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Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Yellow Pepper Salsa

DSC05479-2This black eyed pea soup appeared one noon when I just wanted something real to eat…something warm and filling, but not fattening.  Contrary to common opinions or the instructions on the package, black eyed peas do not have to soak, nor do they take two hours to cook.   Took about an hour cooking time plus prep.   Perfect for a lucky New Year’s Day when you’re too tired to cook much.  Or hungover and in need of healthy, filling food.  Want corn bread?  I include my favorite recipe at the bottom of the post. Don’t forget to dunk.

Here’s the soup almost done…letting spinach wane a bit.

Black Eyed Pea Soup w/ Yellow Pepper-Parsley Salsa

makes 8 big servings

2 1/2 cups dried black eyed peas (approximately one pound)
8 cups chicken stock, divided (low-sodium)  Use vegetable stock for vegan/vegetarian option
2 cups water
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 smoked pork chops, chopped (put the bone in, too) or 2 cups chopped ham.  Leave out meat for vegan/vegetarian option
2 tsp dried thyme or 1 bay leaf  (You could go another route with some curry or some cumin here.)
1/2 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeño (no seeds or membranes), finely minced and/or several drops of hot sauce

1/4 c rice, uncooked
1 each chopped carrot and celery

1 cup chopped fresh spinach or kale, optional

Yellow Pepper Salsa:  Mix together 2/3 c chopped yellow pepper with 4 minced green onions, 2 small chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped parsley

  1. In a colander, rinse peas and pick through.  Toss oddly colored or shaped peas and stones.
  2. Add peas, 6 cups chicken stock, water, garlic, pork, thyme or bay, salt, pepper and hot sauce to a 8 or 10-quart stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn down a little, but leave at a slowly-rolling boil about 45 minutes until peas are beginning to be tender.
  3. Add rice, carrot and celery, and the rest of the chicken stock.  Also add a little water, if needed, to assure all ingredients are able to boil and move freely in the liquids.  Return to a slow boil and cook until all elements are tender.
  4. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove pork chop bone if you’ve used it.  Add chopped spinach, if using, and let cook another minute.  Ladle into bowls and top with a spoonful of the Yellow Pepper Parsley Salsa (or another salsa, if you prefer)

Quick Option:  Use canned (drained) black-eyed peas. Try to find unsalted peas.  Cook the other vegetables and spices in the broth until tender and add the canned peas after that.

Cook’s Note:  Add a gorgeous hunk of corn bread; you’ll be glad you did:

 alyce’s black pepper corn bread–makes one 9″inch cast iron pan  (can use 9″ baking pan if necessary)              8-10 servings
If you like a less crunchy cornbread, use 3/4 cup cornmeal to 1 1/4 cups flour or 1 cup cornmeal and 1 cup flour for a bread in the middle.

5 tablespoons butter, divided  (1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons for batter; 1 tablespoon to grease pan)*
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups white or yellow cornmeal

3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/3 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons grated or finely minced onion

  1. Pre heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit .  Place rack at center.
  2.  Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and set aside to cool.
  3. Heat a 9″ cast iron skillet (23 cm Le Creuset) on the stove top over low flame with  the tablespoon of remaining butter.   (If using a baking pan, simply grease the pan.)  Tilt and tip skillet from side to side to coat the entire pan with a film of butter or use a brush.  Remove from heat if butter begins to burn.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk,  and reserved melted butter.  Set aside.
  5. In a large bowl, mix well the dry ingredients (cornmeal – pepper).  Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and mix until just barely combined. Stir in cheese, if using, and onion.
  6. Pour batter into hot skillet or greased pan. I let the pan sit there a minute or two.  Using hot pad for skillet, carefully move skillet to oven center rack.
  7. Bake 20-25 minutes or until bread is golden brown with crispy edges and a toothpick inserted at center comes out clean or nearly.  Serve hot with honey and butter.   Wrap leftovers carefully and store at room temperature for one-two days or up to one week in the refrigerator.  (Good crumbled in milk for breakfast.)

*Can use 1/4 cup canola oil in place of melted butter. I still prefer to grease the pan with butter, but if you choose to spray with PAM, heat the pan very briefly before adding batter.

Happy New Year from a clean Tucker and Rosie!

Sing a new song,

(originally posted on my cooking for one or more blog: and also published in my cookbook:  SOUPS & SIDES FOR EVERY SEASON.

Hunger in our country is an on-going problem made worse by serious cuts in SNAP (food stamps program.)  Read this article for information on the current crisis–here particularly in NYC — and consider local options for helping feed our people.

3 thoughts on “Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Yellow Pepper Salsa

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Microgaming – A FRESH Way to Play Video Poker

spin casino

Microgaming – A FRESH Way to Play Video Poker

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Free spins can be found as promotional offers with VIP memberships. Other incentives may be in the form of reduced room rates, gift certificates, etc. When you turn into a VIP member your chances of winning a free spin throughout your next visit is increased. In addition, there are exclusive tournaments held periodically over summer and winter that offer huge jackpots.

Microgaming offers the biggest selection of slots of any casino in the UK. There are also exclusive tournaments offering large jackpots. All of these are available with the same loyalty incentives that are offered to VIP members. There are also daily bonus and loyalty programs which give additional bonuses once you play certain combinations of cards over a specific amount of time.

In the VIP program you have the choice of getting a welcome bonus as well. As a VIP member you should have usage of special promotions and complete access to the online spin casino. A welcome bonus is a fixed amount of money directed at you as a means of encouraging new players to join the web site. Some welcome bonuses can reach as much as 10% of one’s deposit bonuses.

Free betting supplies the convenience of playing slots in the comfortable surroundings of your own home without ever leaving your house. You do not need a lot of money or access to credit cards in order to start playing, but you may still find some restrictions on what much you can spend so when you can use your welcome bonus on your live betting account. A spin casino is always best when it is useful for live betting.

These online casinos give a safe and secure way to gamble while still having the ability to interact with other players. It is possible to enjoy other players and chat about all the best slots games on the planet. The interface of the online casinos are clean and an easy task to follow. You can read online casino websites during your web browser if you prefer. A few of the microgaming websites also have chat rooms where you can talk to other players when you are waiting for the game to begin with. Microgaming is recommended for those who enjoy playing slot games but do not like most of the extra choices and graphics that 마이다스 카지노 a lot of online casinos offer.

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Sale price Price $69.00 Regular price Unit price  per

Shipping calculated at checkout.

This is a layered red Waxed Linen multi strand necklace. This piece has a 100 mm silver plated tube bead and button clasp. This particular piece is worn by Canada's Minister of of the Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna!
You can wear Moth swimming too! Very light, Non-toxic, and wonderful for people with sensitive skin.
Made in Canada.
Moth:: Comfortable:: Durable :: Conscious


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Marketing Strategy

Facebook Marketing Strategy: Crush 2019 with Facebook Sales Funnels

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– [Russell] Hey everyone who
is just tuning in my name is, Russell Brunson, and today
we're going to be talking about Facebook funnels,
everyday I go through a bunch of questions you guys ask me,
about building your company, and growing your traffic and
your sales and your leads. And all sorts of fun stuff,
and today we're talking about Facebook funnels. So the question is, how do sales funnels and
Facebook funnels match up? How should I be using Facebook? So, that's a good question and
the strategy changes often, and there's a lot of different
ways, but imma kind of walk you guys through the basic
principles that we focus on here at Clickfunnels, as
we're growing ours.

So, for me and for our team
everything kind of starts at the offer level, right, so
we figure out first off what is the offer we
want to make, okay? So the offers like imma sell
this and you're gonna get this and then you're gonna get this
and we figure out the offer right? Then we come back and say okay
cool, that's the offer we're getting, then how
do we sell that. K, which this is usually,
primarily, like the story. What's the story we're
gonna use to sell it. And that's like cool,
here's the story and maybe we're gonna do
that story on a webinar or a video sales letter or
a long form sales letter. Or whatever, but
there's some story. That we're telling here,
that's gonna sell that offer. Right? Pretty simple. And then the last thing is
like what is the hook we're use to grab them, okay. And so the hook then
for me, comes back here.

Let's say this is Facebook or
Youtube or whatever platform you're selling on, now I can't
to kind if caveat real quick. Every step in this process,
there's going to be a hook, story and offer. There's a hook, story
and offer in Facebook and there's a hook story and
offer in the sales video. There's a hook story
offer in the upselling, every piece has that, but
as an overarching strategy, if you look at it
from a high level. It's like, the macro
before the micro. The macro is like the ad
is like the hook, right. Then the sales message,
the funnel, is the story and what you're selling
is the actual offer. K, so if you come back
to our core framework of hook, story, offer, k so this
is the macro looking down.

Now the micro looking down,
again is our hook, story, offer in each, every single
element of this. But for this question, we're
gonna get to the bigger one. Alright, so the question is, how do sales funnels
and Facebook match up? So for me its like, these two
things are tying together. Very very similar, right,
Facebook is the group of people So over here there's all these
people all of these dream customers are over
here, Facebook, Youtube or whatever you want to
target makes it simple for us, who are the exact customers
who want our products right. So when I started selling
my, the book Dotcom Secrets. I was like who are the people
who would want this book, and I'm like K its entreprenaurs
who are mission driven, who are whatever right, and I
figure out exactly who those people are, and Facebook
gives me the ability to like find out exactly who those
people are so I can target them perfectly, right.

So I'll put it like a target
here like we can find exactly who we're trying to target,
almost perfectly on Facebook, K. Now, the goal of this Facebook
is to set the hook, right. So people on their feed, and
they're scrolling through their feed as fast as they can. They're doing it at their desk, they're doing it
in the bathroom, they're doing it
while they're walking, they're doing it while
they're driving, its horrible! But, that's what
we're doing right. And your job in Facebook, the
first step of the funnel is to stop them, and grab
them and hook em right. So we hook em, get their
attention for just long enough to send them over here, okay. And so that's kind of the
first step, it's like, it's the prefunnel, everything
happening in Facebook is the prefnnel, right.

And from here, then the
message needs to match, okay. So whatever my, hook and stuff
that's gonna be over here on the sales page has to
be similar to over here. We've done funnels in the
past where like our hook on the Facebook is amazing,
then the come over here, there's a mismatch,
and doesn't convert. No matter how good
it is here or here, if there's disconnect
it doesn't work, right. In fact a lot of times our
headline for the ad will be the exact same line, that's
over here, right. So I want congruency between
the first step and the second step and from there for them
to take the offer, okay. So then the strategy is like
how do I, how do I do this? How do I create the
hooks and the ads? And it obviously is always
changing all the time, but one of my favorite
things to do is we never know what hook is gonna get
somebody to listen right? So, I'm tryna hook them to have
them come listen to a story about why they
should buy my offer.

And inside the story there
might be four or five or six or ten different things inside
this story that I'm telling right. And so inside the story
there might be a bunch of different hooks, and so I'm
thinking what're the different hooks that's gonna grab someone
and say how quick I did it, how much weight I loss,
how much money I made, how much time I took, you're
one of my successes stories of my students. All these are little hooks,
and so I look at Facebook like a big pond and I'm throwing
out these different hooks, and I'm tryna figure out
which ones are gonna work and which ones won't work. One of my favorite
examples of this was at Anthony DiClementi,
he owns a company called Biohacking Secrets. And he had a book that he
created, that was a free book to teach people how to bio hack, And at first we set the
funnel and it worked awesome, but then we couldn't come
and get people to come over, and we couldn't figure out what
hook would actually get the right people to come like how
do we get his dream customers.

So we told Anthony, go do a
Facebook Live every single day, and each day try
a different hook. So one day he did
a Facebook Live that was like hey, Imma show
you guys my number one way to biohack my mitochondria
or something weird
like that, right. And he does a Facebook live
about that, puts it out there and guess what, it was a
horrible hook and nobody bought on it, like, nobody
came and watched it. So the net day he
tried a different hook, and he tried a different hook, and he kept doing different
hooks all of them leading back to the same free
book offer he created. And he kept trying
thing after thing, and after like day 11 or day 12, he made a video that's called
how to biohack your vegetables and he's basically like,
cooking your vegtables in Kerrygold butter,
something really simple but for some reason that hook,
grabbed his dream customers.

And that video ended up
getting viewed a million times, drove tons of people
into his funnels, and made a bunch of money, okay. So if you look at
this from the macro, it's hook, story, offer in
Facebook or the ad platform we're throwing a whole
bunch of different hooks tryna find out which ones
people will grab onto. And now if we get em, then
we pull them back here, tell them the story and
we make them the offer. And that's basically how
Facebook and how our funnels how they kind of coexist
and how they work together. Is Facebook we're replacing
a whole bunch of hooks, and over here we're actually
telling them the story, to then make them the offer. And so I hope that helps you
guys understand how those two things, Facebook funnels
and sales funnels, how they work together.

Thank you so much for watching! Every single week we publish
new secrets just like this one. Make sure you subscribe, so
you don't miss any of them. And I will see you
on the next video..

As found on YouTube


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15 Gallon Fuel Cell for Jeep TJ/LJ Fuel Pump Package

Product Code MB5005-TJ-3000-5007

AvailabilityIn stock

Unit price
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Hurry! only -241 left in stock!
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The Motobilt Jeep TJ/LJ fuel cell package was designed to mount in the bed of your Jeep TJ or LJ. It will use your factory Jeep TJ or LJ fuel pump and is made out of 1/8 inch aluminum that is TIG welded. Motobilt offers a solution for relocating the fuel tank in your Jeep TJ. The Motobilt MB5005-TJ was designed to use the stock Jeep TJ fuel pump and designed to fit in the back bed of your Jeep. (See Notes) It is 30 inch x 12 inch x 9 inch and can fit behind your seat if you choose too. The tank has a capacity of roughly 15 US gallons. The Motobilt fuel tank is CNC cut from 1/8 inch aluminum and formed on a press brake, is TIG welded for ultimate strength and includes a large D-ring style cap. This can be converted to remote fill by purchasing a different filler neck system that utilizes a 12 bolt, 5.38 bolt circle flange. The Motobilt MB3000 fuel cell mount and MB5007 fuel pump clamping ring are included.

The mount consists of three parts: the main under tank plate and two clamp bodies. The under tank plate is CNC Laser Cut from 1/8 inch high strength steel plate. You can weld your own mounting brackets to the bottom if needed or utilize the 8 bolt holes already in the mount. The 2 clamp down bodies capture the top and all four sides of the tank and bolt securely to the mounting base. These parts are CNC Laser Cut but from 16 gauge steel. The parts are formed on a hydraulic press break. This mount will ensure your fuel cell is mounted securely. The Motobilt tank features one fitting on top of the tank which has a roll over valve for a vent line. The MB5005-TJ Fuel Cell already has the provisions for the clamping ring cnc cut into the tank. This means the clamping ring and pump will bolt in with no cutting or drilling necessary!

This fuel cell is used for applications where you are extending the wheel base and the rear axle would contact the factory fuel tank. It would also be used in situations where more ground clearance is needed. This kit works perfectly with the Motobilt Jeep TJ Back Half kit or Motobilt Jeep LJ back half kit, where the frame rails are moved up and in for ultimate clearance.

  • Jeep TJ/LJ aluminum fuel cell
  • MB3000 Fuel Cell Mount
  • MB50007 TJ fuel pump clamping ring
  • 30 inch x 12 inch x 9 inch
  • 15 US gallons capacity
  • Brass roll over valve with 90 degree barbed fitting used for vent line.
  • -8 AN fitting used for return line on 2004-2006.  Earlier models will simply cap off this fitting.
  • CNC cut from 1/8 inch aluminum
  • Press brake formed
  • Includes a large D-ring style cap
  • Under tank plate is CNC Laser Cut from 1/8 inch high strength steel plate
  • Sold as kit
  • Weight = 44lbs

  • This Fuel Cell Does Not mount in between the frame rails. It will only mount inside the bed of the Jeep
  • We recommend using Permatex 80016 Form-A-Gasket number 2 Sealant to seal the contact surfaces. This is a sealant we have used in the shop numerous times over the years for sealing filler caps on fuel cells.
  • The fuel filler cap assembly gasket can deteriorate due to ethanol.  We recommend using the same Permatex 80016 Form-A-Gasket number 2 Sealant here also.
  • 2006 TJ fuel pump requires the factory plastic to be slightly trimmed to fit the clamping ring.
  • 2005 & 2006 TJ's may require the seat to be remounted / moved in order to clear this fuel cell.

Installation Instructions (MB5007) Filler & Neck Cap Assembly

15 Gallon Fuel Cell for Jeep TJ/LJ Fuel Pump Package


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Australia’s pioneer of Indigenous Hip-Hop, Brothablack, is back with some heavy ammunition in the shape of his latest album, ‘More than a Feeling’, and a renewed hunger for mainstream recognition.

Busting out beats for more than 15 years, Brothablack has old school Hip Hop running through his veins. He first made his mark on the scene as a founding member of the Indigenous Hip-Hop crew, South West Syndicate (1992 to 2003), who were notorious for their quippy and ‘in ya face’ act.

Brothablack proved his worth in 2003, picking up a Deadly Award at the Sydney Opera House for most promising new talent in Aboriginal music with the South West Syndicate boys.

His breakthrough single ‘Are you with me out there’ fast became an anthem for underground Hip Hop goers and has recently added some genuine south-west side grunt to the soundtrack for Foxtel’s smash hit TV series, ‘Dangerous’.

Brothablack is also an accomplished actor and performer with more than 100 performances under his belt. His theatre productions include Urban Theatre Projects’ The Longest Night (Adelaide Festival 2002) and Back Home which was a resounding success at the 2006 Sydney Festival. In June 2007, Brothablack toured Canada with this groundbreaking production, giving the international scene a taste of his exceptional talents as a performer.

Brothablack has a long history working in remote and urban Aboriginal communities teaching hip-hop and helping mentor young people to assert their skills in the subculture.

Brothablack continues to develop his own musical/artistic output whilst actively promoting and encouraging younger and emerging Indigenous hip-hop artists.


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Bank vs Broker

Going direct to Banks and Building Societies means that the information you’re provided with only relates to that 1 lender. They can only offer their own ‘home brand’ products and cannot advise you on which mortgage would best suit your needs from the whole of market (500+ lenders)

A mortgage advisor (broker) works with many lenders and a vast range of products, spending time pinpointing exactly the right mortgage for you and finding the best rates for your circumstances.

Brokers can therefore claim a huge advantage over lenders which could result in saving you money.

The wrong choice of mortgage could lose you many £1000s over the years. Why not contact our team of independent brokers on 0151 230 5580 for a free no obligation chat to see if they could save you money.

Mortgage application

Mortgage application 1

(e.g. £30,000)

Mortgage application 2

(e.g. £30,000)

Mortgage details

(e.g. £140,000)
(e.g. £120,000)
(min 5 years, max 40 years)


text:
Mark Millar has teased fans with a potential casting announcement of two "big A-list names" for his new movie Kick-Ass. Of course, while speaking to The Times Online, Millar wouldn't reveal their names.

What he would say is that he credits the two anonymous actors to the involvement of director Matthew Vaughn with the film. "I can't believe we've got them, but Matthew pulls a lot of weight in Hollywood. Actors really like working with him. Guys like De Niro and Daniel Craig love him, so anything he's got coming up they beg to get in."

The comic (and film) follows the story of a 15-year-old boy named Dave Lizewski who, despite living in the "real world", decides to become a superhero.

CLICK HERE to read the full interview with Mark Millar.


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Sidebars for Hello Elementor Theme

This plugin comes with 6 responsive sidebars for just about everything you need to use anywhere within your website built using Elementor and Hello Elementor theme.

Elementor plugin must be activated to use this plugin. After you activate the required plugins, the sidebars should be available for use in Elementor.

  • General sidebar
  • Blog sidebar
  • Footer 1
  • Footer 2
  • Footer 3
  • Footer 4

Sidebars for Hello Elementor Theme features allows you to:

  • Set background for Sidebars
  • Control Sidebars appearance using Elementor
  • Live update using WordPress Customize

  • Manage sidebar widgets using WordPress Customize.
  • Demo of 4 footer sidebars with widgets.
  • Choosing sidebars to from Elementor page builder.
  • Demo of available/chosen sidebars of Elementor page.

  1. Install and activate the Elementor page builder.
  2. Install and activate the Hello Elementor theme.
  3. Unzip the downloaded file and upload to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory or install the Sidebars for Hello Elementor Theme by Mnbaa plugin from WordPress repository. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress.
  4. Add “Sidebar” Element using Elementor page builder to your templates, pages or theme pages.
  5. Choose your desired sidebar from the dropdown list for sidebars.

Does it work with the theme that I am using?

My tests indicate that sidebars work well with most themes that are well coded. You may need some minor custom CSS with themes that hijack the styling.

जुलै 3, 2020
Plugin works great! I hope it remains updated and compatible in the next WordPress versions
फेब्रुवारी 25, 2020
All what I was looking for as a normal user, just installed it and got 6 widget areas for Elementor Pro theme builder.
Read all 2 reviews

Contributors & Developers

“Sidebars for Hello Elementor Theme” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

  • Initial release.


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Saturday, December 03, 2016

Cartoon Saturday- Alex vs. The Four-Headed Gargantuan

26333542Peetom, Laura and Frank, Kevin. Alex vs. The Four-Headed Gargantuan
August 1st 2016 by Lorimer
E ARC provided by the publisher

Alex gets a job delivering papers to a small number of homes in his own neighborhood. He enjoys being able to go around by himself, takes pride in doing good work, and likes having spending money of his own, even if his parents don't let him have an ATM card and withdraw money at will. He meets some of his neighbors, has to learn which dogs are dangerous, and worries about teenage boys he sees hanging around. He also learns that spending his own hard earned money is different, and starts to save his earnings for a bigger purchase instead of buying small items on impulse. After running from the teenagers in a blind panic, he realizes that they are not the threat that he thought they were, and even befriends one.

Books about middle grade children who have an interest or occupation are always interesting, and this has the added benefit of accompanying "Super Paper Boy" comics in between chapters, where Alex imagines that he has super powers. Readers can easily see themselves in Alex's position, and understand the difficulties he comes across.

My favorite thing about this book is that Alex is not bullied-- he is just worried that the teenagers are going to bully him. This is brilliant, since children's perceptions of the world are often more horrible than the realities they face.

While the drawing of the "gargantuan" is a bit odd, I liked the other illustrations. The text is simple enough for struggling or emergent readers, and the story a solid one filled with supportive parents and neighbors, new experiences, and a bit of fun along the way.

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Hair Accessories

Women Hair Combs Handmade Marriage Wedding Accessory Bride Headdress Gold Floral O828

$27.80 $22.80

Handmade, rhinestones and pearls location is not exactly the same, please kept informed . The series uses a lot of Grade A rhinestone tiara, hand-polished crystal, imported lace combinations. Very fine workmanship. Worth you have !

  • Type: Hair Combs
  • Style: Fashion
  • Pattern Type: Floral
  • Material: Rhinestones
  • Brand Name: XM GeeKi
  • Department Name: Adult
  • Item Type: Headwear
  • Gender: Women
  • Model Number: O828

  • Package Weight: 1.0kg (2.20lb.)
  • Unit Type: piece
  • Package Size: 20cm x 20cm x 20cm (7.87in x 7.87in x 7.87in)


text:
MTG Wiki
MTG Wiki
SHM logo.jpg
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description The Reaper King's Crown.
Design Mark Rosewater (lead)
Sean Fletcher[1]
Mark Gottlieb
Devin Low
Ken Troop
Development Aaron Forsythe (lead)
Devin Low
Alexis Janson[2]
Matt Place
Jake Theis
Steve Warner
Doug Beyer
Art direction Jeremy Jarvis
Release date May 2, 2008
Plane Shadowmoor
Themes and mechanics Hybrid mana, Untapping, -1/-1 counters
Keywords/ability words Conspire, Persist, Wither
Set size 301 cards
(121 commons, 80 uncommons, 80 rares, 20 basic lands)
Expansion code SHM[3]
Development codename Jelly
Shadowmoor block
Shadowmoor Eventide N/A
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Morningtide Shadowmoor Eventide
For other uses, see Shadowmoor (disambiguation).

Shadowmoor is the forty-fifth Magic expansion and was released in May 2008 as the first set in the Shadowmoor block. Prerelease tournaments were held April 19–20, 2008. Release events were held May 2–4, 2008.[4]

Set details[]

Shadowmoor contains 301 cards (80 rare, 80 uncommon, 121 common, and 20 basic lands). It is the first set of a so-called mini-block, the second being Eventide. It is also a large expansion released in May, when usually a small expansion is released. Together with the previous Lorwyn block, they formed a four set mega-block.[5][6]

Shadowmoor takes place on the plane of the same name, which is a reflection of Lorwyn, the setting of the previous block.[7] Shadowmoor does not continue any mechanics or themes from Lorwyn and often inverts them. For example, while Lorwyn had a sub-theme involving +1/+1 counters, Shadowmoor uses -1/-1 counters instead.[8] While Lorwyn contained only a few multicolored cards and Morningtide none, Shadowmoor contains many multicolored cards. The races native to Lorwyn also appear in Shadowmoor, but some switch color-alignment. Additionally, a race of artifact creatures called Scarecrows is introduced.

The strongest theme of Shadowmoor is the usage of Hybrid mana which can be paid with mana of either of two colors.[9] This mechanic was first introduced in the Ravnica block but is heavily expanded in this and the following set, Eventide. Shadowmoor focuses on Allied pairs.[10][11]

Every basic land in Shadowmoor is part of a two-card diptych.[12] The expansion symbol of Shadowmoor[13] is alternately interpreted as a bat wing, a dead leaf or the Jack-o'-lantern lid from the Reaper King, the King of the scarecrows. The latter is the official reading.[14]

Flavor and storyline[]

Shadowmoor was once the world of Lorwyn — in fact, in a sense, it still is. But thanks to the Great Aurora, everything's changed.[15] Where it was once constantly sunny, now it is always night, steeped in gloom and fog, with only cold moonlight to light the skies. Once-clear waters have turned brackish and chill. The howling wind creaks the brittle branches of rotting trees. Life, once abundant, either struggles to survive or is twisted into something vicious and cruel. This is not a world of despair, but of oppressive terror and constant death.[16][17][18][19]

Except for Faeries, each of the major races has its main colors changed:

  • Flamekins: Mono-{R}{B}/{R} (Cinders)
  • Elves: {G}/{B}{G}/{W}
  • Giants: {R}/{W}{R}/{G}
  • Goblins: {B}/{R}{R}/{G}
  • Kithkin: {W}/{G}{W}/{U}
  • Merfolk: {U}/{W}{U}/{B}
  • Treefolk: {G}/{B}/{W}{G}/{B}

Shadowmoor was sold in 75-card tournament decks, 16-card booster packs, five preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack. All products except the boosters contained a random Pro Tour Player Card. The booster packs featured artwork from Murderous Redcap, Grief Tyrant, Ashenmoor Gouger, Reaper King and Faerie Macabre.[20] Starting with Shadowmoor, the fat pack was redesigned to include one storage box rather than two, and eight boosters rather than six. The panorama art piece that wraps the contents is 2¼" shorter as a result.[21] The promotional prerelease cards for Shadowmoor was Demigod of Revenge with alternate art.[22] The promotional release card for Shadowmoor was Vexing Shusher.[23] The set was accompanied by the anthology of the same name, consisting of stories written by Cory J. Herndon, Scott McGough and others.

Like Morningtide boosters before them, boosters of Shadowmoor come with a bonus sixteenth card that is either a "rules card" or a creature token. One face of the Shadowmoor bonus card has one of six different rules tips or one of twelve different creature tokens. The other face has one of six advertisements for organized play programs, Gleemax, fat packs and Eventide.

Tips & Tricks[]

The tips & tricks cards are

The Shadowmoor tokens are:[24][25]

Shadowmoor expands on its hybrid theme with the introduction of mono-colored hybrid mana.[27][28] This mana cost can be paid by either one mana of a specified color, or by two mana of any color. The converted mana cost of these cards is the highest possible.[29]

Another new feature was the untap symbol {Q} which is used as a cost allowing a permanent to be untapped to produce some effect as listed on the card. The card must be tapped to use that ability, just as cards with {T} must be untapped. This ability appeared primarily in white and blue.[30]

Further, the set includes a cycle of lands which have basic land types, despite not being basic lands. To prevent them from being strictly better than basic lands, these enter the battlefield tapped. However, they can also be used for a specific, somewhat weak effect, if its controller also controls at least two permanents of the appropriate color.

Shadowmoor introduced the following keyword mechanics:[31]

  • Conspire — As you play this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures you control that share a color with it. When you do, copy it.
  • Persist — When this creature is put into the graveyard from play, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to play under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it.
  • Wither — This deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters. Primarily in red, black and green.

Shadowmoor has 26 cycles. Seven of them are part of the Shadowmoor block mega cycles. The remaining 19 cycles are:

Cycle name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Allied-color self-boosting creatures Rune-Cervin Rider Parapet Watchers Loch Korrigan Blistering Dieflyn Foxfire Oak
Each of these common monocolored creatures has an activated ability with a hybrid mana cost that boosts one or both of its stats.
Basic land count spells Armored Ascension Flow of Ideas Corrupt Jaws of Stone Howl of the Night Pack
Each of these uncommon spells gains more power the more basic lands of the appropriate type you control.
Cohorts Ballynock Cohort Briarberry Cohort Ashenmoor Cohort Mudbrawler Cohort Crabapple Cohort
Each of these common creatures gets +1/+1 as long as you control another creature of its color.
Colored permanent count creatures Kithkin Rabble Faerie Swarm Crowd of Cinders Horde of Boggarts Drove of Elves
Each of these uncommon creatures costs {3}M and has P/T each equal to the number of permanents of their color you control.
Hate-enhanced spells Inquisitor's Snare Consign to Dream Gloomlance Ember Gale Gloomwidow's Feast
Each of these common spells has a greater effect against enemy colors.
Hideaway creatures Windbrisk Raptor Isleback Spawn Hollowborn Barghest Knollspine Dragon Mossbridge Troll
Each of these 7-mana rare creatures is the awakened form of one of the hideaway lands from Lorwyn, and has an ability that mirrors its land form.
Initiates Apothecary Initiate Drowner Initiate Smolder Initiate Intimidator Initiate Nurturer Initiate
Each of these common 1/1 creatures allows you to pay {1} whenever a spell of its color is cast to gain an effect.
Mentors Resplendent Mentor Deepchannel Mentor Corrosive Mentor Bloodmark Mentor Roughshod Mentor
Each of these uncommon creatures grants an ability to all creatures you control of their color.
Monocolor conspire sorceries Mine Excavation Ghastly Discovery Disturbing Plot Burn Trail Gleeful Sabotage
Each of these common sorceries has conspire and has art depicting members of races new to Shadowmoor or Eventide.
Monocolor hybrids Spectral Procession Advice from the Fae Beseech the Queen Flame Javelin Tower Above
Each of these uncommon spells has a mana cost of {{2}/M}{{2}/M}{{2}/M}. The reminder text on these cards reads "{2/M} can be paid with any two mana or with M. This card's converted mana cost is 6."
Rare persist creatures Twilight Shepherd River Kelpie Puppeteer Clique Furystoke Giant Woodfall Primus
Each of these rare creatures with persist has a powerful comes-into-play ability.
Reflections Boon Reflection
(life gained)
Thought Reflection
(cards drawn)
Wound Reflection
(damage dealt)
Rage Reflection
Mana Reflection
Each of these rare enchantments doubles a common event, and each is illustrated by the sister/brother team of Terese Nielsen and Ron Spencer.
Utility lands Mistveil Plains Moonring Island Leechridden Swamp Madblind Mountain Sapseep Forest
Each of these uncommon lands has a basic land type, comes into play tapped, and can be tapped for one mana of its respective color in addition to another ability that can only be played if you control two or more permanents of the proper color.
Wisps Niveous Wisps Cerulean Wisps Aphotic Wisps Crimson Wisps Viridescent Wisps
Each of these common cantrips changes a creature's color until the end of turn.[32]
Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W}
Color-aligned scarecrows Watchwing Scarecrow Wingrattle Scarecrow Rattleblaze Scarecrow Blazethorn Scarecrow Thornwatch Scarecrow
Each of these common Scarecrow artifact creatures is matched with an allied pair of colors, gaining an ability if you control a creature of a specific color.
Witches Mistmeadow Witch Inkfathom Witch Spiteflame Witch Tattermunge Witch Seedcradle Witch
Each of these uncommon hybrid creatures as an ability that requires MN to play, where M and N are its colors.[33]
Duos Thistledown Duo Gravelgill Duo Emberstrike Duo Tattermunge Duo Safehold Duo
Each of these common hybrid creatures has one race and two classes each, and gains a bonus until the end of turn whenever you play a spell of one of its colors.
Hybrid conspire spells Æthertow Memory Sluice Traitor's Roar Giantbaiting Barkshell Blessing
Each of these common spells has conspire and has art depicting members of races introduced in Lorwyn.
Unblockable hybrid creatures Barrenton Cragtreads Wanderbrine Rootcutters Sootwalkers Mudbrawler Raiders Raven's Run Dragoon
Each of these common 3/3 creatures has a casting cost of {2}HH, where H is an allied-color hybrid mana. They can't be blocked by creatures of their colors' shared enemy color.

Mega Cycles[]

Shadowmoor has seven mega cycles as part of the Shadowmoor block mega cycles. The allied colored set in Shadowmoor are:

Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W}
Lieges Thistledown liege Glen Elendra Liege Ashenmoor Liege Boartusk Liege Wilt-Leaf Liege
Each of these creatures has a mana cost of nHHH, where H is a hybrid mana symbol and n an integer of generic mana. Each liege holds two separate abilities that provides a +1/+1 bonus to a creature that matches either color, which stacks for those that match both, and each has an ability or effect appropriate for its colors. The lieges from Shadowmoor have allied-color costs and the Knight creature type.
Demigods Godhead of Awe Ghastlord of Fugue Demigod of Revenge Deus of Calamity Oversoul of Dusk
Each of these Spirit Avatar creatures has a converted mana cost of 5, made up entirely of hybrid mana symbols.
Demigod auras Steel of the Godhead Helm of the Ghastlord Fists of the Demigod Runes of the Deus Shield of the Oversoul
These auras grants +1/+1 and one of two bonuses to a creature if it matches one of its colors, or +2/+2 and both bonuses if it matches both.
Common hybrid one-drops Zealous Guardian Oona's Gatewarden Manaforge Cinder Scuzzback Scrapper Elvish Hexhunter
Each of these common creatures has a mana cost of one hybrid mana.
Hybrid filter lands Mystic Gate Sunken Ruins Graven Cairns Fire-Lit Thicket Wooded Bastion
Each of these rare lands can be tapped for {C} mana. They also have the ability "M/N, {T}: Add MM, MN, or NN." where M and N are two different colors.
Hybrid three-drops Plumeveil Wasp Lancer Ashenmoor Gouger Boggart Ram-Gang Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
Each of these uncommon creatures has a converted mana cost of {3}, made up entirely of hybrid mana.
Hybrid modal spells Repel Intruders River's Grasp Torrent of Souls Firespout Dawnglow Infusion
Each of these uncommon hybrid spells has different effects depending on which of two colors were used to play it.

Reprinted cards[]

Several cards from Shadowmoor were designed to reflect cards printed in Lorwyn and Morningtide, playing up the set's theme as a dark reflection of the world of Lorwyn:

Mechanical Reflections:

Flavor Reflections:

Notable cards[]

  • Firespout — A hybrid sorcery with a casting cost of {2}{R/G}. This casting cost is cheaper than a 3-point Earthquake or Hurricane. If {R} is spent to cast Firesprout then it deals 3 damage to each non-flying creature, if {G} is spent to cast Firesprout then it deals 3 damage to each flying creature. Also, if {G}{R} is spent in the casting cost it deals 3 damage to all creatures - a very good bargain.
  • Kitchen Finks — Hard to kill due to Persist and gaining life, this card would often simply shut down very aggressive decks.
  • Murderous Redcap — May be characterized as the Finks evil twin, this card also has Persist and deals damage equal to its power when it enters the battlefield.
  • Painter's Servant — Infamous for being part of a two-card combo with Grindstone.
  • Reflecting Pool — As a reprint already famous, this card enabled some very strong and diverse mana bases in combination with the Vivid Lands from Lorwyn.
  • Runed Halo — The first card to grant Protection to a player rather than a creature.[35]
  • Safewright Quest — A land tutor with a casting cost of {G/W}. It is also the first land tutor that can search for either a Forest or Plains specifically.
  • Savor the Moment — This is the cheapest casting cost "take an extra turn" spell since Alpha's Time Walk, at just {1}{U}{U} but has the drawback of skipping the untap step of that turn.
  • Smash to Smithereens — An improved version of the card Shatter, Smash to Smithereens also deals 3 damage to the artifact's controller.
  • Spectral Procession — A card which was initially dismissed later shaped Standard significantly as it provided three cheap, flying creatures who all individually would be able to take advantage of power/toughness boosting effects like Glorious Anthem or Ajani Goldmane.
  • Strip Bare — At just {W}, this instant destroys all auras and equipment attached to a target creature.
  • Swans of Bryn Argoll — Used in a few combo decks which would deal a large amount of damage to the Swans to draw a lot of cards and turn those cards into damage to the opponent, e.g. with Seismic Assault or Chain of Plasma.
  • Wheel of Sun and Moon — This card can be used to hose an opponent who is reliant on their graveyard by enchanting them, or hosing an opponent with a mill strategy by enchanting oneself.
  • Vexing Shusher — This goblin is an annoyance to control decks and is a strong card for Legacy sideboards.

Preconstructed decks[]

Shadowmoor features five two-colored, allied-colored theme decks.[37][38]

deck name
Colors Included
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Aura Mastery W U
Mortal Coil U B
Army of Entropy B R
Overkill R G
Turnabout W G

External links[]

  1. Sean Fletcher (April 28, 2008). "What More Can I Tell You?". Wizards of the Coast.
  2. Alexis Janson (May 12, 2008). "Shadowmoor – The Hole Story". Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Tom LaPille (November 6, 2009). "Know Your Allies". Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Tim Willoughby (April 14, 2008). "Shadowmoor Prerelease Primer". Wizards of the Coast.
  5. Mark Rosewater (July 16, 2007). "Two Plus Two". Wizards of the Coast.
  6. Mark Rosewater (March 31, 2008). "Shadowmoor than Meets The Eye, Part I". Wizards of the Coast.
  7. Mark Rosewater (February 18, 2008). "Innovate Is Enough (Or Is It?)". Wizards of the Coast.
  8. Mark Rosewater (April 14, 2008). "Shadowmoor than Meets The Eye, Part III". Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Mark Rosewater (April 07, 2008). "Shadowmoor than Meets The Eye, Part II". Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Mark Rosewater (April 28, 2008). "Mix & Match, Part I". Wizards of the Coast.
  11. Mark Rosewater (May 05, 2008). "Mix & Match, Part II". Wizards of the Coast.
  12. Magic Arcana (May 22, 2008). "Shadowmoor Land Diptychs". Wizards of the Coast.
  13. Magic Arcana (October 04, 2007). "Announcing Shadowmoor". Wizards of the Coast.
  14. Wizards of the Coast (January, 2008). "Ask Wizards - January, 2008". Wizards of the Coast.
  15. Ken Nagle (May 07, 2008). "I'M IN UR COLUMN, TASTING UR MAGIC". Wizards of the Coast.
  16. Rei Nakazawa (March 31, 2008). "The Deepening Shadowmoor". Wizards of the Coast.
  17. Jeremy Jarvis (April 07, 2008). "Shadowmoor Pays Off!". Wizards of the Coast.
  18. Garrett Baumgartner (May 05, 2008). "The Two-Sided Coin". Wizards of the Coast.
  19. Doug Beyer (July 09, 2008). "Selkies and Subtypes". Wizards of the Coast.
  20. Magic Arcana (March 12, 2008). "Shadowmoor Booster Packaging". Wizards of the Coast.
  21. Magic Arcana (March 20, 2008). "Shadowmoor Fat Pack". Wizards of the Coast.
  22. Wizards of the Coast (April 14, 2008). "Shadowmoor Prerelease Card". Wizards of the Coast.
  23. Wizards of the Coast (April 28, 2008). "Shadowmoor Launch Party Promo". Wizards of the Coast.
  24. Magic Arcana (April 03, 2008). "Shadowmoor Tokens, Part 1". Wizards of the Coast.
  25. Magic Arcana (April 10, 2008). "Shadowmoor Tokens, Part 2". Wizards of the Coast.
  26. Aaron Forsythe (April 25, 2008). "I have a foil Reflecting Pool from Shadowmoor that has the plains symbol. Is this a print mistake?". Wizards of the Coast.
  27. Devin Low (April 25, 2008). "Shadowmoor's Mechanic Web". Wizards of the Coast.
  28. Devin Low (April 04, 2008). "What's a "Monocolor Hybrid?"". Wizards of the Coast.
  29. Mark Rosewater (March 17, 2008). "Building Blocks". Wizards of the Coast.
  30. Devin Low (April 11, 2008). "The Day the Cards Tapped Backwards". Wizards of the Coast.
  31. staff (April 18, 2008). "A Planeswalker's Primer for Shadowmoor". Wizards of the Coast.
  32. Magic Arcana (April 23, 2008). "Shadowmoor Lexicon: Wisps". Wizards of the Coast.
  33. Devin Low (April 18, 2008). "Blink and You'll Mist It". Wizards of the Coast.
  34. Wizards of the Coast (May 30, 2008). "Wallpaper of the Week: Kinsbaile Balloonist/Kinscaer Harpoonist". Wizards of the Coast.
  35. Mark Rosewater (April 21, 2008). "Shadowmoor More More". Wizards of the Coast.
  36. Wizards of the Coast (April, 2008). "Ask Wizards - April, 2008". Wizards of the Coast.
  37. Magic Arcana (March 25, 2008). "Shadowmoor Theme Decks". Wizards of the Coast.
  38. Magic Arcana (April 21, 2008). "Shadowmoor Theme Deck Contents". Wizards of the Coast.


text:
MTO EXCLUSIVE: Floyd Mayweather Shows Off His New . . . $1 MILLION DIAMOND ENCRUSTED IPOD . . . The HEADPHONES Alone . . . Cost $50K!!!!

Floyd Mayweather is showing off the latest flashy item in his growing collection. The boxing great was spotted carrying a diamond encrusted iPod and matching headphones as he and his girlfriend Keyshia Cole arrive at Catch Restaurant in West Hollywood, California.

We're told iPod the ipod - which is made of SOLID 18K gold - and has more than 100 CARATS of diamonds in it - is worth $1 MILLION. The matching headphones are $50K.

No wonder girlfriend Keyshia is so devoted. Remember how she hauled tail at the end of a performance to hop a plane to catch Floyd's legendary flight this past summer? She's fly or die.


text:
WHAT HAPPENED TO RIHANNA??? She's In A BIKINI . . . And They're Saying . . . She Got The Body Of . . . 'A 35-YEAR-OLD MOM WITH 3 KIDS'!! (Did Rih FALL OFF??)

Remember when Rihanna looked AMAZING in a bikini - well now NOT SO MUCH. She was in Mexico and paparazzi snapped a few flicks.

It's not that she looks BAD in the bikini - because she doesn't. Rih just looks a lot more ORDINARY than we're used to seeing her.

Here's the first pic

Here's the second pic

Here's Rih from behind


text:
The Mudcat Cafesj

User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
GUEST,Hilary BS: Musical chairs: a warning (43) RE: BS: Musical chairs: a warning 26 May 00

Clinton is the one who used to tip the top of the last chair and jerk it away a few inches so the girl with glasses and pig tails who actually GOT the chair slipped and fell flat on the floor while ol' Clinty sat down on it triumphantly with the look of contrived innocence on his grubby little face.

Back to the Main Forum Page

By clicking on the User Name, you will requery the forum for that user. You will see everything that he or she has posted with that Mudcat name.

By clicking on the Thread Name, you will be sent to the Forum on that thread as if you selected it from the main Mudcat Forum page.

By clicking on the Subject, you will also go to the thread as if you selected it from the original Forum page, but also go directly to that particular message.

By clicking on the Date (Posted), you will dig out every message posted that day.

Try it all, you will see.


text:
The Website is available only to individuals who are at least 16 years old.

+ 44 1777 410013 — Support hotline (Monday – Friday 9 a.m - 5 p.m)

5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a Yogurt Maker

5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a Yogurt Maker

Love yogurt? Satiate your cravings with a yogurt maker! If you're unsure whether you should get or actually need one, here are solid reasons to own one and support that thought. Set aside your fondness of eating this delicious snack, being able to concoct the dairy wonder easily with a yogurt maker is highly beneficial in many ways. Smart consumers don't get tricked into buying any appliance. The fact that you're here doing your research guarantees you'll end up making the right decision!

1. Your Life Is Made Easier

Homemade yogurt can be made without any kind of machine, from heating the milk to inoculation of starter culture to incubation. So why bother using a yogurt maker? Doing it yourself means huge involvement in the process. In yogurt making, it's crucial that you maintain the right temperature as you heat and cool the milk. It takes several hours of constant checking and rechecking to ensure bacteria forms properly. You'd be setting up your oven, boiling water, wrapping jars in towels, using heating pads, and possibly staying at home and keeping yourself awake.If you have a yogurt machine, you've got everything you need. Yogurt can be made effortlessly any time of day, without any guesswork or experimenting, ready to eat at your convenience.

2. You are Empowered with Full Control

Don't fancy plain yogurt? Maybe you prefer yogurt topped with your favorite fruits, honey, or granola. Perhaps you like it frozen with the freshest berries. Delight kids with colorful sprinkles. You may even want to indulge with a few bits and pieces of chocolates! A yogurt maker gives you the freedom to add anything and everything you want. You are in control of each ingredient. You can lessen its sugar content and make better choices of what to put in your yogurt. There's nothing like freshly-made yogurt that's perfected according to your taste.

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Factor in the total cost of yogurt you usually incorporate in your meals. Do you pick the small container or one-quart servings from the store? A few dollars by the day adds up to a substantial sum. Using a yogurt maker, a box of starter can go a long way in making a couple of servings. You'd typically only need a half-gallon of non-organic whole milk to produce two batches of yogurt. Your investment will let you enjoy big savings in the long run.

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    Read also:

    You found 120 egg(s) and 23 rabbit(s). Your discount — 20%!


text:
ICYMI: While millions of Indians seek better lives abroad, India treats its immigrants poorly

As I normally use MIPEX to compare OECD country policies, missed just how low India’s rank is:

India ranked the lowest among 52 countries assessed for key indices of migrant inclusivity in 2020, shows the recently launched Migrant Integration Policy Index.

India scored the least, 24 out of 100, far lower than the average of 50, putting it in a category where migrant integration is deemed “denied”.

The index, a policy tool that measures a country’s national policies on international immigrants across eight parameters, is published jointly by two European think-tanks, the Migration Policy Group of Brussels and the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, and was first released in 2014.

While other Asian countries such as China and Indonesia have improved their integration policies, India’s score has remained unchanged in the last five years. India’s Migrant Integration Policy Index scores fell below 20 in key policy areas including the labour market, education, health, access to nationality and anti-discrimination actions.

This is significant for two reasons: Although not the world’s most important migrant destination, India is home to 5 million immigrants, according to the Census 2011. Data from 2019 from the Population Division of the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs noted a decline in immigrant numbers in India from 7.6 million in 1990 to 5.1 million in 2019.

Although the number of refugees and asylum seekers has gone down between 1990 and 2019 (from 212,700 to 207,600), they constitute an increasing proportion of the total immigrant population in India (2.8% in 1990 to 4% in 2019). Similar estimates from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees suggest that the number of refugees and asylum seekers in 2020 was 210,201, according to their January 2020 India Factsheet.

Further, 95.3% of India’s immigrants in 2019 also originated in the same SDG region (Central and Southern Asia comprising neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan) – a number that has not changed significantly from 1990 (96.8%).

This characteristic of immigration to India is also highlighted in a 2017 article by the Pew Research Center. However, the existing immigrant population continues to face integration barriers in various aspects of daily life, which impact their entry into the workplace, access to justice, and educational experiences, concluded the Migrant Integration Policy Index analysis.

India also sends out the world’s largest number of emigrants – 17.5 million as per estimates from the International Organisation for Migration’s (UN-IOM) World Migration Report 2020, and is, therefore, a critical voice in immigrant integration.

Migrants move seeking better livelihoods and education, so an increase in immigration rates is an indicator of a country’s growth and development trajectory. As India develops in the coming decades and takes on a leadership role in the South Asian region, integration of immigrants and their issues will only become more important, experts say.

“There is very little by way of comprehensive immigration policy in India today – access to social security benefits or the labour market is limited and often foreign nationals face discrimination as reported in the media,” said migration policy expert Meera Sethi, formerly of the UN-IOM.

Originally devised to measure the integration of Third Country Nationals – or non-European Union nationals – in the EU, Migrant Integration Policy Index is now a major policy tool to analyse and measure migrant integration in destination countries around the world: in developed countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Norway, as well as in developing countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, China, India and Turkey. The assessment for India was conducted by Migration Policy Group’s country partner India Migration Now, a Mumbai-based research non-profit.

Low scores across key indices

India’s overall Migrant Integration Policy Index score is the lowest because of below-average scores in all policy areas except for family reunion (assessing how easy it is for immigrants to reunite with their families) where the score is 75, compared to the Migrant Integration Policy Index average of 58. The country fares worse in certain policy areas such as anti-discrimination, health, labour market mobility and access to nationality.

In the area of labour market mobility, India scored 17 while the Migrant Integration Policy Index average is 51. Accessing an employment visa in India carries certain conditions – only those from highly skilled backgrounds earning more than $25,000 per annum are eligible.

Furthermore, employment visas are not granted for jobs for which qualified Indians are available, according to informationput out by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Foreign residents on business visas have the option of self-employment, but no measures exist to promote access to the labour market or provide support to improve professional skills or opportunities.

In education too, India scored 19, less than half the Migrant Integration Policy Index average of 40. There are no measures in place in the country that recognise the unique requirements of immigrant children. They only benefit from general measures available for all children in India under the Right to Education Act, 2009. This is a lacuna evident for India’s interstate migrants as well, who face exclusion when they move from one state to another, found IMN’s IMPEX analysis of 2020. Typically, states require migrants to furnish proof of residence, which can be in the form of a domicile certificate or a school transfer certificate from the destination state, which migrants often find difficult to produce because they are not domiciles of the destination state and had acquired education in their source states, the IMPEX analysis showed.

These issues are further aggravated for immigrant families and while many have managed to utilise Right to Education provisions, their children often face discrimination and cultural barriers at Indian schools, according to this January 2020 articlein The Wire, which focuses on the Rohingya refugee community. Refugee communities such as the Rohingya are reliant on philanthropic initiatives and the work of NGOs to fill these crucial policy gaps, according to an earlier 2018 field report from The Wire.

In the area of political participation, India scored 0. The right to vote, to stand in elections, and form political parties/associations are limited to the citizens of India. These limitations often also extend to interstate migrants as voter identity is connected to the electoral roll at the place of origin, found IMN’s IMPEX analysis. Although Indian citizens are eligible to transfer to new electoral rolls when they move, the process is not easy, particularly for short-term seasonal migrants who move often.

Poor access to health

In the field of health, immigrants and asylum seekers face additional requirements to access the Indian health system and enjoy little information or support targeted to meet their specific health needs. Schemes such as Ayushman Bharat extend to those families categorised in the lower-income brackets as defined by the socio-economic and caste census of 2011 and therefore exclude immigrants. However, schemes under the Integrated Child Development Services, which provides supplementary nutrition, pre-school and non-formal education, immunisation, and health check-ups to children aged 0 years to 6 years, can usually be availed without proof of identity.

The services of public health facilities like primary healthcare centres are also open to immigrant communities and asylum seekers in India – both of these options are recommended for the communities by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in India as well. These schemes may be utilised by immigrants in the same manner as RTE is.

Schemes of the Delhi government such as the Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinic serve all residents living in areas deemed eligible (usually slum and jhuggi jhopri areas) and are available to immigrants as well.

Specific health schemes exist for Tibetan and Sri Lankan Tamil refugees as part of central level integration policies for these communities – these include the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy of 2014 and specific schemes for maternal and child health by the government of Tamil Nadu for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. However, these communities number approximately 200,000 in total and only form 3%-4% of the estimated legal immigrant population. Covid-19 has aggravated the existing policy gaps for refugee communities, as IndiaSpend reported in April 2020 and as argued by this September 2020 opinion editorial in Migration Policy Institute, a migration research think-tank based out of Washington DC, USA.

India’s score in the policy area of anti-discrimination is 9, compared to the Migrant Integration Policy Index average of 71. There is currently no legislation related to discrimination against immigrant communities. Article 15 of the Constitution of India addresses direct and/or indirect discrimination and/or harassment and/or instruction to discriminate on grounds of race, ethnicity, religion and belief – a provision that only exists for citizens.

It has also been argued that these provisions are, in themselves, inadequate, and India needs a comprehensive internal anti-discrimination law. Discrimination against immigrant communities is an issue and has occurred against various refugee groups as well as student groups from African countries such as Nigeria who have faced racist attacks.

In India, the path to permanent residence is mainly linked to the ability to fulfil certain economic requirements. However, even permanent residents are denied equal treatment with Indian nationals in key areas of life such as social security and assistance. For accessing citizenship in India, a person can apply for citizenship by naturalisation if they meet certain qualifications such as residence in India or service in the central government for a certain period of time: (i) for the 12 months immediately preceding the application for citizenship, and (ii) for 11 of the 14 years preceding the 12-month period, as specified in The Citizenship Act, 1955 Act. The process of accessing citizenship requires more than 10 years of residence and India does not offer dual nationality.

Among the eight policy areas, India has the highest score in family reunion. This policy area assesses if foreign residents can reunite with their families – for instance, whether legally resident foreign citizens can sponsor their entire families. Whether family members need prerequisites such as learning a language before departure for the destination country.

Whether the state protects family members from discretionary procedures (such as in deciding permit durations, considering personal circumstances when allowing or refusing entry, and giving the applicant a chance to appeal) and whether the family members get the same rights as their sponsor. Although India scores 75 in the policy area and many foreign citizens are eligible to apply for their dependent family members, according to information provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, there are no additional integration measures for these reunited families.

Flawed public perception

The understanding of the impacts and contributions of immigrants to developing countries’ economies is limited. Besides adding to the overall social and cultural diversity, immigrants from neighbouring countries such as Nepal have been contributing to the Indian economy in the informal sector as construction workers, domestic help, cleaners, bar and restaurant workers, and petty traders. Unfortunately, such contributions have not been assessed or measured, found a 2015 paper published in the Economic and Political Weekly.

Cross-border migrants often face harassment, are exploited by brokers, paid irregularly and sometimes substantially less than what they are promised by the employers, and are often ill-treated by the border security forces – as reported in this 2015 research study by the Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group, which conducted fieldwork with cross-border Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants. India has no formal immigration policy framework but existing policies regulate the entry and exit of people through the border.

The Indian government has also set up special tribunals for the determination of the question of whether a person is an illegal immigrant as per the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, 1983. Beyond this, there are ad hoc policies and executive orders for the entry and rehabilitation of Tibetan and Sri Lankan refugees and for religious minorities from neighbouring Muslim majority countries. Even the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2019 – facilitating citizenship for religious minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh – is estimated to actually benefit only 31,313 people, as detailed in the joint parliamentary committee report on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (then, a Bill) in 2016.

The lack of policy intervention is further aggravated by the public perception and rhetoric around illegal immigration (mostly from Bangladesh), which have often been election issuesin India. The data, however, do not bear this out: Improved developmental outcomes in Bangladesh in recent years have brought the two countries on par, argues this opinion editorial in The Indian Express – as a result, immigrants from Bangladesh may no longer be seeking out India as a destination.

In a fast globalising world, as Indian emigrants in various destination countries benefit from effective integration schemes, policy in India for the country’s over 5 million immigrant population has clearly not kept pace, said experts.

“Countries have already started to invest in ensuring basic rights and a secure future for international migrants. Now, they need to guarantee migrants the same equal opportunities as nationals,” said Giacomo Solano, policy and statistical analyst at MPG, Brussels, where the Migrant Integration Policy Index was formulated.

Source: While millions of Indians seek better lives abroad, India treats its immigrants poorly

About Andrew
Andrew blogs and tweets public policy issues, particularly the relationship between the political and bureaucratic levels, citizenship and multiculturalism. His latest book, Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias, recounts his experience as a senior public servant in this area.

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multihull is about giving you information regarding Catamaran, Trimaran ships, and Multihull events with dates and places along with all the details of organizers, the best places to cruise/sail in the world, and details of all sorts of Marine products.

Catamarans and Trimarans are ships that come in various sizes, and they have two and three hulls respectively. You will read get to know about the models of below 4o-foot and above 40-foot catamarans and trimarans, their information, specifications, and reviews.

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text:
Vodafone looks to entice streaming customers with free Netflix trial

Telecommunications company Vodafone is to offer free streaming services in partnership with Netflix to entice consumers onto its recently launched NBN plans.

As part of the new service’s rollout – which sees Vodafone offer fixed-line services for the first time – the telco will be launching a campaign across TV, out Of home, digital and social on April 1.

Vodafone appointed J Walter Thompson as its creative agency last March after two years with Cummins & Partners and launched its ‘The Future is Exciting’ rebrand in October.

Along with the streaming deal, the company is to offer an Android-based Vodafone TV device offering access to streaming services, Google voice-search, a free-to-air TV tuner and a dual-band Wi-Fi hotspot.

Vodafone’s move follows Telstra’s launch of a similar TV device last year which also offers access to Netflix, along with Foxtel Now, BigPond Movies and Stan.

Ben McIntosh, Vodafone’s consumer business unit director, said in a media statement: “Our vision is to help our customers make the most of their broadband budget by partnering with the world’s best providers and offering a fast and easy connection process.”

McIntosh also flagged Vodafone will not be following Optus’ strategy of buying sporting rights as a point of difference in the telecoms market: “We’re not going to maintain the status quo by buying up content rights and building walls around it.  We don’t think it’s fair that Australians are being locked out of access to content they want to watch.

“Australians want fast and reliable broadband, with the freedom to watch the content they love when they want. This is exactly what Vodafone is fighting for.”

The free 12-month standard subscription to the Netflix service is available to customers signing up to one its 24 month prepaid NBN plans which include a fallback 4G service in case of NBN landline interruptions. The Vodafone TV device will be an extra $5 a month.

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More Instagram

Lunsj på en av mange kafeer i SeattleThis week I am on assignment in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and a dream for most photographers. As soon as I have processed the pictures I will get back with a post from Lisbon. In the meantime I’ll present some of my latest Instagram photos.

I have to admit I haven’t been very active using neither my cell phone nor Instagram for shooting lately; I have simply been too busy again. But I really notice nothing boosts the inspiration and creativity as much as playing around with Instagram – at least for a photographer like me. The format and the simple approach makes it all so much more playful and informal compared to when I use one of my regular cameras. I simply have no expectations when I am photographing with my cell phone, which means I can completely relax during the shooting process.

The result is totally different than anything else I would usually do. Not necessarily better, but it’s definitely expanding my approach to photography. And when I feel uninspired or even indifferent, I can get myself going by just playing around with the Instagram app.

If you are interested in following me, my profile name is ottovonmunchow.

45 thoughts on “More Instagram

  1. They each have a retro aesthetic, which boosts their nostalgic appearance. I agree that using an iPhone or any Smartphone to shoot requires a push of one’s way of seeing. These experiments are always a good lesson about our visuality and visual landscape. I have not made the plunge into Instagram. The blog is enough. With all you do, my hat is off to you for being able to do it. I was at a high school function the other day, and only had my iPhone. Was also taking images of groups of kids legs and shoes. That’s why I’m captured by your last photograph: gives clues to the wearer.

    1. Thanks for a great comment, Sally. The new apps certainly pusher our understanding of the visual language and bring new forms to our expression.

  2. Instagram is a fun way to just let loose and get the creative and/or crazy juices going. You can find me at angelinem1. I really like that photo of the cup of whatever that is with the cream on top…a cappuccino?

    1. You don’t have to like Instagram or any of the other apps. It’s there for those who fancy them, and it’s certainly not the only way to make pictures! 🙂

    1. It’s all about having fun with these apps. One shouldn’t take them too serious, for that is the whole point. Thanks for the comment, Michelle.

  3. Not tried instagram myself, but I am also in Portugal this week although I am on holiday with my family And you know what, the camera I have used most is not my DSLR, but my IPhone!

  4. Fun to see how a serious professional photographer “plays” and recharges his batteries! These are really lighthearted and fun.

    1. That is really the whole point with Instagram and the likes, to have fun. And of course professional photographers want to play. Thanks for the comment, KarenAnn.

  5. I particularly like your comment ‘I simply have no expectations when I am photographing with my cell phone, which means I can completely relax during the shooting process.’ I think most of us are guilty of ‘trying to hard’ on occasions – wanting to produce a great image – when, if we relaxed and just experienced the moment, we might well produce spontaneous pictures with more life and vitality.

    1. I think you are quite right about this, Louis. In the effort to make great images we get stuck in our own mindset and end up creating much less than great pictures. Thank you for a thoughtful comment.

  6. I do follow you on Instagram! You do some wonderful work even if you call it playing! 🙂 I hope you’ve really been enjoying Lisbon. I have heard nothing but raves from anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit.

  7. Aww the red legs with the red reflexion of the painting. These apps are like painting with your unaccustomed hand. New surprises pop up and jar us out of repeating ourselves in our normal work.

  8. These are wonderful (and yes, playful), Otto. I noticed that I have a similar reaction (a sense of play) when I use my little everything-proof point-and-shoot. It’s good not to take things seriously all the time. 🙂

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TSP Sounds Desperate

Any informed voter in Delaware County knows the locally owned Gannett paper is a pro-republican paper. Some say it had been much worse, but the bias is still with us today.

However, as this years municipal election reaches its end, has anybody ever saw such a blatant and obvious slant to their Sunday edition?

From our perspective, it looks like a sign of desperation. Why are they adamant about our local government being run by a republican council, and a republican mayor?

Here is one plausible explanation – their livelihoods depend upon it!

With a staff already too small to cover our market, they find it difficult to attend meetings, gather announcements, process press releases, gain access to interviews, etc. However, when you enjoy a cozy relationship with the current administration, you get phone calls in advance, tips on rumors, personal invites to attend controversial meetings.

What does the newspaper have to do in return for these favors?

Make one person look better in the public eye over another. It’s that simple. The entire role of our local newspaper is to write stories that make one person look good over another. Choosing adjectives, dressing up nouns, one well placed word in a sentence. Yes, we are talking spin, and the spin-doctors have been out in full force this election cycle.

Every failure, is presented as a success, simply with the stroke of a pen, or taps on a keyboard. Poor leadership, is presented as a “failure in the other party”. Inability to collaborate, inexperience, and being stubborn, written as “taking on the good-ole boys.” One of our favorites is “she brought together the entire community”, when the facts indicate 900 of 65,000 participated in the Muncie Action Plan (MAP). Folks, that is 1% of our cities population. A far cry from “bringing the community together.” Further reality shows that a consultant was hired by a local foundation to do this work. Our Mayor is the leader of the community – we don’t need outside consultants to bring the community together.

When you consider leadership, why hasn’t the newspaper focused on 85% of the employees who work for the Mayor – police and fire personnel. The morale of our public safety staff is at an all-time low, and they are endorsing new leadership in Dennis Tyler. Why hasn’t the Gannett owned paper asked firemen, or policemen, about what’s it’s like to work for their current boss? Why do the want a change? These are obvious questions that should be asked, but the answers will not support the story they are spinning.

The symbiotic relationship between the current administration and the local newspaper is already clear to most citizens in this community, but there are still 20% of the readers who believe what they read from big media. Hopefully, they will see the slant today, and may begin to join the 80% who have been awake.

Meanwhile, if you have questions about the candidates, ask your friends and relatives who may have personal knowledge about the inner workings of local government. Ask your neighbors who work for the city. Ask them about the morale. In other words, ask people you trust! Don’t allow the paper to sway your voting – they need you to support their candidates since it benefits them, not you, and not our community.

Make an informed choice on November 8th – our community deserves it!

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Todd Smekens

Journalist, consultant, publisher, and servant-leader with a passion for truth-seeking. Enjoy motorcycling, meditation, and spending quality time with my daughter and rescue hound. Spiritually-centered first and foremost. Lived in multiple states within the USA and frequent traveler to the mountains.

  1. Good point. Gannet is not as reactionary as the Pulliam (Quayle) family was. Of course that is a high standard. Is it just me or do Walker/Roysden remind anyone else of Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd in “Diamonds Are Forever”?

  2. It’s this way in almost all media anymore – look at Ron Paul being left of the news during the GOP debates the past few months….there is political bias in every media (though I NPR credit!). What’s sad is that a lot of people don’t take the time or effort to figure their views out for themselves, they let others (i.e. TSP) influence it so tremendously, that it breeds ignorance. *sigh* This is no surprise!!

  3. I enjoyed your math on the MAP stats. And you’re right. Such a small group of people should hardly be given such a significant weight regarding their input.

    Reminded me about the dozen or so “occupiers” at the county building who are calling themselves the 99%. Just doesn’t add up, does it?

    1. You might want to read the story about the wealth gap posted in today’s news digest covering the wealth gap between young and old American’s. It might help you understand the frustration with the occupiers protesting.

      1. Before I search for that… I’m curious: Has there ever NOT been a “wealth gap” in world history? And secondly, has anyone with OWS ever published their plans for decreasing this “gap” and at what point is the percentage of gap considered acceptable or fair or appropriate?

        I understand their frustration, but really… are the financial choices that everyone makes, the responsibility of those who make better choices?

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