Wothorpe is a village and civil parish in the Peterborough unitary authority of Cambridgeshire, England. It is in the far north-west of the district, and to the south of Stamford (in Lincolnshire). The parish borders Northamptonshire on its west.
Wothorpe Priory was a "small Benedictine nunnery", founded apparently around 1160. All but one of the nuns died in the outbreak of Plague in 1349, with the survivor becoming part of the Priory of Stamford. The property was dissolved by Henry VIII, being granted to Richard Cecil.
As a parish, it was considered a hamlet within the parish of Stamford Baron, becoming a separate civil parish once more in 1866. Historically the parish was part of the Soke of Peterborough, associated with Northamptonshire. Administratively, it became part of the Stamford rural sanitary district in the 19th century, then later the Barnack Rural District of the administrative county of the Soke, then passing to Huntingdon and Peterborough in 1965 and Cambridgeshire in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972.
The early-seventeenth-century Wothorpe Towers was a lodge that was once part of the Burghley estate, built by Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, eldest son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley. After Thomas' death, the Towers were leased to George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, then used as a dower house and finally, part dismantled to provide an eye-catcher in the newly landscaped park. The whole historic site was purchased by the Griffins in 2004 - after carrying out extensive works to remove the building from the Heritage at Risk register, the family have placed the monument in the care of the Wothorpe Towers Preservation Trust, and are restoring the gardens and surrounding buildings, which are now their home.
Within the parish of Wothorpe is the highest point of the historic Soke of Peterborough. The high point of 81 metres (266 ft) is located on Racecourse Road at TF 0353 0417, next to the county boundary with Northamptonshire. Although unmarked, the summit is of interest to participants in hill bagging who visit these high points of the historic counties of England.
^ Simon Edwardes (2001). "Racecourse Road". The Mountains of England and Wales. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
This page was last edited on 25 February 2018, at 11:24 (UTC).


A puppy dog named as Bobbie has been stolen and other belongings from an address in the Stretford area on March 28 around 2.30am.
The dog is a Maltese cross with Shih Tzu breed and is only five months old, gladly the dog has been chipped and the chipping company are aware the dog has been stolen and will show up if the dog is ever taken to a vet, the dog also had on a pink and Silver collar on.
The family is very worried about Bobbie more so the children who are missing him.
A laptop, a tablet and jewellery were stolen during the burglary at the property on Hancock Street.
Owner of the property Melissa Briscoe said: "I woke up to a scratching noise at about 2.30am, but I thought it was just my cats.
"When I went downstairs in the morning, my home was completely ransacked, our things were thrown everywhere and my children's uniforms were trampled on the floor, then I realised Bobby's puppy crate was empty.
Constable Lucy NIcholas of GMP's Trafford borough said: "This burglary goes beyond material items, to steal a much-loved family pet is heartless.
"Bobby's owner and her children are understandably distraught, so we need the publics help to reunite Bobby with his family.
If you have any information please contact police on 101 quoting ref number 0338 of 28/03/17 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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Home Business Walmart Mexico enters the gas station business: it will put stations outside...
Walmart Mexico enters the gas station business: it will put stations outside its stores
The Walmart chain and the Gazpro company teamed up to install gas stations in supermarket parking lots.
The Walmart supermarket chain and the Gazpro company signed a plan to start up new gasoline service stations that will be in store parking lots.
According to the chain, the gas stations would be in the formats of Bodega Aurrera, Mi Bodega Aurrera, Sam's Club, Walmart Express, and Walmart Supercenter, throughout the country.
"The main objective of the plan is to offer customers and partners the convenience of being able to load their car with gasoline in the same space where they can make their purchases, with the highest level of care, safety and quality," he said.
He also specified that the new gas stations will be designed, developed and operated by Gazpro and will be supplied with gasoline supplied by Pemex, through the sub-licensed brand model for the sale of Pemex products.
Meanwhile, the operation and maintenance of the stations will be carried out with the most modern practices and technologies in the industry, in accordance with the commitment of both companies to care for the environment, as well as the highest safety for their operators and customers.
Also, some of the gas stations will have convenience stores, operated by Walmart de México y Centroamérica.
The chain of self-service stores specified that the development of the project is subject to obtaining authorizations and permits from the various corresponding authorities.
Gazpro
Walmart de México
walmart gas stations
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When it comes to lounging around the Internet, you might find that your long hours could be better spent looking for a swinging good time.
No longer do you have to meet up in person to find other swingers and have that awkward conversation of do you or don't you, but you can put in some information, sometimes for free, and find other people who are looking to swing.
It's just so darn easy.
The hardest thing about finding swingers online is when you type in 'swinging online' and find that there are hundreds of thousands of place to look at. And there are disabled dating services designed to hook up any arrangement of swingers.
Maybe you're a heterosexual couple looking for another couple. Maybe you're a lesbian couple looking for a couple or a single man. Or maybe it's the other way around.
If there's a combination that can be dreamed of, there's a service to get you all together.
And if you're into any fetish in particular, then you can find that too.
I went with the close-your-eyes-and-point approach at first, but that didn't work out too well.
So let's talk about the finer points of an online disabled dating site.
This might sound a bit superficial, but listen to the reasoning first. I pick out sites based on the quality of the pictures on it. Not that I like to just look at pictures (well, I do), but I can tell how serious the site is when their members take the time to send good pics.
I've also found that the sites that take the time to explain how every works are great too.
If they have someone to answer your questions either via phone or email, then you know that they really want you to be successful. And a company that wants you to be successful is always a good sign.
Granted, you will be paying for such help, but it will be worth it. They know what they're talking about.
This really isn't a question anymore because you don't have the choice in most cases. If you want to talk with other couples, then you will have to pay up.
If you're okay with just looking at pictures, then you can do that without paying each month.
When you pay, you get to e-mail, have real time chats, and even video chats (which can be super hot when you're a long distance from each other or are just starting out).
Most of the sites have monthly fees that aren't too terrible. And they also have a trial period in most cases, so you can get the hang of it without forking over too much money.
My advice? Take advantage of the trial period on a site, and if you like it, sign up. If you don't, make sure to cancel your membership and move onto the next.
Even if you don't find a great couple, you will be able to access all of the pictures and advice articles.


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Q: extracting specific position of character details from sql I have database like the image and i want show to t1  details whose name is an 'e' in second position and 'x' in the last position , can any one provide me help how to to achieve this
The table looks like this
T1        T2    T3
vexes      1    2
becw      12    21
extrst    10    10
vin       15    10
new       35    14
det       10    12
het       15    10
cat       53    52
fexx      10    15
fat       12    15
fatsrot   10    15

A: You can write your query like following.
select * from yourtable
where t1 like '_e%x'

Note:
_  Represents a single character
%  Represents zero or more characters

A: You could achieve it by using SUBSTRING and RIGHT in following:
SELECT *
FROM tbl
WHERE SUBSTRING(t1, 2, 1) = 'e' --2nd character
      AND RIGHT(t1, 1) = 'x' --last character

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I have managed to do it with Emulator 2.1 api 7, but then the reverse geocoding always give an empty result. anyone could confirm my code?
This can be anything from a server-side issue at Google, or an issue on the client (internet connection).
If the GeoCoder returns an empty list, you need to check if you have a proper GeoCoder implementation available on the device (emulator or real phone).
This can be done using the isPresent() method on the Geocoder object.
Also, when running on an emulator, make sure your AVD image is setup with the Google APIs.
this is worked and tested...on API level 8...hop this help..
I read the discussion thread mentioned by @ddewaele, someone said that reboot can solve the problem. It did. BTW, the Android version of my device is 4.1.
How to find location from where image is captured?
calling longitude and latitude into getFromLocation()?


French Door Local Experts is going to be there for your requirements involving French Doors in Long Lake, MN. You want the most advanced solutions in the market, and our workforce of skilled contractors will offer exactly that. We are going to apply excellent supplies and cash saving techniques to make sure that you'll get the most impressive solutions for the best price. Call us at 888-669-5583 and we'll be ready to go over your options, address your concerns, and set up a consultation to start arranging your task.
Here at French Door Local Experts, absolutely nothing is a bigger factor than customer support. We will become familiar with your requirements and expectations of your project, and prepare to accomplish the tasks to meet with your complete standards. We recognize all your questions and concerns, and our company is there to assist you. When you contact us, we are going to respond to your questions, and we'll also resolve the inquiries which you might not remember to ask. You should put together the right decisions for your own task, and we know the way to help you to do that.
You've got a budget to abide by, and you need to lower your costs. On the other hand, you want the most effective and finest quality of work for French Doors in Long Lake, MN. Our company offers the finest quality while saving you money. Our mission is to ensure you get the best quality products and a finished project which endures throughout the years. This will be feasible since we appreciate how to help you save time and funds on supplies and work. Save time and dollars by calling French Door Local Experts today. Dial 888-669-5583 to talk to our customer service staff, now.
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Remember the Y2k, year 2000 bug scare? Was the Y2K bug real? Did the world end? Was the Y2K bug hype and fear?
Do you remember all the preparation for the Y2k Millennium Bug computer meltdown, when the century rolled over, at midnight, December 31, 1999?
If you were there, you know how everyone was worried that the planet would shut down within seconds, after January 1, 2000. This was the day all computers would stop working.
It had something to do with how computer codes were written to conserve space, as all years were written in 2 digits instead 3 digits.
Would the world come to a stop? Would there be a worldwide blackout?
Fear ruled and precautions costs millions and millions (maybe bill-yuns and bill-yuns).
Perhaps some of those fears were valid . . .
Maybe the Y2k Millennium Bug was real !


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JT Hartman leads the way for JV football in a 28-0 onslaught against Northview
Thomas Cobb, Sports ReporterOctober 18, 2020Leave a Comment
More stories from Thomas Cobb
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Defensive pressure guides boys varsity basketball to the Cornerstone Holiday Tournament title
Boys varsity basketball is outlasted 79-74 on the road at Wyoming
Following a monumental rivalry win against East Grand Rapids, the JV football team competed in the season's penultimate game in a heated matchup with Northview. Possessing tremendous momentum and confidence, the Rangers outperformed the Wildcats in almost every facet of the game. With a particularly impressive performance from freshman JT Hartman, FHC dominated Northview in a convincing 28-0 victory.
A common thread from the Rangers' season thus far has been the outstanding defensive accomplishments. The defense did not deter from its previous success against Northview, shutting out yet another opponent. Early on in the game, the stoutness of the Ranger defense was evident. FHC did not allow a drive of over 30 yards combined until deep into the second quarter, proving that their mental toughness and determination can single-handedly win games.
After a sluggish start for the offense, the Rangers finally broke through as JT Hartman scored on the ground for a touchdown. JT is the leading scorer for FHC this season and has established himself as a threat for years to come. As just a measly freshman, it is difficult to overlook JT's ability and talent as he progresses within the program.
"A key to my confidence this year has been trusting my coaches and teammates," Hartman said following his impressive outing. "[Northview's] defensive looks allowed us to run the ball up the middle and pass with success."
As the young bull of the team, JT has put his faith in others as makes perpetual strides in his skillset. This type of selflessness and willingness to trust the coaches and players is vital for creating a winning attitude.
Hartman's early-game efforts set the stage for an eventual offensive onslaught. However, this domination did not come until later in the game. In the meantime, the FHC defense continued to shine. Sophomore Magnus Salmon came up with a clutch interception midway through the second quarter, adding another defensive feat to a unit that has been consistent all season long. Northview was unable to crack the FHC defense in what would be a long, dreadful night for the Wildcat offense. Even after a seemingly commanding first half, the Rangers led by a score of 6-0 heading into halftime.
"Our halftime speech was certainly heated," head coach Ty Hallock said postgame. "Our kids responded well and answered the call of executing what we were asking them to do."
Hallock also admitted that his team has had relatively slow starts in the first half of previous games. Despite the lack of scoring in the first half against Northview, FHC made up for it by putting on an exhibition in the second half.
Coming out of the halftime break, the Ranger offense went straight to work. An ostensibly endless drive for FHC was enough to appear in the scoring column once more. JT Hartman scored yet again on a running play, as well as punching in a two-point conversion. A 14-0 lead gave the defense all the cushion that it needed to pull out a win. As if a two-possession lead was not sufficient by itself, the Rangers converted on another meticulous drive down the field, ending in a touchdown reception for freshman Levi McKenzie to increase the lead to 22 points. Finally, adding insult to injury, sophomore Raymond Cargill scored a touchdown in the final minutes. The final score of 28-0 displayed the true domination that occurred; FHC had shown up to play, especially in the second half.
"I think as our season nears its end, this particular group has shown that they have some great potential, but as I have told them many times that potential does not win the race," Hallock added after the game. "They need to put in the work, be self-disciplined, do their job at a high level, and always rely on one another as teammates to help them get through adverse situations. This group definitely has a bright future." These words of encouragement just show the level of respect and pride that the coaching staff has for the young group of football players.
The victory moves the Rangers to 4-1 on the season. Prior to the boys' final game, FHC stands near the top of the OK White conference, although there are no official standings. The final opponent of the year is the Lowell Red Arrows, and will cap off another JV football season.
JT Hartman
Levi McKenzie
Magnus Salmon
Raymond Cargill
Ty Hallock
Thomas Cobb, Editor in Chief
Thomas Cobb is a senior at FHC, working as an editor in his second year on staff. Over his years, Cobb has experimented with football, basketball, baseball,...
The Green Bay Packers make a strong case for a Super Bowl run this season
Michigan eyes national title run in Juwan Howard's third year
The battle for Paul Bunyan: a highly-anticipated rivalry game
The senior class blasts off after Theryn Hallock torches the juniors for two touchdowns in a win for the Class of 2022
For the first time in sixty-two years, Michigan will bring home the LLWS
Lou Williams: one of the most underpaid players in recent history
Ben Simmons: develop him or trade him?
The NBA bubble: fluke or for real?
How the Lakers-Warriors matchup in the NBA play-in tournament showcased a mix of incredible storylines and historic talent


The Board of Functional Medicine provides a code of professional regulations for ensuring the highest degree of ethical and moral practice by physicians and non-physician practitioners. The Board also monitor Functional Medicine practitioners to ensure they meet requisite continuing educational requirements. The Board strives to assure consumers are receiving the highest quality care who have graduated from accredited programs.
The Mission of the American Board of Functional Medicine (ABFM) is to enhance a greater clinical understanding of biological function & clinical nutrition among physicians and healthcare professionals with a common interest in functional medicine and to promote the application of such knowledge to ensure greater patient outcomes and doctor satisfaction.
Why a national examination board for functional medicine?
The goal of the American Board of Functional Medicine is to create a public standard of educational requirements and diagnostic skills for practitioners advertising themselves as functional medicine practitioners.
Prior to the ABFM, no standards existed for one of the fastest growing medical specialties. Patients and referring physicians were completely unaware of the doctor's "functional medicine" training or experience. As we are all now fully aware, there is a great disparity between the educational backgrounds of these practitioners. While some have completed only a weekend course others have opted for a more rigorous academic program.
The Board servers as a national credentialing agency to ensure the integrity and competency of the education for practitioners of functional medicine. I am proud to have been a part of such a historic board and look forward to its ongoing success.


The Purple Passion Purse is part of the CAL Central Holiday Stashdown Crochet Along. The purse is made in linen or moss stitch and features surface crochet and lots of tassels and fringe. Show off your boho fashion in your favorite colors – why not make one for each outfit? The Purple Passion Purse will make a great holiday gift for some of the special girls and woman in your life!


Vanilla pods actually improve with time. However it is important to store these pods correctly. Whilst Vanilla stored correctly will last almost indefinitely, you should use the pods purchased by the best before date on the pack (ranges from 1 to 3 years).
Our Vanilla Pods in Packs of 2 to 50 Pods are packed in food-grade foil bags. Larger quantities are shipped in food-grade polythene or vacuum bags. For best results, open packs once received and remove pods to store in a cool, dry place away from heat and light ideally in an airtight container, preferably glass. If storing for longer, wrap in cling film (ensuring all air has been squeezed out) and check pods regularly. Vanilla Pods should NOT be refrigerated.
Stored Vanilla needs constant airing. Remove the pods from the airtight container and expose to air for at least 15 minutes. It also helps if you massage the Vanilla pods lengthwise by hand during this period as this helps to disperse the vanilla seeds inside. Ensure that your hands are clean. After airing, rewrap and place the pods into the airtight container. You should do this at least 4-6 times per year.
You might notice white frosting/crystals on the pods. This is a perfectly normal occurrence. The white frosting/crystals are actually Vanillin crystals and may form from time to time. However, please note that incorrect storage can also result in the formation of mildew or fungus. To ascertain if the discolouration is due to Vanillin Crystals or Mildew/Fungus, firstly, you should smell the affected pod to check for any odour and secondly hold the pod against natural sunlight. If the pod smells rotten and does not reflect the visible light spectrum (colours of the rainbow) the affected pods should be discarded as this can spread to the uninfected pods.
If any of the pods are dried, do NOT throw these away. Instead, try rehydrating them by immersing in warm milk or lukewarm water for a few hours to revive the pods as they will still contain lots of flavour.


CHILI — In December, St. Pius Tenth Parish dedicated a new worship space that was created for parishioners of all ages who have sensory differences.
According to Understood (www.understood.org), an organization for learning and attention issues, individuals with sensory differences have difficulty organizing and responding to information that comes in through the senses, and they may be oversensitive to sensory input, under sensitive or both.
Engstrom, who has a family member on the autism spectrum, said the types of problems that were being described to him are common for individuals with sensory differences or who are on the autism spectrum. Thus, the idea to create a room in which both children and adults with sensory differences could worship was formed.
The original St. Pius church building was destroyed by fire in 2015, and while a new church was being built, Engstrom said the meeting rooms at the parish office were converted into worship rooms. Mass took place in the largest meeting room, while the liturgy was streamed onto television monitors that were set up in the three smaller meeting rooms. When the need for a sensory-friendly worship space arose, he said the parish decided to convert one of the smaller worship rooms into a sensory-friendly space.
Engstrom said that individuals who use the sensory-friendly worship room can avoid sensations that they find intolerable, such as bright lights, or they can seek sensory input by having items available for them to touch.
The room offers softer lighting; a variety of seating, including a huge bean bag chair, exercise balls and rocking chairs; and a volume control button on the wall to adjust the sound of the liturgy as it is being streamed onto a television monitor in the room. Parishioner Kelly Places painted a tactile mural on one wall that features different textures.
In one corner of the room are such sensory items as squish toys and glitter jars crafted by parishioners that Engstrom said can be used for entertaining, grabbing the attention of or calming individuals who are experiencing sensory overload. The room also contains educational materials developed by Summer Kinard and Loyola Press for children with sensory differences.
The room opened Dec. 23, the feast day of St. Thorlak of Iceland, to whom the room was dedicated. The room contains an icon of the saint that was donated by members of the Mission of Saint Thorlak, a local group that is petitioning for the saint to become the patron saint of autism spectrum disorders. Engstrom said it is believed that St. Thorlak was on the autism spectrum.
Laura Farmer is one such parishioner. She said she and her husband would not always bring their two autistic sons to Mass due to their sensory differences and short attentions spans.
"After hearing about the room being created and made available, we thought it would be a great opportunity," Farmer told the Catholic Courier.
She said she enjoys seeing her kids have the opportunity to move around and be active in the sensory-friendly worship room while she and her husband are still able to participate in the liturgy.
"It has helped our family because now my sons are in a setting that is beneficial to their needs, while we are also able to participate in Mass," she said.


Update: Dell will have Windows Phone 7 phones catalogue.
The latest rumors that sound firmly into the network revolve around a Windows Phone 7 and the possibility of that Dell has set aside the new platform Mobile Microsoft.
Information source is an analyst at Deutsche Bank, and it is being shared by the major media sector. If the news was true, and after the decision to focus on webOS HP, the guys from Redmond would be at the end of this year without two of its main partners.
The two giants in the world of computers have been its main partners over the last decade, and were involved in Windows Phone 7 from its origins. According to the analyst, the three most important companions that remain standing are LG, Samsung and HTC.
The issue is that all also play with Android, and Microsoft should have partners more involved on the platform, the fact that they play with several letters may be dangerous for them.
What will happen with Dell Ligthning?
Speaking of devices we could stay without seeing the promising Dell Ligthning, supposed would be one of the premiere platform, and had an appearance and specifications rather than interesting. It will disappear from the map?, will change it's operating system?.
We must take this information with pliers, but it seems that one of the reasons why would leave Microsoft's new system, at least initially, is increase the number of Android devices.
The news is really rare at this stage, especially taking into account that Microsoft has projected to spend $ 500 million on the development and launch of Windows Phone 7, it will be one of the pillars of the Redmond company.
Reports do not appear in no time names as Sony-Ericsson, Garmin-Asus, or Toshiba, that are also involved in the adventure of the new system, and in spite of this, very rare I seem that they did not have terminals this year.
Now it transpires that 300,000 developers are playing with Windows Phone 7 development kits, and for all we know that Microsoft is paying them to choose your platform. The boys from Redmond are also working to reach developers from their Xbox and Windows environments.
I do not know you will think on the matter, but it is true that We have seen prototypes circulating on the net and none was Dell, but I find it rather odd idea that at the last minute decided not to join Windows Phone 7.
Any reports, or speculation, that report Dell will not support Windows Phone 7 are false … Microsoft announced Dell as a supporting partner this year at ' of Mobile World Congress and nothing ' s changed. We are excited to collaborate with Microsoft on Windows Phone 7, and are looking forward to bringing customers amazing mobile experiences.
It seems that it is likely that Dell phones may not form part of the initial Windows Phone 7 terminals platoon, but that we will have them in the future.
Microsoft, we want Bill Gates!


Whipple Company Store is an 1890 built, one of a kind coal camp company store. It serviced the coal camp and coal mine of Whipple and surrounding coal camps in southern <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Fayette County from 1890 to 1954. One of the last standing wooden company stores today, its unique architectural structure and style introduces one to the life, and times in the Southern West Virginia coalfields. Everything from candy to caskets was sold at the company store. Paying with scrip or buying on credit was a way of life for the miners and there families.
Whipple Company Store is now home to the Appalachian Heritage Educational Museum, a non-profit museum whose goal is to preserve and protect our coal mining heritage. You can tour the store and view its many original artifacts. The hand operated elevator, telephone operators station, 1890 post office, the walk in safe, the 3rd floor ballroom just to name a few. Join us for a coal mine adventure where you can mine for coal, get paid in scrip, and make purchases at the company store. A great hands on experience for school age youth.
Whipple Company Store & Museum is open seasonally from May thru October.
Hours: 11:00 am-6:00 pm Daily.


text:
Just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year, kel 3am w intu b5eir. So what resolutions are you planning to work on from tomorrow. I'm starting my MSc. thesis proposal tomorrow, so I'm pretty excited *gets all hyper*
Jamal Abdul Nasser & Hijab
I stumbled upon this video a while ago, it's surprising to see how if we brought this issue up now, a lot of hostility would have gone on the leader, but then a good 60 years ago, people would laugh at its absuridty.
I still do stand by the opinion that hijab is never forced upon but should be taken and worn around your head at your own time and conviction. When it is what you want to do and not what your family, tradition or culture tells you to.
Black Magic for a Black Abbaya...
My sister sent me a pic of this, and I couldn't handle but crack up.
For those who don't read Arabic, it's basically a notice asking the person who stole a certain abbaya with brown embroidery to return it back or else the owner will do black magic and let the thief regret ever stealing it.
Black magic for an abbaya? I mean if it was a diamond ring I'd understand but ABBAYA? The one which will be thrown away after a while because its torn, short, ...etc?! Really?! She must be very fond of it, which makes me think, what made her remove it in the first place?!
A New Dawn & A New Day...
It's 8 in the morning, freezing cold (I get cold pretty easily), and hungry. I am stuck at some random computer typing and jotting down my thoughts on 2012. Some say its the end of the world and some well don't care, it's a regular day anyhow no?
But given we are few days away, I think it's the perfect time to formulate some resolutions. So here they are:
- Start training for a half marathon
- Start on my MSc. Thesis
- Pamper myself with treatments and spa visits
- Have a grand 25th birthday party (never organized myself a party & what better way than my 25th eh?)
- Get myself a tablet and an iPhone
- Get myself more piercings (one in each ear sounds good)
- Be better at my job (I'm always there on time, I just need more quality enhancement)
- Get my jeans, skirts and abbayas trimmed (I'm too short for any off the rack clothes to fit)
- Be much more spiritual and in touch with Allah
- Memorize the long surahs
- Buy myself a land
- Have a birthday wish list (maybe this time I'll actually get gifted with what I need and want)
- Spend more quality time with family
- Be more active in the social scene
That basically sums it all up. So what resolutions do you have for 2012?!
Doodles has a Facebook page...
And yes now you can follow up on all the news and start discussions on the Doodles' facebook page.
CLICK ME...
Here's the link to the page, it'd be absolutely awesome if you could pay it forward and get those silent readers to like the page as well.
Oh for those who are waiting for a new chapter. I will hopefully be posting on Sunday next week, as I'm pretty overwhelmed with a lot for now.
So click like on the top right of the webpage, for now...
Sex School: Sexy much?!
Ylva-Maria Thompson has opened the world's first international sex school to teach its students how to be better lovers.
The Austrian International Sex School in Vienna offers 'hands on' lessons in seduction for £1,400 a term.
The 'headmistress' says anyone over the age of 16 can enrol at 'the world's first college of applied sexuality'.
Students live in a mixed sex dormitory block where they're expected to practise their homework.
And at the end of the course, they are awarded a qualification.
The new school head said: 'Our core education is not theoretical, but very practical. The emphasis is on how to be a better lover.
'Sexual positions, caressing techniques, anatomical features. And we teach people hands on.'
School spokesperson Melodi Kirsch added: 'We are confident that the school will be a great success.
Seriously, where has the world come to? This got my jaw to drop to the floor and what's shocking about it is the fact that it's practical. I am lost for words to be honest. So would anyone enrol in the school? It's like paying for sex :o .
Rummy's Doodles on Y-Magazine
And the blog made it to Y - Magazine, the biggest exposure I've gotten so far. I have to give big Thanks to Karima Farid for seeing the potential in me and giving Rummy's Doodles the chance to get known. I'm glad that the blog is getting what it needs, more readers and fans of the characters.
For those who joined or started reading the blog or heard about it from Y. A very big welcome and hope you enjoy the stories and get attached to them, the way I am to them.
With no further a due, the article <3
*If it's not clear you can click on Y-Magazine at the top, to take you to the link
Sun & Moon: Chapter Nine
'I Still Love You'
She read it over and over again. She remembered his voice and the way he used to repeat it near her ear as she blushed and moved away shyly. She remembered his accent, that captivating Eastern accent which managed to always make her smile. She recalled how stylish he wore his dishdashas along with the Omani Kemma tilted to the side. She reminisced on how exquisite he always smelt; the typical heavy Arabian perfume mixed with the manly Hugo Boss for men; his signature scent. She took a deep sniff only for her to take in the musty dry air in the library. Sanaa felt lost in between fantasy and reality. She found herself astray, her defenses were breaking down one at a time the moment she saw the confession wall. Sanaa was speechless unable to comprehend why her life had to be so cruel. She didn't understand why she had to let him in her life. She didn't know why she allowed him to step on her soul and spirit. She couldn't get how he still had power and reign of her heart. She smiled as she read it, but soon enough the grin changed into anger. 'How dare he?' she told herself as she pushed back the flap and rolled up her sleeves. It was time for the confrontation she never gathered the courage to have. It was time for her to erase what she had tried years to reduce to nothing. Placing her perfectly manicured claret ruby painted nails on the keys; she took a deep breath and began typing.
Throughout life, I never was happier than I was with you. It was good times, happy times. Times that I wished would never end. But now? Now there's nothing but hatred and bitterness left. How dare you say that you love me when all you tried and strived to do in years was hurt me. We have no future together, that was your words and that was your choice. You can't do this to me anymore. I won't end up crawling back to you like I have over and over. Not when I have forgotten about you and your filthy ways. After all that has been said and done, I have forgiven you but would never forget and will always thank you for making me stronger, braver and fearless. Good luck with your life.
Pressing Enter, an immediate relief and weight was lifted off her shoulders. It was the very first time Sanaa conveyed what she wanted to say after that dreadful horror night. It was two years since it happened, and Sanaa never seemed to forgive herself on why it did. It was a night that changed the way she was forever. She could see him responding and writing a message for her, but Sanaa wasn't interested in knowing what he had to say. She had had enough of his sweet talk and it was time to wipe him out of her life for good. She was meant for great things, and being bitter and sour wasn't an obstacle she wanted to face anymore. 'I am destined for great things. I am destined for remarkable things. I am destined for noble things' she told herself as she clicked on the delete contact icon. She smiled a wide grin as the pop up read CONTACT DELETED. For once in her life, she never bothered on what the other person had to offer or say. She felt in control of her situation; a power that she rarely had. She felt lighter, jovial and tranquil. Sanaa never felt such liberation that it felt extraordinary. She was free like a bird. Stretching her hands, she looked up to the gold decorated ceiling and released a loud laugh. She laughed louder as if she was a child being showered with glitter. 'Thank You' she thanked the power above for giving her the strength to do what she couldn't ages ago.
Sanaa stayed looking up for what seemed another hour; content and relaxed while contemplating on the artwork of the library's ancient ceiling. Beautiful drawings of horses and epic landscape painted in gold, green and brown. It was a peaceful sight, a sight that was perfect to indulge in after what she has been through. 'A new chapter' she thought, 'A new life' she smirked as if the ceiling was a human being watching over her. It was growing darker and even the lights were going off. It was the librarian closing off all the lights before clearing his throat, indicating it was time for them to close. 'Ready to leave beautiful lady? ' his voice made absolute serenity so close by as she looked into his eyes. She smiled nodding her head. 'Let me help you out' Bastiaan said in a soothing voice. Smiling Sanaa handed over the now shut laptop to him, so he would pack it back into the black leather laptop bag.
Heading out of the library, the sky was an amazing deep shade of indigo; shadowy and dark, with the orange yellow street lights illuminating the streets and canal. The breeze blowing in Sanaa's face felt like it was washing off all those tears she once cried because of a broken heart. She felt fresh and lively, Sanaa smiled the widest smile she had in a very long time; it was a genuine happy smile and not the one she expertly pulled off to show that she was at ease and content. As they walked side to side with their laptop bags hitting each other, they enjoyed the music coming from a familiar place to him. It was his favorite spot to enjoy some hearty food and soulful jazz music. Bastiaan smiled as the tempo changed to something that would alleviate him in an instant; a Coldplay song. 'Oh' Sanaa grew in shock as her mind registered that her favorite song was playing. Sanaa grew with joy. 'It's a sign' she said out loud to him. Bastiaan surprised tried to understand if what she was trying to say was what he had in his mind the whole time. 'It's a sign that life will be great from now on' she said as she picked up pace walking past him. 'EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY' Sanaa screamed at the top of her lungs as she rushed to the inn. Bastiaan followed her but soon paused. He was petrified. He had heard of how most women in Oman wouldn't accept to go out with a foreigner. He had heard all the rejection stories his brother went through while in the GCC, and he surely knew his fate would be the same one. But Sanaa came back as if she realized what was in his head. She approached him and reached out for his hand. She looked up to his face and said 'See I usually don't do this but…' she paused as Bastiaan's hopes felt like they were getting flushed away. 'But…' she paused again as she looked at his shoes, keeping him in suspense ' But… I am over the moon right now, so would you join me for dinner?' she beamed like a beacon as she saw his face lighten up. Bastiaan's nervousness was somewhat gone, he then was certain of what he kept telling his friends all along; that the Omani girl was different, unique and a breath of fresh air.
Why Can't We Smile?!
So yeah why on Earth can't we just smile for crying out loud?
On a serious note though, there's so much I would want to write about but December has proven to be a hectic month.
Sun & Moon: Chapter Eight
The oud music at the background was amusing her senses, she felt stuck in a time zone as the music tingled her ears. She felt as if she was in her grandfather's living room when he played the oud serenading his wife. It was a daily feast whenever they visited them. Her grandmother used to smile and always blush as her love took the wooden instrument into his hand and started moving his fingers against the strings. It was heavenly as Sanaa looked at the pure love they both shared; it made her always hope for such a union to comfort her like a cushion on the sofa. She smiled as the chattering increased and took her back to where she was. It was the entertainment segment of the poetry night, which was captivating. The heavy Arabic lyrics to their even magnificent grand meaning shook her to the core, it was all about love, passion and devotion; the themes of the night.
'I play the oud you know?'
Her phone buzzed in her hand as she read the message. She frowned as the sender was a phone number and not a registered contact in her phonebook. She tried asking her friends if they knew the phone number only for them to have the same surprised reaction. 'I think he's mistaken' they told her confidently as they carried on with their conversations. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to put her phone back into her backpack only for it to vibrate before she had the chance. As she took a look at her old borrowed Nokia phone, the one she got from her mother, she noted all the scratches her phone screen had, and secretly wished if she would break it into two. 'Maybe then, they'd get me the Bluetooth colored screen phone I want' she thought but for her thoughts to get interrupted again with the vibration.
'Sanaa don't ignore me please'
She felt her heart skip a beat. She grew silent as she looked at her phone again. She tried to see if what she understood was indeed correct. Is it a guy? Does he want something from me? What is it that he wants? 'No no' she said it out loud convincing herself that it must be a prank her friends are pulling on her. While the oud music still played, the tempo shifted to a song which got her to look at the musician. It was the one her grandfather always played, her favorite oud piece from Abu Bakr Salim. She felt uplifted; her heart at ease and at peace, it felt like a warm blanket engulfed her, keeping her safe and sound. It made her forget what she was thinking of as she travelled yet again to that place, to that living room with the yellow sofa set, the small old television from the 70s resting on wooden high table and the antique furniture which was timeless. It took her to where she always used to sit, on the floor leaning on the cold beige oil painted wall. Sanaa remained there at the front of the stage for the entire duration of the song. She never took note on how she walked from the seats away from her friends to the front of the podium. And suddenly the music stopped, it was quiet with only chattering of a few people. Sanaa got burst out of the bubble she was in. She was back to reality to where she really was; on the green grass clasping her dry rough hands. She was smiling as she reminisced on her late grandmother's memory but now she was laughing out hard as she looked at how everyone else were pointing at her. It was her embarrassment mechanism; she would laugh to tears just to lighten up the tension she felt in her head. Walking back to her friends' seating area, the phone vibrated yet again.
'Momkin net3araf?'
It felt like music to her ears, like her prayers were answered, like the song was a sign that someone would love her the way she saw her grandmother adored.
'It's pretty intense eh?' he interrupted her thoughts while resting his hand on her shoulder. He could feel her pain; he could sense that something horribly wrong happened to her as she gazed on the letter H. She brushed her fingers on it, as goose bumps began crawling onto her skin. She couldn't help but linger on the inscription at the very end of the right corner.
I'll love you to eternity H.
She said those words before. She meant every letter and every word which made it impossible to bare the truth that she always will. She closed her eyes shut in an attempt to block the Abu Baker Salim song which now carried nothing but bitter memories. She walked away pressing her hand against the wall, the cold harsh wall. The wall that awoken senses she tried hard to forget about; the wall that reminded her about the cruelty of passion and love. The confession wall which made her reality for today far worse than she would have thought it would be. She walked away wishing she could just demolish the walls she built inside because of him. She hoped and prayed, as tears started stinging her eyes, for the feelings to go away.
It was increasingly quiet and dim as more people left the designated study cubicles and called it a day. The cubicles were wooden and very old fashioned like. It would be the perfect accessory had it was featured in a nineteenth century themed movie. The wooden chairs that matched the desk only missed a pot of ink and a feather pen to look epic. At the very far corner of the room was the only spot which had its lamp lights on. Scribbled sheets of paper and yellow post-its covered the entire desk along with two laptops that were placed at the very end. Bastiaan engrossed in books and papers was almost a light year away as his face came together in a manner where several fine lines shaped on his forehead. He was busy scribbling away and jotting down methods and ideas for his research topic. Sanaa on the other hand, just sat and stared at him working. She was retired for the day and was simply awaiting Bastiaan to finish off and rest his brain. She so wished she could interrupt him and beg him to leave but seeing him engrossed into the subject reminded her how rude it would be if she simply did. She remembered how her mom would barge into her room when she tried to concentrate or when her dad would call her out of the blue asking if she needed help studying. She remembered how hard it would be for her to regain the momentum of coming with ideas and words. She remembered how she despised such people who never thought of others and interrupted, so she decided to pull her laptop close to her and dig up what the cyber world had to offer, just to kill time.
Pressing the typical Alt, Shift, and Delete button, she unlocked her computer and typed in her password, the window brightened up as she clicked on internet explorer to check her hotmail account. There was nothing interesting in her eyes since most of them were forwards she received from her aunt; amateur beginners in cyber space who recently learnt the meaning of the forward button. Hearing grunts and groans from Bastiaan as he disapproved some article he was reading, she looked up to see him consumed and focused. His hair screamed out for help from the constant finger combing and his eyes seemed tired and smaller than they usually were. She giggled silently as she was bemused by his appearance; it was priceless. She couldn't help contain her laugh when he started biting his tongue as if he was chewing gum, it was his focus mechanism, the way he got things done, by rolling his tongue left and right and savoring on its hardness when he chewed. Overhearing her giggles, he looked into her eyes sharply and furiously. He didn't appreciate that Sanaa was making him lose focus, he wanted to be done with his literature research for the day and her laughs weren't helping. 'Please' he said in a way his eyes popped out of their socket urging her to be quiet, and if that wasn't enough he started motioning for her to keep it down and remain quiet. 'Sorryyy' she said in a desperate attempt to curb her laughter. Turning her attention to her metallic black laptop, her obvious grin subsided remarkably and got replaced with a pale complexion. She sensed shivers as she saw the pop up Instant Messaging window. She felt her heart throb out of its place as her eyes grew wider. With her breathing growing deeper, the feelings came back rushing again; her resentment, her anger, her sadness, and her pain; they crawled back and found its place again in her heart, in her being. She couldn't get her head around what was happening. Why now? She wondered. Why after all this? Her head kept searching for answers to keep her calm and get her to understand, but she couldn't find any when she looked at the sky blue window and the email address at its top. She remembered how once upon a time catching a glimpse of the email address gave solace and peace, she remembered how once upon a time her smile would grow wider as the pop up greeted her whenever she signed in, she remembered how her day would revolve around her being in front of the laptop consumed by sweet beautiful thoughts of a bright colorful future. Her future was now dull, dim and lacked the luster she always hoped she'd have when she was 25. Sanaa spent what seemed like an eternity just reading each single character from hell_boy83@hotmail.com . She felt a pinch of sharp pain as she swallowed and read the three lettered nickname HAS.
9aba7 el kheir ya 7elow
9aba7 el noor
So how was class today?
It was pretty cool, super informative, I just loved class
Right, I wouldn't for the life of me find class pretty cool
Not funny am serious
And I didn't laugh, just surprised
Aha okay, so any plans today sweetness
No not really, the usual stuff
Don't even complete the sentence.
Haha why not?
I know you'll go to the library the entire day, I don't even know why I asked that question
Hahaha you're funny
Okay I gotta go now, will text you once am free
Okay good luck with management class
Wow you already memorized my schedule
Well what can I say, I have a super high processing brain
Lol now that was funny
She remembered how casual her conversations with him were, how a calming effect would overcome her whenever she felt low or down, and how her stomach would be filled with butterflies every single time he typed down her name. A sudden nudge got her to yet again face that hurt which surfaced after her long attempt of burying it.
'So you won't talk to me?' The second line of the conversation read and Sanaa couldn't help but for the salty drops gathering at the corners of her eyes to release and crawl down her cheeks. She tried to ignore, she wanted to, heck she had to. 'No never will I talk to you' she said to herself quietly and ignoring him. Reaching out to the top flap of her laptop, she had the intention of closing off everything and leave, but fate had other plans for her. Like the way it had destined her to be sitting on the wooden chair in a foreign country, facing someone engrossed in his books which she knew nothing about. It was fate that lead her to this life. The same fate which broke her to pieces, and cry her eyes out. The same fate that brought the one typing her an instant message into her life.
'But I still Love You' the message popped out in a large black Arial font; the way Sanaa liked her IMs to be.
Sun & Moon: Chapter Seven
'Come beautiful. I'll show you around' he whispered in her ear. Nodding her head, she carried her embroidered laptop bag with the front flap reading her name, in beautiful silky silver threading, and followed him. 'Okay, I'll show you a secret place where no one can disturb you' his deep voice made its way to her ear drum. Taking her by the hand, she walked behind him and followed him to the stairs. 'This is where all the goths meet up' he pointed out while rolling out his eyes to an area near the stairs. Sanaa imagined how the empty seats and tables would be occupied by black dressed girls with heavy black eyeliners and those pair of skinny jeans the men would adorn; those super popular skinnies back home. She shook her head on the thought of skinny jeans pressing tight against the nonexistent thighs of those men, and the obscene over the top hairdos. She shook her head again trying to shed off the thought and continued walking behind Bastiaan. With one step after the other, Sanaa took a glimpse of how fashionable his shoes were; mosaic cappuccino brown shoes with hints of black velvet fabric. The silence along with the gush of warm air from the heating made the atmosphere comfy and pleasant. The fragrant musky auburn wood stairs were glossy and polished. As Sanaa climbed the stairs, a sense of comfort came over her, not only because she made the perfect choice of wearing her suede flats but as the day progressed, it was turning out to be a lovely one as she predicted. 'I'll show you a place that's very secretive' he pulled her to him with an assuring smile as their solid shoe heels clucked against the hard wooden surface continuing their way to the top. Getting to the top, after several flights of stairs, the place was too quiet that it felt daunting and scary. A sudden panic overcame Sanaa as she tried to let go off his hand and run out the other way as fast as possible. Turning around and looking into her eyes, Bastiaan tried calming her down by saying those two precious words every single cartoon or romantic movie abused; 'Trust me'. Sanaa tried to find the tranquility she once felt but only for her to become jumpy and scared even more. It seemed dark for a moment around her until the rays of light managed to peep in between to brighten the room. It suddenly seemed less intimidating than it was. She felt herself struggling with her inner self; she wanted to let loose and trust that nothing would happen but she couldn't allow herself to go through those emotions again. As she stood frozen still, she noticed a bookshelf which was distinct from the others. It seemed older than the rest; its oak dark wood chipped shelves, and the aged rustic color giving warmth that only an old person would give out. It seemed to talk to her, to tell her that it had stories to share and tales she would love to hear. There was something she couldn't describe, a chemistry, that pulled Sanaa towards the bookshelf. There was something secretive about it, and she felt compelled to find out what it was.
As the air around her became alluring, Sanaa made her move to the old bookshelf at the very back end of the room. The silence was overwhelming; she only could hear her breathing and the soles of her shoes tapping on the surface. Bastiaan remained still as he watched her discover what he wanted to show her all along. The way her hair bounced and rested on the small of her back got him to remember how beautiful her scent was and how her eyes made him feel lost. The corners of his mouth made its way into a smile; his eyes grew brighter, his smile lines and crow feet were evident and his teeth were as flashing as they always have been. He wanted to tell her the story behind the old bookshelf but decided not to after seeing her vanish from his sight; she was at the back of the standing oak wood. Walking past it, she saw the books; the fiction books that not many people were interested in anymore, the philosophy books that weren't appealing, and the unpopular novels which had a small audience to none. But that wasn't what got her consumed; it was the wall behind the bookshelf. It was the off white manila patchy wall which was in a serious need of a paint job. It was the wall which was interesting as it was. She noted how colorful it seemed to be when she grew closer; hints of black, blue, red, pink and so many other colors occupying the wall. She walked even closer to have a clear picture of what those colors were. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself grasping her chunky jacket belt and started making out what those colors were. Frown lines started gathering on her forehead as she started to read; writings, doodles and scribbles of different colors, fonts and handwritings.
A loves T
You are the reason I breathe <3
Mijn schatje is Dan
I had a dream and you were in it
I wish I could tell you how I feel
I hate you for making me feel the way I do
RIP my love. You'll always be in my heart forever
I LOVE YOUUUU
Those were some of the writings on the wall. She started reading and some were poems, some were simple reasons as to why they fell victim to those sensations and some were about heartbreak. Sanaa's heart sunk from pain, when she realized the grand magnificent wall was a confession wall; confessions of something she once had, something she once cherished and something she lost. They were confessions of love.
Black and white was filling the space, crowded flocks of people were surrounding the clear area in between the two buildings. The water flowing in beautiful shapes and forms from the fountain made the view even more spectacular. The beige contrasts of the building around along with the colorful peach tiles gave an added abstract to the afternoon's events. The sky was clear and the sun was bright, the light breeze gave solace to the ever growing crowd. White Dishdashas and black abbayas fluttered with the wind and the loud music gave the previous static silence life. Chattering could be heard in between musical pauses here and there. Green, red, metallic grey were some of the colors of the cars placed around. The shouts from the Taekwondo team filled the air while displaying their acrobatic talents. It was one of those rare moments when all walks of life came together to relish on the annual Marketing Group Open Day in Sultan Qaboos University. The marketing group always made it impressive no matter how big the previous year's event was. It was the event of all events for the university's students.
Sanaa along with her friends were around enjoying the atmosphere, taking in the delight of having the attention of a few men. Sanaa was definite that those flirting were looking at her strikingly pretty elegant friends and not on her. She always envied their sense of style; beautifully curled lashes, striking defined lined eyes, rosy cheeks and an effortless hint of bronzer along with sheer gloss. Their outfits and abbayas were top notch and absolutely chic to perfection. And the heels were the ones she always wished she could have only for her mother to put her down and buy her those plastic cheap sandals from Muttrah souq. She hated how she looked and how she stood out like the ugly duckling from the rest of her friends. It made her wonder what really made her part of this glam group when she literally stood out as different. With her short abbaya showing her longer than usual cheap torn jeans at the bottom, she clasped her backpack and fixed her headscarf which she never knew how to wear along with the 1 Rial sunglasses she got as a bargain from the local shop next door to their house. She still felt incomplete and ungraceful, so she opted to do something she always did to diminish those thoughts of being shabby; finishing off her look by wearing her confident smile, the one feature that never let her down. Moving around the crowd, they headed to the cars exhibition which involved different famous brand names. Sanaa along with some of them headed to the Mistubishi brand just to look around since it was the least crowded. 'Let's finish this area first then head to Mercedes' they all seemed to agree that it was the wise decision to do at that point.
Walking to the Mistubishi stand which had a few spectators, the girls opened the door to one of the cars and made themselves comfortable inside. 'Ya Allah what car is this? ' Sanaa bluntly said. 'Shu? It's a car' her friend replied back. 'Can we just go? It's an awful car and I can't stand it' Sanaa voiced her opinion loudly. It was the same exact car, her family owned and she hated how the air conditioner never cools in this dessert heat. She hated how the color would just chip with a simple scratch. Most of all, she hated all the fights that happened between her parents because of the car. 'I'm leaving' she said as she tried to open the door.
'Laish kel hatha?' a white dishdasha started approaching her. Sanaa in surprise turned around to look at her friends shocked. They motioned to leave the car but Sanaa got stopped with questions. 'Why don't you like the car? It didn't do anything to you' he stood in between her and her escape from the vehicle, which did nothing but rejuvenate those memories of the car in her head. 'Bes. I don't like it' she replied back uninterested. '7aram 3alaish there should be a reason' he said opening the door for her. 'NO. I just don't like its air conditioning' she paused as she noted how frustrated, annoyed and loud her voice raised while getting out of the car. 'It never cools' she said lowering her voice politely as she stood in front of him. A huge shadow was blocking the bright sun from hitting her eyes; she noticed how she seemed like a dwarf compared to him. He was of average height but Sanaa was 4 feet 9 inches making most average height men seem like giants in her eyes. Sanaa felt the heat flushing her cheeks; she never understood why she suddenly felt shy. Was it his towering frame over her or was it the Eastern accent of Sur that rolled out from his tongue when he said 'Mashallah' in admiration of her beautiful rounded eyes as her loose sunglasses dropped before she was able to catch them. Looking away, she bent quickly to pick them up before he was able to do the gentleman gesture of picking them up for her.
With a quick maneuver, her sunglasses remained back intact blocking out her eyes again. Sanaa managed this time around to catch a glimpse of the almond shaped eyes of his and the long striking nose. He had chubby cheeks which looked adorable on his round shaped face and his smile, even though small, was sweetening to the air of her lungs. She smiled back and abruptly walked away urging her friends to leave. 'Wait' he screamed out as they started making their way to the Mercedes stall. 'Do you girls drive?' he asked as they turned around to face him.
'Yes I do'
'Yeah I drive'
'Aiwa akeed'
'Duhhhh of course'
One by one they all replied back with affirmative answers. But when it came to Sanaa she became mute with only a nod as a reply to the question. She officially lied in university campus for the first time. 'Really? You drive?' her friends looked at her surprisingly. She didn't have any other alternative, when all she wanted was to seem cool and acceptable. She silently kept blaming her parents who always postponed getting her the learner's permit by telling her the usual response 'Inshallah'.
'Great, you can fill in these forms for the raffle draw and as well an opportunity for you to enjoy a test drive tomorrow' he started giving out the raffle coupons. 'Here are some pens, you can fill them now' he said. They started filling in the coupons which asked for their name, phone number and email address. A few minutes later and Sanaa and her friends went ahead enjoying the rest of their day with blissful music and an even serene poetry night.


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text:
And David
Wasn't he cute? :grin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muMcWMKPEWQ
Re: And David
I liked the music..
Good to see Mick Ronson and the Spiders...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_Keep_Swinging
class..
Poo, can't open that, T.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhFyWEMlD4
Thank you! Nice one.
he lived near us in the late 60's..
Really? He's pretty reclusive now though, isn't he? He says he likes living in the US, and he's happy to stay at home and just make music now and again. I think his Ziggy years affected him. He likes to come up with new and different sides of himself, but that character really made him, and it's something that he can't emulate again.
You do talk cobblers sometimes..
He's in New York and lives pretty normally,
He hates flying hence his reluctance to tour ...
he's always reinventing his persona,...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca9CJ1u6ACg
No, I'm not talking cobblers! I listened to a documentary about him, and he doesn't live "normally" at all. He's becoming more and more reclusive, and said he only ventures forth when he's out looking at and buying works of art.
It's true that he doesn't like flying very much, but he said he can't beat his Ziggy character and'd like to return to it, but can't. So there, Watson!
And LOL at the video clip!
He has heart problems,
He doesn't need to go out..
True, he's not been well for a few years. I doubt his previous drug taking helped.
He's ok,
BH!
He just wants to spend time with his Wife and family..
cor dear!


text:
Difference between revisions of "Crystal-Donna Roberts"
(→Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance)
(→Sources)
http://bruid.sarie.com/troues/celeb-troues/troufotos-crystal-donna-roberts-wys-haar-mooiste-dag/
http://afternoonexpress.co.za/guests/crystal-donna-roberts/796
Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]]
Crystal-Donna Roberts (19**-) is an actress
Also found as Crystal Donna Roberts.
2 Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
3 Awards, etc
She studied Drama at the University of the Free State from 2003 to 2005
Married Schalk Cornelessen in 2015.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
Stage roles include Siener in die Suburbs (Aardklop, 2015)
Her film and TV career includes roles in Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom (2010), Skeem (2011), Chronicle (2012 - as Crystal Donna Roberts), The Endless River (2015) and Krotoa (2016).
TV work included a stint as presenter on the SABC2 lifestyle show Pasella and appearances in appeared in the Afrikaans soap 7de Laan.
Awards, etc
https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-donna-roberts-98884121/?ppe=1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3997616/bio
Go to the ESAT Bibliography
Return to ESAT Personalities R
Retrieved from "https://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php?title=Crystal-Donna_Roberts&oldid=130404"


The class teaches early concepts of guitar playing and music theory. It is a great way for children to explore music without too much expense. After they understand the basics, they will have the opportunity to move into private lessons. The tuition for the class is $20.00 per one hour lesson and meets once a week. The first lesson is free. There are a maximum of 5 students per class. All of the guitar teachers have a great sense of humor and make the classes fun. After six months to a year, students have the opportunity to move to private lessons if they choose. This is a great way for parents to see if their child is serious about guitar lessons without a huge expense.


text:
Ending Excessive Charges by Shipping Companies
Eromosele Abiodun examines claims by customs agents that shipping companies and terminal operators' charges on storage and demurrage contravene Sections 20, 31 and 97 of the Customs and Excise Management Act
International shipping is a complex subject that contains many variables. Proper handling paves the way for a reliable and cost-effective management of ocean freight. That is regardless of whether an importer ships one container now and then, several per month or more than 10 per day.
Many businesses depend on viable international shipping to ensure the persistence of partnerships and clients and sustain profitability. Avoiding delays is critical to guarantee an uninterrupted operation. However, international shipments could face shipping delay charges resulting from various clearance issues. Sufficient preparation and understanding the different resulting charges in advance is key.
When it comes to clearance delays, importers, as well as exporters seem to throw around three terms interchangeably: demurrage, detention, and per diem. From common usage, it may seem like they all mean storage when they, in fact, do not. If your international shipment stays beyond a certain amount of allowed free time at a site, you face storage charges. That includes ports, airline terminals, rail facilities or a bonded warehouse. The storage fee compensates the facility for the use of their space and equipment, i.e. a container taking up space or blocking processing.
The amount of free days and the charge for storage will differ from one facility to another. This is often also based on the volume an importer or your freight forwarder is passing through the facility.
It is a norm the world over for steamship lines to charge demurrage, a fee to compensate for the use of their shipping containers.
Experts believe demurrage fees are in place to discourage using the provided containers for storage and to compensate for container usage.
"Before you pick up your international shipment, you must pay all demurrage charges in full. The fee may differ greatly from carrier to carrier and from port to port. You are granted a limited number of free days, depending on the carrier and the location. After your free time runs out, you will be charged demurrage for each additional day. These charges tend to increase per day after exceeding a certain amount of days," said a top player in the maritime sector
The detention charge, he stated, usually applies to domestic trucking adding, "The trucking or drayage company bills you for the so-called detention of their trucker or driver in cases. This happens when the loading or unloading of your shipment or containers takes too long. Detention fees are billed at an hourly rate. You can usually expect a free time or grace period of around one to two hours for loading or unloading a container. But this will depend on whether it is a domestic shipment or destined for import or export."
He added that per day applies when an importer require the use of equipment beyond a set amount of free time.
"Steamship lines and airlines charge this fee, and equipment include ocean containers and unit load devices (ULD). You have some free days, depending on the equipment and the carrier, before per diem kicks in. With imports, the charge applies to cargo leaving the arrival terminal. With exports, it applies to shipments leaving the departing terminal. Per diem fees accumulate until you return the equipment to the terminal of the port, rail yard dock or airline,"he stated.
Analysts believe terms of shipping delay charges, often used interchangeably, results in confusion when receiving bills for detention, demurrage and per day charges.
Nigeria's Peculiarity
While it is a known fact that international shipping is intricate, the confusion in the Nigerian maritime industry over shipping companies' charges has over the years raised dust with stakeholders at daggers drown as to who is right or wrong.
The problem assumed a new dimension recently with customs brokers plying their trade at Lagos ports declaring war on terminal operators and shipping companies over the N4billion demurrage accrued from the recently shelved strike by truck drivers.
For six days last month truck drivers shunned lifting of cargoes at the ports in protest over alleged extortion by security agencies. Resulting to over N4 billion accrued as demurrages and storage charges that importers had to clear.
THISDAY investigations revealed that N668 million demurrage was incurred daily for the duration of the strike which translated to N4billion.
The amount resulted to a running battle between clearing agents, importers on one hand and the service providers on the other.
While the clearing agents were calling for waivers over the strike period, the terminal operators remained indifferent.
According to a manager in one of the container terminals in Lagos, the terminal operators will collect the demurrage accrued during the period under review.
Vice President, Western Zone of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Ibrahim Tanko, appealed to the shipping companies and terminal operators, on behalf of other freight forwarders, to grant them waivers on accrued demurrage.
He declared that the strike action was not the making of customs brokers, hence the need for the service providers to grant demurrage waivers.
"Is it our fault that the containers are incurring storage and demurrage? It is not the fault of the importers but the fault of the importers representative. Clearing agents are representative of importers and not terminal operators nor shipping companies. Why are we bearing the cost of someone else's action? Don't forget we are in business looking for profit. That is why we are here, "a manager in one of the terminal operators declared.
He added: "Why didn't government call terminal operators, shipping companies to a meeting and give concession to cargo owners and we tell them that since we are also going to pay our lease fees like we use to pay every time, they should give us concession so that we can give others concession. If government is not giving us concession, why are we giving other people concession."
"If people are saying truckers went on strike because of the roads, they incur demurrage and all that, it is government that is supposed to be discussing with us because if not, everyone can go on strike and they will ask us to give them waivers we can't do that," he said.
Reacting, the National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Joe Sanni, asked clearing agents not to pay the demurrage accrued to terminal operators and shipping companies during the strike period.
He said the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, promised to visit terminal operators and shipping companies on how to reduce the storage and shipping demurrages.
Sanni, who quoted the Chairman of Tin-Can Island chapter of ANLCA, Segun Oduntan, said in a meeting with the shippers' council boss, he promised to intervene.
He said: "Coming out from the meeting with shippers' council, the chief executive will be going out on Monday to the terminals and shipping companies to tell them why they have to waive and refund if they collect any during the strike."
He, however, charged clearing agents not to make further payments to on demurrage to terminal operators or shipping companies.
Before the truckers' industrial action, some customs agents in the country had called on the federal government to urgently check the unlawful activities of shipping companies and terminal operators whose actions they said hinder imports and exports and violate the ease of doing business directives issued by the government.
Customs and Excise Management Act
In a petition addressed to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the customs agents alleged that the shipping companies and terminal operators' charges on storage contravene Sections 20, 31 and 97 of the Customs and Excise Management Act that limit the days for rent charges and conferred authority to Nigeria Custom to charge rent after specific days by the board.
The agents in the petition signed by National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, stated that duplication of charges such as terminal delivery charges/ terminal handling charges, deposit repayment delays and process procedure that lack regulation of the economic interest in the port.
They stressed that there is the need for the federal government to intervene to address the cost of doing business by a total review of the procedure, process and cost in the ease of doing business.
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PBBEC), they added, should urgently address the following short falls, which is militating against our import and export trade that resulted to massive diversion of goods to neighbouring ports.
Also, the agents called on the federal government to use part of the seven per cent port development levy for the development of port access roads, trailer parks.
According to Amiwero, "The condition of the Tincan Island Port Axis of Apapa Oshodi express road leading to the ports is a death trap, big potholes and gridlocks resulting in loss of lives and continued destruction of loaded goods that always fall on cars, trailers and sometime persons."
He said: "It is a complete setback to trading across borders (TAB) for ease of doing business on trucks that spend weeks to access and exit the ports which result to delay and rejection on most of the fragile export products in international market and high cost in import clearance.
"The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) is no more in port operation, the percentage collected from the seven per cent Port Development Levy should be used for the development of the trailer parks and port access roads."
On the increase of revenue collection on the recovery of short levied duties on discrepant cargo as provided under Section 142 of Customs and Excise Management Act, he said: "The discrepant cargo, as covered under Section 142 of the Customs and Excise Management Act and the Import guideline paragraph J are non contraband goods with discrepancy, which is allowable for treatment and issued with demand notice (DN) Section 142-(2).
"Recovery of Duties states: Where any duty has been short levied or erroneously repaid, then the person who should have paid the amount short levied or to whom the repayment, has erroneously been made, shall on demand by the proper officer, pay the amount short levied or repay the amount erroneously repaid as the case may be. Any such amount may be recovered as if it were duty to which the goods in relation to which the amount was so short levied or erroneously repaid were liable."
Amiwero also called on the government to address multiple checks and delays of clearance by Nigeria Customs Service.
He said: "The process of clearance is associated with multiple interventions of various alerts headquarters Abuja, CIU, Valuation Gate etc that takes days and increase the cost and time in contravention of WCO Kyoto convention on simplification and harmonization of Customs procedures.
"The Customs procedure should comply with WCO Kyoto convention and (FAL) Convention of (IMO) for Minimisation, harmonisation and simplification of Customs procedure with regards to various checks after release from the Port, (FOU), CG Squad in line with international best practice of One-Stop-Shop process."
The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo had in a bid to boost business activities in the country earlier in the year signed the ease of doing business executive order.
The effort was in the attempt to grow the country out of recession, stimulate economic activities and generally improve the business environment in Nigeria through promotion of transparency and efficiency.
Federal ministries, departments and agencies have since gone into frenzied activities in the bid to carry out the Executive Orders and exhibit compliance with a view to achieving the objectives of the orders. One of the fall outs of the executive orders is on port operations and this brought to mind the challenge of ensuring ease of doing business at the entry points vis a vis the subsisting issue of influx of sub-standard and harmful products of very low quality into Nigeria.
In 2011, then Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister for the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, ordered that agencies like NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Agricultural Quarantine Services should exit the Seaports. Prior to the pronouncement, all of the regulatory and security agencies have offices located within the seaports complexes.
The executive pronouncement then clearly directed that they all relocate their offices outside the ports and participate in cargo examinations on the invitation of the NCS. Outside this, no effort has been made by government to check the excesses of shipping companies and terminal operators whose activities seem to be undermining the ease of doing business directive.
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The UK is trailing when it comes to next-generation broadband access, new figures show.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK is placed 21st out of 30 in terms of speed.
That puts it below countries such as Greece, Portugal and Spain.
The report suggests that countries that invest in fibre networks are likely to see the best economic returns in other areas.
When it comes to broadband penetration, the UK is doing OK - placed 13th out of the 30 OECD members.
But most of these subscribers still access broadband via so-called DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) rather than via fibre.
Overall, nearly one in 10 OECD subscribers currently accesses the internet over fibre.
In Japan and Korea, most people do; it is also growing fast in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the US.
The report finds that many governments are subsidising the rollout of new broadband networks.
It concludes that such subsidies are justified because of the benefits broadband can make in four key sectors of the economy - electricity, health, education and transportation.
"If you cut 1% off the costs of education, electricity, health and transport you would more than pay for a fibre network," said Taylor Reynolds of the technology division of the OECD.
"That is the type of thinking required by countries considering rolling out next-generation networks," he said.
With the UK's broadband population standing at nearly 18 million, take-up of the technology is good but there are concerns about how quickly the UK is rolling out super-fast services.
The government wants to see super-fast broadband available to 90% of the country by the end of 2017.
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The government has announced a £6 a year tax on fixed-line phones to raise funds for the 30% of the country that it estimates won't get super-fast broadband via existing commercial broadband plans.
It hopes to raise around £170m a year through the levy, although the Conservatives have vowed to scrap the tax if they win the next election.


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Here's what I read from my list this month.
Spiritual: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. Mark challenges readers to face their fears with God's help and seize the opportunities He sends our way to do great things for Him.
Marriage: When Sinners Say "I Do" – Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage by Dave Harvey. I wasn't impressed with this book at first, but the more I read, the more I appreciated the author's premise. We are all sinners, so in order to make our marriages work, the same traits that God extended to us in salvation – forgiveness, mercy, and grace – must dominate our relationship with our spouse.
Parenting: When More Is Not Enough: How to Stop Giving Your Kids What They Want and Give Them What They Need by Amy L. Sullivan. The theme of this book is helping your kids develop a giving spirit and training them to focus on the needs of others rather than their own gratification.
Personal Growth: I'm Happy for You (Sort of…Not Really): Finding Contentment in a Culture of Comparison by Kay Wills Wyma. You can read my full review of this book here.
I read two other books in June.
Styling Faith: The Complete Style Guide by Catherine E. Storing. This book had some interesting information on women's dress, makeup, hair care, fitness, and nutrition, but the e-book version I read had some grammatical and formatting issues that somewhat distracted from the content.
Injustice for All by Robin Caroll. This was one of my fiction reads for our Boston trip…that I started and finished before we ever left.
Here are the books I hope to read in August.


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Best winter cropping outlook in four years is welcome news for Aussie farmers
Projected rainfall combined with earlier rainfall has many Australian farmers positively positioned ahead of the winter season, with the current winter cropping outlook looking to be the best since 2016.
With preparations well underway, growers are banking on predicted rainfall to ensure the season is as substantial and successful as is indicated.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology the upcoming winter period is likely to be wetter than average for most of Australia – with the data indicating a 65 to 80 per cent chance of above average rainfall.
Andrew Short from Pacific Seeds said that recent years of drought had left many farmers across the country in a desperate position, but that this winter crop outlook was a much needed source of hope.
"It's no secret that farmers have been doing it tough, and although conditions continue to be variable, this winter crop outlook places a lot of growers in a good starting position," Mr Short said.
"There are three key elements to consider ahead of a cropping period – the availability of fallowed land, soil moisture levels and the forecast for the season ahead – currently those three things are all looking positive for much of the country.
"In preparation for planting, growers should ensure they are aware of the quality of their seed and that all retained seed from previous seasons undergoes germination and vigour testing. It's cheap insurance to prevent a potentially costly delay in seeding or worse, a lost opportunity.
"When you look at land availability, the smaller summer crop, particularly in Southern Queensland and Northern NSW, has meant there is plenty of fallowed area available to be planted to winter crop.
"As far as the forecast is concerned, rainfall for the next three months is looking like there is a 60 to 80 per cent chance of exceeding medium rainfall in most grain growing regions, which is the best outlook we've had for a number of years.
"Obviously that rainfall outlook is still a forecast, however the signs are encouraging – let's hope it lives up to expectations and delivers a successful season," Mr Short said.
"The rainfall that occurred in many areas earlier this year has also meant that starting soil moisture levels for many growers are better than they have been for some years"
According to BoM, in Northern NSW, root zone soil moisture is classified as above average, with Southern Queensland currently classified as having average root zone soil moisture.
If the outlook proves to be accurate, winter crops grown across the country such as wheat, barley, canola, and chickpeas could see significant production gains over last year, which will not only mean major financial benefits for farmers, but for the Australia's economy.
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CalCharge aims to unite battery makers and bring new tech to market sooner
Ucilia Wang May 7, 2013 - 6:08 AM CDT
CalCharge, which sets out to pool together technical and go-to-market expertise for California battery developers, is finally getting underway. It plans to announce some major companies as its inaugural members over the next month or so and put to practice its mission to accelerate battery technology development.
It was around this time last year when I first spoke with folks at CalCharge, a brainchild of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF). The idea is to offer testing and performance verification of battery cells and systems from Berkeley lab and possibly other research institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area and help companies identify shortcomings that they could overcome with the help of other members. As Venkat Srinivasan, head of the Berkeley lab's energy storage research said then, "We recognize that battery companies want an ecosystem to work together."
I caught up with Srinivasan last Friday at the lab, which hosted kickoff event with a tour of its battery lab, a legal session about signing research and development agreements with CalCharge and a poster session. Proctor & Gamble, which makes Duracell batteries and electric shavers, is the only company that publicly said it'd join CalCharge. A few others said they'd join but need to sign that research and development agreement to formalize their membership, said Jeff Anderson, managing director of CalCEF. CalCharge already has teamed up with San Jose State University to launch battery-focused curriculum starting this summer.
The creation of a battery accelerator is an interesting if not necessary model for a field that is experimenting with all sorts of new materials and cell designs to create more energy-dense and long-lasting batteries. The drive to create a market for electric vehicles and energy storage for the grid — and ultimately to reduce our carbon footprint — has prompted this flurry of developments, which have attracted billions of dollars in venture capital and government funding in recent years.
The road to bring innovative batteries to the market has been bumpy. As I noted in yesterday's post about LG Chem's slow progress to build its first lithium-ion cell factory in the United States, several prominent battery and electric car startups have crashed or made significant strategy changes since the U.S. Department of Energy announced in the summer of 2009 the first batch of winners for its $2.4 billion program to support cutting-edge electric vehicle battery manufacturing. A123 Systems filed for bankruptcy last fall after securing a big federal grant, pulled off a big IPO, built a factory in Michigan and took a financial hit for having to replace defective cells in batteries for some of Fisker Automotive's inaugural Karma cars.
Fisker, which has raised at least $1.2 billion in capital, is in deep trouble of its own (see our analysis of the Fisker debacle, subscription required). Coda Automotive said last week it had filed for bankruptcy. Aptera Motors closed shop at the end of 2011. GM didn't meet the sales goal it set out for its Chevy Volt for the first year. Tesla Motors, which has struggled through financial hardship and launch delays, finally made it through the "valley of death" late last year, its CEO, Elon Musk, said last November.
Some lithium-ion battery makers have stepped up efforts to court consumer electronics makers now that the electric car and energy grid markets aren't taking off as quickly as they have anticipated. Smart phones, with their ever-growing apps to manage our lives and entertain us, could sure use batteries that can hold more energy and charge faster. Verizon Wireless has even started rating apps based partly on their impact on battery life.
And that brings us back to CalCharge, which aims to shorten the amount of time it takes to bring a battery technology to the market and to make it affordable for the masses. A battery technology generally takes about 10 years from concept to market, Shrinivasan noted. One of CalCharge's goals is to create in five years batteries with five times the energy density at one-fifth of the cost of the advanced batteries that have recently hit the market.
Berkeley Lab offers equipment and expertise that some battery startups can't afford to have, yet they bridge the gap between lab research and pilot line production. CalCharge has set a big mandate for itself, at a time when venture capital investors are shying away from putting money in cleantech manufacturing. It can succeed if it manages to convince enough players to join its quest.
CalCEF
CalCharge
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