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DARIUS TO HOST "ON PAR WITH DARIUS RUCKER" ON SIRIUSXM
Darius Rucker, an avid golfer and passionate fan of the game, will host a new monthly show on SiriusXM's 24/7 golf channel, SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio. On Par with Darius Rucker will debut July 26 (3:00-4:00 pm ET) and will feature Rucker's perspective on the game as a devoted player (he is a single-digit handicap) and fan.
Rucker is friendly with many active players on both the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and he is a partner at MGC Sports, a sports agency that currently represents golfers and other athletes. He will invite the game's stars as well as other celebrities with a passion for golf on the show for conversations that will span the worlds of golf and entertainment.
"They say that rock stars want to be pro athletes, and pro athletes want to be rock stars, and there is definitely some truth to that," said Rucker. "It's no secret that music and golf are two passions of mine. I've been lucky enough to play with and get to know well some of the best golfers on tour. While we're on the course, I'm looking for swing tips and all they want to do is talk music. SiriusXM is the perfect place to blend both of those worlds into one show, and I am really excited to get started."
"Darius is a very talented and versatile entertainer. He is also a fun-loving and engaging guy who is absolutely infatuated with the game of golf, which is something so many of us can relate to," said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM's President and Chief Content Officer. "SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio is an excellent forum for him to share that passion for golf and we are very excited to work with him on what will be a very unique and entertaining show."
Darius Rucker first attained multi-platinum status as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Hootie & the Blowfish. Since re-introducing himself to the world as a solo country artist, his musical life has had a remarkable second act that has featured many chart-topping hits. Rucker's as-yet-untitled fifth Capitol Records Nashville album will be released later this year.
Rucker's passion for golf has been conspicuous since the game played a prominent role in the 1995 music video for "Only Wanna Be With You," one of the earliest hits for Hootie & the Blowfish. He plays nearly every day when he is touring and was a VIP guest of Team USA at the 2016 Ryder Cup.
Rucker is also actively involved with several golf events. These include the "Darius Rucker Intercollegiate," the annual women's college golf tournament held in Hilton Head; the Annual Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters celebrity pro-am tournament; the "Darius and Friends" concert and golf tournament that raised over $1 million for St. Jude Children's Hospital in the eight years since its inception; as well as the ACM Lifting Lives® Golf Classic charity tournament.
The SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel is available to listeners nationwide on satellite radios (Sirius channel 208, XM channel 92) and on the SiriusXM app. Go to www.SiriusXM.com/SiriusXMPGATOURRadio for more info.


Family Financial Centers, LLC, is pleased to announce its new location in Chester, Pennsylvania. This is the fifth location for franchisee and owner Paul Shinder and his wife, Olga.
Family Financial Centers, LLC, has joined with Retail Gold Brokers, Inc. to facilitate the gold purchasing process from our customers. "It is another service that helps differentiate our brand from all the other stores that offer check cashing.
Family Financial Centers announces its first center located in Newark, NJ.
7 years ago, 49872 views, By Family Financial Centers, LLC.
Family Financial Centers, LLC, is pleased to announce its new location in the Sunoco Plaza Shopping Center in Hilliard Ohio.
Family Financial Centers, LLC, is pleased to announce its new location in the Wash Works Laundromat at 953 East Main Street in Stamford, CT.
2012 Toyota Camry VS 2012 Hyundai Sonata - Which Would You Rather Drive?
The 2012 Hyundai Sonata GLS is priced lower than the 2012 Toyota Camry L, and offers more standard equipment. Gartner Hyundai, located in Aurora IL, reviews the two mid-size sedans. Styling, equipment, MSRP, and more.
7 years ago, 6462 views, By Artists First, Inc.
Hip Hop/R&B supergroup KIN4LIFE returns to Inferno Dominican Republic for the second consecutive year and will open for six-time Grammy nominee Marsha Ambrosius at the Labor Day weekend event.
Where is the best place to position my radiator?
When revamping your heating system you may feel restricted by the current position of pipework. However, with the latest radiator technology and ever improving insulation of properties, you now have the freedom to go for fresh new options.
Usually, small meaningful items are widely used as birthday gifts. Now, a crystal glass bracelet can be wonderful birthday gift for girls.
2012 Audi Q7 Now Available for Export From The USA With Dealer Export- TAX FREE!
Are you interested in exporting luxury, high end vehicles from the USA? We specialize in EXPORT, and can get you the new 2012 Audi Q7 you've been dreaming of, and at a price you've been dreaming of to accompany it.
To uncover the perfect gift idea for your Boss, you will need gift suggestions which are impressive, yet have a slight personal touch to it. Included are several suggestions to allow you to get your Boss a great gift.
Chelsea Rae Gregory, Miss South Carolina International 2011, will be the MC for Dancing with the Cleveland County Stars that will benefit Communities in Schools of Cleveland County, NC.
Play is one of the many diffusion brands of the Comme des Garçons empire. Play Comme des Garçons is a younger men's and women's casual streetwear with bug-eyed heart logo which was created from the New York graphic artist Filip Pagowski.
Trends in dresses and first communion outfits for the 2011 season: classic cuts and modern models in silk or cotton, accessories and headbands.
All California-licensed occupational therapists renewing a license must certify that they completed the required number of professional development units (PDU) through participation in professional development activities.


Home » Who was the Norse god Thor?
Thor was the German god of strength, and the god of thunder and lightning (like Jupiter or Zeus). These three gods of the Greeks, Romans, and Germans were more or less the same because they all came from the same older Indo-European god. But there were some differences between Thor and the other two gods too. Thor carried a big hammer, and people said that thunder was the noise Thor made breaking things with his hammer.
Because Thor was so strong, the Germans sometimes thought of Thor as rather stupid, but it was his strength that defended the gods and people against the dangerous giants in German myths.
Cite this page: Carr, K.E. Who was the Norse god Thor?. Quatr.us Study Guides, June 29, 2017. Web. April 24, 2019.


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11370 motifs
Black & white (1342)
Photograph (6284)
Illustration (4955)
Landscape (7478)
Botanical Study
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Queen of the Fifties
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys
New York in Pink
World Map - With Roads
World Map Detailed - Grey
Flower Show I
Simple Stems II
Sunbeam Through Trees - Retro
Marlon Brando in the Godfather
Aspen Forest
Sailing Ship - Sepia
His truck outside the studio, Memphis
Sunbeam through Trees
Birch Grove Moonlight
Barcelona Skyline Rainbow
Washington DC Street Map B/W
Golden Day Turquoise
Flower Show II
Vintage Guitar
Swan Reflection
Roses - Purple and Grey
Women's Weapons
World Map Detailed
Matisse Leaves
Chicago Street Map Bluegreen
Silhouetto
Bright Brooklyn Bridge - b/w
Birch Grove Night Sepia
Washington DC Street Map Bluegreen
Birch Forest - Oil Painting
Montauk Point Sunset
Mursi, black and white
Taipei Taiwan Skyline
Blue Fir Trees
Circles Mid Century IIII
Waterfall in Rain Forest and Sunlight
Floral Damask on Indigo
Roses - Pink and Grey
Cozy Days
Chrysanthemums, Katsushika Hokusai
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Forests and Woodlands
Rural forest

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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U.S. Tightens Afghan Prison Security - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive
U.S. Tightens Afghan Prison Security
by Asharq Al-Awsat | Nov 2, 2005 | Middle East |
KABUL, Afghanistan, AP – Security has been tightened at the U.S. military prison in Afghanistan following the escape of a suspected al-Qaida leader, a U.S. official said Wednesday, as Indonesian terror officials accused Washington of failing to inform them of the breakout.
Omar al-Farouq, born in Kuwait to Iraqi parents, was considered one of Osama bin Laden"s top lieutenants in Southeast Asia until Indonesian authorities captured him in 2002 and turned him over to the United States.
He was one of four suspected Arab terrorists to escape in July from the detention facility at Bagram, the main U.S. base in Afghanistan. It was not clear how long he had been held in Afghanistan.
Although the escape was widely reported at the time, al-Farouq was identified by an alias and the U.S. military only confirmed Tuesday that he was among those who fled.
A video the four men made of themselves after they escaped from Bagram was broadcast recently on Dubai-based television station Al-Arabiya, according to its Islamabad bureau chief, Bakar Atyani. He declined to give other details, including how the station received the video.
An Indonesian anti-terror official, Maj. Gen. Ansyaad Mbai, on Wednesday sharply criticized the U.S. government for failing to inform him that al-Farouq was no longer behind bars.
&#34We know nothing about the escape of Omar al-Farouq,&#34 he said. &#34He is a dangerous terrorist for us, his escape will increase the threat of terrorism in Indonesia.
&#34We need to coordinate security here as soon as possible to anticipate his return,&#34 he said. &#34The escape of al-Farouq could bring fresh wind to the operation of terrorism and could energize the new movement of terrorist actors in Southeast Asia and the world.&#34
But a top security consultant in Jakarta played down concerns that al-Farouq would make his way back to Southeast Asia and rejoin Jemaah Islamiyah, the regional terrorist group linked to al-Qaida.
&#34He"s Iraqi after all. If he"s not hiding out (in Afghanistan or Pakistan), he"s probably headed to Iraq to join the fight there,&#34 said Ken Conboy, who recently published a book on Jemaah Islamiyah.
Al-Farouq was recruited into al-Qaida in the early 1990s and went to the Khaldan training camp in Afghanistan from 1992 and 1995, Conboy wrote in his book &#34Intel.&#34
In 1995, he was sent to the Philippines, originally to enroll in a flight school so he could become proficient enough to commandeer a passenger plane on a suicide mission. He failed to gain entry and instead went to a camp in the traditional Muslim homeland of Mindanao, where he trained in jungle warfare tactics along with other Jemaah Islamiyah trainees, the book says.
From there, Al-Farouq traveled by sea to neighboring Indonesia, where in 2000 he set up training camps for radicals engaged in sectarian clashes with the nation"s Christian minority. He was also reported to be planning a series of attacks on U.S. embassies and other Western interests throughout Southeast Asia, the book says.
In 2002, al-Farouq was captured in a town south of Jakarta. Indonesian security officials turned him over to the United States and he was eventually transferred to Bagram.
Yuri Thamrin, Indonesia"s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said he had heard nothing about al-Farouq"s escape, but conceded that Washington may have directly informed security officials in Jakarta.
&#34We have to check and make sure whether the U.S. has given the information to Indonesia or not,&#34 Thamrin said.
Military officials have declined to elaborate on how the men escaped from the heavily fortified jail, the only detainees they say have managed to do so. But a spokesman said Wednesday that an investigation into the breakout had turned up weaknesses in security and that these have been corrected.
&#34Physical security upgrades include improvements to an external door and holding cells,&#34 Lt. Col. Jerry O"Hara said, reading from a statement.
More than 500 suspected militants are held in the prison, a plain-looking building of about three stories in the heart of Bagram, next to the runways and the command center.
Several razor-wire fences surround the base and areas outside the perimeter remain mined from Afghanistan"s civil war and Soviet occupation. Military teams patrol constantly, and the main entrance is a series of heavily guarded checkpoints.
A U.S. military statement issued in August about the breakout said an inquiry had found that &#34the guards and supervisors did not follow standard operating procedures&#34 on the night it occurred.
&#34These failures led to the escape of the four detainees on 10 July,&#34 it said, adding that &#34action has either been taken or is in the process of being taken&#34 to fix the problems.
The military conducted a massive manhunt after the breakout. U.S. troops, backed by Afghan police and soldiers, searched houses, manned roadblocks and zigzagged in helicopters across a dusty plain around the base.
Kabir Ahmed, the government leader in the area, said the American investigators had found where the men escaped from the base and fled through a field of wild grapevines.
&#34The soldiers found the escapees" footprints still in the mud,&#34 he said. &#34It was an amazing breakout. How they did it exactly I still don"t know.&#34


What you are looking at is a reissue of one of the rarest cool toys from the '70s from the Micronauts line. This is the Red Falcon, although mine differs in that mine is a clear plastic red Red Falcon, while the original was light blue with red wings. Still, it's pretty cool.
The toys weren't based on any cartoon or TV show, so who all these characters were and what they did could only be gleaned by the sparse box copy, like: Membros Slithery Skinned Invader from the Remote World of Visceros. Or Force Commander Leader of the Magno-powered Micronauts!
As far as I can tell, the original Red Falcon was only released in Italy, and his box copy was something like "Prince of the Micronauts" or alternately, "Villainous Lieutenant to the Emperor", depending on who you talk to. If my brother and I would have gotten ahold of one of those when we were growing up, Red Falcon would have quickly become one of the good guys!
I've just added another image to the portfolio: a breakfast fragment. I actually completed it before I worked on the Claude pictures, I just never moved it into the portfolio section. That's why it's behind them and not up front.


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Malcolm Holcombe – Down The River
Rocking Magpie Posted On August 5, 2012
A genre defining record
I only discovered Malcolm Holcombe 18 months ago when he played a gig in the upstairs room of the Central Bar in Gateshead. At best there were 30 people in the room but when he finished the set there was a silence that lasted 5 or 6 seconds before those present all rose to their feet and the applause was deafening.
For the uninitiated Malcolm's voice is soft, raw and emotive and he's had an interesting life that became the backbone of his previous 8 albums; but nothing prepared me for the great songs that pack DOWN BY THE RIVER.
The album opens with the righteous fury of Butcher in Town; which is a wolf of song wrapped in sheep's clothing.
Twisted Arms is Malcolm's take on Society today and the injustice and greed that surrounds us all and he doesn't hold back either; this is a dangerous song if you are a politician or media personality.
The 'prettiest' song here is undoubtedly The Door which has Malcolm looking back on his life as Russ Pahl's pedal steel playing set's the hair on the back of your neck on end.
DOWN THE RIVER is one of the few albums that has caught my attention on the very first listening; with Ray Kennedy's production keeping Holcombe's grizzly voice to the for at all times; but I also have to applaud the backing musicians who manage to make this sound like a band recording rather than a singer with a bunch of hired hands in an anonymous studio.
Speaking of 'hired hands;' I sat up like a meercat when I first heard In Your Mercy. It's an intricate and clever love song, but just under half way through an angelic voice joins our man on harmonies. Honestly; I thought; this girl has a gilded career ahead of her; but, flipping heck…. it's only Emmylou Harris duetting with Malcolm Holcombe – who'd have thought that day would come?
A couple of years ago Neil Young huffed and puffed that there weren't any protest singers any more – Neil; listen to the anger, bile and eloquence that inhabit Whitewash Job and you'll know that these guys are still out there; you just have to look for them.
The one track that is guaranteed to bring Malcolm to the notice of National radio, magazines and newspapers is Trail o' Money which combines the best of everything else on the album; and allows Steve Earle to share vocals and a shimmering harmonica solo on a song that I bet he wishes he'd wrote, himself.
DOWN THE RIVER is angry, simple, complex and beautiful all rolled into one and by far Malcolm Holcombe's finest album to date and I promise you that it will feature in many, many end of year Top 10 Releases of 2012.
http://malcolmholcombe.com/
Release Date USA 7th August UK 17th September
THROUGH THE LENS: Steve Earle Leads 'A Celebration of Justin Townes Earle' at the Ryman
By Amos Perrine on January 10, 2023
THROUGH THE LENS: Cowpunk Sets Sail on Outlaw Country Cruise West
By Amos Perrine on November 22, 2022


• We do so many sins and you keep on forgiving us. It's just not fair that you had to die for our shame.
• K-I love too I want to feed your sheep I want to do it help me Jesus.
• YES, I love you. I love Jesus Thanks!
• I love Jesus back with all my heart, soul, and my mind.
• Lord I just want you to forgive me and love me back. I've always loved you and you know.
• Dear Jesus: I love you & I want to go in your way I want to be accepted like your daughter teach me how to go in your way. I love U! Amen. Thanks for everything!
• C: Yes I will follow you I will try to do the correct things thanks for dying on the cross.
• Yes Jesus I love you back I know I'm not perfect and I fall some times but doesn't matter what happens know that I love you.
• Jesus I am writing this to you to ask you for forgiving for all bad thing I have made.
• Dear Jesus thank you so much for saving me, thank you for dying on the cross for me. I pray that you would guide me and help me through these next years.
• I will follow & I believe ur there 4 me.
• Yes I love you.
• I love you & you love me we are a happy family I LOVE YOU!
• Jesus, I love you and I want to follow you and want YOU to take control of my life.
The service involved a lot of singing- songs I did not know but enjoyed. The sermon lasted only about 20 minutes and was centered around the passages of Isaiah 53 and Matthew 27. The service was very good.
What a strange experience. It has been a while since I stepped into a country where I was not able to understand the language. Here I was 2 blocks from my house and it felt like I was in a different country- surrounded by people from a different culture than what I have grown acustomed to and speaking languages that I don't understand. Yet, while I was there, I couldn't help marvel at the fact that even though these men and women are praying in a language that I don't understand, God understands them completely. He created these other languages. It doesn't matter which language you use- whether it is English, Spanish, French, Creole, or any other language- God created them all and He understands you!! How amazing is that!!!
Happy Easter!!! He is Risen!!!!!!
Lately, I have been seeing quite a few Jehovah's Witnesses walking the streets of Jarabacoa, particularly American Jehovah's Witness "missionaries". These Americans have moved here in order to target the English-speaking population of Jarabacoa and bring them the information of the JWs. The funny part about this is that about 98% of the native English-speaking population here are Christian missionaries!
The JWs have started an English service at their hall and have been going around to find English-speaking people in town to invite to their services and share the literature. One of them in particular has latched on to me. I met C when she was driving through the neighborhood looking for houses that were for rent. She stopped to ask me about a house she thought she had seen for rent (turns out it was my house- apparently right before I moved in). We started talking and I found out she was a JW. Ever since then, she has made it a point to stop frequently here at the house to give me literature and talk to me about the "Bible" and the "truth".
Since her visits have become more frequent, I have started researching more about what the JWs actually believe and have discovered how much they truly are a cult. Let me outline just a few of the beliefs of the JWs that is in contradiction to Christianity.
They believe that there is only one God in one person- there is no Trinity.
They believe that Jesus was the first creation of God- that He was created, was the first angel, was named Michael, and that Michael (Jesus) helped in the creation of the rest of the universe.
They believe that Michael became Jesus when he was born on Earth, that he died on a torchure stake, and that he rose spiritually but not physically.
They believe that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force and not a member of the Trinity (no trinity).
They believe that a person must do good works in order to be in favor with Jehovah (God).
They believe that only 144,000 people will go to heaven. These specially chosen people will inherit immortal life and live in heaven with Jehovah (God).
They believe the rest of the JWs will inherit eternal life and will live on Earth paradise forever.
They participate in communion only one time per year and only those who have immortal life can partake.
Before a JW can be baptized, they must attend a certain number of classes to learn about the religion and answer questions before a panel of leaders. These classes are held every day and the JW is encouraged to attend class 5 days a week.
The JW bible has been wrongly translated- changed in order to fit the beliefs of the JWs.
While Jehovah's Witnesses may use the same vocabulary as Christians use, they are not talking about the same thing. They have been brainwashed by their constant studies to believe that only JWs will live forever. They have had extensive training on how to speak to non-JWs and how to defend their faith. Be careful if you encounter a JW. While they may talk about Jesus and God and the Bible, THEY ARE NOT CHRISTIANS!
Wow, I cannot believe that 2010 has come to an end. What a year it has been. After moving to the Dominican Republic in January and spending most of the year working with Doulos Discovery School, I realize that God has plans bigger than any of us can ever imagine and that He truly is in control of all things.
The last month of school before break went well and very quickly. I then went back to Ohio to spend Christmas and New Years with my family. As usual, this time is going by very quickly and I will soon be heading back to the DR. I am looking forward to seeing Petra (she stayed in the DR with a family who remained there for Christmas). There is also much to do in this next semester. I am sure that God will be keeping me full of His work throughout the next 6 months.
I hope 2010 was a good year for you and that you embrace all that God will bring before you in 2011!
Thanksgiving is a holiday that is spent with family. However, my family is very far away this year. I was blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving with my Doulos family at a giant Thanksgiving Dinner. Over 100 people- teachers, staff, and their families- went to the school for dinner.
We had the traditional turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and even a green bean casserole. We also had a non-traditional roasted pig. Everyone had to bring a dish with them (side dish or dessert). The Dominicans brought typical Dominican food- rice, beans, yuca, etc.
With such a variety of choices besides what I am used to for Thanksgiving and being separated away from my family, it didn't feel like Thanksgiving to me. So, I decided to cook my own traditional Thanksgiving Dinner the next day- the same as I would have had if I was in my house in Ohio.
Since turkey is very expensive here and impossible to find in town (you have to drive into the city to buy it), I decided to make chicken instead. Besides, I like chicken better than turkey anyway! I made homemade stuffing just like we make at home. My little chicken came out very good.
Now it was time to make the side dishes. Mashed potatoes and corn are easy. Sweet potatoes, however, are a little harder. I went to the veggie market and bought a few sweet potatoes, or the closest thing they have to sweet potatoes. When I bought them they were caked with dirt. After I scrubbed them off, I discovered that the skins were bright purple!
I know, I am a horrible blogger. I do not blog very often. The reason for this is that most of what I want to say gets said in an weekly email that I mail out to everyone who has requested frequent updates about my ministry here in the Dominican Republic. If you would like to receive these emails, please leave me a message here or at my email, include your email address and I will add you to the list.
Every other Friday at Doulos, the school has an event called Revolution. The students get out of class 40 minutes early and get to attend a fun assembly full of games, contests, music, dancing, and sometimes a Biblical life lesson. As you can see, the staff get involved with Revolution just as much as the students do!
Every time it rains moderately or more, we lose water at our house. The water is turned off by the city to keep the debris from the river from clogging the water filtration system. When the water comes on, depending on how long it was off, our water can often be various colors of yellow or brown with a sometimes nasty smell. This was our water one day- yellow brown and smelling like rotten eggs! No, we do not drink this, but we do pour this into our water filter to drink. We also have to wash our dishes, do laundry, and shower in this water. Yuck!!
Our neighbor had gotten a new little puppy that quickly became a good friend of Petra's. His name was Rocky. While he doesn't look it in the picture, he was much smaller than Petra. Unfortunately, he got out of his front gate and was hit by a car and died. Even though Petra only knew him for about 3 weeks, I think she misses him.
One of the major recent changes in my life here was the purchase of a vehicle- a 1999 Chevy Blazer. This was a gift from God. I had been needing a vehicle in order to do some of the ministry work I have been trying to do, and God provided this for me. What a blessing it is to be able to get to places that I have not been able to get to independently. I am now a part time taxi driver (pro bono) for various missionaries and have also put the vehicle to work in the various ministries I am working in. God is Good!
Packages from home are always a welcome treat, especially when it includes homemade cookies from Mom! Mail comes every other Wednesday for us. It is always a lot of fun to get letters, cards, and packages. As you can see, cookies can travel amazingly well!
Since I now have my car, I have begun working at Centro Especial Genesis. This is the only Special Education school in this area. While it is a special education school, they unfortunately do not have anyone working there who has actually been trained in special ed. I will be working with some of the teachers, helping train them in how to best teach children with special needs. I am also evaluating some of the students so that the teachers can know their strengths and weaknesses and know how best to teach them.
A part of WyldLife is a small group Bible study called Campaigners that meets every 2 weeks to dive deeper into the Bible and learn more about Jesus and how God wants us to live. Rachel, my co-leader and I decided to have a fun get-together with our Campaigners group for dinner and tie dying in preparation for one of our WyldLife Club meetings. The kids had a blast- most of them had never tie dyed before! Even petra had a blast having new people around and amazingly she did not get tie dyed!!
This past week was a milestone in Petra's life. She lost her first baby tooth. Her new tooth is already starting to come in, but here is Petra showing off her new hole where a tooth used to be!
Every now and then, a group of people like to get out of town and head into the city for a little taste of home. This past weekend, a group of 11 of us drove into Santiago to go to T.G.I.Fridays. It was wonderful having a little American food from a real American restaurant. The food titles on the menu were even in English!
After dinner at Friday's, we headed over to the bowling alley for a game of bowling. Bowling is the same here as it is in the States, except for the occasional 3rd turn in a frame that you get when the lane doesn't reset!
One of my neighbors is a cute older lady named Blanquita. She cooks lunch every Saturday and Sunday for her family, which sends wonderful aromas into our yard. Today, I mentioned how wonderful her food smelled, and so she told me she was going to give me a little bit so I could try it, asking if I like traditional Domincan cooking. Traditional Dominican food often contains rice, beans, and chicken. I told her I do like it and that it is very gracious of her to offer to allow me to try her cooking. A little while later, her house helper came over with a huge tray of chicken, rice, plantains, and salad. My roommate Katie and I both had lunch and there is enough left over for 1 or both of us to have another meal! How generous she was to give us so much of her wonderful food.
Here are a few pictures that I have taken over the past couple of weeks. Enjoy!
This is our first family portrait. Katie, Petra, and I. Rossy, our other roommate, moved out a few weeks ago, so we have an extra bedroom in the house that we are hoping to fill. For now, it is just the 2 1/2 of us!
I have had a few people ask me for updates about Petra.
We I first got her, she was so small. She is still small, but she has been growing. Her little legs are getting longer, yet her body size hasn't changed much in the nearly 3 weeks that she has been living with me.
Since she was a street dog, I am trying to keep her away from all human food and get her accustomed to dog food. At first, she ate it but I don't think she liked it very much (since she wouldn't eat very much). Now, she eats well. I am hoping she will gain a little weight since she is so skinny.
Housebreaking... Petra has actually been doing well with housebreaking. When I am home, I leave the back door open and she is able to go out whenever she wants- and she does. She very rarely has an accident in the house when I am home. When I am not home, she is left in the laundry room, but there are not usually any problems there either. She has also made it overnight with no accidents for the past 2 nights, although she usually wakes me up at least one time in the middle of the night.
I have also discovered that she is a little thief. She likes to steal- shoes, clothes, rugs, books, whatever she can find! She also loves to chew and will chew on whatever she steals!
She is an adorable little puppy that has found her way into my life. Petra was a puppy of a street dog, living on the street. My roommate Katie and I were talk about how we have been seeing a couple of street puppies on our way to work in the morning, so we decided to go see where they were living. When we found Petra, she was sitting in a garbage pile, trying to find something to eat. She is young, probably born during the first week of August (according to the vet), with scars on her head from some cuts she got a while back. We brought her home, cleaned her up, took her to the vet to get her first vaccine and de-worming, and gave her a new life. At first she was scared and tried to leave, but once she realized she was in a safe place, she became comfortable and now is happily living as a house dog. My roommates and I marveled at the similarities we saw between Petra's life and our lives. Before becoming Christians, we lived out in the world, filling up our lives with garbage and thinking we are happy. Then Someone (Jesus) came along and rescued us from our life, cleaned us up, and took us to be with Him. Sometimes, we try to get away and go back to our old life, but once we realize that we are safe and in a good place, we can take joy that we were rescued and life a truly happy life!
I am just this ordinary person that God has chosen to do His extraordinary work. I have taken a leave of absence from my teaching career to serve God full time. After spending a year working with Filadelfia Church in Maracaibo, Venezuela, I have relocated and am now serving Him at Doulos Discovery School (www.doulosdiscovery.org) in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. Please keep me in your prayers as God uses me for service in His Kingdom. Dios te bendiga!
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at jyllschenault@yahoo.com.


As the holder of a French Schengen, I have decided to make a quick trip to Paris to explore the city. What is the cheapest travel option? Of course the train (well, by car it is cheaper if it is a planned trip for 2 people or more.) If you are by yourself then train is a cool option, especially since you can get an amazing experience travel on high-speed trains, and capture the underwater travel spirit. It is a little creepy thinking about it layers of water and soil above your head. But the beauty of traveling by train is that you can sit down quietly, get a bottle of wine and a pack of nuts and enjoy the ride preferably with pleasant company and watch the English and French landscapes.
Go to the website Eurostar , scored in the search box date, destination is Paris from London St Pancras International and voila: the results.
First select the departure time to Paris Nord (Gare du Nord - This station is in the north of Paris, where Eurostar arrives from London.) As can be seen from the results of the search, the cheapest option - it is 34.5 pounds, very reasonable price for a one way trip to Paris, it is non refundable, meaning you do not have the possibility to exchange or return a ticket. Choosing a time convenient to you (there are 3-4 departure options at this price, choose a convenient time for you, someone may want to sleep in, so the time at 5:30 am is unacceptable).
I chose the cheapest, London departure time is 3pm and from Paris at the same time 2 days later.
If you do not want to register on the Eurostar website, then proceed with the ticket as a guest (Continue as a guest). Fill in your passenger details. Click Continue.
On the next page, check the correct destination and dates. Select the method of obtaining the ticket - I take the option "Print at home."
You can add insurance to the cost of your ticket, it's more than 10 pounds. We agree with the terms of the agreement.
Add your payment cards and billing address. Note that if paying by credit card, the payment will be 4 pounds more, so if you can, pay by a debit card.
You press Continue and get a confirmation of payment. Now print this confirmation (just in case) and wait for an email to the specified mailbox. Print out your ticket and save it before the trip. Also not recommended to delete an email in case you lose the printout.
If you child is under 4 years, it is possible to take her for free, as long as she sits on your lap.
The trip takes 2 hours, so it should not be a problem. But usually the car space is available, and you can change seats, no one would say a word to you. On the way to Paris, my daughter was seated comfortably, because there were empty seats but on the way back to London all the seats were taken and we took our seat as said in the ticket.
When you go through the Channel Tunnel, imagine that you hear over the sound of waves and fell the several layers of natural soils above you. And then rejoice the achievements of science and technology, as well as the skill of the builders.
By the way, border control in London very easy to pass, the guys sits on the border and checks passports. When you get off the train in Paris, you can immediately go to the exit, where there is no control.
On the way back to London, you pass control to Paris Gare du Nord, the English border. No problems as usual, if you have a multiple entry visa to the UK.
The same way, you can book a trip on the Eurostar train to Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland.
Look at the video: Eurostar train flies like a bird.


Life insurance is an important part of most any financial plan. This is the case regardless of one's occupation. When obtaining life insurance coverage, there are some professions – such as those who are members of the military – who may have a harder time in getting all of the benefits that they may need. For example, numerous life insurance policies will not pay out a benefit to beneficiaries if an insured is killed in the act of war.
Likewise, most life insurance providers will charge an additional amount of premium to cover those who are in "hazardous duty" occupations. And, even if an individual in such an occupation can obtain coverage, there may be a long list of restrictions that can make the coverage difficult to collect from in the event of a claim. This, however, is not the case for those who get their life insurance and other various benefits through Navy Mutual.
Navy Mutual has been in the business of offering insurance and annuity benefits to military members since 1879 – often without fees, fine print, or frustration on the part of the policy holders regarding securing coverage.
This insurer, which is the Navy Mutual Aid Association (but referred to as Navy Mutual for short), is a non-profit entity that offers benefits to Navy and other military veterans. As a non-profit, Navy Mutual has acted as a mutual insurer, with payments going towards improving member services, and for reducing its overall costs.
For more than a century, this insurer has fulfilled its duty of supporting military families by offering numerous life insurance and retirement annuity options so that they can also experience the financial security they deserve.
In addition to offering life insurance and annuities, Navy Mutual offers other helpful services, as well, such as assistance with obtaining government benefits to which military members are legally entitled, and educating veterans and their families on matters of insurance and financial security.
Also, beneficiary service and support is an important aspect of what is offered by Navy Mutual, as is the representation to the Department of Veterans Affairs. As a chartered Veteran Service Organization, Navy Mutual can provide its members with assistance that they need with their benefits. An added service is free secure vault storage of valuable documents for its members.
In addition to the financial and insurance related benefits it offers, Navy Mutual is well known for being a leader in community service, as well as in civic responsibility. The company is very active within the communities that it serves – particularly with those that pertain to military (current and former) members.
Terminal Illness Options Counseling – Navy Mutual offers to counsel to military families – regardless of their membership status – at no charge or obligation, when an active duty military member has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The company also presents various financing options to the survivors of those military members who die during active duty versus those who die during retirement. Also, the company provides survivors and military members with an explanation of various benefit election options that are available.
Help for Military Families in Need – Navy Mutual also helps military members and their families in times of need by contributing to the Toys for Tots program, as well as to the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, on a yearly basis.
No war clauses. Regardless of where a member serves, he/she does not have to worry about benefits being denied due to a war clause.
No military service restrictions. Most life insurance providers will charge an additional amount of premium to those who serve in the military – if they even cover military personnel at all – to provide benefits for hazardous duty situations, aviation, and acts of terrorism. At Navy Mutual, insureds do not need to worry about this, either.
Maximum coverage is available. Navy Mutual allows its members to purchase their maximum amount of life insurance coverage – which is currently up to $1 million – regardless of where the individual is currently, or where he or she is going.
No sales fees or commissions. Because Navy Mutual is not a commercial life insurance company, there are no shareholders to keep satisfied, and members can enjoy the benefits of low costs.
Portable coverage. Unlike some other insurers that cater to military members, the insurance coverage that is obtained through Navy Mutual can stay with the individual – even as he or she transitions from the military.
Fast application for the process for members who are preparing to deploy. Navy Mutual also offers expedited processing of insurance and annuity applications for those members who are preparing to deploy. This can help them to get a plan in place – often within just a few days.
Online application process. Navy Mutual also offers a convenient application process, so members do not need to meet in person with an insurance agent to get their information completed, and their policy in place. It can also help those members who are already stationed in war zones and other remote areas to still apply for coverage.
Navy Mutual is secure and stable from a financial standpoint, and the company is known for making timely payments of its policy holders' claims. The company has more than $25 billion of total insurance in force and receives more than $80 million in total direct premiums. As of year-end 2016, the company had more than 114,000 policy holders in its book of business and more than $2.9 billion in total cash and invested assets.
Over the years, Navy Mutual has kept a high level of financial stability. One of the key reasons behind this is the company's low overhead, as well as its consistently increasing number of new members.
The company also has substantial financial reserves so that it can pay out its policy holder claims promptly. Due in large part to its stable financial footing, Navy Mutual has received high ratings from the insurer rating agencies. This includes an A+ rating from Fitch Ratings Agency.
Also, even though Navy Mutual is not an accredited life insurance company through the Better Business Bureau (BBB), it has been given a grade of A+ by the BBB. This is on an overall grading scale of A+ to F.
Over the past three years, Navy Mutual has only had to close out one single customer complaint through the Better Business Bureau. This criticism centered on the company's advertising and sales issues. (No complaints have had to be closed out with the BBB within the past 12 months).
Flex Term Life Insurance – The Flex Term policy offers a way to obtain level term insurance coverage for a set period of time, along with small premiums. This coverage is guaranteed up to the insured's age 50 (or to age 40, if the insured is a smoker). There are no restrictions, and the coverage can continue even after the insured is not longer in the military. This plan provides death benefit coverage from $50,000 up to $1 million – and there are no military service restrictions, war clauses, terrorism clauses, aviation restrictions, or travel restrictions. There are several additional notable features on this coverage, including a guaranteed convertibility option, accelerated death benefit option, and a child benefit rider that can be added.
Express Term Life Insurance – The Express Term plan is a term life insurance policy that members can secure immediately, without having to take a physical as a requirement for approval. This policy offers $250,000 in life insurance coverage for a full ten years at a fixed monthly premium. This can be a viable option for those who are preparing to deploy soon and need to secure life insurance protection for those they care about.
Level ll Term Life Insurance – The Level ll term life insurance product essentially takes over where the company's Flex Term plan ends by providing level life insurance coverage – and stable premiums – for members up to the age of 85. This policy is offered in benefit increments of $10,000 – with a maximum coverage amount of $1 million. This policy is purchased in one-year increments, for a minimum duration of five years. There are actually three different underwriting categories for this policy – which can impact the amount of premium that is due. These underwriting classes include the Standard, the Select, and the Super Select. This plan can also be converted over to a whole life insurance policy with no physical required in order to prove evidence of insurability.
Flagship Whole Life Insurance – The Flagship Whole Life insurance policy option through Navy Mutual offers coverage for the member's entire lifetime – provided that the premium is paid. This participating whole life insurance plan combines the protection of a permanent life insurance policy with the flexibility of tax advantaged cash value growth. This means that the funds inside of the policy's cash value can grow and compound over time without the gain being taxed (unless the funds are withdrawn). The policy holder can borrow against the cash value for any reason, such as paying off higher interest debt, or even supplementing his or her retirement income. The death benefit on the Flagship Whole Life plan starts at $10,000 and goes up to $1 million. This program offers guaranteed lifetime death benefit protection, as well as a chronic / terminal illness rider. In addition, because Navy Mutual is a mutual entity, policy holders may also be eligible to receive dividends with this policy.
Navy Mutual also offers retirement annuities, which can help to ensure that members will have an ongoing lifetime income in retirement, as well as a way to save and grow money in a tax advantaged manner.
To deposit money into an annuity, members may use current savings, and funds that are already invested in a retirement account, such as an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) or 401(k).
When searching for the best premium rates on life insurance, it can be important to shop and compare to determine that the coverage you need is priced to meet your budget. If you are interested in comparing policies and premium quotes from several top insurers, we can help. We are an independent insurance brokerage, and we work with many of the best life insurance carriers in the industry today. That means we can provide you with detailed information about multiple options, and from there, you can choose which will be the best one for you and your specific needs. To see the policies and quotes geared towards your situation, just click here to fill out our quote form.


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Sillamäe (Estonian for 'Bridge Hill'; also known by the Germanised names of Sillamäggi or Sillamägi) is a town in Ida-Viru County in the northern part of Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has a population of 13,666 (as of 1 January 2017) and covers an area of 10.54 km2. Sillamäe is located at the mouth of Sõtke River.

History
The locality of Sillamäggi was first mentioned in 1502 when the area was under the control of the Livonian Order. The bridge across Sõtke and a mill in Sillamäggi were documented in 1700.

In the 1800s, Sillamäggi developed into a resort village offering a more tranquil experience than the nearby resort town of Hungerburg. Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov owned a dacha in Sillamäggi and vacationed there during summer breaks in 1891–1917. Among other famous vacationers of Sillamäggi were poet Konstantin Balmont (1905), painter Albert Benois (1898 and 1899), physicist Paul Ehrenfest (1908–1912), botanist Andrei Famintsyn (1890s), historian Mikhail Gershenzon (1911–1914), inventor Boris Rosing (1902–1911), composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1868).

In the 1920s and 1930s, Sillamäe and surrounding countryside saw the rise of the oil shale mining industry in the area. In 1927–1929, a Swedish company Estländska Oljeskifferkonsortiet built an oil shale processing plant and a power station at the location of the Türsamäe manor, on the western side of Sillamäe. This plant reached a total capacity of 500 tonnes per day in the mid-1930s. A small harbour was constructed in Sillamäe to support the plant activities, but it was destroyed during World War II.

During the Nazi occupation, several concentration camps were established in the vicinity of Sillamäe to employ slave-laborers in the local mines. Upon withdrawal from Sillamäe in 1944, German forces sabotaged the processing plant. The defensive positions of Germans on the hills to the east of Sillamäe, known as Sinimäed, formed the Tannenberg Line during the Battle of Narva.

In 1946–1948, the former oil shale processing plant in Sillamäe was rebuilt by Soviets to extract uranium oxide from the locally mined Dictyonema argillite ore (a type of oil shale). During that time, many war prisoners were employed at the construction and mining activities in Sillamäe. The uranium extraction process at the Sillamäe plant was developed in collaboration with a nearby Narva pilot plant (known as Cloth Dyeing Factory) and produced mainly a 40% uranium concentrate at the onset of plant production. The local mining operations continued until 1952. In the following years, richer uranium ores were imported to the Sillamäe plant from various locations of Central Asia and the Eastern Bloc, mainly from mines in Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania including the Bihor mine operated by Sovromcuarţ (one of the SovRoms operated jointly by the Soviet Union and Romania). In 1970, the plant started to process loparite ore from the Kola Peninsula producing tantalum and niobium chemicals. Later, it also started to extract rare earth metal oxides. In 1982, the plant began the production of reactor-grade enriched uranium (2–4.4% 235U) in form of UO2. Uranium production at Sillamäe continued to supply nuclear materials for the Soviet nuclear power plants and weapon facilities until 1989. In the years of 1950–1989, the plant produced about 98,681 tonnes of uranium (mostly as U3O8) and 1354.7 tonnes of enriched uranium.

During its operations, the Sillamäe plant dumped the processing wastes into a tailing pond at the north-western part of Sillamäe near the Baltic Sea shoreline. By the 1990s, the pond presented a serious ecological hazard due to leaching of radioactive and other harmful particulates and dissolved materials into Baltic Sea. In the 2000s, measures were undertaken to secure the containment of the wastes at Sillamäe.

In 1957, Sillamäe officially gained a town status. By that time, it had already grown beyond the historical boundaries of Sillamäggi and included several neighboring settlements, such as Kannuka and Türsamäe. During the Soviet regime in Estonia, Sillamäe remained a closed town due to the secrecy and security measures related to the uranium production activities at the local plant.

Religion

Economy

After uranium processing ceased in 1989 and Estonia regained independence in 1991, industrial activity at Sillamäe experienced significant decline throughout the 1990s resulting in a high unemployment rate among the local population. The Sillamäe plant was privatized in 1997 to form AS Silmet and continues to produce rare metal and rare earth metal products. It remains the top world producer of niobium and tantalum products including hydroxides, oxides, various grades of metal, metal hydrides, metal powders and NbNi alloy. Among rare earth element products are lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium-europium-gadolinium carbonates, oxides, metals, chloride and nitrate solutions.

On 4 April 2011, the American rare earth metal producer Molycorp announced its acquisition of a 90% stake in AS Silmet. The deal was valued at $89 million at the time. The company was renamed AS Silmet-Molycorp.

In 2005, a deep-sea port (SILPORT) with facilities able to handle dry bulk, liquid fertilizers and oil was opened in Sillamäe. A regular ferry service between Sillamäe and Kotka, Finland was inaugurated in 2006, but was forced to shut down in 2007 due to a low load factor. However, the cargo operations continue to show a steady growth. In 2011, the Sillamäe port reached 4.9 million metric tonnes in cargo traffic taking fifth place among the largest ports in the Baltic states after Tallinn, Riga, Klaipeda and Ventspils.

There are several seaside resorts located in the vicinity of Sillamäe (Toila and Narva-Jõesuu) that were especially popular during the Soviet era.

Population:
1940: 2,642
1965: 9,838
1994: 20,104
2004: 16,806Ethnicity (2000):
Russians: 85.8%
Estonians: 4.2%
Ukrainians: 3.0%
Belarusians: 2.8%
Finns: 1.0%
Others: 3.2%

See also
Eestimaa Õlikonsortsium

References

External links

  (available in Estonian, Russian and English)
The metallurgy factory and former uranium mine in Sillamäe Estonica

Cities and towns in Estonia
Municipalities of Estonia
Uranium mines in the Soviet Union
Mines in Estonia
Cities and towns built in the Soviet Union
Populated places in Ida-Viru County
Russian communities
Port cities and towns in Estonia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Yet another solid podium finish for Pirates of the Caribbean today coming in 2nd. ABN Amro One won the race and have clinched 1st place overall now.
The day started with 20 knots from the North West. We started on the left side of the line because we wanted to go left. The sky was marked by large clouds which would influence the wind heavily all day. The first big cloud and shift was to the left and we had approximately a 1 minute lead at the first windward mark.
We held the lead until the second downwind leg when a large gust filled the race course with 28 knots of wind. Naturally, this was precisely when we had to gybe and we had the biggest masthead spinnaker up. Just as in Cape Town, we could not manage the gybe without broaching and shredding our spinnaker. ABN Amro One passed us there and the rest of the race stayed pretty much the same.
One of our problems has been the speed with which our keel "cants" 40 degrees one side to 40 degrees the other. We have improved our system greatly since Cape Town but we are still half the speed of ABN and Brasil1. This makes the maneuver of gybing in big breeze, and without the help of waves which allow the boat to surf, very difficult.
Brasil1 finished third and ABN Amro Two finished fourth. Ericsson and Brunel rounded out the fleet.
In the big scheme of things, we had a great day. We beat the other boats who we are racing for second place. Now there are just two legs and one inshore to go and we have added to our solid second overall.
Our guests today were; Lady Gabriella Windsor – God Mother of the Black Pearl, James Cracknell – 2 time gold medalist in rowing from the UK and Mackenzie Crook, an actor from Pirates of the Caribbean and a show in the UK called The Office. They had a great time on board as there was plenty of action and high speeds.
The forecast for Friday's start of Leg 8 looks light which will be welcomed by the fleet. Sailing around the British Isles could be very rough indeed so getting out West to Ireland in gentle breezes will get us past a potentially very rough part of the 1400 mile leg. There will be a lot of day light on Leg 8 as we start at 50 North and get up almost to 60 North when we round Faire Isle, a small little island between Scotland and the Shetland Islands. I have been to Fair Isle before while training with EF 9 years ago so in a strange way I am looking forward to going there again.
Tomorrow we will prepare all the provisions for the Leg and tomorrow night will be the prize giving for Leg 7. Wednesday is a corporate sailing day for us with our friends from Disney UK. Thursday is off for the sailors and Friday at 1730 is the start of Leg 8.
Now I am off to a good Italian dinner as I am starving..a state that I am in almost continuously these days.


The Latvian National Archives have published the first part of a document trove of the former Soviet secret police – the KGB – that was discovered at the time when the USSR collapsed.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on December 27, 2018 by mjnrootdig.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on December 22, 2018 by mjnrootdig.


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Q: Verifying the Measurement Precision of a Circuit My aim is to build an electronic circuit that allows me to measure the relative precision of the energy of optical pulses in the order of 10^-6. The optical power of the laser pulses is measured with a photodetector that gives an output in Volts, proportional to the laser power.
For measuring the relative precision of my optical pulse energy, I will build an analog circuit with an integrator and a sample and hold part. This will integrate the voltage signal from the photodetector and holds the value of the integration for read-out with a digitizer. The final read-out value is proportional to the optical pulse energy and I'm interested in the relative precision of repeated pulses.
How can I verify that my electronic circuit allows me to measure with a relative precision of 10^-6?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


At Active Wealth Managers we help you visualise your aspirations, priorities and circumstances. Active Wealth Managers' deeper understanding of your lifestyle goals will put a whole new perspective on your financial situation.
For most people there's a difference between where they stand today and the lifestyle they want to live. This difference is referred to as the GAP.
Active Wealth Managers helps you to close the GAP by structuring your financial affairs more effectively. We minimise the negative impact of your financial obligations and maximise investment opportunities as they arise.
The implementation of your chosen financial strategy can be stressful and, at times, confusing. Active Wealth Managers will take the stress of implementation away by taking a leading role in the entire process, guiding you from the beginning to the end.
As change occurs over time so too will your financial position and goals. Our ongoing advice and understanding can help you deal with these changes and ensures that you're always on track to achieving the lifestyle you desire.


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Parents Explain Which Things Surprised Them Most When Their Child Moved Out
Frustrating 'I'm The Client, Not My Husband' Experiences According To Women
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
When Kamala Harris was sworn in as the Vice-President of the United States, it was a historic moment.
As she became the first woman to hold the title, causing a major crack in the glass ceiling which still, amazingly, has yet to be broken.
Unfortunately, there are still a distressing number of people who carry antiquated opinions when it comes to gender roles.
Feeling that only a man could possibly be in charge of certain things or that women aren't cut out for certain roles. Preposterous.
Thankfully, this can sometimes lead to someone's foot being deliciously shoved right into their mouth after they embarrass themselves by assuming their husband, or male partners or assistants, are the ones in charge.
When the women they are speaking to are, to use another antiquated term, "the ones wearing the pants" in these situations.
Redditor teacherspet5859438e was eager to hear from women who found themselves in these frustrating, but in the end empowering, situations, leading them to ask:
"Woman of reddit, what is your 'I am the client not my husband stop ignoring me' story?"
Make Your Own Tea!
"My scenario doesn't quite fit the bill but I'm a female business owner with a male business partner."
"I've had a few customers born in the dark ages and reps that ask to 'speak to my boss'."
"But the worst was a guy who snapped his fingers and told me to 'put the kettle on girly'."
"Needless to say he didn't get his cuppa and he certainly didn't get the discount he asked for."- Blondeinsideandout
"You Work On Commission, Right? Big Mistake. Huge!"
"So a while back my wife and I were hitting up local dealerships trying to find a replacement car for her 2006 Nissan subcompact."
"The first thing I would tell each salesman was that we were shopping around for a daily for her to drive."
"Honda dealership was stereotypical car salesman."
"'We can't even let her take a test drive unless she shows intent to buy'."
"Ford dealership ignored her completely and tried to sell me a mustang."
"Toyota was like, 'oh you must want to look at our (insert soccer mom vehicle here)'."
"But when we got to Mazda, I told the sales guy the same thing, that we were looking for her next car, and he immediately nodded, turned to her and asked 'what do you look for in a car?'"
"And then he just listened to her."
"He didn't ask me anything for the rest of the time we were there, focused entirely on her and answering her questions. Never rushed her or pushed her towards a different model."
"So yeah we'll probably be getting her a soul red Mazda3 cuz of that guy."- Raeshkae
Honda Meme GIFGiphy
To Assume Makes And A** Out Of "U" And Me...
"We wanted a fence around our house."
"I have always worked from home, and my husband has always worked in a field where he cannot take time to meet with contractors, etc."
"He and I agree on terms up front and then I make decisions from there."
"It doesn't matter in life, but for this story it does."
"I make more than my husband."
"We had already agreed on this company based on various factors."
"A man came over to give an estimate during a work day, which ended up being less than we expected to pay."
"I was ready to sign the papers and he said 'I'd rather talk to your husband about the numbers and get his signature since he will be the one paying for it'."
"I asked him to leave my property and never come back."- Diligent-Reaction-23
I'm Right Here!
"Husband and I took my daughter to urgent care for stitches."
"Husband is holding the kid, and I check her in at the front desk iPad."
"Front desk man looks to my husband and asks for the insurance card."
"We're on my insurance so I hand him the card."
"Next he tells my husband the copay, looking at him, behind me, when I'm the one standing at the damn desk."
"I pull out my card with my name on it, and pay."
"A**hole."- Fire-Kissed
ron swanson spinning GIFGiphy
This Borders On Medical Negligence
"When I was a baby for some reason I wouldn't 'latch on' when my mother breast fed me, so I wasn't eating well."
"The doctor completely ignored my mom and only talked to my dad because she was 'too hysterical'.'
'He was on the verge of finding out what that looked like."- TheHitListz
How To Lose A Tip In Three Easy Steps...
"Took my boyfriend to a very expensive birthday dinner in DC and made sure he got the best wine that night."
"The total came to about $400 just for the two of us."
"I made the initial reservation so our notes stated that I would be treating."
"Having come from working at a high end restaurant, I'm familiar with proper service steps."
"The first strike was when I ordered the wine for us and the server gave the bottle to my boyfriend to approve and taste without giving me the option."
"Second strike was although I clearly said I was treating, they placed the check in front of my boyfriend, on his birthday."
"Final straw was the manager coming over to introduce himself to my boyfriend."
"Handshake, banter, the works, without acknowledging me."
"Happened a second time at the end of the meal."
"Two manager visits."
"And I was the one trying to provide the experience and bankroll the night."
"They definitely heard about it."- kuriosramblings
There's nothing wrong with men hoping to be chivalrous, and treat their lady to the nicer things in life.
However, chivalry is merely the characteristics of what it takes to be a knight or gentleman, including courage, honor and courtesy.
With that in mind, perhaps the most chivalrous thing any man can do, is treat a woman as their equal.
Or, when appropriate, their superior.


text:
Kick-Ass 2 Review
2013 22 Aug 2013
Jeff Wadlow
Kick-Ass 2 is a 2013 British-American superhero action comedy film based on the comic book of the same name and Hit-Girl, both by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., and is a sequel to the 2010 film Kick-Ass. The film was written and directed by Jeff Wadlow and co-produced by Matthew Vaughn, who directed the first film.Wikipedia
David Lizewski / Kick-Ass
Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Chris D'Amico / The Mother Fucker
Mindy Macready / Hit-Girl
Sal Bertolinni / Colonel Stars and ...
Kick-Ass 2 Reviews
Raja Sen
If you liked the first, go ahead and pretend this one doesn't exist. It's what Big Daddy would do.
NYDailiyNews
The first half of the film drags a bit with high-school subplots, crabby teen disagreements, street fights and shock value that consist of foul language, explosive and sadistic diarrhea and bloody fights. But it is the action-packed second half with the costumed final battle that salvages the film from being a mediocre dish out.
Reagan Gavin Rasquinha
Politically incorrect dialogues aside, Kick-Ass 2 is actually quite a fun ride. Beneath the deliberately ridiculous costumes and mock-serious dialogues lies a sea of brutality and gore gleefully topped off with the kind of language that would make a sailor blush.
After a while the stunts and the action feels too routine leaving very little to no space for surprise. Even Jim Carrey's extended cameo seems uninspired. The portions with Moretz seem the best with the supporting characters pushed to the periphery.
Vinayak Chakravorty
The first one worked for its bizarre novelty. Kick-Ass 2 tries banking on those unique traits. The film also had ready material to encash (it is based on a hit comic book series of the same name). Yet it doesn't quite get the mood of the franchise right. What you have here is a formulaic rehash that never quite captures the maverick madness of the first film.
There are a few gags a bit of action, but nothing will broadly appeal to you unless you are of a certain age group. Along with the action, it is the performance of Chloe Grace Moretz that leaves an impression but otherwise Kick Ass 2 doesn't have much to gloat about.
Mihir Fadnavis
Mid Day
The problem with the sequel is that it banks on the very same things to sell itself. More of the same is passable fun, but not satisfying enough to people who loved the first film and look forward to an expanded universe in the sequel. Given the 'Kick-Ass''s relatively tiny profit it was a miracle that the sequel got made, and in a way the filmmakers wasted a golden opportunity to create something truly great.
Tushar A Amin
GQ India
Over its 103-minute running time, the film goes about meticulously and blithely destroying its legacy, making a hash of the dark, provocative subtext of the original. Spend your weekend watching your toes rather than this artless and juvenile crap.
Neha Pinto
Most sequels are cursed, they can almost never be at par with the original masterpiece. The same holds true for Kick-Ass 2. However, the film isn't as disappointing as most sequels turn out to be.
Audience Reviews for Kick-Ass 2


GCV - Cremona Kreisler Strad Replica Review | LEARN TO PLAY THE VIOLIN FOR FREE!
These violins are so good that we have a hard time believing that they are replicas and not fine old Italian violins. Recently we tested more than a dozen new violins and ran across the GCV replicas and knew right away that we needed to offer these instruments to our customers. We are very proud to be offering such wonderful sounding, beautifully crafted, and easy to play, instruments.


Stephanie Jones is a professional photographer working out of Sydney Australia.
She produces business portraits and promotional images for your website and advertising material.
Stephanie also photographs your treasured children, family and pets with love and care.
As a New York Institute of Photography Graduate, Stephanie understands how to bring out what you want to say in your images.
You are welcome to leave a comment on her contact page.
© 2018. All Rights Reserved Steph Jones Photography.
Images are © Steph Jones Photography.


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<title>Uses of Class javax.swing.undo.CannotUndoException (Java Platform SE 7 )</title>
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Provides classes and interfaces that deal with editable
and noneditable text components.

javax.swing.undo

Allows developers to provide support for undo/redo
in applications such as text editors.

Uses of CannotUndoException in javax.swing.text

Methods in javax.swing.text that throw CannotUndoException

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void
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Undoes a change.

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Undoes a change.

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Undoes a change.

Uses of CannotUndoException in javax.swing.undo

Methods in javax.swing.undo that throw CannotUndoException

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void
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Throws CannotUndoException if canUndo
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void
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Sends undo to all contained
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 the order in which they were added.

void
UndoableEdit.undo()

Undo the edit.

void
UndoManager.undo()

Undoes the appropriate edits.

void
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
'I definitely want that fight': Amanda Serrano calls for Katie Taylor superfight
Two of female boxing's biggest names could be set to go at it.
By John Balfe - 31 Aug 2021
There are three names at the summit of women's boxing: Katie Taylor, Claressa Shields and Amanda Serrano — and two of them might be on a collision course.
Serrano, who was successful in Cleveland last weekend against Yamileth Mercado in defence of her IBO, WBC and WBO world titles, has long been held as a potential opponent for Katie Taylor, and called out the undefeated, undisputed lightweight champion following her appearance on the Woodley vs. Paul undercard on Sunday night.
"We definitely want that fight," said Serrano after the win which improved her record to 41-1-1. "I definitely want to fight Katie Taylor. She's arguably the No. 1, No. 2 – we both, between Claressa Shields, me and Katie are the top three. I definitely want the fight and we're hoping if I become undisputed champion that fight can come along. I want it to be undisputed champion vs. undisputed champion, but I don't know what's happening now, so we've just got to go back and figure it out.
"All she has to do is continue to win, and I continue to win and then that fight is going to happen."
Taylor, who holds a win over Serrano's sister Cindy, is due to fight on September 4 against mandatory challenger Jennifer Han in Leeds, a fight which Serrano says could set up the blockbuster match between two of female boxing's biggest ever names.
"(I need) the right pay day," Serrano said of the potential clash. "I've done everything I've had to do. I'm fighting good fights – top-10 girls. I'm beating them. I'm doing what I have to do to continue to keep my name out there, and it's just up to the promoters and the money. I want to get paid what I deserve."
Serrano, meanwhile, is also 2-0-1 in her mixed martial arts career and earned her latest win by submission against Valentina Garcia this past June.
You watch Katie Taylor vs. Jennifer Han via DAZN by clicking the banner above, or this link. The undercard is set to begin at 7pm UK time, with Taylor expected to fight at approximately 8.30pm. </em
Henry Cejudo upset with Dana White: "He wants to pay me peanuts in comparison to what I deserve"
Top 5 Fights between Former Teammates
Francis Ngannou predicts he will fight Tyson Fury in 2023
Holly Holm talks potential return to boxing, showdown with Katie Taylor
Francis Ngannou on Fernand Lopez: "He may think he knows me well, but he knows sh*t"
Urijah Faber hopes to reflect on '20 years of combat' against fellow vet Cub Swanson
Conor McGregor 'fired up to come back' according to Dana White 21 Dec 2021


This year was one of those rare years when everything aligned correctly for Drew... His birthday fell on a Saturday, so he was able to celebrate with a party on his actual birthday instead of a few days before or after. Being his 5th birthday, Tara let him invite friends over for a "big bash" for the first time as well (all of the kids have had one big birthday party with a group of friends so far - except Jayden, her day will come). He was even able to see his Grandma Terry, who flew in from Florida for the special occasion (Drew had been upset when we were in Florida that her and Grandpa Gary make it to everybody else's birthday but not his - it didn't help when I told him that they miss mine too).
Drew chose to have a Spongebob Squarepants birthday this year, so we got the cake, plates, and accessories to suite. He spent that night at Grandpa Jerry & Grandma Gail's house on Friday night, and they took him out to pick out his own presents. They also bought him a new suit (minus the jacket) so that he looked extra handsome on his special day.
Drew, Tara, and I would like to take a moment to say "Thank You" to everyone who spent time with Drew on his birthday. You all occupy a special place in his heart, so it was nice that you were able to make the time to share your day with him. We also want to thank those who were unable to attend but were still thinking of Drew anyway - we missed seeing you. Once again, thank you to everybody!
Drew wanted to look his best for his birthday, so his Grandma Gail bought him this new outfit and shoes to go with it.
Drew took center stage to open his presents, and Tyler got the assistant job to help read the cards.
Drew showing off the new GeoTrax set that he got from Thad, Melissa, Hannah, Taren, and Tevin.
...and was a wallet with money inside!
Tyler did a good job reading all of the cards to Drew.
...as did Samantha, Adam, Lilly, Noell, Gail, and Jerry.
Drew was happy with his new Nerf gun from Jason, Tania, Elizabeth, Ben, Nick, and Aaron.
Tyler was reading a card to Drew as Donovan looked on.
Drew liked the new Yahtzee game that he got from Dwayne, Erica, Donovan, and Marissa.
Drew got a new Nintendo DS case from somebody.
Aunt Erva gave Drew a keychain game.
Grandpa Jerry & Grandma Gail got Drew a couple of new games for his DS. This one is Personal Trainer Cooking (the kids all like the Cooking Mama games that Becky got them addicted to).
Jam Sessions, a guitar game, was the other game that Drew got from Grandpa Jerry & Grandma Gail.
Tyler made this card for Grandpa Gary & Grandma Terry to give to Drew with their gift.
"Now that you're 5 it's your chance to dive into a birthday bash."
Drew got a new bag to store all of his baseball stuff in for his first season of T-ball, thanks to Grandpa Gary & Grandma Terry. Tyler is showing off the front side of his card as well.
Grandpa Gary & Grandma Terry also gave Drew the movie G-Force. Tyler was equally proud of the back side of the card that he made.
Rodney, Tara, Tyler, Sam, and Jay gave Drew some new Toy Story Lego's for his big day.
Here is Drew showing off the green army men Lego set that he got from us.


text:
About Robyn Kilty
Visitor Info & Contact Us
Cottage & Garden
out of armenia and into iran
The Standing Stones of Armenia - Zorats Karer
On our second last day in Armenia we came to an extraordinary sight - a circle of ancient standing stones in a field. There was nobody there, no fences, no queues, no entry fee - just the magnificent sight of ancient stones standing in a high and lonely field, surrounded on all sides by snow capped mountains. We simply walked across the field of long grass and there they were. Some call them the Armenian Stonehenge, but Armenians call them Zorats Karer. There are parallels however with Stonehenge as both involve standing stones in grassy fields. Both are believed to be star charts, used by ancient civilisations and both have stones that line up with soltices and equinoxes. There is speculation that this site dates back as far as the 6th Milleneum B.C. and these have been called speaking stones because on windy days the sound of whistling emanates from the man made holes in the stones fashioned from the distant past.
Like Stonehenge these standing stones are completely shrouded in mystery, but in Armenia high up in the mountains, they are also often shrouded in mist. And this coupled with such isolation lends a particularly mystical atmosphere, especially when they 'speak'.
celtic patterns
It wasn't only the standing stones - Zorats Karer - which remained from ancient civilisations once present in Armenia, but also the Celtic patterns carved into very old wood and stone. Celtic crosses in old cemeterys, and the distinctive interlacing and intricate patterns carved into old wooden monastery doors. And it wasn't just the odd one, but many. Similarities between the carved crosses and celtic patterns of Scotland and Armenia, is perhaps not so accidental remembering that over 1000 years ago Armenia was on the ancient silk route and at the height of the Armenian Empire it's borders spread as far as the Mediterranean Sea. Also remembering there was much travel and commerce between east an west, but in which direction did the influence flow? Armenians like to think it was from East to West. Nevertheless, it was unbelievable to see these ancient Celtic carved patterns which I had always thought were unique to the celts of Scotland, Ireland and Wales, here in this eastern land of Armenia, surrounded on almost all sides by Islam. It made me wonder how much religion, craftsmenship and ideas were once shared between East and West. Sadly, not today!
 Another precious commodity which travelled from East to West were Tulips. Eastern countrys including old Armenia, Persia and Turkey were the original home of the tulip. It wasn't till the 16th Century that tulip bulbs found their way to Europe in the bags of early explorerers, and by the early 17th Century they had become a highly fashionable flower in European gardens. By 1600, Dutch growers had established nurseries specialising in cultivating tulips and it is around this time that tulipmania began. A brief spectacular time when bulb traders could earn the equivalent of $60,000 for a single bulb!
Tulipa florenskyi
Tulipa sosnowskyi
Knowing the history of the tulip made it all the more exciting when we came across a superb colony of them growing in the wild the day before we were due to cross the border to Iran. At the 11th hour our trusty guides, Chris and Tamar spotted them up a rocky cliff. But we weren't the only ones to discover this abundance of tulips, as the locals knew of this spot too. Like mountain goats, they had climbed up to the top of this rocky cliff-face, to places most of us could never reach, and were coming down with their booty. Bucket loads of wild tulips to be sold! Bulbs and all! We wondered at the desecration of such botanical treasure which seemed to be open slather to all. Was there no protection of such a precious resource? But why should there be, we realised, as Armenia had more important things to think about - such as survival, and even if in our view, it seemed very short-sighted, to many Armenians, tulips from the wild were there for the taking and meant a living. And despite plundering the tulips this year, they know they will be back in abundance next year. In fact they thought nothing of generously giving away in typical Armenian style, bunches of their lucrative tulips to us!
But there were still enough tulips left for a few crazy botanists to clamber up cliff faces to examine and photograph. They were all bright red and yellow tulips, similar to the shapely garden tulip. Botanical names? Red - Tulipa sosnowskyi. Yellow - Tulipa florenskyi
Tulipa sosnowskyi growing with Muscari in the wild
At the 11th hour what could be better than this tulip feast, but we weren't finished yet in Armenia. Though this time it wasn't tulips. After winding our way down towards the Iran border through beautiful emerald forest, we encountered in a rocky valley the impressive thistle Jurinella speciosus. From a distance I thought it was a pink cactus Dahlia growing out of the rock walls, but it was actually an Armenian native thistle, and very decorative it was - just like a Dahlia!
Jurinella speciosus (native thistle)
The next day we set off early to cross the Aras river which forms the border between Armenia and Iran, sadly without Chris! Because Chris was travelling under a British passport, he was seen as an undesirable in Iran as were the 2 Canadians in our party, so we had to wave them good-bye at the border. But thank goodness we still had our spunky little Armenian guide, Tamar, with us, as we ventured a little nervously over the border. We were pleased to have her as we went through border formalities and on to meet our Iranian botanist and guide, Jalil who was waiting for us on the Iranian side.
As Chris had predicted the landscape changed almost as soon as we entered Iran. The mountains and hills began to open out into vast plateaus and the high snowy peaks were further back into the distance ringing the plains. The lush forested mountains and gorges of Armenia gave way to drier plains, and a more agricultural landscape. There were many apricot orchards which we had also seen in Armenia, as well as mile upon mile of agricultural land which consisted mainly of crops.
The drier landscape of northern Iran showing agricultural cropping framed by roadside wildflowers
Papaver orientalis
There were many different species of Poppies to be found thriving on the stony hillsides of Iran, but none to be found that I could see, amongst the stunningly striped Gypsophyllus Hills. This great range of pointy yet rounded hills in richly coloured layers of red and grey was an amazing sight. Yet although we wandered up and down, around and around I don't remember seeing wild flowers amongst these moundy stripey hills. It's as though the Gypsophylus Hill are enough unto themselves and do not need to co-exist with flowers. Although wild flowers are there on the lower slopes and surrounding fields.
It's as though these colourfully striped Gypsophyllus Hills are almost enough unto themselves as I observed floral plant material only around the lower slopes.
Hollyhocks! Everybody leapt out of vehicle to photograph these elegant white beauties growing along the side of the road - Alcea striata. Close up each petal of each single flower was delicately marked white on white with transparent and opaque white stripes. And a different sort of Iris paradoxa standing up like white candles on a hillside. They did have rather a truncated look though with their brown reduced falls.
Alcea striata (subsp.) rufescens
Iris paradoxa
More hills to climb as we skirted this high plain on the way to Tabriz, but this time we made our way up through soft pink flowery mounds.
Onobrychis cornuta
Except that close up they weren't soft at all but very thorny. These pretty pink mounds -Onobrychis cornuta - which looked so enticing to rest your head upon were in reality nasty prickly pin-cushions which would be disastrous to fall into!
Onobrychis cornuta (detail)
On the road to Tabriz we passed through one of many villages where people were living in mud brick houses built in the old tradition from time immemorial. Through the narrow dusty streets of this decaying traditional old village, we encountered the quite unexpected sight of adolescent village boys racing around on noisy shiny motor bikes!
Just beyond the village we found a stream amidst flower strewn banks and meadows, where the women of the village probably drew their water, in the age old way, toiling in the heat in their black veils and long biblical style robes, while their sons coped with their testosterone skidding aimlessly around on their shiny modern motor bikes.
Found growing in the wild near the mud brick village was this beautiful and unusual Poppy, in delicious muted pink. My botanical friend identifies it as a Roemeria hybrid and we only ever saw one like this growing in the wild.
On one side of the stream grew more poppies galore interspersed with a yellow flower which could belong to the Brassiacea family
We were delighted to find just beyond the village beautiful fields of wild flowers alongside a stream
On the other side of the stream we were dazzled by masses of Anchusa azurea - and azure they certainly were. The brightest blast of blue I have seen for a long time. They were interspersed with tall pale yellow spikes of flower which reminded me of lupin. Nothing as common as the yellow lupin, of course. But they could have been Pedicularis comosa or Phlomoides laciniata
The azure blue of Anchusa was reflected in many different hues in the mosaics of the traditional Islamic buildings when we reached the old northern Iran city of Tabriz.
We stayed here overnight before continuing our botanical adventure the next day climbing (in vehicles) 3000 metres up to the snow of Sabalan Mountain east of Tabriz. Here we were to encounter wonderful snow melt flora, including tulips. But that is another story.
One of many of the traditional Islamic buildings in Tabriz, tiled in many different tones of blue.
Detail showing the mosaics of a mosque in Tabriz
I love your stories about tulips! Can't wait for next one. :) Such a wonderful writing, that takes you right to all places you have visited. Also you have done fantastic job with photos.
Robyn Kilty link
Thankyou Dorota - I'm glad you liked this post of Armenia going into Iran. A little more on tulips coming up
Great post Robyn and gorgeous photos. Makes me want to come on your next trip.
I AM A GARDENER, GARDEN WRITER AND ARTIST. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS WRITING REGULARLY AS A COLUMNIST I HAVE MISSED WRITING ABOUT MY GARDEN, OTHER GARDENS AND GARDENS IN GENERAL FOR THE GARDEN PAGES OF THE PRESS SO HAVE RESOLVED TO SET UP MY OWN BLOG AND WEBSITE.
IN THIS WAY I CAN DISCUSS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MY GARDEN AND IN OTHERS AS THE SEASONS TURN. I STILL DO GO RUSHING INTO THE GARDEN TO TAKE PHOTOS OF SOMETHING WHEN THE LIGHT IS RIGHT OR SOMETHING LOOKS PARTICULARLY DELECTABLE, BUT ITS NOT THE SAME WHEN THE PHOTOS DO NOT GET 'OUT THERE'. HOWEVER WITH MY OWN BLOG, THE PHOTOS AND ACCOMPANYING STORY CAN AGAIN BE SEEN BY THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED.


Size of this PNG preview of this SVG file: 183 × 250 pixels. Other resolution: 176 × 240 pixels.
Description: Coat of arms of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania On a field Sable, a fess chequy Argent et Azure, between three bezants bearing eagles rising with wings displayed and inverted Or. For crest, Sable a triple-towered castle masoned Argent. Coat of arms was also the team logo of the Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers) in the 1930s.
This page was last modified on 2 April 2017, at 19:28.


The Smith Infectious Diseases Foundation, Inc.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an extensive web site with resources on every infectious disease and related health issues that current around the world.
Dr. Smith uses this web site for his own knowledge as well as checking bulletins before traveling for The Foundation. Check our Traveler Information page for more data.
CDC seeks to accomplish its mission by working with partners throughout the nation and the world to develop and advocate sound public health policies, implement prevention strategies, promote healthy behaviors, foster safe and healthful environments, provide leadership and training.
Those functions are the backbone of CDC′s mission. Each of CDC′s component organizations undertakes these activities in conducting its specific programs. The steps needed to accomplish this mission are also based on scientific excellence, requiring well-trained public health practitioners and leaders dedicated to high standards of quality and ethical practice.


text:
Silk. In the history of the NBA imagine what it's like to own the nickname that represents being the smoothest player ever in the league. That honor goes the player whose teams won whenever he was on the roster: Jamaal Wlikes. The two-time All-American and NCAA Champion for UCLA, played 12 seasons in the NBA. He played for the Golden State Warriors, LA Lakers and the LA Clippers. In his first year in the NBA, Jamaal earned the 1975 Rookie of the Year. He was on 4 NBA Championship teams, earned 3 NBA All-Stars, All-Defensive Team for 2 seasons. He played in three All-Star games. To get a sense for how good Jamaal was, consider that Legendary UCLA Coach Wooden referred to Jamaal as the "ideal player." Praise doesn't get much higher than that. One of the most overlooked games in Silk's career was game six in the 1980's NBA finals. Magic Johnson was the headline story for his role-playing center and scoring 42 points, but without Wilkes scoring 37 points the Lakers would have never prevailed.
Jamaal's Website:
Autographed NBA Soft Cover Book
Autographed Spalding NBA Leather Game Ball – Black
Autographed NBA Replica Basketball – Black