I have never labeled my parenting style, I just thought of myself as a good parent, like I'm sure most people do. How I parent is a balance of my sanity and the health, happiness and independence of my children. However, I have been thinking a lot about my style this week, as news hit of the "Free Range" couple in my home state of Maryland. The Meitiv family received a visit from the police and Child Protective Services (CPS) as a result of letting their 10 and 6 year old walk a mile home from a park.
My first introduction to the label "Free Range" was in the Mommy Blogosphere, where people used the term to justify letting their children have near complete control over where they went and when, whether or not they bathed, when they slept, and what and when they ate. This horrified me on many levels: it is the absolute opposite of my values. I believe that children need regular sleep and meals for optimum health. And, as for calling the shots on your schedule all the time, I AM the boss of you. You, my child, need to learn how to deal with authority, because that is a Life skill. This doesn't mean that I put the "dic" in dictator: empowering your self-confidence and independence is just as important as empowering your obedience. And so we have always used a balance of skill sets in my home: manners, no back-talking, mutual respect, and at the same time, many opportunities for autonomy and building the skills they will need to stretch beyond their comfort zone.
In the article Danielle Meitiv said this about her children: "They have proven they are responsible," she said. "They've developed these skills." Yes! Of course they did. What parent is just going to throw their kids outside one day and say "Good luck, Honey!" Are we so tainted as a culture by the rare instances of human stupidity that we now all have to parent under a cloak of paranoia? Since when did fear-based parenting become equated with "good" parenting, and the rest of us by default are considered "bad" parents? As my husband said, through his clenched jaw, "people have stopped using good judgment." I will never forget the day that someone abandoned her good judgment and viewed me in the way that this family was now being seen. What disturbs me the most about this situation, is that this family was not being misjudged by some hyper-vigilant, helicopter Mom: they were being told by a police officer and a social worker that what they were doing was wrong. And these people had the power to take their children.
My 8-year-old son crosses a small main road after he gets off the school bus. Sometimes, I am not yet home, and he lets himself into our house and he calls me on the phone to let me know he is in. My 11-year-old daughter has been cooking meals for herself and her brother for about two years, using sharp knives, the microwave and the stove. I send my children off together on trips on their bikes, down to the park to play with their neighborhood friends. When did I decide it was time to let them do all of these things? When they told me they were ready. And they knew they were ready, because these were skills that we had been working on together to prepare them.
Since my children took their first breaths in this world, I have been grooming them for their independence. This is not to say that I have pushed them into it. Rather I have followed their curiosity and empowered them with information and encouragement. Instead of just holding their hands as toddlers and pulling them across the street, I kept up a stream of cues. "First we stop. Then we look one way, then the other. Then back again. Then we walk." Eventually, I would let them tell me what we do. Then I would let go of their hand. Then the day came that they told me they were ready to do it alone. I watched from the sidewalk, then from the window of our house. Now it's just something they do. It has been like this with every new adventure: bike rides, bathing, cooking, trips to the park. It's a dance of trust: each activity has expectations that must be fulfilled, and if they are not, the privilege is taken away. My kids love being independent, and their self-confidence has blossomed with each new adventure.
So, how can an outsider know that my children are capable of handling themselves if they were to observe them on their own in public? It's simple: they look like they know what they are doing. They don't look lost or unsure of themselves. Everyone knows what a lost and scared child looks like. If my kids were to be approached (they probably wouldn't talk to you – they don't know you!) but they might tell you that I am home, I know where they are, and I am expecting them home at a certain time. All answers any police officer could easily discern without putting our children in foster care and sending the authorities in to question us. If people are doing their due diligence on either side of this equation, it will be clear which kids are being properly parented, and which kids are cases of neglect. If the kids are doing something unsafe or destructive, then by all means, a parent should be notified, and the roaming privilege should be removed. And I'm sorry, but if your kids are chronically filthy (and not just because they are playing hard outdoors) then that's NOT good parenting, and you're going to get unwanted attention. I have read Lenore Skenazy's website (the creator of the Free Range Kid movement), and she talks pretty exclusively about outdoor play and fostering independence. Nowhere does she say that she started this movement so that your kid doesn't have to bathe and can eat Doritos for breakfast. In fact, she specifically cites well-bathed children as one indicator that they are not being neglected.
I am not in denial that kids are at risk for abduction and that cases of abuse and neglect exist. I am so aware of their existence, that I am angry that our already clogged department of protective services is wasting their time harassing good families that are arming children against being victims. Children who are self-confident are much less likely to be a target for abuse in their lifetime. Our society is so paralyzed by our 24/7 awareness of bad news, that we have disproportionately assessed the risk that is beyond our front doors. And because of this, we have stopped helping our kids take risks while they are still under our protection. And when we stop helping them take risks, we stop teaching them the necessary life skills they will need to be on their own. We are raising a Nation of teenage toddlers. Their world is safer than ours was. Violent crime is down, not up. Our kids are more likely to be abused by a known predator than a stranger, which only accounts for about 3% of all cases. But have we stopped enrolling them in Scouts or sports teams? They are more likely to be injured in a car accident, but have we stopped driving them around?
I admit, sometimes it is very hard to be an outsider observing what other families do, but when it comes to my kids, I refuse to be held hostage by fear-based parenting. I have to trust that we can all use good judgment to let people assess what their kids are ready to do within reason. I believe that it is damaging to our children to send them out into the world after 18 years of being bubble-wrapped. These helicoptered kids will not have the life skills or the self-confidence to make good decisions, which can be dangerous to themselves and other people. I used to scoff at the need to label myself, but more than ever, I am starting to see why we needed a movement.
Ashley- Well written and I 100% agree.
Thanks for reading, Laura Jo!
Great thoughtful post. I agree with everything you say. I would add that the chief responsibility of parents is to lovingly guide them into responsible adulthood…an impossible task if they cannot even cross a street! It is also freeing to be a parent of independent children-to enjoy them instead of hovering and guarding.
Thanks for reading, Margaret! You are so right. I do acknowledge that it is easier said than done sometimes. I have had to sit on my hands and bite my tongue on many occasion, wanting to jump in, take over, protect, say no, etc. I have had to make it a conscious priority to value independence as a necessary part of their lives, on par with their safety (and even outbalancing at times when my brain tried to tell me that they were "unsafe" when in reality, they weren't.) My kids have health problems and elevated risk for injury. If anyone is justified in bubble-wrapping her children it is me. But I know that this mentality can have a detrimental affect on their future. They need to grow up feeling confident, strong and capable.


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Review Santa Fe: Keliy Anderson-Staley	by Aline SmithsonSeptember 11, 2012
Over the next month, I will be sharing the work of photographers who attended Review Santa Fe in June. Review Santa Fe is the only juried review in the United States and invites 100 photographers to Santa Fe for a long weekend of reviews, insights, and connections.
Keliy Anderson-Staley was raised "off the grid" in Maine, received a BA from Hampshire College in Massachusetts and an MFA from Hunter College in New York and currently lives and teaches in Arkansas. She has been making wet plate collodion tintypes for eight years.
Her new project, [Hyphen] Americans, refers to the hyphenated character of American identities (Irish-American, African-American, etc.), while only emphasizing the shared American identity. These portraits compose a broadly inclusive portrait of America. "With each portrait I hope to capture a powerful likeness, which I then title only with a first name. Each portrait is revealing but anonymous. Each is also uniquely representative of an individual but not of a particular group. Therefore, although the heritage of each individual might be inferred from assumptions we make about features and costumes, the viewer is encouraged to suspend the kind of thinking that would traditionally assist in decoding these images in the context of American identity politics."
Keliy has been awarded a Howard Foundation Fellowship , Light Work residency and fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, Puffin Grant, and a Bronx Museum AIM residency. Solo exhibitions of her tintype portraits have been installed at the Light Work Gallery in Syracuse, NY, the Palitz Gallery in NYC, the Southeast Museum of Photography, the California Museum of Photography, John Cleary Gallery in Houston and a number of university galleries around the country. Keliy has exhibited widely arcoss the US.
Keliy will have a "tintype portrait booth" set up at both the Chicago expo through the Catherine Edelman Gallery September 20-23rd and in New Haven in October. (Sittings are free and open to the public) She will also have work at the DC Fine Art Photography Fair in Washington DC, from October 5-7th at the Rebekah Jacob Gallery.
[Hyphen] Americans is a series of tintype portraits made with chemistry mixed according to nineteenth-century recipes, period brass lenses and wooden view cameras. Composed of thousands of portraits, the project is a broadly diverse collection of American faces. Each individual in the project–identified only by a first name–defiantly asserts his or her selfhood, resisting any imposed or external categorizing system we might bring to these images.
At once contemporary and timeless, these portraits raise questions about our place as individuals in history, and the role that photographic technologies and the history of photography have played in defining identity.
Tags: Identity, Keliy Anderson-Staley, Review Santa Fe
NEXT | Larissa Leclair and the Indie Photobook Library >
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Joe Rudko: Tiny MirrorsDecember 18th, 2019
Mary Anne Mitchell: DreamscapeDecember 13th, 2019
David Benjamin Sherry: American MonumentsNovember 18th, 2019
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Jamie Tuttle: Summer Plates
Ervin A. Johnson: #InHonor: Monoliths
Joanne Dugan: Multiples and Meditations
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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NEWS ARCHIVES - ARTICLES Feature
Level Headed
Posted in Feature on May 10, 2010
By Mark Rosewater
Bio Archive Twitter
Working in R&D since '95, Mark became Magic head designer in '03. His hobbies: spending time with family, writing about Magic in all mediums, and creating short bios.
It's Level Up Week here at magicthegathering.com. This week will be dedicated to exploring and discussing the level up mechanic from Rise of the Eldrazi. During previews, I spent a little bit of time talking about how Brian Tinsman and his design team decided to use the level up mechanic, so today I was hoping to use levelers to explore a part of design and development that I haven't spent as much time talking about. Along the way, you will get a chance to see all the different arguments level up created in the process of getting printed.
The Other Game of Magic
One of the purposes of Making Magic is to help you all have a better understanding of what it is like to design and develop Magic cards. Today I wanted to bring to your attention something I haven't really talked about before. R&D doesn't play the same game of Magic that all of you do. It's similar, but it has one giant difference. You all are playing what I'll call stable Magic. To you, the cards are what they are. They don't change (okay, errata exists but errata infrequently changes the functionality of the cards). My point is that to the public the cards are a locked entity. They are what they are.
R&D plays what I'll call fluid Magic (note that I'm talking about the play we do for our job. We too like to get out and play stable Magic when we can). With fluid Magic, cards can change. Something could cost three today and four tomorrow. A card can completely morph into a different card, perhaps of a different card type. Card power can fluctuate as text gets massaged. In the game of Magic that R&D plays, you can never assume anything will stay the same.
I bring this up because it has a huge impact in how R&D sees the game. When players play, they are not thinking about how they can change the game; they are thinking about how to use what exists. The cards are a constant. No so to R&D. I bring this up today because it's important to understand this vantage point as we talk about how level up was created. You all look at a level up card and say, "Well, that's how Wizards did it." We had to look at the card and say, "How should we do it?" To us, every option was on the table.
Part of the design and development process involves always having to talk through how to do things. For many cards the choice is obvious. Magic has so many precedents that most decisions have already been decided, but when you dive into virgin design space, nothing is a given. Today I'm going to talk about the many different issues that came up when trying to figure out how level up should work and how the card needed to be laid out to make sure that players got what was going on.
What I'm going to do is walk through the many forks that came in the path on our road to build the level up mechanic. Note that most of our issues on this mechanic were about how to visually represent what we wanted the mechanic to do. Each choice in presentation had mechanical ramifications, so what we were doing was an odd hybrid of mechanics and graphics. I should make note at this point that we have an awesome team of graphic designers that help us make everything look as good as it could. Concurrent to all the arguments I'm going to talk about, the graphic designers kept giving us different versions of the card frame to show how we could represent what we wanted with the best graphic design possible.
Before I jump into all the arguments we had, let's start by talking about what we all agreed on. What was the core of the level up mechanic? The design team wanted the following:
Each card would be a creature with three different states. Most states would change power and/or toughness although not all. Some stages would add abilities. A few would remove some.
The way each creature would advance stages would be through the paying of mana. This payment could change from creature to creature but would be the same for each payment made by a particular creature. If it costs to go from level 1 to level 2, then it would also cost to go from level 2 to level 3.
The different stages would be concurrent with different groupings of levels. The first stage would also be the level the creature starts at. The second stage would require at least one level up but possibly many more than one. The third stage always required leveling up higher than the second stage.
Creatures would never be able, through their own power, to go down in levels.
That's what we had to work with. Let the arguments begin!
Level 0 vs. Level 1
Everyone was on board with creatures "leveling up"—that is, the idea that these creatures would have a level and be able to advance up to higher levels, improving along the way. The idea of leveling is a pretty core gaming concept (I believe introduced by Dungeons & Dragons, but I could be wrong). As we were trying to tap into resonant areas of an adventure world, leveling seemed ideal.
Creatures would advance one level a time. The big question was at what level were they supposed to start at? There really are only two good answers. We could start them at level 0 or level 1, what I'll call the elevator conundrum. Is the bottom level of a building the first floor (assuming no basements) or is the first story up the first floor. The answer to this question varies depending on what country you live in. Anyway, there are two possible choices so, of course, this was one of the first issues that came up.
The level 0 camp argued that the mechanic came with some logistics and we wanted to create the simplest way for players to remember what level they were at. The easiest way was to use level counters to represent the level, but if we started at level 1 then the counter number would not match the level number (two counters would mean level 3 not level 2).
The level 1 camp argued that we were trying to be resonant and connect with what people already know and to do that we needed to start at level 1. Why? Because just about any game you could name (especially Dungeons & Dragons, which was the key inspiration for the mechanic) that used leveling started at level 1. Players would just assume creatures started at level 1 and making it level 0 would be counter-intuitive.
Both camps had strong points. In the end, it was decided that matching up the level counters to the level was more important and that we would have to do whatever it took to help override the intuitive belief that creatures started at level 1. One way we did this was to make sure that all common levelers went to the second stage at level 1. If stage two started at level 1 then by definition the creature couldn't start at level 1 leaving level 0 as the only other option. This spawned another issue, whether or not to mark the first stage as "level 0," which I'll get to down below.
Progression Down vs. Progression Up
If the card was to have three stages, everyone agreed that the card had to clearly show those three stages. While we had liked Figure of Destiny, we didn't like that the three stages weren't as clear as they could have been. If we were going to do level up, we wanted each stage to be clearly identified. Part of this meant having separate sections and power/toughness boxes for each stage.
So everyone was on board with having a section of the text box (remember that level up cards still only have one text box) for each stage including a unique power/toughness box. The argument that came up was what order should the stages be. Should the first stage be on top and each stage progress downwards or should the first stage be on the bottom and each stage progress upwards.
The progression down camp argued that people read from top to bottom. If the card was going to progress it should progress in the order that people naturally read their cards.
The progression up camp argued that it was important for the bottom right corner to have the power/toughness of the original creature. That is where players have been taught to look and it made sense to keep it the same. Also, this camp argued, growth goes up. It seemed natural to have the first stage be the lowest and have each successive stage "grow" upwards.
One of the biggest factors in finding the correct answer was to mock up cards (again thanks to the graphic design team) and show them around to Wizards employees outside of R&D who played Magic. We were very interested in what Magic players would assume when faced with the different options. Downward progression proved easier for the players so that is the side that won. The one concession to the other side was to move the third stage power/toughness box so that it was tucked inside the third stage section of the text box rather than appearing lower on the card as it normally does. This slight movement helped players keep from assuming the lowest power/toughness box was the one to look at first.
Additive vs. Replacement
The creature was going to change from stage to stage. This meant that it was going to gain abilities. How were we supposed to represent that the second stage had flying while the first did not? Also, how did we make sure that the player understood that stage three still had flying even if it had gained an additional ability? Once again, we had two basic choices. Each stage could be additive, meaning it just told you what new things the creature had that it didn't have before, or it could be a replacement, meaning that each stage told you everything that stage had.
The upside to additive was that it allowed you to have the fewest words. If you had to repeat everything multiple times, it could get pretty wordy. In addition, we had the problem of what to do with the level up mechanic. It had to exist at least on the first and second stage. If the abilities were additive, then we could just write it on the card once.
The upside to replacement was that it gave you the ability to remove things. A creature could have an ability in stage two that it didn't have in stage three.
Sometimes this was good. It is cooler and less confusing for first strike to turn into double strike than to gain double strike in addition to first strike. Sometimes this is bad. Enclave Cryptologist can no longer help you discard cards while in the third stage. We felt this was okay because the draw ability felt like an upgrade to the "looting" (or filtering) ability.
Another argument of the replacement crowd was that the power and toughness worked as a replacement. A creature that gained a power and toughness didn't have "+1/+1" written in their second stage power/toughness box, so why should the abilities work any different?
The real issue was: Which version did the most players correctly interpret when they saw it? Let's take Knight of Cliffhaven again as an example.
When the second stage said "Flying" and the third stage only said "Vigilance," most players assumed that it was a 2/3 flyer at stage two and a 4/4 creature with vigilance at stage three. We tried adding a plus before "Flying" and "Vigilance" to convey that the creature was now "up" this ability. It didn't help enough and most players we surveyed still got it wrong.
It seemed clear that the replacement version was clearer to people. There was just one problem. Writing the word level up again and again was kind of ugly. What if the first stage was represented differently than the second and third stages? The first stage, because it didn't have an arrow and went all the way across the card, would represent something that all stages had. To simplify it even further we decided to have all first stages only have one ability: level up. We felt that the existence of stage three made players believe that stage two still had the level up ability. Testing obviously showed this to be the case.
The replacement choice did come with a cost: we had to be much more concerned about space. This is why we chose to have Enclave Cryptologist lose its second stage ability when it gained its third stage one. We followed the philosophy that it was okay to lose things if what you were gaining felt like it was an upgrade to the thing you were losing.
First Arrow vs. No First Arrow
I should point out that all these arguments were happening at the same time. I'm presenting the arguments in the most logical order I can, as some decisions did affect others. Just be aware that the process was much more chaotic than how I am making it sound.
This issue stemmed back to the "level 0 vs. level 1" debate. Players weren't going to get that creatures started at level 1. The best way to help educate them was to have an arrow in the first stage spelling out "Level 0." That, the level 1 crowd said, was the best way to avoid confusion. This argument ran head first into the last one. To keep from having to repeat the words "level up" on all the stages, the layout had to communicate that the first stage had a different property than the later stages. To do this, it had to lose the arrow.
What if it was a smaller arrow? What if it had a different shape? What if we just bit the bullet and put the words "level up" on the second stage as well as the first? (The argument was that the third stage didn't need to have it.) In the end, the decision was to make the cards look as clean as they could and hope that the solution of making all commons go to stage two at the first level would be enough to carry the message of creatures starting at level 0.
The Word "Level" vs. No Word
One of the pressures that came from the graphic designers was that the less we put on the cards, the cleaner the graphic looked. As such, they discouraged us from using the word "level" on the arrow. Couldn't the numbers convey what had to be conveyed? Another knock against the word "level" is that it's an English word and we print cards in many languages. Using the word "level" would cause each language to change it or live with an English word on non-English cards.
As a result we tried versions without the word "level" and tested how the players responded. It turned out the word "level" really helped players get what was going on. It impacted the graphic design as the arrows had to be longer to fit the word, but we decided to do it as it was clear to us that it would help the players better understand how to play the card.
Level Change vs. Level Grouping
A similar argument came down about the numbers. If a creature changed at level 2, could we write only a 2 on the first arrow? Did we have to write the full spectrum of numbers that the stage existed at? This was another area where testing showed that one way was just easier to understand than the other.
"+" After the Number of the Third Stage vs. No "+"
I'm starting to get to the nitty-gritty, but I want to point out that R&D (and graphic design) have to worry about the nitty-gritty. The question here was whether or not the "+" was needed on the number in the third stage. If Kargan Dragonlord became an 8/8 flying, trampling, fire-breather at level 8, was it clear that it would always be that, even if it gained levels? The answer was "No, it wasn't clear." Magic players have learned to be precise, so if the card said "level 8" it would be taken to mean "exactly at level 8." The "+" was added.
Type Lines vs. No Type Lines
Early in the process the design team entertained the idea that each stage would have its own type line. This proved infeasible for space issues, but also confused the issue of whether or not this was all one text box. In the end, there wasn't enough gain. The levelers were adventurers and little would change about them even if it could, other than a shift in class on a card or two.
My hope with today's column is that it can give you an insight into all the little details that R&D has to worry about and how each one leads to its own issues. I'm very happy with where the levelers ended up but it was definitely a rocky road to get to the solution.
Join me next week when I finish Part 2 of my look at Dieter Rams's 10 Principles for Good Design.
Until then, may you learn to fight for the little things; they matter.
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Mechanics by, Matt Tabak
Kamigawa is a world familiar to many players. It is the birthplace of several beloved creature types, and its legends shape battlefields to this day. But the time of The Kami War is long ...
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Product Overview by, Harless Snyder
It's a beautiful day in Kamigawa as you ride your neon-wheeled motorcycle through the city center. Even in the daylight, the many neon signs glow bright with a magical aura, and you see a...


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Many of the things we think of (or call) "unique" are actually just stock items that are customized or personalized. If something is a stock item with a couple small changes for you it's personalized. If you can choose from standard options, what you're looking at is customized.
The name plate on your desk is personalized.
Your Google search results are personalized.
A brand new Mini Cooper can be customized.
Ordinarily I wouldn't care much about the use of words and what they mean but I think we often have our perspective backwards about this kind of stuff. I think we often view ourselves as kind of the same as everybody else, with a few customized selections and personalized features, while we view a mass-produced item like an iPhone as unique.
The reality, though, is that you (and each of us) are truly unique, created by God for his pleasure and a specific purpose. Though in many ways we look the same and have the same building blocks (hands, feet, eyes, hair) we are not customized. At our core, each of us is specifically designed by God.
God has created each of us to be one-of-a-kind. All we have to do is be who he created us to be.
We don't have to try to be unique.
We don't have to focus on uniqueness.
Instead, we need to hear from God about how and who he sees is (His word is more important than the opinions of people). We need to understand who he's created us to be (whole yet completely dependent on Him). We need to live like He matters and allow Him to form us into the unique person he created us to be.


Father and child place a glass of water on the table and apply the palm of one hand squarely over the top. The fingers should be bent downward, at a right angle. Now stretch out your fingers, making your palm tight with tension, thus producing a partial vacuum beneath your hand. The glass of water will adhere to your hand.


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Link to find out more about General Bill Slim, the legendary Gurkha general who commanded in Burma during WW2
A Rifleman of the 3rd Gurkhas taken in the Regimental home of Almorah circa 1907. The kukri (or khukuri) is worn on the soldier's right hip with the handle free of obstruction, enabling the kukri (or khukuri) to be easily drawn when required.
Order on Amazon at this link or by clicking on the image
The Legacy, a GURKHA action adventure thriller
With heroes, villains, action, adventure, Gurkhas and a bit of romance - and set in Nepal, Dartmoor, London and Edinburgh - this thriller will grip you from the first page! And it even has a few quotes about Gurkhas in it!
'Craig Lawrence, a modern Major General, draws on his army career and bursts onto the literary scene with a novel that begins with skulduggery in the city and ends in the snows of Devon...I really enjoyed it and it's a great choice to hunker down with as the nights draw in. Inspired by Lee Child, Craig turns out a fast-paced adventure (with Gurkha guest appearances) that has appeal for many ages and covers a range of relationships.' Devon Life Magazine
'As I reflect upon the Regiment's first quarter century, it is sometimes difficult to remember exactly just how much has been achieved. This is why this book is invaluable - carefully researched, and with hundreds of fascinating images, it will perhaps help the reader to understand my deep personal pride in being Colonel-in-Chief.' His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
Link to quotes about Gurkhas
Link to the Gurkha Museum's web page
Link to the Gurkha Welfare Trust's web page
Want to know more about Gurkhas but don't want to buy the books? Then click to read the short illustrated history of Britain's Gurkha soldiers
Link to quotes about strategy
KUKRIS (or khukuris) AND THE CONTEMPORARY GURKHA SOLDIER
Modern military Gurkha kukris (or khukuri) tend to be about 30cm in length. The blades are made of steel and have a distinctive notch near the handle known as the kaura. There are numerous interesting explanations of its presence. One of these is that it is an ingenious aiming sight for when the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) is thrown at a target. Another is that it is to stop blood running down the kukri (or khukuri) blade and onto the handle. Yet another is that it is to catch and then neutralise an enemy blade. Whilst the latter two explanations might contain an element of truth, the reality is that the kaura is a decorative Hindu religious and phallic symbol.
The handle of the modern military Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) is usually made of dense wood. It is secured to the blade by rivets through the hilt or by flattening the end of the hilt over the bottom of the handle. On more expensive kukris (or khukuri), the handle might be made of bone, horn, ivory or even metal. The Gurkha kukri's (or khukuri's) scabbard is traditionally made of wood with a leather covering. There are two small pockets at the back of the scabbard to hold a pair of small knives. One of these, the chakmak, is for sharpening the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) and can be used with a flint to create a spark. The other, the karda, is used as a penknife for skinning animals. The tip of the scabbard is protected by a metal cap. When worn in the field, the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) is normally covered with camouflage material and attached to the soldier's webbing.
A soldier from the 9th Gurkhas demonstrates the use of the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) to incapacitate an adversary as a group of senior officers approach. Although this photograph was taken in 1945, young Gurkha soldiers are still taught the same slashing action with their kukri (or khukuri) during recruit training.
Link to the story of Gurkhas as the ultimate jungle warriors
Gurkha adventure thriller
A Rifleman of the 10th Gurkhas smiles as he tests the edge of his kukri (or khukuri). The photograph was taken in Italy in 1945.
A Gurkha soldier on operations in Afghanistan with a ceremonial kukri (or khukuri), known as a 'konra'. Note the two handed grip necessary to wield this kukri (or khukuri).
Link to the story of Gurkhas in the two World Wars
200 years of Gurkha history
When in the field, the Gurkha kukri's (or khukuri's) scabbard is usually covered in camouflage material as in this photograph taken in Afghanistan on OP HERRICK.
All about strategy
Link to the story of the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri)
THE ORIGINS OF THE gurkha KUKRI (or khukuri)
There are a number of different theories about the origin of the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri). One is that it is a descendent of the machaira, the curved cavalry sword of the ancient Macedonians carried by Alexander's horseman when he invaded north west India in the Fourth Century BC. Another not necessarily contradictory theory is that it originates from a form of knife used by the Mallas who came to power in Nepal in the Thirteenth Century. Arguably the most credible theory is that the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) was developed in isolation by the peasants of Nepal. Its size and dimensions may have been shaped by the environment as a longer weapon would have been impractical given the very steep hillsides that characterise much of Nepal.
A group of Gurkhas from 3rd Gurkhas circa 1890. Note the kukris (or khukuris) being held by the two soldiers bottom right.
Link to the illustrated history of Britain's Gurkhas
the gurkha KUKRI (or khukuri) - HISTORY AND LEGEND
The Gurkhas are famous for their fighting knife, known as the kukri, khukuri or khukri. Short, broad-bladed and with a distinctive curve, the kukri (or khukuri) is widely used in the hills of Nepal for chopping wood, killing animals, opening cans, clearing undergrowth and indeed any other task that requires a strong blade. Young men learn to use the kukri (or khukuri) from a very early age and it is this deep familiarity with the kukri (or khukuri) that makes it so effective in the hands of a Gurkha soldier. By the time a young man joins the Gurkhas in his late teens or early twenties, the kukri (or khukuri) has effectively become an extension of his dominant arm. This article looks at the background to the kukri (or khukuri) and examines why, even after hundreds of years, the kukri (or khukuri) remains a key part of a Gurkha soldier's personal armoury - indeed, the prospect of a Gurkha soldier deploying on operations without his kukri (or khukuri) remains as unthinkable today as it was over 200 years ago when Gurkhas were first recruited into the service of the British Crown.
If you want to find out more about the Gurkha kukri, the two books I have recently published about Gurkhas, 'The Gurkhas: 200 Years of Service to the Crown' (published in 2015) and 'Gurkha: 25 Years of The Royal Gurkha Rifles' (published in 2019), both contain well-illustrated chapters that describe the origins of the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri). Click on the images of these books at the top of the page if you want to see them on Amazon and/or click on the 'Books and Articles' tab at the top of the page if you want to see everything I've written about Gurkhas.
A soldier from The Royal Gurkha Rifles holds his kukri aloft as he storms a trench during an infantry exercise.
Link to details of the current Brigade of Gurkhas and the role of Prince Charles
A painting by Jason Askew of the Sirmoor Battalion (later 2nd Gurkhas) defending Hindu Rao's house against an assault by mutineers during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The kukri (or khukuri) carried by today's Gurkhas is little different to that carried by the Gurkha in the centre of the painting over a hundred and sixty years ago! Then as now, the kukri (or khukuri) is a lethal weapon in the hands of a Gurkha.
View or order on Amazon at this link or by clicking on the image
View or order on Amazon
KUKRI (or khukuri) DESIGN
Although all Gurkha kukris (or khukuri) have a similar basic shape, there are a number of different variations on the kukri (or khukuri) theme. Historically, Gurkha kukris (or khukuris) from the west of Nepal tended to be short and 'round-bellied' whilst those from the eastern districts had longer, more slender blades. Gurkha kukris (or khukuris) used for ceremonial or sacrificial purposes, such as chopping the head off a water buffalo during the Hindu festival of 'Dashera' or 'Dashain', are necessarily bigger and heavier. Kothimora kukris (or khukuris), which are frequently given as gifts to esteemed people, are highly polished and often have intricate silver designs on the kukri's (or khukuri's) scabbard.
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The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR), with its famous cap badge of the crossed Gurkha kukris, was formed on 1 July 1994 when the existing Gurkha regiments amalgamated to form a single Gurkha regiment of three battalions. Although the RGR has only existed for 25 years, it carries the traditions and history of its antecedent Gurkha regiments and has already established itself as a formidable fighting force in its own right. With a Foreword by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and more than 500 photographs, the book provides a visual history of this elite unit. Of note, it includes a special interest section that describes the history of the kukri (or khukuri) and that includes lots of new images of the famous Gurkha fighting knife.
Soldiers from the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas performing a kukri (or khukuri) display to music.
Link to news about The First Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Link to The Royal Gurkha Rifles web page
GURKHA QUICK LINKS:
You can use the following links to see quotes about Gurkhas and find out what soldiers from The Royal Gurkha Rifles are currently doing:
New RGR Book
About the Kukri
About Gurkhas
Gurkha Quotes
Strategy Quotes
About Craig & Gallery
A painting of the storming of Delhi in 1857 showing 'the incident at Subjee Mundi'. A soldier from the Sirmoor Battalion (later the 2nd Gurkhas) is about to draw his kukri and decapitate a mutineer.
And you can find out more about the remarkable work of the Gurkha Welfare Trust at the following link:
kukri (or khukuri) - the GURKHA fighting knife
GURKHA KUKRI (OR KHUKURI) - AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY
If you want to find out more about the history of Britain's Gurkhas, the following link will take you to the Gurkha Museum's web page:
Link to news about The Second Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Soldiers from The Royal Gurkha Rifles practising their kukri (or khukuri) drills in Bosnia in 2005. Its size and shape make the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) an ideal weapon for close quarter fighting.
A Gurkha soldier and his kukri (or khukuri). In 1948, the Prime Minister and Supreme Commander of Nepal, Maharaja Padma Shamsher Jangabahadur Rana, wrote that the kukri (or khukuri) 'is the national as well as the religious weapon of the Gurkhas. It is incumbent on a Gurkha to carry it while awake and to place it under the pillow when retiring.'
Gurkhas from The Royal Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan with their kukris (or khukuris).
A modern military Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) is usually about 30cm in length. The kukri scabbard contains two pockets at the back to hold a pair of small knives. One of these, the chakmak, is for sharpening the kukri (or khukuri) and can be used with a flint to create a spark. The other, the karda, is used as a penknife for skinning animals.
As well as being a fearsome and effective weapon, Gurkhas use their kukris (or khukuris) as general utility tools. This photograph, taken in Afghanistan on OP HERRICK, shows a Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) being used to carve up a watermelon.
Gurkha Books
Gurkhas in WW2
Jungle Warriors
Brigade of Gurkhas
Gurkha History
Gurkha Facts
Bill Slim
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Young Nepalese men grow up using the kukri (or khukuri) as a general utility weapon in Nepal. During their basic training in the UK, they are taught how to turn this familiarity with the kukri (or khukuri) into a lethal capability.
Due 2020
Link to Craig Lawrence's review of Gurkha books
Link to the story of the British East India Company meeting the Gurkhas for the first time in 1814
BEST SELLER - GURKHA: 25 YEARS OF THE ROYAL GURKHA RIFLES (ISBN: 978-1912690237)
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A soldier from 3rd Gurkhas carrying a ceremonial kukri (or khukuri) and about to decapitate a water buffalo in 1945 or 1946 as a sacrifice during the Hindu festival of Dashain. Severing the head with a single blow of the kukri (or khukuri) will bring the Battalion good luck in the year ahead - anything less will bring bad luck.
KUKRIS (or khukuris) AS LETHAL CONTEMPORARY WEAPONS
The kukri (or khukuri) is ubiquitous in Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas. It has a prominent position on the capbadges of all Britain's Gurkha units and it is carried by soldiers of the Brigade both on ceremonial duties and in the field. But the Gurkha kukri (or khukuri) is not just an historic symbol. Although the basic design of the kukri (or khukuri) has changed little over the centuries, it remains a potent weapon in the hands of a Gurkha, delivering lethal effect even on today's contemporary battlefield. The Gurkha kukri's (or khukuri's) continued utility is well illustrated in this extract from the citation for the Military Cross awarded to Lance Corporal Tuljung Gurung for his actions in Afghanistan on 22 March 2013:
'Showing exceptional instinct and courage he picked up the grenade and threw it out of the sangar. The grenade detonated, peppering the sangar with fragmentation. Gurung was again knocked off his feet. Through the obscuration of the debris he quickly identified an insurgent climbing into the sangar. Due to the close quarters, and unable to bring his rifle to bear, Gurung instinctively drew his kukri and slashed at the insurgent. In the ensuing hand to hand combat Gurung and the insurgent fell three meters from the sangar, landing on the ground outside of the Patrol Base. Exposed to possible further insurgent firing positions, he aggressively and tenaciously continued to fight with his kukri. The two insurgents, defeated, turned and fled.'
BRILLIANT BOOKS ABOUT GURKHAS - AND KUKRIS (or khukuris) ARE MENTIONED IN BOTH!
KUKRIS (or khukuris) FOR CEREMONIAL EVENTS
The ceremonial kukri (or khukuri), known as the konra, is usually about twice the size of the military kukri (or khukuri) and has a large handle to allow the user to take a double handed grip. Traditionally, the konra will be used to sacrifice a water buffalo during the Hindu festival of Dashain (or 'Dashera'). The soldier selected to do this is under real pressure. If he decapitates the animal with a single blow of his kukri (or khukuri), then his unit will be blessed with good luck in the year ahead; if he fails to do this, then bad luck will follow. Although this practise still takes place in Nepal, it is not permitted in the UK.


Arunachaleswarar temple has a 66 meter high gopuram that comprises of 13 storey or tiers. The temple has seven prakaras and nine gopurams. The tallest gopuram was built by king Krishnadevaraya in the fifteenth century and it is believed to be the second tallest gopuram in the world.
This tower is called as Raja gopuram located on the eastern side. Arunachaleswarar temple is spread over 25 acres of land. Out of the seven prakaras, the first two prakaras is said to be built by the Pandiya kings and the remaining prakaras by the Cholas and other kings.
It has two big tanks named as Brahma Theertham and the other as Siva Ganga Theertham. It has a massive thousand pillar hall built by the ancient kings. In the thirteenth century the Hoysala kings from Karnataka built some sannadhis and prakaras in the temple.
The Paathala (underground) Lingam which is inside the temple in the south west corner of thousand pillared hall is one where Ramana Maharishi worshipped and secured liberation. Arunagiri Swami, the author of Thirupugazh was granted Mukthi Kambath Illayanar Sannathi where.
Four sacred places for obtaining salvation are identified by Shiva Purana. Thiruvannamalai is one among them. The significance of this place is that by mere remembrance of Lord Arunachaleswarar at this place gives salvation to all souls (Ninaithale Mukthi Tharum Thiruthalam).
Thiruvannamalai has been the abode of Siddhars and saints. Idaikkattu Siddhar, one of the eighteen Siddhars, belongs to this sacred soil. Famous saints such as Arunagirinathar, Vitpatchathevar, Gugai Namachivayar, Guru Namachivayar, Deivasigamani, Arunachala Desikar, Mahan Seshadri Swamigal, Bagawan Ramana Maharishi, Sri Yogi Ram Surathkumar have lived and attained salvation at this Holy place.
Saint Ramana Maharishi is believed to have lived here for about fifty years till his death in the year 1950. The Ashram of this Saint is located on the hill Arunachala that is located on the western side of this town.
Thiruvannamalai has many meditation and research centers attributed to siddha medicine. Reputed siddha yogis have lived here to offer their services to cure many ailments for all the sick people who came seeking for treatment. This place also proves to be an apt place for a break with good yoga centers available here in plenty.
There are eight lingams (form of Lord Shiva) located at the eight directions and provides an octagonal structure to Thiruvannamalai Town. All of these temples and lingams are named after the eight directions as per Vasthu Shastra and positioned at the relevant directions in respect of the Holy Annamalai Hill.
Indra lingam East Indra Sun and Sukiran Blesses the devotees with long life coupled with prosperity in abundance.
Yama lingam south Yama Sevvai Relieves the devotees of their financial constraints.
Niruthi lingam South West king of the giants Ragu The devotees are Freed of their problems.
Varuna lingam west Varuna Sani The devotees protected from all critical illness and taken care to elevate their social development.
Vaayu lingam north west Vaayu Kedhu Gives strength to fight all heart ailments, stomach problems, lung problems and general illness.
Eeshanya lingam north east Eeshanya Budha Gives peace of mind to devotees and develops a positive attitude in them to achieve success in all their pursuits.


Create this step-by-step torn paper monoprint during the Monoprint Makeover class at Lucy's Art Lab . I'll show you how to print many layers of colour on an 8×10 gel plate.
Join me during Downtown Belleville's Art Walk on June 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. Artists everywhere!! Great restaurants and gallery openings. I'll be at Reiki on Wheels demonstrating monoprinting.
In my last blog post I mentioned I wanted to spend most of this year exploring printmaking. I haven't worked with prints on an ongoing basis for a number of years.
I used to create monoprints on an etching press, but once I left school and a former art studio, I had no access to a press to create the prints. About four years ago I discovered the Gelli Arts® Plates, a gelatin-like substrate used for monoprinting. Add paint to the plate, create a little mark-making, and the image transfers to paper beautifully. I'd been playing with this printmaking technique for a few years, in between creating paintings. But for this year, I've decided to work mostly using the monoprinting technique.
To strengthen my commitment, a few weeks ago I was asked to be part of the Gelli Arts® design team, a chance to work, creative and publish my monoprinting ideas. The photo above shows all the design team members for 2018. We'll all be publishing concepts, projects over on the Gelli Arts® blog this year and will pop up in the company's facebook and Instagram feeds as well. And over on the right side of this blog, there's a "buy" button for the gel plate. If you find you have an urge to create monoprints inspired by your own ideas or any future posts on this blog, you can use this "buy" button and save 10 per cent on your purchase. Just to be clear, this is an affiliate link and I will receive some payment for any purchases made using this "buy" button. But it's an easy way to get started monoprinting.
I've been working a bit on Yupo paper recently and the print below is one of those I just finished. The first image shows a lot of random layers of colour printed using the plate and the second image shows how I added and removed colour to create a poppy garden.
My upcoming solo show at the Parrott Art Gallery in Belleville, Ontario next month. Come visit on opening night. And if you can't make it on Dec. 7, the show runs until Dec. 28. Hope you'll find a chance to visit.
I have a couple of new workshops coming up in October.
Check out the Workshops page above.
Seriously, I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I signed up for Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days. I'll get into the study early every morning during September and paint a small image to upload. And I'll upload a week's worth of images only once a week.
I've been working on a large series of landscapes for an upcoming solo exhibition and thought I'd use this daily challenge to create some smaller, micro landscapes and still lifes where only one object appears in the painting.
The emphasis will be on values, color contrast and texture. You can check out the paintings on the 30/30 page at the top of the website.


ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy® (AABE®) organization today announced its 2012-13 officers and executive board. Each board member will serve a two-year term, starting this month and culminating on December 31, 2013.
In addition to her new role as President, Cherryl also is a Senior Budget Analyst in the Diversity and Inclusion organization at Georgia Power, where she is responsible for managing the departmental budget and serving as project manager for Georgia Power's employee diversity training programs. She has been a member of AABE Atlanta for nine years and previously served as vice president, secretary and treasurer.
Rodney has been an active member of AABE since 1993 and was instrumental in organizing and chairing the Chapter's first scholarship golf tournament and creating the Black Energy Awareness (BEAM) program, which is observed each October. He also is a Key Account Manager for Residential at Georgia Power in Metro Atlanta.
Willie is Region External Affairs Manager at Georgia Power, where he is responsible for establishing strong, productive relationships with city, community, and civic leaders. He is a certified public accountant and recently served as Chair of the AABE organization's annual golf tournament.
Randall has been an active supporter of AABE Atlanta, serving recently on the Black Energy Awareness Month (BEAM) committee. He also is currently the Comptroller for the Middle Georgia Transmission Area at Georgia Power.
Jo is a Sales and Service Supervisor at Georgia Power's Customer Care Center, working to deliver and ensure dependable and exceptional customer service. She is a past vice president of the Savannah Chapter and received the AABE Image Award for Customer Service in 2006. She previously served as the Atlanta Chapter's Parliamentarian.
Alisha is Senior Regulatory Analyst with SCANA Energy Marketing, Inc., where she is responsible for maintaining the administrative activities of the Regulatory and Legislative Department and working closely with the regulatory and legislative communities in Georgia. She holds professional certifications in time management and communications.
In his role as manager, Community Relations, at Georgia Natural Gas, Mo has executed many of the company's award-winning external community outreach programs. He also has responsibility for internal and external communications. Moe has served on multiple fundraising and communications committees for AABE Atlanta.


Imagine not being able to read a book to your child. Or process simple directions from a doctor. Or, being able to understand a bank statement or a report card.
There are 30,000 residents on the Virginia Peninsula who are not functionally literate, meaning they live in a world where words mean very little to them. They cannot pass an exam to get into a GED program.
"Imagine filling up the Hampton Coliseum three times. That shows how many people we're talking about," says Joyelle Saunders, executive director of Peninsula READS.
The non-profit organization recently celebrated 50 years of working to reverse the region's literacy problem. Great strides have been made, Saunders says, but there is much more to be done.
Not being able to read not only affects the family, but also the area's workforce and tax base. If people can't read, they likely cannot work or hold a decent-paying job. It can also take a toll on a family's medical and financial well being.
Peninsula READS offers basic literacy classes to American-born adults seeking to improve their reading skills. The organization also provides English for Speakers of Other Languages program to foreign-born adults striving to read, write and speak English fluently.
The people who come to Peninsula READS tend to be driven and on a mission to succeed regardless of where they come from or what their circumstances. Most have lofty goals they want to achieve.
Others come to Peninsula READS to get assistance with a language that is completely foreign to them, so that one day they will know enough English to pass the test to become a U.S. citizen.
There are about 90 tutors who work with the learners on a regular basis. All of the tutors are volunteers and have completed orientation and training. Saunders says the organization is always in search of more tutors.
Last year, 190 learners were tutored. There are group sessions as well as one-on-one sessions.
"We expect to surpass that this year, probably with more than 200," Saunders says.
The success stories, she says, are many. One learner was able to obtain his business license. Another, his driver's license. And yet, another became a citizen and voted. Little victories and huge victories. They all work to help the learners improve themselves and their lives.
The free tutoring sessions take place at the Peninsula READS office on Fishing Point Drive, at the city jail and at area libraries. The learners represent "all corners of the Earth," Saunders says. Bringing the learners together also creates a community of support and respect, regardless of their politics, religion or cultural background.
"They help each other," she says.
Over the last five decades, Peninsula READS has always been true to its mission. The organization will keep plugging along, one word and one motivated learner at a time until adult illiteracy is eradicated.
"That is our mission," Saunders says.
Kelli Caplan is a wife, a mother of three and a friend to all who know her. She spends a lot of time in her SUV, driving to schools, pediatricians, WalMart and Harris Teeter. She loves to try new recipes and new authors' books. Her favorite foods are green (lettuce, broccoli, pickles). A former crime reporter for the Daily Press, Kelli has been writing for the Oyster Pointer as long as she has been able to hold a pencil.


Bright Cellars is a monthly wine subscription company that will send you 4 different bottles of wine from all over the world. The wine selections are catered to your specific taste based on a quiz that you will take which will determine the best wine for you.... One of our favorite parts of the Bright Cellars membership (aside from the taste testing), is the ability to get great savings and earn fabulous rewards. Read: free wine! Read: free wine! After you've taste tested your wine selections, you log in to your account and rate each bottle.
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Bright Cellars Monthly Cheese Club have build a business around a subscription model that automatically charges its customers from their credit card.


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Mandatory field Captchafooter* What is the sum of 6 and 9? What is the sum of 5 and 1?


text:
Everything Explained.Today
A-Z Contents
Western Europe Explained
Western Europe is the region comprising the western part of Europe. Though the term Western Europe is commonly used, there is no commonly agreed-upon definition of the countries that it encompasses.
Significant historical events that have shaped the concept of Western Europe include the rise of Rome, the adoption of Greek culture during the Roman Republic, the adoption of Christianity by Roman Emperors, the division of the Latin West and Greek East, the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, the reign of Charlemagne, the Viking invasions, the East–West Schism, the Black Death, the Renaissance, the Age of Discovery, the Protestant Reformation as well as the Counter-Reformation of the Catholic Church, the Age of Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the two world wars, the Cold War, the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the expansion of the European Union.
Historical divisions
Classical antiquity and medieval origins
Prior to the Roman conquest, a large part of Western Europe had adopted the newly developed La Tène culture. As the Roman domain expanded, a cultural and linguistic division appeared between the mainly Greek-speaking eastern provinces, which had formed the highly urbanized Hellenistic civilization, and the western territories, which in contrast largely adopted the Latin language. This cultural and linguistic division was eventually reinforced by the later political east-west division of the Roman Empire. The Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire controlled the two divergent regions between the 3rd and the 5th centuries.
The division between these two was enhanced during Late antiquity and the Middle Ages by a number of events. The Western Roman Empire collapsed, starting the Early Middle Ages. By contrast, the Eastern Roman Empire, mostly known as the Greek or Byzantine Empire, survived and even thrived for another 1000 years. The rise of the Carolingian Empire in the west, and in particular the Great Schism between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, enhanced the cultural and religious distinctiveness between Eastern and Western Europe.
After the conquest of the Byzantine Empire, center of the Eastern Orthodox Church, by the Muslim Ottoman Empire in the 15th century, and the gradual fragmentation of the Holy Roman Empire (which had replaced the Carolingian Empire), the division between Roman Catholic and Protestant became more important in Europe than that with Eastern Orthodoxy.
In East Asia, Western Europe was historically known as taixi in China and taisei in Japan, which literally translates as the "Far West". The term Far West became synonymous with Western Europe in China during the Ming dynasty. The Italian Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci was one of the first writers in China to use the Far West as an Asian counterpart to the European concept of the Far East. In Ricci's writings, Ricci referred to himself as "Matteo of the Far West".[1] The term was still in use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Christianity is still the largest religion in Western Europe, according to a 2018 study by the Pew Research Center, 71.0% of the Western European population identified themselves as Christians.
The East–West Schism, which has lasted since the 11th century, divided Christianity in Europe, and consequently the world, into Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity.
With certain simplifications, Western Europe is thus Catholic or Protestant and uses the Latin alphabet. Eastern Europe is Orthodox and uses the Greek alphabet or Cyrillic script.
According to this definition, Western Europe is formed by countries with dominant Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, including countries which are considered part of Central Europe now: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
Eastern Europe, meanwhile is formed by countries with dominant Eastern Orthodox churches, including Greece, Belarus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine for instance.
The schism is the break of communion and theology between what are now the Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Roman Catholic from the 11th century, as well as from the 16th-century, also Protestant) churches.
This division dominated Europe for centuries, in opposition to the rather short-lived Cold War division of four decades.
Since the Great Schism of 1054, Europe has been divided between Roman Catholic and Protestant churches in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Christian (many times incorrectly labeled "Greek Orthodox") churches in the east. Due to this religious cleavage, Eastern Orthodox countries are often associated with Eastern Europe. A cleavage of this sort is, however, often problematic; for example, Greece is overwhelmingly Orthodox, but is very rarely included in "Eastern Europe", for a variety of reasons.[2]
During the four decades of the Cold War, the definition of East and West was rather simplified by the existence of the Eastern Bloc. Historians and social scientists generally view the Cold War definition of Western and Eastern Europe as outdated or relegating.[3] [4] [5] [6]
During the final stages of World War II, the future of Europe was decided between the Allies in the 1945 Yalta Conference, between the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, the U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Premier of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin.
Post-war Europe would be divided into two major spheres: the Western Bloc, influenced by the United States, and the Eastern Bloc, influenced by the Soviet Union. With the onset of the Cold War, Europe was divided by the Iron Curtain. This term had been used during World War II by German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels and, later, Count Lutz Schwerin von Krosigk in the last days of the war; however, its use was hugely popularized by Winston Churchill, who used it in his famous "Sinews of Peace" address on 5 March 1946 at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri:
Although some countries were officially neutral, they were classified according to the nature of their political and economic systems. This division largely defines the popular perception and understanding of Western Europe and its borders with Eastern Europe.
The world changed dramatically with the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. West Germany peacefully absorbed East Germany, in the German reunification. Comecon and the Warsaw Pact were dissolved, and in 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Several countries which had been part of the Soviet Union regained full independence.
Western European Union
In 1948 the Treaty of Brussels was signed between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It was further revisited in 1954 at the Paris Conference, when the Western European Union was established. It was declared defunct in 2011 after the Treaty of Lisbon, and the Treaty of Brussels was terminated. When the Western European Union was dissolved, it had 10 member countries, six associate member countries, five observer countries and seven associate partner countries.
Modern divisions
Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts
Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts has been published since 1971 and now in its 17th edition.[7] It was written by the authors Jan Nijman, Peter O. Muller and Harm J. de Blij. It is used in many US schools to teach students world geography.
Here, the definition of Western Europe includes:[7]
CIA classification
The CIA classifies seven countries as belonging to "Western Europe":[8]
The CIA also classifies three countries as belonging to "Southwestern Europe":
Western European and Others Group
The Western European and Others Group is one of several unofficial Regional Groups in the United Nations that act as voting blocs and negotiation forums. Regional voting blocs were formed in 1961 to encourage voting to various UN bodies from different regional groups. The European members of the group are:[9]
In addition, Australia, Canada, Israel and New Zealand are members of the group, with the United States as observer.
Using the CIA classification strictly would give the following calculation of Western Europe's population. All figures based on the projections for 2018 by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.[10]
Country or territory
Population (most recent estimates)
United Kingdom English London
France (metropolitan) French Paris
Netherlands Dutch, Frisian Amsterdam
Belgium Dutch, French and German Brussels
Ireland Irish, English Dublin
Luxembourg French, Luxembourgish and German Luxembourg City
Monaco French Monaco (city-state)
Using the CIA classification a little more liberally and including "South-Western Europe", would give the following calculation of Western Europe's population.[10]
Spain Spanish Madrid
Belgium Dutch, French Brussels
Portugal Portuguese Lisbon
Andorra Catalan Andorra la Vella
The climate of Western Europe varies from subtropical and semi-arid in the southern coast of Italy and Spain to alpine in the Pyrenees. The Mediterranean climate of the south is dry and warm. The western and northwestern parts have a mild, generally humid climate, influenced by the North Atlantic Current.
Western European languages mostly fall within two Indo-European language families: the Romance languages, descended from the Latin of the Roman Empire; and the Germanic languages, whose ancestor language (Proto-Germanic) came from southern Scandinavia.[11] Romance languages are spoken primarily in the southern and central part of Western Europe, Germanic languages in the northern part (the British Isles and the Low Countries), as well as a large part of Northern and Central Europe.
Other Western European languages include the Celtic group (that is, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx, Welsh, Cornish and Breton) and Basque, the only currently living European language isolate.
Multilingualism and the protection of regional and minority languages are recognized political goals in Western Europe today. The Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the Council of Europe's European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages set up a legal framework for language rights in Europe.
Western Europe is one of the richest regions of the world. Germany has the highest GDP in Europe and the largest financial surplus of any country, Luxembourg has the world's highest GDP per capita, and the United Kingdom has the highest net national wealth of any European state.
Switzerland and Luxembourg have the highest average wage in the world, in nominal and PPP, respectively. Denmark ranks highest in the world on the Social Progress Index.
Eurovoc#Western Europe
The Making of Europe,, by Robert Bartlett
Crescent and Cross,, by Hugh Bicheno
The Normans,, by Trevor Rowley
1066: The Year of the Three Battles,, by Frank McLynn
The European sub-regions according to the UN
Teaching about Western Europe
Book: Ricci, Matteo. Translated by Timothy Billings. On Friendship: One Hundred Maxims for a Chinese Prince. 1610. 2009. Columbia University Press. 978-0231149242. 19, 71, 87.
Peter John, Local Governance in Western Europe, University of Manchester, 2001,
"The geopolitical conditions (...) are now a thing of the past, and some specialists today think that Eastern Europe has outlived its usefulness as a phrase." Regions, Regionalism, Eastern Europe by Steven Cassedy . New Dictionary of the History of Ideas, Charles Scribner's Sons . 2005 . 31 January 2010.
"One very common, but now outdated, definition of Eastern Europe was the Soviet-dominated communist countries of Europe."http://www.cotf.edu/earthinfo/balkans/BKdef.html
"Too much writing on the region has – consciously or unconsciously – clung to an outdated image of 'Eastern Europe', desperately trying to patch together political and social developments from Budapest to Bukhara or Tallinn to Tashkent without acknowledging that this Cold War frame of reference is coming apart at the seams. Central Europe Review: Re-Viewing Central Europe By Sean Hanley, Kazi Stastna and Andrew Stroehlein, 1999
Book: Berglund . Sten . Ekman . Joakim . Aarebrot . Frank H. . The handbook of political change in Eastern Europe . 2 . 2004 . Edward Elgar Publishing [via Google Books] . 5 October 2011 . The term 'Eastern Europe' is ambiguous and in many ways outdated. . 9781781954324 . .
Web site: Confirmed: Czech Republic is in Western Europe, says US textbook . News.expats.cz .
Web site: Field listing: Location . CIA World Factbook . 30 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110524151212/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2144.html . 24 May 2011 . yes . dmy-all .
http://data.unaids.org/pub/Manual/2009/jc1682_governancehandbook_lr_en.pdf UNAIDS, The Governance Handbook, January 2010
Web site: World Population Prospects 2018.
Encyclopedia: Europe. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica. 10 June 2008.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Western Europe".
Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2020, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.


Whether you're getting ready for a quick hike or going overnight, a properly packed backpack is essential for an overall great experience. As a hiker, you never know what is going to happen on the trail, so being properly prepared is very important.
What I generally do is prepare per hour. Basically, I figure out approximately how many hours I'll be spending out, and pack for that amount of time. Now, I'm not a veteran of hiking or anything, which is why I always listen to advice from family and my own research.
Take a look at the video below, where this girl packs a 55 litre (approx. 14 gallon) backpack for an overnight trip.


Technology will always lean to evaluate as for the requirements; they are made to make the work much easier and more proficient. Sage accounting software is one of the phenomena of the technology, managing all your financial needs such as business revenue, payroll accounts payable, expenditure, auto-correction to the balance sheet, customized report generation and all other accounting subjects. Sage has made its own reputation in the financial world for its thoroughness, flexibility, ease of use and startup. Apart from this, the application has opened a lot more doors for the users. Sage always offers advanced features which sometimes are not easy to access. This inaccessibility shows its sign that it comes to some issue too.
Sage Customer Support - You can contact Sage online customer help at all moments through three easy ways—toll-free Sage customer help phone number, email support, and Sage live chat support.
Fixing Sage 50 Install Error - In case you expect more things at the single platform for your business, then Sage 50cloud is the best option for you.


text:
Advanced Center For Microfluidics Technology And Engineering
Dr. Pouya Reza, PI
Pouya Rezai, PhD, PEng, FCSME, FEIC
Associate Professor, Graduate Program Director
Dr. Pouya Rezai is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University and a researcher in the field of microfluidics and Lab-on-Chips (LoC). He obtained his BSc in Mechanical Engineering, MSc in Electrical Engineering (Microsystems Technology), and PhD in Mechanical Engineering (Bio-Microfluidics) in Iran, Sweden, and Canada, respectively. He was an NSERC Visiting Fellow at Public Health Agency of Canada in Guelph, ON for a year before starting his academic career at York University in 2013 as an Assistant Professor. Currently, he is the director of the Advanced Center for Microfluidic Technology and Engineering (ACµTE). He also serves as the founding Graduate Program Director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at York University and the bulletin Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME).
Dr. Rezai's independent research at York University has resulted in substantial external funding, training of highly qualified personnel, filing of patents, and publication of book chapters, articles in top-tier journals, and peer-reviewed papers in prestigious international conferences. The research of Dr. Rezai and his group has been recognized by awards and recognitions including multiple internal awards as well as cover article and interview at Soft Matter and Lab-on-a-Chip journals. He has been invited to multiple scientific events nationally and internationally including delivering a lecture on microfluidics annually at the University of Toronto and an invited speaker talk in the 3rd Microfluidics Congress in San Francisco, USA in summer 2018. He has developed multiple collaborations with scientists and engineers in industry and academia including two ongoing international collaborations with investigators in China and Kuwait.
Dr. Rezai's research interest is to expand fundamental understanding of interactions between fluids and nano- to micro-scale biological substances in their micro-environment habitats using biomimetic microfluidic devices and to employ this knowledge to devise efficient microsystems for facilitating research and development in human health-related applications. His group has developed
(i) Micro-electro-mechanical sensors and actuators to exploit composite functional polymers and nano-structures as sensing materials in LoC devices;
(ii) LoC for quantitative investigation of sensory-motor responses of disease model organisms (e.g. D. melanogaster, C. elegans, and D. rerio) to various physical and chemical cues; and
(iii) Microfluidic platforms for multiplexed sorting and detection of microorganisms and microparticles in fluidic samples.
Dr. Rezai's research aims to provide advanced technologies for enhancement of the quality of life in medical, food safety and water monitoring applications.
Micro and Nanofabrication
Micro and Nanofluidics
Lab-on-Chips and Bio-Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
Organisms- and Organs-on-a-Chip for Disease Studies and Drug Discovery
Particle and Cell Separation and Sorting for Point-of-Need Sample Preparation and Biodetection


"We believe domestic violence is preventable."
"Our mission is to create safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for our community's youth by being intentional in expressing care, challenging growth, providing support, sharing power, and expanding possibilities. We can accomplish this with EVERYONE's help to empower our community's youth for generations to come."
Endless Possibilities is a growing primary prevention program dedicated to helping children in Southern Indiana feel supported and empowered from a young age.
We believe through the use of the Search Institute's "40 Developmental Assets" we can instill lasting qualities in young children that will help them cultivate healthy relationships and stay with them their whole lives.
Want to know more about the programs we conduct, the schools we serve, or the program in general? Follow the links below!


text:
Photograph by Annie Leibovitz.
Agnes Gund, Art's Grande Dame, Still Has Work to Do
At 78, Gund has poured boundless time, money, and effort into institutions and nurtured careers. Here's why she thinks she hasn't accomplished nearly enough.
By Bob Colacello
Photography by Annie Leibovitz
Four years ago, the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies honored Agnes Gund with its Leonore and Walter Annenberg Award for Diplomacy through the Arts. The award was presented to Aggie (as she is known to everyone from her driver, Robert, to her pal David Rockefeller) by Hillary Clinton, who proceeded to list all 23 charitable boards and advisory committees on which Gund served at the time. "My God," I said to Jo Carole Lauder, FAPE's chair, "when does Aggie sleep?" "At board meetings," she replied.
Hardly.
Gund's generosity of time, money, and effort knows no bounds. At 78 she is down to a mere 20 boards and committees, ranging from the New York State Council on the Arts to Socrates Sculpture Park. She was president of the Museum of Modern Art from 1991 to 2002 and currently chairs its International Council and the board of MoMA P.S. 1, its avant-garde branch, in Queens. Perhaps the cause she cares most about is Studio in a School, which she founded in 1977 in response to budget cuts that virtually eliminated art classes from New York City public schools. President Bill Clinton gave her the National Medal of Arts in 1997. She hosts what are probably the most diverse dinner parties on Park Avenue, with guests such as Ellsworth Kelly, Julie Mehretu, and Vito Schnabel. Most nights, however, she can be seen running, in a Lanvin dress or Duro Olowu cape, to two or three exhibitions on her way to yet another benefit.
As we sat in Gund's living room one recent morning, surrounded by masterpieces by Rothko, Johns, and Lichtenstein, I asked her what motivates her philanthropy. "Guilt," she replied, "because I had money. I felt I had to do something with it that wasn't just for living well." Her father, George Gund II, she told me, "ran the Cleveland Trust Company. He was an isolationist Ohio Taft Republican, very strict, very forceful, and very tight." Aggie was the second of six children—four boys and two girls—"but whenever we had to sign documents, I signed fifth, because my father believed the boys came first. But he did leave us equal amounts." He also left $600 million in 1952 to the Gund Foundation, to which she has given over the years, though she did not go on the board, "because I was so much more liberal than my brothers were, and I was scared to death they'd just push me down and say no to everything."
She is a graduate of Miss Porter's School and Connecticut College, has a master's in art history from Harvard University, has been married and divorced twice, is close to her four children and 12 grandchildren, and is beloved by the entire New York art world, yet there is a modesty at her core that is touching. A few days earlier she had been on a Bowdoin College panel with Madeleine Albright, former senator George Mitchell, and M.I.T. professor Alan Lightman. "I guess they had a seat to fill," she said. "The moderator asked us, 'How do you feel about what you've become?' I said, 'I don't feel like I've become what I want to become. I want to do more.' "
Bob Colacello
See More By Bob Colacello »
Cocktail Hour & V.F. Weekly
Sign up for our essential daily brief and never miss a story. It's on the house.
What Happened to The New York Times' Media Column?
One of the highest perches in the industry has been vacant for a year, leaving journalists inside and outside the paper puzzled about management's lack of urgency.
By Charlotte Klein
Inside the New York Film Critics Circle Celebration: Heartfelt Thanks, Sake Bombs, and More
In the group's first in-person celebration since 2020, the film community toasted the year's achievements.
By Kase Wickman
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Star Jen Shah Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Federal Prison
Shah must surrender to prison on February 17, 2023.
By Chris Murphy
The New York Times Gives Kellyanne Conway a Platform to Write That Everyone Against Trump Is a Loser
January 6 is mentioned just once, and in passing, in Conway's long op-ed about why she thinks Trump should be allowed back in the White House.


text:
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Intensity.SOFT - RichUtils</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../../../style.css">

RichUtils / pyxis.uzuki.live.richutilskt.utils / Intensity / SOFT

SOFT

SOFT

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Lady GaGa Applause. Lady GaGa Applause. HD Wallpaper and background images in the Lady Gaga club tagged: photo lady gaga lady gaga applause applause artpop lady gaga artpop applause wallpaper lady gaga applause wallpaper lady gaga artpop wallpaper artpop wallpaper.


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Q: jQuery Mobile and MVC URL debarkles? Anyone who has started mixing the two must have come up with some interesting results, I certainly have and the current one is.
I have a Drop Down List that auto submits to a new page and sends over the id value to the controller for processing. It works fine the first time but if I hit a back button (hardware,  jQuery, back or ActionLink ) and try again, unless I hit refresh it tries to tack an extra /id value on the end of the URL string. The more times I try the more it tacks, until I hit refresh and then it works. E.g..
www.mysite.com  clicks through to www.mysite.com/Home/resultpage/2 it works but when I click back to www.mysite.com and select again, I get an error 404 because it's looking for www.mysite.com/Home.resultpage/2/4 then if I select again I get  www.mysite.com/Home.resultpage/2/4/5 and so on until I refresh and it works again, once.
Can I do anything about that, even if it's a hack!
Cheers,
Mike.

A: This looks like JQuery mobile requesting via ajax and not having the data-url to correct the url.
jQuery Mobile/MVC: Getting the browser URL to change with RedirectToAction

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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← East Riverside Corridor's makeover draws closer
Neighborhood volunteers greet Grand Prix bike commuters →
Your formula for surviving Formula One
Posted on November 10, 2012 by burlyheights
At last count, Austin had a population of 790, 390, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Next week, expect that to grow by up to 300,000 as Formula One racing at the new Circuit of the Americas racetrack in Southeast Austin draws visitors from around the world. As many as 120,000 of them will go to the track in person for the Nov. 16-18 races.
The Circuit of the Americas racetrack southeast of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was finished just in time for the United States Grand Prix Nov. 16-18. The track's official website highlights Riverside Drive and the Texas 130 toll road as main routes, though it mistakenly puts the Riverside label on both Riverside and Oltorf. Click to enlarge. (From Circuit of the Americas)
Austin roads will see a huge influx of rental cars, limos and taxis. Give yourself plenty of time to commute next week, and check event maps to plan your route around road closures, bus route changes and other surprises.
Traffic hot spots: Expect heavy traffic downtown and on East Riverside Drive, East Oltorf Street, Burleson Road, Interstate 35, Ben White Boulevard/Texas 71, U.S. 183 and Texas 130. See the Circuit of the Americas transportation page for information on park-and-ride shuttles and more.
Downtown: If you're willing to brave the traffic and try the shuttles, there should be plenty of free activities for Austinites, but getting to work will be tricky. Twelve blocks will be closed to vehicles Nov. 14-19 for outdoor concerts and other events during Fan Fest. Capital Metro is offering free bus service in a loop around downtown Nov. 16-18, as well as expanded MetroRail service Nov. 17-18. See Cap Metro's F1 page for maps, fares and detours. (Cap Metro says the downtown loop and 75 F1 shuttles will continue to run in the event of a possible bus drivers strike this week.)
Overhead: Two helicopter charter companies might fly over Burleson Heights up to 70 times a day as they ferry fans to the track from temporary helipads at Riverside Drive/Congress Avenue and at MoPac/Bee Cave Road.
A designated F1 bike route from downtown to Richard Moya Park will bring many cyclists to Burleson Road and the adjacent pocket park on Nov. 16-18. Click to enlarge. (Detail from City of Austin route map.)
Bicycles on Burleson Road: The city has designated a cycling route to the F1 races that will take bike commuters right through our neighborhood. City Council member Chris Riley and bicycle safety instructors will accompany several group rides that will depart City Hall at 8:30 a.m. Friday and 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Cyclists will probably arrive at Burleson about 20-40 minutes later. Also expect cyclists in the area on their return trips and throughout the weekend.
The route takes cyclists through the Country Club Creek pocket park that follows the large power lines between Pleasant Valley and Burleson roads. What's tricky is that in order to enter the southbound bike lane on Burleson Road, they will need to cross Burleson Road under the power lines between Santa Monica Drive and Terrilance Drive, in between two curves with limited sight lines.
Please watch for cyclists in the area pictured here:
VIEW FROM THE NORTH: Cyclists will come from the park and enter Burleson Road under the large power lines. Click to enlarge.
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH: Watch for bikes near the curve in front of Nuevo Estilo salon, north of Terrilance Drive. Click to enlarge.
WHAT THE CYCLISTS WILL SEE: The pocket park follows big overhead power lines and meets Burleson Road at a large oak tree. To continue left in the southbound bike lane, cyclists will have to cross Burleson Road between two curves, without a crosswalk. Click to enlarge.
Volunteers needed: Want to welcome arriving cyclists and alert drivers that there will be more bikes on the road? Use the contact form or the neighborhood message boards to sign up for a neighborhood bike brigade near the pocket park on Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning.
Restaurants: Throngs of humanity will be just west of I-35, one of the reasons we're glad we don't have to cross it to reach our own fabulous restaurants! Some nearby are Patsy's Cafe, Catfish Parlour, Vic's Barbecue, 888 Vietnamese Restaurant, Java Noodles, Hai Ky, El Jacalito, El Mesón, Super Burrito and El Pollo Rico. Have another recommendation? Submit a comment to share.
ATX Grand Prix, the City of Austin F1 information page
City's F1 Bicycle Commuting Guide and bike/pedestrian Facebook page
Learn how bikes and cars can safely share the road with these tips from Bicycling Magazine.
Cap Metro and MetroRail F1 transit
Formula 1 international site and Austin's Circuit of the Americas racetrack
Austin Fan Fest schedules and map
AustinRaceEvents.com, the unofficial F1 social guide
F1 news from the Austin American-Statesman, including a comprehensive F1 transportation story on Sunday
More transportation stories by the Statesman's Ben Wear
This entry was posted in Cycling, Parks and recreation, Safety, Traffic, Transportation. Bookmark the permalink.


Those of you interested in REACH developments may wish to note that on 9th August, ECHA released another IUCLID upgrade, IUCLID 5.2.2. This is functionally identical to the previous version (IUCLID 5.2.1) that it replaces, and resolves compatibility issues introduced in the earlier version. The software is freely available for download via http://iuclid.eu/index.php?fuseaction=home.iuclidHome from the IUCLID 5 website.
The above items were taken from the September 2010 issue of Toxicology and Regulatory News which is sent automatically to members of bibra (click here for more details).


Do you have a product that needs exposure? We have the audience that loves free stuff!
Promote your item with Mikeyssmail.
Mikey is looking to give away free stuff to the viewing audience. Something tangible and useful. Something broad based yet desirable.
Your item must be FREE, no discounts, no partial free… must be absolutely free! You must provide FREE SHIPPING to Canada and USA Residents, but can make a deal with other countries about covering a maximum amount. THIS MUST BE STATED UP FRONT.
YOU MUST AGREE That the emails you receive will NOT BE SPAMMED, SOLD, or RENTED unless the viewer is asking for more information.
It cannot be a free service that is only available in certain areas.
Mikeyssmail has created a new webpage ENTRY box for viewers to enter. We can place a LINK ON THAT ENTRY PAGE to go directly to your website. THE ENTRY BOX WILL BE PROGRAMMED for this specific contest.
The item or items being given away should be about $20.00. A higher price makes a contest more desirable.
You must send the ITEM TO MIKEY, including shipping dollars for Mikey to mail it afterward. The shipping rate can be determined depending on the item.
Mikey must hold item during film presentation and talk about it. It will make the video more interesting and more of a convincing sell on why someone would want it free.
By Mikey having it, this way, when the winner is selected, he will be guaranteed it will be mailed directly to the winner without delays or false promise of promotions.
The winners will be revealed on LIVE BROADCASTS with MIKEY and DIVA DAN on Monday Nights.
If you are looking for further advertising options with Mikeyssmail, we have some space and opportunities for business who are looking for exposure within the crochet and loom knitting audience market.
Mikeyssmail is viewed 1 Million Times every 57 Days… Do you want some exposure?
We will provide adequate links in the production video but we cannot promise that people will click to your website. We can talk about why they should click to see what you got, but don't promise they will.
We cannot promise people will shop or decide to purchase whatever you are selling.
Depending on item, we can run the contest for 1 Week, maximum 1/2 Month.
We do not promise that your business will increase as a result of being exposed with Mikeyssmail but your item will be viewed several hundred times, if not thousands.
We reserve the right to reject an item or business based on items being given away. Such things may include "out of season goods" or "Inappropriate Items" or "stuff that just doesn't go well with our audience".
This entry was posted in Announcements and tagged Mikey, Million Times, RENTED, SOLD. Bookmark the permalink.


With only three weeks to go until Azamara Club Cruises debuts in Australia, the brand has confirmed it will return to Australia for a third and fourth season.
Seabourn Encore will cruise Australian waters during its first season, making nine maiden calls to Australian ports from Darwin to Geelong.
Myanmar's Strand Hotel is launching the country's newest and most luxurious cruiser, The Strand Cruise, with introductory promotions aboard maiden voyages.


Typically in California DUI cases, the state launches a criminal prosecution, and in a separate, non-criminal procedure, the suspect's drivers' license is suspended. Both ways, the defendant is punished, and it's not double jeopardy. In fact, if you injure someone while driving under the influence, you could be sued in civil court and punished in three different ways. With so many potential legal consequences, it's imperative to have the advice and representation of an experienced Orange County DWI defense attorney if you're charged with DWI anywhere in southern California.
The conventional interpretation of the law in California is that two or three legal procedures do not constitute double jeopardy provided that only one is a "criminal" procedure. The suspension of your driving privilege may be punishment, but the courts do not consider it criminal punishment. Moreover, license suspension is automatic unless you request a hearing within ten days of your DWI arrest. The various procedures that you'll face when charged with DUI may not be double jeopardy, but you'll need a good DUI defense attorney who can work double duty, fighting for your license before the DMV and representing you in criminal court too.
DUI is treated as a serious charge in this state, and although double jeopardy may not work as a defense, you are nevertheless going to need the experienced counsel of a DWI lawyer who will answer your questions and fight for justice on your behalf. If you face a DUI charge in southern California, do not try to act as your own attorney, do not plead guilty, and don't forget that you have only ten days to act or your license will be suspended. Call an experienced Orange County DDWI I defense attorney as quickly as possible, and get the trustworthy defense representation that you are very much going to need.