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EU Ambassador Expresses Readiness To Partnering With Government To Support TVET In Liberia

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The Ambassador of the European Union (EU) accredited near Monrovia,  says the Union is ready to partner with the government of Liberia to support Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Country.

Speaking at the 89th founder’s day celebration in Kakata over the weekend, Ambassador Cave said the current government has given everyone a strong indication that it gives priority to expanding access to relevant, high quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training as such; significant investment is needed to make it a reality.

She further narrated that EU is also ready and very excited with the BWI Community, the school principal, the administration and the private sector to take BWI to the “next level”.

According to her, about two months ago the European Union signed a financing agreement with the government of Liberia to support TVET and BWI is one of five schools been selected for support.
Madam Cave indicated that the other schools are in Montserrado, Sinoe, Maryland and Grand Gedeh Counties. She said negotiations with the Ministries of Education and Youth and Sports have been going on for a while now, expressing hope that the project kicks off very soon before the next school year, stating, ‘on EU side we are ready to make this happen’.

She said a visit to most TVET public schools in Liberia is enough to highlight the challenges, not only in terms of facilities but lack of modern equipment and vocational curricula. She stated that since the end of the Bong Mines and LAMCO operations in Liberia there is essentially no system to train vocational Instructors and provide continuous professional development opportunities but said the EU support seeks to address some of these burning education gaps both in terms of teaching force and student learning.

Ambassador Cave disclosed that the total donation by the European Union is in the amount of 20 million Euros for the five Institutions targeted including BWI, noting that the support extends well beyond this monetary value as the project will support Liberia and BWI to craft international collaborations with other TVET schools across the African continent and with private sector entities in and out of Liberia which can help to further build the Institution’s capacity and to ensure the education and skills on offer really match local demand.

She asserted that the project will be implemented by the United Nation Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) which is not a stranger for the BWI community having supported the school in a very successful project for heavy equipment operators’ training which is soon coming to an end.

She indicated that the EU together with UNIDO will through this new programme support the Government to modernize TVET, promote training in strategic sectors of the economy, foster an entrepreneurial culture and equip youth with skills that actually match labor market demand and respond to new economic growth opportunities.

The European Union Ambassador mentioned that all schools including BWI under the programme will be supported to establish or further develop production units in order to generate internal revenue in order to not rely heavily on Government funding.
Mrs. Cave added that the TVET programme will support capacity development at central and school level.

“It will send a number of vocational Instructors abroad for training and practice for up to a year, the program will also establish within BWI a center for vocational Instructor training which may support training for both public and private schools across Liberia” she revealed.

She said it is crucial to the development of the TVET system that the Instructors who will benefit from all training opportunities will make a personal commitment to remain in the school system for a certain period after their return.

The Ambassador named skills that will be supported at BWI as heavy vehicle equipment repair, machining and mechatronics, refrigeration and AC repair, health safety and environment.

“We are confident that the Government and BWI will embrace and adopt the project from the very beginning so that after the 6 years of support and financing the school by then, upgraded and modernized will remain fully operating and delivering high-quality TVET to students,” she said.

She furthered that the European Union remains committed the agreement to support and improve the labor force by empowering the young people of Liberia through the provision of quality TVET and look forward to working closely with BWI.

The Ambassador maintained that half of the population in Liberia consists of young people; youth with interests, hopes, dreams, plans, and desires to achieve. She intoned that having such a young population is in itself a great strength for the development of Liberia, but young people are also exposed to high levels of unemployment, underemployment and vulnerable employment rates.
She then said most of the youths are in fact working in unskilled jobs and are in “survival mode”.

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Sam Pang is an Australian comedian and radio presenter who co-hosts The Front Bar alongside Andy Maher and Mick Molloy. Pang’s dream growing up was to be a footballer, but he didn’t have enough talent to succeed professionally. He supplemented his income by working odd jobs, and only joined radio at the urging of his friends.

Pang branched into television in 2009 as host of SBS One’s quiz show ADbc. In 2013, Pang joined Ed Kavalee and Santo Cilauro as co-hosts on Santo, Sam and Ed’s Total Football on Fox Sports.

He is rumored to be married to a mysterious woman known as Ann

Sam is rumored to have married an Italian woman named Ann in 2000. He is yet to confirm this rumor. This is the only love life rumor associated with Sam Pang. He has succeeded in keeping his private life away from the public’s attention.

He described the birth of his daughter as the happiest day in his life

We can confirm that Sam has a daughter known as Sienna Pang. Her age is unknown, but we know that she makes Sam very happy. Sam gave the following answer when Michael Lallo of The Sydney Morning Herald asked him about when he was happiest, “The day my daughter was born was pretty good.”

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Home » Posts tagged 'Thomas Aquinas the Calvinist'

Tag Archives: Thomas Aquinas the Calvinist

Aquinas the Calvinist (via Eastern Orthodoxy?)

Was Aquinas a Calvinist?  Well … sort of.  I realize the question is anachronistic, but Aquinas retained the doctrines of grace propogated by Augustine that the Calvinist tradition borrowed from during the Protestant Reformation (e.g. the doctrine of unconditional election, predestination, infallible grace, etc.).  There are many qualifications to this claim I do not have time to write about here (perhaps in a future post).

Those who hold a Calvinistic notion of predestination have also been known to hold that nevertheless God desires that all people be saved because Scripture affirms it.  For this reason 1 Timothy 2:1-4 also appears to many to be a major stumbling block (read: contradiction) to the entire soteriological system known as Calvinism.  How can we say that God desires all people to be saved when we know that ultimately God decides who is and who is not saved, yet does not choose everyone.  Does God not always do whatever he desires?  Does he not desire that all be saved?

I will now call upon Thomas Aquinas, however, to explain to us why this verse, and God’s desire that all be saved, does not contradict the doctrine of predestination.  I will first quote the verse itself, then Aquinas:

First of all I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority. … This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. — 1 Tim 2:3-4 (NASB)

Aquinas thinks that the word “all” in this passage likely means “applying to every class of individuals, not to every individual of each class; in which case they mean that God wills some men of every class and condition to be saved, males and females, Jews and Gentiles, great and small, but not all of every condition” (ST I.19.6.ad.1).

He also offers Damascene’s notion of “the antecedent will of God” which is to be contrasted to “the consequent will” of God.  Here the point is this: God’s will considered absolutely entails that all men should be saved, but by adding “some additional circumstances” or “by a consequent consideration” the verdict of God’s will may turn out to be reversed (ST I.19.6.ad.1).

For example, considered absolutely it is good that all men should live and be free, unless or until that one person is considered an extreme danger and menace of society by killing and raping others, in which case a good judge may will him to hang or be thrown in jail rather than live and be free.

Thus it may be said that a just judge will simply the hanging of a murderer, but in a qualified manner he would will him to live … Such a qualified will may be called a willingness rather than an absolute will.  Thus it is clear that whatever God simply wills takes place; although what He wills antecedently may not take place. (ST I.19.6.ad.1).

While Damascene refers to “antecedent will” and “consequent will,” Aquinas prefers to speak of the former as “willingness” and the latter as “simple will.”  Willingness is what God wills with all things being “equal” (as it were), apart from circumstantial suppositions.  Simple will is God’s final will once all circumstantial considerations are in view.  Not that Aquinas would imagine that there is ever a time when God’s brain fails to consider something with all its attendant circumstances (God is outside of time and doesn’t have a brain).  Rather, this language is metaphorical and taken from human speech.  God wills that all be saved in the same way that a judge wills all men to be free and live, although given good reason, this will may be reversed.  But this does not destroy the “good will” of the judge; therefore, neither should it cause us to call into question God’s good will to those who are damned.

It is indeed striking to me that I had only been exposed to this kind of reasoning through the Calvinist tradition, yet here Aquinas is found using the same reasoning.  But my amazement does not stop there, since Aquinas gets his distinctions from St. John of Damascus (Damascene), a Syrian Christian monk and priest († 676-749) venerated as a Saint in both the Catholic Church and in Eastern Orthodoxy.

St. John of Damascus

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Home All Posts Love It Or List It: The Family Edition

Love It Or List It: The Family Edition

by Author: Jade Lloyd

Love It or List It is a much-loved programme that brings to fruition a very simple homeowner dilemma – is it worth loving (and renovating) the homes we have, or would it be better to move out and start from scratch. For those of us with fast-growing families, especially, this is by no means a new consideration and is something that can keep us all awake at night without even a sniff of Kirstie and Phil’s fun-loving advice to get us through.

The trouble is that, when you’re staring down the barrel of a significant lifestyle change, it can be impossible to make this choice. Luckily, you don’t need Kirstie or Phil to tell you precisely the right move to make. You simply need to take the following steps to ensure a tailored decision that keeps everybody happy.

# 1 – Speak with a professional.

With many of us having very limited experience in both the property and renovations market, it would be ill-advised to make a decision like this alone. Hence why the best possible step you can take, even when these ideas of change have barely solidified, is to speak with professionals in the know. After all, you’re never going to understand your buying prospects better than after you’ve sought proper mortgage advice, nor will you be able to compare renovation costs until you’ve gathered a few quotes. These typically obligation-free offerings for professional oversight are therefore essential to stop you from stressing out as soon as you realise the need for change.

# 2 – Consider the practicalities.

Considering the realistic practicalities of either loving or listing your property is also essential to keep disruption to a minimum, and is perhaps the one factor most open to personal variations. For instance, if you only need one more bedroom, renovation is most likely to be less disruptive in the long term than moving home with a family. However, if your entire house, including key areas like bathrooms and kitchen, would need renovation, then a move that gets it all out of the way in a day or two might be better. Simply ask yourself what would need doing, and what long-term ramifications that could cause.

# 3 – Know what everyone wants.

It’s also important to understand what everyone would prefer. After all, you all likely know which option you would prefer. As such, simply sitting down as a family (and also as adults alone) can help you to make a heart-based decision that will ultimately create longer-lasting happiness than simply ticking all of the boxes. After all, even if a renovation seems logical, it won’t keep you all happy if you truly desire a move. Given that gut feelings play such a huge role in the home buying process to begin with, you could even argue that this, more than the other pointers, should help you to make the best decision possible.

Whether you’re leaning towards loving your property or listing it, keep these pointers in mind to make a decision that the whole family can be happy with.

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READING FOR RENN – One Kid Trying to Help Another Battle Epilepsy

Read4RennPurple (1)

As you know I have been away overseas visiting with my nephews, and on returning home I was reminded of a couple of other young guys whom I have come to know rather well over this past year.  They have both sprouted up in connection with online writing groups that I belong to, and they are both amazing guys, I can tell you.  One is an inspiration to me for his creative writing, his generosity in helping others, his unfailing determination, his smarts and big heart.  His name is Erik and at eleven years old he reviews books on his blog and has his own paper column.  The other is a dear wee guy, with that heart-melting smile, who inspires me with his gutsy courage and joy of life, despite all he has gone through, and at only six years Renn is a trouper, allowing us to follow him through his ordeal of conquering epilepsy.   He and eleven year old Erik have met through cyber-space, like most of us.

Renn’s young parents and little brother have had to watch him traipse in and out of hospital many times, trying all measure of treatments and tests to help rid the countless seizures he suffers daily.  (I know I could not go through this).  Erik, like many of us wondered what he could do in some small way to help, and this is what he came up with.

Erik is looking for sponsors to help him raise funds for Renn’s expenses. Erik is a super quick reader and has decided to put this skill to use to help another kid.  He is looking for people to sponsor him for each accelerated reader point that he earns in October – his goal is 150.  Read his post …   Reading for Renn  to see how you can help him

Hurry on over to Erik’s website NOW….

About Diane Tulloch

Known also as the Patientdreamer I am a writer who loves to dream, and is passionate about writing stories for the young so that they may join me in the wonders of adventure in countries and cultures afar, and in special moments to remember.
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12 Responses to READING FOR RENN – One Kid Trying to Help Another Battle Epilepsy

  1. Great cause. I’m already signed up and have pledged to Erik’s cause. He’s working very hard to do something.

    • Hi Pat. Isn’t it wonderful how many people have signed up to help. I thought I would follow up with this post just to remind those who may not have heard. This is the kind of thing one loves to promote, helping each other.

  2. Thank you Ms. Tulloch! I REALLY appreciate the shout-out! THANK YOU!!!

  3. Great post, Diane! I’m also supporting Erik…I love the concept of kids helping kids. Maybe Erik can give classes to our lawmakers here in the US…they obviously don’t know about people helping people and that working together makes good things happen.:) I’ll share this post around.

  4. Wonderful post about Erik and Renn, Diane! What great kids they both are.

  5. Joanna says:

    Great idea to keep highlighting what Erik is doing for our little Jedi. Erik is doing amazingly on the AR points he has gained.

  6. He certainly has, Thank you so much Joanna.

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Common Problems We Solve

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You’ve worked hard. You’ve put your strategy together, but now you’re looking to take the next step. Perhaps you’re not sure how to execute the plan with the current constraints of time and talent.

Or, maybe, you need to get the rest of the organization aligned with buy in, commitment, and engagement.

We can help you build a roadmap and operational rhythm for your strategy that works for you and your organization.

And, we’ll help you create a “communication rollout plan” to ensure your entire organization has buy in and is engaged in the strategy.

  • Develop a clear roadmap that demystifies how to achieve your strategic goals
  • Discover next best steps to maximize results with the least initial effort
  • Establish an operational framework to ensure you’re always making progress on what matters most

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You’ve been handed a set of goals that you need to implement successfully within your department and you don’t want to fail!

This can feel overwhelming when you aren’t sure how to successfully execute the plan while juggling time constraints and your other job responsibilities.

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  • Help your department confidently accelerate toward your organization’s most important objectives
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As a leader, you are concerned that your current strategy is not producing results, or that important initiatives are getting lost to the urgent issues of the day.

You may even have a leadership team that is not aligned with your strategy, working in different directions, wasting time while causing tension and conflict.

You know that to make the most progress, everyone needs to be aligned and working together, but you’re unsure about how to make that happen.

  • Ensure you are working on the “right” efforts with our proven system
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Frida Kahlo Photographs at the Bowers Museum

2017-03-06 15_41_16-Bowers Museum - Orange County's Finest a.jpg

Had a chance to see this exhibit on Sunday. Well worth a visit! Many of the photographs she collected (and altered) and some she took herself are shown in a series of displays encompassing some 241 items. There may be a supplementary admission charge if you are not a member of the museum. A book containing these and other images and some analyses is available.

Tuesdays through Sundays, 10-4  –  1802 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA  –  Through June 25

Also note the review in the OC Weekly!

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10 Essential Hiking Hacks

Going for a hike? There are plenty of places to hike around Tucson and the state, that’s why we’re bringing you these 10 essential hiking hacks. Whether you are a beginner or a hiking pro, you’ll want to know these hiking hacks. Every little bit can make your hiking experience a bit more comfortable and […]

Hiking Trails in Tucson: North and West

It is very easy to get in touch with nature when you live or vacation in Tucson. One of the best ways to experience the natural wonders of the area is to go on a hike. There are numerous trails throughout Tucson. Some of the best trails can be found in North and West Tucson. There […]


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Mick Smith

Starting July 20th & 21st, Mick Smith will be hosting a weekly, hour-long, 6 person group clinic for 4 weeks at 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm.

Every week, you will learn valuable skills and techniques on how to improve your game for better course play.

Matt Lindberg

Every Monday from July 19th to August 23rd, Matt Lindberg will be running a first-come-first-serve 6 person hour-long group clinic starting at 3pm.

He will be instructing on different ways to practice, valuable skills that will help transform your game on the course, and constructive tips on improving your golf swing. You can pick and choose which clinics you’d like to attend.

Josh Koch

Starting the first week of August, Josh Koch will be hosting a 10-person month-long golf school every Tuesday and Thursday.

He will be laying out the blueprints to achieving a 155 MPH clubhead speed. Each week Josh will be going over different swing techniques to help improve overall distance and speed. He will also be using golf training aids, like GASP force plates (used by Bryson Dechambeau) and Trackman Technology.


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annual report, business support, Design, public sector, small business

Record ‘FEAT’ for Enterprise Trust

annualreportcover03THE centre helping small businesses across Falkirk district has notched up a record year.

In its annual report Falkirk Enterprise Action Trust says it helped more than 280 businesses to start-up during 2002/2003 – creating nearly 500 new jobs.

The figure – the highest in FEAT’s 20-year history – was revealed at the organisation’s annual general meeting on Friday.

Director Russell Parker said: “The latest figures are an increase on 2001/2002 when he helped nearly 270 firms to start-up, and the largest since we began operating. We’ve also helped substantial numbers of
existing businesses to develop and expand. More than 160 firms took part in our Focus on Growth programme, for example.

“It’s been a record year for us, and contrasts to many other areas in Scotland where fewer businesses got underway. I’m delighted at this success.”

From its base in Grangemouth’s Newhouse Business Park, FEAT provides advice and training for anyone starting or growing a business, much of it free of charge.

The organisation’s main funders are Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley and Falkirk Council.

FEAT delivers many of its services as part of the network of Business Gateway outlets across Scotland.
It also runs a marketing club; provides IT and business training; and offers the hire of its training, meeting and conference facilities.

You can find out more about FEAT by logging onto the website at or e-mail: Or you can call 01324

The PR Store produced the annual report for FEAT.

Download a low-resolution version of the annual report here (268k)

Russell Parker at
FEAT on 01324 665500

Adrian Mahoney at
The PR Store on 01506 823714
or 07967 150560


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Tim Kasher

Players: Tim Kasher (G,V)

Recordings: The Game of Monogamy (2010, Saddle Creek); “Cold Love” b/w “Just Don’t Get Caught” 7-inch (2010, Saddle Creek); “Delirium Tantrums” (w/Conduits) b/w “Tightropes, Guillotines, Thin Ice, Landslides” 7-inch (2010, Saddle Creek); Bigamy: More Songs from the Monogamy Sessions (2011, Saddle Creek)

Why You Care: Between his primary gig in Cursive and his side gig in The Good Life, Kasher has spent most of his adult life chronicling his personal view of this fractured world we live in, but rarely on such a personal level as on his recent solo albums. The 7-song Bigamy… continued where Kasher left off on Monogamy, and was supported by a 23-date summer tour and a 29-date fall European tour. Next year he returns to his old ways when Cursive releases its new record, I Am Gemini, Feb. 21.

Check Out: “The Jessica” and “Cold Love” at saddle-creek.com/timkasher

– Tim McMahan

Bright Eyes

Players: Conor Oberst (VI, V), Mike Mogis (G, M), Nate Walcott (K)

Recordings: Eleven albums beginning with A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997 (1998, Saddle Creek) to The People’s Key (2011, Saddle Creek)

Why You Care: Seemed like the entire indie music world spent 2011 sounding a death knell for Bright Eyes, thanks to Conor Oberst letting it slip in a 2009 interview that he wanted to close the door on the band, once and for all. Well, looks like the entire indie music world got it wrong. With the February release of The People’s Key, Oberst and his band of merry pranksters hit the road for the balance of the year, performing one of his strongest stage shows in the band’s career, and telling everyone along the way that they haven’t seen the last of Bright Eyes… probably.

Check Out: “Shell Games” and “Jejune Stars” at saddle-creek.com/brighteyes

– Tim McMahan

All Young Girls Are Machine Guns

Players: Rebecca Lowry (U), Travis Sing (B), Scott Zimmerman (D), Kristin Pikop (K)

Recordings: All Young Girls Are Machine Guns (2011, Nectar & Venom)

Why You Care: Rebecca Lowry took up songwriting pretty much at the same time she picked up her first ukulele. After honing her playing and her songs during countless Benson-area open mic nights, Lowry connected with Scott Zimmermann and Travis Sing, two seasoned Omaha musicians to form a full-band to carry out her swinging, indie pop tunes. Lowry’s debut album shows a spirited take on the ukulele that skews much closer to the 60s pop revivalism of She & Him than it does to the novelty strums of Tiny Tim.

Check Out: “How the Night Ends” and “Swing Back Baby Blues” at reverbnation.com/allyounggirlsaremachineguns.

– Chris Aponick

Players: Brett Smith (G, LT), Jesse Hodges (D), Andy Marker (D, P), Troy Lieberth (B, K)

Recordings: More Shapes (2008), Sine Language (2010), EP402 (2011), all self-released

Why You Care: Entering year six of being Lincoln’s premier live electronica band, Somasphere is showing no signs of slowing down. When not performing with the band, both Brett Smith (inflect) and Jesse Hodges (DJesse) have flown solo behind the DJ booth, creating an expanded wealth of influences that help the band continue to evolve its sound. Getting the crowd to the dance floor is deifintely at the top of Somasphere’s list of priorities, and once you’re there, you’ll hear everything from house and jungle to mid-tempo and hip-hop.

Check Out: “Wolf Country 2.0” and “AKA (Bentone remix)” at somasphere.bandcamp.com

– Jeremy Buckley

The Show Is the Rainbow/Darren Keen

Players: Darren Keen (G, V, VI)

Recordings: Radboyz Only!!!! (2005, Tsk Tsk Records), Gymnasia (2007, SAF Records), Wet Fist (2009, Retard Disco), Tickled Pink (2011, It Are Good)

Why You care: The Show Is the Rainbow a.k.a. Darren Keen continues to quietly conquer new audiences with a one-man performance style that can only be called audacious. He headlined this year’s prestigious Dundee Day celebration, capping off the evening by climbing a tower of speakers on the edge of the stage, like a big pink bear. The following week he left America to conquer Europe as part of his 10-month “Honeymoon Tour” in support of his latest release, Tickled Pink, a set of abstract, art-damaged polyrhythmic “songs,” whose topics include paying the cover, faux indie angst, and learning how to think, to grow, to love.

Check Out: “Pay the Cover” and “Don’t Vote” at soundcloud.com/darrenkeen/sets/the-show-is-the-rainbow

– Tim McMahan

Players: J.J. Idt (G), Nate Mickish (G), Mike Overfield (B, K), Roger L. Lewis (D), Jenna Morrison (V), Patrick Newberry (K).

Recordings: “Misery Train” split 7-inch (2011, self-released)

Why You Care: Emerging in 2010 as a next-level success story, this supergroup of local heroes plays epic masterpieces, tonal ambient journeys into dark yet familiar worlds decorated in ’90s shoe-gaze, low-hum dream-noise. The band spent most of ’11 playing local shows as well as a couple opening gigs on Bright Eyes’ tour. All the while, fans waited for the eventual release of the band’s already recorded debut album — a release that never came. But all that is about to change as rumor has it a very familiar label has finally agreed to release the album in early 2012.

Check Out: “Blood” and “Limbs and Leaves” at soundcloud.com/conduits

– Tim McMahan

The Mynabirds

Players: Laura Burhenn (G, V, K)

Recordings: What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood (2010, Saddle Creek); “All I Want Is Truth (for Christmas)” b/w “This Will Be Our Year” 7-inch (2010, Saddle Creek)

Why You Care: One could argue that Laura Burhenn, the singer/songwriter at the center of The Mynabirds, made her biggest impact in 2010, when her debut album was released on Saddle Creek, followed by a year’s worth of touring. In 2011, Burhenn put her project on the back burner when she became a member of Bright Eyes’ touring band, performing alongside Conor Oberst and Co. throughout most of the year. With Bright Eyes’ tour finally winding down, Burhenn is poised to begin the next chapter of The Mynabirds’ saga.

Check Out: “All I Want is Truth (for Christmas)” and “Numbers Don’t Lie” at saddle-creek.com/themynabirds

– Tim McMahan

Players: Jack ‘Boogs’ Begley (V,G,K), Noah Sterba (V,G), Kevin Donahue (D), Jeff Sedrel (B)

Recordings: Bitches/Yuppies split (2011, Palmist), I’ve Been Touched single (2011, Grotto)

Why You Care: Yuppies themselves are a talented foursome, skewing their sprightly, angular indie garage punk with plenty of lo-fi noise-mongering. Yuppies has a figurehead represent the most visible band in a local wave of young, melody-minded tape-hissers that includes bands like the Prairies and the Dads and  who delight in deconstructing their heavenly pop hits faster than you can say “Tally ho!”

Check Out: “Getting Out” and “Sunglasses” at yuppies.bandcamp.com.

– Chris Aponick

Magic Slim

Players: Magic Slim (V, G)

Recordings: Magic Slim has over 20 recordings to his credit, his most recent is Raising The Bar (Blind Pig, 2010)

Why You Care: As we hashed out this year’s Top 20 it occurred to us that we’ve never recognized this blues legend living in our midst. Chicago blues icon Magic Slim has made his home in Lincoln for many years now. On the road nationally and internationally, he still tours with his Chicago band The Teardrops. You’ll likely see him around Lincoln or Omaha backed by his son Shawn Holt’s Lil’ Slim Blues Band. With a 30-plus year career, Magic Slim introduced many folks to straight up Chicago blues back in the early days of the Zoo Bar and the old Howard St. Tavern.

Check Out: “I’m a Bluesman” and “Pretty Girls Everywhere” at myspace.com/magicslim.

B.J. Huchtemann

Brad Cordle Band

Players: Brad Cordle (V), Craig Balderston (B, V), Dave Steen (G, V), Johnny Gomez Jr. (K), Andrew Brookings (D)

Why You Care: Vocalist Brad Cordle has led some of the most talented blues and soul bands around. Formerly the leader of notable local band The Jailbreakers, Cordle spent a stint working in the Las Vegas scene. Last year he returned to Omaha and assembled a new band of accomplished, powerhouse players. Cordle has emotive range and vocal power on par with national artists. Guitarist and vocalist Dave Steen provides much of the original material. Steen has had songs covered by artists from Coco Montoya to Maria Muldaur and the late Junior Wells. As good or better than many touring bands, these guys pair polished musicianship with plenty of soul.

Check Out: youtube.com for videos from the band’s summer 2011 Playing With Fire set.

– B.J. Huchtemann

Matt Cox

Players: Matt Cox (V, G, H, BJ)

Recordings: Stick Your Neck Out (2006), Folker’s Travels (2007), My Last Dollar (2009), Tracks in the Sound (2011)

Why You Care: Matt Cox has solidly expanded his audience while moving from a solo artist to a full band and now back to solo work. Cox has remarkably skillful songwriting talents and excellent guitar chops. His rich vocals sound older than his years. Cox crafts memorable songs grounded in the best Americana, folk nd country blues traditions. Cox’s refreshing, heartfelt music is a must-hear for roots music fans.

Check Out: “River Song” and “Waiting on the Rain” at myspace.com/crookedroadblues.

– B.J. Huchtemann

Kris Lager Band

Players: Kris Lager (G, V), Jeremiah Weir, (K), John Fairchild (D, V), Brandon Miller (B)

Recordings: Roots Revival (2006), Transient (2007), The Mighty Quinn (2009), backing Mato Nanji as Indigenous on Broken Lands (Vanguard Records, 2008)

Why You Care: Kris Lager Band has grown to be one of the top local bands, spending much of their time touring around the country. The Kris Lager Band isn’t limited by styles, mixing blues, rock, soul, R&B, gospel, jam-band and world music. This musical fusion and their instrumental expertise has forged a sound that is distinctive, powerful and heartfelt. They cut their touring chops with several years of road work as Indigenous, backing Mato Nanji. This year, led by bassist Brandon Miller, they also launched Hullabaloo, a first annual local three-day music and camping event.

Check Out: “Can’t Go On” and “Sweat Butter” at reverbnation.com/krislagerband.

– B.J. Huchtemann

Players:  Patrick Wilson (V), Justin McCain (G), Lance Dowdle (G), Alan Larson (B), Dylan Woods (D), Jeff Fenn (K,)

Recordings: Damaged (2011), Atlantic Records

Why You Care: Recently signed to Atlantic Records, this hard rock outfit is bouncing on the fringes of major success. If only they could get their line-up straight. Emphatic has been plagued by hasty and unexpected line-up changes since its inception. However, with a nationwide, headlining tour under its belt, Emphatic is only gaining steam and widely broadening its fan base.

Check Out: “Bounce” at www.atlanticrecords.com/artists/emphatic

– Kyle Eustice

Brent Crampton

Players: Brent Crampton (LT), various guests

Why You Care: Possibly Omaha’s most prolific DJ, Crampton is a 27-year old renaissance man that comes off more as a community organizer than just a disc jockey. He started loomweaves, a recurring multicultural dance party, which now has a permanent base at the House of Loom he opened up this year. He has also won the Best DJ award at the OEA’s several years running, and employs a staggeringly diverse selection of music during his sets.

Check Out: No formal records yet, but take in the loom experience sometime at House of Loom, 1012 S 10th St downtown. Also feel free to go to brentcrampton.com

– Jarrett Fontaine

Players: Graham Burkum (V, G), Michael Childers (G, V), Gabriel Burkum (VL, V), Kyle Christensen (A, K, V), Ryan Menchaca (D)

Recordings: Lay Low and Pretty (2008), Down In Our Song live acoustic EP (2010), skypiper (2011)

Why You Care: With lush songs that sneak up and kiss you on the cheek, Skypiper are comfortable playing tunes that range from indie folk pieces to brooding, anthemic love songs. These five local guys met in high school and have been writing music ever since. They’ve matured their sound a bit for their self-titled sophomore album, which was recorded in an old north Omaha church sanctuary.

Check Out: “The Devil Is Real” on myspace.com/skypipermusic

– Jarrett Fontaine

Digital Leather

Players: Shawn Foree (V,G,K), Jeff Lambelet (D), John Vredenburg (B)

Recordings: Sponge (2012, Crash Symbols), Infinite Sun (Volar, 2011), Warm Brother (2009, Fat Possum)

Why You Care: The always-prolific Shawn Foree hasn’t slowed down, even in the midst of leaving Fat Possum Records and having his new label, Absolutely Kosher, go under. The last two Digital Leather releases have seen Foree retreat into his two best selves – quick-hitting lo-fi noisemaker and synth-wielding death-rock experimenter. Foree continues to work with local musicians, turning his latest twists and turns into hurtling garage rock.

Check Out: “Hurts So Bad” and “Kisses” at youtube.com

– Chris Aponick

Depressed Buttons

Players: Todd Fink (DJ, LT), Clark Baechle (DJ, LT), Jacob Thiele (DJ, LT )

Recordings: Qwerty EP (2010), Qwerty Remix EP (2011), both on Mad Decent

Why You Care: Three of the five Faint members meet their most futuristic selves to date in this purely electronic adventure into samples, unrelenting synthesizers and infectious dance beats. Recently signed to Diplo’s Mad Decent label, Depressed Buttons are armed with endless energy to deliver some bangin’ beats and saucy sound bites for your taste buds.

Check Out: “Hit Me Like A Rock (CSS Remix),” “Ow!” and “Jack (Herr Styler Remix)” at www.spotify.com

– Kyle Eustice

Noah’s Ark Was A Spaceship

Players: Andrew Gustafson (G), John Svatos (G), Ricky Black (D), Rob Webster (B)

Recordings: My Name Is What Is Your Name (2009), Hanga Fang (2010), both on Slumber Party Records

Why You Care: The 90’s was an incredible decade for garage rock. These guys sound like Mudhoney just met Sonic Youth and they all decided to start a band together. Surprisingly, the foursome is fairly young and has only begun to tap into its potential.

Check Out: “Wish You Weren’t Here” and “Flamingos Our Father” at www.myspace.com/noahsarkwasaspaceship

– Kyle Eustice

Simon Joyner

Players: Simon Joyner (G,V)

Recordings: The last three of more than a dozen full length releases, Beautiful Losers: Singles and Compilation Tracks 1994-1999 (Jagjaguwar, 2006), Skeleton Blues (Jagjaguwar, 2006), Out Into The Snow (Team Love, 2009)

Why You Care: While Joyner hasn’t released a studio album since 2009, he has step into the role of label owner with the Grapefruit Record Club. Curated by Joyner and Ben Goldberg, the club is subscription service that releases exclusive and limited-edition vinyl records. Meanwhile, Joyner continues to play around town, keeping in touch with the city’s house show scene.

Check Out: “The Only Living Boy In Omaha” and “Medicine Blues” at myspace.com/simonjoyner.

– Chris Aponick

McCarthy Trenching

Players: Dan McCarthy (G,V), James Maakestad, Ben Brodin, Bram Rosenfeld

Recordings: Fresh Blood (Slumber Party, 2011), Calamity Drenching (2008), McCarthy Trenching (2007), both on Team Love.

Why You Care: Just when it seemed like Dan McCarthy had gotten busy as a member of the rapidly-rising So-So Sailors, he quietly issued a new album, Fresh Blood, on Slumber Party Records. McCarthy has been a longtime fixture on the Omaha indie-folk scene, unraveling direct, rustically rural songs armed with an acoustic guitar and a low-key vibe.

Check Out: “Cassette Tape Massacre” and “Hard Heart” at myspace.com/mccarthytrenching.

– Chris Aponick

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Yesterday's Sounds Today

Song Of The Day: Brian Hyland, “Sealed With A Kiss”

Is there any better song that captures the bittersweet adolescent pain that comes with the end of the school year, the beginning of summer, and the separation from one’s crush? Brian Hyland was a heartthrob who will forever be known for this hit, even though, of course, he had a long career that took him down interesting sonic paths. Still, you’re not gonna find any better song in his oeuvre; that’s not a dismissal, it’s simply a question of durability.

Have a great and safe Memorial Day!

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Breaking News > BUT NOT GOOD NEWS!!!

Earl is Entering the Hospital for Major Back Surgery on June 23rd, 2020.

Shufflers the world over will be thinking of you as you undergo the procedure. Stan

Earl Speaks on 2020 06 06. The story that follows is still accurate; however, a lot has happened since 2007. Stan sent the story (below in black) to me and asked if I wanted to add to it. As many of you know, my back continued to deteriorate and now, I find myself having to have major surgery to fuse L-3,4,5&S1(the bottom of the lower back). It requires rods and bars; I have avoided the surgery because over time scar tissue causes problems. The way I look at the situation is that I’m 76 and I could gut it out, surely, I won’t live that much longer, but the other side of the coin says I’m 76 and why should I live out my life in misery.

On we go!

EARL BALL TELLS US WHAT HAPPENED!! Earl Writing in July of 2007

Earl Speaks on 2007 07 02. Many of you have asked about my back surgery and so I have decided to tell you about it.  In 2004 I had both hips replaced even though my doctors and I knew my back was bad.  I felt so much better I did not even realize my back was as bad as it was.  For some reason, summer is worse than winter; maybe because I am so busy in the winter.  Well, I made it through the summer of 2005 laying the pain to the healing of the hips but I couldn’t make it through the “Masters” of 2006 and spent the summer on heavy drugs ~~ not good!

This year (2007) a similar thing happened, and I said enough is enough is enough!  I did not want to have open back surgery because the scar tissue can leave you worse off than when you started.

Lou and Rose Haskill (shuffleboard players) tipped me off to Micro Back Surgery at the Leesburg tournament this last season so I decided to do some research and found out the surgery was done through what looks like a straw, using the laser and other miniature instruments in private hospitals (insurance doesn’t cover all of the costs of a private hospital).

I decided to attend a seminar, taking my old MRI’s with me.  The Doctor reviewed the MRI’s and said he thought they could help.  There were three potential problems and they explained pain can be in layers and is like pealing an onion.  It’s possible they would fix one thing only to find I still suffered from another problem that I’d have to have fixed at a later date.  I had a bulging disc which could be fixed using the laser.  The laser is used on tissue.  I also had stenosis of the spinal cord which is a filling in of the opening with calcium (bone); it is removed by using something that resembles a chompper.  I liken it to the Pac Man game.  The laser cannot be used on bone because it generates too much heat and would cook the meat.  The third potential problem was with the facet joints; there is one on each side of the backbone where each of the vertebras comes together.  The joint fills with arthritis (calcium) and irritates the non-motor function nerve that runs through the joint.  The cure is to use the laser to kill the nerve.  So even though the arthritis is still there it doesn’t hurt.  On day one, new MRI’s and x-rays are taken and a preliminary analysis of your pain is conducted; on day two they do pain mapping which is accomplished by numbing a nerve similar to what a dentist does and one by one they narrow down which problem is causing the pain.  Mine was coming from the bulging disc.  Later that day the surgeon reviewed with me what he was going to do the next day.  I thought he would go in and trim the bulge off the disc with the laser so it wouldn’t press on the nerve but that’s not how it’s done.  He drilled through the upper vertebra and into the disc and then removed fragments and other material from the center of the disc so the disc would implode (suck itself in) removing the pressure from the nerve.  That night, lying in bed, I was amazed at not having any pain for the first time since I can remember!  The next day they did an epidural so Vivian (my wife) could drive me home, a six-hour drive.  The epidural was to ensure comfort as I heal.

I’m not to twist, bend or lift nearly anything but I do go for walks.  It will take longer to get back into action than I thought and that is brought about because of the procedure which was the most radical of the possibilities.

Regrettably, I will be unable to be with you for the International World Championship ~~ or for the Eastern Nationals ~~ but I should be ready to go for the winter season.  With a little luck this will be the end of the problem. ONLY TIME WILL TELL!!

EARL BALL: 2007 07 02.

SHUFFLER’S NOTE: The Shuffling Communities of Brazil, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada and America wish you a rapid and complete recovery!! Stan writing on 2007 07 02.

This entry was posted in GENERAL. Bookmark the permalink.

  1. Glenn Monroe says:

    Best of luck, Earl!

  2. Deb Stuart says:

    Reads like a good decision — but sorry for the necessity!! Heal fast!

  3. D and P says:

    Needless to say. Follow doctors instructions ! All the best.

  4. Marilyn & Bob Mitchell says:

    Thinking and praying all will go well Earl.

  5. Evan Engell says:

    I bet you’re going in for bionic implants. lol. Take care and heal well, Earl.

  6. Ron Nurnberger says:

    Sounds like a lot of ‘Iron’ to me. Does that mean u will sleep standing up like a ‘horse’ the rest of your life? I’m sorry, couldn’t help myself! Seriously Earl, best of luck from all of us at the Bradenton Shuffleboard Club.

  7. susan b. daidone says:

    thanks for the excellent explanation of what you are going thru…Wishing you a speedy recovery and back to the courts quickly..Sue Daidone, BSC

  8. Nancy Sclafani says:

    I will be praying that all goes well and that you make a speedy recovery.

  9. susan b. daidone says:

    There is a shuffler at BSC that would like to know the name of the group of Drs. that you are going to. You can email me at with the info..Thanks, SUE DAIDONE

  10. Glen Peltier says:

    Oh Earl, I just know if anyone can get it right, it will be you. I admire you greatly how hard you exercise through the pain just to get in shape to platy the game. Having your goals will keep you going.

  11. Myrna Bilton says:

    Prayers for good health, Earl
    Rendall & Myrna

  12. Joan McCurdy says:

    Best wishes, Earl.
    We all will be thinking of you on the 23rd.

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Qatar exposes limit of Saudi power

By Simon Korner

The summer 2017 blockade against Qatar – led by Saudi Arabia, and backed by United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt – has exposed the limits of Saudi power to control the rivalrous Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) after weeks of warlike rhetoric.

At issue are Qatar’s growing economic and military ties with Iran – a country that stands in the way of Saudi, Israeli and thus US, hegemony in the Gulf.

The Saudi demands were for Qatar to follow Saudi policy in every sphere. This meant cutting diplomatic ties with Iran and expelling the Revolutionary Guards with whom it co-operates, as well as stopping Qatari-Iranian co-operation in the shared North Dome/South Pars energy fields.

Other demands sought the shutting down of the Turkish military base in Qatar, an end to support for the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorist groups such as IS and al Qaeda, and the closure of Al Jazeera, which is a disproportionately powerful mouthpiece for Qatari foreign policy.

Most commentators regarded these demands as unrealistic and a provocation. The air, land and sea blockade of Qatar’s food imports, half of which normally come through Saudi Arabia, has been circumvented by flights through Iranian airspace. More difficult for Qatar have been the economic sanctions causing damage to its banks, airlines and media, such as Al Jazeera.

By late July, after US attempts to defuse the crisis had failed, a spate of US media stories embarrassing the Saudis forced them to reduce their demands to six watered down ‘principles’. The closure of Al Jazeera is no longer on the list but the blockade remains in force.

Qatar’s discussions with Iran over energy began after Russia’s military intervention in Syria, which changed the balance of forces in the war. The negotiations were for a new gas pipeline to run from Qatar’s massive Gulf Pars energy fields through Iran, Iraq and Syria to Europe – known as the ‘Friendship pipeline’.

This pipeline would replace an earlier Saudi plan for piping Qatari natural gas through Saudi Arabia and a fragmented Syria to Turkey. Qatar, which had earlier made a $3 billion contribution to the war against the Syrian government, adapted its foreign policy when it became clear that western-backed forces would be unable to topple Assad.

The success of the ‘Friendship pipeline’ would represent a significant weakening of Saudi power, as well as a wider threat to western energy control. Hence the Saudi attempt to disrupt it.

The Saudis are also concerned at the reach of Qatari power through its support for the Muslim Brotherhood.  Despite the Muslim Brotherhood’s reactionary politics, its youthful mass base in Egypt and Gaza poses a threat to both the absolute monarchies of the Gulf and Sisi. The Muslim Brotherhood connection extends to Turkey, bringing that powerful regional player directly into the conflict, with Turkish troops stationed in Qatar posing a further obstacle to Saudi domination.

The Saudi demand that Qatar stop funding terrorists is widely regarded as hypocritical. Both countries fund IS, al Qaeda and the Taliban. Qatar’s foreign minister admitted in 2012 that he was ‘very much against excluding anyone’ among the Islamist terrorist groups from funding by his country.

Saudi Arabia has spent £3.1 billion for the promulgation of Wahabist ideology in the UK and elsewhere, according to rightwing British think-tank the Henry Jackson Society.  Historian Mark Curtis comments: “The British elite is perfectly aware of the insidious role that Saudi Arabia plays in fomenting terrorism.” Indeed, leaked documents published in the Egyptian Al-Badil newspaper recently revealed direct Saudi (and UAE) ruling family support for terrorist groups.

A report into Saudi terror links was blocked in mid-July by Theresa May for reasons of ‘national security’ – in other words, protecting the huge arms trade with Saudi Arabia which makes 83% of total UK arms exports.

Saudi anger with Qatar arises, then, not from Qatari support for terror groups as such, but for backing the wrong kind – the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as Shia militants in eastern Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and Hizbollah in Lebanon.

The trigger for the crisis came during Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia in May, in which he wholeheartedly endorsed the regime and branded Iran a threat to peace. His aim is to create an ‘Arab Nato’ led by Riyadh, based on the GCC’s armed entity, the Peninsula Shield Force.  A Saudi-led Arab military alliance would crush all non-compliance with imperialism in the region: Iran, Hamas, Hizbollah, the Houthi rebellion in Yemen, and any signs of democratic struggle.

Though Trump appears to have encouraged the Saudi aggression against Qatar, White House policy is being diluted by the US state department. Qatar has the second-largest US military presence in the Gulf, including its command center for Syrian action.  Many US air raids leave from the al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and the US has recently sold Qatar $12 billion worth of F-15 fighters.

At the same time, US arms sales to the Saudis worth $100bn show its clear intention to promote a major regional gendarme. But Qatar’s refusal to cave in to Saudi threats has led to a messy stalemate. Hence Rex Tillerson’s visit to Qatar again in July – ostensibly to agree collective counter-terrorism measures, but really to try to restore order.

However, Qatar’s upstart foreign policy against Saudi Arabia’s bullying cannot easily be negotiated away. And the ousting of the CIA’s preferred Saudi leader Mohamed bin Nayef – who opposed the Qatar blockade – by hothead crown prince Mohamed bin Salman suggests increased instability ahead.

There is a wider aspect to the crisis, according to commentator Pepe Escobar, who points to Qatar’s natural gas exports to China and the fact that these will soon be paid for in Renminbi not dollars, threatening US petrodollar domination.

The US takes dollar dominance seriously.  Part of its animosity towards Gadaffi, according to a Wikileaks email from Hillary Clinton’s adviser Sid Blumental to his boss in April 2011, derived from the fact that Gadaffi was initiating a Pan-Arab bank with Tunisia’s Ben Ali and Egypt’s Mubarak, with the aim of establishing an Arab gold dinar and being paid for oil exports in it rather than dollars. This, along with France’s push to control Libyan oil, became a threat to US influence. In the same way, the Qatar conflict can be seen as part of large large-power rivalries.  With 35% of all shipped oil passing through the Straits of Hormuz to China and the Far East, if the US can control Qatar and the chokepoints of Suez and the Straits of Hormuz, it can squeeze China – and by extension other Gulf energy users like Russia and Europe too.

This explains the recent naval exercises in the Straits by the Chinese and Iranian navies, part of the growing closeness between Iran and China – with Iran soon to become a full member of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (a rival to US economic supremacy) and a strategic participant in China’s New Silk Road project.

Saudi threats against Qatar have failed, in the face of Qatari intransigence and US state department disquiet.

A Saudi war with Qatar was never very likely, given the presence of US and Turkish troops on Qatari soil, and Qatar’s own massive arms stocks, including British weapons worth £120 million in a deal signed two years ago – as well as Qatar’s growing ties with Iran, Turkey and Iraq.

Overall, Saudi regional leadership has been weakened by the blockade, with Kuwait and Oman breaking ranks to urge restraint and refusing to expel Qatar from the GCC. The new Saudi crown prince, the hawk in charge of its failing war in Yemen and probably behind the terrorist bombing of Teheran, represents an unreliable partner for US policy, which itself is strategically unclear.

Given this Saudi incompetence, the wider threat of a Saudi war on Iran is also currently unlikely – with the Saudi military bogged down in Yemen. Not that this precludes such a war breaking out through an accident or mistake.

As for Trump’s election pledge to tear up Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, he has so far not done so. His equivocation reveals US isolation. Europe is seeking rapprochement with Iran – France’s Total, for instance, has just signed a $4.8 billion deal with Iran for natural gas. China and Russia support Iran too. Thus, US options are limited.

By encouraging the Saudis to threaten Qatar, Trump hoped at least to rein in the latter and limit its autonomous policy. But his bid to strengthen Saudi leadership of the region has backfired, pushing Qatar closer to Iran.

The GCC, formed in 1981 as a counter to Iran, is unlikely to recover.  As the individual GCC powers increasingly seek advantage for themselves, co-operation will inevitably turn to antagonism. With no choice but to continue dividing and ruling the Middle East, the US is creating problems it cannot control.

May 2017: Qatari Emir, Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani with Donald Trump


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The Sound Movement Melbourne, Australia

Formed in 2002, an atmospheric post-punk dreampop band by Andrew Day (Nightswimmer, N.I.L, Suicide Bankers) and Kat Johnston. The band evolved over many lineups revolving around the core of Day and Johnston and were based between 2004-2012 in Melbourne (AU) Tokyo (JP) Manchester (UK) and London (UK). They released their debut on Truck Records Oxford UK in 2006 and then Shifting Sounds. ... more

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The SpeedGirls Magazine

Hope for the Lopeless

Comp Cams Now Offers 5.0 Mustang Owners a Lopy Idle!
COMP Cams Thumper Camshafts

For 5.0 Coyote Mustang owners, there has never been a real need to install set of camshafts. Not only are they expensive, but they give minimal horsepower gains, and most importantly, due to the computer tuning; the Ford Ti-VCT allows for tuning in more overlap but that can have a negative effect on the performance of the engine, after installation the end result is a barely noticeable loopy sound. A sound that most want to hear after making such a massive investment.

But now there’s a solution the lopeless 5.0 Engines. COMP Cams has created a new version of camshafts dubbed the Thumper series, that offer an unmistakable sound of a lopey idle coming from a Ford Coyote 5.0L engine. The COMP Cams Thumpr camshaft series is available for 2011-14 and 2015-17 Ford Coyote 5.0L engines and not only achieves an even more aggressive lope sound but also increases duration with optimized intake and exhaust lobes, offering un-compromised power gains in the mid to upper RPM range without the need to upgrade valve springs.

The average set retails for around $1,500 and for more information about the new COMP Cams Thumpr series available at American Muscle, click here

For more information about COMP Cams, visit:


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The skyline of Auckland seen from the village Devonport, New Zealand

Mystery cases key as cabinet reviews Auckland lockdown

Experts warn that the city’s level four lockdown could be extended today as a handful of unlinked cases risk rekindling a delta outbreak under level three, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.

A number of recent mystery cases in Auckland are at the centre of cabinet’s debate today. Stuff reports that the prime minister and cabinet are focused on the possibility of undetected cases in the city as they prepare to review pandemic restrictions. Jacinda Ardern said “a handful” of the city’s 34 unlinked cases are of concern to officials. While the director-general of health said there’s believed to be no widespread community transmission in Auckland, nearly half of the 43 new cases detected over the weekend were infectious in the community at some point.

Those 34 unlinked cases are a concern. These are cases that just can’t be connected to any of the city’s 16 sub-clusters, meaning contact tracers can’t establish any shared location where the cases might have picked up the virus. The rules were even broadened for this outbreak to make linking cases easier. In previous outbreaks, someone had to be in very close proximity to a known case for it to count as a transmission event. Often it would be something specific, like touching the same elevator button within seconds. With delta, just being in the same venue at roughly the same time is now considered enough. Stuff has an explainer on what the unlinked cases mean for the outbreak.

Auckland has now been in lockdown for nearly a month and experts warn it might need more time at level four. The ministry of health announced on Saturday night that three more people who had visited Middlemore hospital for non-Covid reasons had tested positive for the virus, including a five-month-old. According to the NZ Herald, Covid-19 modeller Michael Plank said the ongoing drip of unexpected new cases was a concern and might point to an undetected cluster. He called an immediate move to level three “very risky.” Mayor Phil Goff said an extension of lockdown “looks likely.” Falling test levels in Auckland also won’t help with the decision.

At the core of today’s decision will be confidence in the data. The prime minister’s office saw what happened in Victoria when the Australian state lowered restrictions in recent months despite cases still spreading in the community. Numbers that had been falling turned around quickly and started increasing. Auckland’s delta outbreak started with a single case and while level three restrictions would lower the number of people potentially infected by a case, it could significantly increase from what we’ve seen under level four lockdown. “Even a handful of cases going unnoticed could turn into a bonfire at level three and a conflagration at level two,” according to Newsroom.

What could help now is vaccination levels. Rawiri Jansen told RNZ that Auckland should get all of the extra Pfizer doses secured from Spain. While that’s unlikely to happen, higher vaccination levels will help the city if level four is maintained for longer.

Graham Le Gros, one of the country’s leading immunologists, told the Science Media Centre that vaccinations could be the key to ending this outbreak and future ones:

“We need to prepare for the time that elimination does not catch up with the delta virus, and New Zealand will have to swing into action to keep the vaccinations up… Even if we catch up with this outbreak, it is highly likely there will be others.

“It’s not that NZ is not trying hard enough, it’s just that the delta variant does not play by the rules, it’s a virus constantly able to change infection strategy and change the degree to which it induces symptoms. Also, in future we will have to trust that the vaccinated immune system of a healthy human is the only thing able to protect against the worst effects of the virus.”

Cabinet’s decision will be announced by the prime minister at 4pm today.

This is part of The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s must-read daily news wrap. To sign up for free, simply enter your email address below

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Are you looking for some pick up lines that can be used on guys? Do you want to make them smile as well? Then check out our huge list below.

Some of these are cheesy, while others are quite dirty. But they have something in common. The guy you will try to pick up will smile, trust me.

Cheesy Yet Funny Lines To Use On Guys

Choose One From Examples Below

1. “My buddies bet me that I wouldn’t be able to start a conversation with the hottest person in the bar. Wanna buy some drinks with their money?”

2. “I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?”

3. “Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears!”

4. “Are you French? Because Eiffel for you.”

5. “If you were a potato you’d be a sweet one.”

6. “Hey, tie your shoes! I don’t want you falling for anyone else.”

7. “I’m not a photographer, but I can picture me and you together.”

8. “You must be Jamaican because Jamaican me crazy.”

9. “Hey, can you take a picture with me? I want to make my ex jealous.”

10. “They say Disneyland is the happiest place on earth. Well apparently, no one has ever been standing next to you.”

11. “I must be a snowflake because I’ve fallen for you.”

12. “Rejection can lead to emotional stress for both parties involved and emotional stress can lead to physical complications such as headaches, ulcers, cancerous tumors, and even death! So for my health and yours, JUST SAY YES!”

13. “Hey, I think that I know you. Oh! I remember! You are the guy with the gorgeous smile.”

14. “Are you religious? Because you’re the answer to all my prayers.”

15. “If you were a steak you would be well done.”

16. “Are you from Starbucks because I like you a latte.”

17. “I’m lost. Can you give me directions to your heart?”

18. “I like Legos, you like Legos, why don’t we build a relationship?”

19. “Is your heart a cake? Cause I want a piece of that.”

20. “Are you a banana? Because I find you a peeling.”

21. “Are you a parking ticket? ‘Cause you’ve got fine written all over you.”

22. “My love for you is like diarrhea, I just can’t hold it in.”

23. “Are you my appendix? Because I don’t understand how you work but this feeling in my stomach makes me want to take you out.”

24. “Are you sure you’re not tired? You’ve been running through my mind all day.”

25. “There is something wrong with my cell phone. It doesn’t have your number in it.”

26. “If you were a fruit you’d be a fineapple.”

27. “Is there an airport nearby or is it my heart taking off?”

28. “Are you a cat? Because I’m feline a connection between us.”

29. “Are you Australian? Because you meet all of my koala-fications.”

30. “Was your dad a boxer? Because damn, you’re a knockout!”

31. “If I were to ask you out on a date, would your answer be the same as the answer to this question?”

32. “Are you going to kiss me or do I have to lie to my diary?”

33. “Would you grab my arm, so I can tell my friends I’ve been touched by an angel?”

34. “Well, here I am. What were your other two wishes?”

35. “You know what you would really look beautiful in? My arms.”

36. “Life without you is like a broken pencil… pointless.”

37. “Hey, my name’s Microsoft. Can I crash at your place tonight?”

38. “Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?”

39. “Do you want to see a picture of a beautiful person?” [Hold up a mirror]

40. “Are you a camera? Because every time I look at you, I smile.”

41. “Do you believe in love at first sight or should I pass by again?”

42. “Roses are red, violets are blue, how would you like it if I came home with you?”

43. “Can I follow you home? Cause my parents always told me to follow my dreams.”

44. “Did the sun come out or did you just smile at me?”

45. “I wish I were cross-eyed so I can see you twice.”

46. “If you were a vegetable you’d be a cutecumber.”

47. “Kiss me if I’m wrong, but dinosaurs still exist, right?”

48. “We’re not socks. But I think we’d make a great pair.”

49. “Are you an interior decorator? Because when I saw you, the entire room became beautiful.”

50. “Sorry, but you owe me a drink. [Why?] Because when I looked at you, I dropped mine.”

51. “If a fat man puts you in a bag at night, don’t worry I told Santa I wanted you for Christmas.”

52. “Are you a bank loan? Because you’ve got my interest.”

53. “Is it hot in here or is it just you?”

54. “Excuse me, do you have any raisins? [No.] How about a date?”

55. “If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.”

56. “You must be the cure for Alzheimer’s because you’re unforgettable.”

57. “I’m no mathematician, but I’m pretty good with numbers. Tell you what, give me yours and watch what I can do with it.”

58. “How much does a polar beat weight? Enough to break the ice!”

59. “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather survive a Zombie Apocalypse with.”

60. “I would flirt with you, but I’d rather seduce you with my awkwardness.”

61. “Excuse me, but does this smell like chloroform to you?”

62. “Do you have a pencil? Cause I want to erase your past and write our future.”

63. “Are you a 90-degree angle? Cause you are looking right!”

64. “You are like my favorite cup of coffee, hot and lip-smacking!”

65. “Can I follow you home? Cause my parents always told me to follow my dreams.”

66. “On a scale from 1 to 10, you’re a 9… And I’m the 1 you need.”

67. “If I’m vinegar, then you must be baking soda. Because you make me feel all bubbly inside!”

68. “Hey, you’re pretty and I’m cute. Together we’d be Pretty Cute.”

69. “You make me melt like an ice cream cone in the summer sun.”

70. “You’re hotter than the bottom of my laptop.”

71. “Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten I see!”

72. “Are you a cat? Cause you are purrrfect.”

73. “I know a girl who is interested in you. If I was not so terribly shy, I’d let you know.”

74. “You see my friend over there? [Point to friend] She wants to know if YOU think I’M cute.”

75. “I may not be a genie, but I can make your dreams come true.”

76. “You are like a candy bar: half sweet and half nuts.”

77. “If Internet Explorer is brave enough to ask you to be your default browser, I’m brave enough to ask you out.”

78. “Are you as gorgeous on the inside as you are on the outside?”

79. “Do you smoke pot? Because weed be cute together.”

80. “Are you a vampire? Cause you looked a little thirsty when you looked at me.”

81. “I know where they give out free drinks… it’s a place called “My House”!”

82. “If nothing lasts forever, will you be my nothing?”

83. “You are hotter than a sunburn.”

84. “Can I borrow a kiss? I swear I’ll give it back.”

85. “I’m sorry, were you talking to me? [No…] Well then, please start.”

86. “Aren’t you the guy who was going to get me a drink?”

87. “If you were a booger I’d pick you first.”

88. “You don’t need keys to drive me crazy.”

89. “Did you just come out of the oven? Because man, you are hot!”

90. “You’re so hot, that if you ate a piece of bread, you’d poop out toast!”

91. “Can you take me to the doctor? Because I just broke my leg falling for you.”

92. “Boy, I may not be Wilma Flintstone, but I can make your bed rock.”

93. “Do you like vegetables? Because I love you from my head tomatoes.”

94. “I’d say God Bless you, but it looks like he already did.”

95. “Can we take a picture? I need to show Santa what I want for Christmas.”

96. “Are you Jewish? Cause you ISRAELI HOT.”

97. “Was you father an alien? Because there’s nothing else like you on Earth!”

98. “Do you have a watch? Because I need to know how many seconds it took for me to fall for you.”

99. “There must be something wrong with my eyes, I can’t take them off you.”

100. “I love you like a pig loves not being bacon.”

Funny (But Dirty) Lines To Use On Guys

Choose One From Examples Below

1. “What kind of Uber are you – long or short rides?”

2. “For some reason, I was feeling a little off today. But when you came along, you definitely turned me on.”

3. “Could you help me stick something down my throat so I can test my gag reflex?”

4. “Is that a mirror in your pocket? Cause I can see myself in your pants!”

5. “I don’t feel so good, I think I need a shot of penis-illin.”

6. “I know you’re busy today, but can you add me to your to-do list?”

7. “Are you a taxidermist? OK, wanna try stuffing my pussy anyway?”

8. “I’m new in town. Could you give me directions to your apartment?”

9. “You look like a hard worker. I have an opening you can fill.”

10. “My lips are like skittles. Wanna taste the rainbow?”

11. “I know why they are calling it a beaver because I am dying for some wood.”

12. “Thank god I’m wearing gloves because you are too hot to handle.”

13. “I hear you’ve been a bad boy. Now go to MY room!”

14. “You are like the best coffee: tall, dark and strong.”

15. “I suffer from amnesia. Have we had sex before? [No]. Well, why don’t we?”

16. “Hello, gorgeous. I’m like a tropical island. I am hot, wet and ready for visitors.”

17. “You’re beautiful and has U in it, but “quickie” has U and I together.”

18. “You are so hot, I bet you could melt my under-wire.”

19. “Excuse me, would you be a gentleman and push in my stool?”

20. “It’s too bad your not my math homework. If you were, you would be hard and I could do you on a desk.”

21. “Are you a squirrel? Because I can see your nuts.”

22. “What is better than a rose on a piano? [What?] Tulips on an organ.”

23. “I lost my teddy bear. Can I sleep with you tonight?”

24. “Oh no, can you help me? [How?] I lost my rubber duck. Could you take a bath with me instead?”

25. “Do you do carpeting? Because I’m looking for a deep shag.”

26. “If you have sex with me, I will promise to never speak to you again.”

27. “Did you just ring my doorbell? Well, you can come inside if you want.”

28. “I lost my virginity, can I have yours?”

29. “Let’s play Winnie the Pooh and get my nose stuck in your honey jar.”

30. “My taco would like to meat you.”

31. “Only latex will stand in the way of our love.”

32. “Wanna go back to my place and watch porn on my flat screen mirror?”

33. “Do you have some room in your mouth for another tongue?”

34. “Are you Richard? Because I’ve been looking for a Dick all day.”

35. “We should play hockey. I can be the net, so you can score.”

36. “Do you like sales? Because if you’re looking for a good one, clothing is 100% off at my place.”

37. “My hands are so chilly. May I put them in your pants to warm up?”

38. “I’ll give you a kiss. If you don’t like it, you can return it.”

39. “You smell! [What?] It’s okay, we can go take a shower together.”

40. “Are you from Japan cause I’m trying to get in Japanties.”

41. “Aren’t you freezing right now? [No.] You should be. You have been naked in my thoughts for hours.”

42. “Are you a football player? Because I’d like you touchdown there!”

43. “If you think you will regret this by the morning, then we can always sleep in until after lunch.”

44. “You know what would look great on you? Me.”

45. “Are you a supermarket sample? ‘Cuz I wanna taste you again and again without any sense of shame.”

46. “You look like a real challenge.”

47. “There must be a light switch on my forehead because every time I see you, you turn me on!”


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5 Best Crimper Reviews-Buyer Guide 2020

Long, straight tresses are perfect for your everyday look, but if you want to rock it during a special occasion or a great night out with your gal pals, you may want to consider investing in the best crimper hair tool. Finding a good hair crimper is not a piece of cake if you are not a hairstylist. To help you along, here are the important considerations to check out in this kind of hair styling tool.

In a rush? Don’t have time to read detailed information about the best crimper?

We have you covered. This short paragraph should offer sufficient information for you to make a smart choice. In order to find the best crimper on the market we have gathered information from expert reviews, feedback from product owners, activity on social media sites, compared sales figures, pricing, value for your money and brand quality so you can find the right product for you.

In our research we noticed that the Bed Head Bh307cn1 stood out from the competition and quickly became our choice for the best hair crimper due to its comfortable and easy to handle design, two inch plates, and convenient controls that make it hard to make a mistake when you are styling your hair. This hair crimper might not always be easily available or priced to fit all beauty budgets, which is why we also recommend the Gold N’ Hot GH3013 as a second option. While this product might lack some of the convenient features that make the top model stand out it is still capable of safely crimping your hair without causing any noticeable frizz or damage, and its affordable price makes it a great alternative choice.

Buying guide

Far from being a long-forgotten styling tool in the ‘90s, a hair crimper is perfect for creating less-than-the-usual hair styles that declare you are not just an ordinary straight-haired lass. When used correctly, it will give your hair plenty of volume, not to mention sleek-looking waves that will look fantastic when wearing your hair down. A hair crimper will also be great in executing an updo as it infuses more texture to your hair to make it stay in place when you want more volume while keeping every strand locked into your hairstyle.

Based on your hair length and the look you are aiming to achieve, you can choose from a variety of hair crimpers on the market. For simply adding texture, you can go for a smaller model. Use a wider tool when you want to get a more subtle waved result. The length and width of a small and thin hair crimper is perfect for short hair, as it offers easy maneuverability and can work on short haircuts. With a large and wide hair crimper, you can cover a large area, making short work of long and thick tresses.

Plate Technology

Free yourself from the usual ponytail and ruler-straight tresses and make the most of the technology that goes into high quality hair crimpers. You can go for metal, tourmaline or ceramic hair crimpers. Choose the technology you feel will work best for your hair type. It is best to use that as a guideline so you can make optimal use of the hair styling tool and ensure great results every time.

Titanium plates on a hair crimper offer extreme strength and the ability to reach very high temperatures. It also provides an effective means to block static electricity and frizz before they even start. Incorporating the benefits of negative ions and infrared heat, titanium is a naturally occurring metal that is 40 percent lighter but is definitely stronger than steel. It offers exceptional heat conduction for faster results. It leaves the hair silky and is best for professional use as well as for normal hair and thick to coarse hair.

Tourmaline is usually used with some other element such as ceramic when used in hair styling tools. A semi-precious stone, tourmaline is crushed and then fused together or layered on titanium or ceramic material to deliver superior negative ion generation. Putting in tourmaline with ceramic delivers extra-smooth tresses to prevent the friction that results from using ceramic alone. This ensures less hair damage in addition to reducing the exposure to high heat while giving you maximum, deep shine. A tourmaline-infused ceramic hair crimper is best for regular use, normal to damaged hair as well as thin to coarse hair.

Best for thin to thick hair and normal to moderate tresses, ceramic is the least expensive element in hair crimper plates. However, not all ceramic hair crimpers are created equal. The really cheap ones scrimp on the element by using only ceramic-coated plates, which are basically just plastic or metal plates treated with ceramic. Of course, more layers of ceramic coating will cost more, but why even think of investing in those kinds of products? Go for 100 percent solid ceramic plates from the get-go and save more than your dollars. The plates of such products are protected from chipping and will not cause annoying hot spots that cause hair damage thanks to their use of consistent infrared heat.

Heat Settings

For short hair, plates less than two inches may be more than enough. For really thick and long hair, you will want larger coverage and less time spent on hair styling, which also means less exposure to heat, so wider 2 inch ceramic and tourmaline plates or other types of plate material may be just what you want. The more vital consideration, however, is the variable heat settings that the tool comes equipped with. Some models have as many as 25 heat settings that allow excellent flexibility to style any type and length of hair. They can reach as high as 450 degrees Fahrenheit to capably handle even the most curl-stubborn tresses while ensuring lasting waves throughout the day.

You want the plates to heat up in seconds as well, so you can tackle your hair crimping needs right away. A hair crimper can also deliver an effective temperature range from 280 degrees to 430 degrees, and when coupled with two-inch plates, can be perfect for handling both fine and thick hair. This will let you cover more at a time.

Choose the number of heat settings that you will most likely use extensively.

Your hair crimper can make or break your hairstyle, whether it is made for long or for short hair. Among the many products on the market, we consider any one of these as the best crimper out there.

Top Crimpers in 2019

Add style to your look simply by using a professional crimper. As you probably already observed there are many high quality models available on the market. I worked as a stylist for over 20 years and used some of the best crimpers out there. This is why I drafted some of the best crimper reviews. Women need to use a professional hair styling tool, designed to offer quality results at each use. A good crimper can offer the rocker look you’ve always wanted to have for special occasions. I recommend five major products, known for their capacity to add style and real volume.

Bed Head Bh307cn1

As the best crimp tool, the Bh307cn1 will give your hair plenty of volume and texture. It is designed to be easy and convenient to use, and comes with adjustable settings so you can achieve a variety of styles without damaging your hair.

The Bh307cn1 from Bed Head comes with 2 inch Chrome plates that are designed to give your hair lots of texture and volume without any frizz.

Bed Head Bh307cn1 Totally Bent Chrome Crimper

The chrome plates directly heat your hair so you can create crimps that will last, quickly and easily. The plate also comes with a locking switch so you don’t have to worry about loose hairs escaping. Hair is smooth and full of volume and texture with this crimping iron.

You will love how easy this crimping iron is to use, especially on busy mornings. Since the plates can be locked into place you can finish styling your hair faster, and with direct heat on your hair it only takes seconds to achieve the look you want. The wide handle fits comfortably in your hand, and you will also appreciate the convenient flexi cord, which allows you to easily move around.

One of the main advantages of the Bh307cn1 is the adjustable settings. You can select the desired setting for heat so you can easily create tight or loose crimps. This also helps to prevent damage that can be caused by excessive heat. Designed to be easy and convenient to use, and capable of creating a variety of styles, it’s not hard to see why this is model is a top choice with consumers.

Some consumers have noted that this crimper does not automatically shut off, and while this is a nice convenience it does not affect its performance.

Bed Head Bh307cn1 Totally Bent Chrome Crimper Buy From Amazon

Gold N Hot GH3013 Gold Tone

Even though this is the second option, there is still plenty to like about this crimping iron. It comes with a comfortable and easy to use design, along with convenient lights, and two inch plates that will help you create a variety of styles.

Gold N' Hot GH3013 Gold Tone Crimping Iron

One of the first aspects you’ll notice about the GH3010 is the ergonomically designed handle, which makes this the perfect choice for use with long or thick hair. The contoured handle fits comfortably in your hand, so you can easily crimped long thick locks without painful cramps or fatigue. This also makes it easier to control the crimper so you can achieve the look that you want.

You never have to worry about making a mistake with this crimper. The convenient lights indicate when the iron is ready to be used, and also reminds you that it is turned on. These lights are particularly useful since the crimper will not turn off automatically.

The two inch metal plates come with a gold tone coating that gives the crimper a sleek and professional look, while also giving your hair texture and volume. The metal plates heat up quickly, and allow you to quickly crimp and create a variety of hair styles.

This crimper does not come with adjustable heat settings, which might not be suitable for all types of hair or styles.

Gold N' Hot GH3013 Gold Tone Crimping Iron Buy From Amazon

Bed Head Deep Waver

Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver

Enabling you to transform your tresses to a work of art, the Bed Head Deep Waver lets you make masterfully sculpted, impressive waves that will be easily noticeable.

The deep waving plates boast tourmaline ceramic technology to deliver shiny, bouncy and frizz-free waves that last all day and all night. You can get even, high heat as the ceramic material penetrates deep into the hair cuticles for inside out elegant styling at its best.

 Your hair can retain its natural moisture no matter which of the multiple heat settings you go for. With its fast 30-second heat-up, this hair crimper lets you style your hair immediately after plug-in. The professional flexi cord facilitates easy handling, while the plate locking switch enables hassle-free storage and transport.

Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver

Hot Tools Hot-1291

 Hot Tools Professional Micro 24K Gold Crimper

The 1 inch plates on this crimper are perfect for short and long hairstyles, and you will love its incredibly fast heat up time. The pulse technology provides even heat for long lasting crimps, and the temperature can be adjusted up to 430 degrees.

This crimper also features an ergonomic design for comfortable handling, and you will appreciate the 8 foot power cord that gives you plenty of room to move around. Designed to be easy and convenient to use, you will love how your hair looks with this micro crimper.

 Hot Tools Professional Micro 24K Gold Crimper

BaByliss Pro Ceramic Tools CTCR2555

BaBylissPRO CT2555 Ceramic Tools Straightening Iron

Delivering instant, even heat, the BaByliss Pro Ceramic Tools CTCR2555 is a full-size ceramic crimping tool equipped with an impressive number of heat settings (25) and up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, for versatility and total flexibility in styling.

This exceptional styling tool comes with a flexible 8-foot cord that allows you to go all around your head to cover your hair, so no strand is left out of place.

Employing ceramic technology, the hairstyling implement adds volume and also creates a distinctive ridged pattern for that awesome wavy look. The ceramic pulse heat technology ensures gentle crimping while locking in hair’s natural moisture for a frizz-free, flawless look.

 BaBylissPRO CT2555 Ceramic Tools Straightening Iron

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Pop Culture Talk That’s Out Of This World

November 2, 2020

The IseeRobots Stuck At Home Show Ep.53: Walking The Earth Again

Hey kids. Here we go, another all new/all fun episode of The SAH Show.. this time around we talk about all sorts of mundane things like hanging around the house, power outages and cereal..

Plus we have a nice little call in from my good pal Sara The Sausagetarian where she talks about her attempt to become a polling place volunteer!

It's a pretty fun episode though so please if at all possible make sure to tell a friend!

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The urge is now part of the QuadPay & Zip family ❤🥳
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Levi's Skinny jeans

Levi's skinny jeans Blue cotton blend skinny jeans from Levi's featuring a five pocket design, a mid rise anda regular length. Composition Cotton 84%, Polyester 14%, Spandex/Elastane 2% Washing instructions Machine Wash Designer Style ID : 18882more

We’ve just found......24 more Levi's Skinny leg Jeans from 6 stores

If you’re desperate for this item, one of our personal shoppers can help track it down.

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Access every product for sale from the world's leading brands, stores and online retailers right here. Let the urge fashion search engine do your dirty work, finding you the items you're looking for (and at the best price too) so you can spend less time looking and more time looking your best #ShopTheWorld #ShopTheUrge

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Ginger Cake - Glass Collection

R 360

Fragrance Profile

Vanilla, Ginger & Mandarin

Sweet-sticky vanilla and ginger pudding with soft citrus undertones. This one you’ll want to eat! Ginger cake is rich, warm and seductive.

Product Information

  • 220g (310ml glass tumbler)
  • Approximately 45 hour burn time
  • 100% natural soy wax
  • Scented with essential oils
  • Made in Cape Town, South Africa

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Speed Reads

this makes sense

Lindsey Graham insists he hasn't changed his mind on SCOTUS nominations — but also that Kavanaugh's treatment changed his mind

When Justice Antonin Scalia died in 2016, Republicans steamrolled former President Barack Obama's nominee because they said the next president should choose the nominee. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) even invited Democrats to "use my words against me" if there was an election-year vacancy come 2020 — but he seems to have changed his mind.

In a Monday letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Graham claimed he still felt the same about election-year vacancies. He looked back a few years to claim Americans "elected a Republican Senate majority in 2014" because they wanted a check on the end of Obama's lame duck presidency. Likewise, since the 1880s, no Senate "has confirmed an opposite-party president's Supreme Court nominee during an election year," he continued. Americans renewing a Republican Senate majority in 2018 points Graham in the same direction this time around, he said, as well as the fact that Trump is up for re-election.

But Graham went on to say that he actually had changed his mind about the nomination process after the "treatment" of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. When comparing the overwhelming confirmations of Ginsburg and the testy nominating processes for Robert Bork, Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas, "it's clear that there already is one set of rules for a Republican president and one set of rules for a Democrat president," Graham finished. Kathryn Krawczyk


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Windows 10

There was one option left which still allowed one to upgrade for free to Windows 10 from Windows 7 and Windows 8. While it can be termed to be mildly unethical one can use the Windows 10 free upgrade option for those who use assistive technologies. Many consider this option as a Microsoft’s way to allow more to jump on the Windows 10 bandwagon from Windows 7 and 8.

But now this option is also expiring on December 31.

Update:  The page has been updated to mention that now this free upgrade offer expires on January 16. This is what the page which allows one to upgrade to Windows 10 for free reads,

If you use assistive technologies, you can upgrade to Windows 10 at no cost as Microsoft continues our efforts to improve the Windows 10 experience for people who use these technologies. Please take advantage of this offer before it expires on January 16, 2018.

So, unless Microsoft extends this offer you have the end of the year to use it and upgrade for free to Windows 10. As you know that Microsoft is doing away with the active support of older Windows versions one by one. With the increased threats from many Ransomware attacks seen in recent past, it is really wise to use this offer and upgrade to Windows 10 for keeping your PC supported.

You can follow this link to upgrade your PC to Windows 10 for free.


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Wine by the case

2019 Titignano Tenuta di Salviano Pinot Nero Rose Umbria IGT Italy

$202.00 USD $225.00 USD

Please note that this case of wine is located in the warehouse. Once the order is placed, it typically takes 2-3 days for it to arrive in the store. We try to get the wine shipped out the same day it arrives in the store. Please refer to our shipping page for estimated delivery times. We only sell this wine by the case.


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The Luxury of Silence

People often ask me why my idea of fun consists of going up into the mountains and running for several hours at a time. In part, I enjoy the physical challenge and the sense of accomplishment, but another significant motivational factor is that when I escape into the depths of the forest, it’s quiet. Technological advances have made it easier and faster for us to access information, but a barrage of information is now projected in our direction in a bandwidth that’s deafening. In these modern times, it seems as though quiet has become a luxury.
I recently came across an interesting article by author Pico Iyer in the New York Times entitled The Joy of Quiet. Iyer has noticed a similar trend, citing internet rescue camps in South Korea and China for kids addicted to the web, and how he finds refuge in a Benedictine hermitage where he periodically retreats to drown out the excessive noise of the information age. In his own words, “nothing makes me feel better – calmer, clearer and happier – than being in one place, absorbed in a book, a conversation, a piece of music.”


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Celebrate Independence Day… All Month Long

[caption id="attachment_824" align="alignnone" width="629"] Revolutionary War – National Archives[/caption]
July 4th is Independence Day in the United States. It’s celebrated with camping trips, barbeques and fireworks, although in Colorado the fire danger is so high, fireworks have been banned so we will stick to the beer and brats. Coincidentally enough, the United States isn’t the only country celebrating its independence in July. Although many people in the USA have probably heard of Canada Day and Bastille Day, nearly three dozen other countries and one breakaway republic celebrate their independence, or at least the precursor towards their independence such as the adoption of their respective constitutions or the day on which they became a republic, during the month of July. This year on July 9th, the newest nation in the world, South Sudan, will celebrate independence day for the first time. July is an active month around the world when it comes to nation forming, so no matter where you are, there are bound to be some celebrations going on nearby. Sadly, in a few of these countries, there actually is ongoing conflict, so fireworks in those places really might consist of “bombs bursting in air,” so keep your heads down and stay safe if you happen to be in one.


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I Can Do Really Hard Things

It all started while I was idly browsing Pinterest one Sunday afternoon. Looking for motivational images to keep my spirits up, with impending unemployment looming, I came across a necklace. I straightaway thought of my friend Clare, who had just passed her twelfth accountancy exam, after a long, hard slog, and sent her the picture. We both thought it looked cool, and I set about … Continue reading I Can Do Really Hard Things


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Toy . Zuzu Stacking Cups - Rose Multi Mix

by Liewood
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Liewood Zuzu Stacking Cups In Rose Multi Mix

▲ A set of 6 beautiful stacking cups, perfect for so many age groups, this is a toy that your child will use from birth for many years.

▲ These cups are so much fun, stacking improves motor skills, there are various holes in the bottom so they're great for bathtime fun too, and perfect for taking to the beach.

▲ The mix of colours also look great on display.

▲ A perfect gift for a baby or toddler ♥

Size:  H 36cm, W 9cm.
Made From:
100% silicone, some of the benefits of silicone are:

• Free from harmful chemicals like phthalates.
• Hypoallergenic.
• Soft, does not break if dropped.
• Stabile temperature when in contact with hot and cold content.
• Easy to clean.

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About This Brand:  Liewood creates irresistible products for the modern family – from organic textile products and soft knitwear to our collection of bamboo tableware in beautiful shapes and delicate colours. All together the products create a unique, pure and simple universe.

Their ambition is simple: to advocate slow living – creating products that will last for generations.

Liewood is based in Copenhagen and their universe is deeply rooted in the Nordic design tradition.

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