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Eggs over Kale and Sweet Potato Grits Recipe

Make Half Your Plate Fruits & Veggies

Click to view larger image of Eggs over Kale and Sweet Potato Grits : Fill Half Your Plate with Fruits & Veggies : Fruits And Veggies More

A modern twist on a Southern classic, this baked breakfast dish features eggs and grits with sweet potatoes and kale.
Recipe Cost for 4 People: $3.08 ($.77/serving)*
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
  • 1 large sweet potato (orange flesh)
  • 2 cups fresh kale, chopped
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 cup nonfat milk
  • ¾ cup grits, quick cooking
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
Heat oven to 350°F. Coat 4 individual soufflé dishes (or a 2-quart casserole dish) with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Make 3-4 slits in sweet potato; cook in microwave until just soft. When cool enough to handle, peel, cut into chunks, and purée in food processor. Heat remaining vegetable oil in sauce pan, and sauté kale about 5 minutes. In a medium sauce pan, boil water and milk, add grits and sweet potatoes; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sautéed kale. Divide grits mixture evenly among 4 soufflé dishes (or place all in casserole dish). Make 4 depressions in the grits mixture with the back of a large spoon. Carefully break one egg into each hollow. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until eggs are cooked. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Complete this Plate: Serve with an 8 oz glass of grapefruit juice (regular, not pink).
Serves: 4
Fruits & Veggies per Serving
0.5 Cups
Nutrition Information per Serving:
Calories: 280
Total Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 2g
% of Calories from Fat: 29%
% Calories from Sat Fat: 6%
Protein: 12g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Cholesterol: 185mg
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 410mg
Each serving provides: An excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, folate, phosphorus, and iodine, and a good source of protein, fiber, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium.

*Retail prices, Boulder, Colorado, and online, September 2012-March 2013

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Digital Thermometer: FSA Eligibility

Digital Thermometer: eligible with a Flexible Savings Account (FSA)
Digital thermometers are eligible over-the-counter (OTC) items that do not require a prescription for reimbursement with a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA) or a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA). Digital thermometer reimbursement is not eligible with a limited care flexible spending account (LCFSA) or a dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA).

Eligibility list

Under IRC 213(d)(1), "medical care includes amounts paid for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body." This includes medical equipment and devices.

How was the thermometer invented?

The thermometer is one of the most vital diagnostic tools used in clinical examination and has evolved by leaps and bounds over the decades to become a fixture in American homes as well as the doctor's office. Historically, the first modern thermometer, or one that could measure temperature with a standardized scale, was invented in 1714 by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. The German physicist invented an alcohol thermometer in 1709, developed the mercury device in 1714 and achieved fame in 1724 by inventing his standardized scale of temperature that we still use to this day (ThoughtCo.).

What is a digital thermometer?

Thermometers have come a long way from glass, mercury-filled tools and have evolved into precise diagnostic devices that are invaluable in assessing whether an individual is suffering from a medical condition. One of the most popular is the digital thermometer, which utilizes electronic heat sensors to record body temperature and function in the same way as traditional thermometers by reading body temperature after being placed in the mouth, ear, armpit, forehead or rectum.

Digital thermometers can be used on adults, children and infants, and physicians suggest using rectal thermometers on babies up to 3 months of age or children as old as 3, while oral temperatures are usually reliable from this period onward. Armpit readings are typically the least accurate means of taking a child's temperature, but are preferred by some parents for their ease and degree of comfort in taking temperature readings (Cleveland Clinic).

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Surrogate Mother: FSA Eligibility

Surrogate Mother: reimbursement is not eligible with a Flexible Savings Account (FSA)
Surrogate mother expenses are not eligible for reimbursement with a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), limited care flexible spending account (LCFSA) or a dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA).

Eligibility list

What is a surrogate mother?

Surrogate mothers are women who have received financial compensation for the service of incubating a human embryo in their uterus and carrying it through until childbirth. Surrogate mothers are commonly employed by LGBT couples, infertile couples, and couples for whom the risks of childbirth are too high, such as for women with severe heart disease. Surrogate mothers are also commonly employed by wealthy couples who seek to avoid the bodily ravages of childbirth and can afford to do so. Surrogate mothers are legal to hire in some states in the United States, and are also commonly hired from poorer countries such as India and other East Asian nations. Surrogate mothers are expected to live a clean and healthy lifestyle and often cohabit with the employing couple for the duration of the pregnancy (WebMD).

Gestational surrogacy is the most common and popular form of hiring another human to subject their body to the stresses and taxing labor of childbirth instead of oneself. A gestational surrogate has a fertilized embryo implanted in her uterus. The fertilized embryo is artificially implanted via In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), having been created with the genetic material of the mother and father of the child. The gestational surrogate, then, is not genetically related to the child she is being paid to incubate in her body.

A traditional surrogate, as opposed to a gestational surrogate, is artificially inseminated by a male partner in the couple, and the traditional surrogate is then the genetic mother of the child.

Surrogate expenses are not eligible for reimbursement with any consumer-directed healthcare plan. The main reason for this is that consumer-directed healthcare plans cover an employee and their spouse, and cannot be extended to a third party, even if that third party has been hired as a surrogate.


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What Makes a Framework the Best of its kind for a Mobile Application?

Behind every fine dish is a great recipe. Behind every popular app is a skeleton, or framework that its success clings onto. Discover their secrets…

Mobile apps are much like people. Though they are all bound by some universal qualities in their layout, each individual app tosses in its own spice of authenticity to make it stand out from the rest of the crowd. The trickiest task for deciding on which framework you want to partner with is evaluating its caliber of adaptability to your design and rhythm whilst assembling a mobile app. Here are some variables that you may want to mull over while working on your app project.

Programming Languages

The language of a program is what embroiders the fabric of the project ahead. Without a recognizable coding sequence, you might as well use pebbles and stones to construct your framework. Using in-house designers and programmers is one way to develop an app. Those designers and programmers will already have an established preference for designs and programs. Choosing a framework that uses the tools and languages your programmers know is of utmost importance if time is of the essence. Consider the degree of difficulty for app modifications and upgrades as you execute your design and programming.

Devices, Plugins, Encrypted, Services

User Interface (UI) and Themes

These are both design considerations that will need your input throughout the design process. A theme is a design element that is carried out throughout the application on every screen of the application. User interface and user experience are often plastered together and they consider both the effectiveness of format and the smoothness of the experience. Both themes and UI/UX ultimately serve to appease the end user, your customer, in his/her interaction with the app framework. Like a grand architectural design, UI lays out the blueprint of the structure and secures its stability, UX carves and colors the exterior of the structure, and a theme is produced when the end product has been reached.

Systematic, Mobile, Branching Out, Origin

We don’t live in the dial-up era anymore. The speed at which mobile

apps load and process information is accelerating at a tremendous rate. One constant factor in all this are the consumers that you will try to reach out to. People have always been, are, and always will be busy. They need everything snip-snap. Without a responsive design that quickly produces answers and scrolls smoothly and swiftly within a page, the app will run your business into a costly rut.

River, Current, Exchange, Process

Extensibility and tools

This is a pesky topic when dealing with framework. Extensibility and tools are scattered all over the internet. Some are more mainstream than others and some serve as better utility than others as well. Publicity and functionality are not mutually exclusive and thus can overlap. Using a framework that can be easily applied to give your application the next new widget or viral look should be considered. A framework that grants you tools which allow the user to add plug-ins or gives other developers application program interfaces (API’s) to apply your application to their needs should also be weighed in. API’s can be purchased or licensed to give you a new revenue stream on your application.

A framework is only as good as the documentation that it embodies. Consider all the upgrade and modification possibilities for the app in a future date. The ease of upgrading the app and the usability of the framework will surely be a daunting undertaking for your team if the documentation does not indicate what you can do with it.

Community Development

Two heads are better than one. A framework that revolves around a large community of developers will obviously have more potential that a smaller one because the larger community will harbor more effort and input. Moreover, the large community will outlive the small community because the latter is more likely to dwindle and fade away. Participating in large community developments enhances the probability of getting your questions answered, access to tools in demand, and makes your application more secure and extensible as updates and upgrades get pushed out.

HTML, Browser, Web, Rates of Exchange

What is the Best Framework for a Mobile App?

Before you contemplate the best framework for a mobile app, you will need fundamental knowledge of the goal of your app and how it goes about in executing it. Frameworks’ compatibility with certain types of applications range from shopping front-ends at an online store to music recording and editing to communications between people or businesses. No matter what kind of application you have there is a looming framework that will best suit its purpose. Before selecting a framework you need to piece together the variables above, but you may also need to look at other available frameworks to see if one fits your application. Below are some of today’s most popular titles:

Ionic: Used to develop beautiful open-source front-ends using a hybrid mobile and web technology with HTML5.

Mobile Angular UI: Helps you create interactive mobile applications with responsive media queries, overlays and sidebars that are often overlooked in a framework, and AngularJS directives that create awesome mobile user experiences.

Intel XDK: A cross platform framework for Linux, Windows, and Mac developers. They include a number of templates and UI frameworks to get you started. They may have an easier drag and drop approach but this method leaves a lot of unused code lying about.

Appcelerator Titanium: Gives you the ability to create a transformative mobile application using an open source application framework for creating apps for several platforms at one time.

Sencha Touch: Another HTLML5 application framework for developing apps for multiple platforms. If you want the same look and feel across platforms then this is the framework to use.

Finding a mobile application framework for your situation may be the hardest stage of the game when it comes to your new application. The application and customer will tell you some of what you need in the path of user interface, user experience, and overall design. Narrow your options by considering the future of your application, who will be upgrading and providing fixes, whether it needs to have an API, and how extensible you want the app to be for your customers. Remember that if you want to enjoy the view of your new house, you will have to size out your windows, curtains, and blinds first.

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The US Military Averages More Than a Mission a Day in Africa

The military has for years insisted that our presence in Africa is small scale, but the numbers say otherwise.

Let our journalists help you make sense of the noise: Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter and get a recap of news that matters.

This story first appeared on the TomDispatch website.

The numbers tell the story: 10 exercises, 55 operations, 481 security cooperation activities.

For years, the US military has publicly insisted that its efforts in Africa are small scale. Its public affairs personnel and commanders have repeatedly claimed no more than a “light footprint” on that continent, including a remarkably modest presence when it comes to military personnel. They have, however, balked at specifying just what that light footprint actually consists of. During an interview, for instance, a US Africa Command (AFRICOM) spokesman once expressed worry that tabulating the command’s deployments would offer a “skewed image” of US efforts there.

It turns out that the numbers do just the opposite.

Last year, according AFRICOM commander General David Rodriguez, the US military carried out a total of 546 “activities” on the continent—a catch-all term for everything the military does in Africa. In other words, it averages about one and a half missions a day. This represents a 217% increase in operations, programs, and exercises since the command was established in 2008.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month, Rodriguez noted that the 10 exercises, 55 operations, and 481 security cooperation activities made AFRICOM “an extremely active geographic command.” But exactly what the command is “active” in doing is often far from clear.

AFRICOM releases information about only a fraction of its activities. It offers no breakdown on the nature of its operations. And it allows only a handful of cherry-picked reporters the chance to observe a few select missions. The command refuses even to offer a count of the countries in which it is “active,” preferring to keep most information about what it’s doing—and when and where—secret.

While Rodriguez’s testimony offers but a glimpse of the scale of AFRICOM’s activities, a cache of previously undisclosed military briefing documents obtained by TomDispatch sheds additional light on the types of missions being carried out and their locations all across the continent. These briefings prepared for top commanders and civilian officials in 2013 demonstrate a substantial increase in deployments in recent years and reveal US military operations to be more extensive than previously reported. They also indicate that the pace of operations in Africa will remain robust in 2014, with US forces expected again to average far more than a mission each day on the continent.

The Constant Gardener

US troops carry out a wide range of operations in Africa, including airstrikes targeting suspected militants, night raids aimed at kidnapping terror suspects, airlifts of French and African troops onto the battlefields of proxy wars, and evacuation operations in destabilized countries. Above all, however, the US military conducts training missions, mentors allies, and funds, equips, and advises its local surrogates.

US Africa Command describes its activities as advancing “US national security interests through focused, sustained engagement with partners” and insists that its “operations, exercises, and security cooperation assistance programs support US Government foreign policy and do so primarily through military-to-military activities and assistance programs.”

Saharan Express is a typical exercise that biennially pairs US forces with members of the navies and coast guards of around a dozen mostly African countries. Operations include Juniper Micron and Echo Casemate, missions focused on aiding French and African interventions in Mali and the Central African Republic. Other “security cooperation” activities include the State Partnership Program, which teams African military forces with US National Guard units and the State Department-funded Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program through which US military mentors and advisors provide equipment and instruction to African units.

Many military-to-military activities and advisory missions are carried out by soldiers from the Army’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, as part of a “regionally aligned forces” effort that farms out specially trained US troops to geographic combatant commands, like AFRICOM. Other training engagements are carried out by units from across the service branches, including Africa Partnership Station 13 whose US naval personnel and Marines teach skills such as patrolling procedures and hand-to-hand combat techniques. Meanwhile, members of the Air Force recently provided assistance to Nigerian troops in areas ranging from logistics to airlift support to public affairs.

Click here to see a larger version

Previously undisclosed US Army Africa records reveal a 94% increase in all activities by Army personnel from 2011 to 2013, including a 174% surge in State Partnership missions (from 34 to 93) and a 436% jump in Advise-and-Assist activities including ACOTA missions (from 11 to 59). Last year, according to a December 2013 document, these efforts involved everything from teaching Kenyan troops how to use Raven surveillance drones and helping Algerian forces field new mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, or MRAPS, to training Chadian and Guinean infantrymen and aiding France’s ongoing interventions in West and Central Africa.

AFRICOM spokesman Benjamin Benson refused to offer further details about these activities. “We do training with a lot of different countries in Africa,” he told me. When I asked if he had a number on those “different countries,” he replied, “No, I don’t.” He ignored repeated written requests for further information. But a cache of records detailing deployments by members of just the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, from June through December 2013, highlights the sheer size, scope, and sweep of US training missions.

June saw members of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team deployed to Niger, Uganda, Ghana, and on two separate missions to Malawi; in July, troops from the team traveled to Burundi, Mauritania, Niger, Uganda, and South Africa; August deployments included the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Niger, two missions in Malawi, and three to Uganda; September saw activities in Chad, Togo, Cameroon, Ghana, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Uganda, and Malawi; in October, members of the unit headed for Guinea and South Africa; November’s deployments consisted of Lesotho, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Guinea; while December’s schedule consisted of activities in South Sudan, Cameroon, and Uganda, according to the documents. All told, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division carried out 128 separate “activities” in 28 African countries during all of 2013.

The records obtained by TomDispatch also indicate that US Army Africa took part in almost 80% of all AFRICOM activities on the continent in 2013, averaging more than one mission per day. Preliminary projections for 2014 suggest a similar pace this year—418 activities were already planned out by mid-December 2013—including anticipated increases in the number of operations and train-and-equip missions.

Full-scale exercises, each involving US Army troops and members of the militaries of multiple African countries, are also slated to rise from 14 to 20 in 2014, according to the documents. So far, AFRICOM has released information on 11 named exercises scheduled for this year. These include African Lion in Morocco, Eastern Accord in Uganda, Western Accord in Senegal, Central Accord in Cameroon, and Southern Accord in Malawi, all of which include a field training component and serve as a capstone event for the prior year’s military-to-military programs. AFRICOM will also conduct at least three maritime security exercises, including Cutlass Express off the coast of East Africa, Obangame Express in the Gulf of Guinea, and Saharan Express in the waters off Senegal and the Cape Verde islands, as well as its annual Africa Endeavor exercise, which is designed to promote “information sharing” and facilitate standardized communications procedures within African militaries.

Additionally, US and African Special Operations forces will carry out an exercise codenamed Silent Warrior 2014 in Germany and have already completed Flintlock 2014 (since 2005, an annual event). As part of Flintlock 2014, more than 1,000 troops from 18 nations, including Burkina Faso, Canada, Chad, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Senegal, the United Kingdom, the US, and the host nation of Niger, carried out counterterror training on the outskirts of Niamey, the capital, as well as at small bases in Tahoua, Agadez, and Diffa. “Although Flintlock is considered an exercise, it is really an extension of ongoing training, engagement, and operations that help prepare our close Africa partners in the fight against extremism and the enemies that threaten peace, stability, and regional security,” said Colonel Kenneth Sipperly, the commander of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Trans Sahel, during the Flintlock opening ceremony.

Locations, Locations, Locations

A 2013 investigation by TomDispatch analyzing official documents and open source information revealed that the US military was involved with at least 49 of the 54 nations on the African continent during 2012 and 2013 in activities that ranged from special ops raids to the training of proxy forces. A map produced late last year by US Army Africa bolsters the findings, indicating its troops had conducted or planned to conduct “activities” in all African “countries” during the 2013 fiscal year except for Western Sahara (a disputed territory in the Maghreb region of North Africa), Guinea Bissau, Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe. Egypt is considered outside of AFRICOM’s area of operations, but did see US military activity in 2013, as did Somalia, which now also hosts a small team of US advisors. Other documents indicate Army troops actually deployed to São Tomé and Príncipe, a country that regularly conducts activities with the US Navy.

AFRICOM is adamant that the US military has only one base on the continent: Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. Official documents examined by TomDispatch, however, make reference to bases by other names: forward operating sites, or FOSes (long-term locations); cooperative security locations, or CSLs (through which small numbers of US troops periodically rotate); and contingency locations, or CLs (which are used only during ongoing missions).

AFRICOM has repeatedly denied requests by TomDispatch for further information on the numbers or locations of FOSes, CSLs, and CLs, but official documents produced in 2012 make reference to seven cooperative security locations, including one in Entebbe, Uganda, a location from which US contractors have flown secret surveillance missions, according to an investigation by the Washington Post. Information released earlier this year by the military also makes references to at least nine “forward operating locations,” or FOLs in Africa.

We Know Not What They Do

“What We Are Doing,” the title of a December 2013 military document obtained by TomDispatch, offers answers to questions that AFRICOM has long sought to avoid and provides information the command has worked to keep under wraps. So much else, however, remains in the shadows.

From 2008 to 2013, the number of missions, exercises, operations, and other activities under AFRICOM’s purview has skyrocketed from 172 to 546, but little substantive information has been made public about what exactly most of these missions involved and just who US forces have trained. Since 2011, US Army Africa alone has taken part in close to 1,000 “activities” across the continent, but independent reporters have only been on hand for a tiny fraction of them, so there are limits to what we can know about them beyond military talking points and official news releases for a relative few of these missions. Only later did it become clear that the United States extensively mentored the military officer who overthrew Mali’s elected government in 2012, and that the US trained a Congolese commando battalion implicated by the United Nations in mass rapes and other atrocities during that same year, to cite two examples.

Since its inception, US Africa Command has consistently downplayed its role on the continent. Meanwhile, far from the press or the public, the officers running its secret operations have privately been calling Africa “the battlefield of tomorrow, today.”

After years in the dark, we now know just how “extremely active”—to use General David Rodriguez’s phrase—AFRICOM has been and how rapidly the tempo of its missions has increased. It remains to be seen just what else we don’t know about US Africa Command’s exponentially expanding operations.

Nick Turse is the managing editor of and a fellow at the Nation Institute. A 2014 Izzy Award winner, his pieces have appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Nation, at the BBC and regularly at TomDispatch. He is the author most recently of the New York Times bestseller Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam (just out in paperback). To stay on top of important articles like these, sign up to receive the latest updates from here.

Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and the wealthy wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do.

Today, reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget, allows us to dig deep on stories that matter, and lets us keep our reporting free for everyone. If you value what you get from Mother Jones, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can keep on doing the type of journalism 2021 demands.

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Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and the wealthy wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do.

Today, reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget, allows us to dig deep on stories that matter, and lets us keep our reporting free for everyone. If you value what you get from Mother Jones, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can keep on doing the type of journalism 2021 demands.

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text:
What are you looking for?

Sugar Hearts Metallic Silver

Double your love with these lovely metallic silver sugar hearts. These FunCakes hearts look great on cupcakes, cakes and cookies. Tip for Valentine’s day!

Sugar Hearts Metallic Silver

Sugar (95%), anticaking agent: E470b, glucose syrup, gelatin (beef), colour: E174.

May contain traces of: gluten, and nuts.

Nutritional values per 100 g

Energy1632 kJ / 384 kcal
Fat0 g
of which saturated0 g
Carbohydrate96 g
of which sugar94 g
Protein0,1 g
Salt0,1 g
  • 80 g (G42380)


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The media is full of stories about how this Covid-19 coronavirus is impacting the economy. Gatherings are getting canceled. People are self-quarantining. And donors who are freaking out watching their investments shrink.

Last month, I shared some ideas on fundraising in an age of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Since then, stock markets have been on a roller coaster and oil producers are waging an ugly pricing war.

What is a nonprofit fundraiser to do? Keep calm. And pivot. We've never been here before but we can learn from the past recessions we've been through.

Recessions and rumors of recessions

In my time as a nonprofit fundraiser, we've seen recessions related to the dot-com bust, the 9/11 attacks, and the housing market implosion around 2008 and 2009.

These times are not fun. But nonprofits can survive.

Back in 2008, I wrote a couple articles on recession proof fundraising and fundraising in a recession. These are still applicable.

3 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make in the Face of a Recession

In times of economic flux, nonprofits learn how well they've really been doing at growing relationships with supporters. If we're basically just invoicing them, they'll fall away when money gets tight. But if we've been showing them the impact of their gifts, they're more likely to stay, albeit not necessarily at the pre-recession giving levels.

As we're in this uncomfortable time, remember to avoid these three things.

  1. Becoming Pessimistic

    As we watch the news and talk to others, it's really, really easy to let fear and the unknown paralyze us.

    But we can't allow it to.

    Our causes still need support. Especially as the economy goes wonky.

    The top fundraisers are some of the most optimistic people on the planet. Not out of touch, but definitely optimistic. They see possibilities where no one else does. They are willing to try new approaches when others aren't. And they raise the funds to change the world.

    Fear and worry is natural. Just don't let it consume you.

    What to do: When you feel fear consuming you, get out a list of the people who've donated in the last twelve months. And start making thank you calls. "Hi, this is [Your Name] with [Your Org]. I just wanted to call to say 'thank you' for your recent support. Your gift is [what impact it's doing]." No ask. Just gratitude. Gratitude overcomes fear. Because gratitude rekindles hope.

  2. Cutting fundraising and marketing budgets

    This I've never understood. When money gets tight, the knee-jerk reaction seems to be to cut the fundraising and marketing budgets. It's like saying, "We have to drive across the country. So we are not going to put anymore gas in the tank."

    Illogical. Nonsensical. And a sure fire way to raise less money. You'll blame it on the recession, but your under-funding the programs makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    A recession could be a convenient time to let go of staff or programs you haven't had the guts to let go yet. But don't stop there. Look for the right people for the positions you have.

    What to do: Rather than cutting budgets and staff, seek to make the programs and people more effective. If you don't understand marketing, make sure your marketer does. Marketing touches done well can double as donor touches too. And if you're not a professional fundraiser, do not give in to the ego temptation to think you're an expert. You're not. Any more than you're an expert on brain surgery or rocket science. So seek fundraising experts. And listen to them. (Chances are, you already have them on your staff.) Learn from them why the best nonprofit storytelling for donor retention talks about the donor and your mission without mentioning your organization. And why the best fundraising letters aren't reserved like a business letter but are more chatty like with your aunt.

  3. Apologizing for asking

    In recessions, or the times before recessions, it can be very tempting to stop asking. We think we're being nice to donors. Giving them space. But we're not. There's nothing compassionate about not asking.

    For many donors, giving is a key part of them feeling human. They can be generous, despite the scarcity around them. So ask.

    And there's nothing compassionate about letting your organization go bankrupt. Your nonprofit was started because something was wrong. If that something is still wrong, the world needs your work. And that work needs funding. So ask.

    Your ask will be different than before. Where it used to take 6 or 7 attempts to reach a donor, it is already starting to take 10 to 12. So be patient. And keep at it.

    I call this "pleasant persistence". We're pleasantly polite, not letting any hint of irritation infect our attitude. And we're persistent.

    This really does work. Back in 2009, in the midst of the greatest recession since the Great Depression, Milton Hospital had me in to train their board on how to ask without fear. At the training, the development staff passed out prospects names for board members to assign themselves to contact. The result? They increased their annual fund by 40% - in a recession!

    What to do: Be pleasantly persistent. And avoid the temptation to make decisions for donors. You have no idea if a donor will give until she tells you. Your not asking is robbing her of the honor of making up her own mind. So be understanding, polite, and pleasantly persistent. People were still giving. And they will still be giving. It just might take more time than before the recession.

Challenging but not Impossible

This is a challenging time to be running a nonprofit. Belts will need tightening. Just be sure they're the right belts. And make sure you're measuring the right outcomes in both marketing and fundraising.

I recently heard a marketer say they couldn't put their whole television ad spend into the right target audience. When they invested it all where their best prospects were, their CFO felt they were wasting money. Why? Because he didn't see any ads. It didn't matter to him that he wasn't the right demographic. And he didn't watch the shows that their best prospects did. So this marketer knew they had to spend 80% of the ad budget on the right target audience but 20% on the CFO's shows so he'd feel the money was doing good.

As you look at where you can cut budgets, don't be like that CFO. Make sure you're measuring the right outcomes, not just feeding your ego. For example, an AHP study showed that hiring more successful fundraisers helped organizations emerge from the recession more quickly than their peers and with stronger donor relationships.

These times will be challenging. But they don't have to be impossible. Especially if you avoid these 3 most common mistakes of fundraising in a recession.

Update March 19: On March 18, Cherian Koshy, Development Director at the Des Moines Center for the Performing Arts did a training in The Nonprofit Academy on how this Covid-19 coronavirus is impacting fundraising and communicating with donors. We've removed the paywall so you can watch the entire thing, including answers to viewer questions at:

And for how board members can help with fundraising during the pandemic, check out 21 Ways for Board Members to Help With Their Nonprofit's Fundraising at

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Innovation? Australian charities appear to have a long way to go

Innovation IndexThe 2016 GiveEasy Innovation Index has been released. Reviewing the Innovation Index, it is striking how far Australian charities have to go in terms of innovation. Jeremy Tobias, CEO of GiveEasy, does report there are some “promising signs”. Further, the Innovation Index shows a correlation between innovation and growing budgets. Tobias suggests this mirrors our for-profit counterparts (and other similar studies in the corporate sector) where innovation leads to greater share price and revenue growth.

The Innovation Index illustrates a non profit sector, which “remains largely middle of the road” when it comes to innovation performance. Just 37%, according to the study, of respondents have an agreed innovation strategy or innovation focus in their non profit organisation. GiveEasy suggests “this implies fairly low levels of committed, structured internal resources for innovation”.

Not all bad news, GiveEasy reports some signs of improvement in some key areas: those who are actively pursuing innovation do score higher and are more likely to have increasing budgets; funding and grants are more likely to be awarded to more innovative non profits. Additionally, the study had a greater number of participants this year than in the past.

Perhaps your organisation ticks one of these boxes?

  • Lack of money to innovate.
  • Lack of time to dedicate to thinking outside the box.
  • Burdened by government reporting and compliance.
  • Lack digital capabilities in house.
  • Do not use social media or other online sources of marketing and fundraising.
  • Experience low levels of support for innovation.

If so, you appear to not be alone. GiveEasy suggests a dedicated, collaborative effort is required from sector stakeholders if we want a flourishing NFP secret that can meet the evolving demands of the digital area. The Innovation Index offers seven capabilities which need to be embraced and implemented. Download a copy of the GiveEasy Innovation Index today. Learn from it. Study it. Begin planning your innovation strategy now.


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Someday You’ll Return Free PC Download Full Version 2021

Someday You'll Return Free PC Download

Looking for Someday You’ll Return Free PC Download full version? then what are you waiting for?

About Someday You’ll Return Free PC Download

Someday You’ll Return Free PC Download is a mental frightfulness computer game played from a first-individual viewpoint. There is no battle in the game, yet there are many game mechanics player must use to advance. The player is needed to utilize GPS following, creating, herbalism and climate communication to progress in the game. In certain pieces of the game there are secrecy groupings where player must sneak around to dodge the risk. Players’ choices and activities have results which can impact the closure.

Someday You'll Return

There’s nothing more regrettable than a messed up awfulness experience since it on a very basic level sabotages it’s own motivation to exist. It resembles going to watch a parody show where there aren’t any jokes; on the off chance that a repulsiveness game isn’t unnerving, at that point what’s even the point? All things considered, you could contend that solid narrating, drawing in mechanics or rich characters could supplant the alarms with something that is as yet worth encountering.

You’ll probably be left with something like Someday You’ll Return, a game that is plainly had a lot of affection and enthusiasm immersed its code at the end of the day comes up short at being a frightfulness game, just doing barely enough to make it a playable game by any stretch of the imagination.

Someday You'll Return

The story is a straightforward one, something you’ll no uncertainty have found in a lot of other current awfulness stories to where even the game feels need to infrequently feature how clearly recognizable everything is. Little girl disappears, Dad leaves on an excursion to discover her, tracks her to some creepy woods, things continue to get odd and trippy as the woodland itself apparently attempts to keep our hero Daniel from sparing his adored one.

Someday You’ll Return Free PC Download can look wonderful now and again, the game frequently feels incomplete. A lot of audio effects feel like they’ve been ripped off a stock FX site, consistent graphical bugs with movements either beginning or finishing suddenly, exchange playing over itself and generally heinous of all, execution hitches like clockwork.

It would likewise be neglectful of me to not quickly address the voice-acting in this game since it’s a portion of the most exceedingly terrible I’ve heard in quite a while. Extraordinary notice must be made for Daniel, who seems as though he’s in a consistent condition of apathetic lack of sleep. Seeing mainstays of solid downpour from the sky while being pursued by some ghillie suit devotee isn’t sufficiently even to breath the smallest trace of feeling into his voice. Some time or another You’ll Return would have been better off in joining a quiet hero in light of the fact that regularly, on account of loathsomeness games particularly, toning it down would be best.

Someday You'll Return

It’s a little group that was obviously energetic about the work they were doing. However that by itself isn’t sufficient to neglect how hit and miss Someday You’ll Return is. There are some smart thoughts heated into a shell that is lamentably let somewhere around horrible showing, awful introduction and composing that neglects to summon feeling and commitment on even the most crucial level. There are a lot of different games that do what this game was going for in a considerably more persuading way, so I prescribe going to look at those as opposed to attempting to appreciate what little diversion there can be found here.

Someday You’ll Return Free PC Download is an at times pretty game with a sprinkle of fascinating thoughts and visuals that are tragically let somewhere near poor execution, wretched narrating and a general absence of care put into its introduction

PC Requirements

  • OS:Windows 7 and Higher
  • Storage:13 GB available space
  • Memory:4 GB RAM
  • Processor:intel i5 or higher
  • DirectX:Version 11
  • Graphics:nVidia GTX 970 or comparable

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According to news, it was released on 2021

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Cole & Grey Aluminum Valet Rack COGR4784

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Cole & Grey Aluminum Valet Rack

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How to Wear Bike Shorts : It’s easier than you think

How to Wear Bike Shorts : It’s easier than you think

Ok, so bike shorts are a thing, but how do you wear bike shorts? I know, it sounds scary, but it really shouldn’t be. I get it, no one wants to go out looking they are competing for the Tour de France..  Well- let’s start by discussing the rotation of trends.

Mom jeans were a thing at one point. I remember watching my mom pick me up from middle school wearing classic mom jeans and cringing… Thinking, who in their right mind would wear these jeans? Gracefully they were replaced with skinny jeans and flares and almost every iteration of jeans that existed. And then, Kim K wore them in a semi-novel, slightly camp way. Rocking see-through corsets and mom jeans. A staple that flooded everyone’s wardrobe whether they fancied her inspiration or were just looking for the perfect hipster iteration of jean- mom jeans became a thing.

But more recently an even more childhood cringe-worthy trend has popped up. Over the past year- everyone is embracing bike shorts. Yes, you heard that right. Legit, bike shorts.. like the kind real cyclists wear when you know, they bike. It’s not a synonym for something more chic…. And to be fair, a lot passed this trend off to be only for the mega-stars with size zero bodies and stylists carefully curating their looks. Well, of course, Bella Hadid could wear bike shorts and look cool, she can practically wear anything. And most were not keen to revisit their childhood memories of tie-dye bike shorts and leggings. Even, bucket hats, are now a thing- check out my post to understand that curious trend.  But, alas- bike shorts are here and they have cemented a role within the entire fashion stratosphere, abandoning their elite place among the size zero stars and finding a home with every fashion aficionado and influencer alike.

So- how do you wear bike shorts? Well, theoretically, based on my last paragraph- it is a trend you can opt-out of. They will be passe eventually. But, if you want to wear one of the fastest-growing trends currently, you will have to tackle how to wear bike shorts.

First, let’s admit,  they are most certainly a trendy item. Don’t try to downplay the fact you are in fact embracing a trend. We all thought they would fizzle out, but it’s been over a year and I think they are only going stronger. So- it’s time to try it out.

how to wear bike shorts

Your first styling choice is obvious- the blazer. Whether rocking an oversized blazer with a belt over your bike shorts, or mimicking my vibes of a cropped blazer and cropped tank- the blazer is very good friends with the bike shorts. It’s like two trends that grew up together and are still best friends. Almost every iteration with the blazer will in fact work. So, check for blazers being integral to this trend.

The other magical part about bike shorts is that they work with heels. Leggings have been popular (especially among the mom crowd) as regular outerwear (outside the gym) for the past several years. Leggings have found their home on every woman trying to be chic but comfortable- but you want to know what leggings can’t do? They can’t be worn with heels. It just doesn’t look chic or modern.

Bike shorts, on the other hand- can look fantastic with almost any shoe trend- mules, heels, boots, dr. Martens, and even our friendly ugly dad sneaker or dad sandals. Because of where they hit on the leg they leave a lot of room for playing with shoe choice. And they really highlight your legs, so check two for a flattering silhouette.

Another common trend cropping up everywhere is monochrome and bike shorts play well with this one too. You can really commit to a matching set or monochrome outfit. Even brighter colors work. Orange bike shorts paired with an orange blazer and belt- can be orangesicle dreams.

ALSO- if you need help with implementing trends and finding your fashion sense, I have a FREE style guide. Just sign up below to have it sent directly to your inbox. It will help you gain more confidence through your fashion choices and develop the eye of a true fashionista. These are the thoughts and steps I personally always use to make my fashion choices, and I’m giving them to you!

So the first step with this trend is to buy an oversized or cropped blazer to pair with them. If that isn’t you vibe, you can try the monochrome trend as well.

The second step in how to wear bike shorts- is to own it.  This is a trend that demands attention. It’s mixing true athletic roots with higher, structured fashion. Which is not an everyday occurrence. The melding of worlds is bound to attract people.

But, bike shorts have been evolving since bikes were around. Riding around in the 1890s in wool, yes you read the correctly, WOOL cycling shorts. They were not practical and eventually, people tried different iterations of leather, which lead to equally uncomfortable riders. They moved on to silk jerseys in the 1950s, which were better options than the scratchy, friction-filled options of the past.. but did not come full circle to a more modern-day version until the 70’s when lycra was our best friend. At this point, the options for design became almost endless and they evolved into more colors, patterns, and even logos printed on the surface.

They were a functional piece that allowed for easy movement, quick cycling pivots, and ya know all those things cyclists’ might care about, but for a fashion person holds little weight. However, I can say bicycle shorts are in fact- a fashion person’s best friend this season..

There are not a ton of trends that scream comfort or ease- I think dad sneakers/sandals might be the only rival trend right that actually embraces comfort…. ya know, in a kind of ironic, cool-girl way.

how to wear bike shorts

But bike shorts are very comfortable. Way more so than jeans or a skirt, and way more on trend. Pairing them with a blazer, a crop top, or even an oversized tee or sweatshirt is definitely the way to go. They are flexible, and as long as you pay attention to your proportion- they will look great.

I advise not going too long with the short. Mid-thigh or just above the knee is the range you should be shooting for. Anything shorter than that will look more like a bootie short- different vibe entirely, and anything below the knee will fall more into the legging category/workout space.

Also, the bike short pair very well with exaggerated silhouettes that why the oversized OR cropped blazers work so well. A traditional cut blazer can work, but it runs the risk of hitting you at an awkward hip length.. And you want to avoid cutting you body at your hips. This will make your legs look shorter and no one wants that.

Therefore a larger sized blazer should hit at least at the bottom edge of your butt. A cropped jacket should not go below the mid-level of your hip. You can go shorter with you jacket, or even a bit longer , but avoid that awkward middle area that will truncate you in half.

how to wear bike shorts

Jewelry is also your friend with bike shorts… While you can eliminate jewelry for a more athleisure style vibe, if you want your bike short look to be more flexible for outings- statement earrings or layered necklaces are an easy way to make this happen.

If you are shooting for an athleisure vibe instead- then ditch the blazer and go for a sporty style bra top and a 90’s style jacket or an oversized army jacket or bomber jacket. This look pairs well with chunky sneakers, or the ugly sandal trend.  The oversized proportions of the shoe helps give it that slightly retro, but totally on-trend feel. Minimal jewelry is advised, small gold hoops work but avoid the statement pieces.

But girl, I don’t want my stomach showing? I get it… We all have insecurity regions, and my stomach is definitely one of them.  This is where a belted oversized blazer comes in handy. It doesn’t show skin and still allows the bike shorts to peak out.  You could also go with an overused men’s tee (long or short sleeve) or an overused men’s button up. With these items, I  recommend the famous “half tuck” to show off a little more bike short- but that depends on your comfort level.

Darker colored, more matte textures and flattering patterns are your best bet for not showing the shape of your stomach.  Super bright colors, horizontal stripes/patterns, and/or “pleather/leather” style bike shorts will draw more visible shadows and can be slightly more revealing.  Try the options I mentioned in the previous paragraph if you want a neon bike shorts or pleather bike shorts but don’t want your stomach to look… less than ideal.

So- there you have it. My breakdown of how to wear bike shorts and not look like a professional cyclist? If that makes sense.  This is a trend that may require you to try on a few different options before leaving the house- trial and error is the way to find what works for your body AND what makes you feel great wearing. It’s not a hard trend to pull off once you recognize what works on your body.

** we may earn a commission from you clinking the links in this post at no additional cost to you, for the full affiliate policy, click here

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Service Center

As all customers seek the best quality of service to ensure their car stays with them in long run, MAC strives to offer the best to its customers to ensure a strong relationship with them and maintain reciprocated trust.

MAC offers the best service at all times and ensures that all of their customer’s needs are met in their dealings with the company. The company owns a number of service centers that welcome GAC car owners 12 hours a day for the completion of maintenance and repair of the largest number of cars in the shortest time period possible as they take in a vast number of cars monthly without any prior arrangements or appointments.

« Mutawa Alkazi» is proud of its fast maintenance and repair work carried out by a specialized technical team and the coach of engineers and technicians with high efficiency and large capacity to detect any malfunction and work to repair with the possibility of providing an integrated report on the state of the car and repair systems.

The company is keen on pleasing its customers through its focus on providing after-sales services by offering original spare parts at the best prices parts with the quality and originality of the parent company guarantee, as well as the constant warning of fake spare parts and the many risks, which have become a threat to the lives of the people on the road as a result of such defects and damages. (GAC) mentions such in their Marketing introduction as they are keen on always providing the best quality parts, and efficient repair by the hands of skilled technicians and engineers.

The company is keen to secure the original spare parts for different types and models of cars, either through multi-service centers or through requesting certain pieces from abroad. Pieces are brought in by air in order to preserve customer time and original price without being charged air freight costs. Therefore, through MAC’s serious commitment towards all its clients in Kuwait from citizens to expatriates, its goal is to always provide better service while maintaining an a hard working, integrated, dedicated, and highly qualified team in terms of experience, training courses and intense programs.

To ensure privacy the company provides private lounges for women and men with the wifi.

« Mutawa Alkazi » has the best Dealership Awards, on after sales and «Service Hero» and was the first among the 34 competing companies for its excellent services and quality of dealing with customers. The company was able to maintain this standard over the years to which defined its relationship with its customers on a basis built on mutual trust which benefited the service centers and facilities.

The company has sought to provide integrated services such German dye furnaces which are the latest paints certified by automotive manufacturers in the world.
The company aims to secure the delivery of a vehicle to the owner after confirming all the maintenance work required, installation of original spare parts, as well as informing the car owner on the status of the car, faults that the car may be subject to, parts that will need to be replaced before their end period and visiting the service center before that time.

«Mutawa Alkazi’s first goal is to provide the best customer service rather than profit. MAC works to provide a car rental service at discounted rates for car owners. If required, car owners who’s vehicles will require some time for maintenance and repair will be given a rental car. Therefore, our client will be able to accomplish their needs with the use of the rented car.

GAC Service Center -Shuwaikh

Telephone number: 1833334

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Star Being Invocation & Unifying Frequency 432hz

Aloha Planetary Kin:

This blog is in response to a discussion I've had with Stephanie South, the Red Queen. She suggested that we utilize a unifying frequency for our activities and to invoke the manifestation of communication between us and the Star Beings who are our benefactors in this process. She asked me to post this information in a blog to give everyone a chance to include these unifying activities in their Day Out of Time and New Years Celebrations. Please pass this along to those kin you know who do not have access to Spacebook.

In Lakéch

Randy Cosmichand

Star Being Invocation & Unifying Frequency 432hz

As I write this it is the Full Moon of the Crystal Moon of Cooperation. This is the Full Moon where we reach out to group consciousness. It is also the crossing over of the very center of the Tzolkin. From White Cosmic Dog, the power of cosmic love, we take magic flight into Blue Magnetic Monkey, “I unify in order to play.” This inspires me to suggest methods of cooperation through which our unified play during the New Year activities this year can help us attune and raise our vibrations to access higher vibrational communication through the Stargate of the Grand Sextile sacred geometry in Space. This is a great opportunity to reach out for communion and communication with the Star Beings of Love waiting to assist us in our process.

"A" tuned to 432hz can be used as a unifying frequency. It produces a sound that many have described as nourishing and uplifting. 432hz is the Cosmic Octave of Love. This is the ancient tuning involved in the original discovery of music. The standard tuning has been changed and raised many times over the years for many different reasons. It is currently A at 440 Hz.

I discovered 432hz thru the Tibetan bowls I have and were playing for group meditations. I wanted to record space music to go along with them. So, I recorded the bowls and went to record keyboards along with them and I discovered that the keyboards were not in tune with the bowls. Then I tuned the keyboards down to be in tune with the bowls and discovered that they were tuned to 432.

I researched the 432 music and found lots of other info about it. There are tuning forks tuned to A at 432 Hz. There are also musical resources on the Internet with music tuned to 432 Hz. My suggestion is that our groups use this tone, A@432 Hz, to unify ourselves vibrationally. If we can access that tone through our voices and or musical instruments it will create a unifying field of love around us and the planet.

After playing the Tibetan bowls and tuning into their vibration, I realized that they were helping me to raise my own frequency. Soon after that I began accessing the Cosmic Gold vibration. This is a vibration that is easily accessible to everyone who can raise their vibration slightly to come into tune with it. This is not a great stretch. It is fairly easily accomplished by anyone with true desire, pure intention and dedicated participation. Tuning to A 432 really helps this process.

The Cosmic Gold vibration is a ray readily available from the Cosmos. It is also an open communication line to Star Beings who operate in tune with the Cosmic Gold. These are Beings of Love who are already there waiting for us to raise our frequency enough to be able to communicate with them.

This information was made clear to me long ago through my own communications. It is my hope that through our celebrations of the Day Out of Time, the New Year, and the Grand Sextile that all of us will actualize the opportunity to raise our vibration to the Cosmic Gold level and access the communication and manifestation of the Star Beings operating on that level.

To that end, I have crafted an Invocation to be included after the Prayer of the 7 Galactic Directions at all our ceremonies from the Full Moon through the Grand Sextile. This of course includes the Day Out of Time and the New Year. As I stated in my earlier article on the Grand Sextile, I feel it is an opening of a Stargate. This is the best opportunity for the type of communication and manifestation that we seek with our Star Being benefactors.

Star Being Invocation 2013:

From Hunab Ku to Me and You

We are open to receive

Star Beings of the highest vibration

We are able to conceive

We open ourselves from deep within

The way you've showed us how

Star Beings of the Cosmic Gold vibration

Manifest yourselves to us

Peace & In Lakéch

Randy Cosmic Hand

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Comment by gaurov mukherjee on December 27, 2015 at 8:22am

a year back i started tuning to A=432 hz with Pythagorean tuning  as it is best suited for indian classical.. it certainly woke me up to reality..

thank u for the article Randy Cosmichand

Comment by ODouce Morand on July 7, 2013 at 10:24am

Thank You Nathan! for sharing Universal Wisdom!  really appreciate the Simplicity  You express !

Comment by ODouce Morand on July 5, 2013 at 7:29am

Comment by Mertxe Zuza on June 29, 2013 at 12:54am

Enlaces en español de los reportes enviados por Randy Mano Cósmica para el Día Fuera del Tiempo y Año Nuevo

Thank you Randy

Comment by Dani sèlfigzistin' skaiwolker on June 27, 2013 at 3:17pm

Cosmic love to you Randy! This is a great idea! A 432hz is an amazing frequency of connection, I love this tuning, it makes you hear the music deep within your skin: I don't find a better way to describe it. So, if we all tune with this frequency we will connect us from within, the center. The Star Being invocation and your work on the sextile stargate is incredible and wonderful, thank you for your inspiring guide!

Daniele, another-your-self-existing skywalker

Comment by Doug Slater on June 26, 2013 at 10:15pm

MUCH LOVE RANDY COSMIC HAND! We honor your work and offering and will tune our instruments and our bodies to this Love Frequency! Thank you so much for sharing this awesome information. I can't wait to explore it more deeply. I will let you know how it goes. We will be honoring your work, your offering and your invocation on all the days of the Grand Sextile and into the future. In Lak'ech My Brother, Doug Yellow Resonant Warrior

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Inner Earth: Number Synchronicity

In a world that seeks to divide us, the Synchronic Order Unites us All.  This series of synchronic reflections that activated on Kin 120: Yellow Electric Sun while visiting Mount Shasta. This day, Planetary Moon 10, began the 65-day cycle … Continue reading

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A dress with an original frill skirt. The hand-made lace and draped tulle are a beautiful decoration of the bodice and emphasise the strengths of the figure. The V-neck gives lightness and wonderfully accentuates the woman’s figure.

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Yooka Laylee Sequel Announced!

by on June 7, 2019

There has already been a whole slew of announcements leading up to E3 2019!  But this one is one of my favorites.  Playtonic Games and Team17 are back with Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair!  Check out the announcement trailer below –

One of the first things I noticed is the different look of the game.  Yooka Laylee will mix 2.5 D levels along with an overhead 3D world, creating a platforming/adventure hybrid.  Yooka and Laylee must rescue Queen Phoebee’s Royal Beettalion Guard from each level and take on Capital B’s most dastardly challenge yet – the Impossible Lair.

More information will be available during E3 next week!  Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair will arrive sometime in 2019 on Nintendo Switch, PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One.  You can keep up to date with all the information on Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair on their Facebook, Twitter, and Discord pages.

I’m very intrigued with the newish look of Impossible Lair.  It almost reminds me of Super Mario/Donkey Kong platforming, which I dig a lot.  I can’t wait to see more.  Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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  1. I'm not a big fan of people lying on their appeals. We can see the identifiers of those who attempt to connect to the servers, you tried to connect with the same license but a different Steam account. Your ban will not be removed. Declined
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Video Games News, Reviews & Guides

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch has a size of less than 7 GB

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The German division of Amazon has added to its download list cart the title of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch, which also brings out the size of the game amounted to 6.75 GB, a not particularly excessive size.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is about to arrive on the Nintendo Switch at the end of the month and Amazon has revealed on its German page that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will have a size of nearly 7 GB for the on Nintendo Switch.

Mario Kart 8 for Wii U weighed 4.9 GB, but this new edition also includes all the DLC and additional content published following the launch, from the slightly larger size here.

Recall that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will arrive in retail format on Nintendo eShop on 28 April, and there has been recently emerged on the web a video showing well 26 minutes of gameplay of the game.

Indeed, the YouTube channel of “GamerGlobal” has published a gameplay video of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Switch lasting 26 minutes, which allows you to take a thorough look at the main multiplayer mode of the game.

Recall that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe include all additional content already out on the Wii U as well as new characters and game modes while there are no additional circuitry. The launch of the game is scheduled for April 28 on Switch in retail and digital format downloadable from Nintendo eShop.

READ  Here's How to Transfer Save Data & User Accounts From One Nintendo Switch To Another
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Editor choice

ASUS Scar 15 2021 Review – With Ryzen!

The ASUS Scar 15 gaming laptop has shifted from Intel to AMD’s Ryzen processor, and it also got a new design in 2021, but there is more to it than just flashy RGB lighting. Let’s find out in this review.

The specifications of the unit I tested are quite high.

Unit Specifications
CPURyzen 9 5900HX (8C/16T)
GraphicsRTX 3080 16GB 115-130W
Memory32GB DDR4-3200 Dual Channel
Screen15.6″ 1080p 300Hz 1440p 165Hz Option
Storage1TB NVME m.2 SSD
NetworkWiFi 6 – Gigabit Ethernet
ASUS Scar 15 2021 Internals

The overall design of the Scar 15 looks quite similar to previous models with plenty of RGB lighting. However, there are some exciting changes in the 2021 model.

The metal top has a black finish, while the plastic interior is primarily black. The right side of the keyboard deck has a translucent effect, and you can see the hardware inside.

ASUS Scar 15 2021 Front look

The front has a little plastic sticking out in the middle to help with opening the lid. It’s easy to open with one finger, and it felt well balanced. The plastic interior feels exceptionally smooth and relatively easy to clean off fingerprints and dirt, which quickly shows up.

The back plastic corner piece on the left can be removed and swapped between different finishes. You will find three pieces included in the laptop box.

ASUS Scar 15 2021 Corner pieces

Build Quality

The overall build quality of Scar 15 is decent. There’s only a minor flex to the keyboard deck. However, the screen has a bit more wobble to it, but it doesn’t shake around when typing.

Size and Weight

The laptop alone weighs 2.3kgs or 5.1lbs, and 3kgs or 6.7lbs with the 240-watt power brick and cables for charging. The dimensions are quite similar to most 15″ laptops. It’s not thin nor thick, just a standard gaming laptop size.

ASUS Scar 15 2021 Dimensions

RGB Lighting

There’s a light bar running along the front and a little on the left and right-hand sides, just like the previous year’s model. However, the new 2021 model also adds a little light bar below the screen on this little section where there’s a gap.

ASUS Scar 15 2021 RGB lights

The logo on the lid also has RGB lighting and can be customized through the ASUS Aura creator software.

My unit has a 15.6″ 1080P 300hz screen, but It is also available with a 1440p 165hz. Both panel options have FreeSync, but there’s no option of disabling Optimus for a speed boost.

The color gamut is fine, with SRGB at 95% and AdobeRGB at 73%. The brightness gets to a little over 300 nits at maximum, but expect different results with the 1440P option.

ASUS Scar 15 Screen Brightness

The ASUS Armory Crate software for the laptop gives you the option to enable or disable panel overdrive, affecting screen response time.

There wasn’t any backlight bleeding in my unit, but this will vary from unit to unit.

ASUS Scar 15 2021 Keyboard

The mechanical keyboard has vibrant RGB backlighting, which illuminates all keys and secondary key functions. It’s got three levels of key brightness and 1.9 millimeters of key travel.

I’ve really liked typing with it. The keys have a clicky feeling, and it’s great to use but a bit louder than non-mechanical alternatives. It can be a little annoying for others if you’re sitting in a super quiet environment like a library.

There is less chance of accidentally pressing the power button as it’s above the keyboard on the right. There are five extra function buttons above on the left, including volume adjust, microphone mute, a button for performance modes, and a shortcut button for Armory Crate Software.

The precision touchpad is quite large, works great, and feels accurate. If you hold down on the top right of the touchpad, it will enable the Numpad, but you can’t use the regular touchpad in this mode.

ASUS Scar 15 2021 Trackpad

I/O Ports

There is an air exhaust vent, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, and a 3.5mm audio combo on the left. The right side has the keystone and an air exhaust vent.

The rest of the I/O is on the back between the two of our exhaust fonts. We’ve got a third USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A port, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, HDMI 2.0B output, gigabit Ethernet port, and the power input.

The HDMI port connects to the integrated Radeon graphics, while the Type-C port offers Display port support and connects directly to the NVidia graphics. You can also use the Type-C port to charge the laptop.

The keystone is a red key on the side that uses NFC and is held in by magnets. You can customize things on the system like lighting and performance profiles and bind them to the keystone. Then when you connect it, everything automatically changes to your settings.

It is beneficial if you’re sharing the laptop with other people. You can also use the keystone to unlock a hidden encrypted drive, where you can store your personal stuff.

The speakers are underneath down the front on the left and right sides, and they sound amazing for a gaming laptop. Plenty of bass, but not clear at max volume despite not getting super loud, but still well above average, and the latency mod results were good too.

Like most other ASUS gaming laptops, it plays sound on boot. Fortunately, it’s possible to disable it either through the Armory Crate software or BIOS.

The BIOS has the same layout as other modern ASUS laptops. Same basic options without too much customization available.

The scar 15 has a four cell 90-watt hour battery. I’ve tested it with all RGB lighting off background apps disabled and screen set to 50 brightness.

The ASUS Armory Crate software gives you the option of enabling iGPU only mode, which will disable the NVidia discrete graphics to help improve battery life. You can manually enable it through the software or choose it to automatically enable when you unplug.

The software will also lower the screen’s refresh rate down to 60Hz when you unplug to help save battery. This results in the screen flashing black briefly while it changes.

In my YouTube playback test, I didn’t find the iGPU mode to make too much difference. It gave me only 11 minutes longer runtime, but it’s still an improvement. This could be larger if your system has other apps installed that frequently call the GPU.

ASUS Scar 15 Battery Life

The Scar 15 is stacking up well when compared to other gaming laptops. It provided great results with this kind of higher-tier hardware inside. It lasted for 9 hours and 44 minutes in the YouTube playback test.

ASUS Scar 15 Battery Life

The MyASUS software also lets you change between these options to prevent the battery from charging to 100%, which can help increase battery lifespan.

Software and Thermals

It has plenty of heat pipes inside, and the Ryzen processor is cooled with liquid metal. The ASUS Armory Crate software lets you change between different performance profiles like lowest to highest, silent, performance, turbo and manual.

Turbo mode applies the following overclock to the GPU, but this can be modified in manual mode. Manual mode also lets us modify fan speed as well as CPU power limits. Most of my testing is done with the manual mode for best performance.

ASUS Scar 15 Average Temprature

I’ve run stress tests with both the CPU and GPU loaded up to represent a worst-case as well as playing an actual game. The GPU was hitting thermal throttle limits in performance mode with the stress test going. Otherwise, the CPU appears to be hitting limits in turbo mode and manual modes before using the cooling pad.

The temperatures with game running were cooler than the worst-case stress tests, which is generally the case. These are the clock speeds for the same tests shown above. The results are a bit strange.

ASUS Scar 15 Average Clock Speed

With the stress test running, performance mode drops back in CPU speed to boost the GPU. Something that isn’t happening with the game running. It could be a dynamic boost messing around, otherwise only minor differences between the turbo and manual modes.

The GPU was maxing out with the stress test running while the CPU was able to surpass 60 watts. However, with the game running, the CPU seems to be limited to 45 watts. Higher power limits are achieved in the stress tests, but we’re not seeing it in the games.

ASUS Scar 15 Average Power in Watts

I think this is simply because the clock speeds we just looked at were already hitting maximum in this specific game. This isn’t usually the case in this test, but maybe I need to move to a newer game.

The only reason I haven’t yet is that this one hasn’t been a problem so far, and I can compare the results with past results.

Here’s how an actual game performs with these different modes in use. There’s no change at all between performance and manual modes. While silent isn’t even reaching half the frame rate. In fact, I wouldn’t consider the performance in Watchdogs earlier in silent mode as playable.

ASUS Scar 15 Benchmarks - Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Here’s how the different modes perform in Cinebench R23. Again not too much difference between performance turbo and manual modes in both single and multi-core.

ASUS Scar 15 Benchmarks - Cinebench R23

The multi-core CPU performance in this test is the best score I’ve recorded so far, and the single-core result is well up there, too, which makes sense. The 5900hx is the best Ryzen mobile processor I’ve had so far.

ASUS Scar 15 Benchmarks - Cinebench R23 Single vs multi core

Gaming Comparison

Let’s find out how well the new Ryzen-based Scar 15 compares against other laptops in games. Just use these results as a rough guide only as they were tested at different times with different drivers.

I’ve tested Battlefield V in campaign mode at ultra-settings. The result isn’t bad or anything. I mean it’s only just slightly under the desktop replacement Alienware 51mm, but I was expecting better from the 16GB RTX 3080 graphics here.

ASUS Scar 15 Gaming Benchmark - Battlefield V (2)

The lower wattage 3070 and the Arrow 15 are doing better, though it does have an Intel processor, and Intel is by no means out of the CPU gaming race just yet.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider was tested with the game’s benchmark tool with the highest setting preset, and the Scar 15 drops down a couple of positions now relative to the same selection of laptops. It’s just a little ahead of the thinner ASUS Zephyrus G15 just below it, which also has RTX 3080 graphics. They’re half the VRam and with a lower power limit.

ASUS Scar 15 Gaming Benchmarks - Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Far Cry 5 was also tested with the game’s benchmark tool at max settings. The Scar 15 was lower this time around. This test tends to be more CPU-dependent, and I was expecting more from the 5900hx though that wasn’t the case here.

ASUS Scar 15 Gaming Benchmarks - Far Cry 5

The results don’t really make sense to me either. Given the 5900HS with the lower-powered 3080 in the G15 was performing better here. Though to be fair, the G15 does have a higher CPU power limit for our HS chip.

The 3080 graphics paired with a 1080p screen are a bit overkill unless you’re a serious E-Sports player. Even then, if that was your priority, you’d be better served by a laptop that lets you disable Optimus because that will give you a speed boost, especially in E-Sports titles.

Now for the benchmarking tools, I’ve tested Heaven Valley and Superposition from UNIGINE and fire strike time spy and Port Royal from the 3D mark.

Content Creation

Adobe premiere was tested with the Puget systems benchmark. The results from Scar 15 are the best I’ve seen from this newer version of the test. Despite the larger GE76 having a higher GPU power limit, it’s coming in slightly lower, presumably due to the Intel processor, given most of the top results are Ryzen based.

ASUS Scar 15 - Adobe Premier Puget Systems Benchmark

Adobe Photoshop generally depends more on processor performance, and again the result from the Ryzen 9 5900HX are excellent. Only a little behind the 5900HX in the clever chassis at the top.

DaVinci Resolve is more GPU heavy, and although this laptop has the 16GB RTX 3080. The power limit isn’t as high as others. So the processor is clearly making a difference here too. Outside of gaming, it’s clear that Scar has an edge in content creator workloads.

ASUS Scar 15 - DaVinci Resolve Puget Systems Benchmark

I’ve also tested spec-view-perf, which tests out various professional 3D workloads.

ASUS Scar 15 - SPECviewperf

Storage and Testing

The drive speed for the one terabyte NVME M.2 SSD was great for both reads and writes, and as there’s a second M.2 slot, you could add another drive if you want.

Pricing and Availability

You can check the links for price in this article for updated prices, as these will change over time. At the time of writing this article, the configuration I’ve tested here is listed at 3500 USD on the ASUS website.

Though the 3070 model is 500 less and will probably still perform very nicely. There’s also a cheaper version with a 3080 but lower 5800H CPU. Though this one also has lower memory, the point is there are options.

Conclusion – Scar 15 worth buying?

Let’s summarize both the good and the bad to help you decide if the ASUS Scar 15 is a gaming laptop worth considering. ASUS has started to deliver what everyone was asking for last year; high-end Ryzen gaming laptops.

The specs in my unit are on the higher end of what’s available. However, the gaming performance wasn’t quite where I’d expect, probably because of the inability of disabling Optimus, but at least it has Pre-Sync.

Outside of gaming, though, as we saw earlier in the content creator workloads and Cinebench. The CPU performance from the Ryzen 9HX is next level. It can run hot depending on the workload, even with the liquid metal though that’s with a worst-case stress test.

Actual games didn’t seem too bad, and we’ve got the option of customizing fan speed to improve things. The 1080p screen is decent for gaming. It’s got a relatively low response time and brightness and colors.

Though the 1440P option might be better for maximizing the 3080 graphics in my unit, I’d probably go for the 1440p option especially, if I was considering the largest 17-inch model, but that’s just personal preference.

Overall the build quality is good, and there’s plenty of RGB lighting if that’s your thing, but even if it’s not, you can customize it or turn it off.

ASUS Scar 15 2021 Bottom

Battery life was great, and it’s got Type C charging support. The mechanical keyboard and touchpad were both great to use. My only real complaint outside of it was not letting us disable Optimus are those two ribbon cables that connect the bottom panel to the motherboard.

I have heard of people breaking the connectors by taking the bottom panel off who weren’t aware of this.

If others like MSI can pull off a light bar without these, then I’m sure ASUS can get it sorted too. Other than that, I’m sure the lack of a camera will be a deal-breaker for some. So although I’ve got the Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, you can save some money and get the Ryzen 75800H which is still an eight core chip.

I love gaming and i have been playing since the Atari and Sega were released. My love for gaming made me build this website where i talk about everything related to gaming.


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The European Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive and its impact on retail depositors, bondholders and shareholders

This article was first published in The Times (26th October, 2015).

The European Bank Recovery & Resolution Directive (BRRD) might appear to be that kind of legislative instrument best left to the dark Victorian desks of some large law-firms, but, lo and behold, one should note that the BRRD does have a significant impact even on retail depositors, bondholders and shareholders, such as yourself.  This brief article is not intended to explain the nitty-gritty of the BRRD, but rather to highlight, in what I hope should be simple terms, the relevance to you as a potential depositor or holder of shares or bonds in a Maltese bank.

For starters, the BRRD was transposed into Maltese law through a series of legislative interventions, the more important being amendments to the Malta Financial Services Authority Act and the enactment of the new Recovery and Resolution Regulations, 2015 (the Resolution Regulations).  Malta now boasts of yet another authority, the Resolution Authority, although the day to day functions of this authority are carried out by a so-called Resolution Committee.

The Resolution Committee has been given a new set of tools to intervene sufficiently early and quickly in an unsound or failing bank so as to ensure the continuity of the bank’s critical financial and economic functions, while minimizing the impact of an institution’s failure on the economy and financial system.

General Powers to take Control

One of the main themes of the BRRD is that in the event of a bank failing or likely to fail, the Resolution Committee will intervene through a raft of powers and tools in relation to the failing bank.  Just by way of flavour, the Resolution Committee has the power to take control of the failing bank and exercise all the rights and powers conferred upon the shareholders and the board of directors of the bank.  It would also have the power to transfer to another entity, rights, assets or liabilities of the bank.

You as a shareholder in a Maltese bank

The long and short of the BRRD is that in the event of a bank which is failing or is likely to fail, as a shareholder, you will bear losses first, before any other creditors.  The days of a Government bail-out (as happened in certain jurisdictions during the financial crisis) are over and now EU technocrats speak of ‘bail-ins’.  In layman’s terms, a shareholder in a bank runs the risk of having his entire value of the shares wiped out.

You as a holder of bonds in a Maltese bank

As a bondholder, much depends on whether the bonds are secured or not.  Broadly speaking, any secured bonds issued by a bank are generally exempt from a bail-in.  However, unsecured bonds, be they senior or subordinated, will be the next to bear the bank’s losses after shareholders.  In addition, as is noted below, there is a change to creditor hierarchy, such that unsecured bonds are statutorily subordinated to most bank deposits.  One important safeguard of relevance is that, in the case of a bail-in, no creditor (including you as bondholder) should incur greater losses than he would have incurred if the institution had been wound up under normal insolvency proceedings in accordance with a ‘no creditor worse off’ principle.

In layman’s terms, unsecured bonds issued by banks now carry greater risks.

You as a depositor in a Maltese bank

As a depositor in a Maltese bank you stand to gain from the provisions of the BRRD.

You must not forget that under the Maltese Depositor Compensation Scheme, the first EUR 100,000 per eligible depositor (certain corporates are excluded from this cover) is covered by law through the depositor compensation scheme.  Prior to the BRRD, any amount in excess of EUR 100,000 would be lost by a depositor in the event of an insolvency of a bank (this is exactly what happened in Cyprus a few years ago).  The Resolution Regulations have now added a provision to the effect that any amount in excess of the EUR 100,000 per eligible depositor (subject to some exceptions) will enjoy a preferential ranking above ordinary, unsecured creditors (such as unsecured bondholders).

So, in brief, the creditor’s hierarchy in the insolvency of a bank would be as follows:

  1. Secured Debt
  2. Covered Deposits (up to EUR100,000 per depositor);
  3. Eligible deposits exceeding EUR100k from individuals and SMEs;
  4. Ordinary, unsecured and non-preferred creditors.

To sum up, in a few words, deposits in banks are better off and depositors will now enjoy a preferential status above other unsecured creditors.  Investors in shares and unsecured bonds should, in contrast, be aware of heightened risks.