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5 Rules For Living A Thrilling And Fulfilling Life

success drawing

I came across an absolutely brilliant idea a month or so back, and I only regret that it’s taken me this long to share it with you. Jon over at 5 Rules For Life emailed me with a (very flattering) submission request. It was right as I was heading o/s for a month or so, so I kinda forgot about it until stumbling across his blog again today. It really is a fantastic concept. In Jon’s words –

“The premise is simple – people from all walks share what they believe are the most important rules to follow for a happy, successful, and fulfilling life.”

I highly recommend checking this blog out – you may not come across with a new rule for your own top 5, but you’ll most certainly be inspired! So without further ado, here are my 5 rules for life.

1. Be present

I have to admit I’m still struggling with this one myself (and probably always will), but it’s definitely a rule I try to live by. It’s all too easy to become so caught up in the day to day that we forget that life is, in fact, happening right now. And if you’re not enjoying it, living it, being absorbed in it, pressing ‘play’, well then you’re missing out on your own life. Which is just plain sad, not to mention somewhat unproductive, and even exhausting if it means your mind is constantly anywhere but where you are. There’s a great saying that goes something like ‘forget yesterday, live for today, tomorrow will take care of itself’ (or may never come) – in fact, I think I’m paraphrasing from the Bible with that one. I’d say it’s definitely a mantra worth living by, wouldn’t you?

2. Figure out what really matters to you

It’s all very well to learn how to be present, but it’s not going to be especially rewarding if your ‘present’ is a place you don’t really want to be. The most useful thing I’ve done (and repeated) in the past decade or so is taken time out to figure out what really matters to me. Truth be told it’s a pretty hefty list, but whittling it down is half the fun and fairly insightful as well! When it all comes down to it, the thing that matters most to me is enjoying who I am and enjoying life with my family and those who I love. In order to get there, I need to generate a certain amount of money, be in a certain state of health, and create a lifestyle that allows me flexibility. Once you’ve got this stuff sorted in your mind, it’s a simple matter of setting aside time to work on achieving those dreams. I find it best to focus on just 2 or 3 ‘big’ things each year.

3. Do it – every day

Taking time to consider what truly matters takes you at least halfway to success. But, as much as the power of your mind is fairly incredible, you do have to actively take action if you want to move forward. At the start of this year I took up a 30-day challenge issued by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. I can honestly say that it was one of the most worthwhile lessons I’ve learned in recent years – and so simple! All I did was set aside (minimum) the first 10 minutes of each day for something that was really important to me. The task I chose at the time was my writing. Getting through the entire challenge was tough, but incredibly rewarding. I don’t think I’ve ever written as much as I did in that month, and I’m quite certain it both improved my writing skills and set the tone for a productive year of blogging. And although I’ve reverted to bad habits on occasion, I’m pretty good these days at doing first things first, and am even learning not to worry if ‘second’ things don’t happen at all. Give it a go – I guarantee you’ll love the outcome!

4. Learn the art of acceptance – you’ll save yourself bucket-loads of stress

One of the best lines I’ve heard comes straight from the mouth of Al Pacino in The Devil’s Advocate (awesome movie, if a little disturbing!). As the big man puts it – “it is what it is”. I think that if you can learn to apply this mantra to various situations throughout your day, you’ll find that you become a much calmer (and therefore happier) person. I know I’m not the only one who harbors stress, ill-will, frustration within my mind. And to what end? Most things are never going to be as bad or as powerful as they initially seem, and even if they are, what’s the point of worrying about something you can’t change? It is what it is, and it will eventually pass. I love that part of the Serenity Prayer that goes “grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”.

5. Don’t be afraid to snob convention and break the rules once in a while – even your own!

Courage to make change is possibly one of the greatest things that we can conquer. In most cases (and quite particularly when it’s something worth fighting for) the easy path is the one of least resistance. It’s always tough to go against the grain, whether it’s by following less-than-conventional nutritional wisdom, by questioning an ‘expert’ or power of some sort on an issue you just don’t quite agree with, by choosing to take up any sort of belief path, or activity, or even hobby that differs from that which your peers or society deem acceptable. But what’s the point of even living if you can’t at least try to be true to yourself? If that means making a stand and taking the flak for it, so be it. If it means a huge leap of faith in your career or personal life, well isn’t it worth the potential gain? And if it means you even have to redefine your own boundaries now and then, well then you really have conquered the art of living. In my mind at least! After all –

Life is Now. Press Play.

***Why not take a moment now to think about 5 rules you’d like to live by? Feel free to share if you like – or you could even submit them to Jon over at 5 Rules For Life!

Oh – and do let me know if you figure out how to master my rule number 1. I could use the tip!

If you’re a regular reader and haven’t been active in the BodyIncredible community then now is the time – I want your involvement, your feedback, and your questions! So why not make this the day to leave a comment before you go – if you’re reading from RSS or email you’ll have to enter the blog to do this. You can do that by clicking on the title of this piece. ‘Post a comment’ is at the article end, right under the ’share this’ and ‘related posts’ options.

If you haven’t yet subscribed to this feed, what are you waiting for? Do it now. You can choose either email or RSS by clicking here. If you enjoyed this article please forward to your friends. Thank-you!

10 Days of Live Soul Transmissions, to Help You Find and Follow the Messages Within

Day 1) Trust

Day 2) Certainty

Day 3) Self-Belief

Day 4) Empire Creation

Day 5) Your Deepest Message

Day 6) Following Soul Guidance in All Areas

Day 7) Faith vs Fear

Day 8) Accessing Flow, and Superflow

Day 9) Expanding Time

Day 10) Expanding Money

Every day will be a LIVE soul led transmission.

This will take place on Facebook video, held at a variety of times in order to account for varying time zones, and scheduled only once we have begun. Our daily soul transmissions will be guided from MY higher self and directed from and for YOURS, to help you find and FOLLOW the messages within. The messages of your spirit, your consciousness, of the who you’ve always been and yet have managed quite well to cover up a lot of the time.

This is about stripping away –

And getting back to the CORE.

We’ll dive day by day into the above mentioned areas –

And you’ll receive all content and bonuses to keep for life.

There will be daily spirit prompts which you’ll receive after each training.

And plenty of time opportunity connect with me throughout, receive transmissions direct to YOUR questions, and absorb more even than what comes through on the trainings, via the energy we’ll create in this collective!

It’s very rare for me to know in advance exactly what is coming through day to day.

I certainly don’t have the details of each day’s content. But I know that these areas have been on my heart to talk about, in particular around belief, around certainty, around living from FAITH.

We know that exactly what is meant to come through for you WILL, and then some. And that if you intend and allow for it to, it will change, most likely before we even begin, due to your energetic commitment, the direction of your LIFE!

Meaning: direct it back to absolute soul alignment.

*** NEVER Seen Before Bonus! ***

As part of this, I’ve been guided to offer a NEVER before seen bonus … one I feel super vulnerable about sharing!

It’s the exact journaling I did to allow the download of THIS offer through. How I allowed the idea to bubble up. You’ll see my doubt, uncertainty, annoyance. You’ll see what I discarded. How I went through the layers. And how I KNEW, this was the one.

I’ll ALSO add in copies (screenshots) of my conversation with my COO Ash, where I was talking through the idea and allowing it to come to life.

I want to show you the exact Idea to Launch process!

This bonus alone is EASILY worth the cost of this program, particularly when you hear the mindset side of it, in terms of STAYING THE COURSE and refusing to back away from my self until the idea showed up!

I refuse not to create!!

AND, when you register for EXPANSION today (and how could you not?!) you’ll also receive early access to the Pre-Work. This is ALSO never seen before, and brand new just for you – and it’s a guided meditation on remembrance, to help you connect back to deepest self and the most certain truth of your destiny, before we even begin.

Perfect priming, for when we expand RAPIDLY into all that is coming through in this work!

Of course I could now go on and on here, about what I could or should have charged for this, and what it’s actually going to be …

Or about all my accomplishments on line and off, with money, with purpose, with passion, with flow …

I think you know all this anyway. Even if you just me! Your soul feels what matters. And that’s ALL that matters.

But I will say this:

You’ve always known it’s supposed to be about ALL that is inside of you. That it’s meant to COME from a place of purpose, passion, and SUPER super flow. And that if you just.freaking.trusted, and showed up FULLY from that place, you’d be living in a different reality already.

If that’s true for you right now, then LET’S GO CREATE THAT REALITY.

Right now

Press play for regular, (super fuck yes!!) upfront or payment plan

Press play like a VIP, and receive the full course, plus 10 days direct photos or screenshots of my ACTUAL personal journaling, so you can see how I create and expand my life, PLUS a VIP only follow-on live Hotseat, where you’ll receive a personal transmission just for you, if you’d like one! Payment plan also available.

We start Monday 17 December, US time!

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My love of books and the ‘written’ word started in my childhood, now in my early 50’s it is still an important part of my life. Books have got me through some difficult times over the years and I am keen to share some of the great books and authors past and present.

For some time it has been plan to start a book review service now after a ‘trying’ and sometimes a painful birth I decided to take the plunger in November 2014 I have Set up the blog and the Social Media accounts.  I am guessing as you are reading this you are as lover of the written word. Welcome to ‘The Last Word – Book Review’ and thank you for taking the time to view my blog. This is just the first step in what I hope will become something bigger and exciting as time goes on. 2015 holds some exciting ideas. I have past experience in broadcasting and this is something that I hope to bring together in 2015.

There is something quite special about visiting your local book store and picking up a new book is it the smell of a newly printed book that gets you first..?

I am also available for any media related book reviews that you may require. Please feel free to contact me for further information.

The Last Word – Book Review can be contacted via the ‘Contact’ page. I would be good to hear from you.

Thank you and happy reading.

Last Word – Book Review.

  1. Hi John, just happened upon your blog today. You have reviewed an impressive range of books! Will be following you for the next words.

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Category Archives: The Lost Words

The Lost Words for Somerset Primary Schools – Fund Raising update. End of week Two update.

The Lost Words for Somerset Primary Schools – Fund Raising update

End of week Two update.

As you many of you will know I have undertaken a fund raising project to raise £2,500 so that I can get The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris into all Primary Schools in Somerset. When The Oxford Children’s Dictionary removed around 50 words that connect nature to children, words such as Bluebell, Otter, Kingfisher, Dandelion, Acorn and Conker to name just a few. The Lost Words is now trying to bring these words back into Children’s lives.

When The Lost Words was published in October 2017 and I was blown away by the Spell-Poems by Robert Macfarlane and the beautiful watercolour paintings by Jackie Morris. I have been so moved by all the fund raising projects from that have been undertaken by so many people around the country.

It was not long before people took this remarkable book to their hearts and it all started in Scotland with Jane Beaton raising an incredible £25,000 so that every school in Scotland would receive a copy of The Lost Words. Currently there are around 16 fund raising projects around the country all with one aim to bring The Lost Words back to life and into Children’s vocabularies. And this is why I am doing everything I can to raise £2,500 for the children of Somerset.

As week two comes to a close I have managed to raise an amazing £1,405.00 With a further £1,095.00  Still to be raised by 10th October. The sooner we raise the initial amount then we can keep fund raising until the closing date. This will then enable me to spread The Lost Words to even more schools across Somerset and learning centres. I have so many people to thank for their very kind and generous donations. If I manage to achieve this target, you will never know just how grateful I am. Every single pledge has left me humbled. I have been asked if I would extend to other parts such as Bath. I can only achieve this with lots more donations.

On 21st August I was a guest of Claire Carter and the Breakfast Show on BBC Somerset. Claire and the team have been incredible with their support of the project. If successful there will be a follow up show that will be at one of the School’s when a copy of the book will be handed over to the pupils and staff.

Below is a link to the BBC Somerset Breakfast Show.

BBC Somerset Breakfast Show with Claire Cater – 21.08.2018

As with all Crowdfunding if the target is not reached then no money is taken from those who have pledged. So here I am making this appeal to anyone and everyone who cares for words, books, nature and children to help me reach the goal of raising £2,500 and see the Goldfinches fly into every Primary School in Somerset.

I am so grateful for the incredible messages of support and already have many to thank for their incredible generosity. Your kindness will not be forgotten.

So now we enter week three and invigorated after the money pledged so far. I will not rest until the fundraising has been a success.

If you can please do help by making a pledge via my Crowdfunding Page:

You can keep up to date by following me on my Twitter feed: @thelastWord1962

Every £10.00 pledged is another copy to a Somerset Primary School. The benefits for every child is so worthwhile not just in recapturing those lost words in nature but also in the health and well-being of children. There are over 240 Primary Schools in Somerset. Help me make this dream become a reality.

My thanks to Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris for the continued encouragement and support.

Thank you.

What we do not love, we cannot Save” – Robert Macfarlane

Crowdfunding to get The Lost Words into Somerset’s Primary School’s Www We

Crowdfunding to get The Lost Words into Somerset’s Primary School’s

The Oxford Children’s Dictionary decided to remove around 50 words that connect children and British Wildlife, words such as Otter, Dandelion, Bluebell, Kingfisher, Conker to name a few, the award winning writer Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris got together and came up with a fantastic idea that has swept across the country and taken a life of its own. The Lost Words (Hamish Hamilton) came into being.

With spell-poems by Robert Macfarlane and the stunning artwork by Jackie Morris brings together just some of those words that would have been missing from children’s vocabulary. Nature at such a young age is so important. It was over 40 years ago that I was inspired by nature just by sights and sounds and words read in a book. All these years later nature and wildlife still bring the many pleasures and joys to me. The health benefits of being outdoors and being and being close to nature at a young age can spur a love of wildlife that may last a lifetime and who knows to their children.

It was not long after The Lost Words was released and people started to take the book to their hearts and then it began. First in Scotland. In early 2018 Jane Beaton raised £25,000 to get a copy of The Lost Words into every school in Scotland. This was the spur and The Lost Words is now a movement and around the country there are at present fifteen fund raising campaigns to get The Lost Words into school’s and the words back into children’s lives. It is a movement of love and the work and dedication of everyone involved really has moved moved me. It is uplifting and inspiring.

Over recent months I have been close to the Wainwright Golden Beer Book Prize and I was delighted to see this remarkable book reach the longlist. Then to see it reach the shortlist and with a chance of winning the Wainwright Book Prize. I attended the shortlist party and spoke with Robert Macfarlane about The Lost Words and I know how much the campaigns mean to him. The the prize winning event earlier in August I spoke with the artist Jackie Morris about my initial idea of raising enough money to get a copy into Somerset’s Primary School’s.

On the morning of 15th August I launched my Crowdfunding page to raise £2,500.00 which would mean that I would be able to place a copy of The Lost Words into each of the 242 Primary School’s in Somerset. I am extremely grateful to Penguin/Random House for giving me a very special price of £9.60 rather than the cover price of £20.00 which helps keep the target figure to £2,500.00.

The Lost Words for Somerset’s Primary School’s

This is were I need your help. I have until 10th October to raise the funds, and I would be extremely grateful for any donations that you can give.

The Lost Words Artist Jackie Morris has very kindly donated three special prints. If you donate £75.00 you can select a word and Jackie will create this word written in Otter. I have seen some of these and they are rather special. There is only three available. When they are gone they are gone. Jackie has also very kindly donated a small Inked Otter print. If you donate £5.00 or more you will automatically be entered into the draw to win this Small Inked Otter print.

Please spread the word far and wide the more people know the better chance we have of achieving our target.

I hope you can help and pledge to support The Lost Words for Somerset’s Primary School’s.

Thank you for reading.

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Women’s Top Pick For Job Is Bengaluru, Reveals Study

The Logical Indian

December 6th, 2018

While employability in Bengaluru is the highest in India, it is also the most preferred city for work by women. Sectors like banking, hospitality and travel, software hardware, and information technology are often chosen by women in Bengaluru.

Stories that deserve attention, delivered to your inbox!

Handpicked, newsworthy stories which deserve the attention of a rational generation.

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Available to Educators five great online resources available to educators Five Great Online Resources Available to Educators 82248c57913aded6b506662da84fc46c 1

Five Great Online Resources Available to Educators

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woman black businesswoman rh young accounting if the human resources entrepreneurship bussines consultancy leadership administration entrepreneur digital marketing attendance office informatics online agenda accounting accounting accounting accounting accounting human resources human resources leadership leadership administration entrepreneur entrepreneur entrepreneur five great online resources available to educators Five Great Online Resources Available to Educators 82248c57913aded6b506662da84fc46c 1

Five Great Online Resources Available to Educators

Learning has become a multimedia affair. Today’s world demands the use of computers, the Internet and video, so an educator who ignores these mediums does so at the expense of their students. The good news is that incorporating these resources into education allows your students to experience exciting and engaging ways of learning. New technology and resources not only benefit students—educators can find teaching tools and virtual support communities available for them all the time, anytime, on the internet.

At the PBS Learning Media website, the Public Broadcasting Service marries its public media mission to public education, providing resources for classroom use. Primary and secondary school educators will find lesson plans including video, audio and documents, as well as downloadable resources such as themed activity pack widgets. At the STEM Education Resource Center, for instance, the subjects covered include math, science, technology and engineering. PBS also offers professional development materials and courses for teachers.

Khan Academy

Founded in 2006, Khan Academy exists to provide free education to anyone anywhere in a range of subject areas. Students can get practice and instruction through interactive activities and videos in a wide range of topics, learning at their own pace. They can also receive assessments and progress reports. The academy is “gamifying” learning, with badges students can earn for progress. Entire classrooms of students can access content on the site, which allows teachers and schools using classroom management systems to help students and track the progress of the class as a whole.

READ  Be The #1 Choice - 5 Ideas for Attracting Incoming Freshman to Your School

The Purdue Online Writing Lab — OWL for short — exists to help visitors develop writing skills. To that end, the searchable site offers instructional resources, including reference material, exercises and style guides, workshops, PowerPoint presentations, videocasts, movies and podcasts. Help creating curricula for grades 7 through 12, college and basic adult education is available for teachers on the OWL site. Students can find online writing help that takes them from outlining to proofreading a finished writing product.

Science NetLinks

Science NetLinks supplies teachers, students and parents with educational science resources for kindergarten through high school. The site includes lessons, tools and collections. Collections are compilations of resources about a single topic. — The Science of Energy, for instance. Science NetLinks’ tools are either hands-on activities, interactive resources, websites or teaching aids. Besides science material from astronomy to biology. Science NetLinks also provides math and technology information.

Wonderopolis spurs learning by igniting a sense of wonder and a thirst for discovery. The approach means that learning is considered a constant in students’ lives, with the opportunity for education ever-present everywhere. The educational content of Wonderopolis aligns to recognized curriculum standards for kindergarten through twelfth grades. Educators can access “Wonders,” which is themed content or build discussions and lesson plans around the daily “wonder of the day.” Each wonder includes educational content.

Though these five websites provide rich veins of material, multitudes of other Internet resources exist. To find others, educators can search organizations traditionally devoted to informing the public, starting with professional associations, governmental and educational websites. The marvel of the Internet includes the power to deliver a multidisciplinary education using multimedia to any classroom, from almost any organization in the world.

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Washington Police Chase Down Alleged UFO in Video

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A new video has surfaced on YouTube claiming that over 10 Washington police, FBI, and fire personnel cars were in hot pursuit of an alleged UFO sighting possibly spotted by one or all of the officials mentioned. In the video (seen below), you’ll notice various police vehicles and fire trucks flying by on the road allegedly chasing an unidentified flying object in the sky which remains in frame for a vast majority of the clip. Quality of the video is very poor, however this hints at it’s being not a joke but real.

The video seems to show an object with about 10 different lights attached to it and all glowing. The women in the clip claim that they see the lights chaning color multiple times, however it appears that the object never or barley moves. A couple of turn-arounds by the camera reveals the officials allegedly in hot pursuit of this aircraft, however not much else is known via the video as little information and descriptions are provided.

Of course, this may all be a coincidence that a mysterious light in the sky appeared the same time various police cars and fire trucks decided to drive by. However, past evidence of UFOs roaming this very same area (which weighs around a ton, by the way) give us a tease that the object in the video above may very well be something the government wants to hide from the public.

Popular YouTube channel thirdphaseofmoon recently made an entire video about this alleged UFO sighting and claim that the fire trucks and FBI/police vehicles may be after possible debris that’s fallen from an explosion which may explain the lights, however I’m not sure if I agree completely with this theory.

Obviously, nothing’s confirmed that this is a UFO, as it’s very possible that the unidentified flying object may be a military plane or some type of aircraft the public isn’t used to seeing in the skies. However, this argument really stands up to you, the reader.

What’s your take on the video above? Is it a legit reminder that we’re not alone in the universe, or is this something that doesn’t deserve a second look? Let us know in the comment section!

Source: girlwithirishhope (YouTube) via Clapway

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Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Quora collapsed: What was it like to be a soldier in Iraq?

The Quora Gestapo has collapsed my answer to "What was it like to be a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan?"  Because telling the truth about a horrible place is neither nice nor polite, I guess.  Truth is no defense to Leftists, of course.

Anywhere, here's my answer, in all its stream of consciousness glory:

Iraq, 2003–2004, 14 months. (This was my third war.)
It sucked, I’m glad I did it, I never want to do it again. I didn’t hate Arabs before I met them. Most disgusting people I’ve ever met, and I’ve been to over 40 countries, all around the world. Everything Evan Friend mentions in his answer, plus ubiquitous pedophilia - the curse that keeps on cursing. I had an eight year old boy try to sell me his little brother for “ficky-ficky”. MedCap missions routinely treated little boys for prolapsed colons. They don’t have anything remotely similar to what we Americans would describe as morality. Their moral code (the real one, not the formal one for company) consists of “Do whatever you want, as long as you don’t get caught.” Except for the rules of hospitality: if a man invited you into his home for tea, you were his guest and safe from harm. By him. While you were inside the house.
Arabs lie constantly, pointlessly. And they’re not even very good at it. They can’t shoot worth spit, which is why they use so many bombs. The vast majority of them don’t understand the concepts of self discipline, cooperation, courage, and loyalty. The one word that best describes the men is ‘craven’. On multiple occasions, companies of over a hundred Iraqi police or soldiers, armed with AKs and RPKs, in a reinforced concrete building with steel doors, would surrender to two or three men with pistols.
I will admit that I met one respectable, decent Iraqi man. Bravest, most dependable guy I ever met. He kept a PKM next to his door, and never went anywhere without a pistol. It was funny watching the kids, including the baby, pointedly not touch the loaded machine gun on the floor. His wife could really cook, too.
I had a different experience from most. I was on an independent CI/HUMINT team. That meant we got to run our own missions. It also means we got almost zero support from anybody. Our own command betrayed us at levels I really don’t want to go into here. It was fun tooling around with just two, soft sided HMMWV’s, one with a SAW on a cast-iron pedestal in the back, with a bench from an old truck tied to a slab of plywood for a rear-facing gunner’s seat. Sometimes, we talked some support guys into going out with us to be a third truck. There got to be a waiting list for that eventually, after they passed the word that we bought lunch and sodas out on the economy. The chicken was some of the best I’ve had outside Peru. (Never eat the fish over there. Or the vegetables - they wash them with their own water, which has been polluted for all of recorded history.)
Almost everything we (US forces) did in Iraq back then was pointless or actively counterproductive. We built schools - but let the Saudis provide Wahabi teachers. They taught the Arab boys (never girls) to hate America and kill infidels. Where do you think the ISIS supporters came from? Funny story - we built a school on the west side of a main road. A couple months later, the people on the east side of the road complained about their children being hit by cars, and asked us to build a school on their side of the road. We told them no, and explained the concept of the crossing guard. They didn’t get it. Why would anybody care about any children but their own? They just repeated their demand that we build another school.
I reduced a commo officer to tears one day after he asked me, “So, what’s really going on outside the wire?”
The weather sucked most of the time. It’s a desert, so it’s either too hot or too cold. In the summer, when it cools down to 95 Fahrenheit at night, you shiver. You sweat so much that when you take off your shirt, it’s white with salt and can stand up on its own after it dries (in about 5 minutes). Nomads plant and harvest the wheat, then let their sheep and goats graze on the stubble. They also got paid to block the roads with their flocks, so the bad guys could ambush us when we stopped. If you killed the sheep, you had to pay $100 each for them out of your own pocket.
Did you know that a .50 BMG round will go through a cow and then 12 inches of mud brick wall?
The coffee and tea are hot and they drink them with lots of sugar. They don’t use filters, so never drink the bottom 1/4 inch of the cup.
When it snows, the kids immediately build snowmen and have snowball fights. It seems to be built in.
Hummingbird moths are fascinating.
Every spring, millions of hedgehogs migrate across the desert. They move at night, and burrow into the dirt to disappear during the day. You can’t help but run over scores of them when you drive anywhere at night.
Every fall, millions of ravens migrate south from Turkey. The flock is miles wide, and runs from horizon to horizon for three days.
Dust devils come in waves across the desert. It’s not really sand so much as dried, powdered dirt. From land that sheep have grazed on for at least ten thousand years. It gets into your food no matter what you do.
There’a village made entirely out of sheep dung. They cook with it as fuel, too. You can imagine the smell. Especially after it rains.
They still make mud bricks the old fashioned way. It still works.
Not being allowed to shoot back when you’re being shot at really sucks. Politicians are stupid and a little bit crazy, and many of them wear stars on their shoulders. Intelligence reports have dates for a reason - raiding a house three weeks after the meeting seldom produces useful results. The smaller the scorpion, the more painful the sting. The bigger the wasp, the more it hurts. Camel spiders are to be shot on sight. Biting flies are smaller than the mosquito mesh, and don’t care about DEET. There are five separate species of mosquito. Mice get into everything. Gatorade is a literal life saver. You can drink a liter every hour and still not need to pee all day. You can hear a serious burn victim from a quarter mile away - even when the doors are closed on the ambulance. Mass graves have a distinctive smell. Putting a cow or sheep on top of the bodies just makes it that much more unpleasant to dig through. They will never send out power equipment until you dig down far enough with a shovel to be able to take pictures.
There is nothing Iraqis won’t pretend to do, if you offer them enough money. There is very little they will actually do, even when their lives are in danger. Kurds are way better than Arabs - but that’s not exactly a high bar to cross.
Lieutenants are stupid yet arrogant, and think they know everything. This is a universal truth, and never changes. It takes a special sort of genius to order several armored vehicles, one at a time, into the same swamp.
Arab officers are chosen for family connections, ability to pay bribes, and incompetence. (Competent officers would be a threat to their superiors.) The better Arab officers treat their men like illiterate, superstitious peasants. (To be fair, most of them are.) The normal officers treat their men worse than animals. (They generally remember to feed and water the sheep, and seldom beat them for no reason.)
They don’t have enough trees to have toilet paper.

  1. Replies
    1. That's not terribly polite. You came into my place and insulted me for no reason.

  2. Replies
    1. Please point out exactly what I wrote above which is incorrect. The truth is the truth. Leftists, most especially American blacks, often don't appreciate or understand that. Which is also a simple truth.

      And why, precisely, should I care about your opinion? "I fart in your general direction!"

  3. Looks like someone does not like the truth. Tell it like it is from your view. If some moron does not like it, they can get lost.

I reserve the right to remove egregiously profane or abusive comments, spam, and anything else that really annoys me. Feel free to agree or disagree, but let's keep this reasonably civil.


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WordPress Plugins Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

>WordPress Plugins Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning
  • Artificial Intelligence

This is a guest post written by Ester Brierley. I didn’t receive any compensation for it. You can find out more about Ester in the ‘About the Author’ section at the end.

There is much discussion on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and its future in any industry.

People like Elon Musk argue about whether AI is our best friend or the biggest threat to humankind, while people like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg believe that AI will be beneficial.

One thing’s for sure: artificial intelligence quickly invades all areas of our lives, and if you don’t want to lag behind, you need to learn more about this technology.

Did you know that almost 80% of people are already using AI but don’t know about it?

Anyway, WordPress is also always trying to catch up with the latest trends, so there’s no surprise that this platform offers various plugins that use artificial intelligence.

These AI-based plugins can not only expand the functionality of your WordPress website but also get smarter and more effective with time due to the machine learning technology.

WordPress plugins that use artificial intelligence and machine learning

WordPress is known for its variety of plugins which allow you to customize the design and usability of your WordPress site as you like.

Let’s take a look at several WordPress plugins that use artificial intelligence and machine learning to help you integrate various smart features into your WordPress website.

WP Live Chat Support

wp live chat support plugin

According to statistics, most customers think that a business should be available 24/7.

Big organizations can solve this problem by hiring more employees who work in several shifts, thus answering questions from customers all day and all night long.

For smaller companies, the costs associated with such a big team may be a problem.

Fortunately, there is a WordPress live chat plugin, called WP Live Chat Support, that can help.

It’s basically a great chatbot designed for WordPress, which constantly learns and improves its knowledge base to find answers to any questions.

Another thing which makes it a good solution is that it doesn’t reply with pre-written/standard sentences, but learns from actual conversations!

WordLift – AI powered SEO

wordlift plugin

WordLift is a great solution for everyone who wants to make SEO optimization simpler.

This plugin analyzes the content of your WordPress website and offers useful tips on what kind of content you have to add to build relationships between different articles, connecting them according to the main context, and therefore improving content recommendations.

Quttera Web Malware Scanner

quterra web malware scanner plugin

Quttera Web Malware Scanner scans your WordPress website and detects malware and any kinds of malicious code.

In addition, it will check if your WordPress website is blacklisted or not by search engines.

This WordPress plugin also constantly learns and improves its scan results based on the usage history.

Note that this plugin only checks if you’re WordPress website is infected with malware.

Your main goal is not to get your WordPress site infected with malware in the first place, therefore you should secure your WordPress website!

Google Language Translator

google language translator plugin

Many people don’t realize that they deal with artificial intelligence when using Google Translate.

This online tool can be integrated into your site by adding this WordPress translation plugin called Google Language Translator.

Of course, its translations are not always perfect, but this plugin also gets smarter as you use it!

Final thoughts

Artificial intelligence will not replace web developers and SEO experts in the nearest future, but it definitely can help you make your WordPress website better.

Various WordPress plugins that use artificial intelligence can improve your content and targeting, make your WordPress website more convenient for visitors, and also improve security.

So, expand your toolkit with some smart plugins, and you will appreciate the countless benefits of machine learning and AI solutions.

That’s a wrap

Hope you enjoyed Ester’s post!

Don’t forget to share it with your friends!

You can quickly subscribe to my newsletter by using this link or the subscription form.

If you have any questions or thoughts, drop a comment or send a message via contact or Facebook page.

You can also hit the follow button on Twitter and subscribe to the YouTube channel.

If you want to start your own WordPress blog, or need a website for your business, my WordPress setup service is at your disposal!

On-going WordPress support and maintenance are on the menu as well!

WP Rocket - WordPress Caching Plugin
By |2018-11-08T08:53:55+00:00September 19th, 2018|Plugins|0 Comments

About the Author:

Ester Brierley is a QA Engineer in a software outsourcing company, a seasoned content creator and virtual assistant for College-Writers. When she’s not writing about cutting-edge digital trends, she tries to bring the Lagom lifestyle philosophy to live by. Follow her on Twitter.

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The Latest:

Another Florida sheriff touts Second Amendment right to bear arms: ‘If you’re not afraid of a gun, get one’

(National SentinelSelf-defense: At a time when Americans are growing more concerned about terrorism, another sheriff in Florida is telling his citizens to arm up so they can defend themselves.

“The armed assailant doesn’t plan on you fighting back,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, as reported by Fox News.  “He plans on having a gun, doing all the shooting, and you’re just a sitting duck. Well, the ducks need to shoot back.”

Judd says citizens should have a concealed weapons permit and carry their gun with them whenever they can. He also says gun owners should keep their skills sharp.

And if a gun is not your thing, he says, you might consider another kind of weapon, like pepper spray or a Taser.

“If you’re not afraid of a gun, get one,” said the sheriff. “And if you need to shoot somebody, shoot ‘em a lot.”

Earlier this month, Brevard, Fla. County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, in a Facebook video that wen viral, also encouraged citizens to arm themselves in this rising age of terrorism.

“Terrorists and active shooters are using every weapon available to target citizens. Guns, knives, trucks, hammers, and even explosives have all become the weapon of choice for murderers who only have one goal–killing innocent and law-abiding citizens,” he said. “It seems that almost everyday we hear of another attack taking place at a concert, tourist destination, church, business, or anywhere else in the world where they can strike fear in the hearts of citizens.”

He added: “Let me be perfectly clear, doing nothing or just hoping it won’t happen to you is not going to save your life.”

Image: Fox13

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The Short Review

shining the spotlight on short story collections

Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award Shortlist 2012

Huge congratulations to Short Review authors Kevin Barry and Tom Lee, whose stories have both been shortlisted for the £30,000 Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award – the … Continue reading

March 4, 2012 · Leave a comment

Sunday Times Short Story Prize Longlist

The first annual Sunday Times short story competition, at £25,000 for a single story now the most lucrative prize in the world for writers published in the UK, has announced … Continue reading

February 21, 2010 · 4 Comments


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Ecommerce & Logistics

Huawei’s Y Series Offers Flagship Experience

Huawei has unveiled it Y Series 2018 showcasing its Y7 Prime model which offers top-class features at an amazing price-point of PKR 19,999. The company believes that the device is a “spectacular upgrade for youngsters looking to switch from their existing entry-level smartphones”.

The Huawei Y7 Prime features a 5.99” full view display, giving an immersive experience when it comes to watching videos and playing games. It comes with a 13MP+2MP dual camera and EMUI 8.0-based Android, which delivers smooth performance through a superfast Octa-core, 3GB RAM and 32GB of built-in memory.

With a wide aperture dual back camera, the Huawei Y7 Prime 2018 is a haven for photography lovers as it captures stunning imagery and crisp bokeh photos. Moreover, the 8MP from camera with Selfie Toning Flash allows you to take bright photos and rebalances lighting to make you look more vibrant and natural. In addition to this, the phone offers high-precision face unlock, fingerprint unlock, and smart split-screen features. It is powered through a 3,000 mAh battery and supports three card slots.

Celebrating its popularity in Pakistan, Huawei Manager Blueking Wang said, “This device is for the youth who live on-the-go and offers flagship experiences at amazing price.”

What feature do you look for in a smart phone?

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Topic: Aluminum Collar for a Mastodon

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Aluminum Collar for a Mastodon

This was found on the bank of the Mures River in Transylvania near Aiud in 1974 and is made out of aluminum and was found among 20,000 year old Mastodon bones.  The Oxidation makes it 300-400 years old but them, thar, Mastodon Bones makes it just a little bit older then that.
A chunk of metal found buried with a couple of Mastodons whose metal is, "very complex" one chemical of which is aluminum which does not occur naturally in nature - thus ruling out the reply that it was manufactured in the backwoods of some third world country. The differences in the metal content of all these anomalous artifacts - something they all share in common, by the way - that is different from any metal content today is partially due to the increased barometric pressure that existed before the flood - about twice what it is today. All the man made metals found in anomalous circumstances all display the same pattern of abnormal mixture one trait of which that they all seem to have in common is that they don't rust.

In 1974, in Romania, two kilometers east of Aiud, a group of workers, on the banks of the river Mures, discovered three buried objects in the sand, in a trench about 10 meters(32 feet) in depth . Two of the objects, proved themselves to be Mastodon bones, some millions of years old from, between the Miocene and the Pleistocene periods. Florin Gheorghita, for one, had the opportunity to examine the report, and the analysis performed under the direction of Dr.Niederkorn of the institute for the study of metals and of non-metallic minerals (ICPMMN), located in Magurele, Romania, emphasized that it is composed of a alloy of extremely complex metal. Gheorghita affirms that the alloy is composed of 12 different elements, of which he has succeeded to establish also the volumetric percentage of the aluminum (89%). He identified the presence of Copper (6,2%), silicon (2,84%),zinc (1,81%), lead (0,41%), pond (0,33%), zirconium(0,2%), cadmium (0,11%), nickel (0,0024%), cobalt (0,0023%), bismuth (0,0003%), silver (0,0002%), and gallium (in trace amounts).

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And the Winner is…..Godfrey Rampling!

Charlotte and Godfrey Rampling
Charlotte Rampling with father Godfrey Rampling at his 100th birthday celebration
On Sunday, February 28 in the United States, The Academy Awards showcased five women for Best Actress: Cate Blanchett in Carol, Brie Larson, in Room, Jennifer Lawrence in Joy, Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years and Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn.

And the winner is…..Brie Larson!

Rampling was definitely in the running – although nominated for the first time in her career, she has had a long and successful run as a model and actress.

Unfortunately, right after the Oscar nominations were announced, Rampling dropped the baton. In 2016, for the second year in a row, there were no nominees of color in the major acting categories. This prompted calls for a boycott of the Academy Awards. That in turn prompted Rampling to speak out on her own in a French talk show, saying that talk of boycotting the Academy Awards because no Blacks were nominated is “racist to whites.” She continued by saying, “One can never really know, but perhaps the black actors did not deserve to make the final list.”

Coincidentally (or perhaps ironically), Rampling’s father, Godfrey Rampling, competed in the Berlin Olympics in 1936 as a 400-meter sprinter. While finishing fourth in the individual men’s 400-meter competition, he and his team from Great Britain won the 4X400 relay finals, in good part due to Godfrey Rampling’s stunning burst to take the lead from Canada in the second leg, enabling Team GB to win gold.

OLYMPICS Rampling 19
Olympics – Britain’s Oldest Olympian Godfrey Rampling celebrates his 100th Birthday – Bushey House…A collect picture showing Godfrey Rampling (second left) competing in the 1936 Berlin Games. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 15, 2009. Britain’s Oldest Olympian Godfrey Rampling celebrates his 100th birthday today with a party at Bushey House, Bushey. Photo credit should read: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire.
These were of course the Olympics that pitted the position of Arayan superiority against all who were not of Arayan stock, a backdrop that reflected the spotlight on black American sprinter, Jesse Owens. And while I have no idea what thoughts Godfrey Rampling had on race, the thoughts of his daughter, Charlotte, dully echo those from Berlin…in my opinion.

Fortunately, (black) comedian Chris Rock was the host of the 2016 Academy Awards, and if anyone could respond to the Charlotte Ramplings of the world, it was Chris Rock. Here is a transcript of his opening monologue at the Oscars, which walks a fine line, attacks the extremes of the argument, and makes us laugh and think.


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Mixed feelings about impeached S. Korean President

When I read “S. Korean Court Impeaches president (Park, Geun-Hye) in the Star two days ago, two things came to my mind: “trusting” is a dangerous business for everyone and that Koreans are extremely sensitive about “corruption” due to their turbulent past.

A Korean-American who lived in the U.S. over a half century, I know how corruption had ruined past presidents of my native land, and the vicious cycle of trust, bribery, and corruption repeated itself on the peninsula as long as I can remember. Park Geun Hye’s father, late president Park Chung-hee, made many enemies during his 16 years of ruling of South Korea (1963-1979) after he and his military colleagues had succeeded in a military coup in 1961, over-throwing the incompetent government, and ruled with iron hands. In truth, the Park Administration made of predominantly active military officers served as “a good-evil” as it booted out “corrupted” government employees and civilian leaders. The government also demanded that all able citizens donate their time and labor to convert miles and miles of dirt roads to paved roads, the primitive thatched roofs to sleek slate roofs, and modernize the general living conditions, providing materials and equipment.

It was also this period when “freedom” suffered as the Special Forces arrested journalists, religious leaders, and students who relentlessly voiced their anger against the dictator. But today, late Park Chung-hee is recognized as a visionary who helped his countrymen to set higher goals for themselves and for the nation they lived in., the reason South Korea became one of the world’s strongest economy today.

His daughter Park, Geun Hye, followed her father’s footsteps in politics as a single lady and was elected to be the nation’s 11th president in 2013. She was also the first female president in Korea’s history. But four years later, she was booted out of her presidential seat by the court.
BBC (online) News reports: “At the heart of the drama lies the close friendship between the president and (her childhood friend) Ms. Choi (soon-sil). Ms. Choi is accused of using her presidential connections to pressure companies to give millions of dollars in donations to non-profit foundations she controlled. Ms. Park is alleged to have been personally involved in this, and to have given Ms. Choi unacceptable levels of access to official documents.”
Choi is a phony psychic who gained Park’s trust by telling the president that she had the ability to get in touch with her deceased parents, late president Park and late First lady Yuk Yung-suk. Ms. Park lost both of her parents as a young adult in a most tragic way. Her mother, then the first lady, was accidentally killed on August 15th, 1974, by a Japanese-Korean communist, who had meant to shoot the president himself while he was giving a speech on the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan but shot his wife who had been directly behind her husband. And her father too was assassinated five years later by his military confidant during a private meeting at a restaurant.

Ms. Park must have believed her friend’s fabricated stories of her parents. No matter how much she had suffered from her loss as a young woman, trusting a “friend” like Choi was unwise as the president. And Ms. Park allowed Choi access to secret government documents, as well as pressuring companies to donate millions of dollars for her personal wealth.
South Korea has many issues to deal with at the moment–North Korea, the U.S. with a new president, and the recently declining economy. I hope she will soon recover from the messy end of the Park administration and launch a new journey with the new president.

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Ted Cruz SLAPS DOWN Beto O’Rourke over his support of national anthem protests!!

The TedNado took aim at Beto O’Rourke like he was shooting at liberal fish in a barrel after Robert Francis (his real name) supported the national anthem protesters.

From the Hill:

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Saturday lambasted his Democratic challenger, Rep. Beto O’Rourke, for supporting NFL players’ national anthem protests.

“When Beto O’Rourke says he can’t think of anything more American (than players taking a knee), well I got to tell you, I can,” Cruz said during a campaign stop in Corpus Christi, Texas, according to The Caller Times.

I just don’t understand why Robert Francis O’Rourke thinks that being for the protest will help him in Texas. Either way, liberals are pouring money into this race because they hate the TedNado so much. I can’t wait to enjoy their disappointment when he trounces Robert Francis.

Also, the TedNado should really call him Robert Francis to highlight how he changed his name just to try to suck up to Hispanic voters in Texas.

Comment Policy: Please read our new comment policy before making a comment. In short, please be respectful of others and do not engage in personal attacks. Otherwise we will revoke your comment privileges.

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Aldon Smith Returns from Suspension, Patrick Willis’ Season Ends

You win some, you lose some.

You win some, you lose some. Coming off their biggest win of the season against the Saints, the 49ers are getting one of their key pieces back, Aldon Smith.

Smith, had been suspended for violating the league’s personal conduct and substance abuse policies. He was arrested on DUI, DWI and possession of automatic weapons, which is a felony charge; however these charges have been reduced.

As a result the league suspended him for nine games, taking away from a potent 49ers pass rush. Now Smith gets his first action of the season this week, partaking in the first walk throughs and team practices. With the 49ers saving their season last week, the return of Smith arguably makes them even more dangerous and provides another superstar caliber player for their opponents to game plan for.

Unfortunately, they'll be losing All-Pro middle linebacker Patrrick Willis for the entire season.

Willis has missed three consecutive games, but was placed on season-ending injury reserve Tuesday.

In his stead rookie Chris Borland has been an adequate replacement ater tallying 33 tackles in three games.


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The Country Needs A Boost. Keeping With U.S. Tradition, President Obama Turns to Baseball

We knew President Obama had love for the NBA.

We knew President Obama had love for the NBA. He flexed his rock and rim prowess on several occasions. The NFL’s Super Bowl Sunday is epic and the prez always has a pick. His NCAA Tournament Bracket is also always official. A self-proclaimed Chicago White Sox fan, The President added another first to his list of historical achievements by becoming the first sitting president to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY on Thursday. In its 75-year history the museum has attracted more than 160 million visitors, but Obama is the first U.S. Commander-in-Chief to enter the hallowed baseball grounds.

Obama, led on a tour by Baseball Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson and accompanied by Hall of Famer Andre “Hawk” Dawson, took in exhibits ranging from “Diamond Dreams,” highlighting the role of women in baseball, to “Pride and Passion,” chronicling the history of African Americans in the sport. He held the bat of icon Babe Ruth who once bragged about becoming the first player ever to make more money than the president. He clutched the ball thrown by President William Howard Taft in the first-ever presidential first pitch in 1910. He also inspected a pair of shoes worn by controversial baller “Shoeless” Joe Jackson.

The real reason for the president's trip was to promote international tourism and highlight the benefits it generates. President Obama noted that tourism generates $1.5 trillion in economic activity and supports nearly 8 million jobs. Obama, who welcomed travel and tourism industry CEOs to the White House in the morning before flying to New York State, undertook a couple of executive actions Tuesday aimed at bringing more visitors to the United States.

During Obama's 16-minute address in front of a capacity house, he touted Cooperstown as an example of an ideal destination for visitors while baseball was used as a metaphor for society.

"I love baseball. America loves baseball. It continues to be our national pastime," Obama said. "And for any baseball fan out there, you've got to make a trip here. But as much as I'd like to talk baseball all day — and with Chicago legend Andre Dawson, The Hawk, here today it's hard not to want to talk baseball all day long — I'm actually here to talk about jobs."

Coincidentally, Obama's appearance coincided with the 75th anniversary celebration of the Hall of Fame that officially pops off this Memorial Weekend. It’s sure to bring a truck load of people to the museum as some of baseball’s most beloved and “clean” superstars – Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas, pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine and managers Bobby Cox, Joe Torre and Tony La Russa – will be enshrined in July.

Related Articles  TSL High Heat: The Rainmaker

Growing up on the cold streets of Chi-Town made Obama quite familiar with legend Thomas.

"I promised Frank Thomas I'd check the place out before he's inducted in July," Obama joked.

This year’s sterling HOF class is like a release from Cooperstown prison for most baseball fans. MLB’s 2013 Hall of Fame crop had a historic list of potential candidates, but because steroid users and suspect soldiers are considered lepers by the voting body, nobody got in (Except for three members posthumously elected by the “Who-Were-These-Cats?” Veterans’ Committee). For the first time in 16 years, none of the eligible players were named on 75 percent of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BWAA) ballots.

Among the 37 players in the mix, there were at least eight whose eye-bulging stats would, under normal circumstances, instantly and definitively immortalize them as all-time greats: Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Craig Biggio, Jack Morris ('80s stud, unrelated to steroids, but getting jerked nonetheless), Curt Schilling and Jeff Bagwell were among the obvious "steroids era" snubs.

This season had to be different. The HOF couldn’t afford another year without a potent and popular induction class. It’s detrimental to the appeal, growth and financial stability of the museum.

Related Articles  VIDEO: Usain Bolt Ran The 200 Like His Comp Was Moving In Slow Motion

Wise choice.

According to Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark, the museum is already reaping the benefits of Obama’s arrival and the impending HOF ceremonies. She says that attendance is up 64 percent from the same time a year ago.

How ironic. When the chips are down, people are struggling for employment and the President is running out of options, he turns to America’s former pastime to once again – as it has throughout American history – help lead the country out of a rut. The sport that people say is fading as a staple of American culture was lauded by our president as a valuable and necessary example of the possibilities of our nation.

"Creating jobs isn't always easy,” Obama said. “But standing here and looking at over 150 years of our country's history, baseball describes our history in so many ways," he said . "We're reminded of all the obstacles we've overcome to get here. This Hall has memories of two World Wars that we fought and won."

"It has memories of color barriers being broken, Jackie Robinson's uniform and the record of his first season as a Dodger . It shows us the history of communities that we built across the new continent and ways we connected with our country and our world. And how women athletes started getting the recognition that they deserved."

"So we've faced challenges before. But we don't respond with cynicism, and we can't respond with gridlock. Every generation faces tough times. But in the words of the great Yogi Berra, they're just déjà vu all over again. We know we are up to these challenges."

Related Articles  Good Morning: The Knicks Dug Out of a 22-Point Hole

Obama’s Cooperstown appearance does more than boost his social profile with baseball fans. It’s another co-sign of the sport’s significance to American culture. At a time when MLB consists of nearly 30 percent international players, home grown, grass roots initiatives such as the RBI program and different urban baseball programs are essential to the sport's survival as a top choice U.S. athletic endeavor.

The historical significance of the sport is what makes presidents and world leaders reference it with such reverence. Former President George Bush Jr. owned the Texas Rangers at one point. He often threw out the first pitch at Rangers games.

And baseball, Obama reiterated, is a powerful symbol for the country at large.

"Just as our parents and grandparents faced challenges a lot tougher than the ones we face, and just as they went ahead and built an economy where hard work was rewarded and responsibility was rewarded and opportunity was open to all people, we can do the same," he said.

"They passed those values on down through the generations. They passed them down to us. And when you come to the Baseball Hall of Fame, part of what you're learning is that there are some eternal, timeless values of grit and determination and hard work and community. Not giving up and working hard. Those are American values, just like baseball."

Say what you want about diamond-mining, its place in American society is secure and needed. Just ask The President.

JR Gamble joined The Shadow League in 2012. The Deputy Editor and Senior Writer is in his 23rd year of covering sports and culture professionally. He has covered a wide variety of major sports and entertainment topics across different mediums, including radio, magazines and national TV.

His passion is baseball, the culturing of baseball and preserving and documenting the historically-impactful accomplishments and contributions of African-Americans in baseball.


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I sometimes feel a mild nostalgia for those days, or for the people that I used to like drinking with, but those days are gone. I read a great line somewhere that said something like “once you experience nostalgia the thing you are feeling nostalgic about is long dead”,  and that makes so much sense to me. There is no going back once you get this far down the path of recovery. I could relapse, but I can’t unlearn what I have learned, and drinking will forever haunt me because I know how much more there is to life now. I genuinely used to think that drinking was the best. Now I am sad for the person who feels that way. Not sorry for them, but sad because life has a lot more to offer than hangovers and regrets. Life is different now in so many ways, and it is important to acknowledge that every once and again.

The Importance of the Bubble

When I first got sober it was crucial to develop and maintain a “sober bubble” to live inside until I felt safe. This bubble has been talked about in depth by many other people, but it has become a very important concept for me during my 439 (!!) days sober, so I wanted to touch on it a bit here.

I have recently come to the conclusion that the bubble is a way of life for me. In order to be happy and feel fulfilled, I need a bubble. The people and things that I put in my bubble vary, but I am responsible for taking care of my bubble and making sure that it is healthy. If a person is making me feel crazy, they might need to be removed from my bubble until I can handle them better, or for good. Facebook is no longer a part of my bubble because it doesn’t make me feel very good a lot of the time, and it takes too much of my precious time. My sober bubble is no longer so much about keeping the world out, but instead filtering  and making room for the important of things in my life. When I take care to monitor my bubble, I feel secure, safe and happy.

These days, when I am asked to do something for someone else, I think about it a bit harder than I used to. I think about the big picture and my bubble. I try not to say yes to things simply because I feel like I should. Is the person important to me? Does doing this “thing” make me happy? Then yes. If not, then no. Simple, right? It isn’t always so easy in practice, of course, but it helps me differentiate the truly important things from the not-so-important.

Us sober folks can sometimes feel like we are missing out on things, especially in early sobriety. That was my experience, and I have a hunch that it is/was the same for many of you. Keeping a carefully curated bubble can help to alleviate those bad feelings. WE are in charge of our lives and what surrounds us. We choose not to have alcohol, or other toxic things, in our bubble.

Recovery, and Life, and Hello

Recovery is a thing that happens all the time these days. It is seamless, integrated, a part of me that exists along with breathing and going pee. Well, maybe not exactly, but I feel super grateful that I no longer have to dwell on it quite as much as I used to. It took a lot of brain space and time. It was totally worth all of the brain space and time to start living a sober existence, but it has changed. Amazingly, though, I don’t feel in danger of relapsing because I am not focusing the same kind of attention on it. I feel super alive for the first time in many years, and I am grabbing onto that feeling with both hands.

Let me tell you a little about what is working for me these days, because recovery has a tendency to change over time, just like life. It looks different for different people, and it even looks different for different people on different days. Lately for me it has looked like reading lots of books that inspire me to be the best person that I can be. Thinking about big picture things on a regular basis. Being open with people about who I am, including the part of me that is an alcoholic. Starting a new business venture that scares the shit out of me but also makes me feel useful and creative. Reading one good book per week. Prayer. Gratitude. Family and friends.

Oh, and remembering this thought EVERY SINGLE DAY- I can not have this life, this amazing life, if I start drinking again. Drinking is simply not an option for me. I still think that surrendering to that knowledge is the single most important thing you can do to get yourself sober. As long as I remember that every day, I don’t feel in danger of drinking.

Blogging hasn’t really been my thing lately, and that’s okay with me. Being here all the time helped me so much for those first few months. Hell, for the first whole year even. I still stop by every day and read what all of you have to say, but I don’t comment as much as I used to. I feel like I have limited resources to get me through every day, and sometimes I would rather focus my attention elsewhere. So, it is what it is for now. Maybe one day I will feel like writing more here again, but for now I am okay with stopping by occasionally for an update, and reading your thoughts, struggles and feelings. It helps.

The work of recovery doesn’t ever stop, I am finding. I am constantly learning more about myself. Turns out I am a ‘highly sensitive person’. Have you heard of this label? It seems like a bit of pop psychology, but I secretly love pop psychology and self-help type stuff, and the description fits me perfectly. I recently read The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron and it helped me understand the strengths and weaknesses that come along with being this way. I think I was using alcohol as a type of medication for so many different purposes. It is interesting to become more ‘me’ as sober time increases. It’s not all good, but it’s definitely a more authentic way to live.

You all take care of yourselves out there and remember that you are never, ever alone. I’m sending out lots of good vibes to the universe for every single one of you.

No Drama Here

My good friend is now hitched, and I made it through the wedding festivities without drinking, so I am feeling good about things. Tired, but good. I was the matron of honor in her wedding, which I have never done before, and turned out to be a pretty fun yet stressful experience. I freaked out last minute about giving a speech at the reception and told her I couldn’t do it, because it was making me feel like diving into the closest vat of champagne (and there was plenty of booze available), but she said one of the other bridesmaids could do it and all was well. I am glad that I spoke my mind, even though I probably should have done it earlier. Public speaking on top of a sober wedding turned out to be a bit too much for me to handle. Maybe after a year of sobriety it won’t be such a big deal… I don’t know. I feel a little sheepish about being so afraid of speaking in front of the wedding, but I am trying to honor my fears and understand when to push through them and when to walk away. No need to push myself too hard too fast- I think it’s self-care to say no when I feel pushed to the edge to the point where my sobriety is in jeopardy. In the end nobody gave a speech at the wedding at all, at least before I left, so I worried about it for nothing. Such is life.

The rest of the festivities- rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception- went fine without booze. The main difference is that I get more tired now…or maybe I just truly feel when I am tired instead of masking it with fake drunk energy. I officially feel like one of the old married ladies, but then I remember that I am part of an old married couple. I did a little dancing, ate some food, chatted with friends, and tried to keep my little guy from having a meltdown. We left at around 10pm and were in bed by 11:30, sober and happy.

My attitude continues to shift… slowly at times, but surely, towards this new sober place of being. And the beauty of waking up feeling good, albeit with a slight emotional hangover, but no shame (from doing something stupid like talking to my friend’s relatives and not remembering what I said, or acting inappropriate and flirty with someone while my husband stood and watched, or any number of other embarrassing possibilities) makes me feel happy. Oh, and being a sober role model to my child. I just LOVE those things. They seriously do not get old.

I have been thinking more and more about life and sobriety being big picture, so whenever I start to worry and doubt myself I try to take a step back. From there I can see that I am on the right track, and that there is no need to worry about anything all that much. My child is not going to be hurt by the effects of parental alcohol use/misuse as long as I stay vigilant, and as an ACOA, I feel so proud of that fact. My life is not going to be hurt by alcohol anymore.

Onwards to the rest of the summer. We have a trip planned in July to see some family on the West Coast, but no big plans otherwise. Time to settle into my new life even more fully as I approach one year sober in August. It sounds good to me. Not dramatic, not particularly exciting even, but nice and wholesome and WHOLE and happy and good.

Ups, Downs and All-Arounds

I was worried there for a bit, but things are starting to feel better. Life was beginning to feel really hard without alcohol. Like, really damn hard. I was feeling left out of activities because I no longer drink, worrying about meeting new people sober, and thinking that my husband would probably want to leave me because of how boring I have become since we were married, due to the lack of alcohol in my life, of course. My thoughts and reactions have been totally overblown and my paranoia has been in full effect. Last night I started thinking about why I have been feeling this way, and alas, I just passed 9 months sober last week. That significant trigger of a date plus a yucky sinus problem that felt never-ending pushed me over the edge, I think. Or triggered a PAWS (post-acute withdrawal syndrome) episode, more accurately.

Luckily yesterday, when I was beginning to think that I couldn’t take the stress and strain of it all anymore, I found some really reassuring reading about getting back to normal in sobriety and how at 9 months, it probably ain’t gonna happen. Not yet. But I am on the way there, and that makes me feel better. Just knowing and understanding that I was having a PAWS episode helped make me feel better. Like, right on. I’ve dealt with this before… I can handle this. Just ride it out and see what I can find out about myself in the process.

One thing I have learned from this rough patch is that I need to have a better plan for rough patches. Until today, I could feel myself slowly slipping down the path of relapse one negative thought at a time. I feel lucky to have found something- grace perhaps?- when I did. I was pulled up and out of my negative thinking at a crucial time. What will I do when something really bad happens? I don’t want to sit around waiting for my life to go to shit, but based on the fact that shitty, sad, scary, and bad things happen to everyone, I think I would be remiss not to make a plan for this eventuality. I am not sure what my plan is exactly, but working my atypical program on a regular basis is vital. The problem, I believe, is that relapse creeps up like depression and hits you when you are at your worst, when you’re weak and feeling less-than-able, so some of my program needs to be built into my life. Routine. Support people. Sturdy things that are there no matter what during those rough times. I need to work on structure.

I also need to remind myself to have more patience. I am thrilled to be free from alcohol for 9 months, but I am still learning about myself and my limitations. In order to stay off the booze I need to be careful with how I choose to spend my time, who I spend it with, etc. My ‘old normal’ just isn’t an option anymore, even if I feel left out of activities sometimes. I don’t get invited to bar outings anymore, which makes me feel sad and left out and bereft, but do I really want to go, anyway? Should I go? Probably not, to be honest. As much as I admire the cool sober chicks who are fine being at bars on the reg, I am just not there yet… and I might not ever be there. And that’s okay. Sobriety isn’t a one-size-fits-all kinda thing. It isn’t even a one-size-fits-all thing for me. It changes regularly.

I think I am finally-sorta-kinda-maybe beginning to understand that self-care is doing what feels right, what I can handle, and what is good for me on a day-to-day basis. I have always admired it in theory, but am pretty self-care challenged in everyday life, as much as it pains me to admit. In real life sobriety with real life things happening, there are ups, downs and all-arounds that you have to deal with. Luckily, it seems that the answer is pretty simple. Don’t drink and eventually you will be okay again. I was going to say don’t drink, do some processing, and eventually you will be okay again, but I am not sure that is accurate. Sometimes the processing just seems to happen with time. I have been dreaming crazy dreams like a madwoman the past few weeks, and I think my mind has been doing some subconscious processing… with or without me.

So, in summary, life is a mystery, but it is also amazing to be able to really and truly experience it without booze. Thanks for reading, my friends.

How Did You Let It Get So Bad?

Admitting that I had a drinking problem meant that I had to admit that I let things fall apart in my life. How could I let it get so bad? I mean, how embarrassing! In the end I couldn’t deny that I had a problem without doing some serious mental acrobatics. I was horrified to admit that everything was, in fact, NOT okay after all.

Denying that there was a problem, making excuses for all of the “little things” that went wrong over the years, was easier than facing up to this huge problem I hadn’t dealt with. That I didn’t want to deal with. That I maybe even couldn’t deal with because I didn’t have the right tools, or didn’t know that I had the right tools. But in the end, how could I NOT deal with the big elephant in the room taking big elephant poops all over my life?

I am not horrified or embarrassed about my path anymore. I let my life get that way, yep, I sure did. I take the blame. Alcohol is an addictive substance for (some) people, and I got addicted. I think I was born addicted, but in the end I made choices and ended up where I ended up. I accept who I am, warts and all. Alcoholic and all.

On a lighter note, spring is fully here at last! I am happy about that. I quit drinking last August and was relieved when the colder months came around. I thought it would be easier to stay inside and drink hot tea during the winter, and it was cozy and nice to be inside, but winter was a toughy this year and stuck around for a bit too long. I feared spring and summer because, you know… nice weather, barbecues, gardening, swimming at the lake, etc. How do you do those things without a cold alcoholic beverage in your hand?

It turns out you don’t need one! I KNOW!

I was worried for nothing. Nice weather is actually nicer without being hungover, or blurry and tired from having one too many, or blackout drunk and not remembering anything. My husband and I got a lot of work done on the garden this weekend because we weren’t rushing to get to beer-thirty and then feeling crappy the next day, unable to work again. I had loads of energy, enjoyed the sunshine, and have a great feeling of accomplishment from doing lots of tasks and helping to improve our home. There were some pangs, but they were just pangs. I am not going to drink. I want to get to one year sober and beyond. Drinking isn’t an option for me anymore, man. It just isn’t.

It turns out sobriety is kind of like staying in winter because you are not sure about spring. You worry about what it will be like, but in actuality it is so much better than you could have imagined. I mean, there are flowers! Life without alcohol is actually preferable if you are a heavy hardcore boozer person. Drinking too much on a regular basis makes life harder. If it is either ALL or NOTHING then I choose nothing because life is still good without alcohol in it. The benefits of life, like enjoying nice days, spending time with family, doing fun things, feeling accomplishment of a job well done, etc. are there sober. In fact, I believe they are better sober.

The lows might be lower, too, that is true. There is nothing to take the edge off so you have to deal with life unfiltered. Right now, to me, that seems like an okay price to pay. I tell myself that I don’t get to have it all, and I am lucky for the things that I have in my life. And that feels good; it is enough for me right now.

Putting It Back Together

When I first made the decision to get alcohol out of my life I was scared, scared, scared. I was making this huge change that felt like it affected everything about me. Who was I without alcohol? What would I do if drinking was no longer a factor in my daily routine and decisions? My sense of self was totally shattered.

At first it felt like I needed to cut ties completely with the old me. I was breaking up with myself because I had been a bad friend. We all KNOW that you are supposed to be your own best friend, right? Well, I knew that I wasn’t doing that because I was hurting myself when I drank. I had to renounce my life as I knew it. It was very black and white, because I wasn’t capable of seeing other colors at that point.

Old Drinking Life = Bad

New Sober Life = Good

My attitude has shifted in the past few weeks. I no longer have to renounce my old life in its entirety. I did a lot of good things in my old life! I had a lot of fun! There are many things that I regret that have to do with drinking, but it wasn’t all bad. I simply wasn’t as awake as I am now. Because that is what I feel like. I am AWAKE now. At least, more so than I was when I used alcohol as a crutch for living life.

I am also feeling much more ready to face the world again. I needed some time to hide out and grow stronger in my sobriety. It was a fragile thing at first. It is gradually getting stronger the longer I live this way. Alcohol is NOT AN OPTION FOR ME. It never was. It was a destructive force, not a fun way to relax and have fun. I sometimes feel like an oddball for abstaining, but it could be worse. It is what it is. I am learning to make the most out of my life and my baggage, including the fact that when I drink I don’t like myself. I am okay with that and ready to be myself around others.

I am putting myself back together- the past, the present, and hopefully the future. They are all ME. The only black and white thinking I need is that I NO LONGER DRINK.


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Local guide

A Student’s Guide to Bristol

Right in the centre of town and under 10 minutes’ walk to The University of Bristol and Cabot Circus, The Courtrooms is brilliantly located for getting around the city.

University of Bristol

9 minute walk from The Courtrooms

You can roll out of bed and straight into your lectures as Bristol University is just a 9 minute walk away!

Pure Gym

Pure Gym

3 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Gym goers rejoice! Pure Gym is a matter of minutes away. So whether you love or loathe keeping fit, getting there is one less hurdle.

Mr Wolfs

Mr Wolf's

5 minute walk from The Courtrooms

A howler of a music venue, Mr Wolf's hosts club nights, live music performances & open mic sessions every day of week!

24 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Big name DJs are a regular at Motion, one of Bristol's best clubs. Also voted 19th Best Club in the World by DJ MAG 2016!

SWX Bristol

4 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Superclub SWX hosts dance nights with live performers, inflatables and pyrotechnics. Only a 4 minute walk to The Courtrooms - Winner!

9 minute walk from The Courtrooms

OMG is the biggest and busiest gay nightclub in the South West. A great atmosphere and cheap drinks makes this is an incredibly lively venue!

13 minute walk from The Courtrooms

It's a live music venue and club space on a boat. A party boat! Need we say anything else?

The Canteen Bristol

The Canteen

11 minute walk from The Courtrooms

The Canteen is a café, bar, restaurant & top live music venue. Relaxed & affordable including live music performances every night - for free!!

Showcase Cinema de Lux Bristol Cabot Circus holds a red carpet event for Aadrman film The Pirates In an Adventure with Scientists. March 25th 2012. Photographer Freia Turland e:info@ftphotography.co.uk m:07875514528

Showcase Cinema De Lux

8 minute walk from The Courtrooms

This snazzy cinema is kitted out with extra-wide leather seats, a powerful sound system & giant screens covering entire walls! 1 of 7 in the country!

8 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Watershed is a cross-artform venue set on Bristol’s harbourside, offering a lively programme of independent films, events & live music!

Bristol Architecture

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

12 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery sits on the main University of Bristol Campus - handy! Throughout the year the museum hold great exhibitions & events!

St Nicholas Market a place to shop and snack.

St Nick's Market

5 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Be sure to visit St Nick’s Market if you're a shopping fan! There are loads of stalls selling everything from food to handmade gifts and vintage clothing.

Playground coffee Bristol

Playground Coffee House

5 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Fancy a cuppa? Take a short walk to Playground Coffee House for tasty snacks and board games galore. Oh, and there are swings!!

Tesco Broadmead

4 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Tesco Metro Broadmead is only 4 minutes away. Ideal when you've run out of milk or anything else that's mysteriously disappeared from your fridge!

Cabot Circus

Cabot Circus

8 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Cabot Circus is one of the best places to go for retail therapy in Bristol. Fancy some food, a drink, trip to the cinema? You name it, Cabot Circus has it.

The University of West England

20 minutes by bus from The Courtrooms

University of West England has campuses in & around the city with a range of facilities including robotics labs, animation studios & mock courtrooms.

Broadmead Walk-In Centre

5 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Broadmead Walk-In Centre is your closest doctors surgery to The Courtrooms. We'd recommend registering with a local doctor in your first few days.

Student Health Service

15 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Your go-to place for all things health related. Run by the University of Bristol, this health service is located on the main campus.

13 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Great Cantonese style food just off the main University of Bristol campus.

Taka Taka

13 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Greek wraps, grill and delicatessen available for delivery. You can even make your own wraps!

7 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Amazing deals from this Chinese-style takeaway all at affordable, student friendly prices!

Catch 22 Bristol

Catch 22

8 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Proper British fish & chips made to order.

Biblos Bristol

15 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Blending Middle Eastern food with Caribbean cuisine is Biblos' speciality. They've got a few locations in Bristol so they're never too far away!

Pam Pam Bristol

Pam Pams

15 minute walk from The Courtrooms

A new VIP themed club located in the Clifton Triangle. Sign up for a membership to skip the queues and get your mates in for free. Sorted!

nightlife stock

15 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Mbargo is one of Bristol's most popular venues, week in - week out! With DJs playing 7 nights a week, drink deals, and good vibes, you're guaranteed a top night.

Lola Lo Bristol

Lola Lo

15 minute walk from The Courtrooms

What do we love more than a boat party? A Tiki bar with themed nights all week!

Senate House Bristol

Senate House Study Centre

15 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Senate House is located on the main University campus. A great place to get your head down before exams.

Oxfam Bookshop Bristol

Oxfam Bookshop

14 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Support a good cause and pick up a new book. All the profits from this store go to the Oxfam charity.

Beware Of the Leopard Bristol

Beware of Leopard Books

6 minute walk from The Courtrooms

For the book lovers among you, this is one of the best (and few remaining) second-hand book stores in the country. A real treasure trove!

The Last Bookshop Bristol

The Last Bookshop

11 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Affordable books are in abundance here, everything is £5 and under! Bargain.

Waterstones book shop in St Johns Road, Clapham.  This store was unaffected by the recent riots.

Email: nigelhowardmedia@gmail.com

5 minute walk from The Courtrooms

If it's been printed, chances are Waterstones have it!

Boston Tea Party Bristol

Boston Tea Party

10 minute walk from The Courtrooms

A fun and quirky café on one of Bristol's best known streets. Be sure to visit here on your way to University for a caffeine fix!

Victoria Park

30 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Escape the city and head to Victoria Park in the south of Bristol. Rain or shine, picnic or pub this is a great place to chill out, especially in summer!

Brandon Hill Park Bristol

Brandon Hill Park

15 minute walk from The Courtrooms

Famous for being the home to Cabot Tower, Brandon Hill park is just off the main University of Bristol Campus and offers fab views over the city.

If you’re about to study in Bristol you’ve made a good choice! The city is brimming with vibrant cultural hotspots, a buzzing social scene, and an overall chilled atmosphere. Renowned for its music and art scenes, and its many festivals, you can expect to have a jam-packed diary all year.

When you find time to fit all of this around your studies, you may never want to leave the city! Our Courtrooms accommodation is right in the heart of the city, making it easy to get to Bristol’s two major universities (University of Bristol and UWE), not to mention explore everything the city has to offer.

Stop for Coffee

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to cafes. Whether you’re looking for a little pick-me-up in between lectures, a study-spot or the perfect place for a coffee date, the city’s got you covered. The Boston Tea Party is known for its laidback, creative atmosphere, which is ideal for doing some reading or writing prep before your lectures. As well as top coffee, it also serves up great brunches – pick between the three prime locations, including Park Street.

Another chain cafe that knocks the socks off of Starbucks is Friska. Make sure you head to their Triangle location – the independent record store, Rise, is just upstairs so you can grab a coffee and some good music all in one go.

Channel real hipster vibes at Roll for the Soul, a cafe dedicated to Bristol’s love for cycling. It doesn’t matter if you don’t turn up on a bike – enjoy the tasty selection of cakes, coffees and veggie brunches with your mates. They also host gigs, film screenings and workshops if you’ve got extra time on your hands.

Falafel fans and vegans rejoice! Cafe Kino in Stoke’s Croft has you in safe hands with a rotating menu of locally-sourced, homemade treats and meals. They welcome students too, so you can bring your laptop and study here if you fancy a change. Their prices are also low, which is an extra bonus to make your student loan stretch further!

Party All Night

Bristol is one of the UK’s best cities for gigs, with plenty of venues showcasing the latest up-and-coming talent.

The Canteen doubles up as a cafe by day and live music venue by night, with free performances seven days a week. For a real mix of genres, Mr Wolf’s has everything from DJ sets and music by local bands, to burlesque performances, stand-up comedy and open-mic nights. There’s always something different on to enjoy. Or thrash out at Marble Factory, which hosts the best line-up of big names and new faces in rock music.

If you’re looking for a good old-fashioned night on the tiles, Thekla, Motion and SWX Bristol are the city’s best clubs for students. Not every city can say they have a club moored on the water and Thekla really takes the party boat experience to new levels, with loads of different student nights. Or dance all night long at Motion and SWX, both of which host sets from famous DJs, complete with inflatables and pyrotechnics for added fun.

Fast Food Fix

Bristol’s culturally-diverse streets mean you can pick up food from all around the world. Whether you fancy a decent Chinese or something a bit more tropical, there are lots of places that can fit within your student budget.

If you have a taste for Chinese, try Hotcha on Baldwin Street, or head to Biblos in Stokes Croft for Lebanese and Caribbean cuisine. Other top student picks include Fresh’s Cantonese street food on St Michael’s Hill, and Taka Taka’s Greek grill on Queen’s Road.

Take in the Culture

You’ll never have to worry about showing your parents around the city when you study in Bristol. There are so many cultural hotspots to visit. Take in the city’s heritage at Bristol Museum, stroll along the Harbour, visit animals from all around the world at Bristol Zoo, or watch the latest play in the grand Old Vic.

Bristol didn’t get a name as a city of art for nothing either – wander through Stoke’s Croft to see the newest graffiti from the many local artists, including the legendary Banksy.

Shop ‘til You Drop

The city has all of your favourite shops as well as loads of boutiques and vintage pop-ups. Head to Cabot Circus for the ultimate shopping experience – just be careful you don’t spend your student loan all in one go! Broadmead also has all your usual high-street stores.

Pick up your groceries and some unique gifts from local vendors at St Nick’s Market. You can grab some cheap deals on your study books too, at Beware of Leopard Books and The Last Bookshop – both of which are just around the corner from the University of Bristol.

Study in the Sun

You can easily escape the bustle of the city to find some quiet study spots. Victoria Park, Brandon Hill Park and Clifton Downs are just a quick walk away from the city centre. Take your study books along and a picnic rug to prep for your next assignment or exam with a little peace and quiet.

Student Living in Bristol

Kick-start your student experience in Bristol by getting your accommodation done and dusted in good time. Give us a call on 0131 2012 440 for more info, or arrange a viewing right away through our online booking system.

University in Bristol not for you after all? Take a look at all of our other student residences across major UK cities, including London, Edinburgh and Cardiff.


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The Tasting Glass – September 21st Edition

In this week’s news & events roundup: Heavier Than Air’s first Tails & Ales event, Seventh Son’s Community Refugee and Immigration Services fundraiser, Crooked Handle Brewing Company & Combat Outpost Robinson BBQ dinner for combat veterans, Streetside, Land-Grant, Wolf’s Ridge anniversaries, Platform MedWish fundraiser, and more! Tune in!

Download this episode (right click and save)


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The Visual Advocate Blog

It is an honor to be sponsored and backed by following leaders in the photographic industry. Their involvement is big part of why I am able to keep exploring in search of compelling stories.

ThinkTank Photo: Thinktank Photo bags are made by photographers for photographers. I love their stuff and one of my favorite bags is the Thinktank Streetwalker Pro.

Photodeck: I host my website, The Visual Advocate, on Photodeck and I absolutely love their services!

Blackrapid:These guys, in my opinion, make some of the best camera straps on the planet. It is my privilege to use their gear and  be sponsored by them.

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