text:
package org.knowm.xchange.dto.account;

import java.io.Serializable;
import java.math.BigDecimal;
import org.knowm.xchange.currency.Currency;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

/**
 * DTO representing a balance in a currency
 *
 *
This is simply defined by an amount of money in a given currency, contained in the cash
 * object.
 *
 *
This class is immutable.
 */
public final class Balance implements Comparable<Balance>, Serializable {

  private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(Balance.class);

  private final Currency currency;

  // Invariant:
  // total = available + frozen - borrowed + loaned + withdrawing + depositing;
  private final BigDecimal total;
  private final BigDecimal available;
  private final BigDecimal frozen;
  private final BigDecimal loaned;
  private final BigDecimal borrowed;
  private final BigDecimal withdrawing;
  private final BigDecimal depositing;

  /**
   * Constructs a balance, the {@link #available} will be the same as the total, and
   * the {@link #frozen} is zero. The borrowed and loaned will be zero.
   *
   * @param currency The underlying currency
   * @param total The total
   */
  public Balance(Currency currency, BigDecimal total) {

    this(
        currency,
        total,
        total,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO);
  }

  /**
   * Constructs a balance, the {@link #frozen} will be assigned as total -
   * available. The borrowed and loaned will be zero.
   *
   * @param currency the underlying currency of this balance.
   * @param total the total amount of the currency in this balance.
   * @param available the amount of the currency in this balance that is available to
   *     trade.
   */
  public Balance(Currency currency, BigDecimal total, BigDecimal available) {

    this(
        currency,
        total,
        available,
        total.add(available.negate()),
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO);
  }

  /**
   * Constructs a balance. The borrowed and loaned will be zero.
   *
   * @param currency the underlying currency of this balance.
   * @param total the total amount of the currency in this balance, including the
   *     available and frozen.
   * @param available the amount of the currency in this balance that is available to
   *     trade.
   * @param frozen the frozen amount of the currency in this balance that is locked in
   *     trading.
   */
  public Balance(Currency currency, BigDecimal total, BigDecimal available, BigDecimal frozen) {

    this(
        currency,
        total,
        available,
        frozen,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO);
  }

  /**
   * Constructs a balance.
   *
   * @param currency the underlying currency of this balance.
   * @param total the total amount of the currency in this balance, equal to
   *     available + frozen - borrowed + loaned.
   * @param available the amount of the currency in this balance that is available to
   *     trade, including the borrowed.
   * @param frozen the frozen amount of the currency in this balance that is locked in
   *     trading.
   * @param borrowed the borrowed amount of the available currency in this balance that
   *     must be repaid.
   * @param loaned the loaned amount of the total currency in this balance that will be
   *     returned.
   * @param withdrawing the amount of the currency in this balance that is scheduled
   *     for withdrawal.
   * @param depositing the amount of the currency in this balance that is being
   *     deposited but not available yet.
   */
  public Balance(
      Currency currency,
      BigDecimal total,
      BigDecimal available,
      BigDecimal frozen,
      BigDecimal borrowed,
      BigDecimal loaned,
      BigDecimal withdrawing,
      BigDecimal depositing) {

    if (total != null && available != null) {
      BigDecimal sum =
          available.add(frozen).subtract(borrowed).add(loaned).add(withdrawing).add(depositing);
      if (0 != total.compareTo(sum)) {
        log.warn(
            "{} = total != available + frozen - borrowed + loaned + withdrawing + depositing = {}",
            total,
            sum);
      }
    }
    this.currency = currency;
    this.total = total;
    this.available = available;
    this.frozen = frozen;
    this.borrowed = borrowed;
    this.loaned = loaned;
    this.withdrawing = withdrawing;
    this.depositing = depositing;
  }

  /**
   * Returns a zero balance.
   *
   * @param currency the balance currency.
   * @return a zero balance.
   */
  public static Balance zero(Currency currency) {

    return new Balance(
        currency,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO,
        BigDecimal.ZERO);
  }

  public Currency getCurrency() {

    return currency;
  }

  /**
   * Returns the total amount of the currency in this balance.
   *
   * @return the total amount.
   */
  public BigDecimal getTotal() {

    if (total == null) {
      return available.add(frozen).subtract(borrowed).add(loaned).add(withdrawing).add(depositing);
    } else {
      return total;
    }
  }

  /**
   * Returns the amount of the currency in this balance that is available to trade.
   *
   * @return the amount that is available to trade.
   */
  public BigDecimal getAvailable() {

    if (available == null) {
      return total
          .subtract(frozen)
          .subtract(loaned)
          .add(borrowed)
          .subtract(withdrawing)
          .subtract(depositing);
    } else {
      return available;
    }
  }

  /**
   * Returns the amount of the currency in this balance that may be withdrawn. Equal to
   * available - borrowed.
   *
   * @return the amount that is available to withdraw.
   */
  public BigDecimal getAvailableForWithdrawal() {

    return getAvailable().subtract(getBorrowed());
  }

  /**
   * Returns the frozen amount of the currency in this balance that is locked in
   * trading.
   *
   * @return the amount that is locked in open orders.
   */
  public BigDecimal getFrozen() {

    if (frozen == null) {
      return total.subtract(available);
    }
    return frozen;
  }

  /**
   * Returns the borrowed amount of the available currency in this balance that must be
   * repaid.
   *
   * @return the amount that must be repaid.
   */
  public BigDecimal getBorrowed() {

    return borrowed;
  }

  /**
   * Returns the loaned amount of the total currency in this balance that will be
   * returned.
   *
   * @return that amount that is loaned out.
   */
  public BigDecimal getLoaned() {

    return loaned;
  }

  /**
   * Returns the amount of the currency in this balance that is locked in withdrawal
   *
   * @return the amount in withdrawal.
   */
  public BigDecimal getWithdrawing() {

    return withdrawing;
  }

  /**
   * Returns the amount of the currency in this balance that is locked in deposit
   *
   * @return the amount in deposit.
   */
  public BigDecimal getDepositing() {

    return depositing;
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {

    return "Balance [currency="
        + currency
        + ", total="
        + total
        + ", available="
        + available
        + ", frozen="
        + frozen
        + ", borrowed="
        + borrowed
        + ", loaned="
        + loaned
        + ", withdrawing="
        + withdrawing
        + ", depositing="
        + depositing
        + "]";
  }

  @Override
  public int hashCode() {

    final int prime = 31;
    int result = 1;
    result = prime * result + ((total == null) ? 0 : total.hashCode());
    result = prime * result + ((currency == null) ? 0 : currency.hashCode());
    result = prime * result + ((available == null) ? 0 : available.hashCode());
    result = prime * result + ((frozen == null) ? 0 : frozen.hashCode());
    result = prime * result + ((borrowed == null) ? 0 : borrowed.hashCode());
    result = prime * result + ((loaned == null) ? 0 : loaned.hashCode());
    result = prime * result + ((withdrawing == null) ? 0 : withdrawing.hashCode());
    result = prime * result + ((depositing == null) ? 0 : depositing.hashCode());
    return result;
  }

  @Override
  public boolean equals(Object obj) {

    if (this == obj) {
      return true;
    }
    if (obj == null) {
      return false;
    }
    if (getClass() != obj.getClass()) {
      return false;
    }
    Balance other = (Balance) obj;
    if (total == null) {
      if (other.total != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!total.equals(other.total)) {
      return false;
    }
    if (available == null) {
      if (other.available != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!available.equals(other.available)) {
      return false;
    }
    if (frozen == null) {
      if (other.frozen != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!frozen.equals(other.frozen)) {
      return false;
    }
    if (currency == null) {
      if (other.currency != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!currency.equals(other.currency)) {
      return false;
    }
    if (borrowed == null) {
      if (other.borrowed != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!borrowed.equals(other.borrowed)) {
      return false;
    }
    if (loaned == null) {
      if (other.loaned != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!loaned.equals(other.loaned)) {
      return false;
    }
    if (withdrawing == null) {
      if (other.withdrawing != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!withdrawing.equals(other.withdrawing)) {
      return false;
    }
    if (depositing == null) {
      if (other.depositing != null) {
        return false;
      }
    } else if (!depositing.equals(other.depositing)) {
      return false;
    }
    return true;
  }

  @Override
  public int compareTo(Balance other) {

    int comparison = currency.compareTo(other.currency);
    if (comparison != 0) return comparison;
    comparison = total.compareTo(other.total);
    if (comparison != 0) return comparison;
    comparison = available.compareTo(other.available);
    if (comparison != 0) return comparison;
    comparison = frozen.compareTo(other.frozen);
    if (comparison != 0) return comparison;
    comparison = borrowed.compareTo(other.borrowed);
    if (comparison != 0) return comparison;
    comparison = loaned.compareTo(other.loaned);
    if (comparison != 0) return comparison;
    comparison = withdrawing.compareTo(other.withdrawing);
    if (comparison != 0) return comparison;
    comparison = depositing.compareTo(other.depositing);
    return comparison;
  }

  public static class Builder {

    private Currency currency;
    private BigDecimal total;
    private BigDecimal available;
    private BigDecimal frozen;
    private BigDecimal borrowed = BigDecimal.ZERO;
    private BigDecimal loaned = BigDecimal.ZERO;
    private BigDecimal withdrawing = BigDecimal.ZERO;
    private BigDecimal depositing = BigDecimal.ZERO;

    public static Builder from(Balance balance) {

      return new Builder()
          .currency(balance.getCurrency())
          .total(balance.getTotal())
          .available(balance.getAvailable())
          .frozen(balance.getFrozen())
          .borrowed(balance.getBorrowed())
          .loaned(balance.getLoaned())
          .withdrawing(balance.getWithdrawing())
          .depositing(balance.getDepositing());
    }

    public Builder currency(Currency currency) {

      this.currency = currency;
      return this;
    }

    public Builder total(BigDecimal total) {

      this.total = total;
      return this;
    }

    public Builder available(BigDecimal available) {

      this.available = available;
      return this;
    }

    public Builder frozen(BigDecimal frozen) {

      this.frozen = frozen;
      return this;
    }

    public Builder borrowed(BigDecimal borrowed) {

      this.borrowed = borrowed;
      return this;
    }

    public Builder loaned(BigDecimal loaned) {

      this.loaned = loaned;
      return this;
    }

    public Builder withdrawing(BigDecimal withdrawing) {

      this.withdrawing = withdrawing;
      return this;
    }

    public Builder depositing(BigDecimal depositing) {

      this.depositing = depositing;
      return this;
    }

    public Balance build() {

      if (frozen == null) {
        if (total == null || available == null) {
          frozen = BigDecimal.ZERO;
        }
      }

      return new Balance(
          currency, total, available, frozen, borrowed, loaned, withdrawing, depositing);
    }
  }
}


text:
CluetrainPlus10: Theses 23 "Positioning"
It feels like yesterday at times when the Cluetrain Manifesto was published, but in reality it's been 10 years since the seminal, and controversial, book was published. To mark the anniversary, Keith McArthur began the "Cluetrain Plus 10" project which has 95 bloggers covering one of the 95 Theses that make up the book.
Cluetrain, for me, helped articulate the changing landscape of customer/ company interactions as the Internet began to come of age, along with other more brand/ e-comm focused books of the time. Although I see some parts as a tad one-sided and biased in terms of forcing a point, versus the natural evolution (and constraints) of business, the manifesto I've chosen to write about – Companies attempting to "position" themselves need to take a position. Optimally, it should relate to something their market actually cares about – rings truer than ever at this stage of the game in my view.
When companies decide to exist and build a product, one of the most natural and necessary things, for company wide alignment, is to develop a market position. All too often the way they go about it is internally, or shareholder, focused vs. allowing the focus to rest on their customer and their needs, insight, and focus.
Unfortunately it's not surprising to sometimes find a force-fit approach lacking the fundamental questions all sustainable, successful companies in today's market answer: Why would anyone care?
What do they care about on a personal/ group level vs. as a "market"
Who are you really – are you part of the solution, or part of a problem?
What you do and who you are matter, especially as the world becomes increasingly wired and we become billions of loose threads interconnected 24/7. The absence of the connection – to something tangible we can relate to, be interested in, give a second thought to, and know there isn't a hidden agenda, outside of making fair profits – means the potential loss of: trust; perceived value; a sale; a future sale; a referral; knowledge; social capital.
People still buy from companies they don't really "connect" with (be it at a product, customer service, or emotional-brand level), but they do so grudgingly, and, on the whole, are open to other, more fulfilling, options. A company who is committed to a goal that makes sense to them as people, whatever that goal may be, in context, wins.
If you wanted to reach the people who may be interested in your product, would you want to be a company people understand & respect, or a company that's a last resort?
Wouldn't it be great to have your customers, and potential customers, on your side & providing you with actionable feedback, or would you prefer to be under siege & on the defensive?
The Internet offers one platform to become aware, and active, with the people who may benefit from what you have to offer them. But a strong position, in whatever regard, transcends the medium, and becomes part of the overall experience. The feedback loop in action. For this to truly work, the position has to be a real thing, not a product of a myopic "communications" view driven by expediency, lack of imagination, interest or insight, into the very "demographic" you are attempting to position for. Sometimes, when you dig deep enough, what you find will surprise, delight, and perhaps scare you. Maybe even open up a whole new opportunity you wouldn't have considered if the "market" didn't provide it to those who interacted with and listened to them.
How is that not the way to go in the long-term?
WFH & Maintaining Balance: Part 5 – exploration, learning, education

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


These well positioned level allotments at Park View Estate are ready for you to build on and provides a fabulous blank canvas for your dream home!
Ideally positioned only a short drive to Atherton Town Centre.
This well-established estate land ranges from 801m2 – 939m2 priced from $120,000.


text:
HONG Kyeong-pyo
Born in 1962, HONG Kyeong-pyo, also known as Alex HONG, is a veteran cinematographer and a pioneer who introduced many technologies in the Korean industry. Making his debut in 1989 as part of <That Which Falls Has Wings> film crew, he has also spent a few years in the United States and learned how shootings are done in the Hollywood system. After he came back to Korea, he made his debut as a cinematographer with <The Harmonica of Grief> (1995) and gained his recog...More
Born in 1962, HONG Kyeong-pyo, also known as Alex HONG, is a veteran cinematographer and a pioneer who introduced many technologies in the Korean industry. Making his debut in 1989 as part of <That Which Falls Has Wings> film crew, he has also spent a few years in the United States and learned how shootings are done in the Hollywood system. After he came back to Korea, he made his debut as a cinematographer with <The Harmonica of Grief> (1995) and gained his recognition for his work on IM Sang-soo's <Girls' Night Out> (1998). His following works <Phantom The Submarine> (1999), <The Foul King> (2000), <Il Mare> (2000) and <Asako In Ruby Shoes> (2000) established him as one of the Korea's greatest cinematographers. One of his most impressive works, war epic <TaeGukGi: Brotherhood Of War> (2004), displayed visuals on par with Hollywood productions, drawing comparisons with <Saving Private Ryan>. He has recently come back into the limelight and gained international recognition for his slick visuals in BONG Joon-ho's international co-production <Snowpiercer> and NA Hong-jin's harrowing thriller <THE WAILING>.Less
YIM Soon-rye and HONG Kyeong-pyo Join Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences Jul 12, 2019
The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has swelled its ranks by adding 842 new members this year. Among the new roster of film industry professionals, who are now eligible to vote in the Academy Awards, are nine people from the Korean film industry, including YIM Soon-rye, who becomes the first female Korean director invited to join the group, and celebrated BURNING (2018) cinem...
JUNG Woo-sung Takes BaekSang Arts Grand Prize for INNOCENT WITNESS May 09, 2019
The BaekSang Arts Awards, a long-standing show body that recognizes achievements in both the film and television fields, held their 55th edition on May 1 in Seoul. The night's Grand Prize went to star JUNG Woo-sung for his role in the well-received legal drama Innocent Witness, while YOON Jong-bin's Cannes-selected Inter-Korean espionage drama The Spy Gone North (2018) took home the prize for Best...
BURNING Leads Asian Film Awards with 8 Nominations Jan 15, 2019
LEE Chang-dong's BURNING (2018) will go into the 13th Asian Film Awards as a favorite this year after scoring eight nominations, more than any other film, including Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters. The acclaimed drama bowed in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May. BURNING is nominated for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (YOO Ah-in), Best Newcomer (JUN Jong-seo), Best Screenplay (LEE C...
Awards and Invitation
<BURNING> Paeksang Arts Awards (2019) - Film Awards - Best Art
<BURNING> Busan Film Critics Association Awards (2018) - Best Cinematography
<BURNING> The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards (2018) - Best Cinematography
<THE WAILING> Korean Film Producers Association Awards (2016) - Best Cinematography
<THE WAILING> SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (2016) - Official Fantastic Competition - Best Cinematography
<THE WAILING> DAEJONG FILM AWARDS (2016) - Best Cinematography
<Haemoo> Buil Film Awards (2015)
<Snowpiercer> Buil Film Awards (2013)
<Mother> Buil Film Awards (2009)
<TaeGukGi: Brotherhood Of War> The Blue Dragon Awards (2004)


RRB Railway Recruitment 2019: A month after Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced that around 2.50 lakh vacancies in the Indian Railways will be filled, the board is in the final stages of preparing a list of posts available across various departments. The recruitment notification will soon be announced and the process may begin in the last week of February or the first week of March, said RRB official Angaraj Mohan.
RRB official Angaraj Mohan told indianexpress.com: "The Railway Board will advertise for the first phase of the recruitment in the last week of February and the second likely on May. The entire recruitment process will be completed by August 2021."
The new recruitment process would include the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Section (EWS quota). "Apart from the benefits credited to the reserve category candidates, the economically poor candidates will also get benefits according to 10 per cent reservation," Mohan said.
There are a total of 16 zones in Indian Railway.
Earlier in January, the Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced vacancies of around 2.50 lakh posts. "New job opportunities for 2.25-2.50 lakh people have been created, process for 1.50 lakh vacancies is underway. So Railways, in a way, will be providing 4 Lakh jobs," Piyush Goyal said.
"2.25-2.50 Lakh logon ko aur adhik mauka mile, 1.50 logon ki bharti ka kaam chal raha hai. Ek prakar se 4 Lakh nai naukriyan Railways akele dene ja raha hai, jismein 1.50 ki process bahut aage badh chuki hai, karib 2-2.5 mahine mein process khatam ho jaega," he added.
Last year, the Ministry of Railway advertised for recruitment to over 1.2 lakh vacant posts in Group C, Group D. Over 2.5 crore candidates applied for the post. The recruitment process for both categories will be completed by August 2019.


A lovely evergreen scent kissed by berries and holly.
Our scented candles are 100% soy wax & hand-poured in small batches in our authentic Mason Jars. We use American-grown soy beans for an eco-friendly, long and clean burn. To offer a unique candle scent we carefully combine premium grade phthalate-free fragrance and essential oils. Our cotton wicks are lead-free and primed with vegetable based wax.
We do not add dyes or chemicals.


text:
package com.travelport.schema.air_v29_0;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessorType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElement;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlRootElement;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlType;
import com.travelport.schema.common_v29_0.BaseRsp;

/**
 *
Java class for anonymous complex type.
 *
 *
The following schema fragment specifies the expected content contained within this class.
 *
 *

 * <complexType>
 *   <complexContent>
 *     <extension base="{http://www.travelport.com/schema/common_v29_0}BaseRsp">
 *       <sequence>
 *         <element ref="{http://www.travelport.com/schema/air_v29_0}AirRefundBundle" maxOccurs="unbounded" minOccurs="0"/>
 *         <element ref="{http://www.travelport.com/schema/air_v29_0}TCRRefundBundle" maxOccurs="unbounded" minOccurs="0"/>
 *       </sequence>
 *     </extension>
 *   </complexContent>
 * </complexType>
 *

 *
 *
 */
@XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD)
@XmlType(name = "", propOrder = {
    "airRefundBundle",
    "tcrRefundBundle"
})
@XmlRootElement(name = "AirRefundQuoteRsp")
public class AirRefundQuoteRsp
    extends BaseRsp
{

    @XmlElement(name = "AirRefundBundle")
    protected List<AirRefundBundle> airRefundBundle;
    @XmlElement(name = "TCRRefundBundle")
    protected List<TCRRefundBundle> tcrRefundBundle;

    /**
     * Gets the value of the airRefundBundle property.
     *
     *

     * This accessor method returns a reference to the live list,
     * not a snapshot. Therefore any modification you make to the
     * returned list will be present inside the JAXB object.
     * This is why there is not a set method for the airRefundBundle property.
     *
     *

     * For example, to add a new item, do as follows:
     *

     *    getAirRefundBundle().add(newItem);
     *

     *
     *
     *

     * Objects of the following type(s) are allowed in the list
     * {@link AirRefundBundle }
     *
     *
     */
    public List<AirRefundBundle> getAirRefundBundle() {
        if (airRefundBundle == null) {
            airRefundBundle = new ArrayList<AirRefundBundle>();
        }
        return this.airRefundBundle;
    }

    /**
     * Provider: ACH.Gets the value of the tcrRefundBundle property.
     *
     *

     * This accessor method returns a reference to the live list,
     * not a snapshot. Therefore any modification you make to the
     * returned list will be present inside the JAXB object.
     * This is why there is not a set method for the tcrRefundBundle property.
     *
     *

     * For example, to add a new item, do as follows:
     *

     *    getTCRRefundBundle().add(newItem);
     *

     *
     *
     *

     * Objects of the following type(s) are allowed in the list
     * {@link TCRRefundBundle }
     *
     *
     */
    public List<TCRRefundBundle> getTCRRefundBundle() {
        if (tcrRefundBundle == null) {
            tcrRefundBundle = new ArrayList<TCRRefundBundle>();
        }
        return this.tcrRefundBundle;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Church of England has responded to the government's Budget 2017 with a round of effusive applause.
In a statement gushing with appreciation, the Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Rev'd David Urquhart, who speaks on behalf of the Bishops in the House of Lords, lauded the fact that 3.5 million private sector jobs have been created since 2010, meaning that more people have the security of a wage and the dignity of employment. This was great news for millions of families, and the church likes families. And mindful of the biblical exhortations to avoid debt, the Bishop praised the Conservatives for cutting the deficit by over three quarters over the past seven years, which obviously helps to keep the economy strong, which benefits everyone. And the church likes helping everyone. Being a trainspotter, the Bishop was especially gleeful that the Tories have invested half a trillion pounds in transport infrastructure, including the biggest rail programme since the Victorians.
The Bishop likes the Victorian era very much.
Being a fan of 'The Blue Planet', the Bishop was very much hoping that something would be done to cut the amount of plastic being dumped in the world's oceans, so he was very happy indeed that Tories are taking action on single-use plastics that damage our environment. This will surely help to save baby whales. He likes sea creatures a lot more than he likes maths, but he does understand that maths is almost as important as theology, so welcomed the £600 maths premium to schools for each student who decides to study the subject beyond GCSE. He intends to write to the Chancellor to ask for consideration next year that RE be given equal treatment. If they can afford a whopping £500m to fund technology to keep Britain at the forefront of new technology and #fitforthefuture, there's really no reason why half a billion couldn't be found to keep Britain #spirituallyfitforthepresent.
But this was the Bishop's only quibble.
He cheered the fact that from next April the National Living Wage will rise to £7.83, meaning full-time workers will be £2,000 better off since the Conservatives introduced it. Thanks to the National Living Wage, lower paid workers have seen their wages grow in real terms more than any other group, which is good news for the poor. The church likes helping the poor. And changes to Universal Credit will make a real difference to those claimants currently experiencing hardship. The church likes helping those suffering hardship. The Bishop cheered even louder that also from April the personal allowance will rise to £11,850, making a typical taxpayer £1,075 a year better off compared to 2010, ensuring people keep more of the money they earn in their own pockets. The church likes it when people keep more of their own money, so they can be more generous with it in church on Sundays. The Bishop also lauded the wisdom of keeping fuel duty frozen for the eighth consecutive year, meaning the average car driver is £850 better off since 2010. And he applauded the extra £2.8bn investment in the NHS (with an immediate £350m to prepare for the winter). The church likes it when the sick and infirm are cared for.
Mindful of the importance of 5.5 million small businesses to the economy, the Bishop was very happy to hear about plans to bring forward the planned Business Rates switch from RPI to CPI to April 2018, which is worth £2.3 billion to businesses over the next five years. And he was even happier to hear about plans to invest £44 billion in house-building to deliver an average of 300,000 homes a year by the middle of the next decade – the biggest increase in supply since 1970. And to help the next generation buy a home of their own, the Tories are abolishing stamp duty for over 80 per cent of first-time buyers. This pleased the Church of England greatly, for home is where the heart is, and the church cares about people's hearts.
It is unacceptable in the 21st century that people are sleeping on the streets, so the kind and compassionate Conservatives are investing £28 million as part of their commitment to halve rough sleeping by 2022, and eliminate it altogether by 2027. The Church of England danced a jig over this announcement, and are inviting the whole Parliamentary Party to Lambeth Palace for Christmas drinks to express their appreciation, and to apologise for constantly slagging them off as the 'Nasty Party'.
Especially heartening to the Bishop was the good news that Conservatives are freezing duty on beer, wine and spirits, which will make their Christmas drinks (and communion wine) even cheaper. And he boogied all night when he heard that they are investing a further £3bn to prepare Britain for every Brexit eventuality (ie, 'No Deal'), for all the Bishops are now conceding that the Bishop of Shrewsbury is a prophet of God.
This wasn't the Church of England's response to the Budget?


text:
The Cove is a neighborhood located in the southeast corner of Stamford, Connecticut. It is an area of mostly modest homes with some very expensive homes along the shoreline.

History
The Cove area was one of the first sections of Stamford to be cleared and divided among settlers. The neighborhood, which then made up most of what was called East Fields, was apportioned to various settlers between 1641 and 1665.

Conservative author and journalist William F. Buckley Jr. was a decades-long resident at Wallack's Point, a small gated community on the shoreline. His son, the author and magazine editor Christopher Buckley, grew up there. Businessman and U.S. Representative Schuyler Merritt, for whom the Merritt Parkway is named, lived on an estate on Noroton Hill.

Geography
There is no defined boundary between the Cove and neighboring sections of Stamford, although it does not extend farther north than East Main Street, while Glenbrook does not extend south of it. It is bordered by the East Side to the north and northeast and by Shippan to the south and southwest. Long Island Sound lies to the south.

The neighborhood is closely approximated by census tract 219, which is roughly bounded on the west by Seaside Avenue and the eastern edge of Cummings Park, and on the east by the Darien town line. The tract extends as far north as Interstate 95, but does not extend past Shippan Avenue north of Cove Road.

Transportation
The neighborhood is atop and on the eastern and southern slopes of Noroton Hill, which also extends north across Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1; the latter route, which runs along East Main Street (also known as the Boston Post Road) runs across the ridge, while Interstate 95 cuts across it.

The New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad was built around the north side of the Cove. The neighborhood is served by two stations, Stamford and Noroton Heights.

References

External links
City of Stamford
Stamford Historical Society
Article on manufacturing at the site of Cove Island Park (Stamford Historical Society newsletter)
More detailed article on manufacturing at the site of Cove Island Park (Stamford Historical Society newsletter)
Cove Website

Neighborhoods in Connecticut
Geography of Stamford, Connecticut
Populated coastal places in Connecticut

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This is a collection of resources dedicated to helping parents and children deal with and recover from trauma related to mass shootings. The collection includes tips on how to deal with mass shootings for teens, school age children, and preschool children. It also includes information on the psychological impacts of a shooting, how to help children heal after a mass shooting, how to restore a sense of safety after a mass shooting, as well as guidelines and tips for parents on journalists, media, and funeral attendance.


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A Peppermint Party
Perfecting Pasta
A Lesson About Lemonade
The Making of Mac and Cheese
Mashed Potatoes and Their Meaning
Meagan Nelson on All About Autumn Apple Pi…
Faylinn on The Facts on Fish and Chi…
Women With Gifts on Talking Tomato Soup
Barbara A. Kelly on Making Sense of Meat
Fruity Dishes
Starchy Dishes
Veggie Dishes
Dinner and Democracy
How our favorite foods shape history, politics, and pop culture
Category: Dessert
Meagan Nelson	December 24, 2017
I am obsessed with the sweet, fresh taste of peppermints. Every Christmas, in order to be festive, my parents and I would decorate the stair banisters in our house to look like candy canes, and my mom and I would also make a delicious peppermint ice cream pie with Oreo crust (find the recipe below). The sweetness of peppermints always reminds my family of the joy of being with loved ones during the holidays, while the freshness of the mint is a great segue into the new year, which is a time for us to feel refreshed and set new goals. Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a Merry Christmas as we learn about how this classic candy made its mark as a holiday staple. ❤
Peppermint and History
Let's take a look at the history of peppermints according to organic gardner, Sally Painter. The name peppermint comes from Greek mythology in the form of a love triangle. As in all Greek mythologies, there are many versions of the story. The most popular one states that Hades seduced the nymph, Minthe, and his wife, Persephone, became enraged with jealousy and turned Minthe into a plant that people would constantly walk on.
Outraged by his wife's interference, Hades imbued the plant with peppermint, so whenever the plant was crushed underneath footfalls, it would release a wonderful aroma. Hades hoped that by doing this, people would remember Minthe and recall how beautiful and full of life she had been. Persephone was furious over her husband's tampering, because Minthe's presence would forever linger in the air as a constant reminder of her presence. In another version, Persephone turned Minthe into peppermint (other versions state mint) as a way to save her from Hades's seduction.
Photo Credit: Green 400 Magazine
Ancient Egyptians used peppermint. In fact, dried peppermint leaves were discovered in pyramids that carbon dated to 1,000 BC.
The Romans grew mint and peppermint in their gardens for its medicinal purposes, especially as a digestive aid. They also used mint and peppermint as a ground cover, especially between stepping stone pathways. They enjoyed the pleasing aroma the plants produced that greeted guests as they entered a home or a courtyard.
Peppermint is a natural occurring hybrid of spearmint and water mint. The first recorded cultivation of peppermint was recorded in 1750 when a new hybrid was created and grown in London. The first commercial growing of peppermint in the United States began in 1790 in the state of Massachusetts. Peppermint has always been considered a medicinal cure for various ailments, mostly digestive; however, there were many other uses prescribed for this special plant.
In 1846, peppermint growers in the US began using steam distilleries to replace the older method that required the boiling of the mint in order to release the oils. The peppermint oil was then skimmed off of the top of the water. This new method improved the quality of the oil and enhanced the production of peppermint oil. Over the centuries, peppermint has grown in popularity as more than just a digestive aid, although it's still used for that purpose. A peppermint tea is a great way to ingest the herb. Other uses of peppermint include distilling the oil to produce flavoring. Peppermint flavoring is used in candies, medicines and hygienic products. The United States produces more than 75 percent of the world's peppermint oil.
Peppermint and Politics
Did you know that peppermints as a preferred candy flavor can actually reveal quite a bit about one's political ideology and engagement level? According to Praxis' Steven Maxie, those who tend to vote Republican and participate in politics frequently choose peppermint patties as a favorite candy, while low-engagement Republicans tend to favor Skittles and Rolo. Democrats who do not turnout to vote often tend to favor Nerds and Airheads as their candy of choice, while high-turnout Democratic Voters tend to favor Babe Ruth, Almond Joy and Rasinets. Finally, for those who are middle-of-the road, Resee's Pieces and Three Musketeers tend to suit those who fall on both sides of the aisle. Who knew that peppermints and candies in general could reveal so much about the political personalities of the public?
Photo Credit: Matt Blitz
Peppermint and Pop Culture
One of the most iconic symbols of peppermints being used in pop culture today is when singer Katy Perry wore a peppermint bra dress on her California Dreams tour. The singer made headlines after insurers suggested that she ditch her peppermint bra as a safety precaution due to a previous incident when her hair got caught in the wheels. Perry was forced to go with it. "I seriously doubt it could be lethal but they want a new bra designed that will not allow hair to be caught up." said Perry. "What a girl does for her art."
Perry's iconic peppermint bra dress has become so popular that several creative people have come up with their own costume version of the dress, often worn on Halloween. Discover the process for recreating Perry's iconic peppermint dress here.
Photo Credit: Billboard.com
Christmas Peppermint Pie
Photo Credit: Meagan Nelson
Crush one box of chocolate wafers into tiny pieces to form crust inside 8" cheesecake pan
Melt half a stick of butter
Mix butter with wafers inside 8" cheesecake pan
Bake in oven on 350 degrees for 15 minutes
When done, fill pan with pink peppermint ice cream of choice on top of crust
Spread whipped cream/heavy cream in a thick layer on top of ice cream
Sprinkle with chocolate shavings on top
Freeze for two hours
Source: Painter, Sally. "History of Peppermint." Love To Know [Burlingame] N.D.: Print.
Source: Mazie, Steven. "Love Peppermint Patties? You Must Be A Republican." The Big Think, Inc. [New York] N.D.: Print.
Source: "Please Take Your Bra Off, Katy Perry." News Group Newspapers Limited [London] N.D.: Print.
Source: "Katy Perry Peppermint Dress: Progress." Lyddi Design Costumes [San Francisco] N.D.: Print.
Caramels and Cooperation
Meagan Nelson	November 14, 2016
Don't you just love the taste of a sweet, gooey piece of caramel that melts in your mouth? One of my favorite desserts growing up were caramel kiss cookies that I used to eat for several birthday parties that my friends would throw in elementary school. While the sweet treat is not only a very timely one with the winter holidays coming up, it is also a great symbol of "sticking together" and "being sweet" during a time when this country couldn't be more upset or divided. Let's learn about the history of this delicious dessert from LifeScript, but more importantly, let's learn how this candy can be used as a metaphor to bring this country together during these rough times in our culture!
Photo Credit: Glowing Positively
Caramels and History
Caramels are a special kind of confection. There is nothing better than snuggling in front of a good movie and letting a gooey caramel candy melt in your mouth. There are many different types of caramel, from sauces to wrapped treats, and many of these are easily made at home. Caramel is so versatile it can even be made in the microwave! While the exact history of caramel is unknown, it is recorded that about 1650 American settlers were making hard candies in kettles. Between this time and the early 1880's, some ingenious candy maker added fat and milk while boiling sugar and water, creating what is now known as caramel. During this time, caramels were also made with sugar beet juice because refined sugar was expensive and hard to come by. Caramels are chewy because of the heat activation between the sugar ingredients and the milk solids. This creates the caramelized flavor. Caramels are made when sugar syrup is cooked and then milk and fat is added. The mixture is heated and stirred constantly in a kettle until it becomes milky or light brown. Caramels heated further actually turn into toffees.
Photo Credit: Deliciously Yum!
Caramels and Politics
Okay, I'll admit it, last week was pretty rough. Feelings of lost freedom, fear, rebellion, and for some, elation, took over our minds. While last week marked the beginning of a radical change and transition of power, I always choose to be an optimist. I chose to write about caramel this week because of what the candy represents…something that is sweet that sticks together, which are things we need to remember in these turbulent times.To quote my favorite author, J.K. Rowling, while "dark and difficult times lie ahead," I hope we can all get through this journey together.
Photo Credit: Google Plus
Clearly, the American people were tired of the establishment, craving honesty and crying for help. I'll admit, while I was absolutely astounded and disgusted by several of Trump's comments, and fed up with the system, I respect the values of American democracy. Because I love America, I will honor the opinions of our people and will take responsibility to accept the outcome of the president elect that we have chosen. To be completely honest with you, I voted for neither Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, and boy have I gotten a mouthful of blame for being the reason that Hillary wasn't elected. Yes, I know that my views are not "popular." To several people, that may translate to them that my views are "wrong." I am aware that I think differently, but I truly value diversity of opinion. Just because people don't think the way I do, I am not going to place the blame on them for the reason that my candidate of choice was not elected, and am not going to petition to change the American electoral system to get my way. I truly want to help bring this country together, and fighting with my peers is not the route that I choose to take. From now on, I will try even harder to be as tolerant as I can be to the best of my ability, showing nothing but love.
Photo Credit: Imgflip
Please hear me when I say that I am just as scared as many of you are. As Trump was not my candidate of choice, my initial reaction to him whenever I see him is to think about all of the racist, sexist, and very offensive remarks that he has made to various women, ethnic groups, cultures, and religious groups as shown by the media. I cringe inside. However, I have to remind myself that many good-hearted Americans had their reasons for voting for him, and seeing that Mr. Trump is going to be our next president, I want desperately to see the good in him, and I want nothing but the very best for him and his family.
Photo Credit: ABC News
After trying very hard to open my mind, from what I have gathered about Trump, there is no doubt that he is a person that commands attention wherever he is, and is a man that has an unbelievable amount of pride and arrogance. I can't help but to admire the fact that after years of politicians reminding us how doomed that our country is going to be, Mr. Trump can say to Americans with confidence that our country is going to be "great again," even when people criticize his policies, and he acknowledges that he takes into account bipartisain suggestions. When pressed in an interview on "60 Minutes" about whether or not he regrets much of the negative things he had said about people, I also appreciate the fact that he owned up to the fact that his comments, and the entire presidential race in itself was rough, but that he was instead going to focus on moving forward and doing positive things for our country like fixing healthcare, lowering taxes, and improving the immigration system.
Photo Credit: TV Line
The hardest idea that I had to grasp was that Donald Trump, from the short time between he was elected to the present, seems to be changing ever so slightly into a more diplomatic person. It's so easy to just put him into the "racist, sexist" box and leave him there. While it's hard to grasp the idea that people, especially those in power with a platform, can change, I've seen some evidence that this is true. I could not have been more thrilled that when prompted in the "60 Minutes" interview about his supporters performing hate crimes against gays, blacks, and different religious groups, Trump said that he was "deeply saddened" by those activities (I expected him to possibly say something brash). Trump commented, "I'm going to look at the camera while saying this, STOP IT." To me, this was a little sliver of hope that Trump might try to be more of an accepting person, and that is probably one of my most dire wishes of all for this next presidential term.
Following this, I'm going to make some remarks about another important person taking on a new role in the White House…Melania Trump as our incoming first lady. I'll admit, while I was at first very frightened about the idea of a former foreign model who posed nude becoming our next first lady, I had to stop myself for a moment. Who am I to judge a woman foe doing what she wants with her life and her body? Yes, Mrs. Trump will hold a position of power, but I believe that ALL OF US, regardless of how we choose to live our lives, deserve to feel important, and can have the power to affect change. Keep in mind, while nude modeling was a part of Mrs. Trump's past, she too, just like Donald Trump, can change as a person, be she deserves the same respect no matter what.
Photo Credit: TODAY.com
While Mrs. Trump was deeply criticized by the media for speaking out about against bullying when the media painted her husband out to be one of the "biggest bullies" of the campaign, bullying is an issue that should not be dismissed, no matter the circumstances. Again, though the little evidence that I have gathered, Mr. and Mrs. Trump have the ability to make amends to their actions moving forward, especially as events and environments will be changing at a constant. In a way, Mrs. Trump in the White House is an act of progress.
Let's face it, Melania Trump was foreign-born, as so many Americans are, and she speaks FIVE languages. As diverse of a country as America is, most of us can only speak one language. Congratulations, Melania! Her language abilities can prove to be a major asset in establishing relations with other countries.
Photo Credit: The Independent
I think one of the most surprising and heartwarming memories of this presidential election to me was when President Obama, Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Michelle Obama had man-to-man and woman-to-woman conversations in the White House recently. While both parties were visibly extremely uncomfortable, I was impressed by the effort put forward by both sides, with nothing but positive words coming out of each person's mouths nevertheless. To me, this was an example of true bipartisanship, where both parties were placed out of their comfort zones, but each made their best effort to be civil with one another. I am so proud!
Photo Credit: BRG.com
To conclude these thoughts, while it is completely okay to be scared for the future, the future is completely in our hands. Let's hope for nothing but the best for Mr. Trump and his family as the faces of this country that we love so much. Try hard not to blame those around you for this presidential outcome. Most importantly, like a delicious piece of caramel, stick together, and be sweet and kind to one another!
Caramels and Pop Culture
Photo Credit: Rhonda Richford
Did you know that caramel is now going to be a major highlight in a new popcorn shop in Paris founded by Avengers actress, Scarlett Johannsson? You can now dress up your favorite caramel corn in a variety of ways! The Avengers star is passionate about popcorn, and is making Paris's popcorn scene truly unique and outside the box with the introduction of fresh-popped gourmet flavors at her happening Marais location. Six are available in the red-white-and-blue, barber shop-themed bar (Yay America!). Savory flavors include cheddar, truffle parmesan and olive oil and salt n' pepper; sweeter flavors include Canadian maple with caramel, chocolate strawberry and strawberry cream. Check out the latest trendy international specialty store, called Yummy Pop, today!
Caramel Pumpkin Spice Candy Corn
Photo Credit/Recipe: Catherine Pappas
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, toss together peanuts, craisins, pretzels and m&ms. Divide the mixture between the two baking sheets. Set aside.
3. In a large cast iron pot, heat cooking oil over high heat with one kernel inside. Once the kernel pops, add about ¾ cup popcorn kernels. Once the popping reduces, lower the heat to medium-low. When all the kernels have popped, remove the pot from stove and let it rest with the lid on.
4. In the meantime, prepare your caramel sauce. Boil down sugar. Once the sugar begins to boil, add butter and whisk. When the butter has melted and the mixture is now thick, slowly add the whipping cream. Be sure to add the cream slowly as it will boil and may splatter.
5. Whisk until a thick caramel sauce forms. Remove from heat.
6. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, then pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss until the popcorn is completely coated with caramel. Divide the popcorn between the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Just until the caramel has set and all the ingredients have warmed. Be sure not to burn the popcorn. 8. Transfer to a serving bowl sprinkle with salt if desired, and enjoy!
All About Autumn Apple Pie
Meagan Nelson	September 10, 2016
Hi everyone! I hope you all have had a fantastic summer ❤ My sincerest apologies to you all for being away for so long…I had been quite busy adjusting to this new chapter in my life. To all of you, thank you for sticking with me. I just graduated, have an incredible new job working as a marketing assistant for a high-end furniture store (Lana Furniture), and moved into a fantastic new apartment with my roommate, former beauty queen and dedicated girl scout, Liza (look out for interviews with her in the future!) Now that I've finally settled in a bit, I am so thrilled to return to writing.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
As we know, fall is just around the corner, the kids are back in school, the air is getting cooler, and, pretty soon, the leaves will begin changing color! In honor of my favorite season, today we will be exploring a traditional fall dish and American classic….apple pie, of course! I always loved having family dinners at my grandmother's house in Seattle on Sundays in the fall, and my favorite part of the night would always be when our family would sit around her fire, eating apple pie with vanilla ice cream and discussing our various lives as teachers, authors, marketers, or medical and security professionals. Let's take a look at how this tasty dessert relates to World War II, the American dream, pop music and 90's American comedy.
Apple Pie and History
The first written apple pie recipe goes back to 1381 in England. It was printed by Geoffrey Chaucer and included apples, figs, raisins, pears and a pastry shell (but no sugar). Evidence of Dutch apple pies goes back to the 1600s. In addition to apples, Dutch pies include lemon and cinnamon and sometimes raisins and icing. The tarte tatin, or French version of apple pie, was created by accident by hotel owner Stephanie Tatin when she was trying to make a traditional apple pie in the 1880s.
Though apple pie was originated by the British, the dish was coined an American favorite during World War II, when soldiers would answer the question, "Why are you going to war?" with, "For mom and apple pie." Since then, many things throughout history have been credited as being "as American as apple pie."
Apple Pie and Politics
As apple pie is considered to be an "All-American" dish, there has been an ongoing debate about whether the American Dream, an idea that has shifted meaning over time, is dead or alive.
Photo Credit: 4ever.com
Pessimists attain their view largely to the fact that student debt has skyrocketed and employment opportunities are scarce. In fact, lack of job opportunities have contributed to the doubling of poverty levels among young people to more than 15 percent, compared with the 8 percent experienced by early baby boomers at a similar point in their lives. Additionally, student debt and defaults have continued to rise, surpassing $1.3 trillion last year. These economic pitfalls have prevented young people from reaching milestones in life, such as buying a home or getting married, which can have an impact on one's quality of life.
Optimists, on the other hand, say that the American Dream is alive and well in the traditional sense, though they acknowledge that the term means different things to different people and has evolved over time. For example, new Americans on the whole believe that live has been much better for them in America, whereas Americans who have lived in the country for a while tend to look past the traditional meaning of the American Dream (decent job, home ownership, good education, better life for kids) and measure the American Dream in terms of wealth acquired. According to CNBC's Evan Rosenfeld, only 40% of Americans over age 18 believe they are living the American Dream, however, those same 7.015 people surveyed reported owning a home, having a good education, and giving their children better lives than they themselves had. Optimists believe that while the American Dream is alive in the traditional sense, they also report feeling less financially secure and may feel that they are not living the American Dream when it comes to wealth.
What do you think? Is the American Dream alive or dead? Let me know your opinions!
Apple Pie and Pop Culture
Apple pie has made a statement in American culture in many ways over the years, especially through advertisements, music, art, and film.
For example, in the 1950s and 1960s, advertisements showed housewives baking pies as a symbol for a happy family.
Photo Credit: Solo Foods
In 1975, Chevrolet came up with the song "Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet." Apple pie was further established as an American classic by being associated alongside two of America's favorite pastimes, which are watching baseball while eating hot dogs. Chevrolet recently reintroduced this jingle in 2012.
Photo Credit: ShareMania
Additionally, one of America's favorite pop singers, Britney Spears, featured apple pie in her 2009 hit music video, "If U Seek Amy."
Photo Credit: Rose Hayden-Smith
Famous artist James Montgomery Flagg is widely credited with designing variations of the legendary Uncle Sam "I want you" poster for the United States government. Additionally, the popular American artist is known for painting women baking pies, as shown above, helping apple pies rise to prominence in American culture.
In 1999, the wildly popular comedy, "American Pie" was released, winning over hearts with its raunchy, vividly honest humor about high school, adulthood, friendship, and sex. The 90's classic was the catalyst that transformed apple pie from a simple comforting dessert to a symbol of freedom, belonging, and growing up in American culture.
Upside Down Caramel Apple Pie
Photo Credit: Robin Savoie
15 Oz. Package Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (Or Homemade)
1 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Cold Butter, Cubed
1/3 Cup Cold Shortening, Cubed
4 – 6 Tbsp. Cold Water
Pecan Layer:
3 Tbsp. Butter, Softened & Divided
1 1/2 Cups Pecan Halves (Tip)
2 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp. Ground Allspice
2 1/2 Cups Honeycrisp Apples, Peeled, Cored & Thinly Sliced
2 1/2 Cups Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored & Thinly Sliced
1/2 Gallon Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
If Using Homemade Pie Crust: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cover and pulse until blended. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. While processing, gradually add water until dough forms a ball.
Divide dough in half so that one portion is slightly larger than the other; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until easy to handle.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 450°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-Inch pie pan with parchment paper. Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter (pecan layer) over parchment paper.
Press pecan halves into butter around sides and bottom of pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Spray edges of pan with non-stick cooking spray. If using store bought pie crust, place one pie crust over pecans; press evenly.
Otherwise, on a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough to fit bottom and sides of pie plate. Transfer to plate; press the crust firmly against pecans and sides of pie plate. Trim edges.
Prepare Filling: In large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Toss apples in flour mixture; spoon into pastry in plate. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cover with second pie crust; crimp edges. Cut two or three slits in top crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake an additional 35 – 40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Tip: You can use chopped pecans if preferred. I like to use halved because it makes for better presentation. The above illustration, I used chopped, my guests that day preferred them that way.
Fields, Liz. "Young People Are Poorer, Jobless, and Believe That the American Dream is Dead." VICE News. VICE News, 12 January 2016. Web. 10 September 2016.
Lanin, Colleen. "Where was Apple Pie Invented?" Travel Mamas. Travel Mamas, 5 July 2012. Web. 10 September 2016.
Rosenfeld, Evan. "American Dream is Still Alive, But Unrecognized." USA Today. USA Today, 5 July 2014. Web. 10 September 2016.
"The History of Apple Pies in American Popular Culture." Solo Foods. Solo Foods, 3 July 2012. Web 10 September 2016.
COPYRIGHT 2016 Meagan Nelson & Dinner and Democracy. All Rights Reserved.
The Scoop on Ice Cream
Meagan Nelson	May 31, 2016
Isn't a freezing cold, creamy ice cream cone with bold flavors one of the best things you can eat on a hot summer day? One of my favorite memories that I had recently was when my friend Beth and I were drinking cocktails, watching "Sex and the City," and sharing birthday cake ice cream. It was one of the best heart-to-heart girl's nights I've had in a long time, largely due to the fact that Beth can make me feel better about everything, no matter if its about work, relationships, family, literally anything. If you have friends like that, hang on to them. Let's learn about how this spring and summer favorite came about, how it relates to the current election and how it relates to some of America's favorite celebrities!
Photo Credit: Man Repeller
Ice Cream and History
A.D. 618–907: The origins of ice cream date back to China's T'ang period, probably as a dish for the country's rulers. The founder of the dynasty, King T'ang of Shang, kept 94 "ice men" on hand to lug ice to the palace to make a dish made of koumiss (heated, fermented milk), flour, and camphor.
1744: The first written account of ice cream was from American colonists who brought recipes back from Europe and dined at the home of Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen.
1782: George Washington claims to possess "a cream machine for ice."
1843: Nancy M. Johnson of Philadelphia patents the "artificial freezer" containing a tub, cylinder, lid, dasher, and crank. This design is still widely used today.
1851: Baltimore dairyman Jacob Fussell opened the first commercial ice cream factory. Ice cream factories were built in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore. Business boomed, and Fussell became the father of the wholesale ice cream industry.
1880: Buffalo, NY; Evanston, IL; Two Rivers, WI; and Ithaca, NY all claim to have invented the ice cream sundae. Wherever it happened, it first started appearing in soda fountains during the 1880's. It was invented because ice cream sodas weren't allowed to be sold on Sundays; the ice cream sundae was a way to circumvent that restriction. On September 22, 1903, there is a recorded application for a patent for the ice cream cone by Italo Marchiony.
1939: Grocery stores didn't start selling ice cream until the 1930's, and by WWII, ice cream had become so popular that it turned into somewhat of an American symbol (Mussolini banned it in Italy for that same reason). Ice cream was great for troop morale, and in 1943, the U.S. Armed Forces were the world's largest ice cream manufacturers.
Photo Credits: Royalty-Free
Sources: Old Farmer's Almanac. "The History of Ice Cream." The Old Farmer's Almanac. Yankee Publishing, Dublin: N.D. Web. 29 May 2016.
Ice Cream and Politics
Did you know that Ben and Jerry's created a special ice cream flavor called "Empowermint" specially designed to encourage Americans to perform their civic duty and vote? At a time like now, this is more important than ever. If you don't think that your vote matters or that things will not change…I COMPLETELY understand.
Photo Credits: Brand Eating
Having worked for very powerful people in the Democratic Party and Republican Party, watching the big wigs of the main two parties shut new ideas down when strategizing, show up to work hungover, steal work from interns to get a raise, hold secret fundraising meetings and…the worst…argue and try to sound super intellectual with people and not being open to their ideas just so they can be "right," I completely lost faith in American politics. Even when I briefly became very actively involved with the Libertarian third party, I became disillusioned that the party was the smallest and had so many different ideas within the party…though it was, by far, the kindest, most passionate group of people I had come across. I shared these concerns with Huffington Post contributor and founder of Blue Republican Radio, Robin Koerner.
Robin said to me…"I completely sympathize with you. However, I still have faith. We need to speak to the injustices that people are feeling. When politicians get too technical, people cannot relate, and feel like they are not being sympathized with. This is something that all parties (especially ours) are guilty of. But when I personally speak about these injustices all over the country, people tell me that these are often the best speeches they've heard. That's why I still believe we are on the right track."
I always found this anecdote to be inspirational, though I never fully believed it until I saw the news a few nights ago…Gary Johnson, the third party candidate, was trending on national news and gained his support to TEN PERCENT OF THE VOTE in a very short period of time. Robin had been right all along. Change is upon us, and it is all in our power to make it so.
This fact is true, in this election most particularly. Whether you're for Trump, Sanders, Hillary, or Johnson (I support your right to make your personal choices!)… the fact is, we have these fringe candidates gaining so much attention because these injustices are finally being addressed, and we the people are single-handedly voicing our opinions to change the status quo. And guess what? The numbers don't lie. It's working.
If you take away anything from this, please let it be that YOUR VOICE, and YOUR VOTE, matter, and it will make its mark in this election more than ever before. Here are a few quick facts about voting in the United States from Heather Sanders:
Photo Credit: Secular Policy Institute
Why do we vote on Tuesday? In 1845, because we were an agrarian society that travelled by horse and buggy, farmers needed a day to get a county seat, vote, and get back. Because Wednesday was Market Day and Sundays were days of worship, Tuesday was the only logical day. In 1875 Congress extended the Tuesday date for national House elections and in 1914 for federal Senate elections.
In 1888, Massachusetts became the first state to adopt a statewide secret ballot system.
On June 4, 1919, women received the right to vote.
The Voting Rights Act, passed on August 6, 1965, was passed to prevent discriminatory voting practices against African-Americans.
In 1943, Georgia became the first state to lower its voting age to 18.
Every state has a different voter registration deadline.
About 60% of America's eligible voting population casts their vote during election years.
The Millennial generation accounts for 50% of the electorate.
Pew Research Center surveys indicate that 50% of Millennials describe themselves as political independents and 29% claim to not be affiliated with any religion.
In 2012, 4% more young women voted than men.
Maine and Vermont are the only states that allow felons to vote from prison.
Based on the current allocation of electoral votes, a candidate could win the presidency with electoral majorities in only 11 states. Conversely, a candidate could win every vote in 39 states and DC and still lose the presidency.
Cave, James. "Ben & Jerry's New Flavor 'Empower Mint' Is More Political and Punny Than Ever." The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, Inc. 17 May 2016. Web. 29 May 2016.
"Gary Johnson: Why You Should Vote Libertarian." CNN. CNN, 31 May 2016. Web. 31 May 2016.
Sanders, Heather. "Twenty Interesting Things About Voting in the United States." The Pioneer Woman. WordPress, 4 November 2014. Web. 29 May 2016.
Ice Cream and Pop Culture
Some of our favorite comedians and celebrities have received the honor of getting their very own ice cream flavor from Ben and Jerry's! Here is a quick list about the flavors, their backgrounds, and their charity proceeds:
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 0213 — Pictured: Host Jimmy Fallon surprises a guest at a Ben & Jerry's scoop shop on February 18, 2015 — (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC)
Country Peach Cobbler
Celebrity: Willie Nelson
Background: Made because of artist's beloved country music
Cause: Farm Aid
Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road
Celebrity: Sir Elton John
Background: Refers to artist's hit album and song of same title
Cause: The Elton John Aids Foundation
Scotchy Scotch Scotch
Celebrity: Will Ferrell
Background: Named for "Anchorman" character
Magic Brownies
Celebrity: Dave Matthews Band
Background: Created to fight global warming
Cause: Environmentalism
Vermonty Python
Celebrity: Monty Python Cast
Background: Named in honor of show
Phish Food
Celebrity: PHISH
Background: Named after artist for environmental efforts
Cause: Clean up Lake Champlain
Schweddy Balls
Celebrity: Alec Baldwin
Background: Named after famous "SNL" sketch
Americone Dream
Celebrity: Stephen Colbert
Background: Named in honor of "The Late Show" and "The Colbert Report"
Cause: The Stephen Colbert Americone Dream Fund
Cherry Garcia
Celebrity: Jerry Garcia of Grateful Dead
Background: Commemorates musician
Yes Pecan
Celebrity: Barack Obama
Background: Honors 2008 campaign slogan
Cause: Common Cause Educational Fund
Hannah Teter's Maple Blondie
Celebrity: Hannah Teter
Background: Named in honor of snowboarder
Imagine Whirled Peace
Celebrity: John Lennon
Background: Refers to famous song "Imagine," promotes world peace
Cause: Global non-violence (Peace One Day)
Neapolitan Dynamite
Celebrity: Jon Heder
Background: Named after "Napoleon Dynamite" character
Ben & Jerry's. "Our Flavors." Ben & Jerry's. Ben & Jerry's, N.D. Web. 29 May 2016.
Seemayer, Zach. "14 Ben & Jerry's Flavors Named After Celebrities." ET Online. CBS Studios, Inc., 20 July 2014. Web. 29 May 2016.
1 (18.25 oz) Chocolate Fudge cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
½ gallon of ice cream
In a large bowl, add the cake mix, eggs, and canola oil.
Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are mixed with together and it looks like cookie dough. You don't want any dry cake mix to remain.
Drop spoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop) on a baking sheet. You will need 2 sheets in order to use up all of the dough.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
Allow your ice cream to soften slightly if needed. This can be done by letting the carton sit on the counter for a minute or two.
Place a scoop of ice cream on a cookie. Place another cookie on top and gently press the cookies together to slightly flatten the ice cream. Repeat this process with the remaining cookies, but only assemble them when you are ready to eat them.
Makes 10-12 ice cream sandwiches. I got 11.
Source: Royalty-Free (For link to recipe, click here)
A Chat About Chocolate
Meagan Nelson	February 12, 2016
Chocolate is, in my opinion, the best treat you could ever use to say to a friend or significant other, "I love you." For me, chocolate is filled with nothing but memories of love, since it often brings together the people I care about the most. For example, my father and I share chocolate truffles every night I come home to Seattle, my high school friends and I split chocolate cake for girl's night the last time they flew in from Chicago, and my boyfriend and I share chocolates together whenever there is a holiday. And what's a better time to write about chocolate than when Valentine's Day is just around the corner? Let's take a look at chocolate's ever-changing role in the world over time.
Source: Royalty Free Image
Chocolate and Pop Culture
What's a better way to spend this Valentine's Day than to Netflix and chill? While "Netflix and Chill," sessions have skyrocketed in popularity (especially among college students), so too has the desire to enjoy some yummy snacks while watching our favorite flicks, (especially with services like GrubHub, GoPuff, and UberEats). Chocolate has made its way into four out of the ten recipes on Spoon University's list of the Best Snacks to Upgrade Your Netflix and Chill, which just proves how beloved and relevant that chocolate remains in American culinary (and pop) culture. Don't forget to enjoy Spoon University's Aphrodisiac Brownies recipe at the end of the article!
Photo Credit: Ezra Bailey/Getty Images
Source: Solloway, Ellie. "11 Snacks to Make Next Time You Netflix and Chill." Spoon University. Spoon Media, Inc. 8 October 2015. Web. 12 February 2016.
Chocolate and History
Chocolate is known as "The Food of the Gods", and actually started out as a bitter beverage before it became the sweet dessert it is today. Anthropologists have found evidence that chocolate was produced by pre-Olmec cultures living in present-day Mexico as early as 1900 B.C. The ancient Mesoamericans who first cultivated cacao plants found in the tropical rainforests of Central America fermented, roasted and ground the cacao beans into a paste that they mixed with water, vanilla, honey, chili peppers and other spices to brew a frothy chocolate drink (Klein).
Olmec, Mayan and Aztec civilizations found chocolate to be an invigorating drink, mood enhancer and aphrodisiac, which led them to believe that it possessed mystical and spiritual qualities. The Mayans worshipped a god of cacao and reserved chocolate for rulers, warriors, priests and nobles at sacred ceremonies (Klein). In the 14th century, when the Aztecs rose to power in Central America, they could not grow cocoa beans, so they traded them with the Mayans as a form of currency (Klein). In the 1500s, Spanish conquistadors such as Hernán Cortés who sought gold and silver in Mexico returned instead with chocolate. Although the Spanish sweetened the bitter drink with cane sugar and cinnamon, one thing remained unchanged: chocolate was still a delectable symbol of luxury, wealth and power. Chocolate was sipped by royal lips, and only Spanish elites could afford the expensive import (Klein).
While Spain managed to keep chocolate under wraps for almost a century, when King Phillip III's daughter wed French King Louis XIII in 1615, she brought her love of chocolate with her to France. The popularity of chocolate quickly spread to other European courts, and aristocrats consumed it as a magic elixir with salubrious benefits (Klein). Because of chocolate's growing hype, European powers established plantations around the world to grow cocoa and sugar, importing African slaves to maintain the production of chocolate (see: "Chocolate and Politics" below) (Klein).
Chocolate remained a delicacy reserved for the aristocracy until Dutch Chemist invented the cocoa press in 1828, paving the way for modern chocolate-making. The cocoa press could squeeze the fatty cocoa butter from roasted cacao beans, leaving behind a dry cake that could be pulverized into a fine powder that could be mixed with liquids and other ingredients, poured into molds and solidified into edible, easily digestible chocolate. This machine made chocolate production easier and thus more affordable to the public, as well as transformed chocolate into a baking ingredient.
In 1847, British chocolate company J.S. Fry & Sons created the first solid edible chocolate bar from cocoa butter, cocoa powder and sugar. Rodolphe Lindt's 1879 invention of the conching machine, which produced chocolate with a velvety texture and superior taste, and other advances allowed for the mass production of smooth, creamy milk chocolate on factory assembly lines (Klein). Later on, Cadbury, Mars and Hershey companies made their way into the chocolate craze of the 1800s to 1900s (Klein). Today, the average American consumes 12 lbs. of chocolate each year, and more than $75 billion worldwide is spent on chocolate annually (Klein).
Source: Klein, Christopher. "The History of Chocolate." Hungry History. A&E Television Networks, LLC. 13 February 2014, Web. 12 February 2016.
Chocolate and Politics
While chocolate is often given to others as an expression of love, and is, of course, a sexual aphrodisiac, there is nothing worse than the slavery that comes with human trafficking in the chocolate industry, or human trafficking associated with sex slavery.
The heartbreaking truth is, according to The Huffington Post, an investigative report by the BBC shows that hundreds of thousands of children are being purchased from their parents or outright stolen and then shipped to Ivory Coast, where they are enslaved on cocoa farms. Destitute parents in these poverty-stricken lands sell their children to traffickers believing that they will find honest work in Ivory Coast and send some of their earnings home. The terrible reality is that these children, 11-to-16-years-old but sometimes younger, are forced to do hard manual labor 80 to 100 hours a week. They are paid nothing, receive no education, are under fed, and are often viciously beaten if they try to escape. Most will never see their families again.
Source: Gregory, Amanda. "Chocolate and Child Slavery: Say No to Human Trafficking this Holiday Season." HuffPost Taste. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. 18 December 2014. Web. 12 February 2016.
Additionally, here are some devastating facts about sex trafficking in the United States according to The Polaris Project:
Sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery that exists throughout the United States and globally. Sex traffickers use violence, threats, lies, debt bondage, and other forms of coercion to compel adults and children to engage in commercial sex acts against their will. Under U.S. federal law, any minor under the age of 18 years induced into commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking—regardless of whether or not the trafficker used force, fraud, or coercion. The situations that sex trafficking victims face vary dramatically. Many victims become romantically involved with someone who then forces or manipulates them into prostitution. Others are lured in with false promises of a job, such as modeling or dancing. Some are forced to sell sex by their parents or other family members. They may be involved in a trafficking situation for a few days or weeks, or may remain in the same trafficking situation for years.
Victims of sex trafficking can be U.S. citizens, foreign nationals, women, men, children, and LGBTQ individuals. Vulnerable populations are frequently targeted by traffickers, including runaway and homeless youth, as well as victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, war, or social discrimination. Sex trafficking occurs in a range of venues including fake massage businesses, via online ads or escort services, in residential brothels, on the street or at truck stops, or at hotels and motels.
• Since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline, operated by Polaris, has received reports of 14,588 sex trafficking cases inside the United States.
• In 2014, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children estimated that 1 in 6 endangered runaways reported to them were likely sex trafficking victims.
• Globally, the International Labor Organization estimates that there are 4.5 million people trapped in forced sexual exploitation globally.
• In a 2014 report, the Urban Institute estimated that the underground sex economy ranged from $39.9 million in Denver, Colorado, to $290 million in Atlanta, Georgia.
Source: "Sex Trafficking." Polaris. Polaris, N.D. Web. 12 February 2016.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING FOR LABOR PURPOSES:
The Huffington Post suggests a few ways that you can take part in the fight against human trafficking. These are:
*Fill out Hershey's corporate responsibility online survey. Urge them to establish an ethical and slavery-free supply chain. Tell them you won't have your money contributing to human trafficking.
*For as little as $6, get a DVD copy of the film The Dark Side of Chocolate, along with information about Fair Trade, from the dedicated people at Green America. Watch it, show it to your friends, and spread the word.
* EDUCATE YOURSELF AND OTHERS. Tweet about this article, pin it, and post it to your Facebook page. Spread the word until this dirty little secret is completely out in the open.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN SEX SLAVERY:
Thankfully, there are multiple organizations across the world that are working together to end human trafficking. While governments ultimately have a large responsibility to enforce laws against human trafficking, we, as individuals can also take part in volunteering for or donating to organizations that end human trafficking. I am not going to pick out particular ones to endorse, but I will simply leave a list of organizations here that fight sex trafficking, and let you, as my readers, decide which one is the most meaningful to you and which one you would like to donate to:
http://www.ijm.org
http://www.ralphahouse.org
http://www.castla.org
http://www.myrefugehouse.org
http://www.streetlightphx.com
http://www.gems-girls.org
http://www.iamatreasure.com
http://www.misssey.org
http://www.polarisproject.org
http://www.facesofslavery.org
http://www.livingwaterforgirls.org
http://www.lifeimpactintl.org
http://www.childrenofthenight.org
http://www.operationsafehouse.org
http://www.zoechildren.org
http://www.dreamcenter.org
http://www.thea21campaign.org
http://www.crtec.org
http://www.notforsalecampaign.org
http://www.oasisusa.org
http://www.thesoldproject.org
http://www.nightlightinternational.org
http://www.love146.org
http://www.californiaagainstslavery.org
http://www.stopenslavement.org/sdshopehouse.html
http://www.speakupforthepoor.org
http://www.breakingfree.net
http://www.caase.org
http://www.veronicasvoice.org
http://www.sagesf.org
http://www.juvenilejusticefund.org
http://www.jri.org
http://www.paulandlisa.org
http://www.challengingheights.org
http://www.savinginnocence.org
http://www.mmp.org
Source: "Organizations." Slavery No More. Slavery No More, N.D. Web. 12 February 2016.
This is a friendly reminder for everyone this Valentine's Day to enjoy the company of your friends or significant others, to Netflix and chill, and to practice safe, consensual sex. ❤
Have a wonderful weekend everybody and please enjoy Spoon University's Aphrodisiac Brownie recipe found below 🙂
Aphrodisiac Brownies
Photo Credit: Kristine Mahan
Servings: 12 (3-inch-square = 1 serving)
Ingredients: ½ cup room temperature refined coconut oil
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao)
chopped 4 room temperature eggs
¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup extra dark chocolate baking chips (at least 60% cacao)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9 x 13 inch pan (I use coconut oil cooking spray, but butter works just fine).
2. In 30-second bursts in the microwave, melt the coconut oil with the bittersweet chocolate, stirring often. It is important to let the mixture cool before using it in the batter, to keep your brownies from getting dry and heavy.
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs and salt together with a fork until light and foamy.
4. Add the vanilla and both sugars gradually to the egg mixture, beating until well-blended.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the cayenne and cinnamon into the flour.
6. Using a wide rubber spatula, fold the cooled melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
7. Fold in the dry ingredients.
8. Add dark chocolate baking chips, being careful not to over-mix the batter.
9. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan, and bake until the surface is firm, about 25 minutes.
Source: Pizzo, Michelle. "Get Lucky Tonight with These Aphrodisiac Brownies." Spoon University. Spoon Media Inc., 15 April 2015. Web. 12 February 2016.
© 2016 Meagan Nelson & Dinner and Democracy. All Rights Reserved.


Born on November 14, 1947 in New Hampshire, United States.
Passed away on October 16, 2017 in United States.
This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Rickie Stone 69 years old , born on November 14, 1947 and passed away on October 16, 2017. We will remember him forever.


TIP! Read about your prospective host to see what sort of websites they deal with. You need to be concerned with the ability to create dynamic pages.
You can make your website available through a website hosting service. In advance of paying any money to any web host, there are some things you should do to make sure you pick a good one. Keep reading to find out how to recognize the best hosting service possible.
There are free hosting services available, but tread carefully. Make sure to back up everything that you want to keep, because free hosts don't usually provide any sort of backup service. Remember, you get what you pay for. If they lose your data and you have no backups, you've lost everything.
TIP! Think carefully before switching to a free hosting service. These services often require you to have banners and ads on your site.
Find a hosting service with enough space to allow your website to grow. If you plan to add videos or pictures to your site, you will need more space than a site that uses basic HTML scripting. For most websites, 100MB of space is adequate for the future growth of the site.
If you want to save some money, try out a free host. A free web host will place ads that are out of your control on the site, and you will not have as much space as you might want. If you want a professional site though, avoid free website hosting.
TIP! Pick a host that has received a number of accolades and awards. Knowing that others have used the company and have been satisfied with the service, is a strong indicator of a good company.
If you can, get a web hosting service with a guarantee for your money back. Canceling your service should be your right if you aren't satisfied with what you signed up for within 30 days. Not every web host is as good as advertised.
Can you talk directly with current and former customers of web host companies that you are considering? Ask your questions and mention your concerns to find out if these clients are satisfied. You can be more confident about your site after you choose a good company based on these discussions. If you have the chance to talk to a current customer, you will have access to the best information.
Get a web host with many hosting awards. This can help you judge their service and support. While these awards are sometimes fictitious, most sites use legitimate ones that are achieved through the site's users casting a vote for that site to win. Host with many fan-voted awards should definitely be considered.
The hosting company that you choose should be able to support all programming languages you use, or plan to sometime use on your site. You simply cannot create a streamlined user experience with insufficient support for your content. Also, you are not going to have the support you need in the future if you choose to start using one of the programming languages that your host does not accommodate. Changing hosts can be a bothersome task.
If you want your website to be viewed online, you have to have a hosting service. Shop smartly for a website hosting service or you will regret any hasty decision later on. The hints and tips you've been given can help you choose a website hosting service that is both reliable and affordable.


text:
Tor.com content by
Steven Barnes
Fiction and Excerpts [2]
Twelve Days
Wed Jun 7, 2017 4:00pm
Paranormal, Thriller || Around the world, leaders and notorious criminals alike are mysteriously dying. A terrorist group promises a series of deaths within two months. And against the backdrop of the apocalypse, the lives of a small shattered family and a broken soldier are transformed in the bustling city of Atlanta.
The Seascape Tattoo
Larry Niven and Steven Barnes
Fri Jun 3, 2016 11:00am
Epic Fantasy || Aros of Azteca and Neoloth-Pteor are the deadliest of enemies--but when the princess is kidnapped, Aros and Neoloth must work together to infiltrate the deadliest cabal of necromancers the world has ever seen.
Wed Jun 7, 2017 4:00pm Post a comment 1 Favorite [+]
Around the world, leaders and notorious criminals alike are mysteriously dying. A terrorist group promises a series of deaths within two months. And against the backdrop of the apocalypse, the lives of a small shattered family and a broken soldier are transformed in the bustling city of Atlanta.
Olympia Dorsey is a journalist and mother, with a cynical teenage daughter and an autistic son named Hannibal, all trying to heal from a personal tragedy. Across the street, Ex–Special Forces soldier Terry Nicolas and his wartime unit have reunited Stateside to carry out a risky heist that will not only right a terrible injustice, but also set them up for life—at the cost of their honor. Terry and the family's visit to an unusual martial arts exhibition brings them into contact with Madame Gupta, a teacher of singular skill who offers not just a way for Terry to tap into mastery beyond his dreams, but also for Hannibal to transcend the limits of his condition. But to see these promises realized, Terry will need to betray those with whom he fought and bled.
Meanwhile, as the death toll gains momentum and society itself teeters on the edge of collapse, Olympia's fragile clan is placed in jeopardy, and Terry comes to understand the terrible price he must pay to prevent catastrophe.
A broken family struggles to hold itself together against a plot to unleash global genocide in Twelve Days, a paranormal thriller from master storyteller Steven Barnes—available June 27th from Tor Books.
Fri Jun 3, 2016 11:00am Post a comment Favorite This
Aros of Azteca and Neoloth-Pteor are the deadliest of enemies: Swordsman and Sorcerer, locked in mortal combat, who have tried to kill each other more times than either can count. But when the princess Neoloth loves is kidnapped, there is only one plan that offers any hope of rescue… and that requires passing off the barbarian Aros as a lost princeling and infiltrating the deadliest cabal of necromancers the world has ever seen. They cannot trust each other. They will betray or kill each other the first chance they get. But they're all each other has.
The latest spellbinding adventure in Larry Niven's acclaimed collaborations with Steven Barnes, The Seascape Tattoo publishes June 28th from Tor Books!


What is the Federal LCA Commons?
The Federal LCA Commons is an unfunded collaboration among Federal agencies that are involved with life cycle assessment on some level. The ultimate objective of this concept is to bring together data developed through the specific missions of various agencies to assemble components of a background data set for applicable sectors of the U.S. economy.
Initially, the Federal Commons will be a data catalog and archive built on the DKAN platform. This development has not yet begun. In the meantime, the Federal Commons is simply a web page with links to our Federal partners sites.


"In the spring of 1988, I returned to New Orleans, and as soon as I smelled the air, I knew I was home.
wafts through the wet streets in the thick damp air.
as hordes of gaudy dressed tourists go strolling by.
tough way to make a meager living.
when we danced till dawn and cheap red wine was always flowing.
Author's Note: Over at the garden, Margaret is asking us to write about our favorite town to take a stroll in. I chose to write about one of my favorites- New Orleans.
I really enjoyed this, I can feel the atmosphere of New Orleans and it makes me want to partake.
New Orleans sounds enchanting, Linda! How lucky you are to live in a place where blues and jazz are always playing on the streets.
Thank you Kim. It was a vacation we took in 2005, and then we went back in 2014. It's such a cool city. I could see myself living there easily.
Oh, it sounds delightful! Particularly the smells and the music.
You have described Nola perfectly. I know so many musicians who live there. Someday I am going to spend some time in your city.
Thank you Susie! It's a wonderful city.
New Orleans has always appealed to me…….I feel I have been there now, through this poem. I especially love the lone trumpet player, still there in the early hours.
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Sherry.
carefree and young… I have never (YET) been to New Orleans but my Father-in-law loved it.
Thank you! It's a wonderful city.


text:
Alan Chartock's The Capitol Connection: The…
Alan Chartock's The Capitol Connection: The Working Families Party is here to stay
Alan Chartock
By Alan Chartock |
PUBLISHED: September 20, 2019 at 3:30 a.m. | UPDATED: July 21, 2021 at 5:20 a.m.
The Working Families Party is a good thing in New York politics. It offers a progressive alternative to the Democrats and the good old boys. It also offers voters a chance to vote for people of their choice on a ballot other than that proposed by the Democrats. In the old days, New York had something called the Liberal Party but that group went south. People grew disgusted and it disappeared. Nature abhors a vacuum so the Working Families group came about. For the most part, they endorse Democrats but every once in a while they fire a shot. They endorsed Andrew Cuomo's opponent, Cynthia Nixon, in the past statewide primary.
Sometimes Andrew Cuomo doesn't forget old hurts. Among the things he wants to get done this year is a new law that disallows the votes for a candidate on a third party line. Unfortunately for him, none of his political colleagues seems willing to go along with his plan. Being a practitioner of getting inside of Andrew's head, I get it. You simply can't allow your political enemies to dis you. If you do, you only invite more of the same. But since so many of his political office holding colleagues have been elected using those very same Working Families lines, they are not going along. That puts them between the devil and the deep blue sea.
On the one hand, by not going along with the governor's plans to disallow third party voting, they risk alienating Andrew. When you do that you proceed at your own risk. On other hand, you risk ticking off the Working Families people and that can come back and bite you in the posterior. They might decide not to offer you their lines. That could mean your political destruction.
On yet the third hand, the leaders of both legislative Democratic majorities have been seizing upon various opportunities to make it clear to the governor that they play their own hands. They suspect that Andrew never liked the idea of a Democratic Conference that would not knuckle under to his wishes the way that the now out of office endangered Republicans did.
On the fourth hand, let's remember that these Working Families people can really sting. Just look at their success with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who beat one of the most entrenched of the old pols, Joseph Crowley. That sure made a lot of people, including Andrew Cuomo, open their eyes. Put another way, the rules are changing.
I recently had a long conversation with Karen Scharff, the co-leader of the Working Families Party. She made it pretty clear that if the governor did win out in his plan to disallow third party voting, her group would bring him to court because of their belief that the New York State Constitution protects their right to do what they are doing. What's more, Scharff says that the governor has thrown a "poison pill" into a commission that was established to bring pubic funding of elections like those in New York City and Connecticut. It would corrupt the work of the public funding commission by having the commission, controlled by the governor (he'll deny that) insist on no third party endorsements. Scharff says he inserted this poison pill because "…he does not like things that he doesn't control." According to Scharff, this is direct payback for the WFP's endorsement for his opponent in the last election. What's more, her party successfully "went all out" to defeat the traitorous Independent Democratic Conference who were aiding and abetting the Republicans in the Senate to stay in power.
So it looks to me like the Working Families Party is here to stay, as it should be. One wonders whether the real intention of the governor is ruin the chances of a successful program to install public funding of elections.
Alan Chartock is professor emeritus at the State University of New York, publisher of the Legislative Gazette and president and CEO of the WAMC Northeast Public Radio Network. Readers can email him at alan@wamc.org.
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