The partner of the project was ''Erasmus University of Rotterdam'', ''Polytechnic University of Tirana'', ''Environmental and Territorial Management Institute'' who collaborated together to implement a short researched on Energy Efficiency at Neighborhood based project. The target group where master students who for a period of three months work on data collection and analyzing the energy performance of: (i) Public Lighting System, (ii) Kindergarten and (iii) Apartment Buildings. The students were mentored by project expert throughout the duration of the project. The students come up with three project studies resulting the results of the research and presenting the results in front of project partners.


Being someone who regularly exercises or who exercises quite often means you take care of your body and mind well. You should eat healthy, sleep well and meditate. Have you ever tried meditation? Even if it seems slow for you, compared to other warming up methods such as exercise, it can help you boost your focus and concentration.
It is hard to measure the beneficial effects of meditation on your sport performance, meditation practice is able to relax your body, boost your focus and fill you with energy.
All you need to do is to include some meditation techniques into your training routine and be ready to notice a positive effect in no time. If you will use these sports warm-ups, you will become more focused and positive. Are you interested? Scroll down to read this article right now.
This type of meditation is the most common. All you need to do is to sit down, close your eyes and focus on your breathing for twenty minutes. This practice can help you relieve stress levels and improve your concentration levels.
If you realize that transcendental meditation is not helping you, you may try visualization practice. You may picture a positive results you want to see after you complete your training routine. This way you will increase your self-confidence.
The use of mantras is another amazing method to prepare your body for intense physical activity. To perform mantra meditation practice, you need to choose a quote, phrase or word that will inspire you to move on.
You need to sit down comfortably and repeat your mantra ten times. Focus your mind on this mantra. If your mind will wander, repeat your mantra again.
If you feel nervous before an important event, you may try breathing practice to calm yourself down and feel relaxed. You need to focus on your breathing. Lie on your back and place a hand over your tummy. Breathe deeply until you feel that you can control your emotions.


City continued their poor start to the season with their worst performance thus far, going down 3-0 against Reading last Saturday. It was a woeful result against the Royals who were winless at home up until that point. The result puts City just outside the relegation zone with tough fixtures to come.
Promotion candidates Middlesbrough are the first of those tough fixtures on Saturday before a Yorkshire Derby clash with current league leaders Leeds Utd. An improvement in performance level is important but even at this early stage of the season the result is ultimately all that matters. Two more home defeats would be a huge blow to confidence.
THAT Arsenal game – 10 Years ago this week.
City won the match 2-1 after conceding an unfortunate own-goal by Paul McShane, however two goals in four minutes from Geovanni and Daniel Cousin ensured victory for the Tigers.
Coincidentally, Daniel Cousin has this week been named as the Head Coach of the Gabon National team.
Last week proved to be another mixed one for the Development sides.
The under 18 side took on Birmingham City at Bishop Burton College last Saturday and were leading 1-0 at half time thanks to a goal from Will Taylor. Despite Rob Guilfoyle grabbing a second Birmingham proved too strong in the second half and ended up winning 2-4. There is no league fixture for the side this weekend.
The under 23 side had a comfortable afternoon last Monday beating 0-3. Jon Toral and Will Keane had a run out and got on the scoresheet with Keane Lewis-Power scoring the third. On Monday they travel to Sheffield to take on United in a 14:00 Kick off.
The Tigresses completed back to back wins with a hard fought 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest last Sunday, which was also their first away victory of the season.
This Sunday, our Ladies are on their travels again and facing tough opponents away at Huddersfield Town Ladies who currently sit 4th in the league with 4 wins in their 6 matches so far.But City Ladies have been adapting well to the demands of this league in recent weeks and confident of picking up a result.
In this week's Partner of the Week section, we have an in-focus look at two NEW HCST partners – Zip Dry Cleaners & Removals Hull.
Our second partner of the week is Removals Hull.
Removals Hull are a local firm who started out in 2004 with a white transit van offering a courier and man and van service and built up a good reputation for service and excellent value. Today they operate with 3 Luton sized vans and employ 6 professionally trained staff in all aspects of packing, storage and removals.
Removals Hull offer a 10% discount to HCST members on all available services. Simply state you are a HCST member when you make your booking and show your card to a member of their team on the day you use their services.


A pterygium is a benign, wedge-shaped growth that develops on the conjunctiva or the mucous membrane that covers the white part of the eye. Pterygia usually occur in people aged 20 to 50, and are more common in men. The higher incidence in men is likely attributed to their association with outdoor work and dirty, dusty environments more so than women. Pterygia usually don't cause problems or require treatment, however in some cases, they can extend on to the cornea, the transparent front part of the eye. This may interfere with vision and may require surgical removal.
There are variable symptoms associated with pterygium growth. Many people can feel as if there is something in their eye. Other symptoms also include dry eyes, irritation, inflammation and redness. They can also make it more difficult or uncomfortable to wear contact lenses.
Most symptoms can easily be managed via topical lubricants or steroids.
The exact cause of pterygia isn't known. The most common link to their growth and progression is too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. They occur more often in people who live in warm climates and spend a lot of time outdoors in sunny or windy environments. For example, sailors and skiers tend to have a high incidence of pterygia, because of the high levels of reflected UV light they encounter. People whose eyes are exposed to elements like pollen, dirt, smoke or wind on a regular basis also have a higher risk of developing this condition.
There are certain steps one can take to prevent the development or progression of pterygia. If possible, avoid exposure to environmental factors that can cause pterygia. Wearing sunglasses or a hat to shield your eyes from sunlight, wind, and dust while spending excessive time outdoors is very beneficial. Your sunglasses should also provide protection from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. If you already have a pterygium, limiting your exposure to wind, dust, pollen, smoke, and sunlight can slow its growth. It can also help prevent them from coming back if you've had previous pterygium removal.


In spite of a recent decline in form, Andy Murray is still ranked third favorite by Betfair in the US Open. But will Britain's best be able to repeat his past success at Flushing Meadow?
Just two years ago Flushing Meadow was the setting for Andy Murray's incredible Grand Slam triumph. This was a turning point for the Scot and after his 2012 US Open victory he began 2013 with a newfound drive and confidence.
After a shaky start to the year, bowing out of both the Australian open and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, it was his drive and determination that catapulted him towards an astonishing Wimbledon victory in the summer of 2013. But this victory was to be his last in 2013 when he failed to reach the final of last years US Open. Since then Murray has fallen from 2nd to 9th in the world rankings, he's not won another title and he's lost 14 of 54 matches.
The drop in form is considered by most to have been caused by the back surgery Murray underwent shortly after the Wimbledon victory and he has gone on record to say that while the surgery was fairly straightforward there was a recovery period that he had to endure. It's not difficult to imagine that it was this surgery and subsequent recovery period that has impacted on his form.
As well as the back surgery, Murray also split with his coach, Ivan Lendl, who has been a vital component to Murray's game. It is widely believed that Lendl's departure was brought about because he felt he could not commit enough time to Murray given the high expectations after the Wimbledon win.
Regardless of the facts surrounding his recent form, Murray has won Wimbledon and he does still have the potential to rediscover his past potential.The Betfair betting exchange currently rates him as 8/1 third favourite to win the US Open and while he may be ranked 9th in the world there are some that believe he poses more of a threat to Djokovic, Nadal and Federer than the current ranking would have us believe..
Murray is certainly happy with his new coach Amélie Mauresmo and it is hoped that this new partnership will ring in a new confidence and a return to the mental strength that helped him win those Grand Slam finals. It has been said that while Murray has returned to peak fitness he hasn't had the mental fortitude to see his recent tournaments to the end.
For all the talk of a decline in form, Betfair's 2015 Wimbledon odds have Murray as 7/2 second favourite, well ahead of Nadal and Federer and a reflection of the widespread belief that his decline isn't terminal.


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Why Trump Doesn't Need Congress to Cut Medicaid
After the Senate fell short in its effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Trump administration is poised to use its regulatory powers to accomplish what lawmakers could not: shrink Medicaid.
Caroline Cournoyer | August 2, 2017
By Phil Galewitz
President Donald Trump's top health officials could engineer lower enrollment in the state-federal health insurance program by approving applications from several GOP-controlled states eager to control fast-rising Medicaid budgets.
Trump Administration Pays Obamacare Insurers, for Now
CBO: Trump's Obamacare Threat Would Raise Premiums and the Deficit
How Health Policy Experts Would Fix Obamacare
The GOP Wants to Give States More Medicaid Power. This Is What They May Do With It.
6 States Hoping to Revamp Medicaid in the Trump Era
Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Arizona and Wisconsin are seeking the administration's permission to require adult enrollees to work, submit to drug testing and demand that some of their poorest recipients pay monthly premiums or get barred from the program.
Maine plans to apply Tuesday. Other states would likely follow if the first ones get the go-ahead.
Josh Archambault, senior fellow for the conservative Foundation for Government Accountability, said absent congressional action on the health bill "the administration may be even more proactive in engaging with states on waivers outside of those that are already planning to do so."
The hope, he added, is that fewer individuals will be on the program as states figure out ways "to transition able-bodied enrollees into new jobs, or higher-paying jobs." States need to shore up the program to be able to keep meeting demands for the "truly needy," such as children and the disabled, he added.
To Medicaid's staunchest supporters and most vocal critics alike, the waiver requests are a way to rein in the $500 billion program that has undergone unprecedented growth the past four years and now covers 75 million people.
Waivers have often been granted in the past to broaden coverage and test new ways to deliver Medicaid care, such as through private managed-care organizations.
But critics of the new requests, which could be approved within weeks, said they could hurt those who are most in need.
The National Health Law Program "is assessing the legality of work requirements and drug testing and all avenues for challenging them, including litigation," said Jane Perkins, the group's legal director.
The administration has already said it favors work requirements and in March invited states to suggest new ideas.
Before taking the top job at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Seema Verma was the architect of a Kentucky waiver request submitted last year.
Not all states are expected to seek waivers, because Medicaid enjoys wide political support in many states, particularly in the Northeast and West.
Medicaid, the nation's largest health insurance program, has seen enrollment soar by 17 million since 2014, when Obamacare gave states more federal funding to expand coverage for adults. It's typically states' second-largest expense after education.
This year, Senate and House bills tried to cap federal funding to states for the first time. Since the program began in 1965, federal Medicaid funding to states has been open-ended.
Health experts say allowing the waiver requests goes beyond the executive branch's authority to change the program without approval from Congress.
"The point of these waivers is not for states to remake the program whole-cloth on a large-scale basis," said Sara Rosenbaum, a health policy expert at George Washington University who chairs a Medicaid group that advises Congress.
Rosenbaum noted that states received waivers for different purposes under the Obama administration.
In Iowa, state officials won the authority to limit non-emergency transportation. Indiana received approval to charge premiums and lock out enrollees with incomes above the federal poverty level if they fell behind on paying premiums.
"Now there is concern these more extreme measures would hurt enrollees' access to care," Rosenbaum said.
Three states seeking waivers today are home to three key GOP players in the Senate health debate: Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), Sen. John McCain (Arizona) and Vice President Mike Pence (Indiana).
If states add premiums, as well as work and drug testing requirements, the result would be fewer people enrolling and staying in Medicaid, said David Machledt, senior policy analyst for the National Health Law Program.
"How does that serve the purpose of the Medicaid program and what are the limits of CMS waiver authority?" he asked.
Wisconsin, where Republican Gov. Scott Walker wants his state to become the first to require some Medicaid enrollees to undergo drug testing, is a prime waiver candidate.
State officials stress the effort is not to deter drug users from the program but to help provide treatment for drug users.
Wisconsin is also one of five states seeking a waiver to add a work requirement. People could meet the mandate through volunteering, job training or caring for an elderly relative.
In addition, Wisconsin wants to limit enrollees' Medicaid benefits to 48 consecutive months, unless the beneficiary is working.
Enrollees with incomes from 50 percent to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, or between $6,030 and$12,060, would have to pay an $8 monthly premium.
All of these rules would apply to about 12 percent of people currently enrolled in Medicaid — adults who are not disabled and don't have dependent children.
Wisconsin Medicaid Director Michael Heifetz said the main goal of the proposed changes is not to shrink the size of Medicaid but to get people into the workforce.
"The proposal is not designed to have folks leave the program except for positive reasons," he said.
If the waiver is approved, the state anticipates annual savings of nearly $50 million and a drop in enrollment of 5,102 over five years.
Wisconsin now spends $7 billion on Medicaid and has 1.2 million recipients.
Asked why childless adults — not parents — are the focus of the waivers, Heifetz said Wisconsin wanted to test the provisions on a smaller population first and focus on adults who should be able to find work.
But the Wisconsin effort has sparked broad outrage from hospitals, doctors and advocates for people with disabilities.
The Wisconsin Council of Churches said the state would be punishing the poor with its waivers — and undermining the vitality of communities.
"We are concerned the proposed changes to the program will be detrimental for the health of our most vulnerable neighbors … and undermine the social fabric and vitality of our state," said Peter Bakken, public policy coordinator for the group in Sun Prairie, a suburb of Madison.
Kaiser Health News Nonprofit News Organization

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District > Latest News > Bulletins & Announcements > Aerial adult mosquito treatment in Roseville, Lincoln, and agricultural areas of west Placer August 17, 2016 8:00 – 10:00 PM
Aerial adult mosquito treatment in Roseville, Lincoln, and agricultural areas of west Placer August 17, 2016 8:00 – 10:00 PM
Parts of Roseville, Lincoln, and western Placer are scheduled for treatment for high mosquito numbers and sustained West Nile virus activity. An EPA-registered mosquito adulticide will be applied in an Ultra-low Volume (ULV) fog by aircraft in an effort to address increased mosquito populations and West Nile virus activity.
Treatment areas (Click on maps for larger image):
Roseville and western agricultural areas:
Residential areas west of Fiddyment to Country Acres Lane and south of Philip Road and Blue Oaks Blvd. in Roseville
Agricultural and rural areas north of Baseline Road between Country Acres Lane and Locust Road.
Agricultural and rural areas south of Baseline Road between Pleasant Grove Road and Locust Road.
Residential areas along Amoruso Way
Residential areas east of Aviation Blvd/Nelson Lane to Lincoln Blvd/Old Hwy 65, bordered by 5th Street on the south.
Since several factors affect treatment activities, such as weather and wind conditions, the District encourages Placer residents to check this website regularly for any changes to the treatment schedule. For an overview of our mosquito control programs, you may view the District video.
Please note that an "offset treatment" may need to be conducted. This means that residents may see the plane flying outside of the designated treatment area in order to compensate for wind speed and direction and to ensure that our public health materials are reaching the intended area scheduled for the treatment.


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USUO
Utah Opera
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Baiba Talks Berg: An Interview with Baiba Skride
Baiba Skride
Baiba Skride is a violinist from Latvia (a small country in Eastern Europe between Lithuania, Estonia, and Belarus). Baiba is coming to Abravanel Hall this weekend to play Alban Berg's Violin Concerto.
Alban Berg composed the Violin Concerto after the death of 18-year-old Manon Gropius, the daughter of Alma Mahler (once Gustav Mahler's wife) and Walter Gropius. This concerto was dedicated by the composer "To the memory of an angel."
Baiba offered the following thoughts on this composition:
It is a very touching, very deep, extremely intelligent and emotionally charged piece. Alban Berg wrote this piece to the memory of Manon Gropius, who was the daughter of Alma Mahler and died at an early age. There is a lot of sadness in the music, but there are many very important and interesting levels to this music. The most amazing part of this concerto for me is the end of the piece where Berg uses Bach's Choral "Es ist Genug" and slowly brings every instrument in an indescribable culmination. It's just one of the most emotional moments in the whole violin repertoire.
For Berg's Violin Concerto I think it is important to come with an open mind to hear this somewhat different music. It is relatively contemporary, but really, it is the most beautiful and most important concerto of the 20th century.
Like many of Berg's pieces, this work is written in a twelve tone technique, which means that instead of using a chord (in a more classical sense of composition), Berg uses the twelve tones of the chromatic scale (or every key, including the black ones, on the piano between C major up to the B major) . The technique is frequently called serialism and often called "atonal" because of the different way it sounds (though composers who use the twelve tone technique don't like calling it that).
Twelve tone technique is where our interview starts.
USUO: I have been studying twelve tone music for the last couple of weeks, and I'm writing an informative post about that. How do you feel about twelve tone music?
Baiba: Twelve tone music can sometimes be a bit complicated to hear for the first time, but Berg's Violin Concerto is so well written that it is accessible to the audience right away. I think this violin concerto is extremely emotional, deep on so many levels and very fascinating in its musical language.
USUO: Have you played Alban Berg's Violin Concerto before? What do you like about it?
Baiba: I have played it many times and while you play it, it doesn't seem to be specifically twelve tone music, rather it gives you a very natural, very flowing feeling and it tells you a story.
I think writing in twelve tones for Berg was much more diverse and free than for example – Schönberg, he uses the method to get to the emotional level, and the music doesn't focus on the means of how it's achieved.
USUO: Are there other twelve tone compositions that you have played or like or want to play?
Baiba: I have played some Weber and some Schönberg music, but I do feel the most connected to Berg.
USUO: Does your heritage influence your music? In what ways?
Baiba: I think everyone's roots somehow influence you and your work. And it should. I am very proud to come from the small, beautiful and very musical country Latvia, where people enjoy singing so much and have a very strong feeling of where they come from. As a small people, we are very aware of our heritage. Also because for most of our country's history we were oppressed by one or another country. But by now almost half of my life I have lived in Germany and I have very much profited also from German culture and musical possibilities.
USUO: In all your travels, what is your favorite food? What is your favorite place to eat?
Baiba: Very often on my travels I end up eating in the hotel I am staying, just because it's more convenient. But I love to find a good sushi place or especially in America, a great steak. I try, if possible, to find some local specialties if they are not too crazy.
USUO: What music do you listen to?
Baiba: A lot of time when I am traveling I am listening to pieces I need to learn or discover. At home, it varies very much from classical music to current hits which come on the radio.
USUO: What else do you enjoy doing besides violin? Do you play other instruments?
Baiba: I used to learn piano as a second instrument, but haven't played one in maybe 13 years. Unfortunately, I don't have much time for any other instrument or a hobby. I have 2 boys at home so when I am at home I spend my time with and for them. Occasionally, if on holiday, I love to do scuba diving, but that doesn't happen more than once a year.
For more information about the concert, including the program, program notes, and artist biographies, please visit this page.
Fortunately for us, this is not the only time we will have the opportunity to hear Baiba play. She will also be playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Feb. 20 and 21 here at Abravanel Hall.
Alban Berg| baiba skride| classical music| guest artist| Guest Artists| Utah Symphony| Violin Concerto|
Emmanuel Pahud performs Mozart's Magic Flute Fantasy
Feb 03 - 04 | Abravanel Hall
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Storm Large with the Utah Symphony: Love, Storm
An American in Paris Film in Concert
Dvorák's Symphony No. 5
Mar 03 - 04 | Abravanel Hall
FLY Dance Company: Breakin' Classical
Thierry Fischer conducts Bruckner 5
Florence Price's Piano Concerto
Apr 07 - 08 | Abravanel Hall
Blue Rhapsody: 100 Years of Rhapsody in Blue & Concerto in F
Emmanuel Pahud performs Mozart's Magic Flute Fantasy Finishing Touches Rehearsal
Feb 03 | Abravanel Hall
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Q: Update Multiple Values In Xml with .modify method I have looked over release documentation for the 2012 SP1 release of Sql Server
and reviewed this old post.
TSQL 2005, XML DML - Update Two Values at once?
I am wondering is it possible to update multiple values now, or do you still need multiple update statements for the .modify method.
Thanks!

A: I don't think there's been any significant improvements in capabilities for the .modify() XQuery method in more recent releases. So I'm afraid you still cannot update multiple values at once - you'll have to use multiple calls to .modify()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


How Bad Have Support Forums Become?
Support forums are now a requirement for almost any business that has customers. Most support forums are hard to use, unorganized and look terrible. To illustrate some of these issues, I'm going to pick on the Logitech forums, which are powered by Lithium (http://forums.logitech.com).
One of the first things customers do when looking for support in your forums is to search. If your search isn't awesome or has any odd bugs, it will probably drive your customers crazy and they might give up and return the product instead of trying to fix it.
The Gather API enables websites, apps (desktop/smartphone), anything really, to fully interact with user generated content stored in Gather. The use cases are limitless. Here I'll show how Gather's search API can be integrated into a browser-based game to enhance the user experience.
Let's assume you've built an amazing game that has revolutionized in-browser role-playing. It's called Candide 3D. In the first six months after launch both the game and the community website have been wildly successful. The website community allows users and administrators to create game guides, post tips, answer questions, and more. The community content has become so valuable that your users are asking for a way to access the content from inside the game. The game-play experience, best played full-screen, is hindered when users must: minimize the game, run a community search, commit relevant results to memory, and finally, return the game to full-screen. Certainly not a great user experience. Good thing you chose to build your community with Gather!
With the release of Gather 0.1.7 we have focused on a few areas to reduce friction during installation.
We are introducing the concept of Maintenance Mode in Gather. During startup Gather will enter Maintenance Mode when database configuration is necessary.
For example, as long as you have a MySQL or PostgreSQL database available, the database portion of the installation can be skipped. Upon startup Gather will enter Maintenance Mode and will alert the user that additional configuration needs to be performed. By providing Gather with the super user credentials to your database it is able to create the necessary database schema and bootstrap itself.


Furniture makers are responding to our multi-tasking lifestyle with seating and surfaces featuring integrated sockets and USB ports.
Options: Another clever hiding spot: lamp bases. Lamps Plus has many options, including the Karla table lamp from 360 Lighting, with a sleek brass or polished-steel column. A pair of Ledger mercury-glass table lamps also come equipped with USB ports.


EconPapers: Conceptualizing the duties and roles of auditors in Islamic financial institutions: What makes them different?
Conceptualizing the duties and roles of auditors in Islamic financial institutions: What makes them different?
Abstract: Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to describe the role and responsibilities of Shari'ah auditors in Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) in the auditing process in the IFIs, to highlight capacity building challenges in the Shari'ah auditing industry. Design/methodology/approach - – The authors used a legitimacy theory to understand linkages between demand for Shari'ah audit and the role of Shari'ah auditors in IFIs complemented with the review the Accounting and Auditing Organization of Islamic Financial Institutions and Auditing Standard for Islamic Financial Institutions to understand the Shari'ah audit work requirements from an Islamic perspective. Findings - – Shari'ah auditing is an emerging field of investigation. There is no doubt that conventional auditing has a significant influence on the auditing frameworks used in IFIs. Western auditing practices are undergoing a metamorphosis to meet the needs of stakeholders in the Islamic economic system. The role and responsibilities of auditors in IFIs are much broader than those found in conventional banks in relation to an examination of a variety of contracts, product structures, transactions reporting, preparation of financial statements, reports, marketing circulars and any other legal documents, which are pertinent to IFIs' operations. Practical implications - – We posit that the absence of a proper Shari'ah auditing framework and standards attuned to the needs of an Islamic economic system could dampen the future of the Islamic finance industry. The regulators and management of IFIs should meet the expectations of the stakeholders to whom they owe a duty of care by selecting competent professionals for auditing work, along with transparent policies and systems. Originality/value - – This paper presents an attempt to establish auditors' roles and responsibilities from an Islamic perspective.


Mature Height 15 to 30 ft.
A Blue Spruce is the classic specimen tree for cooler regions, but a tree that can reach 100 feet is not ideal for everyone! If you could get that classic silver-blue foliage and perfect symmetry in a small tree, wouldn't you jump at the chance? Well, Baby Blue is here to give satisfaction. The perfect miniature Blue Spruce, this great dwarf form fits into small lawns as well as garden beds and corners around your house. If you live in colder regions, then this is the ideal plant for that stand-out specimen that will bring character and color to your garden.
Baby Blue Spruce will make an ideal specimen plant without any clipping, but it can also be used for a knock-out hedge that will stop any eyesore and look great all-year-round. Cold, wind and snow have no effect on this hardy plant that takes minus 40 in its stride and will tolerate periods of drought too.
Trees have a multitude of uses in the garden – windbreaks, screening your private space from observation, adding vertical interest and many more – and the Colorado spruce is an excellent choice for any of these roles. There are many cultivars to choose from, ranging in size from dwarf varieties to some that can reach through 60 feet or more, but one of the most versatile is the Picea pungens semi-dwarf Baby Blue.
Colorado Spruce is a North American species and, as the name suggests, it's native to the Rocky Mountains. Its natural range extends from southern Montana through Idaho and down to New Mexico, and in the wild it can reach heights of over 100 feet. Both large and dwarf varieties have been used in garden design for many years but the species' versatility increased even more in 1972, when an unusual seedling was discovered in a batch of young spruces.
Baby Blue is a mid-sized spruce that reaches heights of between 15 and 20 feet, and usually spans anywhere from six to ten feet across. If left to grow naturally it takes on the typical pyramid shape seen in many conifers; its branches are horizontal and grow right down to the ground.
The branches are thickly covered with bristly bluish-green needles up to an inch and a half long – it's their color that gives it its other popular name of blue spruce. The needles are unusually stiff, with a four-edged cross section. Colorado spruce doesn't flower but it will produce cones in late summer and fall. When mature these are quite dull gray-brown, but younger cones have prominent red arils that make a colorful display at the tips of the branches.
Thanks to its mountain heritage this is quite a robust tree and it can be successfully grown in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 7. This makes it suitable for almost anywhere in the Rockies (unsurprisingly), all but the very northern parts of New England and the Midwest, and much of the eastern seaboard down to South Carolina. If you're in that large area and you want some Baby Blues in your garden start looking for a spot with acidic, moist but well-drained soil; that's where it will thrive best.
The moisture level is especially important when the tree is young; as it matures it becomes more tolerant of droughts. As for sunlight a spot in full sun is ideal. It will do fine with some light shade but, in the cooler climates it prefers, getting the light all day will bring out the best in the blue spruce. It doesn't like humidity though, and try to avoid locations that get warmed by a lot of reflected sunlight. This isn't a tree to put in a small bed in the middle of a paved yard, because it will struggle in the heat.
Once you've got your Baby Blue established it doesn't really need a lot of maintenance. As long as you keep the soil moist for the first few years it should grow into a strong, trouble-free tree. There aren't many serious problems with disease or pests. Needle cast, canker and rust are occasional problems, so look out for needles that turn brown before falling – these can be a sign of trouble. Aphids and a variety of other insects, including scale and bagworms, may colonize the tree. More serious are spider mites, which can affect new growth and your spruce's general health. If any of these pests appear get rid of them promptly with an appropriate treatment.
This variety of spruce can also tolerate quite a lot of pruning, and that makes it ideal as a screening tree to add some privacy to your yard. A line of Baby Blues will block anyone from overlooking your space, without looking at all artificial or intrusive. Because the foliage extends to ground level and is quite wind-resistant they also make fairly effective windbreaks.
There's one other use for these trees that deserves a mention. Thanks to their color, rich foliage and classic shape they make perfect Christmas trees. It's not too difficult to plant a succession of them so one matures n time for the holiday season every year and can be cut for the home.
Alternatively, some outdoor lights will transform a blue spruce in your garden into a seasonal masterpiece. This cultivar is ideally sized for the purpose and very popular in some regions. It also doesn't tend to shed needles as easily as some other Christmas tree options, so it's a tidy choice as well as a very attractive one.
Overall this is a perfect conifer for any garden, and as it's resistant to air pollution it's as happy in the city as in a more rural setting. We have an extensive range of conifers at The Tree Center but the Baby Blue spruce is one of our definite favorites.


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ChildCare Action Project:
Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)
Sex, ABC and Disney (SAD):
Hoffman vs Broward County School Board
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
The CAP is a broad-based information service; that a view, opinion, or claim is quoted from a source outside of the CAP organization does not mean that the CAP management, administration, and its members share the view, opinion or claim.
I support the Hoffmans in this magnanimous work they have undertaken to clean up the educational systems of America. Let this case set precedence for all to study with the sobriety with which it is provided.
This site is a free service to Jodi and Paul Hoffman and their R.A.M.P./VOC: neither am I nor is the CAP charging anything for this service. It is my intent to make available to any interested individual information about the lawsuit, information surrounding the lawsuit, and their progress in battling sex education in public schools and other issues of victimization of children and/or their families. As information is provided, this special service will be updated.
This service to the Hoffmans and you will be maintained as long as I can maintain the parent CAP website or until this service is no longer needed.
Thomas A. Carder
ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)
PREFACE: The contents of this site begins with Press Release #1 which is foundational to the rest of the material. Please take time to review Press Release #1 before you proceed to other material.
Press Release #1, Lawsuit Description and Announcement
The foundational material for this site. Much of the basics to this event are presented in the press release. Please consider printing and distributing it as much as possible. Send it to your local radio stations, TV stations, and any other broadcast media. Thank you!
Flyer 1 for Printing and Distribution
"Remove the Homosexual Agenda and Save America's Children!!!" Please consider printing this flyer and distributing it to everyone.
AN UPDATE OF LAWSUIT ITSELF: THE 4th AMENDED COMPLAINT
The Hoffmans have granted the CAP exclusive rights to posting to the Internet their 4th amended complaint to the lawsuit against the Broward County School Board for inappropriate sex education. This version is also available for anyone to use as template for fighting sexaul liberalism and pansexualism in public schools in your own state. You are free to download or print this example of extremely thorough and detailed work of love.
Please be patient -- this is a large document (29k).
"WANTED: Persons who have gotten pregnant, had an abortion or contracted HIV/AIDS and/or other sexually transmitted diseases within the last 10 years..." [linked to sex education]. Please consider printing this flyer and distributing it to everyone.
Disney Factsheet
This is as it says...a factsheet about Disney/ABC. You might be saying 'Oh,goodie - another Disney factsheet. Well, you are correct. It is exactly that - a FACTsheet, not an opinion-sheet or a belief-sheet but a FACTsheet! We make no editorial or opinion-based changes to what we find. You get it the same as we get it.
What SIECUS Wants Your Kids To Know About Sex
WARNING!!! WARNING!!! This article presents strong sexually-oriented material! It is offensive and even, to a point, vulgar and obscene. But this is what is likely being presented to your kids in school so you had best know it, too!
Petition to Miami Herald and Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
A printable petition to the Miami Herald and Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel newspapers to remove for-sale sex an other sexual material. A good model for the same goal in your area.
Press Release #2, Coalition for Democracy Survey
A printable press release about infiltration of the Coalition for Democracy into the privacy of students and parents. As requested of you for Press Release #1, please consider printing and distributing it as much as possible. Send it to your local radio stations, TV stations, and any other broadcast media. Thank you!
R.A.M.P Update July 26, 1997
An update for your information. This posting provides status of their lawsuit, an account of witnessing moral violations, and provides wise comments. Please take the time to read and absorb this article.
Do You Really Know What Homosexuals Do!?
WARNING!!! WARNING!!! This article is abrupt and vulgar and speaks to what is traditionally "dirty" subjects, but that is the reality of the homosexual lifestyle in light of God's Law. I have tried to soften the presentation as much as I could and still be accurate. It may seem that some of this article resides on the same level as the presentation style of the homosexual/sex education agenda. If it does, so be it! You need to know that which is presented herein. Remember, one of the goals of the homosexual agenda is to lower the age of consent.
A Congressional Record: The Gay Revolutionary
WARNING!!! Many will find this reprint of an article frightening. When I first read it, it stirred in me desire for violent aggression: an aggressive violence to protect our kids. Maybe this is the feeling Simon Peter had when he cut off Malchus' right ear: a feeling to protect those we love from those who would have their way with our loved ones - our kids. May the Holy Lamb of God forgive me for that which I feel about these threats from Michael Swift.
The Courage of a Daughter
This is an incredible report which speaks of the great courage of the daughter of Joel and Felicity Backman, written by the Backmans themselves. The Backmans' daughter took a step against school 'orders' and informed her parents of the inappropriate sex education at her school. Oh, what a wonderful young woman to step forward and stand against the invasion of the liberals and pansexualists into public education. This report also speaks of the courage of Joel and Felicity to fight for that which they know is right and to combat that which they know is wrong: to stand against the power of a school board and tell them exactly where they stand against the convictions of a family who loves Jesus and His Law. Let us praise God for the Backmans.
A Letter to America: They Know Full Well...
This letter from Jodi Hoffman is to every American citizen. There can be little said to fortify its message other than it offers wisdom and insight probably possessed by 94% to 97% of us. All I would like to say is please really listen to the power of "They know full well that their precious work could be crushed in one coordinated move of that great sleeping giant known as "The People."
The Coalition for Democracy Survey
This is the survey from the Upstate New York Coalition for Democracy, P. O. Box 5341, Albany, New York 12205-0341 referenced by "URGENT PRESS RELEASE, RELEASE #2, Coalition for Democracy Survey." The cover letter for the survey and the survey are presented VERBATIM from hardcopy of them. I prepared both the cover letter and survey manually with an HTML editor, word processor, and a graphics program (they were not scanned), so there may be errors not present in the original. This is a large, graphic-intensive file so please be patient.
State by State Alerts
This folder is continually under construction. State by State Alerts is provided to display state, national, and international alerts as information becomes available. Anyone is welcome to submit alerts for posting to this site. Submissions found to be credible are likely to be posted. PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THE NATIONAL (US) ALERTS PAGE FIRST - THERE ARE ALERTS ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL THAT IMPACT EACH AND EVERY STATE INDIVIDUALLY!
William Weld and Homosexual Indoctrination
"Gay activists are fond of calling Massachusetts' outgoing Republican governor Bill Weld the nation's "most pro-gay governor," and it's easy to see why. Like Nixon going to China, Weld has blazed a new path for the Grand Old Party, infuriating social conservatives with his zealous advocacy of homosexual "rights." To understand how far Weld has pushed the pro-gay envelope in Massachusetts, one need look no farther than the schools. Under his helm, Massachusetts has become ground zero in the movement to promote homosexual-affirming educational policies, and the state's "educrats" are working with gay groups to export them to other school districts nationwide." This is a long article - you may want to print it then read it. It was four eye-opening and revealing exposé pages from my system. Thank you to Fred and Joan Battey and their educational email loop for providing the text of this article.
APA Risks Serious Mental Health Consequences...Homosexuality
Akin to the AMA (American Medical Association), the American Psychological Association (APA) is apparently ready to "come out of the closet" with a requirement that the psychological practitioners must tell patients it is normal and healthy to be homosexual.
American Psychological Association (APA) Action Followup #1
The APA action to threaten the basic freedom to seek counseling for sexual disorders has come true: "...a recent action by voting members of the American Psychological Association, who approved a resolution condemning reparative therapy for homosexuality and calling for therapists to declare that homosexuality is normal and healthy." "The APA is basically telling parents that they can obtain pro-gay therapy for their children with ease, but must face a roadblock to counseling that could straighten their kids out." Also, The Family Reseach Council supports an ex-gay rally at the APA headquarters as "powerful witness for the truth."
Do You Hate Homosexuals?
I received an email from a visitor named Glenn who was confused about a statement I made in our posting What SIECUS Wants Your Kids To Know About Sex. The statement was "We must love the homosexual, but likewise we must hate homosexuality." Glenn's message sounded patient, humble, and sincere. I prayed that Jesus would give me the words He wanted Glenn to hear, so I just let the fingers fly with little thought - this posting is the result - the email exchange verbatim.
Homosexual Cartoons. What is next!? If you find any widely used cartoons or cartoon strips with a homosexual agenda, you are welcome to notify me of them or submit them for posting here.
For Better or for Worse Does It Again (press release)
R.A.M.P. joins our friends
The Christian Alert Network (TCAN)
the American Family Association (AFA)
the Christian Family Network (CFN)
the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)
in urging you to take the suggested action as outlined in this Press Release. A nationally published cartoon strip, "For Better Or For Worse" is for the second time, pushing homosexuality on families. Newspapers across the nation are once again blatantly disregarding family values and morality by running the series.
Doonesbury 10/5/97 (commentary)
The For Better or For Worse newspaper cartoon strip has no corner on introducing homosexuality to children -- Doonesbury is getting in on the act. While Doonesbury has always been a very liberal, left wing, political cartoon, some frequenters of the Sunday morning cartoon section of the newspaper may not be aware of the homosexual theme in Doonesbury. Further, while Doonesbury may not be appealing to children, such material has no place on an entertainment medium frequented by children. It is interesting that Garry Treudeau, the "author" is married to Jane Pauley, the TV news personality. I wonder if they have kids and if they read Treudeau's cartoon strips.
Overview - Goals 2000 by Kathy Finnegan
Joan Battey sent us this overview by Kathy Finnegan, author of GOALS 2000: Restructuring our Schools, Restructuring Society. Kathy understood that people needed to know what was in her 350-page book but were always "too busy to read it." It is rare that an author will take the time to oblige those "too busy to read" but Kathy felt that people MUST know the facts, and if putting this added effort in will help, she was glad to do it.
The Will of Congress is Being Thwarted by Gary D. Swant, SAFE Inc.
Mr. Gary D. Swant, president of the Sexual Abstinence and Family Education (SAFE) Inc., is author of this special alert article prepared exclusively for the CAP/RAMP. "The truth is that abstinence-only programs have demonstrated promising results in changing attitudes and behaviors. A longitudinal study of "Choosing the Best" showed strong success with teenagers. The "safe-sex" cartel have been trying to hide their true social agenda and cover the failure of its own programs. The double-message of "abstinence is best, but here is how to use a condom in a responsible way" has been both a STD and pregnancy-prevention disaster."
Reports on It's Elementary
It's Elementary: The Film - Sponsored by Project 10 by Captain Phil Graf, Coast Writers Association
Most of us have heard about this film, some have seen it, few have published objective observation of it. Captain Phil Graf of the Coast Writers Association has. Captain Graf has granted the CAP permission to reproduce his report verbatim here. Includes examples of my claim of the mind-disrobing corruptive and destructive invasion of the homosexual agenda into the wholesome moral fiber of our children at an age before they can even spell 'morality.'
Reports on The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver: Kossor Education Newsletter.....Volume 4 Number 10
This report on The Giver is by Steven Kosser of The Kosser Education Newsletter. Steven is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified School Psychologist who is in private practice in Pennsylvania. He has debated William Spady and other top promoters of education "reform" and is available as a speaker nationally. "There is no way that young children should be exposed to the patently negative, destructive images of parenting and the future contained in this morbid, depressing, nasty little book." "When young children take the imagery of The Giver into their minds, especially when the dosage is prescribed by an adult authority figure, the child is faced with a despicable choice: Prove that he or she is "tough enough, old enough and mature enough" to handle the disturbing imagery -- or publicly declare themselves to be a baby."
The Giver: Serving The Greater Whole An excerpt from Brave New Schools With Correlation to The 21st Century Global Village and Discussion with School Personnel
This article by Berit Kjos of Kjos Ministries is an extremely dynamic and flowing presentation of one of the most corruptive and destructive tools availble to public education. As your brother in Christ, I beg you to do whatever you morally can to remove this book from the shelves of our schools. We are likely to pay dearly if we don't.
Reports on It's Perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris
It's Perfectly Normal, LEGISLATIVE REPORT
John A. Stormer has prepared a report of his findings about this book. Graphic presentation of
maturing teen physiology
promiscuity
homosexual exploration
street language
masturbation techniques
abortion as an escape from unwanted pregnancy
are included in this book. Does that make this book any better than HustlerTM or PlayboyTM or PlaygirlTM?
How Did They Do It by F. Earle Fox and David W. Virtue of the ROAD to EMMAUS==>>
F. Earle Fox and David W. Virtue have graciously permitted me to post on my website some of the true wisdom God has given them so that you may come to know how the homosexual movement seems to have become so successful. This is by far the best explanation I have ever had the privilege to read. The logic is inescapable.
Proclomation for the Sepration of School and State ©1997 Separation of School & State Alliance
Please consider printing, signing, and mailing this form to the Separation of School & State Alliance.
The American Sovereignty Amendment: Slamming the Door to Globalist Control of Our Nation. ©1997 Marlin Maddoux, Point of View Radio Talk Show
While this topic may seem a little out of character for the Sex, ABC and Disney (SAD) folder, please read on. "The 'Rights of the Child' Treaty would force parents to allow their children to watch pronography, refuse to attend church, join a gang, have sex, and get an abortion." "The 'Rights of Women' Treaty would dictate that radical feminism and condom-based Sex Ed be taught in schools no matter what your local government says. The progress Christians are making against condom-based sex education would be wiped out." Unless we act and act boldly, we may have seen the beginning of the end of America as a sovereignty. Who then do you suppose would suffer the most? Who then would be controlled most by by the government?
Survey, Questionnaire, Exam, Other Analyses
This is what will become a long series -- a repository -- of analyses of surverys, questionaires, exams, and other participative tools used by the public school systems to glean invasive non-schoolastic informtation from students: surveys, questionnaires, exams, and other tools to solicit personal and private information from students and their families. Please check back each month or so for new analyses.
Everyone is invited to submit material for analysis. The submitted material must, however, be verifiable and prefereably on authetic letterhead. This is a free information service and no charges of any kind are made, thus no compensation can be offered. There is no assurance that the material you submit can be returned.
Analysis: Values Survey, Pontiac Township, Illinois, 2/13/97
An Interview with the Hoffmans, October 10, 1997
Thanks go the the Hoffmans who granted the CAP an opportunity to share with you the responses to several of my questions. Prayerfully, the interview will help you in your fight to clean up our public education systems.
This is 'Health' Cirriculum's Lewd Legacy
This is an article by Ray Kerrison of the New York Press staff. I, for one, applaud Ray's audacity and courage to stand so boldly against the power of the educational establishment. Ray compacts many reports of sexual improrpiety into a flowing accounting of the impact of the sexual freedoms taken with our kids in public schools. I am elated that Ray has stepped forward with a statement which corroberates the findings of the CAP.
This posting is on the main CAP website under Commentaries in CAP Reports. Because of the increased urgency of the target of the message in this article, I felt it prudent to add it to this special folder donated to the Hoffmans. While the message may seem a little out-of-character to the theme of combatting homosexuality and sex education in public schools in this special folder, it warns us of the same kind of big-brother, we-know-what's-best-for-you control the government is using on our kids in the name of public education.
The Mark of the Beast - Followup
This posting is verbatim from an email message I received from Fred and Joane Battey, masters of an educational information email loop. I am presenting this report as a followup to The Mark of the Beast from Peter and Paul LaLonde through Dr. Marlin Maddoux and his Point of View Radio Talk Show to provide evidence of the accuracy of Peter and Paul LaLonde's projection of the use of a microchip to track people. The chip is in place and being tested as I prepared this posting.
School Program Teaches About AIDS
This is a different approach to sex education in high school. A interactive experiment was conducted amoung seventy students at Taylor Allderice High School. In-school, in-room chemistry provided evidence of the ease with which AIDS is spread as three of every four students became infected with the mock HIV. While still sex education in public schools and while it still relies of explicit sexual discussion among extremely vulnerable and impressionable kids, this demonstration provided an object lesson: that AIDS (as a vehicle for demonstrating the communicability of sexually-transmitted diseases) is indeed extremely easy to spread.
Facts to Ponder: The Walt Disney Company...
While we provide a Disney Factsheet presenting a great deal of evidence and information about the homosexual agenda of The Walt Disney Company, this collection of facts from Dr. D. James Kennedy, president of the Coral Ridge Ministries deserves a posting of its own. "Please stand with Dr. Kennedy and Coral Ridge Ministries [and the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of the American Culture (CAP) and the R.A.M.P.] to call for a dramatic turnaround in the culture-shaping work of The Walt Disney Company!" If only Walt were still alive...
I Now Pronounce You Husband & Husband, Maybe Wife & Wife...At Seven Years Old
From The WIRE - News from the Associated Press (AP), November 18, 1997, Todd Spangler. A story comes to us from Dover, Delaware: 2nd Grade Wedding Causes Hullabaloo about 2nd grade students getting married in-class. Sounds like fun, right? Wrong!!! At least not the way it was staged in at least one of Mrs. Ede Outten's classroom sessions at Star Hill Elementary. Her version of the mock marriage ceremony was between same-sex participants, which falls concurrent with the recent acceleration of the homosexual agenda to get laws passed to permit same-sex marriage.
Lesssons on Homosexuality Taking Hold in U.S. Schools
"How would you feel if homosexuals were the majority and the law said you had to be homosexual to get married?" Imagine your nine-year old daughter telling you this in an after-school discussion about what she learned at school today. Especially when your daughter doesn't even know sex yet, let alone homosexuality. Well, that is what kids are learning in our politically correct institutions of education today: distortion and corruption of moral standards and inhibitions. Carol Innerst of the The Washington Times prepared a report on November 26, 1997 revealing the general impact of homosexuality in schools. Carol's report is provided with permission verbatim from Carol's work.
The Barry Bear Story UPDATED MARCH 25, 1998
While this story may seem to have nothing to do with combatting sex education or homosexuality, please remember that our objectives include combatting the victimization of children and their families. The Barry Bear story is indeed a story of child victimization and serves as a warning to homeschoolers of what to watch for.
Genital Exams and Strip Searches in Public Schools
A Cinderella Nightmare: Genital exams in public schools spur call for legal protection by Joe Maxwell for WORLD magazine
Susie Tucker has been violated. And so have 57 other 6th grade girls of the J. T. Lambert Intermediate School of the East Stroudsburg Area School District in Pennsylvania. The girls were subjected, for the most part involuntarily, to genital examinations ordered by the school system. In spite of reports of injury and pain caused by the exams, the East Stroudsburg School District says "There were no improrpieties on the part of the physician or district employees." And, says the Pennsylvania State Police, it [the exams] was not illegal. Illegal or not, "it" was an immoral violation of the physical privacy of 58 adolescent girls!
Press Release #4, Announcing Settlement Agreement
The long-awaited press release announcing the agreement reached between Jodi Hoffman and the Broward County Florida School Board -- available for you to download or print as needed.
The Actual Settlement Agreement
Also available for you to download or print as needed.
LEARN HOW YOU CAN BECOME A CAPtain!
You are welcome to go to the
[Top of the CAP Home Page], to the [CAP Table of Contents]
or leave me an email message or comment at
cap@capalert.com
The ChildCare Action Project (CAP) is a nonprofit Christian ministry. We rely on public support. If you wish to contribute to the CAP, please send your donations to
ChildCare Action Project
Granbury, TX 76048-0177
Tax exemption applies in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Codes.
Please feel free to write to us.
Thank you for visiting us and may God bless you.
In the sweet and holy name of Jesus:
Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God.
©1997 ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)


text:
Have You Seen These 5 Horror Movies Filmed In The Pacific Northwest? [VIDEOS]
credit: youtube/the rental
It's that scary time of year and nothing is scarier on these cold Tri-Cities nights than sitting down and watching a scary movie. You could watch the classics or the newest Blumhouse production but why not settle in for something a little more local?
There are five horror movies that were filmed in the Pacific Northwest that you might've not seen or heard about that might be worth checking out this weekend.
The first movie on our list might be the most famous movie of the bunch and that's the movie The Ring.
The Ring was released in 2002 and it heavily features Seattle as the backdrop of this supernatural thriller. The producers picked Seattle for its wet and isolated atmosphere according to an article in Wikipedia.
Our number two movie on our list is the newest thriller and it's called The Rental. It was filmed and released in 2020. It's a super-creepy thriller that was directed by Dave Franco, the brother of James Franco. The movie was shot and filmed in Bandon and Portland Oregon.
Our number three movie scared me when I saw it in theatres back in 1992. It was filmed in Issaquah, Seattle, and Tacoma. It's The Hand That Rocks The Cradle and starred a young Rebecca De Mornay as a psychotic nanny that seeks revenge on a family. You can easily see the filming locations on Google Street View, Mott's residence at 2502 37th Ave W in Seattle; and the Bartels' residence at 808 N. Yakima Ave in Tacoma Washington.
Our number four on the list is considered a classic and that's Stand By Me. It's based on a Stephen King short story called The Body and this 1985 film went to garner several Academy Award Nominations. It's starred kid actors like Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell and involved the summer of 1959 and a dead kid. It was directed by Rob Reiner and is still considered a must-see movie even after all these years.
Our fifth and final scary movie filmed in the Pacific Northwest is Harry and The Hendersons. I know, it's NOT scary but the family and the kids will love this 1987 fantasy movie about a sasquatch who encounters a family in Seattle and hilarity ensues. It's actually a very sweet movie and the kids will love it. It starred John Lithgow of "Third Rock From The Sun" fame. It would be a great way to wrap up watching the other movies on our list. It's Seattle filming location makes it another fun movie to see.
Halloween is next week so if you are looking for a few scary movies to check out, why not check out the movies above for a good night of viewing and entertainment but don't forget to lock the doors!
Here are the top 25 hits of the '80s based on their overall popularity.
Filed Under: filmed, Horror Movies, Movies, Pacific Northwest, scary movies, top 5
Categories: Featured, Movies, Videos


Freelance translator, here to help and strive!
"Set up the most comfortable homes in the world"
How to Play: It has a system of missions with which you have to achieve different objectives in the puzzles to earn money and unlock decorative objects or access other parts of the mansion.
Game play: It is a combination of puzzles with interior design, in which in addition to hundreds of levels you can use decorations of all kinds to give your own style to the mansion.
Languages: Interface in English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese and Japanese.
Developer: Playrix Games is based in Ireland	- One of the most prominent developers on Android Market.
Recomendations: Does not contain violent scenes.
Installation requirements: Android 4.0.3 and the minimum space isn't specified.
Rating: The TOP 1 Most popular games in House Building Games category.
Many objects to choose from.
The short games are perfect if you need to kill time.
The controls are simple and respond fast.
Save the Lego city and prove you're a hero!
Experience what life was like during medieval times!
Collect letters to form words in this classic game.
Have fun coloring animals, mandalas, landscapes and more!


1) All you need is your friend's IP Address and your Command Prompt.
2) Open Notepad and write this code as it is.....!
3) Now save this as "Messenger.Bat".
5) Drag this file (.bat file) over to Command Prompt and press Enter.
8) Now all you need to do is type your message and press Enter.


The challenge over at Less is More this week is "More Than One Tree"; I didn't count how many are on here but there's definitely more than one! The starting point for this card was the sketch over at Addicted to CAS and a very old set of stamps by Woodware, coloured with Promarkers. The finished result looked a bit flat & boring so I added a touch of Wink of Stella to the red and the stars, which you can just about see in the photo below. The card was still flat & boring so I finished off with a gold edge to the image & greeting, which were both popped up on foam squares.
You're right the gold really makes your design pop!
Super striking and fun trees.
Great layout and design and so pleased you've joined our challenge this week.
Helen the gold edge must have done the trick, this card looks super!
Thank you for joining us at Less is More this week.
A beautiful card, love the title of your blog. Crafting is indeed an escape and therefor very relaxing.
Love your take on the sketch Helen - the gold edging looks fab. and really makes the focal point "pop".
A very striking card - love how you have interpreted the sketch with your tree images. I can never (rarely) combine challenges - just not organised enough I guess, but your card does this so well.
This is so sweet and pretty, Helen. Your contemporary trees are lovely.
Wonderful! You can never have too many trees or tree stamps, Lol!
This is lovely Helen, they are really cute trees!
Fantastic take on the sketch and love the touch of gold very festive indeed and perfect for our challenge at thanks so much for joining us at ATCAS and good luck.


text:
Book Title: Skater Boy: Hot Off the Ice #4
Author: A. E. Wasp
Cover Artist: Ana J. Phoenix
Genre/s: Gay Sports Romance
Length: 75,750 words/303 pages
Skater Boy is a standalone story in the Hot Off the Ice series.
In a world that measures success in dollars, how do you put a price on happiness?Love, marriage, and a baby carriage. It's all Alex Staunton has ever wanted. Well, that and an Olympic medal for figure skating. The medal he got. The rest of it – not so much.
When his most recent poor decision comes to a door-slamming end, Alex moves into the house of his best friend, Thunder starting goalie, Sergei Pergov. But when tragedy strikes, giving Sergei custody of the twins he fathered confidentially, Alex's problems take a backseat to the needs of two infants, and Alex vows to be the best fake-dad and house-husband he can be.
Sergei is dazzled by the way Alex makes managing all the craziness look as easy as doing a triple-axel. As their friendship grows even deeper, Sergei realizes he doesn't want to imagine a life without Alex in it. Alex is the one who makes their house a home; his love makes them a family. How can Sergei make Alex understand he's worth everything?
Skater Boy is a story about falling in love with your best friend. It contains discussions about baby poop, day drinking, girls' night out, and the purchase of a mini-van.
Buy Links – Available in KU
It was funny how much one kiss could change everything. Well, kissing and whatever else he could get away with. Sergei loved finding ways around the rules or seeing how much he could get away with while still technically staying within bounds.
Alex had typed up a list of the rules and taped them to the inside of the door that held Sergei's coffee mugs and tea cups. "This way I know we'll see it at least once a day."
"In case I forget?" Sergei pulled Alex's hand toward him, tracing light patterns over his wrist and palm in the same way Alex had tortured him the other night.
"Bastard," Alex said, yanking his hand away. He darted in for a quick kiss. "In case I forget."
Then last night after dinner, he'd come up behind Alex in the kitchen while he was washing dishes, and keeping his hands above the waist and over the clothes, lifted up Alex's gorgeous hair and kissed the back and sides of his neck until Alex begged him to touch him. "Just a little. Please? Just my stomach."
"Rules say no hands under clothing," Sergei said, voice heavy with regret. "You made rules."
Without another word, Alex slid out from under Sergei. Grabbing a pen from the junk drawer, he stomped the few feet to the cabinet, opened the cabinet, and crossed off the word 'clothing.' He wrote 'pants' above it, handwriting sloppy.
Slamming the door, he marched back to Sergei. "Better?"
Sergei yanked Alex against him, face to face this time. He slid his hands up the back of Alex's shirt. His skin was softer than he had ever imagined and so warm. "Much better," he growled, then pushed Alex up against the counter. They kissed until Sergei's lips were numb.
After time spent raising children, earning several college degrees, and traveling the world with the U.S. State Department, she is returning to her first love – writing.
A dreamer and an idealist, Amy writes about people finding connection in a world that can seem lonely and magic in a world that can seem all too mundane. She invites readers into her characters' lives and worlds when they are their most vulnerable, their most human, living with the same hopes and fears we all have. An avid traveler who has lived in big cities and small towns in four different continents, Amy has found that time and distance are no barriers to love. She invites her readers to reach out and share how her characters have touched their lives or how the found families they have gathered around them have shaped their worlds.
Born on Long Island, NY, Amy has lived in Los Angeles, London, and Bangkok. She currently lives in a town suspiciously like Red Deer, Colorado.
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a choice of paperback from A.E. Wasp's backlist.
Lily G Blunt - Gay Book Promotions says:
Thank you for posting. Can you add a link to your review please?
Next Next post: ~Review~ Remember Me When by Brooke Blaine


 Can These 6 Things Assist In Keeping Your Thyroid Healthy?
Can These 6 Things Assist In Keeping Your Thyroid Healthy?
The thyroid gland does not put on airs or take up a lot of real estate, it's pretty low key until you find out something is wrong, and then you might just realize you've taken it for granted all along.
With thyroid disorders mysteriously on the rise and now estimating to affect more than 27 million Americans, most being women, I wanted to shine a spotlight on this butterfly-shaped gland that rests at the base of your throat below your Adam's apple. Whether or not you have a known endocrine imbalance, keeping your thyroid gland functioning optimally should definitely be on your healthy body radar.
The thyroid gland is hugely important because it is the only means by which your body absorbs iodine to produce a hormone which is necessary for nearly every metabolic function in the body (everything from body temperature regulation and brain development, to converting food into energy).
Adrenal overproduction of stress hormones like cortisol directly affects the availability of thyroid hormone in the bloodstream. Relaxing activities that keep your adrenals in a content and restful state also support your thyroid.
Mercury amalgam fillings have been linked to thyroid dysfunction (your poor thyroid is right below your mouth, constantly absorbing the released and swallowed mercury gas). So if you have these fillings, consult a holistic dentist specially trained in their safe removal – if they say they're holistic but don't use oxygen, get out of there!
This one might be a bit shocking because it just feels so wrong, isn't green tea good for you? While green tea does have beneficial polyphenols, like the renowned EGCG, it also happens to be incredibly efficient at absorbing fluoride from the environment and then releasing it into your body, preventing proper iodine absorption. Bummer, I know, I recommend white and herbal tea. Flouridated water is also something you should try to avoid if you already have thyroid disease (fluoride filters, distillers, and reverse-osmosis filters are available options for fluoride removal in drinking water).
A whole food, plant-based diet is ideal for the prevention and healing of all diseases. Eating organic foods is especially crucial for thyroid health since many pesticides are known endocrine-disruptors. There is also some conflicting research in regards to soy and raw cruciferous vegetables suppressing thyroid function. I would advise limiting their consumption and opting for lightly cooked cruciferous veggies and traditionally, organically prepared soy whenever possible.
Your throat is a major energy center of self-expression in your body. Ask yourself in what ways you may be hindering your ability to communicate, whether it be using your voice or listening to others, releasing your own creative energy or connecting more with the creative energy of the universe. Releasing any blockage you may have in the emotional realm could have powerful effects on the health of your physical body.
Whether or not this is currently an important health topic for you, advocating for the reduction of harmful chemicals in food, water, and consumer products is an important collective step in the mass prevention of all diseases in humans, animals, and plant life. If you already have a thyroid imbalance my advice is to have patience, nourish yourself nutritionally and emotionally, research, and find a really good holistic doctor.
Questions or anything to add about thyroid health? We want your thoughts, please. You might just help someone else in need.


Last year, working with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, 38 credit unions collected 12,653 children's books and distributed them to many non-profit agencies in cities and communities throughout the state. Since 2001, Massachusetts credit unions donated more than 252,600 books. The Children's Book Drive celebrates the value of reading by providing thousands of books that give children hours upon hours of reading to open their imaginations and become inspired. During the month of April, books may be dropped off at any one of our HUECU branch locations.
Thank you for participation in donating books and recognizing the value of reading.


My name is Marek, I am the owner and pilot at Capital Drones. We are unmanned aerial video and photography specialists with permission for aerial work granted by CAA. We are fully insured with £5m public liability to fly up to 400ft. If you would like to talk to us about showing your business from unique and original perspective, please get in touch.
I promise to update you here with loads of breath taking shots and videos. Stay tuned.
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Enter the Legendary World of Gods and Heroes!
Embark on an outstanding visual experience and battle-riddled adventure to re-write the fate of the Gardius Empire.
Prepare for the ultimate battle for the throne.
Summon and collect powerful mythical heroes!
- Strategically create your ultimate army by choosing heroes of various attributes.
- Evolve and upgrade your heroes to increase combat power.
Immerse yourself in a larger-than-life battle!
- Battle for the throne in celestial wars. Conquer the Royal Palace, and become supreme Commander!
- Hunt monsters and mine natural resources with and against other players worldwide.
Upgrade and build your own empire!
- Collect resources and upgrade your base and army.
- Customize your base by discovering and unlocking new content.
Golf Boy - Drive for Dough!


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Current Position:Home > Leader thoughts > OneMap Alliance – HE
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OneMap Alliance – HERE HD Live Map is going global
Release Date:2019-02-06
Ralf Herrtwich, SVP Services, HERE Technologies 22 May 2018
Guiding autonomous cars safely and efficiently across countries and across continents requires a precise, unified mapping system. We're joining forces with leading location data providers across Asia, to create a worldwide, standardized and dynamic high definition (HD) map.
Country to country, continent to continent, fostering standardization has historically been a pain-point for auto manufacturers. Setting aside emission standards and safety requirements, we as a planet still haven't decided on which side of the car to put the steering wheel.
We can see the autonomous cars on the horizon, and we can take steps now to ensure that car makers aren't forced to reinvent the wheel, say, for each and every country where their vehicles will be on the road.
This is why we're proud to announce we're joining forces with NavInfo of China, IPC/Pioneer of Japan, and SK Telecom of Korea to create the OneMap Alliance.
The OneMap Alliance will provide a global, dynamic high definition map that contains all the precise data necessary to empower fully autonomous cars on the roadway. Aligned with the same standards as the HERE HD Live Map, vehicles from Beijing, to Tokyo, to Seoul will all be able to read and contribute to a unified high definition map system, capable of operating in any region.
Automakers are quickly bringing higher and higher levels of automation to market and standard definition digital maps lack the detail of data, like lane markers, road signs, and traffic signals, needed to help guide fully autonomous vehicles safely and efficiently.
HD Live Map is emerging as the gold standard of maps for automated cars. For automakers, it's important that they can leverage trusted mapping and location technology both at home and abroad. The collaborative technology approach of the OneMap Alliance will make that possible.
By the end of the year, HERE HD Live Map will cover more than 1 million kilometres of roadways worldwide. At its heart, it is a dynamic digital representation of the roadways that utilizes both sensor and camera data from connected vehicles .
As the world changes, HD Live Map self-heals, meaning it corrects and calibrates itself to stay fresh, and rapidly relays changes in the roads to ensure the data stays useful and trusted. It provides drivers and autonomous vehicles with the full picture of the road ahead, even when the road ahead is obscured by trucks, turns in the road, or inclement weather.
Automakers who have automated cars in their plans for the future are thinking globally, and they need a map solution that scales with the pace of their business. By putting the OneMap Alliance to work, they're leveraging map data systems that are fully harmonized across regions, giving their customers the same high-quality data for vehicles across the U.S. as they do in Europe and Asia.
Previous Item:Leador Spatial
It's the last one
HERE and its global partners pitch for making HD Live Map as a global standard for self-driving cars
HERE Is Bringing 3D Maps To BMW Group And Daimler Mercedes-Benz Models
Mercedes-Benz's future self-driving cars will rely on a cloud-based high-definition map updated in real time to see the world around them.
MIT is challenging companies running self-driving cars using HD Maps
Toyota's Tri-Ad Division Wants Open Source Maps to Guide the Self-Driving Cars of Tomorrow
Simultaneous Localization and Map Change Update for the High Definition Map-Based Autonomous Driving Car


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Ruby Murphy, Lucy Tiller, Rachel Coates and Ella Roberts and Olga Dermott-Bond had the once in a lifetime opportunity to attend a week long creative writing residential at the Arvon foundation. This wonderful prize was won by Lucy Tiller, who came first out of thousands of students in the Key Stage Five First Story national writing competition.
Three schools attended the residential and were able to take part in a wide range of exciting and challenging creative writing workshops. There were two professional writers in residence, Adam Z. Robinson and Caroline Bird, who mentored the writers throughout the week. Students also had the opportunity to enjoy the stunning Yorkshire countryside, and visit the village of Heptonstall, where Sylvia Plath is buried.


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High Pointe Golf Course Gets Green Light From Acme Township
Beth Milligan | Published on 12/30/2022
From www.traverseticker.com
By Beth Milligan | Dec. 30, 2022
Acme Township trustees have unanimously approved plans to revive the former High Pointe golf course in Williamsburg, with famed course architect Tom Doak – who is consulting on the project – telling board members that work could begin on the property as soon as April.
The project came to trustees for consideration this month after township planning commissioners approved the application in November. High Pointe Holdings, LLC – led by Florida-based golfer Rod Trump (no relation to the presidential family) – is planning to purchase property south of MI Local Hops on M-72 to rebuild the course. The company is also buying a segment of land extending to Moore Road into Whitewater Township. The hop farm will remain in place next door, with Trump planning to build a new 18-hole course on the southern site using some of the remaining holes – notably holes 10-15, which were once hailed as some of the top holes in the country – plus several new holes.
Local project consultant Scott Jozwiak said the development team plans to use much of the "same layout" of the former course to rebuild High Pointe. "We're actually going to rebuild what was there in the back holes…a lot of those are still visible," he said. Doak, the course's original designer, added that "nine of the holes we built are still there, there's just no grass on them anymore." The course – which opened in 1989 and was named one of Golf Magazine's 100 greatest courses in the country – has lain fallow since 2009 after closing due to the previous owner's death and the global financial crisis, Doak said.
"It was a shame to see it close down," he said, noting that High Pointe was the first project he completed on his own in his mid-twenties. Doak has since gone on to become one of the most acclaimed golf course architects in the world, with six of his courses ranking among the top 100 globally by Golf Magazine in 2021. Doak said the initial construction of High Pointe led him to buy a house and set down roots in Traverse City. "My business has taken me all around the world, but I've been commuting out of here since 1989," he told township trustees. Bringing High Pointe back to life "is a very personal project to me," Doak said.
While High Pointe's former clubhouse isn't included in the deal – that remains with the hop farm – a new clubhouse will be built on the Whitewater Township side, complete with a restaurant and bar for members, training facility, driving range, guest and employee parking, and cottages for overnight guest stays. High Pointe is intended to operate as a "private golf course only, with a limited number of memberships," Jozwiak said. "It's going to be pretty exclusive." A new maintenance building and turf management center will be built on the Acme side of the site, according to Jozwiak.
Turf management was a key point of consideration for township officials. Before approving and forwarding the application to Acme's board of trustees, planning commissioners had extensive discussions about the use of fertilizers at the new golf course, as well as protection for nearby wetlands. The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay suggested developers consult a guide called Best Management Practices for Michigan Golf Courses, which covers topics like fertilizer application and buffers around wetlands and ponds. Jozwiak noted that wetlands can't be disturbed and that their locations have been confirmed in recent updated surveys of the property.
High Pointe consultants also told planning commissioners that environmental standards for golf courses today are significantly higher than in past decades, and that it's common to use only one-fifth of the fertilizer now as was used 10 years ago. The proposed maintenance facility and turf management center at High Pointe will be "state of the art" and follow best practices for Michigan, representatives said. Appearing before township trustees this month, Doak reiterated his own commitment to sustainable course-building and encouraged the board to make it a condition of approval that High Pointe follow the state's best practices guide for golf courses.
"That's not typical in zoning meetings that I'm aware of, but I would encourage you to put that restriction on the client," he said. "I think that golf courses should be held to standards like that. You have the power to do it." Doak added that he'll be personally involved at High Pointe both during and after construction, but said that township trustees adding a condition requiring the golf course to follow best practices will ensure it does so into the future. "You've got my word it won't just be an environmentally sound project," Doak said. "It will set a good example for everyone else."
Planning commissioners took the suggestion and added the condition to High Pointe's approval requiring the course to remain in compliance with the Best Management Practices for Michigan Golf Courses. Developers must also provide a stormwater maintenance plan and budget prior to the issuance of a land use permit, provide escrow funds for wetlands delineation/inspections/protection during construction, and obtain other required agency sign-offs, among the approval conditions.
Doak said he believed work could begin on High Pointe as soon as this spring, echoing previous estimates given by Trump that the course could reopen in 2024. "It's a very low-impact construction project," Doak said. "We think we can start it in April…build a golf course in one year, and have it all planted by Labor Day and be playing golf the end of the following year."
Pictured: Left and top right, the former High Pointe course (images from DoakGolf.com); bottom right, aerial conceptual rendering of new High Pointe layout provided to Acme Township
316 GLENCARIN DR. NE


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LFatTM - angrymetalguy.com
Poland's Riverside should be no stranger to the dedicated reader of these Angry pages. After discovering the band's Anno Domini High Definition in 2009, Riverside has sneakily become one of the staples of my playlist. I wasn't completely enamored with Shrine of New Generation Slaves; but its chill, more reflective moments are the ones that I keep coming back to: "The Depth of Self Delusion," yes, but especially, "We Got Used to Us," which has a slow groove and a transcendent chorus. Still, SoNGS lacked the punch and progressive drive that ADHD—and the band's earlier material—had, and landed far more in the territory of post-Marillion prog, without the brooding darkness into which late Gazpacho has wandered recently. SoNGS was, arguably, nothing more or less than a road sign, though, pointing towards 2015's latest record: Love, Fear and the Time Machine.
Love, Fear and the Time Machine is a subtle, calm album: defined almost more by its feel than by its songs. The record, at least at first blush, could be accused of being uniform—particularly in comparison to the band's earlier material. At an hour long, I have to admit I was gearing up for a gentle reminder that quantity is not quality. But similar to Riverside 2015-1staring at 3D Stereogram for a while, Love, Fear and the Time Machine opened up before me and started to take form and definition. It proved to be worth the wait. Like its predecessor, this record is mellow; but the band has started to perfect the formula. There is very little of the heavy, urgent material that littered the band's earliest material. Aside from about 3 minutes in "Towards the Blue Horizon," the bands heaviest moments sound a lot more akin to '80s British melancholic rock (see: "#Addicted") than Riverside circa 2004.
Don't get too caught up with this idea that the band has started sounding like The Cure, though; if anything, Riverside is transforming into something more akin to Steven Wilson's solo material. While not produced and mastered with the grace, skill, and dynamic range of Hand. Cannot. Erase., Love, Fear and the Time Machine definitely walks the same fine line between poppy and melancholy. A song like "Afloat" is simple, but the vocal harmonies evoke existential sadness; "Time Travellers" reminds me of "We Got Used to Us," with its slow burn groove, nostalgic theme, and melodies reminiscent of Opeth's Damnation. Both opener "Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened by a Hat?)" and closer "Found (The Unexpected Flaw of Searching)" bookend the record with hooky—though somber—melodies. And Love, Fear and the Time Machine shines in these moments, showing a deft touch and talent for songcraft.
I have two issues with Love, Fear and the Time Machine. The first is that I'm not enamored in the production (and mastering). While not bad, this record is simultaneously too wet, but not airy enough. The heavier parts sport high-compression modern rock distortion—like the crunchier parts on "#Addicted" and "Under the Pillow"—and while this has defined the band's sound since its earliest days, their writing has left it behind. Something more akin to later Opeth or Steven Wilson in its bouquet would better complement the band's sound—where Kozieradzki's drums don't have to be so far back in the mix, and Duda's bass can pop and throb. The production is wet, and it doesn't feel organic; but the band's sound—even on its heaviest moments like "Saturate Me" and "Towards the Blue Horizon"—is starting to require something else.
I suspect that this also affects the flow of the album, which tends towards monochromatic on the bridge between the opening strains and the superb closer. While I love individual songs—"Discard Your Fear," "Afloat," and "#Addicted" all stand out—there are times when I lose track of where I am in the album; the cover art imitates the music, colors that bleed together, forming something foggy, but beautiful. A record with a bit more punch, and more dynamic production would turn moments like the break between ethereal and heavy at the end of "Discard Your Fear" (at around 4:40, for those listening to the embedded video below) into something powerful and memorable. I think it would be wrong to argue, even though the album is 60 minutes long, that this is a consequence of the writing not being sharp; the writing is sharp, but those edges are dulled by production choices which mute the pallet at work.
Having said that, Love, Fear and the Time Machine is a clear step up from SoNGS, and while it's "relentlessly mellow," as Dr. Fisting put it, it's precisely the mellow material where Riverside shines brightest. The band as a whole—while still eminently talented—has become secondary to the feel and the songs. No one musician stands out, but everything is in its place. It's gorgeous, well-written, and a great listen. Love, Fear and the Time Machine isn't going to blow you out of the water, but it will creep under your skin and stay there.
angrymetalguy.com