncaregivers who were also tracked. Another study found that long-term caregivers have disrupted immune systems even three years after their caregiving roles have ended. And caregivers of patients with long I.C.U. stays have high levels of depressive symptoms that can last for more than a year.
As overworked and underappreciated as family caregivers are, health systems, under pressure to reduce costs, increasingly rely on them to manage illness at home.
There's more we medical professionals can do to improve the way we engage, support and educate them. Family caregivers aren't always clearly listed in the medical record, and even when they are, we often fail to include them in important decisions about a patient's treatment plan — despite expecting them to carry out that plan at home. We assume they're able to perform complex medical tasks — administering injections, changing catheters, dressing wounds, starting tube feeds — but fewer than half of family caregivers receive the training to perform them.
The Academies' report highlights several measures that could help. First, simply identify caregivers, assess their abilities and anticipate challenges they're likely to encounter. The United Hospital Fund has developed a tool to understand caregivers' existing home or work duties, as well as what training they'll need to perform new caregiving tasks and any concerns they have about the treatment plan.
Having counseling and support services available to caregivers, as well as respite programs to temporarily relieve them of their responsibilities, could also help. And clinicians could be trained in how best to educate family caregivers, and to better meet their emotional and physical needs. A nurse might demonstrate how to turn a patient in bed without risking back strain. Or the right way to deliver an insulin injection — how to pinch the skin, what angle to insert the needle — and what signs to look out for if blood sugar levels get too low.
Policy makers can help caregivers, too. More than 30 states have passed versions of the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act. The act requires hospitals to identify family caregivers, inform them when patients are being discharged, and provide them with basic education on the tasks they'll be expected to perform. Other policy changes might strengthen financial support for caregivers by increasing the amount of available paid leave and encouraging employers to offer more flexible work hours.
Caregivers should also feel comfortable speaking up about their needs, and asking for information on services available in their area. Increasingly, there are support groups available to those caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease, cancer and other serious illnesses. The government's Eldercare Locator is an online tool that allows older people and their caregivers to identify community organizations that can help with meals, transportation, home care, peer support and caregiving education.
Similarly, local Area Agencies on Aging can help connect patients and caregivers to the services they need. Employers might consider "time-banking" programs to share leave among employees. And, of course, we can all call to check in on a caregiver, and volunteer our time to give them a break.
If it's a certainty that all of us will experience illness, it's a near-certainty that most of us will care for someone with an illness. But our current conception of patient and disease seems too narrow. It may help to recognize that while patients' needs come first, illness is often a family affair.
For many, caring for a loved one provides tremendous purpose and fulfillment. It can deepen relationships and offer the time and space for connection where it otherwise might not exist. It seems that the goal, then, should not be to reduce family caregiving, but to reduce its burdens.
Dhruv Khullar, M.D., M.P.P., is a resident physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Follow him on Twitter at @DhruvKhullar.
A version of this article appears in print on , Section A, Page 3 of the New York edition with the headline: Ways to Lighten the Toll of Taking Care of Ailing Relatives. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe
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Very economical as every time it is switched on it will automatically start on the economy setting. Only is more power is needed you will need to push the red switch to operate in Hi mode.
Has a 10 metre cable with a storage and rewind system, keeping everything neat and tidy.
Works with HepaFlo dust bags which improve filtration efficiency, cleanliness and the capacity.


Really like it, nice and clean.
Something I would suggest is a hover colour for your links. Just doesn't make the page look as still.
It's ok, but a bit plain. You definitely need to use an accent colour, ie, hints of another colour in addition to the blue.
Agreed - a couple of colour photos would go well, too :) And a screenshot!
10x for the tips. I'll see what I can do.
I like "clean designs". And yours fits the billl. Only thing i would do differently is stick a photo or screenshot top left.. to balance the page.
I like clean designs too, but I think a liitle more imagery would help.
Your quite a "clean" designer, is that where you get your ideas from?
When I started doing my own designs, that's the site that I drew a lot of my inspiration from. I don't really go looking for ideas as such anymore. I just play around until I get something that looks half decent.
I find designing quite a painful process, as I'm never really satisfied with the final result. That said, I wouldn't pay anyone else to design for me because it wouldn't feel like it was "mine" even though I would "own" the design. Stupid really, because it would be cheaper in terms of time to get someone else to do the designs.
I'm like that with most things in life though. I hate paying people to do stuff for me. I would rather try and acquire the skills to do the work myself. It's costly though, because obviously while learning, a lot of mistakes are made along the way.
I should take into consideration that "time is money" more often than I do.


The conference held last Thursday at the "Círculo de Economía" from Barcelona, taught together with Franc Ponti (expert in innovation), and Oscar Sanchez (School of Entrepreneurship Foundation), was very interesting and valuable: We spoke about such an unusual and key issue as are the VALUES.
Franc Ponti highlighted the value of courage, innovation and creativity as essential to bring quality and guarantees about the future of our society.
Oscar explained the critical importance of inculcating entrepreneurial skills and attitudes to young people since the primary school; and he showed us the methodology and many success stories made by the Foundation.
1) He must be conscious and committed to confront an entrepreneurial process: Uncertainty, Risk, Success and Failure, Loneliness, Intuition, Ambition, Good Luck.
2) We need a society conscious and committed to the value that the entrepreneur brings to the community. Society at large should recognize those who lead projects as key elements, and should provide them with all the elements to respect them, to motivate them and to facilitate their work.
3) He should be aware and be engaged in creating wealth and value beyond pure profit. Always with a competitive basis and monetary success, he should seek also prosperity for the society and the environment. This will focus on achieving a better society for future generations, while we provide a differential value very difficult to imitate and pound from other economies where they look only for the cost and productivity at any cost.
I'm a fan of the Adventure and Entrepreneurship, and I would feel guilty, if after having been fortunate to travel and live very intense experiences around the world and particularly beautiful and sensitive sites, I would not have learned anything, and had only done all this to have fun and have some beautiful pictures. That is why I like so much talking about "values" associated with entrepreneurs, as the leading future projects, they must decide not only move, but think carefully about where and how we move forward. Now more than ever, we are responsible for the future we will have.
Els valors, Albert, són bàsics i fundamentals en totes les nostres accions de vida. Hem de tenir present que ells haurien de ser sempre el primer punt a tenir en compte en qualsevol iniciativa humana doncs, mai hem de olvidar, que ens enrequim mitjançan les relacions humanes i que treballem amb persones i per les persones.


Peter Wilson operates a small dairy farm in The Crags, South Africa. He also kills primates. If Peter isn't killing off the local primates he's encouraging his staff to kill them via torture, shootings, stabbings and poison. Locals know he's on a genocidal crusade, yet few do or say anything. The Crags is a small town, word (and gossip) travel fast. Peter is a farmer and has little interest in the moral implications of his actions, nor does he seem to care about the risk for dangerous disease transmission from primates to humans. This is exactly that type of dangerous ignorance that is ravaging South Africa's wildlife.
I learned during my time in the area that it is his farm and poor management practices (eg. storage of livestock feed, silage, food waste, fruit trees, etc) which lures the local primates onto the farm for easy meals. Peter claims to all who listen that it's the fault of the primate sanctuary next door – which is primarily a natural habitat sanctuary but cares for some rescued and orphaned animals in enclosures.
The "relevant" wildlife authority – Cape Nature – and their ineffectual staff are well aware of his animal and environmental transgressions yet have to date refused to act responsibly and do something about it.
Peter Wilson's tractor which carried Douglas' tortured lifeless body to the Kurland location.
Alternatively, here's Peter shown with his three daughters, from left to right should you like to discuss the local primate genocide their father is personally sponsoring. They can often be found in and around the farm stall.
+ All of the infants & children.


The City of Providence was recently honored as a "Playful City USA" by KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America's children. The national program recognizes cities and towns that make play a priority and use innovative programs to get children active, playing and healthy.
To celebrate this designation, Providence parks and other recreation venues will participate in a citywide weekend of play, beginning with a Playful Providence Kickoff Celebration held on Friday, September 7, 4:30 - 6:30 PM in Burnside Park. The celebration will feature playful activities by Providence Children's Museum, RI Parkour, RI Museum of Science and Art and more plus lively music from the Brown University Band, collaborative art projects, and a short speaking program.
Playful Providence activities will continue throughout the weekend, to encourage families to visit new parks and explore new ways of playing. Events will be held at 21 neighborhood parks and 6 other play and recreation venues throughout the city and include collaborative art, crafts and games, bubble blowing, music, dance classes and other playful fun.
Playful Providence is planned by the Partnership for Providence Parks, a new group committed to providing opportunities for children (toddlers to teens) to have structured and unstructured play in safe, healthy spaces that reflect the identity of the neighborhoods in which they live, in collaboration with Providence Department of Parks and Recreation; Providence Department of Arts, Culture + Tourism; Providence Children's Museum; Rhode Island School of Design; Providence parks groups; and other partners. The weekend of events will promote the Partnership for Providence Parks and draw attention to the important role that volunteer groups have in making great places to play.
To learn more about the Partnership for Providence Parks and for a detailed listing of events, visit www.providenceparks.org.


Tired of Private Houses and Casas Particulares? Take a private apartment instead.
We are proud to bring you a comprehensive range of Aparthotels in Havana and the Eastern beaches. For those looking for the freedom of a self catering vacation rather than the red tape of hotels, these condo apartments are an excellent choice. Smartly furnished studios, one beds, two beds and penthouses available exclusively through us.


For men who's looking for both comfort and style, this casual stretch skinny jeans is a must have. Made from light and quality materials, this jeans is perfect for day to day fashion.
Achieve that stylish look wearing this high quality skinny jeans for men. You will surely capture the hearts of women with your fashionable and unique look. It will make you stand out in the crowd and it will make your day fun and memorable. You must have one for your own now!


Privacy — Rodney Lough Jr.
We collect your personal information because it helps us deliver a superior level of customer service. It enables us to give you convenient access to our. In addition, your personal information helps us keep you posted on the latest announcements, updates, special offers, and events that you might like to hear about.
We may ask for your personal information when you're discussing an issue on the phone with a sales associate and/or online purchases.
When you interact with us, we may collect personal information relevant to the situation, such as your name, mailing address, phone number, email address, and contact preferences; your credit card information and information about the artwork or products you own, such as their limited edition numbers and date of purchase; and information relating to a support, delivery or service issue.
We also collect information for market research purposes -- such as your occupation and where you will hang artwork, if it is a gift of for personal use -- to gain a better understanding of our collectors to refine our service.
We collect information regarding customer activities on our website. This helps us to determine how best to provide useful information to collectors and to understand which parts of our website and products are of most interest.
If you use our workshop bulletin board or chat room on our website you should be aware that any information you share is visible to other users. Personally identifiable information you submit to one of these forums can be read, collected, or used by other individuals to send you unsolicited messages. We are not responsible for the personally identifiable information you choose to submit in these forums.
The Lough Road, Inc. takes your privacy very seriously. We do not sell or rent your contact information to other marketers - EVER! At times we may be required by law or litigation to disclose your personal information. We may also disclose information about you if we determine that for national security, law enforcement, or other issues of public importance, disclosure is necessary.
We take precautions - including administrative, technical, and physical measures to safeguard your personal information against loss, theft, and misuse, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. The website uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption on all web pages where personal information is required. SSL encrypts sensitive information like credit cards numbers before they are sent over the Internet.
The Lough Road, Inc. takes protecting your privacy very seriously. To make sure your personal information is secure, we communicate these guidelines to our employees and strictly enforce privacy safeguards within the company.


It works as anti-inflammatory, soothing your skin, and moisturizing. Eau Thermale Avène also known to treat burnt skin for more than 250 years and used by many dermatologist in the world!
Very very very recommended for all skin type especially sensitive skin.
I LOVE THIS LIP BALM. It doesn't have any scent so my sensitive nose is best friend with it. Also it doesn't have any weird after-use taste on my mouth. Some lip balm makes my mouth taste weird, I don't know why haha. But it doesn't happen with this one.
This lip balm contains Cold Cream that very effective to moisturize your lips for a long time especially if you have dry and chapped lips.
More over it has SPF that protects your lips because not only your skin that need protection from the sun, even your eyes also needs protection from UV rays! Going to post about it later haha.
It also contains Vitamin E and can be used before you apply your lipstick, especially matte lipstick.
This one is the most popular sunblock from Avene and mostly people with sensitive skin go with this one.
The best thing about this sunblock is that it doesn't contain any chemical ingredients, it even safe for children to use!
Beside to protect your skin from UVA UVB, this sunblock also has a pink-ish color on it to even out your skin tone makes it look radiant without using foundation.
This sunblock give a finish look like when you are using CC Cream, maybe because CC Cream is also a skin care base makeup.
Avene Sunblock SPF 50 Mineral also can be used after you got a laser treatment or simply when you got skin irritation and redness. And... you can use it before swimming or sunbathing in the beach because it's water resistant! Yay~ Good skin even when you're underwater.
On 8 April 2017 I was invited to Avene Event at Galeries Lafayette, Pacific Place.
There was a makeup demo by Jerry Pravda and performance by Radhini.
This the result of the makeup by Jerry Pravda on Radhini. I really love the eye makeup. Nowadays I'm trying to apply the cut crease eye makeup for daily basis because my eyes are monolids but I'm still learning hehe.
The event was closed with performance by Radhini.
My green hair is faded but the color still there. Awesome! Gonna try another color soon. Any recommendation?


text:
Brown's engineers are both deeply trained problem solvers and broadly trained problem seekers who grapple with complex issues that affect our daily lives.
Brown Arts Initiative
BrownConnect
Brown University Library
Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America
Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice
Cogut Institute for the Humanities
Data Science Initiative
Investing in Faculty
Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute
Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics
John Carter Brown Library
Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship
Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women
Warren Alpert Medical School
Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Engineering Change to Improve Lives
Thanks to generous gifts, we have been building on our historic strength in traditional disciplines and adding prominent scholars in emerging areas such as biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, nanotechnology, and neurotechnology.
So what's on the horizon? Brown engineers are:
Creating an adhesive patch made from a hydrogel material that may reduce the stretching of heart muscle after a heart attack.
Discovering that human cells follow the same rules as non-living particles, shedding light on tissue formation, wound healing, and the spread of cancer.
Making safer, significantly less expensive, and vastly more efficient lead-free perovskite solar cells that are large enough for commercial applications.
Developing a new generation of wireless medical technologies that record and monitor neural activity to assist in the diagnosis and management of neurologic disease.
Brown's curriculum produces future leaders who can reach across the campus and beyond to collaborate in key areas of technological innovation.
Engineering at Brown is designed for ambitious and broad thinkers with a passion to make a difference in the world. As we continue to bring top faculty and students to Brown Engineering and support their research, this positions us to innovate in ways that would otherwise not be possible.
Larry Larson Sorensen Family Dean of the School of Engineering Professor of Engineering
Support the School of Engineering today.
With your partnership, we're making breakthroughs in technology and research to improve lives.
For information about specific giving opportunities, please contact:
Rick Marshall '71, P'10
Director of Development for the School of Engineering
Brown's faculty puts its expertise to work
Several faculty members across disciplines have shifted their research and community engagement efforts to focus specifically on COVID-19. Through their expertise and collaboration, they're providing a guide for addressing both the immediate and future effects of this global health and economic crisis.
Open details for Brown's faculty puts its expertise to work
Let the move-in begin: Engineering Research Center opens its doors
With high-tech spaces for 15 faculty research groups and more than 100 research associates and graduate students, the building is designed to encourage the kind of interdisciplinary research for which Brown is known.
Open details for Let the move-in begin: Engineering Research Center opens its doors
Open details for School of Engineering


text:
Video of New Multi-Touch Gestures on iPad iOS 4.3
Wednesday January 12, 2011 5:26 pm PST by Arnold Kim
One of the most interesting new features found in the developer release of iOS 4.3 is the introduction of four and five finger gestures for the iPad.
This beta release contains a preview of new Multi-Touch gestures for iPad. You can use four or five fingers to pinch to the Home Screen; swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar; and swipe left or right between apps. We are providing this preview before releasing them to the public to understand how these gestures work with your apps.
The above video shows the user four-finger swiping from left/right to switch between multitasking apps. Meanwhile pinching with 4 or 5 fingers can return you to the home screen, which potentially removes the need for a physical home button.
iOS 4.3 is not yet available for public download.
Analyst: All iPhone 14 Models to Feature 120Hz Displays, 6GB of RAM, and More
Friday January 14, 2022 7:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is rumored to announce four new iPhone 14 models in September, and ahead of time, analyst Jeff Pu has outlined his expectations for the devices. In a research note with Haitong International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Pu claimed that all iPhone 14 models will feature ProMotion displays, compared to only Pro models currently. ProMotion enables a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz ...
Deals: M1 iMac Drops to Lowest-Ever Price of $1,399 on Amazon ($100 Off)
The Best Wordle Clone in Town – The TouchArcade Show #515


text:
Bureau of Standards fire test of steel furniture album
This album documents a fire test conducted by the Bureau of Standards concerning the effect of fire on steel furniture, possibly among other things. The Bureau of Standards, now known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is a non-regulatory federal agency under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Its mission is "to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life."
United States. National Bureau of Standards (Organization)
1 volume(s)
1 album ( 28 photographic prints) : b&w ; 7 x 10.5 in.
In 1901, Congress founded the National Bureau of Standards, since 1988 known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It is a non-regulatory agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. It was created on the requests of from science and industry "to establish an authoritative domestic measurement and standards laboratory." (http://www.nist.gov/timeline.cfm). The current mission statement reads, "NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life."
In 1928, NIST's Fire Resistance Division burned down two condemned brick buildings in Washington D.C., This action was likely the first full-scale fire test ever conducted. Researchers compared the conditions experienced in this fire with theoretical time-temperature curves that were used at the time. This data was eventually used to create uniform fire resistance standards for buildings.
This photograph album with explanatory captions documents "a test made with steel office furniture to obtain information on the intensity and duration of fires in buildings." (from the introduction by the engineer-in-charge, Bureau of Standards). Images show the aftermath of a fire test in an office with furniture supplied by the National Association of Steel Furniture Manufacturers.
Includes a letter from the Secretary of the National Association of Steel Furniture Manufacturers to Mr. H. P. Weaver, National Fire Protection Association in Philadelphia.
Furniture industry and trade
National Association of Steel Furniture Manufacturers
Bureau of Standards fire test of steel furniture album, 1993-265. Audiovisual Collections.
Bureau of Standards fire test of steel furniture album, 1993-265. Audiovisual Collections. https://findingaids.hagley.org/repositories/2/resources/293 Accessed January 30, 2023.


text:
NAP of the Day
Lucky 15 Tips
Daily Win Treble
Value Tip
KEMPTON Racecourse Horse Racing Tips
KEMPTON Racecourse Tips
Predictions can be updated until 09:30 am UK time.
Horse racing tips, for every race, at every course, every day and free!
We've assembled the best daily horse racing tips.
KEMPTONKEMPTON Tips21/01/21
KEMPTON Horse RacingSEE OUR PREDICTIONS
Course Info:
Address:Staines Rd E, Shepperton, Sunbury-on-Thames TW16 5AQ Website:https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/kempton/
Description:Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track together with a licensed entertainment and conference venue in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, 16 miles south-west of Charing Cross, London and on a border of Greater London. The site has 210 acres (85 hectares) (0.85 km²) of flat grassland surrounded by woodland with two lakes in its centre. Its entrance borders Kempton Park railway station which was created for racegoers on a branch line from London Waterloo, via Clapham Junction.
It has adjoining inner and outer courses for flat and fenced racing. Among its races, the King George VI Chase takes place on Boxing Day, a Grade 1 National Hunt chase which is open to horses aged four years or older.
History: The racecourse was the idea of 19th-century businessman (and Conservative Party agent) S. H. Hyde, who was enjoying a carriage drive in the country when he came across Kempton Manor and Park for sale. Hyde leased the grounds as tenant in 1872 and six years later in July 1878 Kempton opened as a racecourse. This was the feudal lord's demesne of a manor recorded in the Domesday Book and has had at least four variant names but though early Victorian gateposts exist, no buildings of the manor house remain.
The site briefly closed (2 May 2005 – 25 March 2006) to reopen with a new all-weather polytrack (synthetic material) main track and floodlighting to enable racing at all light levels and all but the most severe bad weather.
Flat racing from 2006 is run on the synthetic track so the historic "Jubilee Course", a mile long spur which joined the main track by the home bend, used for the "Jubilee Handicap" which parred the Cambridgeshire and the Stewards' Cup in seniority, was abandoned. It is now overgrown for racing; however, it joins the outskirts of the park as part of the green belt.
Kempton Racecourse
Today's Races Analysis
Races Analysis
Kempton Racecourse: Horse Racing Tips - Kempton tips and predictions. Find here daily horse racing tips and free bets for today's $country races and racecourse guide
Kempton tips and predictions. Get the best tips for today's Kempton races from horseracingtips.today
Winning at Horse Racing - Easier said than done the Races Analysis, or we'd all be rich and the bookies would all be bankrupt. There are obviously many factors to take into account when picking a potential winner from a field of horses Races Analysis: form, pedigree, trainer, jockey, whether the ground is suited to that horse, whether they like the current weather conditions, what weight they are given in a handicap, whether their odds have moved significantly… among many others.
Each day we provide Horse Racing Tips for every race at every fixture in the UK and Ireland today. As well as the Analyst's win selection in the race.
There are 60 licensed racecourses in Great Britain and a further two in Northern Ireland. These include: Aintree, Ascot, Ayr, Bangor, Bath, Beverley, Brighton, Carlisle, Cartmel, Catterick, Chelmsford City, Cheltenham, Chepstow, Cheste, Doncaster, Down Royal, Downpatrick, Epsom Downs, Exeter, Fakenham, Ffos Las, Folkestone (Temporarily Closed) Fontwell Park, Goodwood, Great Yarmouth, Hamilton Park, Haydock Park, Hereford, Hexham, Huntingdon, Kelso, Kempton Park, Leicester, Lingfield Park, Ludlow, Market Rasen, Musselburgh, Newbury, Newcastle, Newmarket, Newton Abbot, Nottingham, Perth, Plumpton, Pontefract, Redcar, Ripon, Salisbury, Sandown Park, Sedgefield, Southwell, Stratford Upon Avon, Taunton, Thirsk, Towcester, Uttoxeter, Warwick, Wetherby, Wincanton, Windsor, Wolverhampton, Worcester, York.
Our horse racing tips take all these statistics into account:
Trainer form
Trainer-jockey combination
Course record (trainer)
Course record (horse)
Course record (jockey)
Previous market moves
Race record (trainer)
Class factor
© 2021 Horse Racing Tips Today


text:
It Doesn't Matter es una canción del grupo inglés de música electrónica Depeche Mode compuesta por Martin Gore, publicada en el álbum Some Great Reward de 1984.

Descripción
Es una de las canciones más enternecedoras en la carrera de DM. Irónicamente en un disco que resultara tan escandaloso y provocativo como lo fue el álbum Some Great Reward, éste era el tema que más desentonaba con todo el discurso lírico y aún musical que considerándolo como conjunto concretaba.

"It Doesn't Matter" es una conmovedora declaración de amor y de agradecimiento a quien esté verdaderamente comprometido en una relación de pareja, conducida por una musicalización electrónica por completo fuera del estándar industrial del álbum, y muy diferente al tema "Somebody" del mismo, con la cual son las más suaves de toda la sugerente colección.

La musicalización resultaría una de las más trabajadas prácticamente de todo el disco, íntegramente electrónica pero habiendo buscado que sonara lo más emocional posible en una suerte de semi-minimalismo sintético sin prescindir de sus elementos principales, aunque por momentos pareciera simular una forma de llanto. Así, se consiguió algo solo medianamente electro con una resonancia casi lúdica llena de efectos como las otras del álbum, pero resultando la más suave de todas.

La letra en realidad no se pudo sustraer a una cierta melancolía implícita tratando también de cuando la pareja esté separada o cuando la relación haya acabado. Más bien parece hablar del amor verdadero pero que no es posible llevar a cabo, o cuando alguien se enamora sin ser correspondido, lo cual solo lleva al amor permanente en donde nunca se desmoronarán los ideales y siempre se creerá solo en la pureza del sentimiento, por ello su cierta tristeza.

Sin embargo la peculiar musicalización sintética es lo más llamativo, por la sutileza con que fue realizada, no hay efecto de percusión por ejemplo, pero sin haber perdido sonoridad ni armonía, al contrario es muy rítmica en conjunto de sus elementos. Después de este tema no volvieron a practicar algo tan deliberadamente sentimental, siendo un experimento casi único en su repertorio.

Aunque es uno de los temas más verdaderamente sensitivos de DM, es decir no forzosamente melancólico o triste, tampoco llega en momento alguno a ser una "canción feliz", equilibrando en toda su duración un discurso de temor, amor y apasionamiento por la persona amada, así como resignación con gratitud. Por su forma meramente sintetizada tan suave en un disco tan punzante, fue en realidad una de las últimas muestras de verdadero synth pop de DM.

Como curiosidad en el álbum Black Celebration se contiene una corta canción llamada "It Doesn't Matter Two", pero no es continuación ni revisión de ésta, solo se le puso el "Two", Dos, en el título, porque se llaman igual.

En directo
La canción estuvo presente durante el correspondiente Some Great Tour y después en el Tour for the Masses. La interpretación desde luego se hacía siempre tal como aparece en el álbum, totalmente sintética, siendo uno de los más puramente electrónicos de DM.

Canciones de Depeche Mode
Canciones de 1984

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
After New Food Economy investigation, Senator Bernie Sanders introduces bill to hold Amazon accountable
Gage Skidmore
Pay people enough to buy groceries, the logic goes, and you won't be stuck with a bill from Uncle Sam at the end of the calendar year.
Ideas Justice News Policy
On Wednesday morning, Senator Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont, together with California's Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, introduced a Senate bill that would tax companies with more than 500 employees for the amount of money their employees receive in federal benefits.
Under the proposed legislation, if an Amazon employee receives $1,600 for federal food assistance, the company would be taxed $1,600 to cover the costs of that employee's burden on the tax base. The law would effectively require large employers to raise their wages. Pay people enough to buy groceries, the logic goes, and you won't be stuck with a bill from Uncle Sam at the end of the calendar year.
Sanders said the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies Act—or BEZOS, quite unironically—will save taxpayers $150 billion a year, citing numbers from a study by the University of California, Berkeley Labor Center. That's more than double the total cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) in 2017.
Khanna introduced similar legislation last year with nine House co-sponsors. At the time, Amazon had not yet emerged as a major employer of food stamps recipients, and much of the press coverage focused on Walmart. Sanders cited reporting by The New Food Economy when he called out Amazon as a low-wage employer.
Amazon was the second company in American history to reach a $1 trillion valuation this week, following Apple's similar announcement earlier this month. Amazon has denied claims that it underpays its workers, but Sanders' team said they heard from hundreds of Amazon employees and cited testimony from two who were earning $11 and $13.25 per hour working full-time at the company and relied on SNAP to bridge their nutrition gap. Amazon has repeatedly claimed that its average hourly wage is "over $15/hour," but that number includes stock options, which do not vest until employees have logged significant time at the company. The $15 figure also does not account for temporary staffers at Amazon warehouses who earn less money than direct hires.
As we reported in April, Amazon employees' burden on the safety net is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to calculating the company's total impact on federal, state, and local tax bases. Jeff Bezos' company did not pay federal income tax in 2017. It was able to avoid collecting sales taxes in many states for years. And according to an investigation by The American Cities Business Journals, local governments have offered the company generous incentives to site its warehouses in their districts. The company has received an estimated $1.2 billion in subsidies to expand its empire.
The BEZOS Act has little chance of passing in the current Congress. But as Democrats gear up for the midterms, it may complement calls for reforms that would achieve similar ends— a $15 federal minimum wage, for instance, or fair workweek protections for people working in fast food and retail.
Ideas, Justice, News, Policya-wholeAmazonBernie Sanders
H. Claire Brown
Claire Brown is a staff writer for The New Food Economy focusing on food policy and the environment. Her reporting has won awards from the Newswomen's Club of New York and the New York Press Club. She is based in Brooklyn. She can be reached via email at claire.brown@newfoodeconomy.org or on Twitter at @hclaire_brown.
Systems Issues Labor Policy TechTech
After New Food Economy investigation, Amazon raises its minimum wage
Systems Policy Tech Ideas NewsNews
Sales tax avoidance is in Amazon's DNA. This Supreme Court case could change that
Amazon paid no federal taxes, bought entry into your home, and now it's coming for your bank accounts


It's not all about you. Really. Sometimes, it's not even a little about you. Yet taking things personally is one of the most frequent causes of conflict in the workplace – and in life. It's easy to fly off the handle when someone gives you a hard time. After all, you fume, it's not like I haven't had a bad day / bad year / bad life myself. Who is she to snap at me when I ask a simple question? Before you give her a piece of your mind, take a deep breath and ask yourself these questions.
First question: is this a guy? Sorry guys, but preemptive grumbling can be part of the package, especially peer to peer. According to John Gray, author of Mars and Venus in the Workplace, men and women relate differently to stress in the workplace (and everywhere else.) It's true, according to Gray, that women multitask better than men, who prefer to focus on something intensely until they solve it. When under stress, men tend to focus even more. If you interrupt a man when he's staring down a problem, his first reaction will be to grumble. This serves two purposes. If the interrupter is faint-hearted, he or she will retreat, and he'll be left in peace with his own work. If the intrepid interrupter stands her ground, the grumbling helps the worker change gears. "I'm in the middle of something right now," he snarls. Think of it as the sound of the gear shift grinding when you shift from first to second. The noise is unpleasant, but you eventually get where you're going. Wait pleasantly until he looks up again. Then make your request.
Next question: is this the first time I've observed this behavior? If Mary is normally cheerful and helpful, and one day growls at you, it's almost certainly not about you. After all, of all the things that could be causing her misery (marriage, finances, home, kids, parents, health) what are the odds that it's suddenly her feelings about you that are the problem? Mary deserves more a pass on this; she may even deserve a concerned offer of help if you feel comfortable with that.
Don't poke the bear. If a coworker is obviously in a bad mood, asking "what's wrong with you?" in a plaintive voice is not helpful. In fact, it can enrage your coworker and provoke another snarling attack. It's best to make a hasty retreat and live to fight another day.
If your request is urgent and her mood looks like it's settled in for the day, make your request in writing. That's what email is for. Keep your language brisk but formal; this is not the place to try humor (see "bear" above.) Do not, under any circumstances, address the email "To Whom It May Concern." I learned that one the hard way.


text:
package com.tora.puzzles;

/**
 * @author Ovidiu Maja<ovi.dan89@gmail.com>
 * @version Nov 19, 2017
 */
public class Foo {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        new Thread(A::initMe).start();
        B.initMe();
    }

    private static class A {
        private static final B b = new B();

        static void initMe() {
        }
    }

    private static class B {
        private static final A a = new A();

        static void initMe() {
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Bio: Nikita is what her husband loves to get in touch with her but people constantly misspell it.
My working day task is a dispatcher and I'll be promoted shortly.
What me and my relatives adore is performing ballet and I will never ever quit performing it.


text:
...And His Mother Called Him Bill è un album discografico del musicista jazz statunitense Duke Ellington pubblicato nel 1967.

Il disco
L'album venne inciso da Ellington come una sorta di omaggio postumo al suo storico partner musicale Billy Strayhorn, all'epoca da poco scomparso. Tutte le composizioni presenti sull'album sono infatti opera di Strayhorn, da lui composte in solitaria o in collaborazione, e il titolo dell'album, traducibile in italiano con le parole "...E sua madre lo chiamò Bill", è anch'esso un affettuoso omaggio al vecchio amico deceduto.

Curiosamente nel disco non venne inclusa la composizione più celebre tra quelle scritte da Strayhorn per la Duke Ellington Orchestra, la celeberrima Take the "A" Train.

Pubblicazione
Originariamente l'album venne pubblicato in vinile nel 1967 dalla RCA Victor, per poi essere ristampato in formato compact disc molte volte nel corso degli anni: nel 1987 dalla RCA Records/Bluebird Records, nel 1993 dalla Flying Dutchman Records, e infine nel 2000 dalla BMG. Sono state pubblicate inoltre due edizioni speciali, una negli Stati Uniti (2002) ed una in Francia (2001), entrambe con la stessa scaletta dei brani.

Tracce

Versione originale (1967)

Ristampa CD (1987)

Ristampa Francese (2001) e Americana (2002)

Formazione
Artista
Duke Ellington - pianoforte e direzione d'orchestra
Band (basata sulla lista delle tracce nelle ristampe americana e francese)
Cootie Williams - tromba (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Cat Anderson - tromba (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Mercer Ellington - tromba (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Herbie Jones - tromba (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Clark Terry - flicorno (2, 4, 15, 16)
Johnny Hodges - sax alto (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Russell Procope - sax alto (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Paul Gonsalves - sax tenore (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Harry Carney - sax baritono (tutte tranne la 12)
Lawrence Brown - trombone (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Buster Cooper - trombone (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
Chuck Conners - basso tuba (tutte eccetto la 12 e la 19)
John Sanders - trombone (8, 10, 14, 17, 18)
Duke Ellington - pianoforte
Aaron Bell - basso (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
Jeff Castleman - contrabbasso (5, 7, 9, 13)
Sam Woodyard - batteria (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
Steve Little - batteria (5, 7, 9, 13)

Produzione
Steve Backer – produttore esecutivo
Ed Begley – registrazioni originali
Ray Hall – remixaggio
Daniel Maffia – illustrazioni
Brad McCuen – produttore
Ed Michel – produttore ristampa
Robert Palmer – note interne
Neal Pozner, J.J. Stelmach – art direction

Riconoscimenti
 1969 Grammy Award – Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance; Album – Duke Ellington

Collegamenti esterni


I'm having so much fun layering my portraits with found imagery.
Pregnancy shots are fleshy by nature and can be quite confrontational as a result. Layering these photos with texture, type and symbolism can help take the heat off.


You can download the intro from Pouet.net (don't forget to vote).
You can download the demo from Pouet.net (don't forget to vote).
The Revision 2013 is over and the Amstrad CPC was represented by Vanity with their new demo "Still Rising", which won the 2nd place in the Oldskool demo competition. Well, so here are the official results of the Revision 2013 – this time in glorious ASCII art.
It is Revision demo party time and the Vanity presented their brand new demo "Still Rising" to the masses yesterday. Unquestionable it is a honest competitor to the Batman Forever demo and features great effects, great graphics and great music. Now it is available for download on Pouet (as always: don't forget to vote for it) and at the end of the news.
"Still rising" by Vanity is a honest competitior of the Batman Forever demo. It features great graphics, music and effects and was released on the Revision demo party in Saarbrücken / Germany in 2013.
It is a bit too early to celebrate the 30th birthday of the CPC, but it isn't too early to start a call for demomakers. The CPC demogroups Benediction and Vanity want to create a megademo which will be released in 2014 and they want YOU to participate. There is still plenty of time left, so don't be lazy and register on Push'n'Pop for the competition!
"To celebrate the 30th anniversary of our beloved CPC, Benediction and Vanity are proud to invite you to participate in the 30 years CPC megademo project! The aim is to build a new classic CPC megademo, with screens from any demogroup, and release it in 2014.
The megademo comity will be in charge of managing the project, coding the menu, linking and releasing the megademo with the utmost respect to the deadlines set. We will provide technical specifications or limitations as soon as possible (i.e., reserved memory, …) and support to ease the integration of the various demo-parts.
The megademo must be developed in a friendly, funny scene atmosphere, by sceners that really want to promote the CPC.
Your demos might not have to use state of the art demo effects, but crap-parts won't be accepted (i.e. bad screen frequency, no novelty at all, boring, …).
Demos written in Locomotive BASIC won't be accepted.
This is an Amstrad CPC megademo. Amstrad Plus-only demos won't be accepted.
Only one demo per group.
Your demo must run perfectly on CRTC types 0 and 1, and also support type 2 as best as possible. Exception to this rule could be made for demos showing mindblowing CRTC-specific pr0n effects, but we would prefer not having such demos.
The recommended format is the uber-classic-one-screen demo-part, but this is not mandatory.
Demos that do not respect the rules and/or specifications won't be accepted.
Public previews are forbidden, except on the initiative of the comity during CPC meetings only (in order to improve quality of the megademo).
SATURDAY MARCH 31, 2012: Registration end.


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Indoor tennis facility planned for Saint John
The Fundy Tennis Association (FTA) signed a letter of intent with the University of New Brunswick to partner on the development of an indoor tennis centre to be located on UNB's Saint John campus.
The eight-court indoor facility, the largest in New Brunswick, will make tennis a year-round sport in the Fundy region.
With support from Tennis New Brunswick and Tennis Canada, the Fundy Region Tennis Centre will be a not-for-profit organization fully owned and operated by the FTA. The centre will be open to all with a "No Child Refused" policy, ensuring children from low-income households can play tennis.
"The future of tennis, both professionally and recreationally, looks brighter than ever," says Dana Brown, FTA chairperson and president of Tennis New Brunswick. "Having an indoor facility in the Fundy region will mean people from all over southern New Brunswick – no matter age, gender, skill level or financial ability –can have fun and stay physically and mentally active 12 months of the year."
The permanent fixed structure is planned to be located near the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre on UNB's Saint John campus. The tennis centre will be easily accessible by car and public transit.
"UNB is thrilled to be part of such an inclusive community project that strives to create an affordable, accessible and family-friendly environment," says Dr. Petra Hauf, vice-president Saint John at UNB. "The benefits of tennis have long been recognized and the new centre will not only appeal to players from the community but will also attract new students and families to our area."
The province of New Brunswick has the lowest number of indoor tennis courts per capita in Canada - one per 125,000 people - yet there has been significant growth in tennis in the last five years.
"Tournament play has increased annually by close to 10 per cent since 2017 and junior participation at most clubs has increased by close to 50 per cent," says Mark Thibault, executive director of Tennis New Brunswick.
The new Fundy Region Tennis Centre will ensure the continued growth of the sport in New Brunswick.
About the Fundy Tennis Association
The FTA, a not-for-profit organization, was established in March 2016 to develop an inclusive, indoor tennis facility in the Fundy region that is affordable and accessible. The FTA's board of directors and many volunteers are dedicated to providing a welcoming and safe place for competitive and recreational tennis while offering social interaction, healthy competition and the teaching of positive values. Please visit fundytennis.ca for more information.
About University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is Canada's oldest English-language university, and New Brunswick's only national comprehensive university. Founded in 1785, the multi-campus institution has a rich history as well as a dynamic focus on innovation, experiential learning and entrepreneurship. UNB has more than 9,500 students from nearly 75 countries while several thousand more take UNB courses online and at partner institutions around the world. Please visit unb.ca for more information.
Dana Brown, Fundy Tennis Association
Kathleen McLaughlin, Communications Officer, UNB


So to begin I took the pads off the frame. They were velcroed on back so it wasn't a big deal. I seam ripped the bottom pad at the back edge, and then took our the original foam. I bought a role of 2" thick foam at hobby lobby with a coupon for 40% off, so I think it ended up being around $16. I traced the original foam onto the new roll and then cut it out.
I flipped the original cover inside out and then allowed for about a 1/2 inch seam around the edges, just kind of eye balling it. The suede I found at Joanns on clearance for $7 a yard. I think I used 2 or 2 1/2 yards. Every time I type yard, it comes out yeard. Then I have to backspace. Seriously.
I put right sides together and then just sewed the bottom piece leaving the back open. I put both pads back in, to give more padding and because I allowed a larger seam.
I then pulled the back tight and pinned it. I folded two ribbon pieces and pinned them where I wanted them to tie onto the frame on the back. Then I machine stitched. Yea, I know it looks pretty ghetto, but it's my first time. And it's in the back.
I did the same for the top piece. Stitched right sides together, but only put the new pad in. Then machine stitched the bottom. I marked where I wanted the ribbon in the back and then hand stitched it on. To make the pad look 'puffy', seriously I don't even know what the term is, I just hand stitched front to back a bunch of times, pulling it tight each time until it gathered. I used a thicker thread so it wouldn't break, because you have to go through the pad. I also noticed I usually have a bunch of junk in the background of my photos, yeesh. I'll get to that.
Hey, well done!! Came up looking awesome.
Love the colour you chose for the fabric.
I think this turned out pretty awesome and now you have me considering re-upholstering my own glider! I have it in my kids' room and the color of it's fabric just doesn't really "fit".
SWEET!!!! I have that exact rocker!! and mine looks way worse than that. Thanks for the idea and the "umpf" to get it re-done.
Would you believe me if I told you I have a glider and ottoman sitting in my garage, waiting until Christmas is over, so they can be my first reupholstery job?? They're even tan. Yup. Scary.
I have a question....when you painted the frame, did you spray paint white or paint with a brush? Thanks!
A bit late coming across this, but wanted to say THANK YOU for this post! I have the exact glider/rocker in our entry way and I've always HATED the fabric...it's a country blue with little mauve flowers...very dated looking. I'd been toying with the idea of recovering it, but was intimidated...after seeing your attempt, I think I'm just going to go for it!


As I mentioned in a recent post, I'm reading Charles Rosen's The Romantic Generation.
Still immersed in the epic chapter 3, "Mountains and Song Cycles", I – as one who works in "libraries" (what, pray tell, does or doesn't a library make?) – found this interesting passage from the first chapter of Letter 11 of Etiene Senancour's Obermann.
Fairly often I pass two hours at the library, not exactly to learn something – that desire has considerably cooled – but because, not knowing what exactly to do with the hours that however drain away irreparably, I find them less painful when I employ them outside than when I have to spend them at home. Forced occupations suit me in my discouragement; too much liberty would leave me in indolence. I am more at peace among those who are silent as I am than alone in the middle of a tumultuous populace. I love these long halls, some lonely, others filled with attentive people, ancient and cold depository of human striving and all human vanities.
The French version from the work can be read on the Project Gutenebrg site here.


Description: We are seeking six Postdoctoral Research Assistants to collaborate with Andrea Vedaldi and Andrew Zisserman in the Oxford Visual Geometry Group (VGG) in the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, for several projects. The successful candidate will have an opportunity to work on cutting-edge computer vision and machine learning research projects using Deep Learning. He/she will be given the opportunity for personal development beyond research, for example by contributing to departmental teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He/she will also contribute to the supervision of DPhil (PhD) students.
Application Instructions: For more information see here.


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Pițigaia may refer to several villages in Romania:

 Pițigaia, a village in Stâlpeni Commune, Argeș County
 Pițigaia, a village in Frumușani Commune, Călărași County

See also
 Pițigoi, a village in Prahova Commune, Romania


text:
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Fiege Logistics pursues new path with Employment Agency to secure skilled professionals
Refugees employed in Ibbenbüren
For the Greven-based logistics company, Fiege, it proved to be a new challenge: Multiple vacancies at the warehouse were to be filled with refugees, with support from the Employment Agency Rheine. Collectively, employment agency and company experts crafted a concept that enables refugees to find employment faster, and as a result be integrated into the workforce more quickly. The idea for this cooperation came from Jens Fiege, member of Fiege's Executive Board and Torsten Withake, managing director of the regional office of North Rhine-Westphalia's unemployment insurance for the German Federal Employment Agency, during a round table that covered the issue of how to secure skilled professionals.
Since early August, four refugees from Lebanon and Pakistan have been working at the Ibbenbüren warehouse as order pickers. These engagements indicate a new path for Fiege in securing skilled professionals for its operations. "Many aspects represented new territory for us", says Martina Schlottbom, head of HR at Fiege. "This was also the very reason why we approached the Employment Agency in Rheine directly." In a joint effort and throughout many meetings, the partners extensively worked on creating structures and process flows that assist people who had been forced to flee their county with taking up employment. This proved particularly important in relation to formal process flows which must be taken into consideration when employing refugees. "Certain legal requirements must be looked into prior to any employment. For example, the foreigners' registration office must issue a work permit for the new employees", explained Anke Hermeling, Employer Service team manager at the Employment Agency in Rheine. "This is where we structured the cooperation amongst the offices involved, thereby creating short distances. We are now in a position to support businesses with the application process and formalities much faster."
Other challenges only presented themselves in the course of the application and employment process. "For many refugees, for example, the process of an interview as is customary in Germany, is unheard of", says Martina Schlottbom. "In some cases, it is custom in the home countries of some applicants that they just stand by the roadside and are employed on the spot – for example as a handyman, or helper. To hold an interview with people wearing suits when applying for a warehouse job was rather strange for some of the refugees." It was therefore decided to invite eligible candidates to a Job Shadow Day, explained Anke Hermeling. "In consultation with Corinne Kuhlmeier, the head of PR of the Fashion BU at Fiege, we selected around ten interested refugees and prepared them for a Job Shadow Day. Once on location, the candidates were able to get a good idea of what to expect. The getting-to-know-each-other part ultimately broke the ice", so her summary.
This also paved the way for their integration into the workforce, so the conviction of Martina Schlottbom – leading to the company's further pursuit of more plans already. Jointly with the Employer Service of the Employment Agency for Rheine, refugees are to obtain qualifications in future and be prepared for a career in logistics. "The contact with business schools in Ibbenbüren is to give young refugees the opportunity to acquire school leaving qualifications", says Anke Hermeling, explaining the concept like this: "During a year of preparation, the youths are to attend school while at the same time undergoing a traineeship at the company on three days of the week." The aim of the partners is to acquaint young refugees intensively with the concept of vocational training. For Martina Schlottbom and Corinna Kuhlmeier, the strong commitment on behalf of the logistics provider is best explained as follows: "We consider young people a major opportunity to cover our future demand for skilled professionals."
Following a first good experience, the employment process for refugees developed together with the Employment Agency Rheine is to be applied to other Fiege locations in the future. "Our 160 subsidiaries have a great demand for skilled professionals. Here, too, we are committed to the employment of displaced persons in our company. Other companies can refer to the concept as a Best Practice", so the conclusion of Anke Hermeling.
For the respective press kit, which includes photos and text copy, please click here:
Press Download
The Fiege Group, headquartered in Greven/Germany, is one of Europe's leading logistics providers. Its competence lies particularly in the development and realisation of integrated supply chain systems, and it is considered a pioneer of contract logistics. In 2019, the Group generated a turnover of Euro 1.7 billion world-wide with a workforce of 19,000. More than 150 locations and co-operations based in 12 countries form a dense supply-chain network. 3.3 million square metres of warehouse and logistics space vouch for the company's efficiency.
Fiege founds company builder XPRESS Ventures
XPRESS Ventures, Fiege's company builder, launched in 2019 as Fiege's very own brand, a further step in the Fiege Group's innovation strategy.
Fiege to build new logistics centre in Peine
The logistics company will begin with the construction of the 30,000 square metres-large multi-user centre in mid-February.
Fiege to build multi-user facility for its Healthcare unit in Zülpich
Fiege is building a new logistics centre in Zülpich, North Rhine-Westphalia. Located centrally in the tri-city area of Cologne-Bonn-Aachen, a multi-user centre will be built consisting of 54,000 square metres…
Forwarding Conditions


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Q: embed linked SVG images I have an SVG file that references lots of other, smaller, SVGs as sub images. Effectively, the main SVG is the template that positions all the other ones.
I'd like to create a single image that I can pass on to people - i.e. a data ref or just inline inclusion -  but running the inkscape Embed Images extension results in the error "images are not of type PNG, JPEG, etc".
So it sounds like the inkscape (v0.48.5) extension can only intern bitmap images, not SVGs. Bummer.
My images are referenced from the master SVG like this
<image id="PGDOWN_R1" x="1436.5"  y="280"  xlink:href="./symbols/PGDOWN_R3.svg"/>

So how can I automatically intern/embed all my externally referenced SVGs? (non-inkscape CLI options are welcome too)

A: At least as of Inkscape 0.91 you can do this through this menu:
Extensions → Images → Embed Images
Quite easily!

A: I ended up using xmllint to parse an SVG file with handles into a file containing the embedded versions of the referenced files, which is not exactly what I mean but it suited my purposes: https://gitlab.com/fommil/attic/blob/master/kinesis-dvorak/create.sh#L37
xmllint --xinclude picture.svg  > picture-embedded.svg

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Netflix co-founder says Disney+ success 'extremely impressive'
Streaming companies should be 'scared' by Disney+, Marc Randolph says
Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph tells FOX Business' "Varney & Co." that Disney+'s growth, since its launch, is "extremely impressive" and all of the other streaming companies should be "scared" of its prominence.
NETFLIX PASSWORD SHARING CRACKDOWN UNDERWAY WITH NEW TEST AND WARNING
Marc Randolph: "I'm really impressed with what Disney has done so far. I mean, what are they, 16 months in and they've just exceeded 100 million subscribers. It's extremely impressive. And even more impressive is the velocity. At their investor day, which was not too long ago, they had 86 million. So 14 million subscribers. It took Netflix 10 years to get their first 14 million subscribers. And Disney's done it in just over two months.
The one big difference, of course, is that approximately a third of Disney subscribers are in a single country. It's the hot star in India. And even if you look out at where the forecast goes three years from now, they show that Disney is going to be larger than Netflix in one country, India. But Netflix will still be larger than India in another 195 countries. So this is not quite the way it sounds in the report. And of course, fundamentally, the most important thing that Disney has to do is demonstrate that they can make money from their subscribers. You know, as we've mentioned before, that right now about a $4 average revenue per user and Netflix is just about $10. It'll take a while for them to bring those numbers up.
It is not Netflix that necessarily should be scared by Disney's prominence. It's all of the other streaming companies. I mean, right now with Paramount Plus coming in a few weeks ago. Now, every single major media company is in a streaming business, and right now we're all sampling. But I promise you, there is going to be a musical chairs moment and there is not going to be chairs for everybody. And I think what consumers are going to do is have their Marie Kondo moment where they really ask themselves, is this service bringing me joy? And if it's not, they're going to dump it. And I certainly think that.. Netflix and Disney are both going to be left standing. And I wonder who else will be joining them."


1. Transaction pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 Plan adopted January 25, 2018.
2. The price in Column 4 is a weighted average sale price. The prices actually received ranged from $38.27 to $38.55. The reporting person will provide to the issuer, any security holder of the issuer, or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.
3. The shares are held by the Chris Haqq 2014 GRAT, of which the Reporting Person is trustee.
4. The shares are held by The Havenside Trust, of which the Reporting Person is trustee.


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Cool off with In The Midnight Rain
Published on July 7, 2012 December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel (11 comments) leave comment
On special this week at Amazon: IN THE MIDNIGHT RAIN:
Ellie Connor is looking for answers when she arrives in Gideon, Texas to stay in the guest house of Internet pal Blue Reynard. She's researching a book about the mysterious disappearance of a woman blues singer in the 1950's, but she's also seeking answers to a great mystery in her own life. When she arrives in Gideon with her dog April, she has no idea she's about to upturn her life and the lives of many of the residents of the small east Texas town–and none more than Blue himself.
This was my first women's fiction, a book that haunted me for months, showing up when I opened up the oven, following me around like an annoying child, nagging me to finish it. It had been a "Sunday book," a book I write as an experiment on the weekends around other projects, but it finally became quite insistent that I should finish it and submit it.
It was a life-changer, this one. I found my current agent with this material, and that was the year I started writing women's fiction almost exclusively. I had very powerful feedback on the book, from so many segments of society, that it has long been one of my favorites. Please take a look at this sample chapter–maybe you'll love it, too.
From IN THE MIDNIGHT RAIN:
Turning off the computer and the lamp, Ellie slipped on a pair of thongs and headed up the hill. The house glowed with lights, and as she started out, Blue turned on an outside light that made it easier, but it was still very dark, a kind of dark she'd forgotten existed. Crickets whirred in the grass, and cicadas answered from the trees, the only sounds for miles and miles, and the air was thick and soft against her face, smelling of earth and river and sky. She inhaled it deeply, pausing to catch the moment close to herself.
Peaceful. Life was so peaceful in the country. Not the actual lives—emotions ruled people no matter where they lived, so there was always some drama or another waiting to make things chaotic—but the details were easier. She could think better without cars racing and roaring and people shouting in the apartment overhead, and even little things like televisions and radios in an unceasing undertone of constant sound. She liked smelling air, not fuel, and loved the sight of the sky overhead.
A shadow startled her, and she made a sound of surprise before Blue caught her hand. "It's just me," he said.
For that brief second, she let herself feel his big, strong hand, rough from his work. Impulsively, she curled her fingers around his, and said, "You have one sexy voice, Dr. Reynard."
"Are you flirting with me, Miz Connor?"
She laughed softly. "Maybe so."
"Good. I like that." He walked up the path, hanging on to her. Ellie let it be. At the porch, he let her go, and gestured for her to take a chair. "I'm having bourbon, myself. What'll be your pleasure? Other than me, of course."
"I wouldn't mind a bourbon, if you'll walk me back down the hill."
"Careful now. I might take that as an invitation."
"You are amazingly arrogant, you know that?"
"Yes, I do. " She heard ice clinking in a glass and the quiet flow of liquid, and he gave her a glass.
He settled on the step. "Not too many women drink straight bourbon these days."
"I don't very often."
"But you got a little off balance today, didn't you?"
She gave him a look. "So did you."
Quietly, he said, "Yes, ma'am, that I did. Guess we both have our closets full of skeletons."
"Most people do."
"You think so? I don't know. It seems like a lot of folks just get it right out of the gate. I see them in town, you know? Guys who've been making the right call since the day they were born, live quiet lives without a lot of turmoil, and just . . . keep it together. Never screw up their credit or forget to mow the lawn or leave a project half-done."
Ellie sipped cold fire from her glass and listened.
"You ever notice," he said, "that those people don't ever seem to have big traumas, either? Like their kids never have wrecks and their houses don't burn down. It's like they're protected with some big cloud of serenity"
"That's seeing it from the outside, Blue. Nobody gets through life without sorrow and loss. It's just part of the game."
He turned his face toward her, and in the darkness, Ellie could see no details, but she sensed his attention. "You really believe that?"
"My grandma always says there are green seasons." She tucked a foot up under her.
The end of one cycle…the beginning of the next
We are working on a new title for my next book. I'm nearly finished with
How One Writer Persisted
Here is the story of a novel. It was written in the wee hours before
Waiting…..
In the moment...... It is a late Friday afternoon in February. My dog Jack is
Ready, set….READ!
Ambling around the internet this morning, I found this challenge from Book Chick City: Since
A Piece of Heaven bargain priced
Just noticed that the digital price for A Piece of Heaven has dropped to $4.99.
Playlist for THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING
Published on February 5, 2010 December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel (5 comments) leave comment
I've had a good number of requests to post the playlist for THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING, and here it is. I had no idea there was so much music in this book, honestly, but music is always playing in my head (and Tessa's!), so I suppose it is no big surprise.
I had a soundtrack that kept growing and growing and growing as I worked, and this is most of it. Not all songs showed up on the actual pages, of course. And not all the folk songs have names I know.
Orphan Girl, Emmy Lou Harris
The Garden, Mirah
Dark on Fire, Turin Brakes
Ballad of an Outlaw Woman, Annie McCUe
Our House, Crosby Stills Nash and Young
Deja Vu, CSNY
Helplessly Hoping, CSN
It's a Beautiful Day, It's a Beautiful Day
Bombay Calling, It's a Beautiful Day
Guinevere, CSN
Long as I Can See the Light, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Hanging on a Star, Nick Drak
Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol
Friend of the Devil, Grateful Dead
Truckin', Grateful Dead
No Sleep Tonight, Faders
Superman, Three Doors Down
Rescue Me, Aretha Franklin
Mother of God, Patty Griffin
Turtle Blues, Janis Joplin
All You Rolling Minstrels, Fairport Convention
Tessa's List of Happy Artists
Entire Motown List
Sound of Music (also Natalie's favorite)
Kirstly McColl's Tropical Brainstorm
Cat Stevens, Teaser and the Firecat
I would love to have made you a playlist so you could download the whole thing at iTunes, but I haven't a clue how to do it.
The fun side of ebooks
This is what can be fun about the shift in the way books come to
HOW TO BAKE A PERFECT LIFE by Barbara O'Neal Available TODAY in trade paperback from
The anvil of holiday guilt
First: we're working behind the scenes on the Barbara O'Neal and Barbara Samuel webpages, which
A lovely review
from Publisher's Weekly How to Bake a Perfect Life Barbara O'Neal, Bantam, $15 trade paper
Book review: MAYBE THIS TIME, by Jennifer Crusie
MAYBE THIS TIME Jennifer Crusie St Martin's Press ISBN 978-0-312-30378-5 It has been six years
Published on December 13, 2006 December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel (no comments) leave comment
My uncle told me about this CD: Lhasa, The Living Road a couple of weeks ago. I listened to one song and went out to find the whole CD that afternoon. It seems to becoming the soundtrack of the MIP, very exotic and musky and dark.
I am tired this morning. It's Friday, bright and sunny. I've had a good week--lots
Wordless Rest
This is an in-progress drawing that's been living on my desk the past week. It
Makers and Flippers
A friend of mine has started a business flipping houses. We live in a lucrative
Flexibility and Growth as an Artist
I am a fan of Gretchen Rubin, whose books on happiness and habits offer a
Intimacy and Privacy in a Public Age
Lately, I've been reading the diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn to help create
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