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Thursday, May 3, 2012

How Learning A Language and New Culture Can Help In International Business

There is no doubt that doing business internationally requires a thorough understanding of other cultures There is also no doubt that without learning the language, it is difficult to gain deep insights and appreciation into the cultures of other countries.  Knowing the language and understanding the culture can help you to be far more effective in your international business relationships and prevents you from being insulting or reserved without meaning to be.  Because of deep rooted differences between cultural practices, something you do with the best of intentions could turn out to be completely counterproductive.

This is best illustrated by a concrete example. We all know how important China is on the international business map and how important it is to do business with them. However, when President George Bush of the United States gave a gift to the Prime Minister of China, Li Peng, the gift was a pair of cowboy boots decorated with the flags of America and China. You may think that this is a thoughtful gift embodying the traditional culture of America but the reality of the situation was entirely different. Unfortunately, the Chinese consider the soles of the feet to be the lowliest region of the body and a gift of footwear is considered a significant faux pas. This was a significant oversight on the part of American diplomats.

Naturally, international business involves a lot more than learning another language but there’s no doubt that this facilitates the process of understanding. For instance, if you are looking to do business in the Middle East, the basis of establishing a rock solid relationship is not to look to legal language or contracts. Indeed the legal system in many countries in this region is both slow and inconsistent and there is a perception that Americans are unduly legalistic. What you need to do is to establish a rapport with your counterpart at every stage and this involves both knowledge of the language and the culture.

Modern methods of communication such as e-mail rob you of some of the traditional cues such as body language to understand how your counterpart is thinking and reacting. Language spoken face-to-face often produces valuable cues such as eye contact and intonation. For instance, if you are e-mailing a Japanese businessman, you would be wise not to use the casual language that prevails in modern communication such as greeting the recipient with “Hi”. Instead you should be extremely formal in your communication and, avoiding the use of first names, address the recipient by his last name followed by the word “San”.

If you have been looking to take Spanish Classes in Denver or learn another language, consider Bolder Languages. Our Denver language school is specifically catered to helping you learn the language of your choice in the best way possible.

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Get 25% off The Leo Diamond at Kay Jewelers! Shop Now » Dec 14-18
25% off sale at Kay Jewelers! Shop Now »

What to Get Your Loved One for That Special Anniversary

Anniversaries are a time of celebration and milestones in our relationships. It shows commitment and love to one another. A gift of jewelry is known to be a wonderful token of this feeling. Here are several pieces of jewelry that symbolize those special anniversaries.

1. Your First Anniversary

The first anniversary is very exciting and means you have made it through a whole year together. During that year you grew closer and shared many memories together. This was a year of firsts such as living together for the first time, renting your first apartment, buying your first pet, etc. All of this deserves to be celebrated and remembered with a special gift. The gift of gold is a perfect for the occasion since it symbolizes eternity and unity. There are many different gold gifts you can buy, but one that really stands out is a gold anniversary band.

The Leo Diamond Wedding Band 3/8 ct tw Diamonds 14K Yellow Gold is sure to make her smile and grateful for all that she has.

2. Your Tenth Anniversary

It’s been a full decade since you’ve been together! That is a long time of passion and commitment to one another. You have been through happy and sad times, standing side by side. Ten years of marriage shows that you are both strong, which is similar to the strength of a diamond. A diamond is the most durable gemstones of all. The brilliant sparkle of the diamond will remind you how much you love one another and have grown in the past ten years. Since ten years is a long time, getting a special gift like a diamond shows a grand gesture. One of the most popular tenth anniversary gift is a diamond pendant.

The Leo Diamond Necklace 1/3 Carat Diamond 14K White Gold has the perfect sparkle that will symbolize the way you feel for her.

3. The Big 50th Anniversary

Wow! It’s been 50 years together and your love and devotion for one another has only grown stronger. You may have kids or even grandchildren already. The moments you have shared have been fun ones, happy ones, hard ones, tearful ones, etc. This is what has made your commitment to one another greater than ever. This year we celebrate with gold because it symbolizes love that lasts. Gold is a strong metal which is as strong as your bond. It is also a symbol of success. A piece of gold jewelry represents a couple’s success for maintaining their relationship for half a century. This piece of gold jewelry will charm your significant other, just like you do.

This Leo Diamond Ring 3/4 ct tw Round-cut 14K Yellow Gold is certainly an upgrade from the gold band you bought her on your first anniversary. She will be shocked by its beauty and brilliance.

We celebrate our anniversary once a year to show each other our affection and loyalty. Every year we grow closer. It is important to celebrate love every day you are together, but on this specific day show her how much you mean it by giving her a gift she’ll never forget.

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Five Latest Tips You Can Learn When Attending Magnum Prajapati Rate

February 16th, 2018

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The venture has lined carparking, thirteen facilities including tennis court, fitness center, neighborhood corridor and the venture is out there at price ranging from rs.1.39 crore. In an trade the place outsourcing is extra a norm than an exception, malik group has grown synonymous with high quality and perception. Advance home makers group is a bunch established to give expertise of a contemporary living with distinctive architect. Neither bajaj finserv nor any of its group companies take any accountability for the accuracy, completeness Prajapati Magnum Mumbai Amenities or high quality of the knowledge supplied. The group has completed many incredible initiatives which have formed a powerful basis to their agency. Prajapati developers is among the leading actual estate participant in india, was established in 1995 by mr. Rajesh prajapati. Sunteck city avenue1 is a residential challenge by sunteck group in goregaon west, mumbai.

Within the just-concluded assembly elections in uttar pradesh, prajapati had misplaced to bjp from amethi, the seat he held. On february 20, prajapati moved the supreme courtroom in the direction of its order of registering Dronagiri Prajapati Magnum an fir in opposition to him inside the rape case. Malik solitaire by the renowned builder malik group presents residences configured to reflect trendy way of life. Right this moment international group has constantly met and gone beyond the expectations of its clients, investors and business companions. Case 2: in one of many other two outdated circumstances, meerut resident rakesh prajapati had lodged fir in opposition to prajapati on 21 march 2017 alleging that he had given rs 6 lakh to him for procuring authorities service for his brother-in-legislation. The life-fashion and amenities at prajapati magnum had been conceived with big open views to offer you a peaceable dwelling Magnum Prajapati Amenities setting with the appropriate combination of labor and play services.

Prajapati vihar is one of the challenge developed by prajapati group, which is positioned in dronagiri. A look-out discover in addition to a non-bailable warrant was issued in opposition to prajapati. Prajapati group started its journey in 1995 with the incorporation of its flagship firm, prajapati constructions ltd. Our group is headed by shri kantilal vaishnav and shri hiralal rangani, every self made entrepreneurs, who’ve a vast experience of higher than 25 years in constructing business. The bench talked about prajapati can technique the involved court docket docket for trying to find bail if he’ll get arrested. The place dronagiri could be very near the well developed town uran, within the southern a part of navi mumbai.

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Tuesday, 7 June 2011

Fiction Express Chapter 4 & 5 Reviews

 So sorry that these reviews are late! I went on holiday to Cornwall last week, and completely forgot to review these before I left...anyway, here they are!

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja (Chapter 4.)

Jasper comes to visit Molly and that scene is all very awkward and cringe-worthy for Molly....but it is funny! Also, we find out a bit more about Jasper which is good, as up until now he has had a very mysterious background that I'm desperate to know a bit more about. Molly ends up helping him to face his fears, and she also finds out something about another certain boy...

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolf (Chapter 4.)

This chapter was really exciting and full of action. It kept you on the edge of your seat! With more and more soul shadows popping up, Estelle and Sandor are having difficulty deciding who they can really trust. This is great, I love this story!

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton (Chapter 4.)

Chapter Four mainly focuses on Drina, Miko's sister, which I like as we haven't really heard much from her yet and plus she seems to be my favourite character (other than Miko.) A chapter filled with searching, cunning plans and sisterly love...

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja (Chapter 5.)

It seems like all the characters are finally realising who they really are, and not everything is as it seems. It's a great chapter, as the characters and plot start to develop more and more, and there are some sub-plots starting to be weaved in too. Everything in Molly's life is finally coming together! She has her BFF's back, her crush likes her back...but something's not right. Jasper and Art Boy keep popping into Molly's head at random moments, and she can't help liking them too. I wonder who she'll choose? Can't wait to read some more!

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolf (Chapter 5.)

One word.....INTRIGUING. :)  This has to be my favourite chapter of SS so far. Some of the characters are quite evil and cunning, and you never know whether to trust them or not. This makes the story really gripping, exciting and fun! I love the unique little twists. What will happen next, I wonder??

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton (Chapter 5.)

This is amazing. You can feel the emotions coming off the page (well....screen. But you know what I mean!) as it is so beautifully written and it's so gripping. I feel quite sad that Miko and Drina aren't together, as they are brother and sister and they're worried about each other. It's exciting seeing where each person will go with the story though! A must read for anyone who loves exciting twists.

Thank you, also, to the person who donated some FE credits to me. This means that I can carry on reviewing the fantastic chapters each week - thank you so much, you know who you are!

1 comment:

  1. Great idea to review the Fiction Express chapters :D

Feel free to leave me a comment. I will get back to you as soon as I can! :)


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My Little Munchkins!

Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers Lilypie Second Birthday tickers

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Amelia is such a little girl. We finally gave her her first purse. Inside it has lipstick. She loves putting it on her lips.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Fun Fun Fun!

Here are a few pictures of Amelia as she gets dangerously close to her first birthday! And she's already mastered the picking up one leg to climb the stairs (always with mommy or daddy).

Here's a few update pictures of our house remodel. Next Monday we have the painters coming back out to finish painting. On Wednesday we'll have our new master bath vanity cabinet installed. Thursday the tile guy comes to start tiling. Then after that... I dunno. Sometime in the midst of all that, we've got the gutter guys coming. Hopefully we'll be done sometime in June. It's getting hot and I am sweltering here in the rental house.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

Amelia, Daddy and I went to our first ballgame last night. Boy, did we have fun! We watched the Triple-A Portland Beavers play the Nashville Sounds. It was Family Feast Friday... meaning we got hot dogs, water and ice cream for $1. Can't beat that sort of deal. We practiced our seventh inning stretch of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"... unfortunately, Amelia didn't quite make it to the 7th inning. She pooped out and fell asleep in the bottom of the sixth. We made it to the end of the ninth inning, but unfortunately, the score was tied and went into extra innings. It was here that Brad and I decided to high tail it and go home. We found out today that the Beavers lost in the 11th inning. Final score 5-4. Here are some pictures of our outing.

Nancy, Amelia, Brad and Jack

Amelia and Daddy

See the ball field!

Mmmm... hot dog!

Amelia loved the between the innings time. That's when they played a whole bunch of music and she loved rocking out to it!

Here is video of Amelia trying to snap her fingers.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Dancing Machine

Here's a little video of Amelia dancing. You can see that she is trying to snap her fingers. Hee hee hee!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Here's some video of Amelia cruisin' around!

Also of note, Amelia loves to dance. She does this little shimmy shimmy with her shoulders. It's too cute. Last night I caughter her doing the "snake". It's so funny to watch her dance from the back. She loves grooving to tunes on the tv. Amelia has also taken to opening her mouth and blowing air into Emmy's face so Emmy can smell her breath. I think it's just too funny. And, there's more! Yesterday, we went out to a late lunch with Grandpa Bill. I had a lemonade and Amelia had a straw. I put her straw into my drink and she started sipping my lemonade! The first time she got something, she was surprised and her nose puckered up because of the sourness of the drink. But then she loved drinking my lemonade and kept slurping it up. Too cute!

Brad was too sweet yesterday. He made the comment that he wishes Amelia would stay this age for awhile. It's great. Amelia is so interactive now. Brad also like teaching her things. He loves that she says "uh-oh" all the time. I love it! I'm just gushing over my little munchkin, I know... but she's just so loveable and hug-able.

Oh another cute thing... it's in the 80s here and all Amelia wants is her blanket. She likes to be covered by it. Looks like she's going to be like Mommy and always chilly and needs a blanket! Hee hee hee!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Blowing Kisses in the Wind

Amelia loves to blow kisses. Here is a video of doing that.

Plus, I caught Amelia trying to go upstairs yesterday!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!

Yeah, yeah, I know I am a day late. But I got busy with everyone showering me with love and affection! Mother's Day was great. I woke up at 5am to hear Amelia talking over the baby monitor. So I woke up and fed her then we fell asleep in the huge recliner in her bedroom (reminder, we're in a rental house with rental furniture). Then at 7:30a we woke to the phone ringing! Happy Mother's Day MoMo! After that we retired to the big bed. That's when Daddy woke up and he and Amelia went and fixed mommy breakfast in bed. Of course we had cheerios! Actually, we had honey nut cheerios. Nevertheless, Amelia served it in bed for me and then wanted me to share. Later on in the day, we went out to brunch with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Chris, Aunt Jenny, cousin Audry, Jack and Nancy. It was yummy.

So what did I get for my first Mother's Day? I got a hanging flower basket, wooden spoons, collapsible crate for Emmy, candle thing that goes around the patio umbrella (when we can move back into our house), a book to write my memoirs in for Amelia and finally matching heart lockets. That's so special! I got one for me and then there's a matching little one for Amelia. In the middle of the locket, there's a small little diamond. I told Amelia it will be her only diamond from Daddy. The next one will be her husbands! hahaha!

All in all, it was a wonderful day. Here are a few pictures (click on them to see them bigger):

Mommy & Me looking all pretty!

Look at my dress! Mommy has been saving it for over a year! Like my sandals? My toes are painted, too.

Mommy & me matching lockets.

See, I am modeling mine. Hope mommy doesn't put that picture of me and spaghetti in hers.

On the house front: The insulation is all in. The sheetrock is up. Tomorrow we have our nail inspection. After that, the guys will come in and start taping the walls. Followed by the tiling of the bathroom. The foreman guy says by the time he gets back from vacation (around June 1), the house should be mostly completed. We'll see, though. I'll keep you posted on that.

On a funny note... we got a letter from the City of Fairview. There's going to be a hearing regarding Goat Grazing permits for the city park that our property butts up against. Should be interesting. Keep you posted on that, too!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Here are a few pictures of Amelia that I took and thought they were very cute!

We were changing the sheets on the bed and she found the comforter very comfy.

See, she loves being in a nest.

The comforter is huge and she's so small.

I caught Amelia watching The Simpsons.

Amelia eating her keys at 11 months.

Emmy and Amelia taking some time together to play.

Peek a boo!

I know this one is blurry, but I thought it was so cute.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

11 Months!

Amelia is 11 months today! In another month she'll be one! Where did the time go? Anyway, she loves crawling and it will be soon, I know it, that she'll be walking on two feet. She's already heading for the stairs and climbing up the first step (with mommy around). After that, she doesn't quite get it. However, if you've got her standing on her feet, she'll walk up the steps. She knows how to pick up her feet.

Amelia's latest thing is sharing. She loves sharing her food with you. She'll pick up a pea and stretch her arm out to you. She loves it when you let her put in your mouth. Very cute!

Amelia had her follow up eye exam. Nothing to report except we'll go back in another six month for a follow up. If we see her eye starting to drift, we'll go back sooner.

Here's a slideshow of Amelia and the bear.

Oh yes, congrats to cousin Shayna... she had her baby Lucy this morning!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Swinging Amelia

Today turned out to be a lovely day after yesterday's severe storm. So we took Amelia to the park to get some fresh air. The park has an Imagination Station (code word: large playground) and it's just across the street from the rental house. This was the first time she has ever been to the park and she had a great time. She rode a swing by herself and with mommy. She went down the slide by herself and then went with mommy, too. She also bounced on the tires there, too. Afterwards, she was a pooped little girl.

Not so sure about the ground.

Checking out the other kids in the next swing... learning how to use her legs to pump.

On the house front: we passed the plumbing inspection. So hopefully this week the workers will start sheetrocking the interior of the house. Other than that, nothing much is happening at the house.


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Eze Ndigbo praises Buhari, Tinubu over Abiola, June 12

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As Nigerians still bask in the euphoria of the recognition accorded to the late Chief MKO Abiola as the winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election by President Muhammadu Buhari, the President has continued to receive praises.

This time, Ndigbo in Lagos State under the leadership of Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu (JP), the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State have commended the President for what they called “righting the wrongs that lasted two-and-a-half decades.”

Addressing reporters at the Lagos State Igbo Community Centre, Nwachukwu Drive Okota in Oshodi/Isolo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State on Saturday, Eze Nwachukwu also praised Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his doggedness in the fight to recognise Chief Abiola as the winner of that election and to also recognise June 12 as Democracy Day in the stead of May 29.

He said: “Asiwaju Tinubu, who I regard as the most courageous and most intelligent political actor of our time, has proved again that his stand on true democracy and equity are all we need to move the country forward.

“Being the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he must have contributed immensely in terms of advising Mr President on what to do to placate some sections of the country that felt and still feel aggrieved over some political moves by some past leaders.

“I have heard some comments that the recognition of June 12 and the honour on the late Chief Abiola were mere political calculations. They also said it was meant to assuage the South, especially the Southwest geo-political zone aimed in order to get their votes in the 2019 general elections. It is a very unfair way to commend anyone who has done something right.

“By this action, both President Buhari and Asiwaju Tinubu have proved that they are true democrats.

“The move was aimed at healing festering wounds in the spirit of national interest and national reconciliation, deepening our democracy and freedom; to overcome our various divides and produce unity and national cohesion. This indicates that time for complete national unity has come and we have to embrace it.

“It was regrettable that the 1993 presidential election was nullified despite its clarity that Abiola won the election. The conferment of the national honours and the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day by the APC government were clear expressions that the country acknowledged the error she had committed 25 years ago.”

Continuing, Eze Nwachukwu said: “To avoid a situation where the honour on Abiola and the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day became mere declaration of intent by the President, I urge members of the National Assembly to immediately begin a process of amending the Public Holidays Act in order to make June 12 attain the status of an Act of Parliament and be constitutionally recognised as a public holiday.”

Also speaking, the Chairman Council of Chiefs, Igbo Community Centre Lagos, Chief Elemuwa Anthony Chukwuemeka praised President Buhari for the honour done to the winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election. He advised him to bring to fruition the principles of June 12 which, he said, are eradication of poverty, restoration of hope to all Nigerians, freedom and recognition of human dignity by halting unnecessary killing of innocent Nigerians in some parts of the country.

He said: “The President should work hard to end poverty, as that was what Abiola stood for.

The late Abiola was loved by all Nigerians before, during and after the annulled election because some of his cardinal programmes were to end poverty by all means and not to allow any Nigerian to suffer. The Federal Government should follow the steps of the late Abiola.”


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In Jos, IDPs lament

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Their lamentations were akin to those of the Israelite’s who suffered atrocious ill-treatment in the hands of their Babylonian captors. They were homesick and wondered how they could sing their national song in a strange land. They looked forward to the day they would be taken back to their ancestral homes.

Victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast who are in a camp as internally-displaced persons in their father land feel the same way the Israelites felt; about going back to their roots. Their lamentations were quite touching.

Hear them: “Please, for the sake of Almighty God, return us to our homes. How long shall we remain outside our homes? How long shall we continue to live on relief materials? How long shall we live on donated food items? How long shall we live with this trauma? Many unanswered questions. The lamentations were couched in a song sang by the young ones at the camp during an event to mark their one year in the IDPs’ camp in Jos.

Naturally, the IDPs feel abandoned by the Federal Government after their displacement from their ancestral homes by Boko Haram insurgents. They have spent over one year in the camp with no hope of leaving the camp or returning to their homes. They desired to go back home, but they have none anymore.

To commemorate one year of establishing the camp, the Stefanos Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), had organised an event at the camp. The IDPs, who have been in the camp for over a year, sang songs to express their pains, feelings; expectations and frustrations.

They have been crying out and had made several appeals to government to better their lives. They only attention they received from government, according to them, were relief materials. But they said they are tired of living on relief materials; they want government to help them in rebuilding their homes to enable them to return to their ancestral land and start life afresh.

Leader of the IDPs camp at Zang Commercial College Jos, Zakka Ali who is also the Chairman of Gwoza Christian Community said: “We escaped from death and ran to this camp for refuge one year ago. We spent the Christmas in this camp last year and another Christmas is here.

“We don’t want to spend this year’s Christmas here. But we have no home where we will spend the Christmas. Our homes were razed down by Boko Haram insurgents and government never cared to help us find alternative shelter.

“There are no fewer than 276,312 Christians from Gwoza who were displaced as a result of insurgency. All of us are scattered; families disconnected. Some ran to Cameroon, some ran to Jos and other parts of Nigeria.

“We need government’s intervention to return home as quickly as possible. We know President Muhammadu Buhari is a father of all Nigerians. We are appealing to him to help us get out of the camp; we are tired of staying here.”

Programme Coordinator of Stefanos Foundation, the NGO who provided the camp,  Mr. Mark Lipdo said: “The NGO opened this camp on November 1, last year, as a temporary shelter for the IDPs. We have kept 479 families in the camp for over a year.

“However, some of them had returned home; leaving at least 94 families in the camp. This comprises 466 people, including 38 males,  88 females and 340 children. “My NGO only thought of providing them a temporary camp, expecting government to take them over. But one year after, government has not come to their aids in that regard. They now feel abandoned by their own government. The NGO can only provide a little care.

In a remark, the President, Plateau State Council of Chiefs, the Gbong Gwom Jos, His Royal Majesty, Da Jacop Gyang Buba praised Stefanos Foundation for taking the burden of caring for the IDPs for over a year.

He said: “The issue of IDPs is one of the greatest challenges posed by the insecurity in the Northeast. It is commendable that the Federal Government has succeeded in rooting Boko Haram from the zone and plans are on by the Federal Government to reconstruct the areas destroyed by Boko Haram. I, therefore, call on the Federal Government not to forget the IDPs in Jos in the overall plan for the Northeast.”

Guest Speaker on the occasion, Prof. Nnamdi Aduba of the University of Jos said: “Every citizen of Nigeria has the right to adequate standard of living and equal access to essential food, potable water, shelter, appropriate clothing and essential medical services, among other things.”

Speaking on the topic “Good Governance and Humanitarian Crisis: A Case Study of Northern Nigeria,” he emphasised that the good governance index of Nigeria since the return to democracy in 1999, has been very dismal and discouraging.”


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For Generations to Come: Christmas Gift Ideas from Kilmarnock Toys

Kilmarnock Toys Dolls House - White

By Hannah Schenker

There is something so nice about wooden toys. They are timeless, not subject to the same faddishness as the latest plastic gadget. They are long-lasting and hardwearing. They encourage imagination – there are no bright colours or flashing lights or single uses for the object. Wooden toys are tactile, stimulating the fine motor skill development with the different shapes and weights. Wooden toys are safe, lacking tiny bits that break off or toxic plastics and paints. Wooden toys are quiet and connected to the natural world. Here are four wonderful wooden Christmas gift ideas for your little ones, from Kilmarnock Toys.

Wooden Blocks

Kilmarnock Toys Wooden Blocks and Trolley

Do you remember playing for hours with wooden blocks when you were little? Tipping over the basket and hearing the satisfying clunks and crashes as they tumbled onto the living room floor, where you went on to create imaginary worlds? Me too! Wooden blocks were an endless source of fun and creative play for me and my sister. Playing with blocks could be done on your own or in collaboration. Because of their durability, a set of blocks could last through generations. You could even pair a set of blocks with one of these handy block trolleys so your wee one can cart them around.

Baby Gym

Kilmarnock Toys Baby Gym and Mat

Is your child too young for a set of blocks? This beautiful wooden Baby Gym is perfect for lying your baby beneath, strung with colourful hanging handmade accessories for them to look at, reach for, touch. This will help them develop their gross motor skills, cognitive abilities, reflexes and stimulate their sensory faculties. It’s sturdy and can be folded away into storage when not being used.

See next page for the Kilmarnock Toys Doll House…

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At The Movies Sermon Series

For four weeks in June and July, we will study the spiritual connections of recent blockbuster movies. Movies tell the stories of our times, but do movies present a distorted truth or can God be found at the movies?  It’s likely a bit of both. Jesus spent a lot of time using the stories of his day to help teach timeless truths. In this series each movie will be used as a launchpad to teach the timeless truths of Scripture. This is a great series to invite a friend!  On July 13, we will have some family members of Eugene Allen join us to talk about the real life of the White House Butler.

June 22, Part 1 – Gravity (John 3:1-21)

June 29, Part 2 – Saving Mr. Banks (Ephesians 1:3-14)

July 6, Part 3 – Frozen (1 John 4:7-21)

July 13, Part 4 – The Butler (Micah 6:8)

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Showing posts from February, 2013

I'm Loving How Today's Pastor Are Using Social Media In A Way To Promote The Church!!

Marvin Sapp Respone To Those Lacking Knowledge and The Unlearned Christian!!?!?

On Tuesday Marvin Sapp did like so many other preacher/pastor/teacher before him. He took to his Facebook page to chasten one of his many followers, for having the nerve to question his motives for hooking up with Kandi Burress on her new single "Stay Prayed Up."

And as usual  just like clock work within minutes of updating his page status, his many followers and "pew-sitters" were there, in full force to defend and back up their man of God.  But what I found interesting in all the that-a-boy comments and butt kissing that was taking place on Marvin Sapp page was this:
 "Why didn't MARVIN address Kandi struggles instead of addressing the person that wrote the note?  That's what real pastors do. I'm submitting MARVIN is not a Pastor chosen by God, he is just a singer looking for the next gig. Wanting to be SEEN and KNOWN."  In an interview Kandi did admit she leads a contrary life in terms of the principles outlined in the word of God for sexua…

Check Out "Because Of Them, We Can" Campaign:Love It!!

Shout out and high five to photographer Eunique Gibson Jones for a beautiful and awesome campaign.  I love this amazing campaign celebrating "Black History Month" through pictures. I'm speechless! It’s an awesome tribute to those who came before us and a wonderful way of encouraging our youth who will lead future generations.

For each day during February the photographer released a pic showing someone from the past or present who has and/or continues to pave the way for us!  Get this!  kids were used to get the message across. "Because of them, we can!" Love it!

A Brand New Easter Production: King of Kings!

If you always wanted to witness and experience the life of our Lord, Savior and King, Jesus Christ during the Easter season in a more real way. Then you need to make your way to the Evangel Multi Media and Arts Center in Upper Baltimore Maryland during the week of March 22-24. They are presenting a special Easter production with live animals along with Gospel music artists like Shirley Caesar, Richard Smallwood, Beverly Crawford, Tamela Mann and  Le’Andria Johnson.

Church "MAN EVENT" Gives Away gun At It Sunday Service!

There's rumbling and some eyebrow raising among church folks after, a church in Flowery Branch Georgia gave away guns at it Sunday evening  “Man Church” event.

I tell you what! as of late our fears have been heightened beyond a reasonable level. Especially when we take a step back and look at the crazy things that are happening in around our churches today we have to point the finger at the cultural influence of our society. Article Here!

Ebony Magazine Apologizes to Pastor Jamal Bryant!!

All right now! According to the Christian Post, Pastor Jamal H. Bryant of Empowerment Temple AME Church in Baltimore, Md. have received an apology from Ebony magazine. This comes after Pastor Bryant openly rebuked the publication for reporting a church rumor that the charismatic minister had impregnated a 17-year-old member of his congregation in 2007. The way to go Pastor Bryant!

Jesus Come Get Your Folks: Mr.Obnoxious William G.McCray lll Have Openly Rebuked Dr.Jamal Bryant!!

Lord have mercy! When we Christians start rebuking and calling one another out it can become a mess.

What in the world is rebuke you might ask? Well it's an act or expression of criticism (words) spoken out loud by believers who try to stop the devil by saying stuff like: "Satan you have no place here", "I bind you", "I rebuke you", "You must stop".  And if that don't work then they write a blog post calling the devil out.  Lord have mercy!

Jesus Take The Wheel: Religious TV Show Miracle Hour ‘Risking Lives’!??!

I pray the Lord have mercy on these gullible folks. There's a TV show that's made in London that encourage and brainwashes its viewers into believing  they are cured of life-threatening illnesses by prayer. They have been condemned and have come under fire from the authorities .

This is some alarming stuff here! Telling folks they are healed of disease, when in reality it just might not be there hour or season to be healed.  I know there are faith-healing groups in the U.S. that rejects medical science and rely heavily on Bible scriptures like James 5:13-15, which calls for anointing and prayer.

In an episode of the Miracle Hour show, on Faith World TV, during which a diabetic caller was told he was “set free” from the disease. “It is particularly dangerous and puts his life at risk,” said African Health Policy Network head Francis Kaikumba. UKWET, which produces the show, said it was “reviewing” its “new programs”.

Question Of The Day: Should Single Men Be Eligible To Lead A Christian Church?

I don't know if this is a good thing or not but, there are lots and lots, of single pastors within the Christian Community.  Some are single by divorce some by death and some by choice. And from the look of things it's becoming more a trend and  the norm.

Once upon a time, long ago this (single pastor) was frowned upon and considered by most to be a taboo. After reading the piece over at The Christian Post it got me to thinking and asking questions like:

Are single men disqualified from the pastorate? If so why?  Are single pastors in a sense more qualified for pastoral ministry and are better suited for it than pastors who are married? If so why? Do you the reader agree with that statement? If so why?   What if a single young man believes in and preach the full Gospel of Jesus Christ, then should the fact he's single be a barrier to him being a pastor? If so why?   Does the phrase “husband of one wife” in 1 Timothy 3:2 still apply to today's pastor? If so why or why…

Question Of The Day:Is There A Expiration Date On Ministry?

This article has got to be one of the most thought provoking pieces I have read in a long time.

"Is there some expiration date on ministry?  Is that the lesson the bible teaches us? Jesus ministered for only three years. He never traveled more than 100 miles from His home. In that time, without the benefit of social media or television, He changed the world.""We have before us a spate of gross moral failures of high-profile black pastors, from Juanita Bynum’s bragging (sin) about spending “over a million” of her gullible and ignorant followers’ tithes and offerings on a gaudy, over-the-top pagan ritual “wedding” which served to glorify only her, to “Bishop” Paul Morton claiming he was, his words, “Stranded in New Jersey” during Hurricane Katrina even as we saw Bishop TD Jakes on the ground in New Orleans unloading boxes from a relief truck on CNN split screen, to “Bishop” Eddie Long using millions of his …

Jesus Take The Wheel:“Pastor Jamal Bryant Rebukes EBONY Magazine"

Pastor Jamal Bryant is highly piss with an article in Ebony Magazine March issue and rightly so. It look like  Ebony Magazine has made some false claims against Pastor Bryant that are not true. The magazine has state that Pastor Bryant had  impregnated a 17-year old member of his church a couple of years ago.

The pastor stated in an open letter to the magazine that  this was a big lie and the magazine need to get it’s facts correct, because misinformation like this could cause harm to his girls.

I believe Ebony Magazine is wrong here for stating the age of the young women in question, especially if the young woman was older than 17.  Ebony Magazine do need to get there facts straight if that was not the case.  I can understand why this truly would not sit well for a man who has daughters. Update Here!

Fantasia Is Not Happy With Jet Magazine!?!?

Lord have mercy! Fantasia is covering JET Magazine‘s March 2013 issue and she's highly upset at the folks over at JET Magazine for the cover.  It looks like JET used a photo from 10 years ago. Fantasia says it doesn’t match her current rock/soul brand.
I don't think it's a bad picture at all, I've seen pictures of Fantasia that look much worse,  I think it's a cute picture.  I do understand where she's coming from especially if she sent "Jet Magazine"  the picture that she preferred that they use of her on the cover.Article Here!

I'M Disappointed In The Action Of Jesse Jackson Jr.

Hebrews 13:5 instructs us to keep our life free from the love of money, and to be content with what we have! With that being said,  I'm having a feeling of let down in the action of Jesse Jackson Jr. I have always liked young Jesse Jackson Jr., for me he was someone who had shown so much promise early on in his young career as a great leader.

 Jesse Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty yesterday in Chicago, to operating in the spirit of greed (misusing campaign funds).  Jackson agreed that he took money ($750,000) that was to be set aside and use to support his campaign. Jackson used said money to buy a mink cashmere cape, $43,000 Rolex watch, Bruce Lee memorabilia, $60,000 in nightclubs and lounges among other things. Sad and disappointed! Article Here!

Is Hillsong Church A Money Machine????

The Mega churches are under the spotlight once again. There have been documented allegations aim, direct and leveled against Brian Houston and his Hillsong Church (Australia) for years. Now there's a new "Current Affair" piece out questioning the church assets, finances and spending.

 I don't believe the church per-say  was ever meant to become such a big organization like it has become.  I am surprised to learn that Australia does not tax churches. I do not know their reasons, but the USA generally tax-exempts charitable organizations that meet certain criteria, whether or not those organizations are religious or not.

Breaking News:Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr Will Announce His Successor During July Conference!

Did Bishop Jake's Have Book Author/Elder Escorted Out Of The Potter House Church????

The internet is abuzz once again, this time with rumors that Bishop T.D. Jakes had a  long time Elder escorted out of the Potter House Church. The  elder in question is Elder David Lee Richardson who is reported to have been  part of the Potters house church family for years, and now decided to write a book entitled “The Sunday Morning Stick Up. "What your pastor doesn’t want you to know about tithes.”

Forest Whitaker Action Shot Down The Myth Of The Angry Black Man!

The Internet was abuzz last week with news of Oscar winner Forest Whitaker being publicly searched and manhandled at a Milano Market in Manhattan after, a store worker suspected Whitaker of shoplifting.

What I like about this incident is the comment made by Forest Whitaker (none) and the action of the owners. They have since apologized to the star for the actions of their employee.
And the store owners are hoping to appease Whitaker by offering a donation to the charity of his choice.

I'm glad Forest Whitaker showed restraint under pressure here by not overreacting in anger, in a way that could have cost the person a job. But, instead  allowed a great lesson to be taught by his action.  For me Forest Whitaker action shows us if you lose control you risk losing other things as well, like the respect of others or the chance to find a constructive solution.

  “The management of Milano Market deeply regrets the wrongful actions of our employee in stopping and frisking Forest Whita…

Have The Election of President Obama Paved Way For The First Black Pontiff?!?!

Some in the "Catholic Community" are claiming that the election of the first black president (Obama)  has made it possible for the first black pope to be elected. Do you agree?

Question of The Day: Is This Pastor Being A Pulpit Bully??

Pastor Larry Smith decided to stop his entire sermon at First Baptist Church of Hammond last month and yell at a pew member who was talking.

Kandi Venture Into ‘Church Music’ Have Paid Off!??!?!

Well, I guess it's Kudos and high fives to Kandi and her many supporters. "Stay Prayed Up" the song by Kandi and Marivn Sapp, was released February 15 on iTunes and has already reached #2 on the Gospel & Christian iTunes single chart. Sad!!

Jesus Take The Wheel: Feds Shut Down Megachurch Pastor Bill Winston Bank!

Federal regulators late Friday shut down Covenant Bank on the West Side, of Chicago which has been reported to have been losing money since its 2008 founding by megachurch pastor Bill Winston. What an unfortunate outcome for such a wonderful idea. I feel sorry for the church members who lost their money here.  From my reading and understanding, with the bank being closed by bank regulators. That the sale will protect account holders, who are insured up to the $250,000 per-account maximum. But it will wipe out the bank’s owners, including members of Winston’s Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park who provided cash for the purchase. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. sold the bank’s assets to Liberty Bank and Trust Co. of New Orleans. Article Here!   So Sad!!

Jesus Take The Wheel: Man Raped Woman He Met On Christian Mingle Dating Site!?!?!

Warning, don't get discouraged in well doing.  Just because the society we now live in is filled with dishonorable males, girls gone wild, angry bitter females and misogynistic men. That doesn't mean that God has abandoned His promise to those who seek after Him.  "I Will Give You The Desires Of Your Heart."

For me, I have a very hard time understanding why Christians or anyone else  would choose this method as a way of finding a suitable mate. I guess we have  arrived at the place where we no longer believe the saying "True Love will find you"!

Anyway, Christian Mingle is one of the most established Christian dating sites on the internet.  Christian Mingle is a dating site solely meant for Christian singles looking for a life partner. The site was established in 1996, the website boasts of its many years of experience helping out Christian singles.

 Well last week a California man was arrested after being accused of raping a woman he met through the onli…

Gangster Rapper Chief Keef Will Be Baptized Once He's Free!

There's reports out that the young man Chief Keef will be looking to Jesus once he's released from juvenile detention.  According to "The Sun Times" the Rev. Corey Brooks (“the rooftop pastor”) said Friday, he plans to baptize the 17-year-old rapper when he’s released from juvenile detention.  The Chicago minister plans on helping Keef become part of the Christian faith.

I wish Chief Keef all the best in his bid and transition to serve Christ.  This is the same young man who earlier in the year had to have a judge approve a final deal for millions,  he had made with a record company because of his age.

The Hoochie Ratchet Barbie Doll!?!?!?

There's no way in Hades I would buy this doll for a kid. The internet is ablaze today over the above and the below image.
An image of a brown Barbie doll has surfaced on the Internet, causing people to question whether or not it is supposed to be the next African-American Barbie. The doll is sporting blonde hair, gold chains, cleavage, and two bags that are strikingly similar to the Louis Vuitton monogram multicolor collection. Many African-Americans find the doll’s appearance offensive, stating that it does not exude the true beauty of African-American women. Article Here! What are your thoughts?

The Foolshiness Of Today's Church: Praise God Gangnam Style???!

The ridiculous and foolish that take place in our churches nowadays is overwhelming. Why in the world  is the church always trying to repackage what the world is doing? "Praise God Gangnum Style"! HATE IT!

Chaka Khan New Pop-dance Record: "It's Not Over"

With age comes wisdom and understanding.... And Chaka Khan has mastered both of those in being older and wiser. Chaka Khan learned long ago she can make you get up and move with her music, no matter where you might be at in life.
 So, with her new pop-dance record, "It's Not Over," she manages to keep that idea working but in a new way.    The 10-time Grammy award winner has hooked up with Grammy winning Christian Lecrae for her new project.

Thirteen Year Old Who Became A New Born.

Everything that has gone viral on the world wide net isn't necessarily good/bad. One Facebook photo that was posted yesterday is making BIG headlines. Latrell Higgins, a child who was adopted at age 10, asked his parents to let him take 'newborn' 13-year-old photos because he never got them when he was a child. The image was later posted to Facebook, and has been shared thousands of times.

I am sorry, but I think and feel that they went about this in the wrong way….and not to mention it’s a little disturbing.  I do believe that they had the best of intentions and their hearts are definitely without question and beyond doubt in the right place. Don’t get me wrong I believe there are many ways they could have come up with to make this young MAN feel like part of their family. I understand that there are a lot of people who think this is a good thing but I don’t. What if there is’s a deeper issue here for this young man that they don’t know about? Great read over here!

What Are You Giving Up For Lent??

Today Ash Wednesday marks the  beginning of the  lent season for many in the Chrisitan Community. Lent starts every year on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday.

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.

Congratulation Ambassador Juanita Bynum!

Dr Juanita  Bynum becomes a Goodwill Ambassador of Bayelsa State Nigeria last year.  She was honored  with the award during a celebration at the warehouse church last month.

 Dr. Bynum, stated that she regarded this honor as her greatest achievement in missionary work.  She visited the state during the flood saga in parts of the country and was moved into the creeks of Bayelsa where she was fired up in the spirit to donate to charity, in alleviating the sufferings of the people in Nigeria.. Article here!

Is There A Disconnect Between The Black Church And Hip Hop?!?!?!

What a great read! I recently attended an event where a well-known Black pastor was preaching. Hip, relatively young and Baptist, he delivered a scintillating sermon on social justice that at times had the audience cheering loudly. While I loved his message of empowering the poor and providing equal opportunities for the downtrodden, I was more than a bit turned off by the way he quoted three popular secular rappers as if they were Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. Rest Here!

Beyonce` Is Doing Oprah "Next Chapter"!?!??!

The Singersroom has confirmed that  Beyonce and Oprah Winfrey will be sitting down for a no holds barred interview that will air on the latters successful series "Oprah's Next Chapter."

The Pope Have Given The Vatican His Two Week Notice!

Pope Benedict XVl rose early this morning while being in sound mind and body....and decided, you know what, I don't want to do this any more. So in a move that took the world by surprise, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will resign on Feb. 28.

The Mysterious Death Of A Megachurch Pastor!

According to "The Examiner" Pastor Riva Tims, ex-wife of late televangelist and personality Pastor Zachery Tims, is opening up regarding his death. Speaking out in a report in the latest issue of Ebony, released Thursday, Tims says the late leader struggled with substance abuse and what she now believes was a "lifestyle." Rest Here!

Will Centino Kemp Break His Confidentiality Agreement???

Just a quick reminder! This young man has signed and agreed to a non-disclosure and secrecy agreements (also called) a confidentiality agreements.  If I'am not mistaken these types of agreements are important legal tools used by business and lay people who have something or someone to protect.  In this particular case it's name and family.  I believe Bishop Long had this confidentiality agreement put in place to protect him, his family and church from future home.

Last summer Centino Kemp via his social media made a claim that he had dismissed the notion of a a tell-all book about his relationship with Bishop Eddie Long, and that he was moving on.  Well it looks like things have taken a turn for Mr. Centino Kemp.

Mr. Kemp has decided for some reason or another, to move forward with his controversial book, "First Lady" which is slated to hit bookshelves on Valentine's Day. Mr. Kemp claims that he was referred to (not call) as the "First Lady" during his …

The African American Way Of Death!

Homegoings is a feature documentary exploring the African American way of death. Filmed at Owens Funeral Home in Harlem and rural South Carolina, the film takes an up-close and unusual look into the rarely seen world of undertaking, one of the few occupations Black Americans could enter freely after slavery. Combining cinema verité with intimate interviews and personal photographs, Homegoings tells the stories of several families who have lost loved ones, while painting a vivid portrait of the passionate man behind their funerals. Article Here!

Is The Christian Church Marketing Not Working? Athletes Have More Influence Than The God Man!?!?!?

Is Christian Church Marketing not working? The Barna Group, a market research firm that specializes in studying religious beliefs among Americans and how they impact faith and culture, recently released a study claiming that athletes have more influence than pastors. An estimated two-thirds of Americans- about 64 percent- believe that professional athletes influence people in American society more than professional faith leaders, according to the report released on the Barna Group website.

What's going on here? I'm not one bit surprised at this new finding at all. We live in a celebrity obsessed culture. Last year Jesus Tim Tebow drew a crowd of about 15,000 to an outdoor Easter church service. Why?  The comment below is a powerful one for me.
"I’m sure there are many reasons for the trend of decreasing influence of pastors. No doubt some of them are self-inflicted. What strikes me most is that we are living at a time when the Christian Church markets itself more than e…

Note To Ray Lewis: “The Lord Has Made Everything For Its Purpose, Even The Wicked For The Day Of Trouble.”

Wow what a Great Super Bowl that was last night. Kudos, high five and a big shout out to Ray Lewis, of the Super Bowl Championship team the "Baltimore Ravens." On one hand  I want to think Ray and his team for showing the world exactly what it means to get a scripture down into your soul. On the other hand I want to caution Lewis about missing, quoting and throwing scripture out wrong.

Bible readers everywhere know that the book of Isaiah, is what Ray Lewis kept quoting, doing the last couple of weeks. "No weapon formed against us shall prosper." Ray believed in that particular passage of scripture to the point he had the entire team and the head coach John Harbaugh quoting the same passage of scripture. It is a beautiful passage of scripture especially when you read the entire 17th verse of the 54 chapters of Isaiah:
"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the…

Zacardi Cortes Confesses To Selling Drugs?!?!!?

“First giving honor and praise to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who's  the head of my life.”   If you grew up in the construct of the black church the particular phrase above  is not something  new for you. You probably  have heard it a zillion of times before.  And, when you heard that phrase spoken during a church service, you knew a  testimony was about to break out. There's nothing wrong with one sharing their Christian testimony. And as a believer in Christ it can be one of the greatest witnessing tools we have available to us is the testimony of a changed life.

I was reading over here where recording artist Zacardi Cortez will be a special guest on BET’s “Lift Every Voice” program this Sunday, February 3rd. On the show, the gospel artist will talk about his former life in the streets, selling drugs and a near death experience that brought him back to God.

 The Bible has many examples of people who came to Christ, were saved and walked away changed. Not many Christia…

Pastor Jamal Bryant Has Instructed His Congregation To Dress Appropriately For Today's Game.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday at EmpowermentTem2. Pastor Jamal Bryant via his Face Book, has  instructed his congregation to wear their ravens paraphernalia for their  pre-game pep praise rally. When I read the pastor comment I thought about the many churches in America  tomorrow that would be doing things totally different because of the super bowl. I'm finding out that many churches change their Sunday evening services or eliminate them completely on Super Bowl Sunday, some having "Super Bowl Parties" at church instead of regular services. What are your thoughts on doing this?

Bad News For Willow Smith Fans!

I hate to hear that  Willow Smith will no longer be starring in the remake of ‘Annie‘. According to reports, production took too long to get underway, and she has outgrown the role. Willow was given the role when she was 9 years old. I was so looking forward to seeing Little Willow Smith take on this role.

The Scroll: When Real Problems Meet Real Faith!

The "Scroll" will highlight  the journey of faith, hope and perseverance that led these individuals to a position of positive influence.

 Part 1 – Premieres Sunday, Feb. 3 at 8 PM ET Featuring: Bishop T.D. Jakes, Rev. Bernice A. King, Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, Rev. Al Sharpton Jr., Bishop Noel Jones, Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Dr. Calvin O. Butts III and more.

 Part 2 – Premieres Sunday, Feb. 10 at 8 PM ET Featuring: Bishop Charles E. Blake, Rev. Dr. David Jefferson Sr., Rev. Dr. Della Reese Lett, Bishop Keith Reed Sr., Rev. Dr. Marvin L. Sapp, Rev. Johnny Ray Youngblood, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Bishop Donald Hilliard Jr., Pastor A.R. Bernard and more.

Part 3 – Premieres Sunday, Feb. 17 at 8 PM ET Featuring: Pastor Lawrence Powell, Apostle Frederick K.C. Price, Bishop Joseph L. Garlington, Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr., Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, Rev. Dr. Mark Tyler, Bishop Dale C. Bronner, Rev. Dr. Perry Simmons Jr., Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Walker, Rev. Dr. Marvin L. Sapp, Bishop Noel Jones…

Social Media Take Down Another!

A story earlier  this week  has gone viral about a pastor who rejected the idea of paying 18% on at a restaurant bill  and wrote “I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?” The waitress who posted the receipt online has since been fired by her employer.

I notice that any time the world gets a chance to point a finger toward the hypocrisies that's  in the Christian community they will/do.  Now I totally agree that the pastor who left the unwanted tip was wrong. I also think it was wrong for the restaurant to fire the waitress. What do you think was this fair?


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Friday, April 19, 2013

Be Still

Over the past year, I have felt a pressing need to practice what it meant to Be Still. It was something that I couldn't quite shake, not so much a feeling as a gentle command. God needed me to Be Still. The first step in achieving this request was understanding what exactly being Still meant.

How does one
Be Still? How does one Be Still with God? In what capacity am I to Be Still?

Part of my journey to master being Still had a lot to do with our circumstances of living with another family. That particular leg of our journey left limited opportunity for me to really do anything outside of raising my child. The living situation wasn't conducive to my creative outlet, nor was it conducive to entertaining our friends and family. Previously, I mentioned how coming to this conclusion to merge families was the hardest thing my husband and I had to do. We were seriously humbled. We were also being blessed. Moving in with our friends was an answer to our prayers, and through faith we endured. Something to consider, when you decide to move in with another family, or even with your own family, dynamics change. It's not your house. It's not your time. It's no ones' fault, it's just how it is. We had no choice but to defer to this other family. But a lot of good came from this difficult living situation.

There were times this answered prayer of seeking shelter in the home of another family felt like a curse, but through this chapter of my life, I have come to understand one should never underestimate God's ability to bend circumstances to His ultimate advantage. If you let Him.

God knew I would rely on Him to provide a home for us; God knew I would trust in Him to lead us where we were to go; God knew I needed to learn how to quiet my mind. He knew what situation, which answer to my prayer, would be the perfect classroom for me to relent and Be Still.

I went through a range of emotions from highly positive to utterly despaired. It was ten months of feeling like I couldn't be myself, I couldn't live my way, and I couldn't do what I wanted. Still. Be Still. That's what I kept hearing, feeling, seeing. I had no choice but to pray, asking God to reveal to me the method of which to inherit so that I may be able to obey Him. It started with letting go. I had to let go of how my circumstances affected me. I had to let go of the fact that this is not where I wanted to be in life. I had to let go of my fears regarding our future. I had to let go of feeling inadequate. The list just simply goes on.

I was made aware that in my efforts to hear God's will, I over think the circumstances and consequences to the point of drowning out His voice. I needed to let go of my personal fears and hesitations, in order to truly give God the opportunity to speak to me, answer me, guide me. But another factor in noise cancelling out God's voice is the outside world. We have expectations placed on us by society, family, or friends. Sometimes all three. Judgement is passed. Pressure expounds as we try to live according to what other's feel is right for us. And in my humanness, I often take ownership for things that are not my right to own. This is so backwards, but as humans we have a hard time keeping them out.

My time feeling sequestered from the populous was used to God's advantage. It allowed me to only focus on keeping my thoughts at bay, instead of also battling the worlds incessant noise.

Through our unorthodox lifestyle during this phase of our lives, I was in perfect position to center myself in listening to God. What I exercised was reading the bible, or other inspirational books, compelling my mind to focus on what I just read, as I fell asleep. Picture a thought entering your mind, uninvited, and using a mental bat to hit it out of the realm of your concentration. That is what I practiced...Over and over and over again. Some nights I fought so hard to keep only the last sentence I read, and the message attached to it, that I didn't sleep well in an effort to keep all other thoughts from creeping in and taking over. However, over time I came to learn how to quiet my mind. This discipline helped me to hone the skills necessary to kick unwelcome thoughts from my conscience, and to allow God's deeper understanding fill my heart. It was incredibly difficult, as well as exhausting.

That is not to say that this isn't a constant struggle. Even to this day I am currently overwhelmed with a new part time job and managing this blog, being a stay at home mother and house wife. It's not the act of playing all of these roles that has me overwhelmed, it's the transition of going from a completely flexible schedule to a not so flexible schedule. I have allowed my mind to weigh me down with a list of things I must do every week around my new part time job. I didn't realize I'd be as fatigued as I am after my first three days. Then I remember I haven't worked in three years and I haven't done this particular line of work in nine.

Almost two weeks ago I decided I wanted to volunteer at our local library, sharing this with my husband. He didn't really have much to say. At least, not at first. The next day however, he came to me and expressed that if I was willing to take the time to volunteer, then he would prefer me to get a part time job. Many thoughts and emotions ran through my head and heart at this suggestion. I have wanted to volunteer for years, but due to various financial circumstances haven't been able to -- Be Still. That same day, I decided to call around, seeking employment to no avail. Ten businesses later, nothing. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to go about applying and interviewing for jobs knowing I am responsible for my son during normal business hours. I also wasn't sure how easy it would be to find a job that allowed me part time hours outside of my husbands first shift work schedule. My only choice was to pray.

And pray I did.
Lord, I don't know what to do. This is all in your hands, and if You will it, provide a suitable job for me. May Your will be done. I trust you. In Jesus Christ's name, Amen.
After, I engaged myself in all that God had taught me: I was Still.

I let it go. I focused on what I could for the rest of the day. I worked on my blog, I played with my child, I cleaned the house. Then, I got a call, had an interview after my husband got home from work, and was blessed with a job that fits into my family's current schedule and lifestyle.

By trusting in the work God had already performed on my heart, I was able to move out of God's way to allow His will to be done, in His way and in His time. There is no glamour, no romanticism, but I see an awesome miracle performed by His Most High. I thank God for bringing the people of my current place of employment into my life. And I thank Him for revealing truths about myself to me. I am enjoying life in a way I never thought was possible.

So, while I am struggling with the transition of balancing home and work, and adjusting to my aging body, I am filled with a further sense of purpose, joy, and peace. I feel more useful, more capable, and am eager to keep up with all God has asked of me, because, through Him alone, all things are possible.

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QCG meets today in Oman on Afghan peace process

muscutPESHAWAR: A four-nation group seeking to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan is due to meet in Muscat today (Monday), officials say.

Diplomats from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US are meeting for the first time in more than a year in an effort to facilitate direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban.

The killing of Taliban’s supreme leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike in Balochistan last year had dealt a setback to the quadrilateral process.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai leads the Afghan delegation, which also includes a representative of the High Peace Council.

On Sunday, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah said Afghan-Pakistan relations would be discussed at the Quadrilateral Cooperation Group (QCG) meeting in Oman.

Abdullah said good relations with neighbours was Afghanistan’s need and the recent visit of the Pakistan Army chief was aimed at defusing tensions between the two countries.

Alice Wells, assistant secretary of state, heads the US delegation. The QCG is a format that allows the four states to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, a State Department official was quoted as saying by Dawn.

Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, who is already in Oman, will lead the Pakistani team, including senior military officials, according to the newspaper.

A day earlier, Janjua met Oman’s Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed Bin Awadh Al Hassan for political consultations.

The Foreign Office in Islamabad said the secretary briefed her counterpart on relations with neighbouring countries. The QCG has held five sessions so far. -Pajhwok

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Apr 10: Variety Sports Program – Toronto

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April 10 @ 6:00 am - 8:00 pm

Apr 10: Variety Sports Program – Toronto

Calling all Sports Enthusiasts!!!  Join us for our weekly sports program as we will be offering a variety of sports like basketball, soccer, dodge ball plus many more while having fun and instilling good sportsmanship.

This ongoing winter/spring program is currently a drop-in that will be implementing new programming – Hoops & Spikes.  Stay tuned for updates as we plan to make changes to better support children and youth in the program.

Also, for those that can’t make it to our during the week sessions please be sure to join us on Saturday April 28th, 2018 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM at our other gym located at Central Park P.S., 100 Central Park Dr., (Markham & Hwy 7), Unionville, ON.

For more information please email ablenman@yay.org or 416.932.1919 x 231.

April 10
6:00 am - 8:00 pm
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The Peer Project

St. Cyril C.S.
18 Kempford Blvd., (Yonge & Finch)
Toronto , Ontario M2N 2B9 Canada
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T. R. Kiyoshi Oshiro

T. R. Kiyoshi Oshiro shops around a first novel, writes, eats & drinks (sometimes related, sometimes all at once) in Southern California and other places.

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September 2014

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for sale - re-stock items & new products

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    To view more closely the details of each product, don't forget to double-click on the image for a larger view. Email me at, with the product you are wishing to purchase and the quantity. Please add your address details if you wish us to post, then you will be asked to send a cheque or if direct credit is easier I will give you our bank account details. Thank you very much for shopping with us. Happy scrapping!

Scrapfest by the sea - 23-25th Aug 2013

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    Mission Statement: Our aim is to provide NZ scrapbookers a supportive environment in which to teach and share new scrapbooking techniques, have fun, be challenged and make friendships. We want to grow a community of scrapbookers from all over New Zealand who feel safe to share their work and ideas with others and will come together for a weekend of laughter, classes, fund raising, and support.

local classes

  • Crop day at Lyn's July 12th 10-4pm (Gold coin donation for the Bevan Fund). Shop open to the public. August 2nd LO with Joy...sorry class is full but we will take a waiting list. August 23rd 10-2 is a Minitag album class with Denise. September 13th 3 LO's with Lyn 10-3. Rest of September/October/November will be announced when dates have been confirmed.

favourites of the moment

  • Brave Girls Club
  • Color Room

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September 22, 2013

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Items where Author is "Amin, Aizan Sofia"

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Amin, Aizan Sofia (2014) Disability and gender in the global South: the lived experiences of disabled women in Malaysia. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

This list was generated on Fri Sep 21 01:52:32 2018 BST.


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…meet-up and a new pattern soon…

Shifted Shades shown in Black Trillium Fibres gradient kit ~ colorway Crater

Just a heads up that Melanie from Black Trillium Fibres  and I will be having a Shifted Shades meet-up tomorrow at For Yarn’s Sake!  We’ll be there from 2:00 – 4:00  with a mini trunk show and Melanie will have her beautiful yarn with her.  If you haven’t seen her gorgeous stuff, do yourself a favor (bring your wallet) and come by to see us!

Also…coming soon:  Wanda Estelle

Wanda Estelle shown in Valley Yarn Amherst ~ colorway charcoal

I’m aiming to have the pattern released tomorrow…..stay tuned!

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Snuff Box By Nathaniel Mills

1837 Birmingham, fine condition snuff box by Nathaniel Mills.

Stock No: 2/230789

To avoid disappointment, prior to your purchase we recommend you contact us on 01844 281777 or antiques@theswan.co.uk to confirm availability of the item. Our opening hours are 10 - 6pm daily and we look forward to hearing from you.

* Please note that there will be an additional charge for postage/delivery. Please ask for a quote. Any returns will be at the expense of the purchaser.


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A Christmas Memory

As a child, I lived with my grandparents until I was five. My cousins lived in the same time and they were close to my age. I was an only child, so it was as a gift of temporary siblings. One Christmas I remember going back to my grandparents for a large family celebration.

My grandparents had a camper, and us kids spent the night there… giggling and trying to keep each other awake so we could see Santa sneak into the house. The cookies and milk had been set out and we all had opinions as to which ones he’d like the best. My grandma’s tree was live and the house was full of the pine scent. Back then there was no such thing as ‘artifical’ trees. The lights were huge round balls of various colors, and the ornaments were shiny and bright, reflecting the glow. Already wrapped packages tucked under the limbs and overflowed out into the room… all of us scolded at one time or another during the evening not to dare touch the presents. Of course, there were always the adults that would go by and pick up a random package and shake it, making dire predictions as to what the package held.

How our eyes shone with wonder as we flocked in the house on Christmas morning, our jammie feet covered with snow we were too much in a hurry to brush off. My girl cousins and I got beautiful dolls with gowns and flowing hair… just right for brushing and brushing and brushing. My boy cousins got cowboy hats and cap pistols. (Before everyone became so p.c.)

Dinner was only a momentary pause for us kids between playing our new games and making the adults play with us one day out of the year. They were full and most of them would rather play games with the kids than clear the table and do the dishes. This was before dishwashers, too.

By evening the house would be full of tired, cranky kids and even more tired cranky adults. Everyone anxious to get home to their own beds and some peace and quiet. Another Christmas come and gone… at least one toy or doll broken already. Home, to dream of another year of wishes.

Red Ribbons

It’s snowing. Again. More. Lots. I’ve got homemade bread going, homemade chicken soup on the stove, the fireplace, Christmas music on the stereo, and a thick book on my lap. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this???

I couldn’t get a good enough picture, but had to share this miracle of a winter moment. I came upstairs yesterday afternoon to see the large mulberry tree outside the deck festooned with red ribbons. At least, that’s what it looked like. I was so amazed that my mouth dropped in wonder. You’ve probably figured out from the picture, but yes, it was covered with cardinals. Gorgeous, fire-engine red male cardinals. They were spread out as though I had personally placed each one on its’ own branch and told it to stay there. I stopped counting at ten, as I ran to get my camera… and I tried to get a few photos, but only I will be able to see them in the trees, as I kept getting flashback on the window and couldn’t seem to get zoomed in or out in a good enough way to catch the magnitude of what I was seeing. The most I saw last winter at a time, were six. Hubby says they’re getting the word out… I know male cardinals don’t get along in the spring and summer, so it’s very strange to see so many hanging out together in the wintertime when they will tolerate each other.

Of course, besides the males there were at least 5 females I counted, three bluejays, and the finches, nuthatches and woodpeckers. But I tell ya, those cardinals are heart-stoppers.

Hope you’re getting to enjoy this beautiful day!


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New Digs

In order for Medicare to cover mom’s rehab, she had to be in the hospital for three nights. Because Tuesday when she was taken to the ER went so late, she wasn’t officially admitted until after midnight so she couldn’t be moved to a skilled nursing facility until Saturday. She was fighting it. She was all about going home. (Even though she couldn’t walk – even with a walker, she could barely creep.) When the social worker came in to talk to her about which nursing facility she would like to go to she got furious. I came in and she was telling me if he showed up again she’d kick him out. She just wanted nothing to do with a perceived “nursing home”. I think she, as most elderly people, think if they go to a nursing home they’re never getting out that they’ll die there.

The social worker came back and he was nice as could be. He even recommended a place where she’d have a private room and it was in a really nice facility that we’d toured when we were looking for an apartment for Mom to move into from her house. Well, she finally calmed down and accepted she was going there. On Saturday they took her in a van (thank goodness) and although it is about 15 miles further away it is still on the same side of town and easily accessible for me.

It is a lovely place and she has a very nice room. I’ve seen nothing but nice people working there and I warned them about her attempts to get up on her own and her delusions of the evening two nights previous. I’m sure they’ve seen it all.

Hospital Time

Because my mom is elderly (83) and is technically 5’10” and weighs right about 100 lbs, it is no surprise when she fell she broke something. She has no padding. One of my goals when I moved her into a retirement community was that she be fed. She moved from her house which she was horrible about cooking for herself or eating even if I cooked meals and put them in her frig or freezer – I wanted to be sure she had meals available. At the place she lives she gets a big noon meal, a breakfast bar with rolls, fruit, juice, coffee, cereal. She can also order off a menu for breakfast or supper or if she doesn’t care for the two daily offerings for the noon meal. She says she gets some fruit or cereal or a roll from the breakfast bar, I know she eats lunch (although she tells me she quit eating dessert shortly after she moved) and she is not good about eating supper. Yet she’ll cry because she weighs so little. Unbelievably, she has been living in independent living. You’d never believe it right now.

She would basically have to be forced to eat something in the hospital. She would say she wasn’t hungry and she’d just pick at stuff. She was on pain meds and very strong ones. She called me one night after I’d been gone for two hours crying and in a high level of distress saying she was in the doctor’s office and he wanted to do surgery and she wanted me to come get her and to call 911!!! She was insistent! I asked where the doctor was, thinking a) how did she ever get out of bed on her own, she can’t walk and b) wtf? She tells me the doctor stepped out so she could call. I told her I’d be down, but when I got off the phone my hubs talked me down off the ledge and had me call the nurses station. While I was on the phone with mom her cousin called me – she has the same name and mom had evidently called her first, confusing us in her cell phone. Her cousin has an elderly mother and knows exactly how this goes and lives about 5 minutes from the hospital so offered to go sit with her a bit and hopefully get her a bit centered. We all figured she’d woken from a bad dream and was disoriented and especially with the strong pain meds she’s on she probably was really messed up.

The nurse told me she was in her room, in bed, and the last time she checked she was eating her supper…

Mom’s cousin sent me a text. Mom was in bed, fine. Seemed to not really know her at first, but after awhile calmed more and they visited for a bit and she seemed okay.

I figured the next day mom wouldn’t remember a thing. She remembered! She said she was in “that other place” all night long and although she didn’t really know her cousin she visited with her (just a note – her cousin has been around my whole life and has lived close by and I used to babysit their kids).

I had been at the hospital all day long for two days and was thinking I could maybe take a day off, but after that incident I decided I would have to be there with her every single day – if for nothing else, to give her that sense of stability. She did still know who I was.


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Another Meme – For GG

Things you may not have known about me…

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Retail clothing store manager
2. Demographic mapping coordinator
3. Freshman Admissions evaluator at a local University
4. Mom (anyone who argues this isn’t a job come over here and bite me)

Four movies I would watch over and over
1. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
2. The Way We Were
3. Legends of the Fall
4. It’s a Wonderful Life

Four places I have lived:
1. In a large town – Des Moines, Iowa
2. In a very tiny town – Gilman, Iowa
3. In a mid-sized town – Storm Lake, Iowa
4. In the country

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. CSI
2. Dexter
3. Wire in the Blood
4. Rebus

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Acapulco
2. Northwoods, Wisconsin
3. Black Hills, South Dakota
4. California

Favorite foods:
1. Handmade onion rings (not them icky frozen jobs)
2. Beef Strogonoff
3. Hot cocoa (real, not instant)
4. Cherry pie

I’m not gonna tag anyone… feel free to do it on your own and let me know how it comes out!

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Middle-aged. Anti-social. Mom. Grandma. Town-raised farmer's wife. Iowan. Want more? Come read the blogs.

7 thoughts on “Another Meme – For GG”

  1. Three of those TV shows I’d never even heard of. I agree with you about Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Somehow, though, I’ve never watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” from start to finish. I need to rectify that this holiday season.
    I’ve never lived outside of Texas. I have been to Iowa a couple of times and think it’s beautiful. I love farm country. I love seeing tilled fields and crops growing.
    How many of you who are readers here have lived outside your home state? If so, where all have you lived?

  2. I was born in Jonesboro Arkansas and deported to California before I was one year old. I have lived in Riverside, San Bernardino, City of Orange, Anaheim, Trabuco Canyon, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Pomona, Rancho Cucomonga, Ontario, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Lido Island, San Diego, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Imperial Beach, Yucaipa, Redlands, Torrey Pines, Barstow, Fresno, Sacramento, Redding, Anderson, and Red Bluff all in California. I have also had homes in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada; Phoenix, Bullhead City, Lake Mead, Golden Shores, and Topock, Arizona; Nogales, New Mexico; Beaumont, Texas; Guayaquil, Ecuador; and Balanga, Phillipines. I have never been anywhere in Iowa…

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Decrease Your Heating with Solar Power

It is pretty incredible how much of a significant difference solar power can have, of course you have to consider certain factors.

With the price of heating fuel and electricity going up every single year individuals are trying to find ways to cut their costs with regards to heating their houses. Regardless of whether you use fuel oil or electricity you will see that you are able to reduce your heating costs in the wintertime if you just know how.

Of course, if you are one of the men and women who have been hit hard do to your financial situation or the economy, reducing your heating bill could even be more important to you. In this post we are going to be explaining to you one of the easiest ways that you can cut your heating costs to almost nothing.

Energy Saving Heating

Energy Heating

Many men and women use heating fuel to be able to provide heat to their houses and to fill just one tank it can cost well over $1000. Not to mention if you’re like most families one tank of oil is not enough to get you to the winter and you will need to fill up two or even three times.

This actually breaks down to the point that folks could end up investing up to $3000 each year just on heating oil for heating their houses. This is something you will need to invest every single year as you have to keep your house warm in winter, but you need to also bear in mind that heating oil prices go up every year.

I hope that what you’ve looking at thus far regarding solar power, and moreover additionally the information about alternative energy, is useful to you personally. Please do continue reading additionally to have extra information to do with this subject.

If you think it might be worthwhile to switch over to electricity to heat your house, you should be aware that it could cost you more than $500 a month in the winter season to do this. And when you actually break this down you are going to discover that this can be just as costly if not more expensive than utilizing heating oil to heat your house. And again energy prices additionally seem to be on the rise each year, so each year you’ll end up spending a lot more.

You are going to see that the smartest option that remains is to make use of the sun to be able to heat your home and this can be achieved rather easily. If you construct yourself a basic solar panel system for your backyard or your roof you will see that you will be able to create enough electricity to be able to run a small number of those electric fireplaces that are energy efficient throughout the wintertime.

Energy Efficiency

Energy Saving

You should also remember that you should only use this solar panel system for running the energy efficient heaters in order to make certain you have sufficient power to run them.

While many individuals think that installing something like this can be too expensive, you need to understand that you could actually do you this yourself with the help of one of the programs you are able to find online, and you could most likely set everything up for less than $1000.

Even with the initial cost of setting this up you could wind up saving money your very first year and end up saving far more cash each and every year following. I am sure that every person in your family would like to set something like this up of course, if you get all the guys together and do one house at a time, you can have all of the homes setup in no time at all.


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Strangers on a Train

at Theatre Royal Glasgow

* * * - -

Serviceable version of murder pact drama made famous by Hitchcock

Image of Strangers on a Train

It’s like the setup of a bad joke: two men meet on a train. They discuss their woes (one wants to kill his father, the other comments he wouldn’t mind if his unfaithful wife disappeared). They joke about “swapping murders” in a pact to ensure they won’t be caught. Then one of them carries it out. And won’t go away until he gets what he wants… laughing yet?

Made famous by the Hitchcock movie adaptation, this version by Craig Warner goes backs to basics and remains true to the original Patricia Highsmith novel. However, it never really satisfies, as our protagonist Jack Ashton is a bit one note as Guy, while Chris Harper as antagonist Bruno is sometimes off-key (especially when giggling and/or singing some lines of dialogue to a non-existent melody). There is a rather large cast but none of the other characters are fleshed out in any memorable way; they are either ciphers or so underdeveloped they are background. It’s a rather mixed bag on a few fronts: the first act is exposition heavy, the second more dramatic but with a conclusion that is rather too trite.

Throughout, the age of the source material shows. This is a story which relies on mommy’s boy Bruno developing an overwhelming sexual attraction to a Guy (“You liked me. I didn’t imagine that” he implores at the conclusion) and stalking him to a psychotic extent, tainting every aspect of Guy’s life from his new home to his wedding photos. Bruno reads like Guy’s dirty little secret: the moment where he telephones (complete with amplified “phone line” voices) feels like a deleted scene from Victim. Such dangerous transgression wouldn’t really be plausible in a modern setting, and wisely this production is set in a Mad Men-esque America of the past.

The functional set from David Woodhead is both a blessing and a curse. Aided by impressive projections, various panels slide to reveal all manner of locales, ingeniously working over two levels at times. This has the curious effect of placing the action inside a big doll’s house on stage. You could argue this makes proceedings more claustrophobic. But sometimes the spaces are so small the actors come across as rather stilted and unable to move. Worse, it creates yet more distance between them and the audience. The internal lighting in these boxed rooms also hurts the eyes at various points. When the actors step in front of the sets and out of the box, things become more naturalistic and engaging. The box is blissfully pulled apart for the final moments as the crushing burden on Guy is finally removed. However, this is awkwardly marred by some props abandoned centre right from the previous scene.

A serviceable ride that never dazzles or fully engages, the production could do with more action and tension. Indeed, for a drama about murder it is violence-free. All the elements are there for a truly great show, they just don’t cohere.

After studying English and Film & Media at Uni, Peter eventually moved to Glasgow so he could be nearer the GFT. He will do anything if Doctor Who and tea is involved.

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US Cellular (NASDAQ: USC) is now offering an all new Moto X for customers to buy from the online and retail stores. US cellular is serving the Moto X with a contract of two years for $99, and the color option for it is black. However, the carrier is also serving it with a leather or bamboo back for $149.99 with a two-year contract. US cellular will offer them by the end of October.

“We’re excited our customers will be able to get the upgraded Motorola experience which has features and tools to help you simplify and enhance your life,” said Joe Settimi, Vice President of Marketing for U.S. Cellular. “The new Moto X empowers you to enjoy life on the go with additions including the updated voice control and 13MP camera all on our best-in-class network, ensuring you stay organized and productive.”

One of the major advantages of the Moto X is that it sports a pure, alter-free version of the Android on it. Company has refrained itself from altering the UI Of the device.

Moto X sports curved metal frames, vivid 5.2-inch Full HD display with durable Corning® Gorilla® Glass, the all-new Moto X weighs only 144 grams and has a 13 megapixel camera with Quick Capture and LED Flash. Moto X includes 16GB of onboard memory.

The cellular service is also expected to launch Apple iPhone 6 duo that the Cupertino giant launched a few weeks ago. However, it has been reported that the device won’t be available with US cellular till the end of this year.

About The Author

Abby is fun loving yet serious professional, born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD. She has a great passion for journalism, her family includes her husband, two kids, two dogs and herself. She has pursued her Mass Communication graduation degree from the Augustana College. She is currently employed at, an online news media company located in Sioux Falls, SD.

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