A carpenter is one of the most necessary trades when it comes to fireplace renovation, due to the specialised knowledge and techniques they use when working with wood and other materials. Carpentry is a very versatile trade and covers a lot of areas when it comes to constriction as well as more intricate and detailed design and decor.
We pride ourselves on the bespoke design and flawless execution of our work. Whether your carpentry needs are large or small we've got you covered. You can have complete peace of mind knowing that with The Stove and Fireplace Builder you will be getting high-quality workmanship and stunning results for a great price!
Many people are unaware of the rules and regulations associated with fireplace renovation and remodelling. Adding the wrong type of material can be a potential fire hazard and this is often over-looked by people with little to no experience with fireplaces.
There are countless cases of custom bookcases and trim work being installed over important air vents by carpenters with no experience of fireplaces. This can leave homeowners at extreme risk of fire as the wood would have ignited when exposed to heat. In some cases, the homeowner has been forced to keep the shelves and settle with having a non-functioning fireplace as the removal and rectification of the mistake would have been far too extensive and costly.
The fireplace mantel (or mantelpiece) is a structure generally made out of wood, marble or stone located above and around the opening of the fireplace.
A mantelpiece can really make or break the look of a fireplace. We can offer the revival of your tired mantel by giving it unique and integrate designs, colours, and details to match any living space.
A fireplace mantel shelf is the top section (entablature) only.
Mantel shelves can be an essential part of a fireplace. Mantels can create a nice effect when it comes to the decor in your room as the items placed on it can be unique to each individual.
If you have a lot of blank wall space around your fireplace and want to do something with it, we can custom make shelving units or cabinets for storage and decorative purposes.
Pretty much any mantel can also be turned into a cabinet. Whether you're looking for an entertainment top cabinet or storage cabinets, all can be custom made for the size and style of your room, and completely transform your fireplace design.
A fireplace surround includes the mantel, back panel and outer hearth. This provides both aesthetic and safety benefits. We can install a custom fireplace surround or modify your existing one.


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The revolt in the mining area of Gafsa, Tunisia
La Riposte, France - www.lariposte.com
A huge protest movement has erupted in the mining area of Gafsa in Tunisia, and it is spreading. An enormous gulf has opened up between an exasperated people and the authorities. The response of the Ben Ali regime has been brutal repression with some workers being killed.
Since the beginning of the year, the mining area of Gafsa, Tunisia, has been in a state of social turmoil. In this phosphate mining area, the Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa reigns supreme. It is supported by the despotic and corrupt regime of Ben Ali. In addition to the pollution linked to the activities of extraction and treatment, poverty and mass unemployment have triggered a huge protest movement.
Workers and youth in the mining area are mobilising to defend their dignity, and are struggling for jobs, better housing conditions, health and education. They denounce this system of economic and social plunder and looting. The strikes have increased. The teachers, some branches of the civil service and even small shopkeepers have been mobilized.
The movement has taken on various forms. For example, in several cities in the area, unemployed youths and widows of workers who have been victims of accidents at the Compagnie des Phosphates are organising "sit-ins" with tents in front of official buildings. The Ben Ali regime has violently suppressed the movement, for fear that Redeyef could become a symbol of the anger of the youth and workers throughout the country, and that the movement could spread. Hundreds of arrests have taken place since the beginning of the year. The police harass and brutalize on a daily basis the people in struggle. The city is virtually under siege. That is how things stand in this country where, according to Sarkozy, "the space for freedoms is progressing!"
The Gafsa region is known for its militant and revolutionary traditions. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the strike which took place under Bourguiba, that began in the mining area of Redeyef and spread to workers and youth throughout the region of Gafsa, and eventually lead to a general nationwide strike. At that time, the brutal repression of the movement claimed hundreds of lives. Thousands of workers and trade unionists were sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
The so-called "economic miracle"
The Ben Ali regime boasts of an "economic miracle" in Tunisia. But who benefits from this growth that is based primarily on mass tourism? The capitalists who dominate the tourism industry and rake in all the profits! Huge fortunes are being accumulated through real estate speculation, while the mass of the population languishes in unemployment and poverty. While French, Spanish and German companies relocate to Tunisia to take advantage of an underpaid and over-exploited workforce, other companies throw their workers onto the streets and leave Tunisia to find even less expensive workers elsewhere. Another result of the Ben Ali "miracle" is that hundreds of young people are trying to flee the country by sea, on ramshackle boats. Many end up drowning.
On May 7, Redeyef, a town of 30,000 inhabitants, was surrounded by the police. According to witnesses, several hundred people ‑ men, women and children - taking with them only the bare necessities, tried to leave the city with the idea of abandoning it to the security forces. They were dissuaded from doing this by the leaders of the strike committee, and finally they decided to remain and continue the fight. Indeed, a "mass evacuation" of this kind would not have been an effective means of struggle. In any case, this episode illustrates the enormous gulf that has opened up between the people and the authorities. It also reflects the exasperation of a population that faces the behaviour of the "official" trade union leaders, who are notoriously corrupt and completely in the pay of the regime. Hand in hand with the latter, these union "leaders" have tried to isolate and demoralize the strikers and the population in revolt.
Two days later, on May 9, Taher Saidi, aged 44, was seriously wounded during an intervention of the security forces in the town of Om Larais (35,000 inhabitants). He died on May 19 at the regional hospital of Gafsa.
The incident that led to the events of May 7 was the death of an unemployed youth who, the day before, had been electrocuted inside a local electricity installation, following a particularly brutal intervention on the part of the security forces against a demonstration of unemployed youths. They were protesting against the results of the less than crystal clear entrance exams to the Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa, that were marred by cronyism. The company had in fact agreed to take on unemployed youths from the region in January. A group decided to occupy the electric generator - with the power switched off - that supplies energy to the plant. A police brigade armed with tear gas began to evacuate the generator. The electricity supply was switched on again and several young demonstrators were electrocuted in the process. Rescue operations did not begin until several hours after the accident. The young man who died was 26 years. His name was Hichem Ben Jeddou El Aleimi. Another, Ahmed Ben Salah Fajraoui, aged 21, was seriously injured.
Furthermore, the Ben Ali regime has arrested several militants, among whom are the students Znaïdia and Jihed Nejib Ben Ali, but also the unemployed Houcine Ben Soltane, Abid Tababi, Ismail Hlaimi and Atef Ben Salehn. They were awaiting trial in court for May 29.
The imprisoned students and unemployed youth, as all the inhabitants of the mining area of Gafsa, need our solidarity. However, mere declarations of solidarity are not enough. Faced with a media wall of silence surrounding the events in the mining area of Gafsa, La Riposte calls upon all trade unions and left parties to do what they can to bring this struggle to the attention of workers in France and internationally. Trade unions in the press and the TV industry have an important role to play in this. Airport and tourist industry workers' unions should also be mobilized to denounce the repression. We must initiate strike actions and trade union boycotts that directly affect capitalist interests in Tunisia. Solidarity also requires the raising and sending of funds to support the struggle.
La Riposte wrote this article in close collaboration with direct participants in the struggle in the Gafsa region. This means we did not have to rely on accounts of the events in the European press. We thank them warmly for their valuable assistance.
Read this article in French and Spanish.
Tunisia: youth still defiant of the Ben Ali dictatorship by Jean Duval (March 14, 2005)
Tens of thousands of youth rise up against the Ben Ali dictatorship in Tunisia by Jean Duval (March 7, 2005)
Tunisia: mass protests against the regime by Sidi-Bou-Said (April 22, 2000)
Tunisia's constitutional coup: no trust in any bourgeois faction 27 Jul 2021
Tunisia: biggest protest in years amidst increased state repression 9 Feb 2021
Mass protests shake Tunisia 25 Jan 2021
Tunisia: presidential election, a blow to the parties of the "democratic transition" 20 Sep 2019
Tunisian youth rises up against austerity again 11 Jan 2018

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Grahamvale is a small town in Victoria, Australia that encompasses the outer-most eastern regions of the city of Shepparton. At the 2021 census, Grahamvale had a population of 685.

The region includes a mix of industrial, grazing and orchard land as well as several highly sought after housing estates. The most notable of these estates is Dobson Estate which comprises approximately 200 residences spread over approximately 300 acres (121 hectares or 4056 sq. metres).

The Grahamvale region is bounded by Ford Road, Central Avenue, Old Dookie Road and the non distinct boundary of Shepparton. It is primarily a designation applied by the post office to define this area as something different from the Shepparton township. The Post Code for the region is 3631, as compared to Shepparton's 3630, although there is now no 'Grahamvale' post office. (A post office, Grahamvale State School, opened on 1 July 1912 was renamed Grahamvale around 1920 and closed in 1979).

There is a Primary School located on Grahamvale Rd called Grahamvale Primary School. The Grahamvale region is serviced by the Alternative Truck Route (Doyle's Road) and it is along this route within the area that many famous orchards are located. These orchards are abundant in pears, apricots, apples and peaches which are purchased predominantly by the SPC Ardmona company, which is based  into Shepparton along Old Dookie Road.

References

Towns in Victoria (Australia)
City of Greater Shepparton

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Halesworth Loans is the place to turn to when you need a logbook loan. Trying to secure a normal loan when you have a low credit score is hard, but with Halesworth Loans, that is a concern of the past. We make getting a logbook loan quick and simple, so that you can have the money that you need, when you need it. We have helped many people get the money that they needed, and now we want to help you too. To get started, simply fill out our quick application on this site and you'll be well on your way to a logbook loan. It's so simple, you'll wonder why you didn't come to use sooner.
Copyright © 2015 www.halesworthairfieldmuseum.org.uk.All Rights Reserved.


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GETTING SALTY
Superfrau's Melissa Martinelli knows the whey forward for healthy beverages
Her canned, whey-based fizzy drinks are on sale at the new Super Local Snacks pop-up in Inman Square.
By Kara Baskin Globe Correspondent,Updated August 16, 2022, 12:00 p.m.
Melissa Martinelli, cofounder of Superfrau.Courtesy photo
This month, Inman Square is home to temporary shop Super Local Snacks, part of an Inman Incubator program that showcases an ever-changing array of small, homegrown businesses. This one highlights start-ups like Pariva (marinated yogurt spreads), Off Our Rocker (plant-based cookies), Hapi African Gourmet (spices and sauces), and lots more. It runs until Sept. 1 at 1385 Cambridge St.
Melissa Martinelli, 40, designed the pop-up. She runs Superfrau, specializing in fizzy, canned liquid whey (think soda but packed with electrolytes and more tart). The business reduces food waste by sourcing surplus yogurt-based whey that would otherwise get tossed, turning it into a drinkable treat that's popular in Europe but, for some reason, not here — at least, not yet.
Why did you start Superfrau?
My husband is from Austria, where it's very popular to drink the liquid whey from yogurt and cheese-making. I never truly understood it until I tried it myself. And it was delicious. When I learned more about it, I learned that it's a huge waste problem here — particularly when it comes to yogurt, because you can't dry and concentrate it for whey protein powder. But it's this liquid that's loaded with all of these vitamins and minerals that are good for hydration, energy, and for your gut.
I was actually a practicing immigration lawyer for 10 years. I shifted gears to this because I was amazed by how versatile and healthy the ingredient was and that, in the US, we were pretty much throwing it out. I did a little research, and then I started out of Commonwealth Kitchen. That's where I met almost all of the people whom I rallied for this pop-up snack shop. And we finally launched basically a commercial product last October online. Right away, Whole Foods reached out to have us get into stores there, and so now we're in Whole Foods in the New England area. ... We're growing really quickly.
Why a snack pop-up?
I live in the Inman area. So I was walking by the incubator space a few months ago. I was very curious about it. … I presented this super-local snacks idea, and they told me — it was like five or six weeks ago! — they're like: "You're in for August." But we made it happen. It was really a community DIY project.
What do these snacks have in common?
The concept that I had was: There are a lot of food and beverage businesses in the Boston area that are delicious and really interesting. Everybody has an interesting story, and this incubator was a space about sharing a bigger story.
I knew all of these companies through Commonwealth Kitchen that had great products and great stories. And the incubator space was about connecting artists and makers with the community. So I thought it was a great opportunity, especially after all of the real-life connection restrictions with COVID, for these new emerging brands that have great products and great stories to connect with their target market, and for the community to get to know who's making these products right in their backyard. … It was really about connecting with community in an authentic way, and this space allows us to do that for a one-month period. I'm very grateful to the incubator for hosting us. They offer the space for free. They helped us with organizing everything. Everything is donated; all the furniture in there was provided to us. We really threw this together, and it looks beautiful.
I'm assuming you're not a full-time attorney anymore. How was the process [of switching careers]?
Do you want the truth?
Yes, preferably.
It's been a very interesting journey for me. I had my own law practice, so I had started my own business, but the service industry is very different from the consumer packaged goods industry. What I learned is, if you really put yourself out there and connect with others in the space, you can learn so much from each other. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I really do value this community so much. We're all building something from scratch. We can learn from each other's mistakes, and some people are further along in the journey and can help guide us. I've really leaned on the community for an education. In a way, it's a free business school education. I've learned a ton along the way. And, at the end of the day, I obviously hope and believe my business will be successful. But the success really is that I got to learn so much and meet all these other people who are doing some really cool things.
What's your advice for somebody who wants to launch a business like this?
I think you have to really believe in your idea. There are lots of highs, but there are also lots of lows, lots of disappointing moments. And, if you really believe in your idea, you can get through those, and you have to be open to change. I've had to pivot and shift our plan all along the way. I mean, no one ever plans for a global pandemic. You have to be open-minded to that.
And I think what's really important that people understand is that success isn't necessarily what you plan on it being. It's very expensive, and it's very hard, and you put everything into these businesses. Sometimes — actually, oftentimes — it doesn't work out, and you have to believe in your idea so much that you'll be the 1 or 2 percent that does work out. I think that's the statistic in food and beverage; 1 or 2 percent are actually successful, at least in consumer packaged goods. So you really have to know what you're getting into. I truly believe in our idea. And so, when I hit a low moment, that's what carries me through: We are on a mission to fight food waste and climate change through this really fun, approachable product.
So I always say it's not too tart and it's not too sweet, but it's definitely a little bit of both. It's slightly sparkling. It satisfies a little bit of your sweet tooth and your savory tooth. It's the liquid whey from Greek yogurt; if you know that going into it, you're going to taste some yogurt-y notes, and we infuse it with complementary flavors. We have peach mango, cucumber lime, pineapple ginger; they're all a little bit citrusy and acidic, because that's what works really well with the natural flavor of the liquid whey. You could chug a can of it because it's just so refreshing. When people think of whey, I think they think of protein powder, or they might think of a smoothie. And this is a very light and refreshing liquid. It's really unexpected. People are usually pleasantly surprised.
Which foods pair well with your drinks?
I would say a nice Cuban sandwich. Anything that might be a little salty is good. It pairs really well with salads. I mean, it depends on which flavor you're having, too, but again, it's light and refreshing. It has more full body than a seltzer water.
When I demo at Whole Foods, I always get their avocado sushi rolls and with our cucumber lime, and it's perfection.
Where do you go to eat when you're not working?
If it's a special occasion, Celeste in Somerville is my favorite place. There's a really great Greek restaurant called Desfina. That's a top one. It's very unassuming on the inside, but the food is really good. We live in Inman Square, and on Friday nights, we'll rotate. We have a 2-year-old. We rotate between going to The Druid and going to Atwood's. At The Druid, everyone who works there is like our family. On Sundays, they have live music, and it's like walking into your own living room and getting to hang out there. It's just very easy. At Atwood's, they're very friendly with young families. I don't even want to tell people about Atwood's because their courtyard is awesome. The courtyard's amazing, the food is very good, and they're very friendly with young people.
And, I have to ask: Why the name Superfrau?
That was a very iterative process. The inspiration behind this is, it's a popular drink in Austria, so we wanted to harken back to the origin story with maybe a German word or something that connected it back to the roots of this product. We were thinking about what this does. It's got great benefits, it can reduce food waste, and everyone kept saying, "Oh, it's so super!" It's a word that is used both in Austria and in the US very frequently.
And then this superhero character developed, a female superhero fighting food waste and climate change, and Superfrau was born. It's sort of a long, convoluted story, but the food and beverage world is fairly masculine, so we thought this female superhero coming to fight food waste and climate change would be cool. Superfrau means "superwoman" in German, and she's here to fight food waste and climate change.
Kara Baskin can be reached at kara.baskin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @kcbaskin.


I chose this particular item because I wanted something that was different from the normal "run of the mill" eternity rings & with the cross over design of this ring it certainly stands out.
A ring to be enjoyed for a lifetime - would be perfect as an eternity, commitment or anniversary ring as the crossover could be considered to be a kiss. The green emerald is May's birthstone and is associated with wisdom, growth and patience. Five emeralds and four diamonds set within a 5mm crossover band.


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Q: Time division multiplexing I have a doubt regarding time division multipluxing.
In GSM we are using time division multiplexing.
In time division multiplxing, there is timeslots foreach signel. But while using GSM mobiles, we are getting a continues flow of data, but actually we are not transmitting it continuesly rite??
How do we get continues signal even if transmission is done using TDM.

A: The simple answer is that you're not receiving a continuous flow of data. What you are receiving is short bursts of data close enough together that they seem to form a continuous stream.
In case you care, the specific numbers for GSM are that it starts with 4.615 ms frames, each of which is divided into 8 timeslots of .577 ms. So, a particular mobile handset receives data for .577 ms, then waits for ~4 ms, then receives data for another .577 ms, and so on. There's a delay of 3 time slots between receiving and transmitting, so it receives data, then ~1.8 ms later, it gets to transmit for .577 ms.
The timing is close enough together that even if (for example) the signal gets weak and/or there's interference for a few ms, and a particular hand-set misses receiving data for one time slot won't necessarily be audible. When the signal is lost for about 20 ms, most people can start to perceive it as actual signal loss. Losses shorter than that will result in lower sound fidelity, but not necessarily as actual loss of signal.
It's also worth noting that most of the newer (3G, 4G, LTE) systems work entirely differently, being based on CDMA instead of TDMA.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Waterfront on the Fishing Canal! Fabulous Water & Mountain Vistas! Ideal Lot to build your Mountain Cabin on with Paid Sewer Tap worth $9,400. Buried Power Lines, Great Mountain Appeal Area, Near Lakes, Town & Nat Forest! Just Divine!


We took a chatroom, added video, audio, webcams and localized it to Oxon Hill and then, made it 100% Free. Chat Society is absolutely free and registration is not required. Click to enter Oxon Hill Chat or explore more cities in Maryland.
Meet people in our free chat rooms from all over Maryland including Oxon Hill and nearby cities as well, such as, Forest Heights, Glassmanor, Alexandria, Temple Hills, Hillcrest Heights, Marlow Heights, Silver Hill, Friendly, Belle Haven, Camp Springs, Huntington, Suitland, Clinton, Andrews AFB, Morningside, Groveton, Fort Hunt, Coral Hills, District Heights, Hybla Valley, Rose Hill, Washington DC, Forestville, Walker Mill, Capitol Heights, Fort Washington, Seat Pleasant, Hayfield, Arlington, Lincolnia, Mount Vernon, Peppermill Village, Baileys Crossroads, Franconia, Mellwood, Mount Rainier, Cheverly, Lake Barcroft, Accokeek, Woodlawn, Brentwood, Bladensburg, Rosaryville, Seven Corners, Westphalia, Fort Belvoir, Landover, Falls Church, Brandywine.
Enter Oxon Hill Chatrooms or explore more cities in Maryland.


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Watch: US football fans chant anti-Trump profanities live on TV
Dan Satherley
The fans are siding with Megan Rapinoe. Credits: Fox News
US football fans celebrating their FIFA Women's World Cup victory gatecrashed a Fox News broadcast with chants of "F**k Trump!"
Soon after the US won the final 2-0, the conservative broadcaster crossed live to reporter Greg Palkot at a sports bar in Lyon, France, not far from where the match was held.
USA defend crown after topping Netherlands in final
Palkot barely got started when members of the crowd behind him started chanting "F**k Trump!"
The reporter soldiered on, explaining how they were going to watch the game on a big-screen outside but came inside after the outdoor gathering was cancelled due to security concerns.
"It's been a great crazy time here watching history being made... listen to it all," Palkot explained, ignoring the content of the fans' chants.
He then turned to the crowd and had a chat with one fan about the actual match.
But the second fan he asked resumed the Trump-bashing.
"Did you have any doubt they were going to [win]?" Palkot asked.
"None, none whatsoever," the man wearing a red cap with an American flag on it replied. "Now we need to win in 2020 - Democrats! Get that racist out of the White House."
"They are very happy," Palkot said, talking to news anchor Arthel Neville back in the studio. "It's a bit political too, as you can see. But they are very happy about this team winning."
Trump, who has accused by multiple women of sexual assault and misconduct, has recently feuded with the co-captain US women's football team Megan Rapinoe.
Rapinoe last month said if the team won she would not visit the "f**king White House". Trump responded by saying she had to win first.
After the US did win Trump tweeted his congratulations, saying the country was "proud of you all".


The Engine 374 Pavilion is located on the corner of Davie Street and Pacific Boulevard next to the Roundhouse (Community Centre), a 10-minute walk from downtown Vancouver, B.C.
May 23, 1887 was a great day for Vancouver, when CPR Engine 374 pulled the first transcontinental passenger train into the city. Crowds cheered, the city band played, ships in the harbour blew their horns, and hundreds of flags decorated the young city. It was a great day not only for Vancouver, but for the whole nation. The event heralded the completion of one of the greatest engineering feats of the century, a twin line of steel linking the new nation of Canada from coast to coast, ten years in construction.
In 1945, after many years of service, including the second World War, Engine 374 was finally retired. The engine was first placed in Kitsilano Park for all to see, and play on, but it suffered greatly from salt air and the passage of the seasons. In 1983, many dedicated citizens came to the engine's rescue, and began the Herculean task of restoring the engine to its former glory. With additional funds raised through the Heritage Brick Program, the restoration was completed in time for EXPO 86, and there the refurbished engine was a prime attraction.
The unique Heritage Brick Program was a great success. $400,000 was raised for the refurbishing of the engine, by way of individuals who bought one brick or more for $19.86 each, and thereby had their names engraved on each of their bricks. Now all those "name" bricks are on display as part of the floor of the pavilion, much to the delight of all who contributed.
Now after more than 100 years, the engine has found its permanent home. The Engine 374 Pavilion, stands in the heart of the city for all to visit and admire as a valued part of our nation's history.


✖Born in New York, with an early move to Central New Jersey, Chris Doherty has always loved music. Discovering an ability to play instruments with minimal instruction & a natural ear for music, Chris began creating his own music by 16. By 21, two of his tracks were signed to another label & he knew that music had to be the direction for his life. Continuing to hone his skills & hoping to reach people that love to dance, Chris has signed with Itchycoo Records. Here he hopes to make his mark in the world of EDM..


April 1st, 7:00 p.m. at the Hinton Royal Canadian Legion. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m.
The format of the forum will start with opening remarks from each candidate. Next, questions will be taken from the floor.
Each candidate will have 1 minute to speak to a given question.
We expect that there could be more questions than time allotted, so in the interest of fairness, we will be using a draw system to identify the order in which members of the public will ask their questions. The forum will conclude with each candidate receiving 90 seconds to make a closing statement.
This is a great chance to hear first hand from the candidates and have them respond to issues and concerns from the community and region.


The leaderboard top 5 was totally shaken up Saturday after the last coastal race that took the fleet on a 20 mile long course in the Bay of Angels in Nice.
The wind did not exceed 6 knots all day and got even lighter at the finish. Spindrift who won Act 9 coastal race and took advantage of his rivals average performance to top the leaderboard tied in points with Groupama and only three points from third place CombiWest.
The wind was not as consistent as forecast. The seabreeze conflicted with a thunderstorm inland that left the fleet with very light wind on the second part of the course, with lots of lulls. It was a long and nerve wrecking race for the 28 teams, and those who didn't take a good start would struggle to come back in the game. That was the case of Groupama and CombiWest.


The most popular and long-selling brand in Asia, the Mono now comes in a holder form. It features a front rotary system that draws out the eraser smoothly. It also has a shock absorbing cushion that absorbs the impact and prevents cracking.


The Focus, Focus, Write team brings us our second card overview for Legends of The Five Rings. Enjoy the article on their thoughts on this new card.
Action : During the conflict phase - reveal the top card of your conflict deck. Until the end of the phase, you may play that card as if it were in your hand.
Striving to produce the finest samurai artisans of the Empire, the Crane maintain the most of any Clan -- save perhaps for the enormous utilitarian force of the Crab -- in an unrelenting search for perfection and beauty. How better to attain one, and produce the other, than a life dedicated to the mastery of one's art? Many of Rokugan's most noted works have originated in the scholarly retreats of the Asahina family, from epic tales that drive future generations toward greatness; to storied blades that are granted only to Crane of high position and their most valued allies; to sculptures so exquisite, the subjects' beauty seems to magnify in their own reflected glory.
When seeking that "Perfect Gift," is it any wonder that the courtiers of the Crane will nearly always start among the offerings of their artisan cousins?
Well. I must say I'm no longer remotely disappointed with "A Perfect Gift." With this in my province I can either play it off the top of my deck, giving a card to myself as well as to my opponent, as is "good enough" (to coin a phrase) in my mind; or play it from hand to shuffle away the useless card I just revealed; or, or, or.... but enough about last article's card. This article's card is pretty great all by itself.
There's a whole other fundamental game play element to consider here, too. Since it's usually not going to be possible to buy out four provinces worth of characters and have any fate left for the Conflict Phase, there's very little downside to keeping a holding or two around. And since I know what province is face-down under my holding, I know just how badly things will go for you if you try to force me to discard it, which factors into how long I'll be willing to keep it there, and on and on into the circular-logic land that is bluffing in L5R. Obviously this applies to any holding, but this is the first Crane one we're going to see (the only Crane one there is in the core set, based on collector number math) so here's where I start rolling it around in my brain. I need to print out some proxies and play with physical cards, the theorycrafting is wrecking me.
In my opinion, this card shows that the term "hand size" is a flexible one where the Crane Clan is concerned. This card inflates hand by one and that basically is both a free honor by being able to underbid by one, and an incentive to use that card immediately to gain maximum advantage. One key feature is reveal the top card -- not look at. All Old5R players who played against Shiro Kitsuki (Dragon) know that the threat of a card often gets players to make poor decisions out of fear.
This card is an accelerant to any Crane deck that plays with many low cost cards. That type of low price/ low bid deck would be very well suited to the Honor victory and this pairs very well with A Perfect Gift for this purpose. If I know I have lots of lower cost events, I can use this to power cycle to get playable cards while overloading my opponent with cards that he would only be able to afford after the game is over, or by having to forego personalities he needs on my final push for victory.
I feel this card is a very Crane one in flavour -- as in, "you would never wish to oppose us as this will happen to you" -- and very mechanically sound with deck/hand manipulation without the fate bid. I'd rate it as a solid 9 out of 10 based on other cards seen so far as it both conserves my fate by giving me fewer dynasty purchase options, and gives me a free card.
A fan site for the Unicorn Clan of the Legend of the Five Rings LCG and CCG.


The term 'Aim Pest Control Ltd' or 'us' or 'we' refers to the owner of the website whose registered office is 2 Mildenhall Road, Barton Mills, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6BD. Our company registration number is 09343388, registered in England and Wales. The term 'you' refers to the user or viewer of our website.


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1513 – Battle Of Flodden
Flodden was a disastrous and unnecessary confrontation for Scotland. James IV of Scotland was married to the sister of England's King Henry VIII and a treaty of friendship existed between their countries.
The auld alliance between Scotland and France had been recently renewed. There had been English attacks made upon Scottish ships at the time when Henry VIII, on behalf of the papacy, invaded France. James IV declared war immediately, with nothing to gain and ties to both England and France that their war neutralised. With the whole nation behind him, James amassed twenty thousand men with ease, both Highlanders and Lowlanders. His fleet set sail and his army crossed the border into Northumberland with the intention of drawing upon England's numbers in France.
Norham Castle was among the places captured before confronting the English defenders, led by the Earl of Surrey and his son, west of the River Till, near Branxton, on 9 September.
The Scots took the advantageous high ground. With slightly fewer numbers but superior equipment and artillery, the English moved around the Scots on their west and opened with cannon fire. They struck their target with great success, which the Scots could not match.
James dropped strategic tactics and ordered all to attack. Initially gaining the upper hand, the Scots were again thwarted by England's superior equipment, the long halberd with its axe, hook and spike bloodier than the spear in hand-to-hand conflict.
English losses were heavy but the dead Scots numbered between five and ten thousand. It is said that 'the slaughter struck every farm and household throughout lowland Scotland'.
There was an unusually high number of aristocracy who came down into combat that day and among the slain were dozens of lords and lairds, at least ten Earls, some abbots, an archbishop and the body of the King himself.


TSConf is only one day, but it will be full of interesting presentations, plenty of good food, and a chance to rub shoulders (maybe even literally!) with other members of the community.
Register, get your swag bag, and enjoy a continental breakfast.


Ben Fry is principal of Fathom, a design and software consultancy located in Boston. He received his doctoral degree from the Aesthetics + Computation Group at the MIT Media Laboratory, where his research focused on combining fields such as computer science, statistics, graphic design and data visualization as a means for understanding information. After completing his thesis, he spent time developing tools for visualisation of genetic data as a postdoc with Eric Lander at the Eli and Edythe L Broad Insitute of MIT and Harvard. During the 2006-2007 school year, Fry was the Nierenberg Chair of Design for the Carnegie Mellon School of Design. At the end of 2007, he finished writing Visualizing Data for O'Reilly.
Fry's personal work has shown at the Whitney Biennial in 2002 and the Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial in 2003. Other pieces have appeared in the Museum of Modern Art in New York (2001, 2008), at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria (2000, 2002, 2005) and in the films Minority Report and The Hulk. His information graphics have also illustrated articles for the journal Nature, New York Magazine, The New York Times, Seed and Communications of the ACM.


This month I'm sharing a review for a newly-released "non-fiction novel" to use the term coined by the book's subject, Truman Capote. Melanie Benjamin's THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE is a knock-down drag-out story of true love and utter betrayal that's all the more poignant for being based in reality. These people existed. And I felt a bit grotesque peeking into the murk of their shady relationships.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator's Wife comes an enthralling new novel about Truman Capote's scandalous, headline-making, and heart-wrenching friendship with Babe Paley and New York's society "swans" of the 1950s.
Centered on two dynamic, complicated, and compelling protagonists—Truman Capote and Babe Paley—this book is steeped in the glamour and perfumed and smoky atmosphere of New York's high society. Babe Paley—known for her high-profile marriage to CBS founder William Paley and her ranking in the International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame—was one of the reigning monarchs of New York's high society in the 1950s. Replete with gossip, scandal, betrayal, and a vibrant cast of real-life supporting characters, readers will be seduced by this startling new look at the infamous society swans.
I'll be truthful, I don't usually read biographical fiction. It's not my thing, but I have long heard the name "Truman Capote" whispered about and while I don't believe I have read any of his work, I recognized his stature in American literature. So, I was hooked into the read for that. I love historical fiction, and the blurb indicated this book to be rife with the sort of dark plot turns only Diana Gabaldon could have wrought.
What we know: Capote was an out homosexual in a time when such a person was normally killed or jailed. He charmed everyone, men and women alike. His wild, flamboyant ways captivated the cultured ladies of the Manhattan's elite. His waifish looks and witty repartee got him meals and lodgings and vacations and fame. They may have even gotten him love from one of the most beautiful women of the era, Babe Paley. The book relates a special, intimate, though platonic, relationship between Capote and Babe that was well-known at the time and amongst their peers.
I was young when Capote died–of drink and drug excess, it seems, and the pages of the novel fairly sang with love between these mismatched, hopelessly lonely people. Babe's husband, the powerful and wealthy Bill S. Paley–CBS magnate, was a known philanderer, and this took a toll on her emotionally. The exquisite Babe could never be seen out of make-up, not even by her husband, and she doted on him completely, as she was well-trained to do by her mother, to the exclusion of really raising her own children.
The story meanders in time between first-meetings with the "swans": society dames Babe Paley, Slim Keith, Pam Churchill, Marella Agnelli, C.Z. Guest, and Gloria Guinness, and the infamous article Capote penned in 1975 for Vanity Fair, which was a gauche caricature of the beautiful society people that Capote had insinuated himself within. It marked a permanent break in his life, one that many attribute to his ultimate downward spiral into addiction and death. The article, La Cote Basque 1965 was a tell-all of sorts that throttled the society mavens. Ann Woodward, mentioned under a pseudonym, actually killed herself following reading of the article–which recounted the spectacle of her husband's "accidental" death by her own gunshot.
Truman Capote is definitely portrayed as a bounder in this book. He was a social climber with the aim of being the best, and surrounded by the best. And yet, he is made sympathetic. He long struggled to find love–first from his neglectful mother, and then everyone, including Babe. Their relationship may have indeed been a love story for them, but Truman's needs were too great. He had a long-time companion, Jack Dunphy, who urged him not to publish his scathing article, but Truman didn't heed that advice. Or maybe he could not afford to. It was known for some time that he'd been losing control of his addictions, and was years overdue on a novel that he'd been advanced money against. "La Cote" was meant to be one of seven chapters in that book, and only three were ever recovered and printed as "Answered Prayers".
Swans is a beautifully-woven multiple POV story that is without question a melancholy read, with a train wreck-type plot that is only more harrowing for its veracity. Capote's real-life self-destruction was rather spectacular, and fairly well-documented. I left the book feeling sad for such waste, and such sadness. The rarefied world of the New York's social elite is certainly not the stuff that ever filled my dreams, but it was a bit shattering to have all it's unsavory bits on display. On the flipside, it was a meticulous introspection into the ills of high society in general–what power brokers in this world do we not see living to excess, in different aspects of their lives? What morality exists for those who place themselves above others by means of wealth? These were issues that seemed to trouble Capote, and his "justice" was that of the pen. It was a brutal weapon.
Interested? You can find THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Expect to find it in bookstores and libraries now. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
And, now! Take a hop over to the websites of my fellow Coffeehouse pals to see what their fave books were for January. As always, thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!
This sounds great! I love biographical fiction, and I love Capote's writing. Breakfast at Tiffany's was brilliant, and In Cold Blood–a very different nonfiction piece, was chilling. This sounds like a riveting read. I will definitely check it out to see how the writer has constructed a fictional take on it all.
Well, I hope you enjoy. As I am a starry-eyed romantic, the inevitable sadness of the whole scenario was a little dampening to my enjoyment. On its own, though, the book is lyrical and interesting. Glad I could recommend it!
I probably won't read this, but I do have some of Capote's work on my to-read list.
I thought it was interesting–for fans of Capote it's a peek into his life, I think.
Sounds like fun – dare I say Capote-esque? I don't know his work apart from Breakfast at Tiffany's, the film rather than the book. It would be interesting to know more about how that story relates to his own life experience.
I have enjoyed the movie Breakfast At Tiffany's many times, but never read the novella. And, yes, this novel I believe was designed to be in the style of Capote. As I've not read any of his work, I'll take it on faith. There are definitely true-life renderings of instances that did happen in the book. Bill Paley noted his last conversation with Capote, and that's in here, imagined from Capote's point of view. And the meetings of the swans at La Cote Basque, both the subject of the infamous story, and the meeting directly following the story was published, were documented. Capote's reaction to Ann Woodward's suicide was a part of the interviews he gave in the wake of the scandal. There's a lot of research into the lives of many of these people that's present on the page. If this were a movie, people would consider it semi-biographical, I'd say.
I don't read much historical fiction, nor do I read much biography. I definitely know that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction though, and well worth reading about!


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Biker killed after rear-ending a vehicle at high speed on I-110
by: WKRG Staff
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — An early morning fatal crash occurred on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in Escambia County. The crash happened on Interstate 110 at 1:05 a.m. A 28-year-old man drove his motorcycle into the rear of a pickup truck at high speed. The rider was thrown from the bike and pronounced dead on the scene by Escambia EMS.
The driver of the pickup truck came to a controlled stop on the shoulder of I-110.
There is no further information at this time. We will update you as more information is provided.
LATEST BIKER DAD STORIES:
BIKER DAD: Motorcyclist booked on felony homicide in deadly San Francisco Bay Bridge crash
World's highest motorcycle museum, hundreds of rare bikes go up in flames
BIKER DAD REPORT: Motorcycle mayhem caught on camera coast-to-coast
"Wheels up" annual Miami motorcycle mayhem subdued to police crackdown
More Biker Dad Stories
by Biker Dad, Chris Best / Jan 21, 2021
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG/BIKER DAD) -- Bikers are banding together to help a Mobile mom battling stage 4 cervical cancer. Kristin Pierce is a mother of two young children. Mobile's Main Event Club put together a benefit dice run for Sunday January 28th to help the family.
Registration begins Sunday morning at 9:00 at the Main Event on Highway 90 in Theodore. There will also be a shrimp boil to help raise money. Folks in other vehicles are welcome to join too, not just bikers. And you don't even have to do the dice run. Just eating a pile of tasty shrimp will help the family too.
by Fareeha Rehman / Jan 20, 2021
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- California Highway Patrol in San Francisco revealed further details on the Bay Bridge crash that killed a motorcyclist.
A 20-year-old motorcyclist died after he was ejected from the off-road motorcycle Sunday around 5:30 p.m. and then struck by a pick-up truck on the eastbound side of the Bay Bridge, east of Treasure Island.
by Biker Dad, Chris Best, The Associated Press / Jan 20, 2021
BERLIN (AP/WKRG/BIKER DAD) — Fire investigators picked their way through the charred remains of a motorbike museum in the Austrian Alps on Tuesday, searching for clues to the cause of the blaze that destroyed more than 200 exhibition pieces, many of them collectors' items.
The fire early Monday at the Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum in Obergurgl gutted the modern building that has become a magnet for bikers crossing the Alps since it was opened in 2016.
Biker Dad Facebook


Who are we as a diocese? What are our dreams?
The bishop nominating committee is seeking input from all members of the diocese as we plan to call our next bishop. In addition to the listening sessions scheduled throughout the diocese, we plan to use an online survey to collect additional information for the diocesan profile from all members of the diocese. The Landscape survey will give us a range of critical information.
The survey will open on December 3 and close on January 6. We hope this will be sufficient time during a very busy season to provide everyone an opportunity to respond.
We need your help in this process! Watch for an online invitation with a link to the survey.
Each adult (16+) member of the diocese will be asked to complete the survey, even if there is only one email address for all members of the family. Individual responses to the survey are key to our success. For those without Internet access, paper copies of the survey will be available from your parish office and should be returned there once completed, but no later than December 31.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the nominating committee at epost@edsd.org.
Thank you in advance for your support. Together, we can create a diocesan Profile that truly reflects who we are, what our dreams are, and what we need for our bishop.


Who Pays What, Who Sues Whom?
Generally speaking, the insurance company of the driver found to be at fault for the accident pays the claim filed by any passenger(s) injured in the wreck. The passengers file a claim against the at-fault driver's insurance policy. A driver may be held partially or completely responsible for the crash, while a passenger generally cannot be at fault. Passengers can sue one or both drivers to recover full compensation for their injuries, or as much as the insurance policies allow.
If you were injured in a car accident, call Warshafsky for a free case assessment. An experienced lawyer and accident investigator can uncover hidden sources of liability to make sure insurance companies pay the full value of your case. You pay nothing until you win AND receive compensation.
If you were injured in a car accident as a passenger or driver, call Warshafsky for a free case assessment. An experienced lawyer and accident investigator can uncover hidden sources of liability to make sure insurance companies pay the full value of your case. You will pay nothing until you win AND receive compensation.
Although one driver is usually found to be at fault, there are situations where a second driver can also be found at fault—or at least partially at fault—and a claim can be filed against this driver's policy, too. You cannot, however, file a claim against both drivers' policies for the full amount of your expenses. The claim you make against the second driver's policy can only be in the amount needed to cover what the first driver's policy didn't.
When Warshafsky Law takes on a case, we view the police report as a starting point—not the final judgment. We also look beyond the obvious sources of compensation for your injuries, often finding other parties who can be also be found responsible, and held accountable, for your injuries.
As part of our commitment to our clients, Warshafsky Law is the only personal injury law firm in Milwaukee with a nationally certified Legal Investigator on staff. Experienced in evidence collection and preservation, as well as evidentiary reporting, our investigator leaves no stone unturned in pursuit of the truth. Armed with his findings, our personal injury attorneys build cases that win big for our clients—both at court and in settlement negotiations.
Do injured passengers need an attorney to file an injury claim?
If the injuries you sustained are minor, it's possible to handle the claim without the involvement of an attorney. Serious injury accidents are another matter altogether. You absolutely need an attorney, particularly one with experience in personal injury cases.
How much can money can a passenger in a car accident expect to get?
In Wisconsin, you can file a claim to recover the medical expenses you have incurred as a result of the accident, as well as income you weren't able to earn because of the accident. These are known as "economic damages." They are documentable expenses you've had. You cannot sue for more than what your actual expenses are.
You can also sue for pain and suffering, which are considered "non-economic damages." These can include mental anguish or distress, trepidation, reduction in the quality of life, and loss of consortium with a spouse. Wisconsin has laws capping awards for such damages, however. If the at-fault driver's insurance doesn't have enough coverage to pay for these additional damages, it's much more difficult to collect anything from them.
What if more than one passenger is injured?
In situations where more than one passenger in a car has suffered injuries, they would all file claims with the insurance policy of the negligent driver. As you can imagine, the total costs of their injuries can easily exceed what the negligent driver's policy can pay. This often results in the injured passengers having to determine how much each should be reimbursed-- a bad situation which is often only resolved through the passengers filing suit.
Can an injured passenger sue a not-at-fault driver?
This question often comes up when a driver who was not at fault is sued by a passenger on the advice of an attorney. Usually, it is recommended by an attorney only as a way of exploring whether there is some additional coverage on the not-at-fault driver's policy which may be available to cover the passenger's injuries.
There are situations, though, where a passenger may try to sue a not-at-fault driver out of belief the driver was at least partially responsible for the accident. The injured passenger would have to prove to a court that the driver had some role in causing the accident. The police report, even though it may have identified another driver as the one at fault, can be called into question in court.
Could an injured passenger's claim be denied?
There are circumstances when passengers' claims may be denied. For instance, if you know your friend has been drinking but you get into the car and let them drive anyway, the insurance company may say you took on the risk of injury. Whatever your situation, you need experienced car accident attorneys on your side to make sure you get the maximum possible compensation.
Warshafsky Law offers a free initial consultation with an experienced Milwaukee personal injury attorney. There is no obligation on your part to retain us. If you do, though, you pay nothing until your case has been resolved and you have been compensated.
Contact Warshafsky Law to schedule a free initial legal consultation if you've been injured as a passenger in a car accident.


Control the flood of email. It's hard to remember doing business before email. I wouldn't like to depend on snail mail today, still email can decrease productivity. Combined with a good spam filter, we took control of our email by setting hours of the day to check email. First, turn off all notices that urge you to check incoming messages. Next set aside three or four times a day to spend a specific amount of time reading, responding and sending emails. First thing in the morning, at lunch, just before quitting and possibly a few minutes at home to answer personal email. Yes, you have already thought of times when this won't work for you. Me too, but holding to the general concept will get you through the pile of messages with more time to spare for Oh, sipping a cup of tea maybe.
When we are on a tight deadline, we turn off the telephone ringers, and apply the same idea to phone calls as we do to email.
Draw up list of priorities. Schedule your time based on what is important for you in a particular day, week or month. When we first started our graphic design business, we would work our tails off making calls, networking and marketing to find new clients. Then an avalance of work hit and we had no time to find more new work. So, a no-work cycle followed, with no money going into the coffers. These up and down cycles can be broken when you set aside time every day, week or month finding prospects and meeting with them. As web designers we climb a constant up-hill learning curve. Figuring out how to find new clients, get the work done wasn't leaving us much time to keep up on the latest softwares, techniques and technologies. To plan time for that, we determined that late spring and early summer were our slowest time of the year. We made continuing education a top priority then.
Just Say No. Decide what contributes to your bottom line, then do only those things that do. You don't need to forgo every non-revenue activities. Just looking at your activities in that way will you make smarter choices for your time. Next time someone asks you to volunteer for an important committee when you are feeling pressured and up-tight, you may want to decline rather than resenting the time it will take up.
Hire someone to wash windows. In other words, do what you went into business to do. Outsource everything else. Many small business owners try to do it all – CEO, bookkeeper, IT manager, marketing maven and window washer. Then they wonder why they have no time to take care of business. If you refer back to #4 above, you may see some of these activities don't add to your bottom line. While you are doing what you do best at $80 an hour, it makes sense to hire a window washer for $40 an hour, and keep the change. Around here, we outsource everything that costs less than our charges.
Instead of bogging down in routine administrative work, look into a virtual assistant to handle some tasks. A local or bookkeeper can get your books back in order, and renting cutting-edge technology will complete a project while your competitor is taking classes or still interviewing potential new employees.
These are exactly the graphic design projects we excell in. A custom designed web presence could save you time and money. See if we can help you.
A Virtual Personal Assistant is a very in demand business today. It helps a lot in online business services and it's cheaper.


New Delhi [India], May 9 : Many of us have been lucky to have experienced a mothers never ending love; seldom realizing what it really means for the children who do not have one. Sadly, there are 20 million children in India living in orphanages, deprived of this blessing. For whom, mother's love, the warmth of her hug, the touch of her hands are just expressions.
To touch the lives of such many little wonderful souls, Mother's Recipe instituated its Mother's Day initiative in 2015. The unique initiative #TasteOfMothersLove urges mothers from various cities to spread love and happiness with the children living in orphanages by spending a fun-filled day with them on the joyous occasion of Mother's Day.
For its third edition, the brand has associated with four orphanages namely Anand Kendra & Vatsalya Foundation and Bal Sahyog & SOS Children's Village India in Mumbai and Delhi respectively. Various fun activities like music & DJ session, card making workshop, cake cutting ceremony among others are being planned to give everlasting memories to both mothers and kids. Mother's will also be seen cooking some gastronomical delights from Mother's Recipe's RTE and RTC range for the lovely children.
Talking about the initiative, Sanjana Desai, Head Business Development, Desai Brothers Ltd said, "Mother's Recipe is a brand which has become synonymous with the magic of a mother's touch through its vast range of food products. Having spread the magical and authentic taste of different recipes from mothers across India for over 15 years, we felt the need to touch lives of those who have never experienced a mother's love. Our Mother's Day initiative finds resonance and synergies with the brand ethos which aims to give a taste of mother's love, this time to the children who need it the most."
Sanjana further added, "The ambitious campaign started three years ago, which at present has spread mother's love with 900 mothers to 950 children in 18 orphanages across five cities - Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata. This year, we are anticipating a greater response from mothers in Mumbai and Delhi along with relentless support on all the other platforms. For us it will always be about the number of lives we touch rather than the number of likes we receive."


There are few things in life that are as sweet as the love between and a child and his pet. For instance, take the incredible story of 10-year-old Connor Jayne and his wonderful emotional support dog, Copper the Doberman, who are showing the world what true loves looks like.
Originally, the Jayne family adopted Copper as a puppy and family pet, but he soon became vital to Connor's needs.
Connor has a medical condition that causes seizure-like reactions to high stress. He also suffers from PTSD and anxiety issues, which Copper picked up right away when the two first met.
"He was able to calm my son's anxiety by pressing his body against his during an attack and calm him better than the meds could," Jennifer Jayne, Connor's mom, tells Babble.
Then one night, Copper sensed something different, and started barking incessantly near Connor's bedroom door to alert the family.
Jennifer says that when she responded to the barking by checking on Connor, she saw that Connor could possibly be having a seizure, which was later confirmed.
Obviously Copper meant everything to the Jayne family — so later in 2017, when they noticed that Copper had a bit of a limp, they were concerned and took him to the vet. At the time, the vet told them it was a soft tissue tear and that Copper just needed some R&R.
Unfortunately, the limp got worse and the family learned that Copper, a Doberman breed, which is prone to certain health problems, was diagnosed with Wobbler's disease — an incurable neurological condition that affects the spine.
That's when Connor got to work.
Connor took his mom at her word and put all of his toys up for sale — even his gaming system — all in an effort to help save his sweet friend. Jennifer says that Connor is a very giving kiddo, and for the last two years has asked his birthday guests to donate to organizations instead of buying him gifts.
All of Connor's efforts have paid off — literally. The family tells Babble that they have raised enough money to cover Copper's testing, treatments, and surgery.
So, how is Copper feeling?
What a sweet kid and wonderful dog. Here's hoping that Copper gets well soon!


ONYX Graphics has added support for both the Mimaki®JFX200-2513 and Mimaki JV300 series printers. The drivers, and twelve other Mimaki drivers, are now available for all ONYX Graphics version 11.1.2 rip and workflow software products.
The JFX200-2513 flatbed printer is the smaller footprint model with the capability to print onto thick substrates; it facilitates thespeedy production of a diverse range of high quality prints for both indoor and outdoor use and is ideally suited for use in applications such as point of sale, double-sided displays, signs, interior décor, glass and metal panels and more. Its 2.5m x 1.3m landscape-oriented format is small enough to fit into most sign and graphic print shops while white inksand clear varnishoptions are available as standard. Furthermore, the UV-LED lamps offer reduced energy consumption and a longer lamp lifetime.
The JV300 Series printers include newly developed printheads in a staggered configuration and inkjet technology with precise dot control that delivers higher productivity without sacrificing quality. The JV300 Series printers include eight ink channels and a variety of colours, such as orange and light black, to provide the flexibility to produce nearly any application. It uses fast-drying, eco-solvent inks that can print on hundreds of media choices for signage and graphic applications. Optionally dye-sublimation inks can be used for printing textiles, apparel and soft signage.
ONYX Graphics recommends ONYX ThriveT print workflow software for the Mimaki JFX200 and JV300 series printers, which is a scalable solution based on Adobe PDF Print Engine technology nd enables users to achieve brighter, more vibrant images; reduce manual intervention and eliminate repetitive tasks. ONYX Thrive software includes network licensing and a production manager that enable users to customisetheir print workflow and easily grow with business demands.
When using the Mimaki JV300 series printer with dye-sublimation ink for textile applications, the ONYX Textile Edition module for Thrive is recommended. Features such as Step & Repeat, Colorways and Ink Configuration Builder make this the ideal solution for all types of textile printing, including wall art and décor. ONYX Textile Edition software includes ONYX Color – Onyx Graphics' proprietary colour engine. ONYX Color delivers an expanded color gamut that gives users the ability to match corporate colors, achieve deeper darks and print a wider range of colors.
The Mimaki JFX200-2513 and JV300 printer drivers are available to registered licensed users of ONYX ThriveT version 11.1.2 print workflow software; and registered licensed users of ONYX ProductionHouse, ONYX PosterShop and ONYX RIPCenter version 11.1.2 RIP software.
NextBag a CJV150-75 at a bargain price!


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All-Ukrainian Olympiad in Physics for Applicants to the Faculty of Physics
According to the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine dated December 21, 2016 No. 1587 "On Approval of the Regulations on All-Ukrainian Olympiads of Higher Educational Institutions for professional orientation of applicants on the basis of comprehensive secondary education", the winners of the Olympiad will receive additional points for the Zno certificates when entering the specialty 104 "Physics and Astronomy", 105 «Applied physics and nanomaterials», 014 «Secondary education (Physics)» at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
Stage III of the All-Ukrainian Olympiad in Physics
2019-2020 academic year
Stage III of the All-Ukrainian Olympiad in Astronomy
Educational project «Physics around us»
Physics around us 2019
Competitions and Excursions
Excursion of pupils of Small Academy of Sciences to Physical Faculty and Astronomical Observatory
The second round of the Regional Competition «Secrets of Familiar Subjects» on physics within the framework of the KavysЯ Project
The aquaintance of pupils of the 9-10th forms of the autumn school of the All-Ukrainian Physical Competition «Levenya» with the Faculty of Physics of Lviv National University
External independent estimation from physics (2022)
27.11.2016 At the Faculty of Physics of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv together with the Lviv regional institute of postgraduate pedagogical education and the educational and methodical center of education in Lviv, a Round Table with teachers of physics and astronomy on the subject "School reform: what will change?" was held.
The participants of the Round Table have received certificates of the appropriate sample.
According to the results of the Round Table, an appeal was addressed to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
Greetings from the Rector on the occasion of the Day of the Assembly of Ukraine
Faculty of Physics in Photos
25.12.2022 Other Photos
Program of Christmas Discussions 2022/23 dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Department of Theoretical Physics
20.12.2022 View the Program
© 2023 Faculty of Physics. All rights reserved.


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mkwan@resourcelawasia.com
Michael specialises in corporate finance, and corporate and commercial transactions in Singapore and the wider region, including listings, equity and debt issues, reverse takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and private equity and venture capital investments.
His practice includes advising companies listed on the Singapore Exchange on their corporate undertakings, including dual listings, acquisitions and disposals of shares and assets, share schemes, interested person transactions, corporate restructuring exercises, and other regulatory compliance measures. He also regularly advises private equity firms, venture capital firms and technology start-ups.
Before commencing his legal practice, Michael managed a motorcycle trading company in Singapore which he founded in 2005. With a background in business, Michael is able to comprehend the commercial needs of his clients and was commended in IFLR1000 for his ability to dispense "practical advice which takes into consideration both compliance and commercial factors for the client".
Michael is also an active volunteer with the Community Legal Clinics, providing pro bono legal advice on contractual disputes, and employment and family matters.
Professional Admissions / Qualifications
Honor and Awards
Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Capital Markets 2021 – Recommended Lawyer
"Michael Kwan is a capable, client-driven and solution-focused professional. He is patient and able to explain difficult legal concepts in a simple way to the client."
Capital Markets 2022
"Michael Kwan is always contactable and responds quickly to all issues. He also pro-actively reaches out to the clients and other professional parties to ensure the solutions he proposed are able to satisfy all stakeholders."
"Michael Kwan has provided constructive comments to resolve issues through the project and proactive in following up with the clients to facilitate the entire due diligence process."
Corporate Restructuring 2022
"Both lawyers [including] Mr Michael Kwan, were extremely competent – capable professionals well versed in the field. Apart from their impressive technical expertise, they spared no effort in examining our case from multiple perspectives, offering us multiple solutions for every problem. They carried out their duties not only with excellence but utmost consideration for us and our needs. Furthermore, the two lawyers were extremely responsible and meticulous, taking complete ownership over their jobs – and were prompt and responsive no matter the occasion. They showed great eye for detail and went well beyond their duty, coming up with many solutions that were both practical and amicable for us. All in all, they added great value to the team and it has been a pleasure to work with them."
"He listens to the company's issues and will suggest alternatives to mediate these issues. He is responsive to my queries."
"He is a very talented lawyer who gave insightful advice to our clients, and he is a good team player among the IPO professional parties. He provided very detailed guidance and solutions for our clients. Really excellent work from him and his team, who were able to work under tremendous pressure."
"Michael is highly responsive to any queries raised and is always contactable, which is an important attribute. In addition, he dispenses practical advice which takes into consideration both compliance and commercial factors for the client."
Asialaw Profiles
Corporate and M&A 2021
"We have been working closely with Michael Kwan in seeking Singapore legal advice. His research has always been solid and comprehensive and at the same time client-focused. He is always able to provide practical solutions for us to take forward the IPO exercise. Most importantly, he is always reachable even late at midnight."
The Law Society of Singapore
Singapore Academy of Law
Member of the Tampines Central Citizens' Consultative Committee
Acted as Singapore counsel for Haidilao International Holding Ltd. in its US$964 million initial public offering and listing on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. This was nominated by Asian Legal Business as the Equity Market Deal of the Year (Premium) at the SE Asia Law Awards 2019
Acted for The Trendlines Group Ltd. in its S$25 million initial public offering and listing on the Singapore Exchange. This was the first Israeli incubator listed on the Singapore Exchange
Acted for LHN Limited in its S$17 million initial public offering and listing on the Singapore Exchange
Acted for Don Agro International Limited in its S$5.1 million initial public offering and listing on the Singapore Exchange. This was the first Russian business and issuer which has a sanctioned national principal nexus listed on the Singapore Exchange
Acted as Singapore counsel for IAG Holdings Limited in its HK$65 million initial public offering and listing on GEM of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong
Acted as Singapore counsel and listing agent for Cheng Mei Materials Technology Corporation in its US$64.9 million listing of global depository shares on the Singapore Exchange
Acted for Tuan Sing Holdings Limited in relation to an update of its S$900 million multicurrency medium term note programme and the issue and listing of S$65 million Series 003 Notes under the programme on the Singapore Exchange
Acted for Superluck Properties Pte Ltd in the establishment of its secured S$500 million multicurrency medium term note programme guaranteed by Tuan Sing Holdings Limited and the issue and listing of S$200 million Series 001 Notes under the programme on the Singapore Exchange
Mergers and Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures
Acted for Global Fortune 500 Tsingshan Group in its joint venture with Euronext Paris-listed mining and metallurgy Eramet Group for US$400 million lithium project in Argentina
Acted for ComfortDelgro in its acquisition of a 51 per cent stake in Uber's car rental subsidiary in Singapore for S$295 million
Acted as Singapore counsel for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc, in the sale of the performance materials division of its materials technologies segment to Evonik Industries AG for US$3.8 billion
Acted as Singapore counsel for Full Fortune International Co., Ltd in the acquisition of 51.42 per cent interest in Kakiko Group Limited, a company listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, for HK$257.1 million
Acted for Jumper.ai, a leader in omnichannel conversational commerce solutions based in Singapore, in the acquisition of Jumper.ai by Vonage, a global cloud communications leader listed on Nasdaq
Acted for SGX-listed Acromec Limited on the formalisation of a joint venture with Nutara Investment Pte. Ltd. on its green energy venture to develop biomass-to-value projects
Acted for the major shareholder of Rock Nano Global, an award-winning company that creates unique experiences in esports and gaming, in the acquisition of Rock Nano Global by a technology innovation company
Acted for a Singapore-based tech company which promotes mixed reality experience in esports for its joint ventures with other industry stakeholders, including an international sports federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee
Investments and Venture Capital
Acted for the Summit Group in the investment of US$175.5 million by IFC, IFC Emerging Asia Fund and EMA Power (a joint venture between Daelim Energy and Islamic Development Bank Infrastructure Fund II) in the Summit Group
Acted for Fund Singapore in the Series C round of equity funding in Society Pass Incorporated
Acted for Trendlines Medical Singapore, a MedTech start-up incubator, in relation to its investments in various medical start-ups based in Israel and Singapore
Financial Services Regulatory
Acted for the Singapore branch of one of Taiwan's largest banks in drafting its banking and product documentation and advised on various legal and regulatory issues
Acted for TT International Limited, a company listed on the Singapore Exchange, in the second round of restructuring of its S$500 million debt obligations


Managing the risks associated with a project of any scale is a necessity in achieving compliance with regulatory requirements, across all industries. Every project will have a number of inherent risks associated with it, and it is the responsibility of project owners to identify these risks and ensure that they are reduced to tolerable levels. Failure to do so could result in lost time, injuries, fatalities, environmental impacts and commercial implications for any extended delay or shut down as a result.
One of the key methodologies for identifying hazards and the risks they pose are Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOPs). A HAZOP involves the systematic identification of hazards and operability issues within an engineering design that arise from deviations from the design intent. Due to the their systematic nature, HAZOPs are an effective tool for uncovering issues or design faults that may have otherwise gone unnoticed, which can be costly and time consuming to rectify in later project phases.
Alberfield has the knowledge and expertise to facilitate, report upon and provide recommendations with regards to the risks associated with your projects through HAZOP Studies.


Is your child prepared to succeed in our ever-changing world? FasTracKids® teaches preschool and early elementary school-aged children 3 – 8 years old to use creativity, communication, confidence, critical thinking and collaboration skills through fun, interactive activities. Using the FasTrack Learning Station®, children explore 12 subjects ranging from traditional topics such as biology, astronomy, and art as well as subjects not usually covered in early learning like economics, technology, and goals & life lessons. A 96 week program held once a week for two hours gives your child the necessary skills to succeed in school and in life. A modular curriculum allows for enrollment of a student at any time.
Children learn by seeing, hearing, touching and doing. Children control the pace of the class by responding to the classroom teacher and content presented from the FasTrack Learning Station. FasTracKids is taught on the Learning Station, which integrates CD-ROM lessons with an interactive whiteboard. Videotaping of presentations and what children have learned from a lesson provides feedback to parents and documented progress. FasTracKids lessons utilize a unique methodology called Educational Zigzagging℠. Activities change frequently in order to maintain the interest of the children and helping them to develop focus and concentration skills. An 8:1 student to teacher ratio with up to 16 children in a class allows time for personal attention from teachers.
FasTracKids focuses on the process of learning (how) as well as the content of the lessons (what). Each of the two hour lessons explains the how and what of the 12 different subjects, prompting children to ask Why? FasTracKids includes fun, attention-grabbing topics such as: Astronomy, Biology, Communications, Creative Literature, Creativity, Earth Science, Economics, Goals and Life Lessons, Mathematics, Natural Science, Speech, Drama and Art, and Technology. Children have 16 hours of instruction for each subject area. Parent conferences are conducted throughout the program, offering opportunities for in-person discussions about a child's progress.


text:
Q: SideKiq Unique - One Job per user_id simultaneously I need to assure that no more than one job per user_id is worked simultaneosly by any of the 25 workers to avoid deadlocks.
I am trying sidekiq unique jobs but deadlocks keep occoring because it keeps trying to process all pending jobs on the queue without looking for the user_id on the params wich can't repeat at the same time on the busy line.
Any ideas how to use it? The git page is barelly documented..
SidekiqUniqueJobs.config.unique_args_enabled = true

class WordCreator
  include Sidekiq::Worker

  sidekiq_options unique: true, unique_args: :args_filter, :queue => "critical"

  def self.args_filter(user_id)
    [user_id]
  end

  def perform(*args)
    #retries = 100
    #begin

    work = Work.new(args.last)
  end
end


It was a very enjoyable Christmas Eve. A drama free (dee-lish) dinner.
Everyone enjoyed their gifts including the furry kids who hadn't destroyed their toys as of Christmas morning.
I had a long and delightful phone chat with my family. Two younger Brothers, cousins, and cousin-in-law. I was able to hear everyone clearly (first time!) with my cochlear implant. I think I was a bit giddy because I rambled all over the place, chatting about how the cochlear implant has changed my life.
We shared memories about Christmases past. Lots of laughter as I said goodbye.
Owen brought over a bunch of old '78's (Those of a certain age know what I'm talking about).
We listened to vintage performances of Christmas music performed by Bing Crosby, Mahalia Jackson, Gene Autry and Red Foley. Yes, Red Foley. "White Christmas" is still a signature song of the season and it belongs to Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby.
One of the 78's contained soundtrack music from the 1942 film, "Holiday Inn" in which Bing Crosby introduced Irving Berlin's beloved "White Christmas." Gene Autry's "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" brought back a rush of childhood memories as did a rendition of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." I found myself singing along — softly — because I sing off-key.
What a blast! Thanks, Owen.
I, too, wonder about the mince-pie mystery.
What happened to mince-pie? Marilyn and I have been searching in recent weeks for mince-pie, fresh or frozen. No luck. No answers. I just read an online piece about a cache of mince pies discovered in England, stashed in a basement — from World War Two. A Mom's gift to her Son in the army. The pies are over 70 years old. No mention of how they taste.
This still doesn't answer our mince-pie mystery. Russian collusion?
Christmas Day is upon us. The house is quiet. The furry kids are searching for their toys. Santa Claus has been very kind to us. Yes, Donzo, there is a Santa Claus.
I suppose he forgot about you.
I did not know Dasher, Dancer and the gang until I learned the song. Of course, I learned it rather young, so perhaps no one had a chance to tell me. Besides, why would I want to get to know them since "they never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games?" But then one foggy something eve, I guess it was, I learned more about him.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was a celebrity in this part of the country long before he became an international hit. Chicago-based department stores and mail order giant Montgomery Ward had been giving out their own coloring books at Christmas time for years. Robert L. May, an advertising copywriter, was assigned to come up with a Christmas story in 1939 — and Rudolph was the result.
When his wife passed away, the retailer offered to take May off the project, but he went on to complete it. The resulting book was distributed, but World War II stopped its publication due to restrictions on paper use. Rudolph made a grand reappearance in 1946.
Rudolph might have faded into a mere footnote of Christmas lore had it not been for May's brother-in-law, songwriter Johnny Marks. He turned the story into a song, which made Rudolph famous throughout the country.
The animated Christmas special is now over 50 years old and children and adults still watch today.
The song was recorded by cowboy star Gene Autry. Legend has it, he was not fond of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, but his wife liked the song. Autry's 1949 recording became number 1 on the charts. It was the first number 1 song of the 1950s and became the second biggest-selling song of all time, until the 1980s. Another Christmas classic was already number one.
The Christmas Song is commonly called "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire" and also has a Chicago connection.
Musician, singer, actor, composer Mel Tormé, a Chicago native and performer about town before hitting the big time, wrote the classic in 40 minutes one sweltering July day in California in 1944.
Mel spotted a few of the opening lines in a notebook by Bob Wells, a frequent collaborator, and went on to finish them and add music. Wells had just been writing down a few cold weather ideas to help him deal with the hot summer weather.
The song was subsequently recorded by Nat "King" Cole and his trio in June 1946, but Cole convinced the record label to re-record the song with strings. It is the second version, recorded in August 1946, that became a hit. Cole went on to record it again in 1953 and 1961. The 1961 version is the one you hear continuously throughout the season. The vocal performance of the last version is considered the best of Cole's recordings.
Tormé recorded the song too. Years later he added a verse and a "coda," which came from "Here We Come A-Wassailing." In 1992, the composer of one of the best known Christmas songs of all time, finally recorded an album of Christmas songs. Legend has it that The Christmas Song was not one of Tormé's favorites, but he was grateful for the royalties.
The all time best-selling song was written for a movie, but not for the movie of the same name. White Christmas was one of twelve songs written by Irving Berlin that were included in his 1942 movie Holiday Inn.
The romantic comedy musical starred Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire with a storyline about two performers in love with the same girl. Crosby loses out to Astaire and leaves the musical act to run an Inn that is only open on holidays. Astaire comes to the Inn after his dance partner (yes, that same girl) leaves him, giving us the opportunity to hear a variety of holiday songs by legendary songwriter, Irving Berlin.
In the movie, White Christmas is a duet when we first hear it, and when it reappears late in the story, the female character Lila, played by Marjorie Reynolds, sings it. The song picked up the Oscar for best song of 1942. The recording by Bing Crosby the same year has gone on to sell over an estimated 50 million copies of the single and holds the top spot by far. If you consider all of the compilation albums on which it appears it is likely over 100 million.
It is the overwhelming popularity of the song that led to a movie entitled White Christmas. Of course, Bing Crosby is back in another role, this time teamed up with Danny Kaye. Fred Astaire turned down the project.
White Christmas, like Holiday Inn, achieved great success, but its soundtrack never got a remix into stereo for release as an album. The master recordings were destroyed in a fire.
Anything other than salt and maybe butter. But I can't eat it anymore. Too slivery for aging gums.
I was sure it was Germany, but am now told Austria. Go figure, right?
WARNING! The following question is NOT meant to start a fuss. It's merely a good discussion question in my opinion. Most everyone knows where I stand on this. If you feel like arguing about it, please give it a pass.) We're all adults and sensible ones at that. We can be mature about such things, right?
I wouldn't believe it regardless. You can't prove (or un-prove) faith. It's an opinion, yay or nay. Unless God personally drops by and shows me his a photo ID, it's faith.
I haven't the slightest idea. I'm not even sure what IS banned and I have no intention of traveling by plane.
We just have a little tree. We watch old holiday movies. Garry loves Christmas Eve church, but it always gets held right at dinner time, so we never get there. Which is a pity, because regardless of religion, I love Christmas Carols and know a ton of them. I learned them for Glee Club in elementary school. That was before we weren't allowed to learn anything with religious content. I didn't even know the songs were Christian. I just thought they were pretty.
Actually, thinking about it, I know more religious music than most people because, as a music major, I spent years learning Gregorian chant and other early Western music. I'm sure I had my mother very worried.
If you study music, an awful lot of it is religious. Western music started as chanting and "grew up" in churches. When you study music, it's a long time before you emerge from religious music to "modern" music … and a lot of our modern music is based on old church music too.
I don't think anyone should be forced to follow anyone else's religion, but I also think trying to remove all traces of religion from the world is silly. You can't do it. Religion and religious thought are woven into the way we think. It's organic. Nor do I think there's any reason why you can't believe in god or gods — and yet be a scientist or mathematician. I have never understood why one thing negates the other.
Not all of the things we believe are Judaic or Christian, either. There's a lot of much older stuff woven into modern thought. There are many reminders of more ancient religions which are part of "modern" thinking.
Sorry for going on so long. This was what I studied in school. It began with music but moved into religious philosophy. I wrote papers about it. I still dream about it.
The near decade I spent in Israel was no coincidence. Despite what I may have said, my travels had nothing to do with how many times I read "Exodus" (the novel by Leon Uris, not the second book of the Torah).
I needed to be there. Because I needed to understand. Things.
I think we've been permanently crashed out since Garry began his march to hearing from non-hearing.
Sometimes crashing isn't a physical thing, either. It's emotional. You got all worked up about something — and not necessarily a bad thing. A big party or a series of big parties … or the winter holidays. Then, suddenly, New Year's comes and goes and that deflation leaves you completely crashed.
Somewhere, in your mind's ear you hear someone singing "The Party's Over," and you realize it's another year. We don't get that excited about the holidays anymore, but we do get excited about vacations — when finally they come around. It's good I take a lot of pictures. That helps keep the mood for a while longer. Sort of stretches the even for as long as you are still processing the photographs.
And it's that time of year again. If you are getting all lathered up about the holidays, try to remember that it's a month of festivities, but it ends. Please! Don't crash!
As the weird, right-wing Christians endlessly complain about how they can't say "Merry Christmas," while the rest of us try to keep our heads low and avoid getting bombarded by Christmas? For us, there is Tom Lehrer and a few songs to make us smile.
Let us not forget that "other" seasonal holiday, Hanukkah. Although it is not one of the major holidays of the Jewish calendar, it's relative (depending on the Jewish Lunar calendar which moves the holidays around in a thoroughly un-Christian way) proximity to Christmas has given it an undeserved prominence. And for that, there's still Tom Lehrer.
May your season be joyful if you celebrate and sane, regardless. It's a holiday. Enjoy it, ignore it, or sing your heart out.
Are you an Early to bed, early-to-rise person, a night owl, and daytime sleeper-dozer, or an 'I'll sleep when I'm dead' person?
Age has made me reconsider the idea of sleep. I need to get some or I just can't function.
Now, if only I could give up on reading at night … I go to bed early enough, but then, there's that book.
People think I'm a lot better a photographer than I am. I do take pretty pictures, but I don't process them nearly as well as others do. I'm not even in the same class.
No matter what anyone tells you, a good eye does not overcome quality issues.
He has come bearing cruise tickets. He is our lottery vacation Penguin.
Aliens have landed. Do they come in peace?
I doubt it. They landed? They have an agenda. Maybe it's benign, but until I know what they want, I'm being really careful.
I play with robots! Especially Robbie.
Garry's ears are good and my son is doing Thanksgiving. Hallelujah!
Today and tomorrow are doctor visit days for Garry. His three-month surgical checkup for his ear and a stress test for his heart … so I'm writing ahead because I'm just not going to be around. Hope you don't mind.
This is turning out to be a crazy busy month. I feel like Alice, running as fast as she can just to stay in the same place!
The holidays haven't officially "hit" because of a calendar thing. It's not because Thanksgiving is just a few days away. Nope, it's that all of a sudden, it's winter. We've got snow.
Snow falls and suddenly, everyone thinks Christmas, including those of us who aren't Christian. Much of the snow that fell while we were away has melted. Not all of it, but more than half, anyway.
More is expected today and tomorrow. I suppose we might as well get on with holidays since, with the ground snowy, icy, and muddy, there isn't much else to do.
The last time we got significant snow before or on Thanksgiving was 2014, a year during which we got 120 inches of snow out here in the country. That is, no matter how you look at it, a lot of snow. It's the amount they normally get in northern Maine. It's downright Siberian.
Christmas is so minimal in this house, there's really isn't much for us to do. I don't put up wreaths any more. We have so few visitors and live far off the main road that no one sees them.
Also, the nursery where I used to buy them closed and somehow, buying them at the grocery store may be cheaper, but it doesn't have that "feeling" it had, picking the perfect one at the nursery.
We don't give gifts because we don't have money and anything we can afford is no more than a kindly thought. We give small things. Holiday reminders, maybe. Remembrance of days gone by when we ran up our credit cards because we got into some kind of bizarre Christmas frenzy.
These days, the tree gets plugged in. Our blue Christmas lights live in the living room drapes all year round, so when the holiday arrives, I just plug them in.
It doesn't get simpler than that. We had fun with Tom and Ellin and that's always a treat.
The weather isn't as bad as it is going to be in a few days. Hopefully, we'll have time to get some of the many errands, doctor appointments, vet appointments, and other stuff done.
And I have my fingers crossed that we'll find someone to plow the driveway!
This is an El Niño year which can be bad. But, you never know. Sometimes winter starts out bad but eases up. Meanwhile, I'm keeping a close eye on weather maps and trying not to worry.