A company can spend more than 60% of its revenue on buying goods and services, so even a modest reduction in purchasing costs can have a significant effect on profit. Bell procurement management services provides a low cost, flexible, innovative and creative way to offer a single supplier model that delivers value and cost savings across all IT infrastructure and associated services. We do it all for less than the cost of managing a credit card.
C-level executives as well as procurement managers and teams in large companies are increasingly looking for ways to reduce cost and complexity when purchasing low value run-rate items, hardware, or software for their organisations. In companies with strong procurement category management system, managed spend tends to be around 80% of all expenditures, leaving long tail spend at 20%. Often this will be the result of ad-hoc purchases from multiple suppliers, low-value transactions with one-time vendor non-purchase order spend. Not having a tail spend management in place inevitably leads to increased costs and less control over the procurement process. Trying to negotiate and trade with a large volume of vendors, across multiple geographies can be both complex and time consuming. The majority of suppliers demand 30-day payment terms which can be challenging and restrictive. Businesses are now looking for a low cost model that provides value and predictability. They need the flexibility of more generous payment terms and a service that's measured through SLA to ensure consistently high standards and savings measured against targets to reduce the supplier base from many to one.
With a team of procurement agents across Europe fluent not only in language, but also in local regulations and requirements, Bell has access to suppliers that would otherwise be inaccessible to organisations. This enables Bell to provide a procurement service for 15 operating companies in 12 countries with thousands of Tier 2 and Tier 3 vendors, allowing customers to save millions of pounds each year, and vastly improving responsiveness to the business.
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Bell's team of procurement specialists always try to consolidate purchasing of the same categories of products into a few pre-selected and approved vendors. This enables Bell to achieve a higher level of savings on multi-buying and guarantees that their customers receive the same agreed service level.
We provide a single supplier model with all existing suppliers being managed by Bell. This provides our customer's with a single point of contact for IT procurement which smooths the process, improving efficiency and significantly reducing costs.


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Br J Haematol. 2007 Jul;138(1):44-53.
Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma: histological progression associates with EBV and HHV6B viral load.
Zhou Y1, Attygalle AD, Chuang SS, Diss T, Ye H, Liu H, Hamoudi RA, Munson P, Bacon CM, Dogan A, Du MQ.
Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
The clinical and histological presentations of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) often mimic an infectious process. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV6) are known to be associated with AITL, but whether these viral infections play a role in its pathogenesis is unclear. It also remains to be investigated whether there might be other viruses associated with AITL. We first screened 26 well-characterised cases of AITL for herpesvirus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with universal primers and found evidence of only EBV and HHV6B infection. Subsequent PCR using virus-specific primers demonstrated EBV and HHV6B infection in 40/49 biopsies (36/42 cases) and 21/49 biopsies (19/42 cases) of AITL respectively with both viral infections found in 17/49 specimens (15/42 cases). Importantly, simultaneous infection with both viruses was found only in specimens showing histological pattern II (n = 2) or III (n = 15). Interestingly, among specimens containing both viruses, there was a tendency towards an inverse correlation between the EBV and HHV6B viral load as shown by quantitative PCR. In specimens positive only for EBV, the viral load was significantly higher in specimens with histological pattern III than those with pattern II. High EBV load was also significantly associated with B-cell monoclonality. Double EBV encoded small RNA (EBER) in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry indicated that EBV-infected B cells had a late postgerminal centre immunophenotype. Our results demonstrate an association between EBV and HHV6B infection and the histological progression of AITL, suggesting that these viruses may play a role in the pathogenesis of this lymphoma.
Antigens, CD20/analysis
CD79 Antigens/analysis
Disease Progression
Genes, Viral
Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics
Herpesvirus 4, Human/pathogenicity*
Infectious Mononucleosis/complications*
Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic/immunology
Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic/virology*
Neprilysin/analysis
Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods
Roseolovirus Infections/complications*
Tumor Virus Infections/complications*
CD79 Antigens
Infectious Mononucleosis - MedlinePlus Health Information

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Report on Chaiten (Chile) — 17 December-23 December 2008
Chaiten
17 December-23 December 2008
Global Volcanism Program, 2008. Report on Chaiten (Chile). In: Sennert, S K (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 17 December-23 December 2008. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
Weekly Report (17 December-23 December 2008)
42.833°S, 72.646°W; summit elev. 1122 m
Based on analysis of satellite imagery, web camera views, and pilot observations, the Buenos Aires VAAC reported that during 18-19 and 23 December ash plumes from Chaitén continuously rose to altitudes 1.4-2.1 km (4,500-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted ESE and SE.
Geological Summary. Chaitén is a small, glacier-free caldera with a compound Holocene lava dome located 10 km NE of the town of Chaitén on the Gulf of Corcovado. Early work had identified only a single explosive eruption during the early Holocene prior to the major 2008 eruption, but later work has identified multiple explosive eruptions throughout the Holocene. A rhyolitic obsidian lava dome occupies much of the caldera floor. Obsidian cobbles from this dome found in the Blanco River are the source of prehistorical artifacts from archaeological sites along the Pacific coast as far as 400 km from the volcano to the N and S. The caldera is breached on the SW side by a river that drains to the bay of Chaitén. The first historical eruption, beginning in 2008, produced major rhyolitic explosive activity and growth of a lava dome that filled much of the caldera.
Source: Buenos Aires Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)


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Posted on February 7, 2018 February 12, 2018 by Pat Lopes Harris News
SJSU Receives $5 Million Signed Gift Commitment from Alumni, Business Leaders and Philanthropists Larry and Deirdre Solari
Pat Lopes Harris, SJSU Media Relations Director, 408-924-1748, pat.harris@sjsu.edu
Lawrence Fan, SJSU Athletics Media Relations Director, 408-924-1217, lawrence.fan@sjsu.edu
Larry and Deirdre Solari (photo by David Schmitz)
San Jose, Calif. — San Jose State University is pleased to announce that it has received a $5 million signed gift commitment from alumni, philanthropists and Monterey Peninsula residents Larry and Deirdre Solari. Their gift, among the largest ever to SJSU Athletics, will support SJSU football personnel and facilities, including plans for a new football operations center envisioned for the east side of CEFCU Stadium, Home of the Spartans.
"On behalf of the entire San Jose State University community, I would like to express my profound gratitude to Larry and Deirdre Solari for their leadership gift," said President Mary A. Papazian. "This gift supports and honors more than a program; it expresses a deep commitment to the university and higher education as a pathway to opportunity."
The new operations center will include locker rooms, offices, an auditorium and seating on the 50-yard line. In addition, the project would rebuild the stadium's east side. This gift will therefore supplement improvements underway throughout South Campus, including recently completed tennis and golf facilities, and a soon-to-be-completed softball field.
"Larry and Deirdre Solari are long-time friends and supporters, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to thank them for their generous gift," said Athletics Director Marie Tuite. "The Solaris are now among our greatest benefactors in terms of investing in our football program and in assisting with our efforts to elevate the overall profile of the program. This is a touch point day for Spartan Football, Spartan Athletics and San Jose State University."
Larry and Deirdre Solari: Spartans for Life
An aspiring engineer from a small farm town between Lodi and Stockton, Larry Solari transferred to San Jose State as a sophomore in 1961. Although San Jose's population was small by modern terms, San Jose State offered all the perks of a metropolitan campus. Solari graduated in 1965 with a bachelor's in business and industrial management, and completed an MBA one year later. In addition, he served as president of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, played baseball and regularly attended Spartan football games, both home and away.
Oakland native Deirdre Keefe attended San Jose State around the same time as her future husband. Like Larry, she was active in Greek life. As an Alpha Phi sorority member, she enjoyed Panhellenic traditions such as the Greek Show, Sparta Sings and Homecoming. She was elected Lambda Chi Alpha Crescent Girl in 1964. Her academic interests included teaching and psychology. She went on to work in television, advertising and executive recruitment. Larry and Deirdre met after college, on what proved to be a lucky blind date.
Building a strong foundation together
The Solaris built their life together based on their San Jose State experience. Larry's nearly 30-year career with Owens-Corning Fiberglass took them to Toledo, Ohio, where they raised their family while he rose to serve as president of the company's building materials group. The couple continued following college football including the Spartans, and resumed regularly attending SJSU football games when they returned to California. Now semi-retired, Larry is a private equity firm partner and serves on several boards.
At San Jose State, the Solaris observed former head coaches Mike MacIntyre and Dick Tomey, and appreciated their focus on building a strong foundation. The couple sees current Head Coach Brent Brennan taking a similar approach, influenced by his experience serving as an assistant coach during the MacIntyre and Tomey years.
"As a former athlete, I know the value of lessons learned on the field," Larry Solari said. "As a businessman, I also know that we must provide the very best we can for our players, coaches and staff in order to attract the talent we need to sustain and grow Spartan football. It is one aspect of the university—a very visible one—and its success will raise the stature of San Jose State."
Athletics Advancement: A new partnership
San Jose State launched a new fundraising model in August 2017, creating an Athletics Advancement team to elevate fundraising efforts, leverage University Advancement resources, and enhance day-to-day connectivity and alignment as the university works to increase resources for its student-athletes, coaches and support staff.
"When we embarked on this plan, we saw much to gain from combining the resources and talent of University Advancement and Athletics," said Vice President for University Advancement Paul Lanning. "This commitment from the Solaris is proof positive that teamwork and cross-campus collaboration will raise San Jose State's visibility and inspire alumni and supporters to invest in the university. I echo our president and athletics director in thanking the Solaris for their support."
About San Jose State University
The founding campus of the 23-campus California State University system, San Jose State provides a comprehensive university education, granting bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 250 areas of study—offered through its eight colleges.
With more than 35,000 students and nearly 4,370 employees, San Jose State University continues to be an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and the state, annually contributing more than 7,000 graduates to the workforce.
The university is immensely proud of the accomplishments of its more than 220,000 alumni, 60 percent of whom live and work in the Bay Area.
About San Jose State University Athletics
San Jose State University's athletics program sponsors 20 NCAA Division I sports (seven men's and 13 women's) and offers an intercollegiate athletics experience to at least 450 student-athletes annually. The Spartans compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level of college football. San Jose State is a member of the Mountain West—a conference of 12 football-playing schools in the Pacific, Mountain and Hawaiian time zones.
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TV ReviewsAdventure TimeSeason 8
Adventure Time jumps into dreamland for an episode full of future teases
Oliver Sava
Adventure TimeSeason 8
"Orb"
Finn, Jake, and BMO are headed home after having their longest adventure yet, and as they sail across the ocean, they confront some of their deepest fears before getting back to the lives they left behind. "Orb" is a dream episode, with most of the action happening in the unconscious minds of the three main characters as they fall under the thrall of Nightmare Princess. As expected from a dream, the storytelling is very fragmented and cryptic, but I like Adventure Time when it enters a weirder, more surreal mode. Episodes like this invite a lot of personal interpretation, and while I don't know how much of what I took away from the episode is intentional, the fun is in having the opportunity to bring my own point of view to the table.
Premonition dreams are a fairly common occurrence in Adventure Time, and having seen next week's Adventure Time: Elements miniseries, I can confirm that there is a lot of foreshadowing in these dreams. Finn's dream in particular features a lot of teases of what's waiting for him in Ooo, and the final moment of this episode has BMO looking through a telescope at the new Ooo overtaken by the four elements: Ice, Fire, Candy, and Slime. I have a little more context for Finn's dream than most of the viewing audience, so I can say with confidence that it's about his fear of the world changing around him as he grows up. This is a theme that will pop up again in Elements, and Finn is realizing that as he gets older, he's going to lose the freedom represented by him flying at the start of the dream.
The big shared fear amongst this trio is the fear of aging, but it manifests differently depending on the dreamer. Jake has the most intense dream, which explores his relationship with his dog family while his shapeshifting alien parent lurks in the background. The life and death imagery combined with the flashes of aliens suggests that the alien half of Jake's biology is starting to become stronger, and he's afraid of losing the dog parts of himself, which include his appearance and his family.
The episode's most disturbing sequence unfolds in Jake's head, beginning with the appearance of Margaret silently mixing a bowl of worms. Two giant roses appear behind her as she replaces the worms with a baby Jake, but when she comes in to give him a kiss, she grows vampire fangs and transforms into The Moon from Adventure Time: Stakes. Jermaine watches in horror and then flees by running into one of his paintings, and then a severely aged Jake pops up on the screen before crawling to his parents, who look down at him with eerie smiles. There's a lot to take in here, and I'm not sure how all these different moments tie in to each other, but they effectively create an atmosphere that distances Jake from his family while highlighting his fear of having his the life force drained out of him.
Finn is anxious about how his place in the world will change and Jake is anxious about how his place in his family will change, but BMO's dream looks directly at his relationship with Finn and Jake. BMO is directing a play about Finn and Jake, but there are other forces influencing the production. Football, AMO, and a Lich version of BMO all appear in this dream, and the presence of these villains has me wondering if BMO might betray his best friends in the future. The Lich BMO has me especially nervous, and it would make a lot of sense to have the Lich take the form of a computer virus that infects BMO.
Dream episodes are a chance for the writers/storyboard artists to go really wild with the visual elements, and Aleks Sennwald and Adam Muto definitely deliver on the psychedelic, disorienting imagery. The entryway into the dreamscape via Jake is exceptionally strange, with shifting landscapes, character designs, and animation frame rates. Sometimes the transitions are smooth, often using a specific graphic element to join moments together, and sometimes they're rough, throwing the reader into a new situation without warning. This episode is all about transitions, from place to place, young to old, and miniseries to miniseries. It's interesting that the show has a standalone episode between Islands and Elements, and I appreciate that the writers do something weird and introspective before jumping into the next big event.
Stray observations
I will always laugh at candy and slime being two of the four elements in Adventure Time.
BMO's director office is a great example of how to make a room really unsettling and creepy: put it on the side of a cliff and have a giant five-eyed octopus wraps its tentacles around the entire thing.
My favorite transition is the drifting white circle surrounded by a trail of dashes that settles in the middle of the screen and morphs into Joshua and Margaret's house.
"I love art."
PB: "It scientifically impossible for a human boy to fly." Finn: "You're going to wish it was scientifically possible to put those words back in your mouth."
"She's harvesting my mind fruits!"
Jake "What is this? Like nightmare juice?" BMO: "Let's drink it!"


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Armida (v originále Armide, LWV 71) je opera (tragédie lyrique) Jeana Baptisty Lullyho z roku 1686. Autorem libreta je Philippe Quinault. Premiéra se konala 15. února 1686, v Théâtre du Palais-Royal (v ulici Saint-Honoré) v Paříži.

Děj opery vychází z eposu Torquata Tassa Osvobozený Jeruzalém (La Gerusalemme liberata). Quinaultovo libreto zhudebnil o devadesát let později v své opeře Armida Christoph Willibald Gluck. Na motivy Tassova eposu složil operu např. také Georg Friedrich Händel (opera Rinaldo).

V souvislosti s Lullyho homosexuálními aférami nenavštívil král Ludvík XIV. ani jedno představení Armidy.

Inscenační historie
Armida byla v Paříži často reprízována až do druhé třetiny 18. století (reprízy jsou doloženy v letech 1687, 1688, 1697, 1703, 1713–1714, 1724, 1746–1747, 1761–1762, 1764). V letech 1711-1762 se souběžně s tím hrálo několik parodií této opery v lidových pařížských divadlech (Théâtre Italien, Foire St Germain). Zvláštní představení se konala i u královského dvora na zámcích ve Fontainebleau (1740, 1746) a Versailles (1745, 1746).

Mimo Paříž je zmiňována inscenace roku 1686 v Marseille, s jistotou se tam však Armida hrála až v letech 1694 a 1701. Doložena je naopak inscenace v Avignonu od září do prosince 1687. Opera se hrála velmi často v Lyonu (1689, 1698, 1699, 1730, 1741, 1742, 1750), také v Lunéville (1710) a v Metách. .

Mimo Francii se hrála ve dvou dalších centrech francouzské opery, Amsterdamu / Haagu (1701–1702?) a zvláště v Bruselu (1695, 1697, 1708, 1722, 1726). Ojedinělým bylo uvedení Armidy v Římě v roce 1690 v italském překladu Silivia Stampiglia; byla to první a dlouho jediná inscenace francouzské opery v Itálii, kolébce operního žánru.

Po ústupu Lullyho oper z repertoáru napsal na stejné Quilaultovo libreto (s vynecháním prologu) jednu ze svých nejslavnějších oper Christoph Willibald Gluck; pod jménem Armida měla premiéru v pařížské opeře 23. září 1777.

V 20. století vzkřísila Armidu v koncertní podobě nejprve pařížská Schola Cantorum, a to 24. listopadu 1905. Další koncertní provedení se konalo roku 1911 ve Florencii. Dne 6. dubna 1918 se konalo první novodobé uvedení ve scénické podobě, a to v divadle v Monte Carlu (Opéra de Monte Carlo). Další inscenace následovaly v Ženevě roku 1939 a (v úpravě Henriho Bussera) v Bordeaux roku 1657; tato inscenace byla představena o dva roky později též na festivalu ve Wiesbadenu. V původní verzi koncertně uvedl Armidu roku 1981 Barber Institute v Birminghamu a v lednu 1983 dirigent Philippe Herreweghe v pařížském divadle Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

Řadu nových inscenací zahájila Armida dirigovaná Herreweghem a v režii Patrice Cauriera a Moshe Leisera, kterou roku 1992 uvedly v koprodukci Vlaamse Opera (v Antverpách a Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. První inscenace opery na americkém kontinentě uvedl soubor Opera Atelier v kanadském Torontu roku 2005 v Elgin Theatre, dirigoval Andrew Parrot, režii měl Marshall Pynkoski a hlavní roli zpívala Stephanie Novacek. Následovalo roku 2007 koncertní představení souboru Opera Lafayette ve Washingtonu. Novou inscenaci představilo Théâtre des Champs-Élysées roku 2008; soubor Les Arts Florissants dirigoval William Christie, režii měl Robert Carsen a v hlavních úlohách se představili Stéphanie d'Oustrac a Paul Agnew. Následovala opět americká inscenace souboru Mercury Baroque z Houstonu (Wortham Center) 2009, která se o rok později přesunula do divadla v Gennevilliers u Paříže; dirigoval Antoine Plante, režii měl Pascal Rambert a děj přenesen do současného Bagdádu s americkou armádou v roli křižáků.

Dosud poslední inscenaci připravil s torontským Opera Atelier roku 2012 opět režisér Marshall Pynkoski, dirigoval tentokrát David Fallis. Vedle Toronta se tato inscenace představila rovněž v "Opéra Royal" na zámku ve Versailles a na festivalu Glimmerglass Opera v americkém Cooperstownu. Na rok 2015 připravuje novou inscenaci (režie David Hermann, dirigent Christophe Rousset) operní divadlo v Nancy.
První česká premiéra opery ARMIDE byla uvedena 24. a 25. srpna 2017 v Zámeckém barokním divadle (z r. 1790)ve Valticích na Jižní Moravě. Jednalo se o scénické představení zpívané ve francouzském jazyce. Pořadatelem byla Česká Händelova společnost, z.s., Národní památkový ústav - Správa státního zámku Valtice a Přátelé a podporovatelé Göttingenského barokního orchestru. Sbor Projektchor Göttingen (Německo), Hartig Ensemble - Tance a balety třech století, Praha (vedoucí Helena Kazárová), Göttingenský barokní orchestr/ Německo (dobové nástroje). Choreografie: Helena Kazárová (Praha), režie:Freimund Pankow (Göttingen), dirigent: Antonius Adamske (Basilej/Švýcarsko). Hlavní roli Armidy hrála a zpívala Anna Bineta Diouf.

Hlavní postavy
 Armida, kouzelnice (soprán)
 Hydraot, král Damašku, strýc Armidy, kouzelník (bas)
 Aront, Hydraotův vojevůdce (bas)
 Ubaldo, rytíř (tenor)
 Rinald, rytíř (kontratenor)
 Nenávist (tenor)

Děj opery
Odehrává se během křižáckých válek na Blízkém východě.

Prolog
(Palác) Sláva a Moudrost pějí slávu králi Ludvíku XIV.: "vše v celém vesmíru před ním musí ustoupit" (árie Slávy, árie Moudrosti a jejich duet Tout doit céder dans l'univers). Spolu se svými družinami chválí mírnost jeho zákonů i věhlas jeho vítězství (sbor Chantons la douceur de ses loix). Obě dvě jej provázejí ve válce i míru, dávají si navzájem přednost a jak říkají, nechtějí mezi sebou soutěžit v ničem než v tom, která z nich umí hrdinu milovat vřeleji (duet Fière Gloire, c'est vous). Čí srdce by si nepodmanil, jakmile ho uvidí (sbor Dés qu'on le voit paraître)? Družiny obou alegorií tančí radostí nad tím, v jaké družnosti je nalézají (entrée, menuet a gavota). Moudrost oznamuje, že hrdina je zve k novým hrám, a oznamuje stručně děj následující opery (árie Aimons notre héros). Sláva znovu vyzývá k tomu, aby jméno velkého krále letělo celým světem (árie Que l'éclat de son nom), a všichni pokračují ve veselí (sbor Chantons la douceur de ses loix, entrée a dva menuety).

1. dějství
Kouzelnici Armidě se podařilo svést celé křižácké vojsko a tak je dostat do zajetí bez boje. Její důvěrnice Phénice se jí ptá, proč z tohoto triumfu nemá radost (árie Dans un jour de triomphe, au milieu des plaisirs); její družka Sidonie Armidě závidí, že rozněcuje lásku, aniž by jí sama kdy podlehla (árie Vous allumez une fatale flamme). Co by si ještě měla přát, ptají se jí obě (duet Quel sort a plus d'appas?). Jenže Armidu trápí, že jediný z křižáků, největší hrdina Rinald, zůstal vůči jejímu kouzlu zcela netečný. Phénice i Sidonie Armidu ujišťují, že na jediném nezdaru nezáleží (árie Phénice Qu'importe un captif manque à votre victoire a árie Sidonie Pourquois voulez-vous songer). Armida zná už dávno věštbu, že Rolanda nelze porazit, ale přesto na něj nedokáže přestat myslet; nedávno se jí zdálo, že ji zbraní přemohl (recitativ Les enfers ont prédit cent fois). Sidonie ji utěšuje, že sny nic neznamenají.

Přichází Armidin strýc, král Hydraot. Kouzelnice je jeho jediná dědička, a on by proto byl rád, kdyby si našla manžela (recitativ Armide, que le sang qui m'unit avec vous). Ale myšlenky na sňatek jsou Armidě cizí (árie La chaîne de l'hymen m'étonne). Přitom, jak Hydraot připomíná, nemá o nápadníky nouzi ani mezi králi (árie Pour vous, quand il vous plaît, tout l'enfer est armé). Jenže Armida dokáže nad všemi zvítězit a podmanit si je, nehodlá tedy žádnému z nich dát své srdce všanc (árie Contre mes ennemies à mon gré je déchaîne). Hydraot se tedy ptá, zda tato krutá sláva je jediné, po čem jeho neteř touží (árie Bornez-vous vos désirs à la gloire cruelle). Armida se však nebrání manželskému svazku ze zásady, ale chce muže vynikajícího chrabrostí: jen ten, kdo porazí Rinalda, je hoden i její lásky (árie Si je dois m'engager un jour)

Přichází damašský lid a spolu s králem oslavuje Armidino nekrvavé vítězství nad křižáky (pochod, árie Hydraota a sbor Armide est encor plus aimable). Na její počest radostně tancuje a Armidiny družky oslavují princeznu, jejíž kráse a kouzlu žádná zbraň neodolá (rondeau, árie Phénice se sborem Suivons Armide, et chantons sa victoire, sarabanda a árie Sidonie e sborem Nous n'avons point fait armer nos soldats).

Tu přibíhá raněný Aronte, který byl strážcem zajatých křižáků: jakýsi hrdina pobil damašské stráže a všechny zajatce osvobodil. Armidě je jasné, že to musel být Rinald, a společně se strýcem a s damašským lidem mu vyhlašuje smrtelnou pomstu (duet a sbor Poursuivons jusqu'au trépas).

2. dějství
(Venkovská krajina, kde řeka tvoří příjemný ostrov) Rinald ve sporu zabil jiného rytíře, Gernanda, a velitel výpravy Godefroy z Bouillonu mu hrozil vězením. Uražený Rinald tedy opustil výpravu, i když by se rád zúčastnil dobytí Svatého města. Jeho spolubojovník Artemidore se jej snaží přesvědčit k návratu, protože jej křižáci potřebují a Godefroy je ochoten mu odpustit, ale Rinald chce raději najít jiné místo, kde "spravedlnost a nevinnost" budou potřebovat jeho ochranu. Artemidore hrdinu varuje, aby se vyhnul Armidině říši: kouzelnice si dokáže všechny podmanit a je neúprosnou nepřítelkyní (árie Fuyez les lieux où règne Armide). Ale Rinald jí už jednou odolal a domnívá se, že jí odolá vždy (árie Par une heureuse indifférence).

Přiblíží se Hydraot a Armida a ze skrytu pozorují svého úhlavního nepřítele, který jim míří do pasti. Chystají se ho přemoci pomocí kouzel a pak zabít (duet Esprits de haine et de rage). Armida přesvědčí Hydraota, aby nechal tento úkol na ní. Rinald zatím obdivuje příjemnou krajinu a usíná na hebkém trávníku (árie Plus j'observe ces lieux). U spícího Rinalda se objeví nejprve vodní víla, která zpívá o slastech lásky, které jsou skutečnější než vidina slávy (árie vodní víly Au temps heureux où l'on sait plaire). Pak se objevují další démoni v podobě víl, pastýřů a pastýřek a svými kouzly, tancem a zpěvem se snaží odvrátit Rinaldovy myšlenky od hrdinství a moudrosti k lásce (sbor Ah! quel erreur! quelle folie!, balet a árie pastýřky On s'étonnerait moins que la saison nouvelle).

Nakonec se nad spícím Rinaldem sklání sama Armida. Nejprve se těší, že jej má ve své moci a že se mu může pomstít za osvobození svých zajatců. Avšak když jej chce probodnout, najednou to nedokáže; začne jí ho být líto a nakonec se do něj na místě zamiluje. Chce získat jeho lásky, byť i za pomocí kouzlem. Aby ukryla před světem svou slabost, svolává zefýry, aby ji i Rinalda odnesli do vzdálené pouště (velký recitativ a árie Armidy Enfin, il est dans ma puissance).

3. dějství
(Poušť) Armida se trápí myšlenkou, že její svoboda a moc padne v plen Rinaldovi, nemůže se však ubránit své lásce (árie Ah! si la liberté me doit être ravie). Její družky Phénice a Sidonie ji utěšují: cožpak nedokázala, aby se do ní Rinald zamiloval? Ale Armide se tím více bojí své vlastní lásky k němu (árie De me plus doux regards Renaud sut se défendre). Proto se rozhodla jej namísto lásky nenávidět, ale toho je obtížné dosáhnout a musí k tomu použít veškerý svůj um. Phénice ji obdivuje (árie Que votre art serait beau!), zatímco Sidonie ji před nenávistí i láskou varuje a navrhuje netečnost (árie La haine est affreuse et barbare). Armida však namítá, že za současné situace musí Rinalda buď milovat, nebo nenávidět, třetí cesta není. Přestože Phénice jí v tom případě radí zvolit lásku.

Jenže zatímco Rinaldova láska jen výsledkem magie, je Armidina láska k němu skutečná; to vytváří nebezpečnou nerovnost, a proto se rozhoduje povolat Nenávist (árie Venez, venez, haine implacable). Z podsvětí vystoupí Nenávist doprovázená Líticemi, Krutostí, Mstou, Hněvem a jinými vášněmi jí podléhajícími. Nenávist slibuje Armidě pomoc (árie Je réponds à tes vœux). Spolu se svými průvodci zpívá o odhodlání nemilosrdně zničit lásku (sbor Plus on connait l'amour, et plus on se déteste). Začínají ničit všechny Amorovy zbraně a brnění a připravují se vyhnat ji definitivně z Armidina srdce (balet). Avšak když Nenávist přistoupí k Armidě, ta začne mít strach a zastavuje ji; není prý možné jí vyrvat lásku ze srdce a nevyrvat srdce s sebou. Nenávist se cítí změnou jejího názoru uražena, vysmívá se Armidě a prorokuje jí, že ji brzy Rinaldo opustí a odejde za slávou. Pak bude Armida litovat, ale Ona, Nenávist, jí již na pomoc nepřijde: kouzelnici zůstane navždy nešťastná láska (scéna Nenávisti a Armidy Sors, sors, du sein d'Armide, amour brise ta chaîne).

4. dějství
(Poušť) Ubaldo a dánský rytíř byli vysláni z křižáckého tábora, aby přivedli Rinalda zpět. Ubaldo nese magický diamantový štít, aby v něm ukázal Rinaldovi jeho poblouznění, a žezlo, které zahání Armidiny čáry. Dánský rytíř nese Rinaldův meč. – Ze země stoupají páry a otevírají se sluje a propasti, z nichž na rytíře útočí divoká zvěř a děsivé příšery (duet Nous ne trouvons par tout que des gouffres ouvertes, balet příšer). Pomocí žezla je však Ubaldo zažene a krajina se promění v příjemnou krajinu v blízkosti Armidina paláce. Rytíři si dodávají rozhodnosti a hovoří o nebezpečí, jaké láska představuje pro toho, kdo by měl sledovat slávu.

Tu se objeví démon v podobě Lucindy, dánské dívky a lásky dánského rytíře. Provázejí ji jiní démoni v podobě místních vesničanů. Lucinda láká dánského rytíře, aby s ní zůstal na tomto příjemném místě (árie Lucindy a sboru Voici la charmante retraite, gavota a árie Lucindy a sboru Jamais dans ces beaux lieux). Přes Ubaldova varování, že se jedná jen o blud, je dánský rytíř setkáním se svou milou uchvácen a zapomíná na své poslání (duet Lucindy a dánského rytíře Jouissons d'un bonheur extrême). Ubaldo se však dotkne Lucindy žezlem a ta zmizí; dánský rytíř poznává, že byla jen přeludem. Ubaldo tvrdí, že láska je vždy jen iluze (árie Ce que l'amour a de charmant), a dánský rytíř si uvědomuje, jaké nebezpečí láska znamená (árie Je vois le danger où s'expose). Ubaldo se domnívá, že on by se ošálit nedal (árie Non, je n'ai point gardé mon cœur).

Tu se objeví démon v podobě Melissy, Ubaldovy italské milenky, a láká Ubalda k odpočinku (árie D'où vient que vous vous détournez). I Ubaldo se dá zlákat (duet Melissy a Ubalda Au rapport de mes sens je n'ose ajouter foi). Dánský rytíř mu však vytrhne žezlo, dotkne se jím Melissy a i ona se rozplyne. Dánský rytíř s ironií opakuje Ubaldovi jeho vlastní slova (árie Ce que l'amour a de charmant) a oba chvátají, aby unikli dalším milostným nástrahám (duet dánského rytíře a Ubalda Fuyons les douceurs dangereuses).

5. dějství
(Zakletý Armidin palác) Armida odchází z místnosti; Rinaldo, bez zbroje a ověnčený květinami, ji prosí, aby jej ani na chvíli neopouštěla. Ji však trápí zlá předtucha a chtěla by se poradit s peklem, co má činit (árie Un noir pressentiment me trouble). Stále se totiž bojí, že jí Rinalda odvede touha po vítězstvích v boji. Rinaldo to považuje za vyloučení, cožpak není vojenská sláva jen marnivou iluzí (árie Que j'étais insensé de croire)? Oba si slibují lásku (duet Aimons-nous, tout nous y convie). Armida přivolá Rozkoše a skupinu šťastných milenců a milenek, aby svým tancem a zpěvem Rinalda na chvíli zabavily (balet-passacaglia a sbor Les plaisirs ont choisi pour asile). Avšak Rinaldo je posílá pryč, protože bez Armidy jej nic netěší.

Armidiny nepřítomnosti využívají Ubaldo a dánský rytíř: vstupují a ihned Rinaldovi nastaví diamantový štít. Ten pozná své poblouznění a zastydí se. Odhazuje květiny, přebírá meč a chce se s rytíři vrátit do křižáckého tábora. Nepodaří se mu však uniknout dříve, než se vrátí Armida. Ta jej chce zadržet nebo alespoň odejít s ním, třeba i jako jeho zajatkyně (recitativ Renaud! Ciel, ô mortelle peine!). Rinaldo to však odmítá a chladně ji ujišťuje o své oddanosti a o tom, že má v jeho srdci místo hned po vojenské slávě. Armidu to jen rozzuří, vyčítá mu krutost srdce a přísahá, že i po její smrti ho bude pronásledovat její stín. V nejvyšším rozrušení omdlévá. Rinaldo jí polituje a odchází s rytíři.

Když se Armida vzpamatuje, cítí velký smutek a s lítostí vzpomíná ta to, jak odmítla pomoc Nenávisti a Msty. V zoufalství svolává démony, kteří na její pokyn boří palác rozkoší, a odlétá na svém okřídleném voze (velká árie Armidy Le perfide Renaud me fuit).

Odkazy

Reference

Literatura

Související články
 Osvobozený Jeruzalém
 Dějiny opery
 Armida (Gluck)
 Armida (Dvořák)
 Seznam francouzských oper (17. a 18. stol.)

Externí odkazy

Opery Jean-Baptista Lullyho
Opery ve francouzštině
Opery z roku 1686
Tragédie lyrique
Opery poprvé uvedené v Paříži

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Dyerann Chestnut, 62, had never been in the hospital other than to give birth to her three children.
So when the Greensboro resident noticed a sore on her right foot in early 2015, she expected a visit to a primary care provider's office would heal the ulcer. "The nurse practitioner put some cream on it and sent me home," Dyerann recalls.
But Dyerann had recently been diagnosed with diabetes, which slows wound healing. The wound led to a bone infection, and a surgeon eventually had to amputate her first two toes.
To help preserve the rest of her foot, Dyerann was referred to the Cone Health Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center in Greensboro for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. During daily treatments, she reclined in a clear chamber while breathing pure oxygen that helped her body repair damaged tissue.
"I was scared at first to be sitting a tube for a few hours because I've been active all my life," she says. A doctor prescribed an anti-anxiety medication to relax Dyerann, but she eventually got used to the treatments and stopped taking the sedative.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy healed the amputation wounds where her first two toes had been. But a third toe later got infected—triggering a chain of events that led to the amputation of half her foot. When a private-practice surgeon recommended removing the entire foot, Dyerann knew it was time to return to the care of Cone Health.


text:
Community Foundation Plymouth
For Good. For Ever.
Community Founation Plymouth
Plymouth Funds
The work that we are able to do in the Plymouth community is because of people like you who are committed to making their town a great place to live, work and play. Below is a list of funds designed to benefit the Plymouth community. Click on the fund type below to view a specific fund type.
Designated Funds
Field of Interest Funds
General Unrestricted Funds
Anthony G. Sclabassi Memorial Fund
The primary purpose of the Anthony G. Sclabassi Memorial Fund is to support charitable organizations in the areas of mental illness, suicide prevention, education and research.
Aznavorian Family & Mily Family Fund
The primary purpose of the Aznavorian Family and Mily Family Fund is to provide support to charitable organizations in the 48170 zip code which covers the city and township of Plymouth as well as the townships of Salem, Superior and Northville served by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools as directed by the Community Foundation of Plymouth advisory committee.
Community Financial Credit Union Scholarships
These scholarships are open to students who have had their own personal Community Financial Credit Union account opened for at least 6 months prior to applying for the scholarship and who can demonstate the credit union's "people helping people" philosophy. Applicants must have been accepted at or applied to an accredited college, university or trade school full- or part-time for the upcoming fall semeser. Awards will be based on academic performance, community service, extra-curricular activities, letter of recommendation, job/employment history, financial need and the essay.
Community Foundation of Plymouth Unrestricted Fund
Established in 2005, the Community Foundation of Plymouth Fund supports CFP's grant programs, and gives the advisory board the greatest flexibility to address emerging community needs and priorities. The Community Foundation of Plymouth is dedicated to building a permanent endowment to enrich the quality of life in the greater Plymouth community.
David D. Phipps & Kal A. Jabara Fund
The primary charitable purpose of the Phipps-Jabara Fund is to support charitable organizations in Wayne and Washtenaw Counties.
Dul Scholarship Fund
Thanks to the generosity of the Dul family, this scholarship is open to current employees of Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center or Clips & Clamps Industries who have worked a minimum of 400 hours during the preceding calendar year. It is also available to children, stepchildren, legal dependents or spouses of qualified employees.
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior, current college student or non-traditional student. (A non-traditional student is defined as someone who is starting or returning to college after an extended absence from school.) Applicant may be planning to attend school either full or part time and may attend any university, college or trade school with any major. Applicant may also be pursuing their LPGA or PGA certification through Keiser University.
Erin Ryan Kiwanis Clubs of Plymouth Scholarship
This scholarship is available to all graduating seniors from any high school in Plymouth or Canton, Michigan. Applicants must have a passion for their community, be Key Club members, and have demonstrated leadership in Key Club.
Forever Joy Fund
Established in 2013 by Penny and Timothy Joy, the Forever Joy Fund supports charitable organizations in Plymouth, Michigan. Further purposes include providing support for charitable organizations in the United States.
Fran & Ron Loiselle Fund
Established in 2006, the primary purpose of the Fran and Ron Loiselle Fund is to provide support to charitable organizations in the Plymouth area as directed by the advisory committee of the Community Foundation of Plymouth.
Gene & Jane Overholt Kiwanis Scholarship
This scholarship is available to all graduating seniors within the Plymouth/Canton school district (public, private or charter) who have demonstrated leadership through volunteerism in the community.
Greater Plymouth/Canton Service Project
Hunger — it's something that no child should ever have to experience. A child's chance for a successful tomorrow starts with having enough nutrition today. But there are children in schools in your neighborhood who don't know where their next meal is coming from.
We have an opportunity to change that through the annual Greater Plymouth/Canton Service Project which benefits Kids Coalition Against Hunger.
In order for this annual event to be a success, the steering committee of the Greater Plymouth/Canton Service Project raises $70,000 and solicits 1,500 volunteers to assist us in packaging 250,000 meals. These meals are used to feed children and their families locally, across the country, and around the globe.
Imes & Siegrist Fund
The primary purpose of the Imes & Siegrist Fund is to support charitable organizations in Plymouth, Michigan and Austin, Texas. Further purposes of the fund include providing support for charitable organizations in the United States.
John W. Blackwell III Fund
The primary purpose of the John Blackwell III Fund is to provide support to charitable organizations in Wayne and Washtenaw Counties.
Kenneth W. Kramer, PE Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is available to students from the greater Plymouth and Ann Arbor areas who are pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering at any Michigan ABET accredited university.
Knopf Deroche Fund
The primary purpose of the Knopf Deroche Fund is to provide support to charitable organizations in the 48170 zip code which covers the city and township of Plymouth as well as the townships of Salem, Superior and Northville served by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools as directed by the Community Foundation of Plymouth advisory committee.
Lawton Family Fund
Established in 2014, the Lawton Family Fund supports charitable organizations in the Plymouth area and around the United States.
Margaret Dunning & Sanford Burr Endowment Fund
Established in 2010, the Margaret Dunning & Sanford Burr Endowment Fund's primary purpose is to provide support to the Plymouth Historical Society in support of the Plymouth Historical Museum to carry out its role and mission as desired by its governing documents.
Menard Family Fund
The primary purpose of the Menard Family Fund is to provide support to charitable organizations in the 48170 zip code which covers the city and township of Plymouth as well as the townships of Salem, Superior and Northville served by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools as directed by the Community Foundation of Plymouth advisory committee.
Nancy & Thomas Caviston Fund
Established in 2008, the Nancy & Thomas Caviston Fund supports charitable organizations in Plymouth, Michigan. The Caviston fund also supports charitable organizations with a preference for arts and culture.
Plymouth Canton Literacy Council Fund
Plymouth Canton Literacy Council is a volunteer, non-profit organization aiming to improve adult literacy in Plymouth-Canton and surrounding areas of Western Wayne County. Their mission is to provide adults in Western Wayne County who have limited English language abilities in developing vital reading, writing, and communication skills to help them participate in the community and reach their potential in life.
Plymouth Township Emergency Fund
The Charitable purpose of this fund is to support families of Police officers, Firefighters and Dispatchers who have suffered loss in the line of duty through death or injury or the immediate emergency response needs of Plymouth township residents who require immediate service resulting from as emergency, criminal activity or disaster as defined by Chief of Police.
Richard A. Summerlee Fund for Senior & Cultural Service
This memorial fund was created to benefit organizations that serve the senior community as well as organizations that provide cultural services to the community.
Richard A. Summerlee Fund for the Humane Society of Huron Valley
The purpose of this designated fund is to benefit the Huron Valley Humane Society for service to animals.
Robert A. Gotro Fund
The primary purpose of the Robert A. Gotro Fund is to provide support to charitable organizations in the 48170 zip code, which covers the city and township of Plymouth and the townships of Salem, Superior and Northville served by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools as directed by the Community Foundation of Plymouth advisory committee.
Siegrist Memorial Youth Fund
Established in memory of CFP board member Dave Siegrist, the Siegrist Memorial Youth Fund's purpose is to meet the needs of youth served by the Community Foundation of Plymouth.
Starr D. Kohn, Ph.D. Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is available to current undergraduate students at University of Michigan majoring in Civil Engineering. Primary consideration will be given to students focusing on geotechnical, pavement or pavement-related fields of study.
Vermeulen Family Fund
The Vermeulen family established their fund with the primary purpose being to provide support to charitable organizations in the 48170 zip code, which covers the city and township of Plymouth, as well as the townships of Salem, Superior and Northville served by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.


Today includes an intro video that prepares you for your workouts, tells you about today's goals, theme, and today's Mantra. The workouts for the day include a 20 minute fitness routine, a 20 minute yoga routine, and a 20 minute meditation routine. You will need one 2-3 pound dumbbell for your fitness routine. Juliana works out alone in all of these routines & all are shot on location in the beautiful Exuma, Bahamas.
Day 6 Fitness: Today's routine is la glute & low back routine. You will need a pair of light (3#) weights. The routine includes a built in warm up. Exercises include squatting side steps, standing abduction & pulses, rear leg raises, dead lift & low squats, rolling like a ball, weighted bridge series, clam series, weighted side lying leg raises series, prone cobra raises, superman, swimmer, prone heel beats, prone grasshopper, a unique table top buns series, bird dog, prone shoulder pulls, and prone airplane hold.
Day 6 Yoga: Today's practice is a hipster 101 -targeting your hips, glutes, & thighs. Poses include childs pose, cat cow, down dog to chaturanga to up dog flow, 3 legged dog to ham stretch, standing pigeon, 1/2 splits, 3 leg dog hip opener, lizard wide forward fold, yogic squats, frog stretch, butterfly forward fold, happy baby, prone figure 4, corpse, and seated relaxation.
Day 6 Meditation: Today's focus is self-empowerment. Julia is filmed seated on a sandy waterside cliff. Today's focus is to be cautious in the way we speak to ourselves & others. Positivity will bring positivity and stay open & patient for new opportunities. You should be seated and comfortable, with your eyes closed & focusing on your breath. Today's mantra is Im open to new possibilities in every way.
The yoga & meditation routines are appropriate for all fitness levels, and the fitness routine is a solid intermediate. I was still a bit sore from my last workouts, so I really felt this! I love Juliana as a lead and the fitness routine is one of my favorites so far. It really accomplishes a lot in only 20 minutes. The flowing lower body yoga routine is exactly what my lower body needed after todays fitness routine. I received access to these workouts to review.


text:
On Tour with The Secret Spice Café Trilogy by Patricia V. Davis and Meet the Author #magicalrealism #womensfiction, #mystery #Books
By viviana-mackade on August 11, 2020 • ( 8 Comments )
I get interested anytime a book throws at me words like magical realism, women's paranormal fiction, and generally having plots such as these.
The Secret Spice Café Trilogy by Patricia V. Davis released between 2016 and November 2019 in the magical realism, women's paranormal fiction, mystery genre.
Cooking For Ghosts ~ Book I
Do hearts broken long ago forever leave a tangible trace? A Vegas cocktail waitress. An Indian herbalist. A British chemistry professor. An Italian-American widow. Four unique women with one thing in common: each is haunted by a tragedy from her past.
Cynthia, Rohini, Jane, and Angela meet on a food blogging site and bond over recipes. They decide on impulse to open The Secret Spice, an elegant café on the magnificent ocean liner, the RMS Queen Mary, currently a floating hotel in Long Beach, California. Rich in history and tales of supernatural occurrences, the ship hides her own dark secrets.
The women are surrounded by ghosts long before they step aboard, but once they do, nothing is quite what it seems. Not the people they meet, not their brooding chef's mystic recipes, and not the Queen Mary herself. Yet the spirits they encounter help them discover that there's always a chance to live, as long as one is alive.
An Official Pulpwood Queens Book Club Selection, and read by Ann Marie Gideon, COOKING FOR GHOSTS is an unforgettable tale of love, redemption, and divine female power.
Giggling again at that, Rohini placed all the smaller sacks into a large white bag she'd found in the wardrobe. The bag had a price list for various laundry services printed on it. With that mission accomplished, she took her treasures downstairs to the kitchen.
But she wasn't two steps in before she stopped stock still and remained right where she was, listening.
"Oh, my," she murmured to herself. "Oh, my, my, my."
Now she understood why she'd felt that the ship had summoned her. To anyone else who might peek in, the kitchen appeared silent and empty. But not to Rohini. She could hear the walls sighing.
Gradually, she walked further inside, and the sighs turned to whispers. She stood still, breathing cautiously, waiting, watching. In unison, the stainless steel cooking utensils dangling from the long, narrow cylinders that were screwed to the walls began to sway, soundlessly. The copper pots that hung from the ceiling over the two spanking-new ovens and eight burner stoves began to twirl, gracefully. Every inanimate object in the room that wasn't bolted down was waltzing eerily, on its own. To Rohini, the dance seemed sad rather than ghoulish.
Walking quietly, listening carefully, she followed the hushed sounds as they moved along the walls, leading her back to the scullery. As she approached, an ancient, enormous, floor-to-ceiling freezer blew out a puff of ice cold air as its door swung wide open as though it were greeting her, then gently clicked closed again.
Unafraid, Rohini observed it all. Still clinging to the laundry bag filled with her precious sacks of spices, she turned in a full circle, leisurely, so as not to miss any of it. After a while, she set the bag down on one of the gleaming stainless steel work tables. Bending into a full and formal curtsy, she spoke aloud.
"It is my great honor to meet you, Your Majesty."
Spells and Oregano ~ Book II
A mother desperate to save her twin sons, a war veteran in torment, a beautiful young psychic with a terrible secret, a powerful magician with a shattered soul, and a Queen steeped in history and glory. These extraordinary beings cross paths and set off a remarkable chain of events in Spells and Oregano: Book II in The Secret Spice Cafe Trilogy.
Overcome by despair after a trauma when she was sixteen, Sarita Taylor has spent the past ten years isolated and lonely aboard her beloved RMS Queen Mary. Fearful of outsiders, she dedicates her time to managing The Secret Spice Café, now an award-winning restaurant. Until Luca Miceli, a man with a dark past, steps on board.
Patricia V. Davis deftly spins past and present, mystery and magic, into a potent story of passionate longing and family tragedy all at once. Spells and Oregano is a compelling tale of atonement, devotion, and undying love, set aboard one of the world's most magnificent, haunted ships.
Don't miss Cooking for Ghosts: Book I in The Secret Spice Cafe Trilogy. The Secret Spice Trilogy is an Official Pulpwood Queens Book Club Selection.
Demons: Well Seasoned ~ Book III
Dare to Believe in Your Power… A long-lost grandmother. A stay-at-home mom. A comic book fan. A five-year-old girl with a star-shaped birthmark. And nine more.
The cast is bigger, the stakes are higher. When Sarita's grandmother, a Vodou priestess, foresees a terrible evil, Cynthia, Jane, Angela, and Rohini reunite on a heart-rending mission to save all that's precious to them, including the iconic ship, the RMS Queen Mary. They cannot do it alone–the priestess tells them there must be thirteen on the night of the thirteenth moon. in this life-or-death pursuit. Yet, can she be trusted?
Spiced with history and the supernatural, Demons, Well-Seasoned takes us from 1930s Glasgow, to New Orleans and Harlem in the 1950s, to present day southern California, and back again, on a metaphysical voyage that is both exhilarating and poignant. But before you embark upon this final sail with the denizens of The Secret Spice, be warned: expect to lose sleep, and keep tissues at hand. These valiant characters might just stay with you long after their story comes to a close.
Don't miss Cooking for Ghosts, and Spells & Oregano, Books I and II in The Secret Spice Café Trilogy. The Secret Spice Cafe Trilogy is an Official Pulpwood Queens Book Club Selection.
PATRICIA V. DAVIS's debut novel series, THE SECRET SPICE CAFE, is comprised of three books: COOKING FOR GHOSTS (2016) SPELLS AND OREGANO (2017) and DEMONS, WELL-SEASONED. (2019) The audio books will be released in 2020 by Tantor Media, and narrated by Ann Marie Gideon. Patricia lives with her husband, who is both a poker player and a rice farmer, so she divides her time between southern Nevada and northern California. Say hello to Patricia at her author website: www.TheSecretSpice.com
My Experience Writing The Secret Spice Café Trilogy
By Patricia V. Davis
How did a woman who gets motion sick on boats end up writing an entire trilogy of novels set aboard a ship?
The answer is simple. This particular ship is beautiful, historical, mysterious, and magic. And she made me do it. She, meaning Her Majesty, the RMS Queen Mary,inspired me to write about her. She did it herself, and she didn't let up being my muse for three novels.
It goes like this: Thirteen years ago—and it's funny how the number '13' always comes up with this trilogy, but I digress—I was invited to be a reporter at a women's conference being held in Long Beach, California. My publicist told me the local hotels were all booked, but she'd found me a room aboard the Queen Mary.
Huh? She got me a room aboard a … ship?
Turns out the Queen Mary is a floating hotel and museum docked permanently in the Long Beach Harbor. In fact, she has been there since the 1960s. Her heyday was in the 1930s and 40s, when she sailed the seas as one of the most glamorous first-class ocean liners of her time. She carried celebrities, dignitaries, politicians, and even royalty back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean. And then war broke out. Since Queen Mary was also the fastest ship of the day, she was immediately called into service as an Allied troop ship, transporting thousands of soldiers to safety. In fact, she was so fast, she was the only ship that could outrun Hitler's U-boats.
Despite this magnificent past, the day came when A-listers began using transatlantic flights rather than ships to get across the ocean. The Mary became too expensive to run. She was headed for the scrap heap, but someone—some very smart, lucky someone—realized what an attraction she would make for Long Beach, a city that, at the time, was not very well-known. The council was convinced they should purchase the Queen, and thus, she made her last voyage, to Long Beach, where she has been 'retired' since 1967.
However, as famous as she was during her heyday, the ship has seen more visitors, garnered more devoted fans, in her role as a preserver of history. Visitors to Long Beach can stay aboard the ship, take tours of her most historic areas, hold weddings and banquets, and dine at the fabulous restaurants housed within her decks.
Being from the east coast of the country, I knew none of this. When I stepped aboard the ship, into my very-1930s-looking, art deco cabin, I was interested in one thing; getting ready for that conference the next day. I was in Long Beach for work, I had a job to do, and I was determined to do it, whether I was staying aboard a ship, or the local Holiday Inn.
I ignored the ship, I ignored its history, its art, its engineering marvel of a design. And let me tell you, Her Royal Majesty didn't like that at all. She was miffed. After all, she had beaten Hitler. She had carried Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Winston Churchill, and so many more, across the sea. How dare I not notice her?
And so, she sent me a messenger. One of her ghosts stole my glasses.
Oh—did I forget to mention that the Queen Mary is haunted? Yes, she is. Really. In fact, she is purported by Time magazine to be one of the top ten most haunted places."
And that was something else I didn't know. Suffice it to say that a ghost visiting my stateroom definitely got my attention. I did attend my conference, but I spent the whole next day exploring that ship from top deck to engine room, enthralled by her.
By the time I was on my flight home to San Francisco, the entire first novel about four women who meet on a food blogging site and open a restaurant together aboard the haunted ship, was already forming. And the adventures I've had since, the people I've met since writing these stories, including a 93-year-old war bride who sailed aboard the ship from England when she was eighteen, the regal Commodore of the ship, a brilliant paranormal investigator, and hundreds of other fellow ship aficionados, has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
Her Majesty, the Queen Mary, wanted me to write these stories. I firmly believe that. And because I did, she's rewarded me royally.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorpatriciavdavis/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriciaVdavis
TikTok: @patriciavdavis
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_V._Davis
https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2020/05/nbtm-secret-spice-cafe-trilogy-by.html
$25 Amazon/BN gift card
Tagged as: Ghosts, Magic realism, Meet the Author, Paranormal, Series Spotlight, Thriller, Women's fiction
The Pantheon Prophecy (Paladin Series 1) by A. Maureen Burns #Books #Fantasy #Romance
Witch & Wolf: The Complete Series by R.J. Blain #UrbanFantasy #Boooks
cooper442 says:
Hello! 🙂
I love giveaways because we readers are introduced to authors whom we don't know. I haven't heard of (I'm sorry) but thankfully I came across this giveaway! I'm so excited to start reading your books!!
Thank you so very much for the incredibly generous giveaway!! ❤❤
Really great excerpt, thanks for sharing!
I liked the excerpt. They sound like really interesting books. Thank you for sharing.
Audrey Stewart says:
None ot the Pin It Task are working on the rafflecopter.
Hi Audrey,
The Pin it button seems to work for me, and it was used a couple of times. So is the rafflecopper link. If you want to pi the raffle copper page, I'm sorry but I have to idea how to do it. I can only post the link to that page. Thank you for coming by!


text:
Red Productions Opens in Near Southside
Fort Worth film production company Red Productions has a new home. Red Sanders relocated the company's offices and studio to the new Main + Broad development on South Main Street in February. They had previously been located in the West Seventh Street area for 11 years.
In addition to Red Productions, Backlot Studio and Workspace is also opening in the same development, where creatives can work collaboratively and have access to high-quality studio space and equipment.
The relocation coincides with the designation of the district as a Media Production Development Zone, which is a designation designed to encourage development of permanent sites for moving image production and carries a two-year sales and use tax exemption.
Read more about Red Production's new home.


text:
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namespace headers {

// Header holds a single HTTP/2 header.
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  Header() = default;
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      : name(std::move(n)), value(std::move(v)) {}

  // size computes the bytes used, as specified by RFC 7541 section 4.1.
  std::size_t size() const { return 32 + name.size() + value.size(); }
};

inline std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& s, const Header& t) {
  return (s << "{" << t.name << ": " << t.value << "}");
}
inline bool operator==(const Header& a, const Header& b) {
  return a.name == b.name && a.value == b.value;
}
inline bool operator<(const Header& a, const Header& b) {
  return a.name < b.name || (a.name == b.name && a.value < b.value);
}
inline bool operator!=(const Header& a, const Header& b) { return !(a == b); }
inline bool operator>(const Header& a, const Header& b) { return (b < a); }
inline bool operator>=(const Header& a, const Header& b) { return !(a < b); }
inline bool operator<=(const Header& a, const Header& b) { return !(b < a); }

class Headers final {
 public:
  const std::vector<Header>& all() const { return headers_; }

  std::vector<std::string> every(std::string name) const;
  std::pair<bool, std::string> first(std::string name) const;
  std::pair<bool, std::string> last(std::string name) const;

  void add(Header h);
  void add(std::string name, std::string value) {
    headers_.emplace_back(std::move(name), std::string(value));
  }

  void replace(Header h);
  void replace(std::string name, std::string value) {
    replace(Header{std::move(name), std::move(value)});
  }

  void remove(std::string name);

  // size computes the bytes used, as specified by RFC 7541 section 4.1.
  std::size_t size() const;

 private:
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};

}  // namespace headers
}  // namespace http2

#endif  // HTTP2_PROTOCOL_HEADER_H

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Three years ago Ha Hau had a vision. He dreamed of making the biggest New Year's EDM event that Colorado–and the nation–had ever seen. This year, Decadence NYE became the culmination of this vision. And this dream flowered into an event that rang in the new year with some of the biggest EDM acts known to man.
Fourteen years before Decadence, Hau and John Le decided to throw a modest party at Rock Island in Denver called Winter Wonderland, neither knowing the sky-high success their promoted events would reach.
In 2013, Global Dance's three-day event brought EDM giants like Beats Antique, Savoy, GrizMatik, Emancipator, Eoto and more. But Decadence NYE managed to bring even more artists to the bill, slated by EDM media outlets everywhere as the place to be for NYE 2013. Pretty Lights, Tiesto, Above & Beyond, Dada Life, Bassnectar, Datsik and more performed in the two day event, reminding the nation that Colorado's music culture is a true force in the industry.
303 Magazine was fortunate enough to be a part of the event as a media sponsor and saw firsthand how both nights went off without a hitch and the festival managed to pull in crowds of over 40,000 during the two days. We caught up with innovative promoter and producer Ha Hau to discuss the secret to his success and to commend him for a job far beyond well done.
303 Magazine: Many promoters and producers attempt to throw large dance events, what is your success secret that made Decadence work so well?
Ha Hau: Denver is a unique market and you really have to understand it to cater to it properly. It's just not as easy as one would think. I've watched many festivals come and go. It helps to have a massive fan base built over the years.
303: You founded Triad Dragons, which has been at the helm of electronic music productions for nearly a decade, how do you keep up with the changing EDM industry in order to make sure you're continuing to stay at the forefront?
I really enjoy the music so I'm always up to date with the new sounds and styles. You also have to listen to your fans and see what they request.
Since I'm connected with them on social media, it makes it easier to see what everyone likes. You have to see the trends early to adjust your bookings since it's usually done many months in advance.
303: How does it feel to throw the largest Colorado EDM event and one of the largest if not the largest in the US?
Decadence made history becoming Colorado's largest EDM festival ever, followed by Global Dance Festival. I'm pretty sure it was the biggest NYE dance festival in North America. It's a cool title to have considering it's the biggest party night of the year with so many things going on everywhere. I definitely feel good about Denver's music scene.
I'm proud to call this place home.
303: How did you build on last year's event to make sure this one would be an even bigger hit?
This was always a three year plan. We just put everything we had into this 3rd year. If it worked, we continue on. If not, we call it quits. The first two years was more about establishing the festival.
This year we aimed at putting together the biggest lineup possible to attract people from all over the United States. I wanted to make Denver the destination for NYE.
303: And people came to Decadence from everywhere. What was the total attendance for each night?
We had over 40,000 people over the two days.
303: How did you manage to get such massive artists on the bill for Decadence 2013?
AEG Live and Live Nation were involved in the process. We all put our heads together and targeted the biggest artists we could. It was a collective effort that landed a massive lineup.
303: Massive lineup is right! What would you do differently with the year's event if given the option?
I would have gotten more artistic decor. The venue is so massive so we could always dress it up a bit more.
303: What was your personal favorite EDM show of 2013?
Armin Van Buuren at Titans of EDM at the Fillmore was my favorite set of the year. We don't get to see him often so it was a real treat.
303: How do you make sure the best safety precautions are taken to avoid any mishaps during the event?
The water stations, of course, were a wonderful addition and appreciated by many. Safety will always be first. It's really a group effort. The venue, security company, fire department, police, and EMT teams were all experienced and knew what to expect and how to react to medical situations. They were well prepared.
303: What should Colorado expect from the Decadence 2014? How will you possibly top the current one?
We're going to try to go bigger and make the experience even more unforgettable.
303: What was the feedback from the artists, if any? And the Convention Center?
I think everyone from the artists, venue, staff and the fans appreciated the experience. Fans respected the facility and the staff. The artists loved the vibe and were so excited to get in front of that crowd. Overall, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
Decadence was a joint effort with AEG Live, Live Nation, and the Colorado Convention Center. I'm so proud to have worked with an amazing team. There were hundreds of people involved in creating an unforgettable NYE experience. Happy New Year and I hope to ring in 2015 with you all.
*303 Magazine would like to thank Ha Hau, AEG Live, Live Nation, Triad Dragons and Global Dance for throwing an unforgettable event and including us in the process. We are excited to watch Decadence grow and thrive in the future. Thank you to the artists and the fans that made this event possible and memorable! Cheers to 2014. Also check out 303's reviews of the event as well as the spellbinding photo galleries for night one and night two.
Fantastic article and interview! Can't wait for next year!!!
Can't wait for next year. It was such a EPIC show. I know its not really the same genre, but next year book Ghostland Observatory. They put on such a great show. If you book them, people will dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the BEST NYE party in the states, can't wait till next year!
just goes to show- time and dedication can do wonders!


You can't keep your site clean if your cleaning machines aren't up to the job and we won't sell inferior quality machinery. Vacuum cleaners, rotary floor machines, ride on powered sweepers and scrubbers, power washers and everything else in between. We are authorised dealers for some of the world's largest machine manufacturers, some of which we are proud to say are still made here in the UK! We have a small range of products available to view and demo at our trade counter.
For more information please follow the links below:.


My long time readers will remember this, but this is my first Adding Some Class with post for 2015 so let me explain.
Adding Some Class with is a series I started last year where I ask another food blogger I admire to guest post here. It was born because I have always felt blogrolls to be inadequate. Instead, why not ask my guest to demonstrate their strengths? I had originally planned to do this monthly but I have since decided that it should be more exclusive group. In fact, I featured only five other bloggers since it's inception: Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic, Alice of Hip Foodie Mom, Nancy of Gotta Get Baked, Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen and Jennifer of MealDiva. Please read them if you haven't already because they are all fantastic.
Today, I welcome Faith of An Edible Mosaic. I had seen her online in passing over the last few years but had an opportunity to get to know her better when I attended the Food and Wine Conference last month. She was one of the ladies I was fortunate enough to accompany at the lunch before the official conference activities at Shubee's. She not only attended, however. Faith moderated a food photography workshop entitled A Tale of Two Photographers with Julius of Droolius. Of course, I attended their session because I've always felt deficient in this area. I found their presentation helpful because they ignored technical items such as f-stop and aperture and gave some practical advice to improve food pictures by utilizing lighting, angles, props and shadows to the photographer's advantage. Part of the presentation was spent taking pictures of food in order to apply the concepts discussed during the seminar.
When you look at Faith's photographs, you could understandably mistake them for belonging in a magazine or catalog. Her rustic style conveys an authenticity that I've been unable to find anywhere else. She somehow maintains a balance of light and dark hues in many of her photographs. I also appreciate her blog's point of view because she has some Middle Eastern influences into many of her dishes from when she and her husband resided there for a number of years which makes it unique. I haven't even noted her dessert blog called Healthy Sweet Eats yet and she's also a published cookbook author. Please consider purchasing one or more of her books which can be found here. If that weren't enough, she also works freelance as a recipe developer, food stylist and photographer. Inquiries can be made by clicking here. I also haven't even mentioned yet that she's a talent in the kitchen as well. Dishes such as Roasted Vegetable Ravioli in Vegetable Broth, Shrimp Burgers with Scallion Mayo and Italian Sundried Tomato, Garlic, and Rosemary Chicken Hoagies with Melted Fontina Sauce doesn't even scratch the surface of her brilliance.
Hello! I'm Faith and I blog mainly at An Edible Mosaic where I share my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics. I also have another blog called Healthy Sweet Eats where I share all healthy dessert recipes (because hey, a girl needs a few options up her sleeve when it comes to dessert, right?).
I had the absolute pleasure of meeting DB at the Food & Wine Conference in Orlando last July. He was funny and kind, and we bonded over crab cakes the first time we met. (How can you not bond with someone when great food is involved, right?) I was honored when he invited me to guest post on his blog and I immediately started thinking about what to make. I knew it had to be good because DB is pretty fabulous in the kitchen.
So, let's talk galettes for a quick minute. A galette is basically a flat pastry cake, but there are a vast amount of variations. To me (and in my kitchen), a galette usually means a free-form sort of pie, basically with the crust folded up a bit over sweet or savory filling. The end result is a very rustic-looking pastry.
Zucchini is a natural filling choice this time of year because most of us are always looking for new zucchini recipe ideas. Caramelized onion with garlic and thyme lends a bit of natural sweetness while still keeping this dish savory, za'atar adds a punch of earthy flavor, and goat cheese adds a pleasant little tang.
But the real magic of this galette is the flaky, buttery crust. Like a pie, that's the main reason to make a galette, and also like a pie, this galette is a complete indulgence (despite the fact that it also boasts vegetables). Trust me, it's worth the buttery splurge though.
DB, thank you so much for having me. I hope we get the chance to meet again in person soon because you are an absolute pleasure.
For the crust, whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl and then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until it looks like coarse meal. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, working the dough together with your fingertips just until it comes together, and only adding enough water so the dough comes together when you squeeze it. Gather the dough together into a ball and then flatted it into a disk; wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until caramelized, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can turn the heat down or add a splash of water at any point if the onion starts to caramelize too quickly. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper and cook 30 seconds more. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Once chilled, remove the dough from the fridge. Lay a piece of parchment paper out on your work surface, place the dough on the prepared parchment paper, and top with another piece of parchment (or if you have it, freezer paper works even better because it's thicker). (Done this way, there is no need for flour to roll the dough out.) Working from the center out, roll the dough out to a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
Spread the caramelized onion mixture onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch border along the outside. Arrange the zucchini on top of the onion, and brush the zucchini with olive oil. Sprinkle on the za'atar, and then the goat cheese. Fold the edge of the pastry up over the filling to create a border and brush with eggwash.
Slide the galette onto a large baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through.
There's a couple of things I really appreciate about this dish. First, I have yet to prepare a galette for the website, so I must thank Faith for explaining the concept. I was also intrigued by za'atar because I've never used it but she's inspired me to experiment with it.
Lastly, I highly recommend you follow Faith on all her social media channels: facebook, G+, instagram, pinterest and twitter in addition to her facebook and twitter pages for Healthy Sweet Eats.
It seems like every year retailers start their seasonal sales earlier and earlier. Personally, I've had a pretty busy July and haven't paid much attention to it this summer but I remember thinking, "Wait! My daughter just started her summer break" after seeing 'Back to School' sales immediately following Independence Day last year. I shouldn't be surprised. I joke that you could walk into Macys every year at this time and greet Santa. It's an exaggeration but not by much.
Since many of us will be converting our daily and weekly schedules to accommodate the upcoming school year soon the team at #SundaySupper Movement has decided to use Back to School for this upcoming Sunday's theme where we're sharing packed lunches, after school snacks, quick and easy meals for school nights plus desserts. I am delighted to be hosting this event with Caroline of Caroline's Cooking.
For those of you unfamiliar with my earlier work, I started a series called Presenting: where I attempt to improve my photography and/or plating.
On Sunday of Food and Wine Conference, I spent a huge portion of that day attending workshops to improve presentation of my food. One of the sessions I attended was Every Picture Tells A Story by Denise Vivaldo of Denise Vivaldo Group. If you're unfamiliar with her, she's absolutely fantastic. It was fun to hear her reminisce about being on the sets of big name TV shows of the 1980s and 1990s working behind the scenes as a culinary producer. The seminar wasn't entirely a trip down memory lane. She gave some great advice too.
One of the tips I picked up during her workshop was to purchase a mobile photography studio so once I got home from Orlando, I went on Amazon and I did. I'm not presenting anything new because I've already published Chef Fabio Viviani's version of this dish. I'm using the dish solely as a prop to practice my photography. I pretty much stuck to Giada's recipe found on foodnetwork.com, so I respectfully request to go there for it in its entirety.
The picture needed very little editing. I used my smartphone on auto settings. The only thing I really did was add my logo and cropped the picture of some negative space. I welcome constructive criticism so please comment with it.
Alrighty folks, it's been 2 weeks since the start of the 2015 Food and Wine Conference and to be honest with you, it's been a difficult post to write because I can't seem to organize my thoughts. I have started this post numerous times which is one of the reasons why it took so long to publish. So I thought I'd structure this post differently by utilizing bullet points in the disorganized mess that it is.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is huge!
When I attended the conference last year, I flew on a direct flight from SFO. This time around, I had a layover at DFW and, having never flown into/out of there in the past, I didn't realize the shear size of the place. To top it all off, going there I had a 40 minute layover which means that when my plane was pulling into the gate, my connecting flight at a gate in the next terminal was already boarding. Thankfully, I made it but I must apologize to the staff on American Airlines Flight 2407 on July 16 because I may or may not have bitten off their head when I was delayed deplaning. To give you an idea, when I was coming home, my layover was a couple of hours and I had time to look around and saw a sign outside a McDonalds in the terminal that gave the locations of the four other McDonalds restaurants there at the airport. I wish I took a picture of it but by then, I was tired and just wanted to get home.
Thank you Dixie Crystals for teaching me something new.
Let me say, first off that I appreciate all of the Food and Wine Conference sponsors, but I must single out Dixie Crystals. The first event after registration on Friday evening was a sugar scrub hosted by them. Before I proceed, I must explain that women who write food blogs far outnumber men who write food blogs. It is for this reason why I understand what Dixie Crystals was doing with this event, however I'm a guy. I spent the first half of the event a little clueless because it was unclear to me what a sugar scrub is and what to do with it. I even had to pull Cindy of Cindy's Recipes and Writings aside to explain it all. Thankfully, she explained that I was doing this for Mrs. Stuntman and she would appreciate the scrubs.
Maybe I was overwhelmed last year with just the experience of attending but I found the sessions to be more informative this year. As opposed to one or two presentations sticking with me like last year, it seemed like I took something away from each. Last year, I dismissed the cooking demonstrations but I was able to take something away from them this year as I've already illustrated.
Before the official conference activities began, I got talked into going to lunch with a lovely group of ladies at Shubee's Coastal Grill & Bar. There was an open invitation on facebook but I was initially reluctant to reply due to a potential schedule conflict but I'm sure glad I went. During the lunch, the owner's made a presentation and we got to tour the commercial kitchen. I was told that they were known for their crab cakes and they lived up to their reputation!
The food at the conference also did not disappoint. Throughout the weekend, I was continually impressed by food presented. Of particular note was the poutine bar for Saturday's lunch sponsored by Idaho Potato Commission and Wisconsin Cheese in addition to Saturday evening's family style dinner sponsored by Certified Angus Beef and the Hess Collection Wines.
One of the other differences between this year and last for me personally is that I was carrying around a lot less equipment this year. In 2014, I had my flip phone, my daughter's old iPhone that couldn't make or receive calls (but could connect to WiFi so I could tweet) and my point-and-shoot camera. This year, I was able to consolidate everything to a single smartphone however I found myself taking less pictures than I did last year. The picture I did take can be found on my instragram page by doing a search for the #FWCon hashtag.
One other aspect I have yet to address is the supportive and positive family atmosphere there at the conference which separates itself from other food blogger conferences. I came home with another huge stack of business cards--all of them I consider friends.


Quince, the ancient fruit from northern Persia, is coming back into favour as people rediscover its unique, delicious taste and fragrance. At Babylonstoren, the quince (or kweperboom) happens to be one of our favourite fruit trees to train into interesting forms.
After three years of regular and careful pruning for shape and fruit formation, Anton Roux has picked the first quinces. These fruits are from trees we have trained as low cordons – or step-overs – which edge some of the vegetable beds. The fruits of this "Portugal" variety are voluptuously large, as we only kept a few fruits on each tree to mature.
Goeie dag Callie, ek stel voor dat jy 'n epos aan liesl@babylonstoren.com stuur. Sy is ons hoof tuinier en sal jou kan help.


The Photo Bar Podcast is aimed at making you a better photographer, entrepreneur, and person all while drink beer.
Hosted by Atlanta based documentary wedding and family, portrait, and editorial photographer Matt Druin and wedding, family, and portrait photographer Amanda Summerlin.
The Photo Bar Podcast is designed to be an educational resource and podcast aimed at making you a better person, photographer, and entrepreneur. Through blog features, podcast episodes, and interviews with some of the world's best photographers and entrepreneurs, you will learn practical tips that you can implement right away.
The Photo Bar Podcast is for new, part time, full time, and experienced photographers who are interested in growing personally and professionally to take themselves and business to the next level.
Be sure to join in on the conversation in our Facebook group at The Photo Bar Podcast Lounge.
If you have questions, please send them to photobarpodcast@gmail.com.
Hey! I'm Matt! I'm a professional Atlanta, Georgia based documentary wedding and family, portrait, and editorial photographer. I've been photographing professionally and full time since 2011.
I love my career, the people I get to meet, and the freedom it gives me. My wife Jessica and I have led our lives with the idea that time is more valuable than money. Our goal was to find the things that gave us the time and lifestyle we wanted and the money would follow.
This is what we have done and it has allowed us to both work from home, have control over our schedules, spend plenty of time with our family and friends, and strive to live a debt-free lifestyle.
Through my success and failures in both my personal life and business, I have been driven to want to help others become better versions of themselves and run a more successful business.
If you would like to learn more about me or view my work you can find me at Matthew Druin + Co. Photography.
Hello! My name is Amanda, and I make neat pictures of nice people. (Like, really, only nice people. Jerky jerks keep on trucking, please.) And I've been making photos of all the nicest people full time since 2009.
Once upon a time, I went to a fancy art school and learned to paint like the Old Masters. But paint takes a really long time to dry, and I'm really impatient. That's how I ended up being a photographer. That, and some blind luck. But they say luck favors the prepared, and I'm the kind of person who compulsively reads all the reviews on Amazon before buying anything anywhere, so I'm generally pretty prepared.
Unlike Matt, I started out my business doing all the wrong things. I got lucky for the first few years, and everything was pretty easy and smooth. But the last three years have held some extreme challenges for me, and now I'm working really hard to get things back on track. These days I'm reading all the books, working hard at getting fit and healthy, building strong relationships (both personal and business), and asking lots of questions.
For now, I live in the 'burbs with my wife and our four chickens, two dogs, and a cat. Our five-year plan is to pay off all our debt, sell our house, buy an RV, and then tow my Jeep around the country, living in different places for a few weeks or months at a time until we find the one spot that we never want to leave.
To see more about my past travels and my wedding and family photography, head over to my website at Amanda Summerlin Photography.


I've been slightly obsessive about applying and reapplying lip balm this winter, but in my defense, it was -15°C and colder pretty much all last week. Temperatures like that can really take a toll on your lips! One of the products I was test-driving during this cold spell was Balm Balm's Multi-Purpose Lip Balm. Balm Balm is a UK skincare company whose products contain only organic ingredients and are especially recommended for sensitive skin. As I mentioned in my Winter Skincare Routine, this lip balm has been on my lips a lot lately, and in the week since posting that, I've also discovered another use for this lovely product!
Shea butter, sunflower, beeswax, jojoba & calendula, gently melted together to create a soft balm formulation to soothe, moisturise and nourish your lips or anywhere else that might need caring for.
This has become one of my favorite lip balms to use when I'm just hanging around the house. It's a soft balm that, on contact, melts into a more liquid texture. With a clean finger, I'll apply a small bead-sized amount and within a couple minutes, it will have almost completely soaked into my lips. If you're looking for something that will hydrate your lips but not leave them feeling coated or waxy, this is the product for you! It also works great as a base for lip colours, since it moisturizes but doesn't leave any kind of barrier that might prevent the colour from sticking to your lips. I will say, with the extreme cold temperatures lately, I'll usually opt for something a little waxier and more longwearing before heading outside, but indoors, this is what I've been reaching for.
This is a product I can definitely see myself repurchasing! It's super gentle and fantastic on the lips AND face. I chose the fragrance free version, but if that's not your jam, it's also available in rose geranium and tea tree scents.
I hope they sell this in any of our local stores. If it's good for winter, it's most likely good for my lips which are always extra dry at night.


Here you will find all carburetor maintenance goods and spare parts for horn, valves, clamps ... on your engine mopeds PIAGGIO Ciao.
Ideal for those who practice cross, enduro, trial ... Can of 5L IPONE!
For quality cleaning and refurbishment of optimal filter.
The ideal room to choose the location of your air filter!
To prepare the box has air remaining on a quiet system!
A high-end product at a low price because of the quality of the product that will allow you to attach your sleeve, hose, filter or other carefree it breaks or ripe.
A good quality product at low prices for the product quality that allows you to attach your sleeves, hoses, filters or other carefree it breaks or ripe.


text:
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
Hands-Free for Driving Bill Clears Massachusetts House
Under the bill, texting while driving will cost motorists $500
By Michael P. Norton/State House News Service • Published November 19, 2019 • Updated on November 19, 2019 at 4:47 pm
The Massachusetts House voted 153-1 Tuesday to approve legislation that bans people from using handheld electronic devices while driving, with lawmakers predicting lives will be saved and remembering people killed by distracted operators.
The bill, which mirrors laws already in place in many other states, took years to come together.
Rep. Joseph Wagner recalled "so many sidebars over so many years" on the bill, and noted he first filed a bill addressing the topic in 2003.
"This bill will save lives. Not everything we do can have that said about it," Wagner said.
"We took on a lot," Rep. William Straus said, noting the bill that emerged from conference committee talks that began in June and deals with both the hands-free use of devices and racial profiling of drivers by law enforcement. "When you do that, you do risk that it will take more time."
The bill, if signed into law, will improve safety on the roads of Massachusetts and "improve an issue of how we treat each other with regard to racial profiling," Straus said.
Straus said there were times when it appeared there would be no resolution between the bill's negotiators, and credited the final result to Speaker Robert DeLeo's determination to deliver a bill. Rep. Chynah Tyler of Boston was the only vote against the compromise bill.
MassachusettsBostonNew EnglandSenateLaw enforcement


It?s often tiring to continue working all the time when you don?t have any motivation to work. Procrastination then ends up becoming a factor in your working habits without you realizing it.
You feel like there?s too much work that you have to finish, but you have too little time to finish them all. At the end of the day you just feel tired and worn out. You?re not getting the right amount of sleep that you need and if anything, you feel as if you haven?t accomplished much throughout the day.
That?s why this book will give you the basic tips and tricks on how to be more productive. It will give you methods on how to organize your life for the better. Pretty soon, you?ll be able to sleep without a care in the world and you?ll be able to wake up the next day with a smile on your face.


The easiPart 8″ Remy Human Hair Topper by Jon Renau is a one-piece volumizer that adds instant thickness with naturally stunning Remy human hair. It clips in quickly and easily for all-day comfort and can be styled with heat to create any look. Available in lengths of 8, 12 and 18 inches.