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The Rad-Lands
Such is life in the Wasteland
The Journal of Joe Junkman
Tales from the Whatpad
Old MUTATION
The Old Journal of Joe Junkman
Wasteland Style
Judge Dredd Films
Deconstructing Fallout 3
Vault Practicality
Mad Max Game
Judge Dredd Games
Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse
The History of Atomic Weapons
Wasteland Weekend Survival Guide
Wastelands: "The End of the Whole Mess"
Jun15 by Ron Welch
As stated on Twitter, I recently picked up Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse an anthology of post-apocalyptic shorts. The series includes many notable authors, some of whom were recommended to me. With this series, I want to look at each story to get a better grasp on the plot, characters, and the apocalypse itself. This promises to be one of the few times The Rad-lands will be breaking away from specifically post-nuclear fiction.
Our first story is "The End of the Whole Mess" by Stephen King. Truthfully, this was the first time I read King. He didn't disappoint; the prose has a nice flow and is both easy and pleasant to read aloud (so easy, they chose Matthew Broderick to narrate the audiobook).
So what kind of apocalypse is this anyway? Well, we only get hints about the outside world. The story is a cross between stream of consciousness writing and character establishing flashbacks. The apocalyptic setting is really just a framing device to carry the irony. That said, the cause of this apocalypse is Calmative, a water additive dispersed across the entire planet that first made humans docile and later resulted in dementia, cognitive failure, and death. That's a unique apocalyptic scenario, almost like a reverse Planet of the Apes.
It was certainly a bold editorial choice for the first story in an anthology titled "Wastelands" to recall the backstory of an apocalypse while simultaneously avoiding the portrayal of a traditional wasteland. The reader's only insight into the present situation is something to the effect of "all the plants are dead." The reader learns more about the events leading up to the apocalypse than the apocalypse itself. This is a stylistic move by King in which the narrator purposely spends too much time describing the foundational events, leaving little time to describe the actual apocalypse.
"The End of the Whole Mess" has a strong framing device in which the narrator, Howard, injects himself with the water additive, leaving a limited time to tell the story before he loses all cognitive function. From a writer's perspective, it makes me wonder if King challenged himself to write this story along the time line or if each individual spelling mistake was placed with purpose. King refers to this device several times, giving the narrator opportunity to reflect on the last few pages of writing while describing how the chemical has taken hold of him. Although this demonstrates the effects of the water additive, it raises two glaring questions.
Since the story is framed as a journal, who is it being written for? Apparently, the plants are all dead and every human infected with the virus eventually loses all mental function. The narrator addresses his story to you (if there are any "you" later on to read this), but it seems the planet is practically dead already. There's no clear opportunity for a post-apocalyptic society to form as the entire atmosphere has been poisoned by Calmative. So why leave a record?
Second, and to me most confusing, why did Howard inject himself with the chemical? He claims "I never could work without a deadline," but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. We're told this story could take up thousands of pages, yet the plot device of the drug causes a purposefully rushed ending. Surely, if all rain water is contaminated, the narrator must already be infected. Ultimately, the actual apocalyptic aspect of this story doesn't matter, because this is really a character study of the narrator's brother, Bobby.
Bobby is a child prodigy who eventually grows up to be a super-scientist in Texas. Personally, I found his archetype and character arc to be reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft's Herbert West: Reanimator. Through flashbacks, Bobby is shown to be a child genius proficient in all realms of scientific discovery. As an adult, Bobby is confident, condescending, and most importantly insistent on the value of his research. Reading the text aloud, I found myself imagining Jeffery Combs reprising his role as Herbert West.
What I imagined for Bobby
I would have enjoyed seeing Bobby character arc developed throughout adulthood. The tension between brothers, with Howard as a reluctant accomplice, again calls back to Herbert West. Although it's a stylistic choice to meet the demands of the framing device, I thought too much was missing from the ending.
The final part of the story feels like the Wikipedia plot summary from a larger novelette. We never know if Howard had second thoughts about deploying the Calmative or if he truly believed in it. The journey to the volcano and the construction of a delivery device are conveyed in a handful of paragraphs. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but it seems like there should have been a greater emphasis on character development before deploying a super weapon that would permanently alter the minds of every person on Earth. Instead, the framing device demands we rush toward the ending as Howard goes from a few spelling mistakes to complete incoherent gibberish within a page and a half.
That question of character development aside, "The End of the Whole Mess" succeeds because of an interesting concept, a good message, and effective use of an untraditional writing style. While I felt that the story stumbles in a few places, it was obviously chosen as the first anthology in "Wastelands" for a reason. I believe that reason is the fantastic character development we see as a maturing super-scientist is overcome with the grief of a world gone mad. Overall, this is a strong introduction to what promises to be an insightful post-apocalyptic anthology.
Why did Howard inject himself with Calmative?
This entry was posted in Books, Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse and tagged Apocalyptic Short Story, Bees and Wasps, Calmative, H.P. Lovecraft, Herbert West Audiobook, Herbert West Audiodrama, Herbert West Reanimator, Jeffery Combs, Planet of the Apes, Post-apocalyptic anthology, Post-Apocalyptic Movies, post-apocalyptic short story, Ron Livingston, Steam of Conciousness stories, Stephen King, Stephen King Review, Stephen King Short Stories, Super Science, The End of the Whole Mess, The End of the Whole Mess Movie, The End of the Whole Mess PDF, Wasteland, Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse, Water Addative, writing flashbacks, Writing Framing Device, Writing Stream of Conciousness.
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2 comments on "Wastelands: "The End of the Whole Mess""
evantpickering says:
The end of the whole mess is probably my favorite short story of all time!!
Oh and I think he injected himself because he and Bobby are probs the last people alive and don't want to live anymore. He says in the beginning he killed Bobby injecting him with the calmative four hours before he started writing.
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Susan completed the WSET Diploma in January of 2007, and attended the international graduation ceremony in London, England in January of 2008. It was quite an experience to be in the same room with Micheal Broadbent, plus she got to meet some well-known Master Of Wines.
Currently, Susan works in Sales for Andrew Peller Limited, home of Peller Estates, Hillebrand Estates, and Trius, among other brands. She is also the host of The Naked Wine Show, which can be found at www.slurpswish.com.


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La Sociedad Española de Mineralogía es una asociación científica dedicada a la promoción de la enseñanza e investigación en mineralogía y en los campos directamente relacionados, como la cristalografía, petrología, geoquímica y yacimientos minerales. La junta directiva constituyente estuvo formada por profesores de mineralogía como Manuel Font-Altaba (presidente), y Vicente Sos Baynat, participando también coleccionistas y comerciantes de minerales. La Sociedad fue reconocida legalmente el 22 de noviembre de 1976.  Forma parte de la Confederación de Sociedades Científicas de España (COSCE), de la Unión Europea de Mineralogía (EMU)  y de la Asociación Mineralogíca Internacional (IMA). Actualmente cuenta con unos 280 miembros. En 2018 fue elegida para presidir la sociedad la profesora Blanca Bauluz, de la Universidad de Zaragoza.

Actividades
Desde su fundación, la Sociedad Española de Mineralogía ha realizado reuniones científicas cada año, en distintas ciudades españolas. La primera se celebró en Madrid el 2 de diciembre de 1978, junto con una feria de venta minerales y un homenaje al coleccionista de minerales Joaquim Folch Girona, creador de la Colección Folch de Minerales. La siguiente, ya con el  formato convencional de los congresos científicos, con varios días de duración, se celebró en Sevilla en 1980.

Publicaciones

Desde 1978 hasta 2003 editó una revista titulada Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Mineralogía, 45 volúmenes en total, destinados o bien a la publicación de los resúmenes de las comunicaciones presentadas en los congresos o a la publicación de artículos científicos completos.  En su última etapa fue dirigido por Purificación Fenoll. Desde 2004 edita la revista Macla, que incluye las comunicaciones presentadas a los congresos de la Sociedad, y que desde 2014 se edita solamente en versión electrónica con acceso libre. También edita la serie de monografías, agrupadas bajo el nombre de Seminarios SEM, publicados en formato electrónico en acceso libre. Además participa en la edición de las revistas internacionales European Journal of Mineralogy y Elements. En el año 2000, con el apoyo del Instituto Universitario de Xeoloxía 'Isidro Parga Pondal', editó una versión facsímil del libro de Salvador Calderón Los Minerales de España, publicado en 1910.

Referencias

Minerales
Sociedades científicas
Mineralogistas de España
Mineralogía

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1st Interviews being scheduled – All applications have been reviewed and a short-list is created. Persons on the short-list are being contacted to set up appointments for interview with The JobBank. No new applications will be reviewed.
1st Interviews being conducted – Persons on the initial short-list are being interviewed during this period. No new applications will be reviewed.
2nd Interviews being scheduled – All 1st Interviews have been completed and a further short-list has been done. Usually there are five (5) candidates that are still being considered at this point in the process and interviews are being scheduled with the hiring company. No new applications will be reviewed.
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Post Filled – The hiring company has selected a candidate and an offer has been made and accepted.


Kunle, a young man who is consumed by negative thoughts, he thinks he is going to die by a gunshot. He made it a routine, he thinks negatively all day, all night, but one night he was faced with the reality he created with his thoughts.
This animated short is created to inspire you to take charge of your thoughts and use it positively and productively in all your endeavors, instead of subjecting your mind to ill-thoughts.
Jordan Mang-osan, an award-winning Filipino artist, has harnessed the sun's power to create beautiful artwork. By using a magnifying glass, he focuses the sun's rays into a super-hot point that he uses to burn beautiful drawings onto wooden boards.
Ken Nwadiogbu is a young visual artist from Anambra State. He is the founder CEO of Kenart creations with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Lagos.
Born on the 12th of August, his love for art began as soon as his hands could hold a pencil and thus far, he has shown motivation coupled with a belief that every problem can be solved with a little bit of hard work, solid technique and a rich sense of imagination.
Meet Anino Shine Begho, Radio presenter, Tv personality, voice-over artiste, rapper, model, Mc/Compere. She was born 15th of September, 1985, in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.
Shine is a graduate of Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State, where she got her BSC Degree in Mass Communication. Prior to her university education Shine Matriculated from Greater Tomorrow Secondary school in Edo State, Nigeria. In her Undergraduate years she was a Rapper and a model, always on the runway and also got involved in a few pageants.
You know that thought that crosses your mind when you see an extremely beautiful landscape, so beautiful you ask yourself "is this real life?" There are many things in life that are really beautiful, that we can't believe they actually exist.
Spotlight worldwide brings you 6 extremely Beautiful Landscapes that would blow your mind.
I can imagine what you think when you hear of someone trying to hug a lion, you quickly think its going to be a bloodbath. But this is will definitely shock you.
Meet Adeola a prolific singer, story writer and poet. Born on 29th of May in Ogun state, Nigeria. She has over 20 written songs to her credit. Your holiness is her official single released to worship and reference God's majesty for keeping her and her family alive from a deadly auto crash.
Fashion and Entertainment lovers will not forget in a hurry how the previous edition of the Fashion Show which revolutionized the fashion industry and brought another dimension to event hosting and management. The past event which took place at the prestigious Balmoral Hall Ikeja had the creme de la creme of the society in attendance with the likes of Uti Nwachukwu (Big Brother) and Ashionye (Tinsel) bringing their prolific emcee experience to bear.
The Arrival of BabiBevis is the classic saga of taking a dream and making the impossible conceivable. It is a story of willpower, confidence, tussle, hard work and inspiration. With each chapter, Babibevis has held onto the best parts of what he believes in as he continuously keep raising the bar and creating original and ground-breaking, yet classic and unique music for his fans. BabiBevis has dispensed his heart and soul into each episode, showing growth as an artist, businessman and, most importantly, a man.
Born Ikusebad Oluhwarsehun Slimkross was raised in the streets of lagos.
Being no stranger to the Naija scene, this MC/singer started out from the streets building his musical profile with producers such as Wytte also competing in rap battles back in the day and has since grown to become a mainstream success. Having released his Audio 'Nigboro' in 2014, the artist has fine tuned his craft and is deadly on the mic and continues to produce classic music for all to hear.


Collaboration with heart specialist Professor Lena Jonasson actual nutritious diet strategy.
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With your thinking about the the eating regimen pressured her to eat less another.
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Laura Williamson
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'Joy To The Polls' Entertaining Early Voters In Philadelphia
Closing arguments: Join the joyful resistance
Voting in 2020 was never going to be easy. Even before Covid-19 hit, President Trump was seeding fears about this election's integrity, and right-wing operatives were laying plans to suppress Black and Latino votes.
Yet here we are. Nearly 100 million voters have already cast ballots even before Election Day. That's nearly three quarters of all ballots cast in 2016.
This remarkable reality comes amid another resurgence of coronavirus cases. There's record turnout even though Republican lawmakers and elected officials have pulled out all the stops to suppress and silence voters. And it's in the face of violent repression, like that faced by voters in Graham, N.C., over the weekend, when police pepper sprayed a crowd of marchers, including children, on their way to the polls.

Why have Americans faced down disease, complicated and changing election procedures, and the specter of white supremacist violence to vote?

Because we are fed up. Our family members, friends and neighbors are dying — more than 230,000 already. We're facing down the most inequitable economic recovery in modern history. Even with millions rising up in the streets, Black lives are still under attack, and those taking them face few consequences. Our rights to agency in health care are hanging by a thread. Our planet is burning.

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And, because we know voting is an act of resistance. But especially this year, voting is an act of joyful resistance. Voting has always been one of the most powerful tools of a justice-seeking people determined to defeat oppression and its propagators. It's how you build a more just, inclusive society. While 2020 may feel unique, the reality is the masses of voters turning out this year are part of a long history. Led primarily by Black Americans, and at times also by indigenous people, Latino people, and other communities of color, there's been a push toward a more equitable, democratic future. We continue making history and building that future by being part of what is likely to be a record turnout.

If you haven't voted yet, join the joyful masses headed to the polls. And, if necessary, join the masses mobilizing in the streets after tomorrow to continue to resist injustice and demand a democracy that works for all of us. After all, voting — coupled with mass mobilization — is what democracy looks like.

Laura Williamson is a senior policy analyst working on voting rights and democracy at Demos. Read more from The Fulcrum's Election Dissection blog.

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Nevada's Question 4 could be the beginning of a new voting rights era
In an election year when voting rights have been under tremendous attack, Nevada voters have the chance to make their state the national leader in voting rights.
Question 4, which has mostly flown under the national radar, would enshrine Nevada's Voters Bill of Rights into the state Constitution. If voters pass the measure, this bill of rights will become the most affirmative, comprehensive set of voter protections in any state.

While all 50 states provide some voting protections in their constitutions, none are as detailed as Nevada's would be. And the fine print matters. The absence of affirmative, comprehensive voter rights in the U.S. Constitution — and the limited protections in state constitutions — have allowed state legislators to pass laws that infringe on voting rights, suppressing the vote. Courts have upheld these restrictions.

The elections of 2020 have been carried out amidst a deadly pandemic. Uprisings in support of Black Lives Matter have been met with a violent white supremacist backlash. This has starkly exposed the impact of insufficient constitutional protections for the right to vote. They've also left many wondering what voting could have looked like this year, with stronger voting-rights laws.

There's good reason to believe, if voters in every state had the constitutional right to "receive and cast a ballot that is written in a format," as the voters of Nevada may soon have, states like Texas and Tennessee would have had a harder time justifying strict excuse requirements for absentee voting during a pandemic.

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It's hard to imagine how, if voters in all states had a constitutional right to "vote without being intimidated, threatened, or coerced," a judge in Michigan would have allowed for the open carry of guns at polling places. Or how, if all voters had a constitutional right to "have equal access to the elections system without discrimination," Alabama could have succeeded in banning curbside voting. That's a critical option for voters with disabilities and others facing heightened Covid-19 risk.

To be sure, such state constitutional protections won't solve everything. The federal courts today are a hostile venue for voting rights, and it may get worse. In an opinion this week preventing Wisconsin from counting ballots postmarked by but received after Election Day, Justice Brett Kavanaugh signaled the court's willingness to usurp state courts' power to interpret their own voting laws.

Yet, constitutions are still the place where we enshrine our most fundamental values and protections. They're one of the most powerful strategies in the fight for an inclusive democracy. That's why at Demos we have advocated for an amendment that achieves a truly pro-democracy U.S. Constitution. And it's why, as the votes are counted after Nov. 3, we'll be watching to see whether Nevadans lead the nation in advancing such a vision.

Laura Williamson is a senior policy analyst working on voting rights and democracy at Demos. Read more from The Fulcrum's Election Dissection blog.

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Let's help millions escape from voter registration limbo
Voter registration deadlines are here. What if that didn't matter?
It's two weeks from Election Day, and millions of potential voters are once again locked out of the democratic process. That's thanks to registration deadlines that have come and gone in many states, and the fact that fewer than half of states allow same-day voter registration.

This is no small problem. In November 2016, there were 66.5 million eligible but unregistered voters across the United States. Some of those may have tried to register before their state's deadline, only to be shut out by glitches and crashes like those we've seen again this cycle.

In Virginia, a severed cable took out the state's online registration system for several critical hours on the last day voters could register. In Florida, the online registration system also crashed at the deadline. On the single day following the crash that the state reopened registration (thanks to advocacy by my organization Demos and our partners New Florida Majority and the Advancement Project), 50,000 additional Floridians registered to vote. This in a state where the presidential race 20 years ago was decided by only 537 votes.

It shouldn't be this way. Voter registration is a remnant of a democracy designed to restrict the franchise to only those deemed worthy or competent, or in the words of the architects of Illinois' first registration law, to "preserve the purity of the ballot box." Born after the Civil War and enacted throughout the country through the early 20th century, voter registration laws have always had the effect of restricting the electoral and political power of Black people, immigrants and workers. Under California's first registration law, voters had to present themselves in person, and if the clerk did not know them, show evidence of their eligibility, a full three months before Election Day. Naturalized citizens could only register by bringing their original, court-sealed papers or by bringing two "legal voters" vouching for their eligibility. In Illinois, voters had to show up in person the third or fourth Tuesday before an election, and if their eligibility was challenged, they had to submit an affidavit and show up in person, again, the second Tuesday before the election and argue before an election judge.

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Registration laws suppressed voter turnout from the very beginning, and they continue to reduce the number of registered Black and Latino voters today. Census data from 2016 show that 73 percent of whites were registered to vote, compared to 65 percent of Black people and just 39 percent of Latinos. Legislatures are finding new tactics to reject registrations and purge voters from the rolls to reduce the political power of Black, Latino, immigrant and working-class voters.

The United States is unique in the hurdles we make people clear to vote. In democracies around the world, verifying the eligibility of voters is the responsibility of the government. That's why Demos and others have called for a system of universal voter registration, in which all eligible people are automatically registered to vote, and those who are not registered when they show up to vote are allowed to do so on-site. This would begin to end this anachronistic system and build a more inclusive democracy.

Laura Williamson is a senior policy analyst working on voting rights and democracy at Demos. Read more from The Fulcrum's Election Dissection blog.

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Italy confirms case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in healthcare worker
Epidemiological update
On 12 May 2015, Italian authorities informed about a confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in a healthcare worker who recently returned from Sierra Leone after working in an EVD treatment centre from 15 February to 6 May 2015.
On 12 May 2015, Italian authorities informed about a confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in a healthcare worker who recently returned from Sierra Leone after working in an EVD treatment centre from 15 February to 6 May 2015.
Returning to Italy by plane through Casablanca on 7 May 2015, the healthcare worker did not show any symptoms of EVD at arrival in Italy and self-monitored his health status as per protocol. Onset of symptoms with fever started on 10 May 2015, 72 hours after his return to Italy. The patient self-isolated at home and was transported on 11 May 2015 to the infectious diseases ward of the hospital of Sassari (Sardinia) with containment precautions. Clinical samples have been tested by the national reference centre of the INMI Lazzaro Spallanzani of Rome on 12 May 2015, confirming Ebola virus infection.Taking into account that the onset of symptoms occurred 72 hours after the last flight, contact tracing of the international travellers of the flights is not considered necessary. Only patients who have developed symptoms are considered as infectious through casual contacts. Healthcare workers of the hospital in Sassari, who examined the patient, wore personal protective equipment and are now under surveillance, as well as the close contacts of the patient.
The Italian Ministry of Health issued a statement on this first EVD case in Italy.
ECDC will monitor the situation. The conclusions of ECDC's latest risk assessment remain valid.
Read latest ECDC risk assessment: ECDC Rapid risk assessment on Ebola outbreak in West Africa, 11th update, 11 May 2015
WHO statement, The Ebola outbreak in Liberia is overLatest ECDC updates on Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Ebola outbreak - West Africa
Ebola treatment trial: two drugs identified as more effective
14 Aug 2019 - Two out of the four drugs tested in a multi-drug randomised control trial have been found more effective in treating Ebola, the World Health Organization announced on Monday. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board, an independent body that has been reviewing interim safety and efficacy data, has therefore recommended that the study be stopped and that all future patients be randomized to receive either REGN-EB3 or mAb114, in what is being considered an extension phase of the study.
Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: ECDC updates assessment for Europe
19 Jul 2019 - After the Ebola virus disease outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 July 2019, ECDC updated its risk assessment for the EU/EEA on the on-going outbreak: the overall risk of introduction and further spread of the Ebola virus within the EU/EEA remains very low.
Epidemiological update: Ebola virus disease outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, Democratic Republic of the Congo
25 Jan 2019 - Since the beginning of the outbreak and as of 23 January 2019, according to the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there have been 715 Ebola virus disease cases (666 confirmed, 49 probable), including 443 deaths (394 in confirmed and 49 in probable cases).


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TR Holiday Gift Guide: 20 Comics-Related Gifts for All Levels of Fandom
By Jim Dandeneau November 25, 2014 Comics, Daily Lists 0 Comment
WELCOME to the Topless Robot 2014 Holiday Gift Guide! All this week we've been showing you the best gifts you can buy for friends, neighbors, postmen, supers, nieces, nephews, loyal flatscans, good children, bad children, parents, teachers, coworkers, significant others and business partners. Today, we're looking at some awesome gifts for the comic-inclined in your life. We'll have gifts that are inexpensive but still great, that are good for buying in bulk for casual acquaintances. We'll have gifts that are so expensive only the truly frivolous would even think to ask for them. And we'll have everything in between.
White Elephant is an increasingly common type of gift exchange, especially in offices or large families. The rules usually involve people bringing gifts worth a modest amount (most of the ones I've been involved in were right around $20). People draw numbers to determine the order, then choose presents from the common area in that order, or select an already opened gift from one of the people who already chose. Or, when someone takes the gift that the hostess really wanted from her hands, the gift swap turns into a feeding frenzy and I end up walking out with the thundersticks that make fart noises when all I really wanted was the pint glass and the nice microbrew Auntie Linda.
Gifts in this section are priced to make them perfect for informal gifts: office parties, yankee swaps, stocking stuffers, Christmas Thunderdomes or gifts for folks on a budget.
1. Winterworld volume 1 (IDW Publishing) $9.99
This is the first volume of Chuck Dixon's return to the post-apocalyptic icescape he first visited in the '80s for Eclipse. He's now joined by Butch Guice on art, and partnered with IDW to publish (and release as XBox original programming so get in on the ground second floor). This book is conveniently priced at "slightly cheaper than gateway drugs" levels.
GOOD FOR: Comic newbies; Tim Drake fans; people from Buffalo.
2. Jim Henson's Labryinth: The Novelization (BOOM! Studios) $19.99
Plenty of special features make this hardcover reissue of the novelization of the beloved Henson movie a great gift idea. It will have previously unpublished illustrations from a concept artist and pages from Henson's personal journal, so it's great for process geeks, too.
GOOD FOR: Non-comics readers; Henson fans; Hank & Dean Venture.
3. Ms. Marvel volume 1 (Marvel Comics) $15.99
It had the danger of spiralling into a black hole of Mary Sueism, but G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona's series about a teenage Carol Danvers fan who gets a huff of Terrigen and turns hero has been absolutely terrific so far. It's also apparently Marvel's best selling title when you factor in digital sales. So in addition to being a fantastic comic that looks amazing and is widely beloved, it also has the benefit of finally giving comic book representation to a group that's been sadly ignored for far too long: people from Jersey City.
GOOD FOR: Runaways fans; MCU fans who haven't transitioned to comics yet; Chris Christie.
4. Legend of Korra Coffee Mug (Dark Horse) $12.99
Like its target audience, The Legend of Korra is a little more mature and a little more complex than Avatar: The Last Airbender. So that target audience is ready for coffee now! The mug has basic but still great artwork showing the four main characters and the logo of the show.
GOOD FOR: Airbenders; firebenders; earthbenders; coffee benders.
5. The Justice League of America 100 Project (The Hero Initiative) $12.99
The Hero Initiative's Ebay Store
The holidays are the busiest time of year for the fundraising departments of charities and nonprofits because people are so acutely aware of how desperately their support is needed. We've mentioned their work before, but the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Hero Initiative are both incredible groups that do really important work, as was unfortunately demonstrated by Russ Heath's comic on boingboing earlier this month. There are a couple of reasons to check out this book in particular, though: it's a collection of 100 different covers to JLA #50 drawn by some crazy talented folks; it's a very limited print run, so there's a good chance it'll be a collectors item soon; and it's cheap as hell, so you can hit the holiday feel good trifecta of giving something, getting something, and promoting something cool.
GOOD FOR: Do-gooders; passionate activists; everyone. Seriously, buy this for everyone.
A little bit pricier, but these gifts are for people you like more, and what are we as a culture if we don't attach value to our relationships based on the dollar amount exchanged between the two parties? These gifts are all between $20 and $50.
6. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Art of the Movie (Marvel Comics) $49.99
A coffee-table book that collects beautiful behind-the-scenes and concept art from Marvel's most insanely-designed movie to date? Yes please.
GOOD FOR: FX junkies, easter egg hunters, cocktail parties where you want to simultaneously display class and nerdery.
7. Teen Titans: A Celebration of 50 Years (DC Comics) $39.99
8. Teen Titans: Earth One (DC Comics) $22.99
You're getting both ends of Titans history here. One is a bulky trip through the history of DC's premier teen-sidekick team, with classic stories from Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Geoff Johns. The other is an Ultimate-style reimagining and streamlining of the team's origin from the always-amazing Jeff Lemire and Terry Dodson, though there's a pretty substantial leap of faith involved when you put a guy named Terry anywhere near these guys.
GOOD FOR: Teens; titans; Puffy AmiYumi.
9. I Was the Cat: Conquest T-Shirt (Oni Press/WeLoveFine) $25
Show our new feline overlords that you, for one, welcome them with this shirt from Oni and WeLoveFine based on Paul Tobin and Benjamin Dewey's series about exactly what it says it was about.
GOOD FOR: Cat people; people who like strangely comfortable shirts; cowardly species-traitors.
10. Legion Flight Ring (ThinkGeek) $24.99
Think Geek
The ring every Legionnaire needs to fly and to survive in the vacuum of space, or on hostile environments of any kinds, is back in stock from Think Geek. Now's a great time to grab these, because they quickly sold out of them when they were first released back in August.
GOOD FOR: Accessory Lad; Imagination Girl; Hopefully Won't Take This Too Literally Kid
11. Princess Mononoke: The First Story (Viz Media) $34.99
It's been approximately 735 years since I last watched Princess Mononoke, an error that I can surely rectify now that it's on Blu-ray. That's sort of immaterial here, though, as Viz isn't really publishing an adaptation as much as a first draft of the story, but with stunning watercolor Miyazaki art.
GOOD FOR: Ghibli fans; anime historians; earth spirits.
12. The People Inside (Oni Press) $24.99
The People Inside is an emotional look at a bunch of different characters, and tries to screw around with sequential storytelling on the way. Ray Fawkes did some pretty solid work here, and this is a good gift for people who like to drift back and forth between cape books and indie stuff.
GOOD FOR: Inner children; possessor demons; emo kids.
13. The Complete Peanuts 1950-1954 Vols 1&2 Gift Box (Fantagraphics) $39.99
It's books like these that got me into comics in the first place. My family used to keep softcover reprints of old newspaper strips lying around everywhere (cough cough in the bathroom cough) and I would, at like 8 years old, rip through them like they were going to disappear. If you want to get them early, you can't go wrong with something like this.
GOOD FOR: Parents of pre-k aged kids. Go for the bank shot here, where you make the parents happy that they have something classic and timeless, but also something that they'll also feel comfortable leaving lying around.
SIGNIFICANT OTHERS AND WELL-BEHAVED CHILDREN
These gifts are for the people you really like, and even still, some of them will be followed by "…but this counts for all 8 nights." They're priced between $50 and $100.
14. The BOOM! Bundle (BOOM! Studios) $54.99
Ten bucks cheaper than if you buy them separately, this special BOOM! Studios holiday bundle includes collected editions of The Woods, Dead Letters, Day Men, Hit 1955, and Six Gun Gorilla. I'd pay $55 for Six Gun Gorilla alone, but [exaggerated stage whisper]they're all really good. This is a sneaky way to bulk out your undertree, and a steal at a higher price.
GOOD FOR: People whose to-read pile is getting short; Jane Goodall from Earth-18; Wyatt Earp from Earth 8101.
15. Black Science Skateboard Deck (Image Comics) $75
If you've got enough money to buy this, it's statistically likely that you're too old to be using it to actually skate. Bully for you, then, that it's got this boss Matteo Scalera art on it, because this would look reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally nice hanging on your wall.
GOOD FOR: Skaters; haters; master decorators.
16. Mouse Guard Volume 2: Winter 1152 Black & White Limted Edition (Archaia Entertainment) $99.95
Archaia Entertainment
It's so hard to recommend a book that should be read by 11 year-olds in a format that should be kept sealed in a sexy-book humidor (not to be confused with a sexybook humidor, full of cigars and old Penthouses). But everything about this edition of Mouse Guard shouts "I AM AWESOME PLEASE BUY ME."
GOOD FOR: Careful tweens; twentysomething Redwall fans; chronically aroused bookbinders.
17. Marvel Unlimited+ Subscription (Marvel Comics) $99
Any Marvel Unlimited subscription is a given for a list like this. You've got three options: $10 a month (maybe as a trial gift, he said in his best Zoidberg voice?) for a monthly subscription; $70 for a full year of regular MU access; or this one, the $99 fancy "plus" sub. The reason for the big one is simple. The membership card is nice, and the exclusive figure and special issues and variant covers that Plus members get are cool, but remember that event in LA where Marvel announced their slate of movies through 2019? Or the panels at San Diego and New York where they screened Age of Ultron footage? Those were Marvel Unlimited Plus member-only events. Plus, with access to everything Marvel's digitized, that'll let you join Topless Robot's exclusive Marvel Unlimited Book Club, where we discuss our takeaways from old stories. Next month: "Operation Zero Tolerance."
GOOD FOR: Marvel zombies; people who know how to sideload illicit apps onto their Kindles; frenemies you don't want to talk to for a while.
18. Hip Hop Family Tree Box Set (Fantagraphics) $59.99
Ed Piskor is in the process of making one of the finest non-fiction comics I've ever read, and Fantagraphics released a collection with some cool bonus material about Spike Lee, Rob Liefeld and jeans and Image just in time for the holidays.
GOOD FOR: B boys; b girls; c men.
NERD SKYMALL
An unfair name, but a broadly apt one. Skymall implies that neither of these gift ideas would be useful, like a blanket that retrieves your wayward putts or a collar that turns the sound of your dog's vocalizations into one of three pre-programmed arias (my dog barks the Habanera), which just isn't true. They are certainly unnecessary, expensive and frivolous, but they're also informative and gorgeous to look at. Suggestions from this category cost more than $100, and can only be justified with "because I want it."
19. Marvel Covers Artist's Edition (IDW Publishing) $100
God these things.They're so pretty. And so expensive. Full size, super hi-res scans of the original art to a ton of iconic Marvel covers are reprinted here exactly as they would appear if you bought it. Artist's Editions are amazing, and any one of them would be an incredible gift.
GOOD FOR: Art history majors; comic history majors; other baristas with less expensive degrees.
20. Batman '66 Blu-rays (Warner Home Video) $269.97
TR has been over why this collection is awesome for Blu-ray collectors, but let's not forget that the 1966 Batman TV show is the fulcrum of cape comic history, too. So much of what happened in its immediate aftermath was influenced by (or a backlash to) the show's sensibility that its value as a historical artifact far exceeds the UTTERLY ABSURD price point.
GOOD FOR: Comic book Garth; Comic book Indiana Jones; the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art.
Previously by Jim Dandeneau
The 7 Best Ways to Clear Up Continuity Errors
4 Reasons Why We Shouldn't (and 4 Why We Should) Get Excited About the Kirby Settlement
TR's 2014 New York Comic Con Preview
The 14 Biggest Highlights from NYCC
12 Other Events Marvel Should Revisit for Secret Wars
Bizarro vs. Bane in a Never-Released DC Fighting Game for Xbox 360
We've heard a lot of wild rumors about upcoming DC movies,
U2 Still Being Incredibly Pompous About the Doomed Spider-Man Musical
?Arrgh. Fmmmmfph. Blugh.U2's Bono and the Edge have spoken about their forthcoming


I am the 2017 South African Wheelchair 8-ball Pool champion, and I am aiming to raise funding to cover expenses for travelling to and representing South Africa in the World Wheelchair 8-ball Pool Championships in Blackpool, England from the 23rd to the 30th June 2018.
The basic funding required for this trip is R22 000 per Pool SA, but that neither includes any travel other than the flight to and from the UK - so additional funding is there for other costs, including transport and food whilst in the UK. I pledge, that should I receive more funding than I need in the long run, that I will assist another worthy crowdfunding campaign with any surplus.
Since I broke my back in a freak bicycle accident in 1998 at the age of 15, which changed my life and dreams completely, pool became one of the sports I first tried after coming out of hospital. I did not play competitively for many years, but have played in the SA Champs for the past four years, the first time being my first experience of flying alone to Cape Town, then fitting a hired car with handmade hand controls and driving myself to the competition in Worcester.
I hope to do SA proud against the best in the world!


Watering Notes Water deeply if rainfall is less than 1" per week especially for the first 3 years after planting. After roots are established, water deeply in extreme weather situations.
Fertilize Notes According to Missouri Department of Conservation, trees seldom need to be fertilized even when planting. But it may be used to increase growth rates. If the tree is weak or distressed, fertilizer should only be applied sparingly.
Prune Notes Prune in summer to prevent bleeding. Prune out branches that form V-shaped crotches. Retain branches with U-shaped crotches that are 1/2 the diameter or less than the trunk. Trees left unpruned will tend to break apart with age.


The West Hempstead Board of Education is utilizing the Board Docs electronic application to conduct paperless board meetings. Agendas and dockets will be available for public review prior to monthly Board meetings. Please click on Board Docs listed below.


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March 3, 2017 March 3, 2017 Marti Mahood-Wormuth
How Did Marti Get Into Gaming?
I've always really loved games. From playing Yahtzee with my family at holidays to staying up late and playing Uno with friends in the study lounge at college, I always found ways to make it much more of my experience. That being said, my transition into hobby board gaming actually took a little bit of time.
I was actually into video games a lot more than I am now. I was born in 1985 – which is totally the year that the original Nintendo came to the United States. My mom was young, so we had a Nintendo in the house from the beginning. I loved playing games on that and any other game system that I could get my hands on as well. I am still a very firm believer that one of the best video games to have ever been developed is Super Mario Brothers 3.
Anyhow, we played board games at family gatherings, which was a lot of fun and made socializing with my family much easier for me. I've always been a little odd and awkward – as I grew older, I found out that this was because of a disorder known as social anxiety disorder. I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my 20's, but it affected my life for a very long time before that.
That's why board games were so popular with me when I was in college. I always had a deck of cards or something else with me so that I could play games while talking and socializing with people. College is where I learned games like Catan, Munchkin, and a variety of others.
When I got out of the college scene, I became a lot more secluded because my social anxiety was getting worse, and after losing my mom in 2010, I basically became a hermit other than going to church. Let me tell you, my social anxiety was a big part of why I played video games. I was a devoted World of Warcraft player for a long time – my main is still a dwarf warrior named Faridoon. I used to raid and do all of that – it was my social outlet and there are a lot of things that I got out of playing. I made a lot of great friends and got to keep in touch with my best friend, Gretel, and her hubby, Brad, who lived a couple hours away at that time (now it's more like 3 hours).
When I would visit Gretel and Brad every couple of months, they started introducing me to other hobby games. Ticket to Ride was my next one. Then they started adding in Hanabi and other games. I was hooked.
As I grew older, I became known for always having a bunch of games on hand at church stuff. I switched churches in 2013, and started getting treated for my social anxiety around the same time, which lead to me becoming a lot more social – and that's when board games really became part of my life.
Now, I live with my partner Sarah in Virginia, and we regularly listen to podcasts and watch a lot of YouTube videos related to board gaming (we love The Dice Tower and the podcasts in their network- they are one of our main information sources). The hobby is a big part of our lives and we regularly hang out with people from our church to play games as well. We currently own around 100 games (including a handful of expansions) and we're always adding more. I love going on Kickstarter and backing things as well.
And that's how we got to this point. I'm The Fluffy Meeple (represented by a fluffy yellow meeple pillow) because I love all things furry, soft, and fluffy and I always play yellow if it's an available color for me to play. You can learn how Open Seat Gaming came to be by clicking the link, and we hope you stick around the site to see what Scott, myself, and our contributors have in store for you!
Marti – The Fluffy Meeple
Get to Know The Writers
Marti - The Fluffy Meeple
Published by Marti Mahood-Wormuth
Marti Mahood-Wormuth is editor-in-chief and contributor of the board gaming blog, Open Seat Gaming and the sole writer at Marti's Miscellany. She is also a professional freelance writer and social media guru. On top of that, she is the Coordinator of LGBTQ+ Ministries at RISE UMC in Harrisonburg, Virgnia. She and her wife, Sarah, reside in Rockingham County.	View all posts by Marti Mahood-Wormuth
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Social Anxiety and Board Gaming – Open Seat Gaming says:
[…] I mentioned in my introduction post, one of the main reasons that I'm really into board gaming (other than it's fun and I […]


Health Care: Does This Happen in Canada?
Here is an article I wrote for Counterpunch in 2007 on some of the bad practices that occur under a U.S. health care system in which insurance companies decide what health care services are allowed. While under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) some new pro-consumer insurance regulations, such as prohibitions against denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions, have been implemented, the story described here can still occur. Of course, whatever the flaws of the ACA, whose preliminary concepts are discussed in this article, conservatives who criticize it don't even come close to coming up with a better solution. That's because what's actually wrong with the ACA is what they actually like about the current health care system: The continued ability of insurance companies to profit from controlling access to health care. As I suggest in this article, if we want to discuss creating a public health care system that genuinely works to provide health care for everyone, we can start by looking across the border to Canada.
The story of 17-year-old Nataline Sarkisyan's recent death from liver failure was tragic. But it was a uniquely American brand of tragedy. Only in the United States would the medical fate of a sick child be left to some private company's idea of what constitutes necessary care.
What is wrong with this picture? Like all insurers, Cigna relies on hired medical advisors to evaluate a treatment's medical appropriateness under the terms of a policy. In this case, Cigna's "evidence-based" medical guidelines led it to deny the recommended liver transplant, categorizing the procedure as "experimental." This was a complex medical situation, of course. But all the more reason why the patient's actual medical team should have been the only authority to determine the appropriateness of treatment. In fact, there was uniform support for the transplant from UCLA's medical experts. Instead, the insurer's conduct became a case study in the worst possible outcome that can result from the involvement of a for-profit insurer in medical decisions.
But the case also suggests something is wrong even when things go right under the present health system. Obviously, insurance companies stay in business by paying most claims. No one would buy their products if they didn't. But they also stay profitable by trying to avoid sick people as customers, and whenever possible by not paying claims.
Who among us cannot speak from personal experience about the frustrations of getting a legitimate claim paid? Years ago I once found myself in a hospital emergency room in Chicago with an acute kidney infection. I spent two days in the hospital and was successfully treated. I also ended up with about $4,000 in medical bills. Fortunately, I had health insurance through my employer. But fortunate can be a relative thing when you're dealing with an insurance company. Shortly after returning to work I received a letter from the insurer informing me that my hospital stay was not covered since it was for a "pre-existing condition." The plan excluded pre-existing conditions during my first year of coverage.
By what stretch of the imagination could an acute infection and emergency hospitalization constitute a pre-existing condition? Was it because I had always had a kidney? This was the question I had when I called the company's claims department. The claims rep couldn't answer my question and said he would get back to me. A short while later I received another letter from the company informing me that my hospital stay would now be covered.
The insurer's attempt to avoid paying my claim was clearly wrong. So why would they do it? Was it just an "oversight?" Or was there some cost-benefit analysis somewhere that showed if an insurer denies coverage in 100 similar cases, X number of policyholders could be expected not to challenge the decision, thus saving Y dollars? Insurance companies are not penalized for rejecting claims, of course, unless fraud can be proven in court. But the fact that insurers will often quickly reverse a rejected claim when the customer protests suggests the rotten core at the heart of their system.
All this is otherwise known as the "let's see what we can get away with" approach to quarterly profits. Such experiences among policy holders are hardly out of the ordinary, and they raise a pertinent question: Do we really want a health care system that encourages those who pay for care to find ways not to pay for care?
Contrary to the free-market hype of Republicans, inefficiency runs rampant in a health system controlled by private companies. Lavish executive salaries, marketing costs, and stock dividends all eat up financial resources that could be used for actual health care services. But contrary also to the reform hype of most Democrats, a more closely regulated mishmash of private insurance and employer plans combined with new public benefits, tax credits, and subsidies is not going to resolve the current system's failings.
Both Hillary Clinton and John Edwards propose mandates that will require the public to purchase health insurance, a potential boon in new profits the insurance industry can only welcome. In return, they expect the insurance industry to cooperate with reforms to improve their products. Barack Obama's health plan differs fundamentally only in leaving out a purchasing mandate. But either way the candidates are sidestepping reality: for-profit and health care go together like oil and water. In fact, as the California Nurses Association and other single-payer advocates note, mixed public-private systems always seem to end up favoring the private sector's efforts to corral the most profitable patients and services. Invariably less profitable patients and services become the burden of public resources.
The CEO of Cigna Healthcare's parent Cigna Corporation, H. Edward Hanway, earned about $21 million in total compensation in 2006. You just have to ask. Is this right? Do children who use the Canadian health care system die to make other people rich?


Rounding out his efforts to help reporters fill a slow news week, Robert Morgenthau held his final press conference yesterday.
The Times makes it sound uneventful, but the Post catches a few "thinly-veiled swipes" at his hand-picked successor, Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Mr. Vance recently demoted two of Mr. Morgenthau's top assistants, and replaced them with former aides to Eliot Spitzer and Michael Bloomberg, the outgoing D.A.'s longtime foe.
"Hire people based on merit, not political connections," Mr. Morgenthau said.


As a Maryland state trooper for two years, Michael Wheeler was increasingly frustrated by the repetitive nature of the juvenile offenders he encountered.
The Baltimore native said kids committing the same offenses over and over underscored to him the judicial system's lack of a deterrent to criminal behavior.
So Wheeler, golf instructor at Bellewood Golf and Country Club in Pottstown, wants to create a nonprofit, "Alleys to Fairways," that he hopes will help break that cycle by exposing kids in trouble to the game of golf.
In doing so, Wheeler said, he hopes the youths learn about honesty, integrity, and friendship as well as putting and driving and chipping.
"You need to learn honesty because you keep your own score in golf," Wheeler said. "And these kids will meet dozens of other kids at clinics and make new friends, some with similar interests."
"Golf is a great way to get exposed to integrity and friendship and new people."
Wheeler, 28, said he plans on hosting clinics at two Pennsylvania locations for youths involved with the judicial system some time next spring.
"All of the parole officers in the area have been really welcoming of the program," Wheeler said.
In 2007, Wheeler, a former pro golfer on the National Golf Association's Hooters tour, partnered with a Baltimore church to offer a clinic at which about 20 juvenile offenders were taught the fundamentals of golf.
Two years later, Wheeler was delighted to learn that about half of the participants returned to play golf on a regular basis, and 90 percent of them did not reenter the judicial system.
So, after leaving the Maryland state police in 2011, Wheeler moved to Reading and started working on his business plan for "Alleys to Fairways." His goal, he said, is to draw more than 100 participants at his first clinic.
However, getting the program off the ground has not been easy, Wheeler said.
"There's really nothing like this program, which is part of the struggle of getting it started," he said.
Some golf course owners are hesitant to open their facilities to juvenile offenders, Wheeler said. "That automatic notion is what needs to change," Wheeler said.
Learning to recover from a mistake - like many offenders must - is one of the benefits of golf, Wheeler said. When a player has a bad shot, he or she has to move on and not let it define their game. In the same way, these kids should not let their mistakes define them, Wheeler said.
John Manser, golf coach at Cheltenham High School, said golf is frustrating because consistency takes time to achieve. However, if a player sticks with the sport, the skills acquired can be taken off the course, he said.
Manser said he has seen his players become increasingly calm and focused from freshman year to senior year as they learn to deal with this frustration. His players then apply this attitude to their schoolwork and other facets of their lives.
Manser said golf can open career opportunities, and some of his players have gone on to study turf grass or play golf in college, like Wheeler did.
"The biggest obstacles to playing golf are access to course time and the monetary aspect of getting golf clubs," Manser said.
Leila Mackie, the player development coordinator for the Philadelphia section of the PGA of America, praised Wheeler's idea of targeting young people who might not otherwise have access to the game.
"It's hard to get exposed to the game if you don't have an avenue or a person," Mackie said.
Looking forward, Wheeler said he wants local judges and district attorneys involved in the program, and he sees a day when a judge tells a juvenile offender to enroll.
Steven Custer, chief of juvenile probation in Montgomery County, said he had never been approached about this type of program. But he was intrigued when he met with Wheeler on the golf course a few months ago.
"We're willing to try whatever might work," Custer said.


Finally after an year I found an inspiration. Time to bring back the fire. Time to start the work.
Will keep on updating about the progress.
You be like after you start THE project : this is an interesting idea . Let's start another project .


Home Discover Camp: Blast Off!
Reach for the stars with this out of this world camp! Build a rocket and explore the solar system around us. Before and aftercare available. For grades K-8 (campers will be divided in classrooms by grade level).


Home › Blog › PS Pattern Checklist!
Back when I set up the web store, a concern some customers had was that they'd lose track of where they bought stuff and accidentally get doubles. Honestly? It's the kind of thing I see myself doing, so it's a legit concern and I tried to figure out a solution.
Here's what I came up with: Pattern Checklists!
But hey, if you're going to make a tool, might as well give it multiple uses!
Here's the .PDF file for the PS size (which includes 125% patterns like DC Super Hero Girls and 150% patterns like 17" Monster High variants, but they each have their own section), and you can also find this--and others, when I finish them--in the Resources tab.
Ok, so what can you do with this?
You can keep track of where you bought your patterns, and which ones you have! The #1 most important function of a checklist, obviously. Patterns are ordered alphabetically so you can find them easily.
The pieces in each pattern are listed so you can hit ctrl+f on the digital .pdf to search for any term. Say you need a pair of bloomers. Ctrl+F, type in 'bloomers' and you'll instantly have all the patterns that contain Bloomers highlighted.
Easy to find what you already have, AND easy to pick out new patterns!
Print out a copy to keep with your pattern pieces for easy reference. Forgot what a pattern looks like/should look like when it's done? Lots of little pictures on each page and the descriptions will let you find it in seconds!
Write in whatever notes you need for yourself. Did the pattern, and want to remember that X fabric you tried works really well (or really NOT well?) There's space for that. Make a note that the pattern has a couple of XL pieces that are in a folder not with your regular pattern pieces? There's space for that. Anything you want to make note of, do it!
So yep, pretty good resource! I've already printed out a copy myself, I figure it will save me lot of time answering customer questions about "do you have a pattern that has X in it?" and that kind of stuff!


The Tactical 8-32x50 AO Riflescope is the ideal scope for the multi-purpose shooter. Like all members of the Firefield® Tactical AO Riflescope line, the 8-32x50 Tactical Riflescope features an adjustable objective lens and cutting-edge glass to ensure that it is the most accurate instrument on the market for a variety of tactical applications. This scope offers the choice of a red or green illuminated Mil-Dot reticle and 1/8-inch click MOA adjustment, making it ideal for tactical shooting and range finding. Shooters can also use the Mil-Dot reticle as a hold over for bullet drop compensation or windage correction.
Battery life for the adjustable illumination is between 80-150 hours. The objective lens has parallax adjustment, adjustable from 15 yards to infinity—giving the shooter the ability to accurately engage targets from any range. This presents a great advantage for competition shooters and high-powered air guns.
This riflescope is water resistant and fog proof with operating temperatures between -20 degrees and 60 degrees Celsius, making it a versatile tool for any environment. It easy-grip, open windage and elevation turrets on the top and side of the scope allow the shooter to quickly fine-tune the reticle for greater accuracy. Weighing only 26 ounces, this lightweight but sturdy riflescope can handle up to 1200g's of recoil.
Click the button below to add the Firefield Tactical 8-32x50AO IR Riflescope to your wish list.


text:
class UsersController < ApplicationController
    before_filter :skip_first_page, :only => :new

    def new
        # if params[:ref] == '1de239iu123'
        #     redirect_to '/refer-a-friend'
        # end
        @bodyId = 'home'
        @is_mobile = mobile_device?

        @user = User.new

        respond_to do |format|
            format.html # new.html.erb
        end
    end

    def create
        # Get user to see if they have already signed up
        @user = User.find_by_email(params[:user][:email]);
        if params[:ref].present?
            ref_user = User.find(referral_code: params[:ref])
            if ref_user.referral_registered_number.present?
                ref_user.referral_registered_number = ref_user.referral_registered_number + 1
            else
                ref_user.referral_registered_number = 1
            end
        end

        # If user doesnt exist, make them, and attach referrer
        if @user.nil?

            cur_ip = IpAddress.find_by_address(request.env['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'])

            if !cur_ip
                cur_ip = IpAddress.create(
                    :address => request.env['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'],
                    :count => 0
                )
            end

            if cur_ip.count > 2
                return redirect_to root_path
            else
                cur_ip.count = cur_ip.count + 1
                cur_ip.save
            end

            @user = User.new(:email => params[:user][:email])

            @referred_by = User.find_by_referral_code(cookies[:h_ref])

            puts '------------'
            puts @referred_by.email if @referred_by
            puts params[:user][:email].inspect
            puts request.env['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'].inspect
            puts '------------'

            if !@referred_by.nil?
                @user.referrer = @referred_by
            end

            @user.save
        end

        session[:user_id] = @user.id

        # Send them over refer action
        respond_to do |format|
            if !@user.nil?
                cookies[:h_email] = { :value => @user.email }
                format.html { redirect_to '/refer-a-friend' }
            else
                format.html { redirect_to root_path, :alert => "Something went wrong!" }
            end
        end
    end

    def refer
        email = cookies[:h_email]

        @bodyId = 'refer'
        @is_mobile = mobile_device?

        @user = User.find_by_email(email)

        respond_to do |format|
            if !@user.nil?
                format.html #refer.html.erb
            else
                format.html { redirect_to root_path, :alert => "Something went wrong!" }
            end
        end
    end

    def policy
    end

    def faq
    end

    def jobs
    end

    def partner
    end

    def presskit
    end

    def terms
    end

    def redirect
        redirect_to root_path, :status => 404
    end

    private

    def skip_first_page
        if !Rails.application.config.ended
            email = cookies[:h_email]
            if email and !User.find_by_email(email).nil?
                redirect_to '/refer-a-friend'
            else
                cookies.delete :h_email
            end
        end
    end

end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home > NCAA Basketball Picks > California Golden Bears at Oregon Ducks – NCAAM December 31
California Golden Bears at Oregon Ducks – NCAAM December 31
By Kenneth Cross in NCAA Basketball Picks — Dec 31st, 2020 5:36pm PST December 31, 2020
-6½Spread
MY PICK
PLACE BET!
Cal (5-4, 0-2) at Oregon (6-1, 1-0) – Pac-12 Network – 10pm EST
One of the old rivalries that dates back to the Pac-8 sees the Golden Bears with an 84-64 lead. Oregon has won 26 in a row at home as the Bears haven't defeated the Ducks since 2014.
Vs. the Spread:
The Bears are 13-6-1 ATS vs. the Ducks in the last 20 games and the total has gone OVER in four of Cal's last six games on the season. The Bears are also 8-2 ATS in their last ten at Oregon. The Ducks are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games and the total has gone over in nine of Oregon's last 13 outings. The OVER has been the play in the last eight Ducks-Bears contests..
California +13 (-113) +750 O 133½ (-110)
Oregon -13 (-107) -1200 U 133½ (-110)
Cal got over the .500 mark as the Bears upped their record to 5-4 with a 70-65 victory over Seattle U on Dec. 22. The Bears were without their top two scorers in Grant Anticevich (10.3 ppg) and Matt Bradley (19.1 ppg). Seattle led 59-57 with 5:43 to go before the Bears closed the game on a 13-6 run.
The Ducks humbled Portland, 80-41, as Oregon held the Pilots to 21.4 percent from the floor, which was a record low in Matthew Knight Arena. It was also second to Florida's defensive output which was 19.6 percent against Stetson in early December. Chris Duarte led Oregon with 21 points and L.J. Figueroa added 15.
Bear Tracks:
Both Matt Bradley and Grant Anticevich are listed as questionable going into the matchup with the Ducks.
The two must be available and must have a presence in order for California to have a shot at stealing a win.
Sophomore guard Joel Brown stepped up against CSUN and Seattle U as he scored six of his 12 points with the game in doubt in the second half against the Hawks.
Bradley leads the conference in 20-plus points games with four and his 32 free throws are third in the Pac-12. Jarred Hyder finally got his waiver and debuted in the Golden Bears' win over CSUN where he had six points and three assists in 17 minutes. Ryan Betley and McKale Foreman have the potential to step up and make a difference for the Bears as they have made 21 and 19 triples, respectively on the season.
On the Pound:
Oregon had major loss when center N'Faly Dante went down on Dec. 19 with a knee injury and he had season-ending surgery.
UO is already missing Will Richardson who is out six weeks with thumb surgery.
The Ducks have won six in a row after season opening loss to Missouri and Eugene Omoruyi is the third leading scorer in the Pac-12 (18.1 ppg) after scoring double figures in every game so far. During the Ducks' six-game winning streak, they have clobbered their opponents inside with a 45-24 advantage on average. Chris Duarte will be a tough matchup for the Bears as he averages 15.4 points while shooting 53 percent from the field. Small forward Eric Williams, Jr. (12.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and L.J. Figueroa (8.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg) will have to lift their games up ever more with Dante sidelined.
Winner: Oregon (-13) 77, Cal 62
O/U: Take OVER 133½
The Bets
Oregon -13
O 133½
California, California Golden Bears, california golden bears at oregon, college betting, ducks, NCAA, ncaa betting, oregon ducks
Kenneth Cross / Author
Kenneth Cross is a new entry to The Sports Geek staff as he has 25 years of experience in print, broadcast, and internet sports journalism. Cross is a lover of all sports, but college basketball is his passion. He estimates that he has seen around 1,500 college basketball games - live and in-person - and hopes that grows this season. If you listen to Radio, you have likely heard him on Sundays covering the Carolina Panthers for some 20 years. Now in Tampa Bay, he works as a national radio correspondent.
More Articles by the Author Contact Us
Place Your Bets Now!


my message is; if you're not on this board you are uncool!
I wish you'd just grow up!
You know those tiny little shrubs you planted cheaply down the drive hoping they'd grow into a nice big hedge? It's been six years and they're no bigger! Have you noticed that no actual hedge has developed? Have you heard of fertilizer?
YO!! Youse talkin' to ME???!! My BUSHES is GOOD. FVK YOU. Don't look at my bushes you noisy, nosy neighbor.
I spit on your ... shrubs!
Phsasph! (I don't know to spell spit.) I fertilized on your bush.
Last edited by Jack Flanders : 06-12-2007 at 02:23 AM.
We're singin' the last high note! (I think?) So chill, Craig.
Last edited by Jack Flanders : 06-12-2007 at 02:49 AM.
Last edited by Jack Flanders : 06-12-2007 at 02:56 AM.
I'll never tell you what I do on Saturday.
Thanks for listening last night.
I really appreciated being able to talk freely.
I hope you know how much I value our friendship.
I wish that lotto ticket you bought me 3 weeks ago had won. I just checked it right now. I would have bought you a little house, and the three of you could stop working. Lord knows I don't need the money, but I wish I had more so I could make things better for you.
P.S.- Don't ever buy me another lotto ticket, why do you think I don't buy them myself?
edit: every second of this is just right.
Last edited by brightpearl : 06-13-2007 at 03:02 PM.
All times are GMT -3. The time now is 06:37 PM.


The authority to terminate any membership is vested in the Board of Directors.
A member may not be expelled or suspended, and a membership may not be terminated or suspended except pursuant to a procedure that is fair and reasonable and is carried out in good faith.
2) an opportunity for the member to be heard, orally or in writing, not less than five days before the effective date of the expulsion, suspension, or termination by a person authorized to decide that the proposed expulsion, termination, or suspension not take place.
The expulsion, suspension, or termination of a member does not relieve the member from obligations the member may have to the corporation for dues, assessments, or fees or charges for goods or services.
Reference Minnesota statute 317A section 411.


I sure hope you and yours had a great holiday season with just enough food and visitors to make life feel jolly, some quiet moments that made it feel special, and, of course, that you remained safe on the roads!
My goal is to help you start the brand new year with a "bang" by offering you a fantastic short story.
For those of you who don't know this yet, the "stars" of my books are always cars. Then there's my alter-ego "Charlie" who gets IN the car and gets himself into trouble . . . I mean, adventures! He sure had one serious adventure after another in Book One, The Bootlegger '40 Ford. But, whether or not you've read my first novel, I know you're gonna love today's special short story. For one thing, it's short! So you won't have to invest too much of your time. Just enough to get "hooked," I hope.
The short story is about a car PART. I know, you're shaking your head. But I promise it WILL make sense. After all, if you don't have the parts, you can't have the car. So this is a back-story Prequel that slides in right before the novel, giving you a chance to rev your engine before you take off on the main adventure.
Each of my publication dates is timed to coordinate with a special car event. Makes sense, right?
The LA Roadster show starting January 27 at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA is important because of the award of the AMBR (America's Most Beautiful Roadster) trophy. This award has both national and International significance. It's a nine foot trophy that is awarded for superb workmanship and beautiful styling of the iconic roadsters of the 1930s.
Know anyone like that? When you look deeply into hot rodding, you'll always find some of these unusual folks. We follow my character through some of his earlier, failed experiments, and peek over his shoulder as he begins to realize he can create his own solution to the problem. You'll fall in love with this guy as much as I did. And then when you see what his work leads to . . . well, it's a real life adventure! Well, it's all real, except for the parts I made up.
This short story will be available soon in print, eBook and audio formats.
You can also continue reading what happens next by getting your copy of The Bootlegger '40 Ford in three formats!
And the AUDIO BOOK is available from Audible!
Okay, that's all the news for now. If you're driving somewhere during January when it can be icy in many parts of the country, remember to be SAFE on the roads, and remind yourself of your New Year's Resolutions when the traffic gets heavy.
This article was published in Bootlegger Book Blog, Titanium Camshaft and tagged 40 Ford, hot rodders, hot rods, Titanium Camshaft.


The reliable, all-around compression stocking for him and her.
A mainstay of the mediven line for over 25 years, mediven plus offers the broadest range of ready-made sizes and styles in the industry today. This opaque fabric is pleasantly soft against the skin but due to its highly resistant stretch properties, mediven plus is specifically intended for the treatment of moderate to severe venous disease.


Radice W. Banks is a professor at Hesed Bible Institute in Simpsonville, SC. He has been married to his wife for twenty-six years. They have two sons, Micah and Caleb. He loves to read the Bible and also enjoys running.


Your hair will love this glossy oil! It is filled with countless amazing nutrients and vitamins sourced from only the finest ingredients from around the world.
By applying a small amount to the ends of wet or dry hair your hair will receive a delightful hydration boost. The oil also works wonders on a dry scalp. All you need to do is leave the oil for a few minutes on an affected area, before massaging and washing hair as per usual.


text:
Pastor Maldonado: Lotus driver stays with team for 2016
Last updated on 20 September 201520 September 2015 .From the section Formula 1
Pastor Maldonado is in his second year at Pastor Maldonado
Lotus have extended Pastor Maldonado's contract, keeping the Venezuelan at the team for a third season.
The 30-year-old brings with him significant sponsorship funds from the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, which paid £30m a year for him to drive at Williams between 2011 and 2013.
Maldonado, who won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, is currently 14th in the drivers' championship with 12 points.
"It is positive to know that my future is confirmed," he said.
Maldonado has earned the nickname 'Crashtor' after being involved in a series of on-track incidents, including a coming together with McLaren's Jenson Button during Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.
After the incident, in which Button's front wing was damaged, the 2009 world champion said: "I don't know what he was trying to do - maybe put me in the grandstands. He gave me no room. You can't do that in F1, especially around a circuit like this - but it's not the last time he'll do it."
French manufacturer Renault is currently in the process of trying to negotiate a takeover of the cash-strapped Lotus team.
Lotus F1 team principal Gerard Lopez said: "Everyone at Enstone will testify that Pastor is a terrific person to work with and we all know the performances he is capable of on track.
"We hope to be able to make further positive announcements regarding the team in the near future."
Pastor Maldonado has retired in eight of the 13 races so far this season
BBC chief F1 writer Andrew Benson on Maldonado:
"Jenson Button called him 'mental' during the Singapore Grand Prix - a view to which many in Formula 1 would subscribe - but Maldonado's millions in Venezuelan sponsorship have kept him in a grand prix car for at least one more year.
"'Crashtor'. 'Malfunctionado'. Take your pick from any number of disparaging nicknames Maldonado has earned through his antics during his five years in F1. There is even a satirical websiteexternal-link dedicated to him.
"Why have Lotus signed him? The answer is almost certainly to do with money, rooted in the team's well-documented financial struggles this season.
"Quite what Renault - who will take over the team assuming a deal that has been in the offing for months can be finalised - make of it remains to be seen.
"Who will be Maldonado's team-mate? Renault/Lotus are short of options.
"Romain Grosjean is under contract to stay but seems to be heading for the exit to join the new US-based, Ferrari-linked Haas team.
"If that is confirmed, contenders include McLaren reserve driver Kevin Magnussen, ex-Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne and possibly even Force India's Sergio Perez, despite his and his team's insistence he will stay."
Djokovic set to be deported from Australia
From the section BBC News
The Ashes: England chasing 271 to win after Wood takes six against Australia - clips, radio & text
Watch: Match of the Day


text:
Bach: Christmas Oratorio BWV 248
In the historic Weimar Herder Church Sir John Eliot Gardiner finds the perfect setting for his recording of the Bach Christmas Oratorio. Against the backdrop of the dramatic altar and Lucas Granach paintings, the Monteverdi Choir and the English…
Galaxymphony II – Galaxymphony Strikes Back
Travel through the universe with the best tracks from Apollo 13, Avatar, Blade Runner, Gravity, Interstellar, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, and The Mandalorian. TRACKLIST: 1. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND: Let There…
Fly Me To The Moon – Curtis Stigers with the Danish Radio Big Band
The Danish Radio Big Band has joined forces with Curtis Stigers to celebrate the iconic legendary Frank Sinatra concerts that took place at The Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. The concert presents the most beloved evergreens from the American songbook of…
Divas & Diamonds - Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Turn back in time to the era of black-and-white movies where stars like Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Audrey Hepburn let us dream from Divas & Diamonds with their unforgettable voices and expressiveness. 1. Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend (3:26)…
Inspiring Voices - Edward Higginbottom & New College Choir, Oxford
The New College Choir, Oxford, is one of the leading choral ensembles in the world, celebrated for its distinctive and stylish performance of music from five centuries. This DVD edition includes the moving documentary "Inspiring Voices" about Edward…
J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor
For many classical music lovers, Johann Sebastian Bach's "Mass in B minor" is a pinnacle of Western music, and today it is one of our most beloved sacred classics. The live performance of this monumental piece of music, with John Neslon, the Maîtrise…
Armonie dello Spirito - Capella Sistina
A concert in honor of the 85th birthday of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The Cappella Musicale Pontificia "Sistina" is one of the oldest and most prestigious musical institutions the "Choir of the Pope". Under the direction of Massimo Palombella…
Giuseppe Verdi: Messa da Requiem
The fiftieth anniversary of Toscanini's death in 2007 was celebrated with gala concerts around the world, one of the most glamorous events being this benefit concert at the basilica of St Mark's in Venice. The 11-year-old child prodigy Lorin Maazel…
Verbier Festival - Susan Graham - French Songs
One reviewer of Susan Graham's Verbier Festival recital praised her 'radiant voice' and marveled at her ability to convey the subtle nuances of what seems like 'her second native language'. Her programme offers a 'tasting menu' of the French mélodie…
Fiesta Cubana - Live from the Tropicana
On New Year's Eve 2009 Havana's legendary nightclub, Tropicana, celebrated its seventieth birthday with a colourful revue, and the evening's special guest was the world-famous Omara Portuondo. Together with her five-man band, which ranges in style…