text:
General Plans and Reports
Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended June 30, 2022
Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date results
Significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs
Approval by senior officials
Statement of Authorities (unaudited)
Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)
Statement outlining results, risks and significant changes in operations, personnel and programs
This quarterly financial report (QFR) has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act and in the form and manner prescribed by the Treasury Board. This QFR should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates. It has not been subject to an external audit or review.
A summary description of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) raison d'être and core responsibilities can be found in Part II of the Main Estimates.
2. Basis of presentation
This QFR has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the CRTC's spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the department consistent with the Main Estimates for both the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 fiscal years. This QFR has been prepared using a special purpose financial reporting framework designed to meet financial information needs with respect to the use of spending authorities.
The authority of Parliament is required before moneys can be spent by the Government. Approvals are given in the form of annually approved limits through appropriation acts or through legislation in the form of statutory spending authority for specific purposes.
When Parliament is dissolved for the purposes of a general election, section 30 of the Financial Administration Act authorizes the Governor General, under certain conditions, to issue a special warrant authorizing the Government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. A special warrant is deemed to be an appropriation for the fiscal year in which it is issued.
The CRTC uses the modified accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual departmental financial statements that are part of the departmental performance reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.
In this QFR, only those revenues netted against expenditures (i.e. respendable revenue) are being reported. All other revenue that is designated as non-respendable revenue is not reported in the quarterly financial reports, but will be reported annually in the Public Accounts of Canada and in the CRTC's Departmental Results Report (DRR).
3. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year-to-date results
The CRTC is financed in part by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary authorities (e.g. Statutory Vote for Employee Benefit Plans (EBP), Budgetary Vote for Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation activities and for the Voter Contact Registry). The balance is financed by vote-netted fees it collects from the broadcasting, telecommunications and telemarketing industries.
Vote-netting is a means of funding selected programs or activities wherein Parliament authorizes a department to apply revenues collected from fee payers towards costs directly incurred for specific activities. The CRTC has the authority to use a portion of: a) the Part I licence fees collected from broadcasters; b) the annual telecommunications fees collected from telecommunications carriers; and c) the unsolicited telecommunications fees collected from telemarketers to finance the costs it incurs in discharging its statutory responsibilities under the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act (i.e. respendable revenue). The balance of these three fees recovers the costs for items funded through budgetary authorities (e.g. EBP) and costs incurred by other government departments on the CRTC's behalf. That balance is classified as non-respendable revenue.
The majority of the CRTC's vote-netted revenue for the year is collected within the first two quarters of each fiscal year. As a result, it is expected that the CRTC quarterly financial reports will always show the net operating expenditures in a credit position. Further details on CRTC fees and revenues can be found in the 2022-23 Departmental Plan, in the supplementary information section entitled "Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations."
The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease ("COVID-19") has resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus. These measures, which include the implementation of travel bans, self-imposed quarantine periods and social distancing, have caused material disruption to businesses globally, resulting in an economic slowdown. The duration and impact of the COVID-19 outbreak are unknown at this time.
To date in 2022-23, there is a net decrease in budgetary authorities of $0.81 million compared to the authorities granted in the 2021-22 Main Estimates. Factors contributing to the net decrease include:
An increase of $0.14 million in program spending for activities related to the implementation of Bill C-11.
An increase of $0.06 million in program spending due to reduced transfers to Treasury Board of Canada.
A decrease of $0.90 million in re-profiled funding for Les Terrasses de la Chaudière complex makeover and the Government of Canada Financial Management (GCFM) project.
A decrease of $0.11 million in statutory authorities related to EBP.
The CRTC's spending for the first quarter ended June 30, 2022 is lower compared to the first quarter of the previous fiscal year. Year-to-date total gross budgetary expenditures for 2022-23 are down ($0.73 million) over the previous fiscal year. The main reason for this difference in spending is attributable to temporary delays in processing non-salary related items caused in great part by our transition to a new financial system.
4. Risks and uncertainties
The estimated telemarketing and regulatory costs and revenue target for unsolicited telecommunications fees, the CRTC's National Do Not Call List (DNCL), total $3.3 million per year. A public notice of these amounts was issued in CRTC Compliance and Enforcement Orders 2021-202 for 2021-22 and 2022-159 for 2022-23.
5. Significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs
There have been no significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs over the past year.
6. Approval by senior officials
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
Gatineau, Canada
Claude Doucet, CPA, CGA
Statement of Authorities (unaudited) Fiscal year 2022-23 (in thousands of dollars)
Total available for use for the year ending March 31, 2023*
Used during the quarter ended June 30, 2022
Year to date used at quarter-end
Vote 1 – Program expenditures 76,427 15,044 15,044
Less: Revenues netted against expenditures (67,648) (25,233) (25,233)
Net Vote 1 – Program expenditures 8,779 (10,189) (10,189)
Statutory authorities – EBP 8,356 2,089 2,089
Total Budgetary Authorities 17,135 (8,100) (8,100)
*Only includes Authorities available for use and granted by Parliament at quarter-end.
Total Budgetary Authorities 17,947 (39,216) (39,216)
Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited) Fiscal year 2022-23 (in thousands of dollars)
Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2023
Expenditures:
Personnel (including EBP contributions) 67,373 15,849 15,849
Transportation and communications 1,160 126 126
Information 3,200 285 285
Professional and special services 9,780 321 321
Rentals 1,614 418 418
Repair and maintenance 198 0 0
Utilities, materials and supplies 264 133 133
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 1,181 1 1
Other subsidies and payments 13 0 0
Total gross budgetary expenditures 84,783 17,133 17,133
Less: revenues netted against expenditures
Revenues (Part I Broadcasting licence fees, Telecommunications fees and Unsolicited telecommunications fees) (67,648) (25,233) (25,233)
Total revenues netted against expenditures (67,648) (25,233) (25,233)
Total Net Budgetary Expenditures 17,135 (8,100) (8,100)
Repair and maintenance 557 31 31
Utilities, materials and supplies 209 7 7
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 835 83 83
Other subsidies and payments 4 0 0
Revenues (Part I Broadcasting licence fees, Telecommunications fees, and Unsolicited telecommunications fees) (59,103) (57,081) (57,081)
Total Net Budgetary Expenditures 17,947 (39,216) (39,216)


Purchasing problems - Philthib please can you help me?
Roman civil War crashes then trun won't load.
'Load' option crashes the game.
At least one non-AI opponent has not submitted his turn ??
(1.01d) bug when merging stack leader with a unit?


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New Silver Treatment for Rabies Nixed by Medical Authorities
In India, medical researchers are looking at using a new innovation in nanosilver as a potential treatment for late-stage rabies in humans, which is almost always otherwise fatal.
But it appears researchers having the same problem in India that we have here in the west, i.e., the medical authorities consider silver to be such an "alternative" (read: non-drug) treatment, they are reluctant to approve its use, or to even approve testing it.
This holds true, apparently, even when the person behind the silver innovation is a bona-fide professor of biotechnology at a major university…
According to a news article in The Times of India, Dr Anitha Sironmani, a professor of biotechnology at Madurai Kamaraj University, has developed a new innovation in nanosilver she believes will cure late-stage rabies in humans – a condition that is otherwise almost 100% fatal.
Dr. Sironmani, who holds numerous patents for nano treatments, says:
"I have worked with the silver nano particles which have the potential to control 750 different microbes, attaching them and multi-targeting, which makes it difficult for the microbes to develop resistance to it.
In fact, there are studies to show that nano-targeted drugs have been able to control the spread of AIDS."
According to Dr. Sironmani, speaking to The Times of India, the same pattern of treatment used experimentally against AIDS can also be followed for rabies. She stated:
"The only problem we face is we have not been able to work with the virulent virus as it requires working under extremely sterile conditions with the deadly virus."
The Times of India goes on to point out that treatments for early stages of rabies are available, but not the late stage because in that final stage the virus tends to target the brain, and it's difficult to get antiviral medication to cross the blood-brain barrier.
The newspaper states:
"Both antibodies and antigens are available for treatment of early rabies, but the lack of accurate targeting of brain cells which are attacked by the virus is one reason why it has not got complete success in advanced stages of the disease.
Dr. Sironmani says it has been proved that the specially prepared nano particles have been found to be able to cross the brain-blood barrier which is most important for the treatment of this disease."
Research Request Nixed
Last year, Dr. Sironmani applied to the regulatory officials at the government-run Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, India, to test her nanosilver innovation. But she was met with the usual foot-dragging that tends to typify nanosilver research attempts in humans, even here in the west.
According to Dr. Sironmani:
"Persons who end up in the rabies cells of GRH and start developing canine behaviors and advanced hydrophobia almost certainly die, so injecting them with this specialized nanoformulation and trying out the success rate is going to be a step towards a cure. I hope the government gives my invention the nod at the earliest."
Unfortunately, in January 2014, her request was officially turned down by the Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC) of the government-run hospital, largely on the basis that it would not be "ethical" to use the new nanosilver formulation to treat a patient with late-stage rabies, since that person would not be able to give informed consent for the treatment.
So, as a result, the rabies patients are left to die. And it may never be known whether or not Dr. Sironmani's innovative nanosilver treatment might work.
Serious Disease
According to Dr. Charles Rupprecht, chief of the rabies section at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although the United States has only a few cases of human rabies each year, someone in the world dies of rabies every 15 minutes on average.
The virus behind rabies, which attacks the brain and the nervous system, is considered untreatable once the appearance of symptoms takes place, which include fever, headache, anxiety, and loss of consciousness.
"Only five people in the world are known to have survived rabies after the onset of symptoms," says Dr. Rupprecht. But they had received standard treatment – a series of rabies vaccine shots – before experiencing symptoms.
You'd think a potential new cure for such a virulent and deadly disease taking thousands of lives per year worldwide would merit more attention from the medical authorities. Perhaps Dr. Sironmani will be able to conduct animal studies first, in order to help convince her detractors of the validity and effectiveness of her proposed treatment.
Would Silver Actually Work Against Rabies?
According to Chinese medical lore, families were always advised to have something made of silver in their home, in case a rabid dog bit a family member or visitor. It was said that merely rubbing the silver over the wound immediately after a bite would help prevent the rabies infection from taking place.
Of course, folklore does not constitute medical evidence. And neither do testimonials. They're simply indicators that there might be a grain of truth to the proposition.
With that in mind, the following testimonial from well-known natural health journalist Tony M. Isaacs, whose dog was bitten by a rabid skunk, seems quite interesting. Last year, Tony stated in a post on the Colloidal Silver Secrets Community on Facebook:
"Colloidal silver is the bomb for pets! We put it in the drinking water of our four rescued dogs ('found dogs' we call them) and our rescued cats. None of them have ever been vaccinated. The 15 year old eldest dog still frisks around like a puppy.
Once we used colloidal silver – lots of colloidal silver – along with other supplemental items when one of our dogs was attacked by a rabid skunk. The dog is still here and doing fine. Can't say the same for the skunk, which I had to exterminate when it came after me."
Anecdotal accounts aside, the bottom line is that without the research proposed by India's Professor Sironmani, we may never know whether or not silver is truly effective against the rabies virus.
We know from clinical lab research that colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver have been demonstrated to be effective against numerous infectious viruses. You can learn more about that at the Colloidal Silver Kills Viruses website.
And, of course, we know colloidal silver has been demonstrated to be astonishingly effective against disease-causing bacteria, including many of the antibiotic-resistant superbugs that have medical authorities so worried. See Colloidal Silver versus the Superbugs and Does Colloidal Silver Really Kill MRSA? to learn more.
Finally, we also know that colloidal silver has been demonstrated to be effective against a variety of disease-causing fungal pathogens that plague mankind, including Candida albicans and others. See Colloidal Silver Beats Fungal Infections Fast for additional information.
So it would come as no surprise to learn that colloidal silver or perhaps a specially prepared nanosilver solution such as the one India's Dr. Sironmani is proposing, would be effective against the rabies virus.
Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until the medical authorities relent and allow the testing to take place before we'll ever know for sure, one way or the other.
You can learn more about colloidal silver's astonishing ability to heal infections and disease, through the following recommended resources:
Hundreds of first-hand accounts and testimonials by experienced colloidal silver users explaining how they healed their own infections, at this link.
Over 100 clinical studies demonstrating the safety and effectiveness
of colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver, at this link.
Hundreds of quotes from bonafide medical experts and others,
regarding the safety and effectiveness of colloidal silver, at this link.
Over 100 news reports and articles on the safety and effectiveness of colloidal silver, at this link.
Plus, check out these over one dozen colloidal silver "how-to" videos demonstrating how experienced colloidal silver users heal their own sinus infections, ear infections, eye infections, skin infections, and much, much more!
And if you'd like to learn how to make your own high-quality colloidal silver, quickly and easily, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, for less than 36 cents a quart (rather than paying up to $30 for a tiny, four-ounce bottle at health food stores), simply click the link in this sentence.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This Bluelab Truncheon is a hassle-free way of keeping a check on your EC/CF readings and comes with a Bluelab Cleaning Kit to keep your meter clean and accurate.
The Bluelab Truncheon is a basic EC meter for measuring the strength of your nutrient solutions.
It is important when growing using hydroponics to keep a check on your solution and keep your levels of nutrients consistently accurate. It is essential to measure your nutrient solution both before feeding and during growth and the Bluelab Truncheon is a reliable and affordable option for keeping your levels where they should be!
Packaged with the Bluelab Truncheon in this money saving offer is a Bluelab Cleaning Kit so you can keep your EC meter clean and accurate. If dirt or grime builds up on or around the probe in your meter you will find your readings become less accurate and your plants can suffer. By using this cleaning kit on a regular basis you not only increase the life of your probe and the quality of your plants!
The Bluelab Truncheon is fully waterproof, comes pre-calibrated, has no external switches or toggles and comes with a 5 year guarantee!


Temperatures were set to stay below freezing in most of Sweden on Wednesday.
Police are searching for a six-month-old baby girl who went missing outside a nursery school in Gothenburg on Tuesday afternoon.
Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has recalled tens of thousands of cars after a potential problem in the exhaust system was found.
Here's a word to pay careful attention to if you plan to drive or even walk along Sweden's icy roads.
The remains of what is believed to be a person who died in the 17th century have been found in a building in Kalmar.
Sweden just had its coldest night of this winter, so if you were particularly reluctant to get out from under your duvet this morning you may have been on to something.
Today's Swedish word of the day is doldis, which is the opposite of the more common word kändis.
Stefan Löfven addressed the Swedish parliament for the first time on Monday after being voted back in as prime minister a record 131 days after the election.
A cold winter has sent the cost of electricity soaring in Sweden.
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven is set to reveal who will be part of his new government today, marking the end of a record-long wait after a general election.
A local politician with Sweden's far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) has left the party after making a social media post that referred to the assassination of former prime minister Olof Palme.
The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has confirmed that South Korean envoy Lee Do-Hoon will participate in high-level meetings with the United States and North Korea.
The number of letters sent via Postnord in Sweden fell by a record amount in the second half of 2018.
The Left Party has said it would be prepared to trigger a hypothetical vote of no confidence in Sweden's new government, but does not have enough votes on its own to pass such a motion.
Every week one of The Local's readers takes over our Instagram account. Today Zubair Ahmed from Pakistan shows us his Jönköping.


If your fluorescent fixture is from 2.75"-5" wide, the adjustable Litetronics LED Strip Retrofit offers the fastest and least expensive way to upgrade to LED energy efficiency and the polished look of a new diffuser lens.
Our Strip Fixture Retrofit provides considerable installation savings compared to a new fixture. You can use the existing building wiring and fixture base frame. The assembly process is simple. Plus, there's less waste disposal, and no post- installation work needed to touch-up the ceiling paint to match a new fixture outline.
With our 10-year warranty and a 100,000 hour-rated life, we provide a pay-off that lasts as long as any fixture in the market. You will eliminate the parts and labor costs needed for fluorescent tube replacements. You will eliminate your ballast worries, and save over 70% in energy costs compared to your existing fluorescent fixture.


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La gara dei 50 metri stile libero maschili si è svolta l'8 e 9 agosto 2015 presso la Kazan Arena e vi hanno preso parte 115 atleti provenienti da 102 nazioni. Le batterie e le semifinali si sono svolte, rispettivamente, la mattina e al sera dell'8 agosto, mentre la finale ha avuto luogo la sera del 9 agosto.

Medaglie

Record
Prima della manifestazione il record del mondo (WR) e il record dei campionati (CR) erano i seguenti.

Risultati

Batterie

Semifinali

Finale

Collegamenti esterni
  Partenti su OmegaTiming.com
  Risultati batterie su OmegaTiming.com
  Risultati semifinali su OmegaTiming.com
  Risultati finale su OmegaTiming.com

Stile libero 50 F

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Queen Elizabeth's great-granddaughter Mia Tindall's cutest moments | HELLO!
Mia celebrates her 5th birthday in January!
As Mia Tindall turns five in January, we take a look back at the young royal's cutest moments. Zara and Mike Tindall's eldest daughter Mia famously stole the show in Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday portrait two years, and since then has captured the hearts of many. From shoulder rides with dad Mike Tindall to supporting her mum Zara at her horsing events, check out this four-year-old's most adorable pictures.
In March 2017, Mia stole the show at the Gatcombe Horse Trials. The then three-year-old was on hand to support her mother Zara Phillips as she competed in the annual riding event.
Mia looked adorably unimpressed by her father posing with fans at the festival in Stroud, England.
Zara and Mike Tindall's daughter became an instant star when she held the Queen handbag in the monarch's 90th birthday portrait. The photo was captured by famous celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz and taken in the private grounds of Windsor Castle.
The little royal played with her royal relatives including cousins Savannah (seen here) and Isla Phillips at Gatcombe Park in Stroud, England.
It was a day of family fun for Mia Tindall and her parents Mike Tindall and Zara Phillipsat the Big Feastival at Alex James' Farm in Kingham, Oxfordshire.
Mia shared a sweet moment with Prince William and her mum during the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy match.
Mother and daughter enjoyed a day of bonding at a horse-riding festival at England's Gatcombe Park. Keeping cool, the youngster wore a sleeveless yellow top and a minature straw fedora.
Doting father Mike Tindall, a former pro rugby player, lifted his daughter onto his shoulders as the two watched Prince William and Prince Harry play in a charity polo match.
All wrapped up! The 1-year-old looked adorable in a purple onesie with white stars and a cute grey hat, as she cuddled up to her mum's friend Dolly Maude at Cocklebarrow Racecourse.
Hoping to instill a love of horses in her daughter from an early age, Zara took baby Mia to her first horse-riding event when she was only 3 months old.


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Q: How do I send a POST request with a body that is a string or a character using httpwebrequest? I have a Post call that takes a string GUID "AA0DB615-D4CB-4466-BC23-0E0083002220"
I am using HTTPWebRequest to send request but I am not sure how to add this along with my Post request. Basically I have not found any method inside the HTTPWebRequest to send a Post that is just a string or a character datatype. Is their anything like request.AddBody.
I have also looked at the GetResponseStream. Can I use this to write to the body as a string or character data type and send the call. I am stuck on this any help would be great

A: Here's a sample request that sends a plain text GUID in the body using HttpWebRequest, You can set the Content type to "text/plain" if you want to explicitly state that the content type is plain text :
var request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create("URL GOES HERE");
request.Method = "POST";
var content = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(); //You should replace this with your GUID
var encoding = new ASCIIEncoding();
var bytes = encoding.GetBytes(content);
request.ContentType = "text/plain";
request.ContentLength = bytes.Length;
using (var requestStream = request.GetRequestStream())
{
    requestStream.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
    var response = request.GetResponse() as HttpWebResponse;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Vapiano restaurant is located in the heart of the Golden Triangle in the 8th district of Paris is a modern restaurant concept offering Mediterranean dishes such as pizzas, pasta and various salads with Italian accents prepared in front of guests. This specialty restaurant Pasta, Pizza and Salad (fresh pasta made on site to desserts) ideally located at: 36 rue Marbeuf in the heart of Paris, in a modern and design setting just 50 from the Champs-Elysées, not to mention not miss!
We propose serveral hotels near the restaurant Vapiano Champs Elysées in Paris.


If you weren't at the conference, imagine this. You've been working all week hosting 600 of your colleagues for a huge culture committee event. You committed back in June to come out to speak at the Greenleaf Conference the very next day, that day being a Saturday. You arrive, you are mic'd and ready to take the stage. Your audience is ready to hear what you say because you and your company live the values that have brought them to Grapevine, Texas. You are introduced, take the stage and begin to speak. Just about the same time, the music swells and cheers erupt from the ballroom next door. The joyful noise of our neighbors continue at different decibels throughout the 30 minutes you are on stage.
Would you have been distracted?
Would you stop and refuse to go forward?
Or, would you have done what Cheryl Hughey, EVP of at Southwest airlines did, continue on with a compelling message about how the Warrior's Spirit, a Fun Loving Attitude and a Servant's Heart fuels SouthWest Airlines every day.
Cheryl's message was such a gift but, I think, the bigger gift she shared was to show us in real-time what living your values every day, in every circumstance looks like.


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Arts and Entertainment Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 1 year ago
Cringe Blog: Scares both old and new
The final theme month recommendations include a modern twist on a classic saga and the movie that started the teen horror revival
by: Ryan Kohn Sports Reporter
(Before we start: please imagine there is creepy organ music playing while you're reading this. Actually do better than imagine it, and have this playing in the background. Thanks!)
Welcome to the Cringe Blog finale, all ye minions of the night. It's been a fun ride this month, and frankly I'm sad it's over. There are so many great shows and movies I didn't have a chance to mention, and… actually, I'm just going to give them a brief pitch here. If you're still getting an itch for horror in the upcoming winter months (which remain spooky, even though October is objectively the spookiest of them all) give these works of art a look.
They're not all on streaming services — I'll note the ones that are — so you might have to pay for them individually. I know paying compensating creators for their art is an INSANE idea these days, but trust me, these are worth a few bucks.
- "Trick 'r Treat," rated PG-13: A fun anthology film following multiple happenings on one Halloween night. More thrilling than scary, which makes it a perfect family watch. (It's still a bit scary, though).
- "Stranger Things," rated TV-14 (Netflix): A good sign of how stacked the horror/thriller genre has become lately is that I went a whole month without mentioning this show, which is the best '80s love letter/monster movie homage going right now. Can't wait until season three drops in 2019.
- "The Guest," rated PG-13: If someone shows up claiming to be a friend of your dead son and asking for a place to stay, never, ever let him into your home, even if he's played by the underrated Dan Stevens. (Also, this movie's score absolutely rules.)
- "Hereditary," rated R: I first saw this movie, which is a meditation on grief disguised as a possession movie, in theaters earlier this year by myself. What a decision that was! I had a hard time sleeping for like, a week afterwards. I then saw this movie two more times. It's great in all the ways you expect and, especially, the ways you don't.
- "Annihilation," rated R: I am most definitely going to do a longer Binge Blog piece on this movie when it's streaming, but for now I'll say this: After being released in January, it's my still favorite movie of the year, and you should go into it knowing as little as possible, other than it stars Natalie Portman, who absolutely rules.
- "What We Do in the Shadows," rated R (Amazon Prime Video): From the delirious minds of Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement comes the best vampire movie ever made, focusing less on bloodlust and more the day-to-day problems vampires face, like arguing with roommates, finding dates to a dance and making enough money to pay rent on time. If you like dry humor, this is one of the funniest movies of the last few years.
- "Shaun of the Dead"/"Hot Fuzz"/"The World's End," all rated R: This not-really-at-all connected trilogy from director Edgar Wright ("Baby Driver") is so brilliant and funny and sometimes poignant but then right back to silly and perfect. The first one is probably the most Cringe Blog-appropriate, but it's so good that you might as well watch all three.
- "A Ghost Story," rated R (Amazon Prime Video): Yeah, I already wrote about this movie, and no, it's not horror, but it's so good and I just want everyone to watch it, OK?
If you liked those pitches, you're going to LOVE these next two!
Netflix, rated TV-MA, 10 episodes, 50 minutes
The hot horror series of the moment is "The Haunting of Hill House," (loosely) based on the classic Shirley Jackson novel of the same name. I was worried about this series going into it, because most of the time there are reports of the newest "scariest movie/show ever," there's a lot of jump scares involved, and I like my scares to be earned instead of cheap. Thankfully, this show does earn its scares, though it shares a lot with "Hereditary" in terms of it being a family drama with scary scenes, as opposed to scary scenes centered around a family, if that makes sense.
Michiel Huesman and Timothy Hutton in "The Haunting of Hill House." Photo source: Netflix.
Let me give some context: "The Haunting of Hill House" follows the Crain family: parents Olivia and Hugh, oldest brother Steven, sisters Shirley and Theodora, and twins Luke and Nell. The seven Crains once lived in the titular Hill House, but a gruesome episode forced the family to leave. The show splits its time between the past and present, spending most of the series deciphering what exactly happened on that fateful night while also revealing more about its central characters, none of whom are as they appear at first.
What the show does right, first and foremost, is (like "Hereditary") tackle the grieving process. Spoiler alert: People die in this show. There's one death in particular that the show revolves around, and though it occurs at the end of the first episode, I won't reveal it here. The show is smart enough to know that not everyone grieves in the same way: One character is angry at the deceased for the choices they made, another refuses to believe the deceased is gone and a third is so overcome with despair that they stop feeling anything but despair, ever.
Violet McGraw faces the Bent-Neck Lady in "The Haunting of Hill House." Photo source: Netflix.
The biggest takeaway is that even though there are literal ghosts in the "Hill House" universe — A frighteningly tall man in a spiffy hat, a woman who looks straight out of a Great Gatsby party for the undead and a spirit aptly named "The Bent-Neck Lady" among them — most of the ghosts in our own lives are feelings. Feelings of guilt, or nostalgia, or regret or even a wish. These things never leave us no matter how hard we want them gone, because maybe experiencing them forever is better than never experiencing them at all.
The show's ending has been divisive on the internet, but I fall on the side who likes it. It wraps up the story of the Crain family in a way that jives with what the themes of the show were all along. If you're hoping for the show to save its scariest moments for last, you might be a little disappointed. But if you prepare for a human look at dealing with trauma (and you should after this review), I think you'll be satisfied.
Plus, the middle episodes of the show (let's say four through eight) is a contender for the best run in a television show in 2018. And holy hell is the Bent-Neck Lady frightening. You've been warned.
STARZ Play, rated R, 111 minutes
Where else could Cringe Blog end than the movie that gave a dying genre a complete rejuvenation?
I don't know if I'd be writing this piece if not for "Scream." Not because it was the first horror movie I watched, but because it inspired so many of today's best horror filmmakers. It rewrote the rules of what a slasher movie could be — by literally breaking the genre down and making meta-notes about it along the way.
(Yes, I'm spoiling this movie below. It came out 22 years ago, deal with it.)
Neve Campbell in "Scream." Photo source: STARZ Play.
The movie's first twist was actually its advertising. "Scream" stars Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, a teen whose town is dealing with a killer whose murders all start by asking his victims about their favorite horror flicks. But trailers for the film starred Drew Barrymore's character, Casey Becker, because Barrymore's was the biggest name in the movie. In actuality, "Scream" kills her character (memorably) within the first fifteen minutes. Nothing like this had been done in a film before. With so much death in media nowadays, it's tough to make loss of life truly shocking, but "Scream" succeeded.
The movie's killer twist — literally, that the killer was actually two different people — also had never been done before. It's been copied numerous times since, a testament to how brilliant the idea was. And on top of all that, the movie is equal parts terrifying and legitimately gleeful.
Remember last week when I said I loved when characters make rules for themselves to survive? It happens here, too, with characters listing horror movie cliches (if you have sex, you're dead; if you say "I'll be right back," you won't be back; The villain is never dead when you think they are; etc.) and creating rules to avoid them and thus survive the hollywood-obsessed Ghostface. Of course, these being teens, they break their own rules pretty quickly, and make fun of each other when they do it.
Skeet Ulrich is chased by Ghostface in "Scream." Photo source: STARZ Play.
This movie is to the teen slasher genre as "Cabin in the Woods" is to the, well, cabin in the woods genre. Both films use humor to make fun of its own genre while also giving it a big hug. Yes, slashers are sometimes dumb. Yes, people make terrible decisions in them, and they're all chock full of the same scenes done slightly different ways. But we like that. It's comforting, in a sense, to know what you're going to get from a film. "Scream" knows this, and is able to keep that comfort factor while also turning the genre inside-out. (It's the movie version of the "How Did This Get Made?" podcast, in a sense, but making fun of itself.) That's not an easy thing to do, but it succeeds.
Fun fact: "Scream" was originally called "Scary Movie" in Kevin Williamson's script. That, of course, became the name of the series of parody movies that made fun of slashers, "Scream" in particular. It was cool to poke fun at "Scream," which meant "Scream" was cool, in general. The movie made more than $173 million, showing the movie world that horror was far from dead, as long as it was infused with fresh blood, fresh ideas.
It feels weird to call a movie of this ilk important, but "Scream" truly was. It also holds up, thanks to its meta-commentary, and is still a great watch. If you at all consider yourself a cinephile, you have to watch "Scream."
Plus, if a killer ever asks you what your favorite scary movie is, you can say this one. They'll probably leave you alone after that.
See you next week. We'll be back to normal then, but in the interim, stay spooky, y'all.
The Author: Ryan Kohn
I'm the sports reporter for Sarasota and East County and a Missouri School of Journalism graduate. I was born and raised in Olney, MD. My biggest inspirations are Wright Thompson and Alex Ovechkin. My strongest belief is that mint chip ice cream is unbeatable.
See All Articles by Ryan
Scene & Heard 10.25.18
Sarasota Opera receives well-earned standing ovation for 'The Barber of Seville'


You look so sweet and happy in this elegant and chic outfit! We had great weather for couple of days so I was also happy to enjoy the sunshine and wear lighter clothes!
Granny chic with a youthful spin. Love it.
This style is so classic and also looks amazing on you!
You definitely pull of the granny chic look!
This reminds me of a cardigan that my grand mother knitted some 15 years ago. Me and my mom still use it today. It's one of those big, old pink cardigan with big brown buttons. And I just love it. So yeah, there is no "too old for fashion" because some of these granny looks are the best !
Loving this whole outfit! I bought some similar jeans recently and now can't wait to style them. Loving the Rouje cardigan too, I love how they style it with midi skirts on their website but it looks great with these jeans too!


CHICAGO (January 4, 2016) – The Equality Illinois Political Action Committee (EIPAC) will host a reception with former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on January 14 to support the PAC's mission of electing pro-LGBT equality candidates to state and local offices.
"Gov. Quinn is a great friend of the LGBT community and, among many other achievements, was instrumental in passing and implementing marriage equality," said Nicole Bashor, Chair of the EI PAC.
The reception with Gov. Quinn will take place at Hubbard Inn, 100 W. Hubbard Street, Chicago, on the evening of Thursday, January 14.
Through candidate questionnaires, endorsements, campaign contributions, and field support, the EIPAC works to secure and defend the equal rights of LGBT people in Illinois. The EIPAC is the only political action committee in Illinois that is dedicated to electing individuals to public office who will fight for the equal rights of LGBT Illinoisans.
The EIPAC is engaging in the 2016 primary and general elections in Illinois. This effort involves evaluating candidates based on their support of policies and proposals that advance LGBT equality.


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New CD releases for February 1st
Not much happening here in musicville this week. I am lying, there is lots happening, but most of it is too dull to report here. I have assembled what I consider to be the best of what was available to me at the time. If you have an opinion on anything you see here then leave a comment. Sometimes people have alternate opinions and I would love to hear what you think about my musings. As always, hover over the image for a link to purchase. Enjoy.
Bob Marley – Live Forever: The Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh PA September 23, 1980
20 classic tracks from Marley's last recorded concert 30 years ago. This collection also includes Bob's musical answer to the question "How do you like your donuts?" - Jammin
Rod Stewart – The Best Of... The Great American Songbook
Congratulations to Rod Stewart on the news that he is going to be a dad again. He already has more kids than he has had top 10 records, with #8 on the way. Rod is 65 years old and his current wife is a youthful 39, that's 7 years younger than Rod's oldest child.
Among Rod's other talents are singing, and playing soccer. This CD contains the best songs from his 5 Great American Songbook releases from the past 8 years, so it is both a cover CD and a greatest hits all in one.
Ricky Martin – Musica + Alma + Sexo
Enrique Martin Morales was born in Puerto Rico and was implanted into the boy band, Menudo, at the tender age of 12. He was then outed ousted from the band for being too old at a mere 17 years of age.
This was the point that Ricky Martin was born and began to live the Vida Loca. Then Barbara Walters and Oprah hounded him for the exclusive on him being gay.
Anyway, long story short (too late) Musica + Alma + Sexo translates literally to 'Music to screw your Mother to' and is predominantly sung in Spanish, with a Jamaican feel.
The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
This 'stripped down to the bone folk, with the slightest sprinkling of country' offering is incredibly relaxing and therapeutic. Imagine an acoustic version of The White Stripes with a less abrasive side, more thoughtful lyrics and more facial hair... this is it. This is the first 'Must Own' disc of 2011. Buy it...buy it now.
Red – Until We Have Faces
Yet another Christian Hard Rock band struggling to rise to the top of a oversubscribed niche. Note:- this is not sarcasm, there are a surprising number of Christian Hard Rock bands out there. CHR bands have some great material to work with too, especially when you get into the fire and brimstone of the Book of Revelations.
This disc wins the BEST COVER ART award for the week since it is better than George Michael checking for B.O.
George Michael – Faith 2 CD/1 DVD Special Edition
What can be said about George Michael that hasn't already been said? Back in 87, this was George's first venture as a solo artist, and he did it all himself. Wrote, recorded and produced it, and all under contract to Sony, who still own the rights to the recording and are re-releasing it while they can still make money from it.
The re-release was due to happen last year, but naughty George got stoned and drove his car into a store window. The subsequent prison spell made for bad publicity so Sony held off until now.
It truly is a great piece of work and deserves another listen, but should you invest in the remastered 2 disc version with pointless bonus tracks and DVD when the original sounded so good?
Todd Snider – Todd Snider Live: The Storyteller
This guy kinda sounds like a bad version of a 3rd string Bob Dylan impersonator with a head cold. If you have to spend some money, go buy a Dylan CD. You will thank me.
The Wiggles – Let's Eat
For those of you without young children, The Wiggles are a group of 4 Australian 'friends' who look like Star Trek extras in their primary colored sweaters and entertain the aforementioned young children with simple melodic songs and juvenile slapstick routines both on TV and live on stage.
This disc is 28 tracks of Wiggly fun, with a balance of education and aerobics to ensure your children will be satisfied both physically and mentally. Adults will be ready to snap the disc after the 3rd listen.
Slapped by Brad Naylor
Labels: Brad , MTN , music , New Release
Your mission statement said your post would be funny.
Ian C - My Twist News said...
Thanks for your concern, Anonymous. May I draw your attention to the disclaimer both at the bottom of the page and on the page link at the top of the page.
Since you are too lazy to enter your name and just clicked the anonymous button allow me to paste the information here.
"This blog and it's contents are meant to be funny. Since funny is a subjective term we apologize if humor was not delivered to the satisfaction of each individual."
Humor, like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Movie Review - Avatar
Facial Hair February
The 1st Annual Slap The Penguin Awards
Regis Philbin replacement announced
Jude Law to star as Prince William in new Royals m...
Ted Williams – Trading Places
Dear Tina - Does Size Matter?
Bono finally finds what he is looking for
WTF? - Horror-scopes
Another Swift romance
Top Ten posts of 2010


The aim of face down posturing is to keep the gas bubble in contact with the hole as much as possible to encourage it to close. Whether you are required to posture, and for how long, will depend on the size of the macular hole, and also the preferences of your surgeon. Mr Goldsmith generally does not require patients to posture for the majority of macular holes. There is evidence that posturing improves the success rate for larger holes, but it may not be needed for smaller holes.
The advice here is based on a variety of sources, including latest research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. It has also been scrutinized by a panel of experts from the Britain & Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons ("BEAVRS"). If you require further information about this, please ask your surgeon.


A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study has ventured into the realm of genetics and substance abuse, and has come out with some truly amazing results. This finding could lead to the ability to identify people at risk for addiction to alcohol and other drugs.
The recent study, which was performed by researchers at the Molecular Neurology Branch of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), examined the human genome to find genes and gene patterns that could be connected to alcoholism and other addictions.
Spurred on by previous studies, which proved that alcoholism could be passed on genetically from parents to children, this NIH study went further — actually cataloging the different genetic variations that could trigger alcoholism and providing more information on how the disease works.
Before we go any further, note that the "human genome" is the collection of genetic information that makes up an individual person. A "genetic variation" refers to the difference between DNA sequences amongst specific people.
The NIDA researchers first developed and tested a new genetic platform, which they then used to generate more than 29 million different genotypes and analyze 104,268 genetic variations from a group of alcohol-dependant people and a group without any addiction disorders.
They found that specific genetic variations, located in 51 chromosomal areas of the body, could be linked to alcoholism. The genes found to be involved in the process of addiction have many other roles in the function of the human body, including communication between cells and the synthesis of protein. Some of the genes specified in this study have previously been pinpointed in other studies, which means they're definitely on the right track. However, this study went much further, looking at the bigger picture of genetic variations, not just specific genes.
Genetic mumbo jumbo aside, why is this study so important? Well, it could provide a way to test people for the predisposition to alcoholism and other substance abuse behaviors. This means that treatment at an earlier stage is possible, leading to actual prevention of the disease in the future.


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Kosho-Kai Karate Family Martial Arts and Fitness Center
Black Belts Only
For the latest information, visit us on Facebook.
Mini-Gasshuku Monday, June 24, 6:00 - 8:00, Bradley Park, Peoria.
In order to compete in PKC tournaments you must establish an account with Uventex here
Congratulations to Nathan James, Josh Haller, and Beth Hayden on their promotion to sankyu and to Conner Hayden for his promotion to nikyu.
Congratulations to James Hayden for his selection as the next wearer of Sensei Rollins' purple belt.
A link to the Gopeisho video has been added to the kata video resources on the Members Page.
We are proud to announce that we have become a member club of the USANKF, the U.S. governing body for Olympic karate! For information on the benefits of individual membership visit them here.
Check out the Mr. and Mrs. Fink and Miss Switzer on the video "This is the PKC" on the News page.
July 9-14, U.S. National Championships, Chicago, IL
USKK Application
PKC Application
Founded in 1997, the Kosho Kai Karate Dojo offers traditional karate classes for adults and children ages five and up. In addition to our traditional program, we offer Mini-Tigers classes for children ages three to five (not yet in kindergarten), women's self-defense, Kobudo (Okinawan weapons), and Koshiki (combatives).
Okinawan Seito Matsumura Shorin-ryu is an old village style of karate taught as a highly aesthetic art form steeped in cultural tradition and extremely effective for personal protection. Shuri-ryu is a stylized sport form of karate that is very athletic and competition oriented. The Kosho Kai Dojo curriculum includes both of these styles of karate in their unaltered forms. This dual approach to presenting karate results in a well rounded program which offers the best in fitness, self-defense, sport, authentic tradition, and fun.
Karate, the Japanese word applied in the early twentieth century to the Okinawan art of self-protection, has developed along three separate lines in accordance with the wants and needs of its practitioners. Those three branches of development are classical art, combat sport, and civil self-protection. Frank and Patricia Fink have collectively dedicated over sixty years to the study of this fascinating art. Their personal journeys have taken them through many phases, affording them the opportunity to thoroughly investigate the aesthetic, combative, competitive, and self-development aspects of karate. Together, they have developed a diverse and flexible curriculum that offers adult and youth students the ability to tailor their karate experience based on their individual goals.
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The New Lexicon
By Sensei | October 16, 2017 at 05:45 PM EDT | No Comments
We have a student who, with the terrific support of his family, has made a commitment to pursue elite status as a USANKF athlete. For those who don't know, the USANKF is the governing body for international karate competition in America. It falls under the WKF which is the world governing body. The WKF in turn falls under the IOC. Because of this young man's drive, I have been inspired to pursue certified coach status and get involved in not only his journey, but in this whole new (to me anyway) facet of the art I love. I have already taken an online course and submitted to a background check along with joining the organization. Next, we intend to affiliate our dojo with the association and begin the rigorous process of becoming certified officials, as this will only enhance our abilities as coaches. While interacting with this newly discovered branch of my karate family, I have been inundated with terms that are foreign to my "traditional" way of thinking. Referring to my student as an athlete and myself as a coach, for example, seems odd. In the tradition I came up in, we were discouraged from thinking of karate as a sport. We spoke in terms of life protection skills, character development, and cultivation of mind, body, and spirit. Nevertheless, we competed in tournaments every other weekend. I guess the irony was lost on me. The whole prospect of karate being in the 2020 Olympic Games is thrilling and frightening at the same time. I remember Master Trias' warning back in the late eighties shortly before he died. He watched as taekwondo went from being a complete martial art to a very narrow and specialized sport because of Olympic inclusion. He remembered all too well how the same thing had happened to judo in the 60's. It went from a multi-faceted art complete with two person kata, weapons training, self-defense, and kicks and strikes to just throwing and limited ground work. In both taekwondo and judo there were and still are holdouts who refuse to practice the narrower, more specialized sport forms of their arts and maintain the old ways. They, however, are a fringe minority regarded as an anachronism lacking relevance. I hold out hope for karate though for one reason. When the backers of judo and taekwondo succeeded in gaining Olympic inclusion for their sports, they were not yet fully formed. The organizers at every level had to rush to develop and enact common rules and competition formats. The haste resulted in a minimalizing of the sport to garner the buy in of all their constituents worldwide. Not true of karate. Karate has spent the better part of the past three decades evolving into a highly refined sport with a well oiled mechanism for both administration and athlete development. The future is indeed bright. I only regret that I gave up on karate ever being accepted after the many past disappointments and have nearly been left behind. Then there is the trepidation that goes with selling out my budo art for pure sport. I worried about this a lot. Then I read the most recent issue of USA Karate magazine on the USANKF website. I encourage you to take a look at it, but here are what I thought were the main takeaways. The editor-in-chief, Jose Fraguas, offers these encouraging words: "It is up to us to decide whether Karate will become just one of many physical activities or – in accordance with the hopes of many practitioners – remain a unique art. Full of expressive beauty, philosophy, and respect for one's opponent, the true skill of the art and sport of Karate lies in knowing how to move the body and mind along a path that lasts a lifetime, consummated in the contentment of a job well done. Experience is the best teacher and Karate, in its instruction, adheres to this philosophy." Also, in terms of inclusion, chief executive officer, Phil Hampel, states that it is the goal of the USANKF to provide a fair process by which the very best athletes will represent Team USA Karate regardless of which organization they come from. As long as these positive attitudes and open minds prevail, I think I can make room in my brain for a contemporary sport vocabulary.
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Home > Apps & Sites > Article
The Prospr Dating App Develops an Icebreaker Feature to Spark More Engaging Conversations
By: Amber Brooks | Posted: October 9, 2019
The Scoop: Prospr is an up-and-coming dating app that appeals to singles with high expectations and higher standards. Educated and career-driven singles download Prospr because they're looking for genuine connections — not superficial games — and the app delivers a quality-driven experience from start to finish. Recently, Prospr pioneered an icebreaker feature called Quiz Mode to up the caliber of its online conversations and help singles get to know each other on a deeper level.
Prospr is a dating app with a lot of promise. Its central mission is to shake up how single professionals network and build relationships. Easier said than done, right?
The team has spent countless hours brainstorming, tinkering, and updating the app to ensure it can offer elite singles a high-value dating experience.
The sleek design and straightforward matching system has appealed to busy professionals right off the bat, but Prospr stumbled when it came to converting online connections into meaningful conversations and offline dates or relationships.
So, Prospr's ever-curious developers began digging into the numbers to see where the issue was. Internal research found that about 69% of new registered users swiped over 210 cards on the app, yet those swipes didn't lead to that many matches or conversations. Most users were swiping without building a rapport or finding a connection, and that was deeply troubling to the team.
Prospr is a dating app with a personality-driven approach to matchmaking.
As part of its data-gathering and app-improving project, Prospr also launched a survey to see what users were thinking and feeling as they used the app. The survey received 1,788 valid responses and shed light on how mutual matches became dead ends.
The culprit seemed to be generic "Hello" or "Hi" messages.
If you're at a party or a social gathering, saying "Hi" is a perfectly acceptable way to introduce yourself to someone, but that's not the case online. Research has shown that saying "Hi" is one of the least effective conversation starters on dating sites and apps. Not only is it unoriginal, but it doesn't give the other person anywhere to go with the conversation. Even a simple "How are you?" would at least prompt a response.
About 30% of Prospr users admitted they didn't know what to reply to "Hi" or "Hello" messages, so they left them unanswered. Another 18% of users said such brief messages made the other person seem flaky or not serious about finding a relationship.
To solve this problem once and for all, Prospr has created more engaging icebreakers that would get conversations started on the right foot.
"Our team has committed to building a platform that can help more people to find their life partners who share mutual interests with them," said Niels Niethammer, Director of Prospr's marketing team. "So, we decided to rebuild our matching system and make the new ice-breaking feature."
Quiz Mode Helps Mutual Matches Explore Common Interests
Prospr has introduced Quiz Mode to its matching interface as a way of sparking deeper conversations that lead to deeper relationships. Every profile now includes the option to add an Icebreaker question that appears at the top of the dating profile.
Prospr inspires meaningful connections with its icebreaker questions.
The icebreaker question isn't a pre-written or canned line. It's whatever the user wants to ask his or her potential love interests. For instance, I have a 45-pound puppy at home, so I'd want to ask my dates, "Are you a dog person" to kick things off and make sure we're compatible. These questions can be flirtatious, personal, or teasing — and they can highlight what that person cares about and is looking for in the dating scene.
Prospr profiles highlight the icebreaker question so it's one of the first things potential matches will see. If they want to send a like and create a match, they have to write an answer to the question. The addition of an icebreaker question has prompted many conversations about personal interests, experiences, and opinions on the app.
"It's all about ice-breaking," Niels said. "We put a text box where users can comment on the answers they received. And we can see the conversations have already started."
The introduction of Quiz Mode to Prospr has led to a wealth of data, and the Prospr team has been combing through it to find useful insights for online daters. The team has studied the effectiveness of certain icebreaker questions and highlighted the Trending Questions that see the most interesting responses.
Propsr also promotes the dating profiles with the most engaging icebreaker questions to ensure more users can join the conversation.
Quality-Driven Dating Yields Great Results
For the last several years, swiping has dominated the online dating scene. It's a fast, easy, and addictive way to scour the dating scene one snap judgment at a time. The mutual matching system has become the standard operating procedure for most dating platforms, but Prospr has added its own twist to it.
Prospr isn't about gamifying love and dating. It's about creating authentic relationships between highly motivated and successful people. Swiping can undervalue these individuals, so Prospr has endeavored to make people's personalities shine through with every photo, profile detail, and conversation starter.
The team realized that swiping on photos would often create a match without prompting further conversation, so they designed a smarter system for users to enjoy.
On Prospr, members must answer a personal question if they want to send a like. It's not enough to simply Heart someone — they have to write a response to that person's icebreaker. It could be something silly — "Are you a fan of pineapple pizza?" or "Do you like to dance?" — or it could be something more pointed and serious — "What are you looking for in a relationship?"
Singles can set the tone immediately by asking an icebreaker, and it's an easy way to kick off a conversation that interests both parties.
So far, Quiz Mode has been a game changer for Prospr users. Once the feature got underway, the Prospr app saw its matching rate increase from 32% to 51%, and the team also noticed that its most active singles started getting more positive attention and engaging in lengthier chats. At least they got beyond just saying "Hi!"
According to Prospr's internal statistics, the singles who have taken advantage of Prospr's Quiz Mode have seen their matchmaking potential increase by 125%. That's quite a big leap, and it could be the difference between spending a Saturday night alone or going out on a hot date. We'd say that makes the icebreaker question an unequivocal success in the online dating scene.
Prospr Gives Single Professionals the Tools to Succeed Online
It's easy to justify ghosting on a "Hi" message. After all, the person didn't put much effort into their one-word greeting, so why should you go to the effort of actually starting a conversation? That's a common mistake in the online dating world, and it's something Prospr is endeavoring to correct with its Icebreakers.
Prospr has developed a matching system driven by common interests and attraction, and that has spurred a lot of quality chats and lively first dates.
The team is serious about improving the online dating ecosystem, and that process begins one match at a time.
"Don't forget — it all starts with a little question," the Prospr team said. "If you're interested in someone, then Type Your Answer to Like. Meanwhile, your chat request is sent. What's next? Make chemistry happen."


Discussion in 'Sidewinders Bar & Grille' started by Cerb, Apr 15, 2019 at 6:41 AM.
Lovnmesomestrat, JurnyWannaBe, Cerb and 1 other person like this.
Sounds like a solid name for a company!
JurnyWannaBe and Cerb like this.
Looks like you missed the "best by" date. Good luck my friend.
Lovnmesomestrat, JurnyWannaBe and Cerb like this.
No, he's good 'til June. What I've never got is why something that 'is what it is' can be budget? I think what you're getting is the product at the price it can be sold at but, by labeling it 'budget' or 'value' it enables the store to sell stuff without those words on the lack at a premium. Checked out some individual trifles recently, value vs standard. The ingredients and balance were exactly the same. I would have been paying 12p, 43%, over the odds for the same quantity of the same stuff in a more decorative tub! And, whilst on the subject, what on God's Earth is a 'value' banana? Compared to the standard ones they're yellow and bent and taste of, well, banana. Difference is 7p per kilo. Go figure.
s5tuart, Cerb, Yaralag and 1 other person like this.
Correct, the other date is when it was packed.
I'm generally not very concerned about expiration dates. If it looks good, smells good and tastes good it's good.
The bacon was good, had it with fried eggs (got them from a collegue who keeps a few hens) and bread fried in butter. Healthy? Naaa, but good.
Mmmmmmmm, doing a Homer! Dribbling!
Quick tip when buying bacon.
The more flexible a package is the higher the meat content. Fat is firmer than muscle when cooled, so when you try to bend a package it resists more.
Looking at the little window on the back on tells you about the last slice. There can be a significant difference between ends of the section of pork belly (rasher).


Well, I am just tickled pink (ha!) to have been asked to participate in the blog tour of one of my sewing heroines, Nancy Zieman herself. She's launching a new book, Sew Knits with Confidence, as well as four new patterns specifically designed for knits. Read on for my version of her knit dress design, plus a lovely giveaway of the book and all four patterns!
Nancy's publisher sent me a copy of the book plus the patterns, so that I could choose one to make. I was super excited to read Nancy's tips on sewing with knits--they've become more and more part of my wardrobe, fabric stash, and plans for my own next book, which has a casual twist. But I was also very impressed by the four patterns. I think there's something for every type of seamstress in this selection. I chose the Santa Fe dress, mostly because it reminded me of a simple knit dress I owned from Anthropologie and wore til its tragic death.
But I was also incredibly tempted by the skirt and top in the Monterey collection. So cute!
The dress won out, probably because I'm in a summer wardrobe state of mind. But both these patterns provide particular opportunities for the retro-loving seamstress, in my opinion. I chose view A of the Santa Fe, which is dress-length and sleeveless. For my fabric, I used a black organic cotton jersey (purchased here and highly recommended).
First let me say this is a FAST project. I started cutting it at 2:30 in the afternoon, and was setting up my camera to take pictures at 4:30--and that includes time for fitting and style changes!
I chose to make the size small, knowing from experience that I like my knits to have little to no ease. However, I used the length and flare of the XL size, since I like my skirts swingy and on the longer side.
The bodice came together super quickly.
When trying it on, I found an easy way to "retro-fy" this design: pinching the neckline pleats to each side and stitching them in place to make a sweetheart neckline.
While I do like the original design very much, I think this small change makes it way more me.
Seriously, all I did was pull the neckline pleats to the side in a pinch. Then I used some black embroidery floss to stitch it in place by wrapping it around the pinch. You could also add buttons or small brooches here!
The other change I made was to nip the dress in at the waist. It had a very flowy empire silhouette and I knew a more dramatic waistline would work well for me. I started by chalking in just an inch on each side, machine basting it, and then trying on. I eventually took two inches out of each waistline side, tapering down in a straight line to the hem (I got rid of that hip curve you see below since it has a distinctly fin-like appearance on the body).
Here's the overall result. Hopefully Nancy won't shun me for bastardizing her pattern! The changes were fairly small but resulted in a garment I'm in love with.
Easy to dress up or down, and all sorts of other fashion clichés that I won't subject you to.
The back has a basic high scoop neckline.
The pattern instructions were great, explaining all the ins and outs of sewing with knits. I learned that jersey curls to the right side of the fabric--good to know!
I love the little notes from Nancy throughout! She tells you how to sew with either a sewing machine or serger, and even specifies when to use one over the other (for instance, she suggests sewing the bodice pleats on the machine for more control, then switching to the serger for easier bits like the side seams). I did use my serger, but it's definitely not necessary.
I'll definitely be sewing this dress again since it's perfect for summer (and for standing awkwardly with armchair).
Okay, now for the giveaway! Nancy's publisher provided me with a copy of the new book Sew Knits with Confidence as well as ALL four new patterns to give to one lucky reader. Please leave a comment here by the end of the day on Wednesday, April 24th. All countries eligible. Make sure that you link to your blog or include a way for me to get in touch with you in your comment!
I'm going to be eagerly following the blog tour to see what everyone else comes up with. Good luck in the giveaway!
Update: the giveaway is now closed for entries. See the winner here!
Great give away again! I sure want to learn to sew (better) with knits, so hopefully I'm lucky!
Love how you retrofied the dress, just gorgeous. Looks like these patterns will be great fun to make. Thanks for the great giveaway.
Nancy is my hero! I would love one of her books!
I would love to have this book! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy, and your dress is gorgeous.
Having some knit dresses and outfits would be cool. Thanks for the opportunity!
Great give away! I have just recently decided gotten a serger and have been experimenting with using it for garments. I love that there are serger tips in the book! I would love to be more confident in my skills. I have a pile of knits that I bought last summer but have been too chicken to use. maybe this book would be what I need to break out the scissors?
I would love to win the book and patterns! And I have to say, I LOVE your dress. That little trick to change the neckline, so smart and easy! Changes the entire dress in seconds.
Gertie, no shunning needed! I love what you've done with my pattern. Thanks for being part of the blog tour!
I haven't done much with knits. I would love to make a dress like yours.
I can't believe it.....2:30 to 4:30? That's awesome and definitely something a rookie like me strives to attain.
What fun! Knit dresses are my guilty treat.
i´d love to learn more about knits.
Gorgeous dress! And what a fab giveaway.
I love the change to the neckline that you made. I prefer it over the 'as drafted' dress!
I'd love a chance to win the book and patterns, thank you to you and the publishers for the opportunity!
Love the dress ... and love sewing with knits lately.
Knits and Nancy sounds like a wonderful match! Thanks so much for a giveaway!
Ooooh! Yes please! the one thing I can't draft patterns for are knits. I have such a knit phobia!
i've never sewed with knits but that day will come soon!
I've been experimenting with knits alot lately and this would be a PERFECT addition to my library and pattern collection. fingers and toes crossed.
I love your dress! Thank you for the chance to win your giveaway!
I'm getting a serger for my birthday and I can't wait to start sewing with knits.
I love the changes you made to this pattern. The dress looks great on you.
Knits don't tend to be my friend, and I've been thinking that maybe they would be if I learned how to sew them the right way, instead of just making it up as I go! I'd love to win this prize to help me make this a reality.
I LOVE your dress, and it would be great to win the pattern book!
I love that her size XL goes a bit higher than traditional patterns; I'm not sized out for once! Fantastic giveaway; thank you!
This is really cute! I love your change to the neckline to make it "you." Perfect! Please count me in for the giveaway!
Those are very cute patterns!
Thank you for the chance at the giveaway! I would love this book as I'm starting to sew with knits this year! :D Nice dress - the sweetheart neckline is adorable!
The dress looks fabulous on you. Thanks for the chance at a great prize!
Love it! Looks like a great design to ease back into sewing for myself!
Would love to be the lucky winner!
Just finished my own first knit dress, and while I'm really proud of the beautiful finish, I'm a bit underwhelmed by the "shapeless" look on me... Now your dress and Nancy's patterns, on the other hand, look spot on and I sure would like to try my hand at those! (Fingers crossed you'll need this: depnerds at gmail.com).
Thanks for the chance to receive such a great book. Great job with your review!
I'd love to learn more about knits!
That is a gorgeous looking set of patterns! I really like what you did with the dress.
Lovely dress! I really like the neckline change you made. It might be simple but it has a great impact.
That would be a great prize to win! Since I started sewing lingerie I'm over my fear of stretchy things, and now I just want to sew with knits all the time.
I was just trying to convince myself today that it's time to learn how to sew knits. This book would be a great place to start, and what great patterns!
Hope I win the book as I want to start sewing more knits and could use the advice. Great job on the knit dress. My email is jonijeanyoung@yahoo.com Thanks.
This book and patterns sound awesome. There's nothing like the instant gratification of a great knit pattern!
If this dress fits me half as well as your Portrait blouse (of which I have now made 8!!!), I would be thrilled. Looks like it would be very adaptable for a variety of looks. Hope I win!
Adorable! Love how it looks on you. Thanks for the chance to win!
I used to sew with knits pretty frequently until I busted up my serger. until then I'm not as confident anymore as my regular machine just eats it. a book would be most appreciated, god knows I need all the help I can get!
Love how you retro-ed the basic dress, though both are lovely. I lost my sewing mojo several months ago, but looking at your dress makes me want to start sewing again!
Thank you for hosting the giveaway, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!
Oh, that is a great dress. Now I want to make it! Pick me please!!
I would like to win the book. I'm new to sewing and can use anything I can get. My email is msyp1@aol.com.
I've been wanting to learn more about sewing with knits and I'd love this book! Your dress looks fantastic, it's always fascinating how such small changes can make such a big difference in the final style!
I have some knits that I want to sew with, but I am too nervous to do so just yet....Maybe this is the ticket!
Please let me win this! The knits are king :) your adjustment at the neck looks awesome too!
I'd love more help sewing with knits!
Address should be in my profile.
Wow, I love that dress. I want to make it too! Pick me please!
I love how a subtle change makes the dress look like a completely different design! It looks fabulous on you :) I would love to be entered in the giveaway. I dream of sewing with knits but have been too nervous to try yet. This would be a lovely way to dive in!
Excellent mods, and very pretty dress. Let's hear it for fast sewing projects!
I love the mods - very inspirational!
Hi! I was looking online for some knit patterns that didn't terrify me, as I've just bought some stripey jersey that I want to make a dress from, when this post popped up on Bloglovin and saved the day, thanks!
I love what you did with the pattern. I like the original design, but yours really suits you!
Oh wow, this would be perfect since I'm struggling through my first knit dress at the moment with somewhat limited success!
This would be absolutely perfect! I'm just started to get into knits sewing and I'm sure there's lots of stuff I need to know to go forward! Great giveaway :D And I'll have to remember this knitwear pattern designer for the future as well.
I really love what you did with that dress patter also - I'll have to remember how easy it is to alter things simply to make them more individual!
oooh i am completely in love with what you did with the pattern! great dress, and sounds like a great book!
I love that you made the pattern your own! I was inspired enough to take a trip to the thrift store and bought waaay too many patterns hoping to make small changes with big impact like you did.
I just started getting back into knits (one of Steph C's patterns), and so far, I love it! The Santa Fe looks right up my alley, but I would really love the tips and tricks in the book. Thanks for the opportunity and showing us how easy tweaks to a pattern can make something cool bump over to totally awesome!
Wow! I used to watch "Sewing with Nancy" all the time and still turn to videos of the show when tackling certain projects. I have recently been getting more into knits, and as an expectant mom I think they will play a bigger role in my future wardrobe. The book and patterns would be great resources.
Your dress is beautiful and I love the changes you made!
I have a whole pile of knits waiting to be made into something - I'd love this book!
Might be just what i need to start using my serger!
I'm so excited to hear about Nancy's new book and patterns. I would love to learn more about sewing with knits and I'm glad Nancy is including instructions for both sewing machines and sergers. Thank you Nancy! And thank you Gertie for the give-a-way.
Have just started sewing knits and can definitely learn more! Love your dress.
I'd love to win Nancy's book and patterns. Your post certainly highlighted the versatility of her Santa Fe dress; your sewing ingenuity changed this dress with very little work. If you made this up as designed in a print fabric, I doubt anyone would even realize it was the same pattern. Please count me (nwoods70 at gmail) in on the giveaway.
That dress is gorgeous and I think you did a great job by improving the style of it. What a clever idea to change the neckline a bit! I have started to sew more jersey knit fabric. Since I'm a bit overweight I think these clothes are more comfortable.
I would really, really love this pattern. I've been searching for a dress to make to go to a wedding in August, this is just what I've been looking for!
Love your version of the dress, though I just don't have the shape to pull that off. Can't wait to see who the winner is!
Ooooh, yes yes pretty please? Learning to sew with knits is on my 2013 sewign goal list so this would be fabulous kick in the behind to actually do it.
Gosh what a great looking book and I love that dress pattern. I definitely need more help sewing knits, it's something I've done little of, so thanks for the giveaway!
Love the dress! I've been practicing sewing knits on some new baby gifts, and struggling!
I spent last week in an epic battle with my first knit shirt. The fabric curled at the edges the instant I cut it; my neckband seams went all wonky...several times; and when I tried to unpick them I tore the fabric and had to start over.
I wear knits all the time, and I would love to learn how to work with them.
Would love this book. I have Fitting with Confidence, and the contents are great as well.
Lovely! I have been looking into sewing more knits lately!
Love the the dress! I am a beginner and this book and patterns would definitely inspire me! :) I just ordered some beautiful fabric from Mood to make my first "real" garment! Thanks for the great giveaway!
I would love to learn knits - I generally like the way they fit, they can be so forgiving, but I've been hesitant to try sewing something up myself. ebthorn(at)gmail(dot)com. Thanks! I love how you made the dress all you!
I would totally love this. I'm just getting into knits!
Ooooh! LOVE this style of clothes; easy, swingy and Summer! Can you tell I'm getting a little stir-crazy with all the crummy weather? ;^) Well, it's good for being inside and sewing, at least! Thanks for the giveaway and great mods on your dress!
Oh, I've loved Nancy for so so many years! This would be a fantastic addition to my sewing library!
I LOVE that she tells you when to use your machine/serger and why! That was the one thing that I really struggled with when I first got my serger, I had no idea when it was appropriate to use it!!
I absolutely adore the changes you made to the dress, it's lovely!
A book of knits! Perfect. Love the dress, Gretchen. I'm dying to make a bunch of knit swingy dresses for summer.
Beautiful dress! This release is so timely. I need to replace some knit tops for Autumn/Winter layering & an unsure where to start.
The way you opened up the neckline of the dress is gorgeous! And Knits are so easy to wear!
Your dress looks great, and I'd love to make something similar. For the contest, my email is carly 927 at gmail.
Beautiful summer dress. I really like the idea of pinching the neckline to change it from a V neck to a sweetheart.
You DO know how to "own" a pattern! I like what you did, it looks easy and the finished dress is great. I can see this in fun colors for summer too! Thanks.
I always learn somethings from Nancy! I love your interpretation and personalization of the pattern. This is why I sew.
Knits terrify me but not enough to quell the desire to use my serger on them! I love what you did with this perfect-for-everything dress.
I'd really love to win this contest! After sheers, knits are my least favorite to sew with...I'd love some expert advice.
I love sewing with knits and have been itching to do so while working on my wedding dress for 4 months! Thanks Gertie and Nancy!
This interface isn't letting me use my wordpress id: sewtigersew.wordpress.com. So there it is!
Wonderful! I'm just learning about sewing with knits, and I LOVE Nancy! I live not far from her HQ in Beaver Dam, WI. Would love to win this!
Knits never come out right for me. I'd love to learn more. Thanks!
I would love to win this! After many years of not sewing, I am trying to get back to making clothes and I am taking an online knits sewing class to get me started. This would be a fabulous addition! You dress looks so cute!!
Oh my gosh! What a great giveaway! Although I love sewing with woven fabrics, I really wear my knit garments so much more, so I'm super excited about new patterns geared for knits, especially from Nancy Zieman herself!
Fantastic dress! I've made so many knit dresses for my daughter but none for me. That needs to change! Thanks for the opportunity to win Nancy's book and patterns!
This is the year I conquer my fear of knits! I would be thrilled to have the book and patterns to help me do it!
Glad for the change to the pattern. We would not be true sewists if we followed them verbatim.
Great dress, and I love your sweetheart neckline (LOL, I wrote 'sweatheart' neckline first.... !), that's an idea to remember!
Looks like some awesome patterns too.
Great dress! I'd love to learn to sew with knits. Nancy Zieman is awesome!
I've just bought my first serger, so this would be perfect. Fingers crossed.
Nothing like a cute dress that is quick to sew in case a special occasion comes up & you find you have nothing to wear. Your adaptation & the photos are great & an inspiration for others to make the pattern their own.
The dress looks fantastic!!! I love knits.
My next project is to make something easy to throw on after Mommy & me swim lessons. A cute little knit dress would be perfect!
Love the original pattern but the changes do make it more you!!
What an amazing dress! I would like to be in on the action so please count me in.
I've been wanting to make a knit dress for forever and this looks like the perfect pattern! And I love me some quick and easy!
I LOVE it! I would love to have a copy of the book -- Nancy Z is tops!
Gretchen, thanks for having this giveaway! I have just started sewing with knits a bit more, so winning this prize would be fabulous.
I love knits because I'm lazy about zippers.
you made that dress sooo you.
I have been a little afraid of knits and would love her tips and patterns to practice with.
can't wait to check out the blog tour.
Terrified of sewing with knits! Thought I had to have a serger but I'd love to give this a go. Fun dress!
That dress looks a lot like cheap dress I have from Target. It's totally comfortable and I'd love to be able to replicate it in other colors (and better fabric). Clearly I need to learn to sew with knits so I can wean my closet of the cheap X from Target.
I would love to win a copy! I'm a total novice when it comes to knits, and need to learn all I can.
Your changes have MADE that dress pattern for me. Thank you so much for showing your alterations, that is inspirational. Please feel free to do more posts like that!
I LOVE wearing knits to work, but have struggled to find cute patterns...Until now!!!!
So pretty! I love the things you can do with knits. Would love to learn how to work with them better myself.
-Elspeth, elspeths -at- gmail -dot- com.
I would LOVE this opportunity. I've been recovering from neural damage and am using sewing as a way to assist me. I'm feeling really good about the progress to date, but knits - YIKES! I would love to learn from the awesome Nancy, and those are some CUTE patterns, too!
Would love to have this book and patterns!
I like what you did with the neckline--very cute! Would love to win this awesome book.
I love how you changed the neckline! It's so darling and fits you perfectly!
Looks so "must have" book in my shelf!
I've made a renfrew top, but I am still intimidated by knits. Would love to learn more!
I'd love to have this book. Your dress is awesome! Thanks.
Love your dress! You have much talent to be able to adjust the neckline.
Your dress turned out lovely! I have been meaning to try sewing more knits!!
I love the alterations you made and would love to give the pattern a try!
Love your dress! The Maria Denmark kimono tee was my intro to knits and I'm hooked.
I almost totally live in t-shirts and their variations and I would love to get some great tips on how to sew them myself.
I love knits! I would love to have a copy of this book and patterns. That dress looks stunning on you!
Oh that dress pattern looks fantastic and could easily be worn with a jacket for work!
Oooh, what a flirty little number! Now I am inspired again. I am mainly inspired by everything this week and I love it when that happens. Thank you for adding to it.
I love knits and love the adjustments you made to the dress! I'd love to win a copy of this book, but if not will definitely add it to my wish list .
This dress is perfect! I would love to throw my hat into the ring for a copy of Nancy's new book and patterns. She's one of my sewing heroes, as well, and her home base is only about 50 miles from where I live!
I've been obsessed with knits lately, and would love to get my hands on some Nancy tips! Also, your version of that dress really is SO you!
I'm trying hard to learn more about knits!
What! I love your mods and I'm sure Nancy will too! Thanks for the chance to win the book and patterns. They looks great!
What a lovely dress! I need a great knit dress for the upcoming months, and this looks like a great one for me! I'm particularly interested in the book, as I am a novice seamstress and need all of the helpful tips I can get. Thanks for the giveaway!!
Just putting in for the giveaway. Thank you so much.
Ooh, fabulous dress, both the original and your version; yours would be a great way to show off a pair of vintage dress clips!
I have some very nice ponti just waiting for the right pattern, so I'd love to be included in the giveaway; sushidog@livejournal.com will reach me!
would love to make a dress like that ,love what yoy did with the neckline.
I learned to sew with Nancy back when I was in college! Now that I'm getting back into it, I've been ordering supplies from her site. I'm a huge fan of knits, so I like the idea of this new series. I'm at shmcpa (at) yahoo (dot) com.
I really want to make myself some new summer clothes, and your dress looks lovely -- I'd love to win this great prize!
I would love this pattern and book----I just love your dress...thanks for the chance to win.
Love the way you "retro-fied" your dress Gertie! I always hesitate to sew with knits, I could use some great tips to help me. Thanks for the giveaway.
I watch Sewing With Nancy on Saturday mornings! She makes sewing with knits so easy!
I want to sew with knits, but admit that I'm still intimidated by them. This dress pattern may be just what I need to take the plunge!
I would love the book and patterns!
Wow that's a lot of comments. Ill throw my hat into the ring. I have made one singlet top that I wear around the house. Its still not hemmed because hemming knits looks rage inducing.
Wow!! The dress looks amazing on you and the changes are so simple and yet really stunning.
Would love to have the book and patterns myself to really get to grips with sewing knits.
So cute! I used to watch Nancy as a kid and would love the book.


In large bowl, mix all Meatball ingredients except oil until well combined. Roll mixture into small meatballs (about size of walnut).
In 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown meatballs (in batches, if necessary) on all sides just until browned (they don't need to be cooked through). Transfer meatballs to large plate.
Stir flour, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper into drippings in skillet to make a roux. Add boiling water and sour cream; stir until well combined.
Return meatballs to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning meatballs occasionally, until meatballs are thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in center, and gravy is thickened.
Serve meatballs with egg noodles and gravy; sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lingonberry jam on the side.
To freeze this dish, divide meatballs and gravy between two airtight food-storage containers. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, then reheat, thinning sauce with water if necessary.
Swap lingonberry jam for red currant jam, if desired.


text:
Dublin's Duggan Jewelers to Close After More Than 40 Years in Business April 03, 2022 (0 comments)
Dublin, Ireland--Duggan Jewelers, located in Fairview, has announced that it will be closing after more than 40 years in operation, according to Dublin Live.
The owners announced the news on social media, stating that the shop would close on May 28.
"Not a lot you can say. Thank you everyone for all your support, friendship and encouragement over the last 42 years. The end of an era," the post read. "We will officially close our business on May 28. Thank you so much for everything."
Duggan Jewelers is having a closing down sale, where it's offering a significant discount on jewelry and watches.
The shop's customers also took to social media to express their feelings about the shop's closure.
"Very sorry to hear this, you're the only proper jeweler that I trust any of my jewelry with," wrote one person, according to Dublin Live. "You'll be missed by so many."
Read the complete report.
Montserrat Introduces the 'Venus' Collection
PGI Study: Sustainability is Important Although Unclear to Consumers


A: I think students should be allowed to do homework with friends.
B: I disagree. They talk instead of doing homework.
A: Sixteen-year-olds should not be allowed to drive.
B: I agree. They aren't serious enough at that age.


text:
The Acceptance Of More Government Power After Catastrophe Has To Stop
By Chris Rossini
If it isn't bad enough that innocent people die in terrorist attacks, the events also provide an opportunity for governments to strengthen their power over everyone else. People are very understandably scared, so their "I cherish my freedom" instincts are dealt a severe blow.
Unfortunately, Fear and Power are two sides to the same coin.
Government, which has a monopoly to use violent force in a certain geographic area, is always ready to expand that use of force. They don't want to hear about limits to what they can do, and it should be no surprise that they love to have more power granted to them. It's like getting a promotion if they were to have a private sector and productive job.
It's always a mistake to think that the solution to any problem is to increase government force, but it's a mistake that gets made over...and over...and over again.
Benjamin Franklin had it right: "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
Isn't that what is happening to the Western World? We're ending up with neither security, nor liberty! As Ron Paul has said countless times: "You never need to sacrifice your liberty for security."
The nature of man is the same today as it was in Franklin's day. Those who have an insatiable lust for power will take every last liberty that exists, if they can. This is not a new phenomenon. The lust for power is a lust that is never satisfied.
When America's Founders wrote the Articles of Confederation, and even The U.S. Constitution, their goal was to "chain down" this power lust as best as they could. They obviously failed, as power would ultimately tear the Constitution apart little by little. But it worked fairly well for awhile, at least until around 1898.
We've been heading in the opposite direction ever since. Power is no longer on the run, as it was in early America. Instead, it is liberty that is decreasing by the day.
The result of granting government more power is always the same. It makes the initial problem worse, and it leads to new unanticipated problems that everyone now has to deal with. As government power increases, the crises multiply faster and faster.
But it doesn't seem to matter. The fact that the problems keep snowballing and getting bigger isn't looked at critically.
The go-to response remains: "What will government do?"
This is in addition to what it's already doing. It's always assumed that government have to do more. The assumption is never that it should do much less, or that it has to stop doing just about everything. It's always a desire to keep piling on.
The latest catastrophe was in one of the birthplaces of the ideas of liberty --- England. Sadly, England is today the world's leading surveillance state. Despite surveillance that surpasses the rest of the world, three terror attacks have occurred recently.
The go-to response? You got it!
It doesn't matter that every intrusion of privacy has done nothing (the TSA comes to mind here) the push is for government to do more!
Read the following words from Prime Minister Theresa May from June 6 following the latest attack:
When I stood on the steps of Downing Street after the London attack I said enough is enough and things have got to change…
We should do even more to restrict the freedom and the movements of terrorist suspects when we have enough evidence to know they present a threat, but not enough evidence to prosecute them in full in court.
And if human rights laws get in the way of doing these things, we will change those laws to make sure we can do them.
Talk about an increase of government power...
That's like opening the floodgates.
The bottom line is that the attitude of every civilian in the Western World has to change. This carte blanche attitude of "Do whatever you have to do" will go on until total serfdom is reached.
Imagine if you had a lust for power. Wouldn't you like your subjects just handing it all over to you?
Just as in Ben Franklin's time, rulers who desire total domination are a everywhere. Making matters even more challenging are the scores of people who don't care one way or another if there's a police and surveillance state and if every action occurs under a government microscope.
The ideas of liberty have been shut out from their lives. They surely won't hear them in government's schools, they won't hear them in government's mainstream media, and they won't hear them unless they're looking for them on the Internet.
These individuals need to at least hear the ideas of liberty, whether they agree with them or not.
Many, sadly, will not.
But, if enough people hear the ideas of liberty, enough will come to agree.


Crunchy Toffee Triangles is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 2.
Chewy and moist on the inside, these indulgent bars get crunch from toffee pieces mixed into the dough and a generous sprinkling of almonds on top. Great for dessert or afternoon tea, the bars also pack well in lunch boxes.
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking pan. Line with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang the long sides by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the eggs are completely incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until almost incorporated. Add the toffee pieces and beat just until incorporated. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle the top evenly with the almonds.
Bake until golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the dessert cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour. Run a metal spatula around the edges of the pan and use the parchment paper to lift the dessert from the pan. Cut into 18 triangles and serve. Makes 18 cookies.
Calphalon Signature Ceramic Nonstick Rectangular Baking Pan, 9" X 13"
USA Pan Nonstick Baking Pan, 9" X 13"
Rated 5 out of 5 by iluv2bake from Delicious! These are buttery and delicious. the toasted almonds give a nice crunch in an otherwise soft bar cooke. Easy to make. Friends and family gave them rave reviews. I will be including these in my Christmas cookie repertoire.
Rated 5 out of 5 by jwbaker from Very, very good Very addicting. My two daughters (who are very very picky) both like it a lot.


Members of our congregations support our schools in a number of ways including as Foundation Governors, Reading Buddies and help with clubs and activities as wells regular visits of clergy to school and school visits to our churches.
Church Schools are different. There are lots of things that make them so, but varied though they are, they have one thing in common; a sense that God is involved and at the heart of everything. Prayer is therefore an important part of school life. Just as the children and staff pray during the school day, so we ask you to pray for St Peter's and Trinity Anglican Methodist Primary School; for all who work in it, the children, staff, parents, volunteers and governors and for their families.
The very young children that they will enjoy coming into school and look forward to joining the Nursery and Reception year groups.
The children, who will gain so much form life's journey.
The playground, that it will always be a safe and happy place to play.
The teachers, that they will plan the education in the school wisely.
The people who give their time to come to help us in school.
All those who work behind the scenes to make the school run smoothly.
Governors, that they will make thoughtful decisions for the school.
Parents, for supporting their children and the school.


Nessim, Mourad A, Md - Gwinnett Clinic is a Internal Medicine specialist in Lilburn, GA. This doctor matches your preferences for Specialty.
Champak R. Patel, MD specializes in Internal Medicine and has 40 years of experience. This doctor matches your preferences for Specialty.