#it's our anniversary today so we just exchanged both presents for the occasion and for Christmas cause I'll be home for the holidays anyway

[theone]

Look what my boyfriend got me!!!

[beckleysbooks]

We're Better Off Now, Right?

Now that our Labor Day holiday weekend is over, we can set our calendars and sights on the next celebration or three-day weekend. Hopefully, you had a relaxing and fun weekend or both. I labored - in the heat - but I'm not complaining.

It was a very rare thing back in the 19th century to experience a three-day holiday weekend. First up, there was no such thing as a "weekend". As I describe in my book, "Oh! Susannah", folks back then worked six days a week and rested on the Sabbath, as the Good Book says. By the late 1800's, men were "given" half of their Saturday off, but their pay was docked because of it. It took labor laws and a huge pivot of mindset in the 20th century to get people's heads around the idea of a "weekend". And now we're talking about three-day weekends?

Same goes for general celebratory events in the 19th century, ones we take for granted, like our birthday. I had a lot of fun writing Chapter 15 - "An Occasion To Celebrate". It was Susannah's 30th birthday - June 30, 1861. This day fell on a Sunday. The Sunday before Independence Day, which was a "holiday" few back then celebrated either, only activists pushing their particular cause. I chose this day to be a special one for Susannah. All the family gathered to celebrate her birthday and acknowledge our country's anniversary of independence. Susannah's cherished friend, Druscilla, ditches the Mother Hubbard outfit that Susannah normally wore, in exchange for a get up nothing short of what Cinderella would've been proud to be seen in at the ball.

For a moment, think of all the "holidays" we observe throughout the year. Isn't nearly every other day a "National _____ (fill in the blank) Day" here in the United States? And, days when we are not expected at work, are in addition to the ones we spend on vacation. Needless to say, "vacation" for those in rural 19th century Ohio was a totally foreign concept that would've drawn blank stares from those whom you would've been trying to explain it to. It wasn't that people back then had no time off for leisure or pleasure. I specifically chose to highlight celebrations like a 'barn raising", the annual agricultural fair, and the occasions when the circus came to town, in my historical fiction to offset the people's otherwise dour existence. And, I'm really looking forward to addressing the Lion Club members in Massillon, Ohio next week with a presentation on how people did celebrate these few "holidays" back then.

So, we're better off now, right?

Let's think about how casual we have become with all of the leisure time afforded us today. How many Americans can tell you why we even have "Labor Day" as a holiday? Personally, I'm learning that with less there is more; less purchases - more room to move about the house/basement/garage, less busy-ness equals more quality time, less stress - more peace. Which brings me to the question, how precious would our leisure and pleasure time be to us if we could only choose three occasions throughout a year to celebrate them?

I'm not advocating the removal of our three-day weekends, just asking questions of how thankful are we for them?

Let me know your thoughts and opinions. I'd love to hear what you think on this topic and for more about my book, "Oh! Susannah", visit www.beckleysbooks.com

[sgtcalhouns]

Strangers, Ch. 10

Felix and Tamora’s relationship gets a fresh start and a reaffirmation of an old commitment.

The sky glowed a brilliant orange as the sun began to set over the ocean. The music started and Felix took his first step toward the altar. He looked up and locked eyes with Tamora, who was approaching the altar from the other side. She wore a simple white dress without frills, more casual than her wedding gown. Even so, the sight of her nearly stopped him in his tracks. It would never cease to amaze him that this incredible woman was in his life, especially after everything they had endured.

The vow renewal had been Tamora’s idea. As their third wedding anniversary grew near, the couple had found themselves looking for a more meaningful way to celebrate. A nice dinner at a fancy restaurant wouldn’t do this year—this anniversary was more than just an annual milestone. The universe had tested their love for one another, and they had come out on the other side stronger than ever. She knew that Felix was still struggling with the aftermath of the accident, and thought there was no better way to commemorate their wedding than to reaffirm their love.

The destination had been Felix’s idea. They hadn’t been in the financial position to take a real honeymoon when they were married, and it had always bothered him that he hadn’t been able to give Tamora the trip she deserved. He had spent the last couple of years saving money in secret, hoping to surprise her when the time was right. This had led to their decision to have their ceremony in Hawaii; she had been stationed there briefly during her time in the marines and spoke often about visiting again someday.

And so, here they were, walking toward each other on the beach with no one around but an officiant and a couple of witnesses. They could have done this at home, allowing their friends and family to be part of the special occasion, but they had ultimately decided against it. This ceremony wasn’t something that needed to be shared; it wasn’t about anyone else, and the only people who needed to be present were standing at the altar.

As soon as she was close enough to do so, Felix reached out and took her hands in his. He beamed up at her and she smiled back, both of them totally oblivious to the words being spoken by the officiant. It was the same feeling he had gotten on his wedding day—everyone and everything else in the world disappeared as he gazed upon his wife. It was nothing short of a miracle that they were here today and his heart had never felt more full. Before they knew it, the time came for them to recite their vows, and Tamora took a small step closer to him before speaking.

“Three years ago, you promised that you would spend the rest of your life choosing me, and you have more than kept that promise. You chose me when I wasn’t ready to let love in, when all I wanted was to be alone. You fought your way in and chose me when I didn’t know how to accept being chosen. You chose me when I forgot everything about our life together and I had no memory of you. You chose not to give up on us,” she said. 

Felix couldn’t hold back his tears as she spoke, and a broad smile stretched his cheeks to their limit. 

“I love you, Felix. I always have and I always will. The promise I want to make to you now is that I will do everything in my power to make sure you never have to doubt that again,” she said. “Life dealt us a blow that was beyond our control, but we managed to hold onto each other. Today, I promise that I will never let go.”

A shuddering breath forced its way from his throat. Her words had overwhelmed him with joy and love and he was unable to stop his emotions from spilling out of him. He took a moment to wipe the tears from his eyes before taking her hands again.

“It seems a little unfair that you looked so perfect reading your vows and I look like such a mess when it’s my turn,” he said, and they shared a quiet laugh. “I’m not sure I could ever top that.”

He took a deep, calming breath and straightened his posture.

“I love you, and I am so lucky that I’ve gotten to love you so many times in so many different ways. I told you once that I never really believed in soulmates, but now I’m not so sure,” he said. “We were meant to be together, and that’s why we’re standing here today. There’s no way I could’ve ever given up on us, because I’ve always known that being with you is the only way my life can ever be right.”

He laced their fingers together.

“The universe can try to pull us apart, but our love will always win. No matter what happens, I will always find my way back to you,” he said, giving her hands a squeeze. “I was never much of a fighter before I met you, but you gave me something that was worth fighting for. I promise that I will never stop fighting for you. For us. Never.”

While Tamora was more reserved than Felix, she still shed a tear as he recited his vows, and gave a small sniffle as the officiant announced that it was time to exchange rings. Many couples used a vow renewal as an excuse to get new rings, but these bands were far too meaningful to be replaced. Instead, they had decided to have them engraved. To the outside world, the rings would look exactly the same, but there was now a secret message engraved on the inside: I choose you.

The tears continued to flow as they exchanged rings. This was the third time Felix had placed this ring on Tamora’s finger, and the significance of the act was not lost on either of them. They had faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle and somehow made it out on the other side, proving that their love was too strong to be eroded by the harsh elements that tried to tear them apart. This was a love that was built to withstand.

The moment was so intimate that they had forgotten there was anyone else present, and they both flinched when the officiant spoke up again.

“Felix and Tamora, by your continued love and commitment, and with the reaffirmation you make today, it is my honor to pronounce you husband and wife once again.”

As Felix gazed up into Tamora’s eyes, he knew with a distinct clarity that everything in his life was right. This belief was confirmed when they leaned in toward each other and shared a kiss that made his heart soar. They had fought for this, the overwhelming feeling of love and happiness that was so powerful it seemed to emanate from them. It was hard-won, and they vowed never to take it for granted. It was at once a fresh start and a reestablishment of the love they had shared for years—a relationship that was both old and brand new. Felix smiled into the kiss, feeling better than he had in a long time. 

That night, they sat on the patio of their suite, enjoying their view of the ocean. Tamora had gotten out of her chair and climbed into Felix’s, and he smiled as he snuggled up closer to her. These chairs really weren’t big enough for two people, but he didn’t mind; he’d never turn down an opportunity to cuddle with his wife.

“I can’t believe you spent the last three years saving for this vacation,” Tamora said. “How did I never notice that?”

“Remember those bonus checks that got lost in the mail?” he asked.

“You little sneak,” she replied in mock outrage. Felix chuckled and kissed her cheek.

“I felt awful keeping it from you, even though it was supposed to be a surprise,” he said. “I was sure you’d end up catching me. You know I’ve never been good at keeping secrets.”

“You’ve got that right,” she teased. “I hope there’s no guilt on your conscience. I’m glad you did it.”

“Me, too,” he replied. “This has been more perfect than I ever imagined. At first I felt bad that we didn’t invite any of our friends, but the ceremony was everything I hoped it would be.”

“When I brought it up, I imagined we’d do it at home and have a few friends there,” she said. “But this is so much better. Nobody else really understands what we’ve been through, why we wanted to do this in the first place.”

“It’s just like I said at our wedding, today is about you and me. Nothing else matters,” he said. “All I wanted to think about today is how much I love you and how incredible it is that you’re my wife.”

Tamora leaned down and reeled him into a slow and steamy kiss. His cheeks were glowing red by the time she released him, and he gazed up at her with a dreamy smile.

“I must admit, I also spent some time today thinking about how much I love those kisses,” he said.

“Well, there’s more where that came from,” she teased.

Their lips met again, and they allowed the languid affection to linger this time. Felix buried his fingers in her soft hair and savored this feeling—he was in paradise with the love of his life, sitting on a patio with a view of the ocean. They had reaffirmed their commitment to one another and their love was stronger than ever. No better feeling existed in the world, he was sure of it.

“You wouldn’t want to head back inside, would you?” he murmured against her lips. “I don’t think the rest of the resort wants to hear what I’ve got in mind for us tonight.”

“I, for one, think they could stand to listen. Maybe they’d learn a thing or two,” she joked. “But since I don’t want us to get kicked out, I guess we can go inside.”

They disappeared into their suite, shutting out the rest of the world as they fell into the throes of passion. Months ago, Felix had been so worried about how his relationship with Tamora would change that it had nearly torn him apart. Now, the thought almost made him laugh. He never could have predicted how much more deeply they would love one another, how much more open they were with their feelings. Things had changed, that much was certain. 

They had changed for the better.

[architectuul]

Book Review: 3650 DA

3650 Days of Contemporary Architecture in Sarajevo edited by Nedim Mutevelić, 2018

Days of Architecture is a festival in Sarajevo, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018. Therefore, as is fitting for the occasion, a book was published for the anniversary. The book presents two thematically different parts in chronological order; the first part collects the material regarding important moments of the festival while the second part presents a collage of material selected from lectures, exhibitions and workshops during all ten years.  

Smart decision on the side of the editor is that the two parts are linked with hashtags. In such way has been retrospectively deduced common thematic, problematic and orientations established over the ten years. In such way the book is created as an open and flexible database that can be further upgraded and modified within future festival releases. 

Architectuul was introduced to the festival programe with Unfinished Series in 2014 with a discussion about the theoretical basis for Bosnia’s modern architecture. Juraj Neidhardt, a student of Peter Behrens and Le Corbusier, published a book Architecture of Bosnia and the Way to Modernity together with Dušan Grabrijan in 1957. With this book they develop a dictionary of architecture elements and building types for a modern Bosnian city on the assumption that “architecture of Bosnia is about two fields of influence – eastern and western – that in this ambiance seek reconciliation. Here we see the intertwining of the western influence with the eastern emotional. Because the opposites attract, it is no coincidence that the Oriental so adores technology and that the Westerner is so attracted by eastern architectures. We want to forge a synthesis of the rational and emotional, we care about harmonious contemporary architecture, which will match new needs, new materials and technologies and will be, in our language, understandable to our people.”

What can we learn from Sarajevo? The vision of the modern Bosnian city was based on cultural identity and continuity. Urban form has been always linked to the social context. In the period from late 1960s to mid 1980s Sarajevo Architectural School was established, that has been characterized by existing of the two parallel poles of architectural thoughts and approaches. Later, in 1990s, the Balkan war destroyed all. On such basis a new generation started to build from scratch. Bringing up a festival in such condition is therefore an important and responsible act of creation of a new place. 

Every year has each edition of the festival built a stronger connection between the local and international discourse. With a very local base, the festival nevertheless opened the discourse interesting on the international context. It started to build a bridge towards Orient. And however architecture meaning was changing, either on East or West, the capital started to took control of the cities with the same intensity. Hans Ibelings states in the preface of the book how “the festival have increasingly demonstrated that can carve out a provisional free space to discuss what architectural values and functions could be, what else architecture can be, with a multitude of activities catering to a professional audience and, to a certain extent, to a general public as well.”

The festival featured presentations, workshops, discussions with Studio nonstop, ON/OFF, Studio UP, SAAHA, Dinko Peračić and FAR among others. Check the short statement by Bernard Khoury from the last edition.

Just after Christmas, while Nedim Mutevelić brought fresh copies of the book to Berlin’s publishers and institutions, many just didn’t understood the meaning of it. Maybe because they weren’t able to listen what the book explains. I asked Nedim, while drinking a glass of red wine, what is architecture today anyway? “Experience” he answered without thinking. 

Therefore those who aren’t able to listen, will never experienced or understand that “events like the Days of Architecture act both as an accelerator of exchange and as a site for production of architecture culture itself. After the event both what it has produced and what it has mediated can become subject of further mediation (similar to the process in which a subject is mediated in a book, and thereafter mediated in a book review.) In this book the organizers of the Days of Architecture take the lead in their own mediation” as Hans Ibelings explains.

---

3650 Days of Contemporary Architecture in Sarajevo edited by Nedim Mutevelić. Paperback, Text in Bosnian and English, 267 pages, 2017 Publisher Buybook

[shooklynn-blog]

7 Seconds To Say Yes

i was very emotional in making this and i tried to capture the overwhelming emotion in this through my writing, so here’s a nice fluffy one shot ;)

summary: the most important 7 seconds of dan’s life caught on camera

warning: g for gay, feels, maybe improper tenses as i usually write past tense and might have messed up whoops

genre: fluff

word count: 1,446

Sometimes people ask me if it’s weird to have so much of my life on the internet for everybody to see. I always say that I don’t mind, as some of my happiest moments have been documented for the internet to see, and I wouldn’t want to ever lose those moments. The internet has done so much for me, it’s only fair that I let people see into my glamorous life for a few minutes. Everybody eats the answer up, and, while it’s mostly true, that isn’t the reason that I don’t mind.

I don’t mind because some of my most special moments happen off the camera. While most people assume that I share a fair chunk of my life with the internet, they fail to realize that ‘daniel howell’ has a life outside of youtube and twitter and instagram and tumblr.

For one thing, many people don’t realize that I have a snapchat. It’s personal, and I only use it to keep track of my close friends. Sure, I’ll occasionally put filters on me and Phil and take embarrassing pictures, but most of the time I use it to watch other people’s stories and browse through, rarely actually getting messages.

I’m playing around with the dog filter, studying my curly hair, wondering if I should get it trimmed, when I’m notified that Phil has snapchatted me. Now, while I’m extremely lazy, this is kind of a new low for us, as Phil’s in the flat, only tens of feet away.

“Come film a gaming video with meee ;)” captions a selfie in which Phil is attempting to wink. I can’t help but smile, he’s such a goof sometimes. I’m a little surprised, as we’ve only just filmed a gaming video, but decide not to question it because, hey, Phil has an idea and that means that I don’t have to worry about planning something out. I go to the new gaming room.

I still can’t get over how much bigger the room in the new flat is compared to the old one, and the lighting is so much better. Phil seems to have already set the cameras up, and gestured for me to sit next to him. He’s dressed fancily, and I rack my brain for some sort of occasion. I can’t think of anything, so I just ask him, “What’re you all dressed up for?” He beams at me, and I’m reminded of how wholesomely adorable he is.

“It’s almost the third year anniversary of getting the DanAndPhilGames account!” he nearly cheers with delight. I can’t believe I’ve forgotten, but at the same time I can totally believe that I’ve forgotten.

“Great, now I’ve got to go change,” I grumble and stand up to retreat to our room and find something presentable to wear.

“No, it’s fine. Just stay,” his eyes are so incredible, like 3 different colors at once, oh my god. How can I possibly say no to him? I’m gonna look too casual, but he assures me that it’s alright. He says that I look perfect and I blush because I don’t think anybody but him had ever said that.

“Hello DanAndPhilGames bearers?” Phil starts off and I snort.

“Bears?” I mock him, and Phil smiles so wide and we’re both laughing and it’s so good.

“Like the three bears? For three years of DanAndPhilGames!” he shouts and I can’t help but smile at him, he’s such a child. It doesn’t quite make sense, but it’s okay because most of the time Phil doesn’t make sense anyways.

“Alright what are we doing here Phil?” I genuinely don’t have a clue.

“Well, Daniel, I thought that it would be an appropriate time to bring back one of our old favorites - ” I groan.

“Phil, what have you done?” I giggle a little. I can’t believe myself, giggling so happily. 8 years ago, I’d never have imagined being this genuinely confident in myself, laughing without a care, full of joy.

“Today, we’re going to play the seven second challenge!” He throws his hands out and I know that I’m going to be the one who has to edit in some effect later.

“Really, Phil? The seven second challenge?” I roll my eyes at him and he leans over and lightly kissed my nose. Another thing I’d have to edit out, but I didn’t really mind it. He’s so delicate and light, and I think about how crazy the fans would go to see this. A light nose kiss moves farther down and, before I know it, we’re borderline making out and I have to push Phil off of me. He looks hurt, and, while I was glad to go on, I had to be sensible.

“I’m going to have to edit so much out, you know? Somebody’s bound to notice my face is all red now,” I look at him apologetically, and he exchanges a knowing glance back at me. He gets it, why we have to watch ourselves.

We continue on with the video, using our app to guide us through. It’s fun and pure, though I sneak a few innuendos in. We have some genuine fun, and it feels less like we’re doing it for a video and more like we’re just enjoying eachothers company. Perhaps it’s the most genuine gaming video we’ve ever made. I laugh a lot and ma and Phil kiss sometimes, more editing for later, and it’s good. Phil is energetic and engaging, and I try my best to match his level of energy.

“Okay, it’s D-Swizzle’s turn,” I wink and Phil chuckles. He grins at me excitedly and points the phone towards me. I look into the viewfinder.

“Daniel Howell, you have seven seconds to say yes,” he sounds like he’s bursting with excitement, and I snort. That one was so easy.

“Is that actually one? That’s so boring. Yes,” I roll my eyes and look at the older boy and freeze. It’s like, for a moment, time slows down, and it’s just us and there’s no camera. There are no viewers and no world because Philip Lester is holding a small box with a shiny ring in it and suddenly I can’t breathe. Philip Lester is on his knee and I don’t know when it started but tears are streaming down my face because oh my god the most beautiful man in the world is mine.

“Really?” my voice cracks, and I wonder if I’m going to wake up in a minute or two and I pray that I won’t. Phil nods and I hug him so tight that I’m afraid of killing my new fianceé and everything goes at 1/100th of regular speed. We’re both red faced messes but it’s so different from when we were both red-faced after leaving each other after the first time we’d met or during that one superamazingproject where Phil had to leave the next morning or even the night when I told him that I was in love with him. Those tears were filled with sadness or longing or even fear for the future, but these tears were certain and pure.

It’s a perfect moment, and I rock back and forth, Phil in my embrace, whispering yes over and over again in his ear because I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. For a moment, every other moment to ever exist doesn’t matter, not the stage show, not the book, not anything. The only thing that matters is that I have a perfect ray of sunshine by my side and that I have never been happier. It’s a moment in time that me and Phil are going to have to decide whether or not to share with the internet. It is a moment of hope and balance and joy that I hope never ends.

When we finally stop hugging, everything is different. We’re still Dan and Phil, but with maybe a little more emphasis on the and. It’s the same and it isn’t at the same time, and all I know is that I never want to lose Phil, with his horrible cleanliness habits and cereal theft and soft kisses that make you feel like you’re flying. I’m so lucky to have him, and now he’s going to be mine forever. I must be the luckiest guy in the world.

Sometimes people ask me if it’s weird to have so much of my life on the internet for everybody to see. I always say that I don’t mind, as some of my happiest moments have been documented for the internet to see, and I wouldn’t want to ever lose those moments. Maybe that answer is exactly right.

[humanistauno]

A Journal by: Melody Leagogo

Earth’s Rumble

On December 15, 2019 that was Sunday, I slept comfortably and pretty-well that I was not able to recognize the day of our Sabbath and devotion. I woke up as the morning sunray touches my lips, tardily crawling and wriggling like a worm. I accelerate slowly to switch my hips, indolently awake after the heavy sleep. I just told myself that this Christmas break, I should withdraw sleep because if there are classes I always woke up early. I fixed my bed and went into the kitchen to have my breakfast. It was just a normal day for me, no other plans aside from doing my daily routine and household chores then after, I will grab my contraption and start scrolling my social media accounts, watching videos, and doing some leisure. As the afternoon shadow stretched long and thin, I feel drowsy and decided to take some sleep but before that I played a game in my cellphone. I did not expected that this, this boredom feeling will turn into a trauma and replaced a feeling of huge nervousness and worry. Around 2:11 in the afternoon, the Mindanao Island shake again. A magnitude of 6.9 strike the Mindanao again for the third time and the strongest among the major earthquake that happened so far that hit the Land of Promise. I hurriedly jump from the bed and grab my six years old niece together with my father to go out. I was very nervous but my father told us do not panic, do not rattle and be aware. Prayers filled my mouth and I looked into my niece whose wrapping her arms around mine that seems very nervous as well. I opened my Facebook and saw the different updates about the recent calamity where Davao del sur is its center, the damages, and the ruined infrastructure caused by the disaster. The whole Mindanao was mourning and I remained astonished as I never assumed that this day will give a great impact to the Mindanao’s. I ended the day in fear that it might happen again and a prayer that it will not happen again.

Christmas Eve

Every year we are tend to celebrate Christmas with our family and gathered into my aunt’s house in General Santos city. It is our tradition as a family to celebrate Christmas together there and prepare foods for the Noche Buena. Today, December 24, 2019 before the Christmas day, I woke up with excitement because finally I will be able to escape the boredom that ruled the house for the past days but most importantly, I will be able to see my aunties, uncles, cousins and the quality time we will be spending to each other. We prepared and packed our things for the few days of staying there and then, leave the house. We rode on a bus to reach our destination and as we arrived at my aunt's house, the smells of delicious Noche Buena welcomed us. Caldereta, Barbeque, Grilled tuna, Seafood, Sweets and Desserts, fruits, and the every year's center attraction on the table of Filipinos, Lechon. I was glad that there is such event on our life that make us gathered together and capture each moment that our family will cherish. As everyone bide one's time for midnight, my uncles were already drunken laughter, spill the beans of liquor with matching karaoke. My aunties who became story tellers, exchanging one's ideas and hearty laughter. Their clamor and chatter makes harmony in mine that the connection between us is still there. During the Christmas Eve, my sister Cathy, contacted our oldest sister in the family via video call because she was not around with us. Actually, she was not around for 15 years and 15 years of celebrating Christmas without her. I am just 2 years old when she left to catch her luck and currently she's living in Cavite and have her own family now. We greeted each other a Merry Christmas, some chitchats and goodbye for each has stuffs to do. It's now 12 midnight, my uncle light the fire crackers, greeting each other a "Merry Christmas".

Holiday

We Christians celebrate Christmas as a commemoration on Jesus birth and often giving and receiving presents and cards as one of the symbol. Today, December 25, 2019, I started a Christmas day with a midnight mass at the chapel together with my mother in Calumpang, Gensan as a thanks giving for all the gift and blessings we received this year. After attending the mas, we went home and I took some sleep because it's already morning since yesterday of going around. Today, my aunt from Ilo-ilo city together with her son will be arriving soon to have their vacation and will be spending time for us in this season of holiday. I am eager to see them because the last time we saw each other was in the year 2016. It was around 12 noon when they arrived at my aunt's house in Gensan. We greeted each other and welcome them a hug. There were many pasalubong they've brought for us including clothes, bags, shoes, cosmetics, and of course the delicacies of Ilo-ilo is imperishable. There are Bischocho, Piyaya, and Pinasugbo. Aside from giving us all this stuffs, I also received a cash from them. I can say that December is truly a season of giving and the only season for me to collect more money. Our dinner was burst into laughter because my cousin with a mental disorder or what we called being hyper was stealing our foods because he was fond of eating and make funny acts. I hope that this is not the last time that we will be seeing each other again. I am looking forward for many years of spending Christmas with the family.

Union

After staying in my aunt's house in General Santos City to celebrate Christmas, now it’s a time for us to go back home. Last night was another memory to be keep on my album of happy moments and love. It’s already December 26, 2019, time flies really. First of all, I woke excited because this day, I'll be witnessing the annular solar eclipse where Sol and Luna will be meeting each other again. According to the news and information I've read from social media, around noon, the moon will engulf the sun enable to form a ring of fire and will visible in some parts of Mindanao. We are hoping to witness the said phenomenon but unfortunately Sol and Luna was ashamed of showing its stunning union that they were hiding on the clouds. I feel blue because of missing such phenomenon but that was not a big deal. On the other hand, this afternoon, we went into nearby purok not so far from our house because this day was the death anniversary of my uncle, the late husband of my aunt from Ilo-ilo city. My uncle from Cagayan de Oro will be also arriving this day. They decided to stay in Antong instead of directing to Gensan because my aunt will be also going here. As we arrived to my late uncle's house, my uncle and his family was waiting for us. We greeted each other a hug because we've been seeing each other once a year and I cannot deny that I've misses them a lot as the two celestial beings met earlier it happened also on us. Actually, I don't have that strong relationship with my cousins or closeness with them because they are living in Cagayan de Oro and I am staying here but both company was trying to socialize and talk to each other to build connection and friendship. We had boodle fight for dinner and some enjoyable moment as we commemorate the memories of our late member of the family..

Reunited

A family is like branches on a tree that grow in a different directions yet the roots remained as one. Today, December 27, 2019 is our 4th Plaga family reunion. It is once a year occasion that held every December of the month. I started the day grateful because again, our family was a given a chance to reunite and know each other better. Our first reunion happened in Gensan, then Mlang North Cotabato, last year was in Manili Lutayan, and today here in Lamba Banga. As we arrived, they welcomed us with a warm hug and we bless to the elders as a sign of respect. We started a program with a Bible service coming from our relative who is a pastor and shared the value of family. The elders start to bring back the history and ancestors of our race. Each family introduce their children so that the other family will know each other and the connection between us. After the chatters, the story telling, and socializing, we had our lunch. After filling our stomachs, they started to raffle our names who were listed earlier to some prizes awaited. Luckily, my name was not called. I told ‘ya I am not with this kind of gimmick. However, it was fun, expecting that your name will be the next one to be called. Not one of the winners of raffle but a winner in our parlor games. Together with my cousins, we played the game pass the message in the form of face movement and fortunately, we won the said game with a prize of 500 pesos. Our reunited was great and fun, I know a lot of the relatives and start to build friendship with them. I hope that this is not the last and hoping for many years of spending time and moments with them as for the next generation to continue our identity and legacy.

A Decade Has Pass

The year 2019 was not too bad for me. We are just creatures engulfed by imperfections and flaws. Challenges and tests were given and it is normal for us to feel crestfallen, to feel sorrow, and to feel anger. As I leave one year behind and roll into the next one, I am looking forward for the new year of bringing blessings, good health, and prosperity. New Year of hoping for a successful and fulfilling life I desire and deserve. Each fresh new start offers an oozing opportunity and beginning which is probably the reason I look into New Year’s Eve so much. As I end the last page of this chapter, I am with my parents on our own humble home beneath swaying palms. As we celebrate the New Year, we prepared minimal for the Medya Noche because we’re just three left here to face the new chapter. I and my mother cooked a minimal amount of Mango Graham, Lumpiang Shanghai and Grilled Tilapia for some reason, there is served on our daily table where we can eat together. Around 10 pm, me and my mother attended a midnight mass for the last day of the year to thanks God for the year of bitter-sweet and prayed to God that this coming year will shower us blessings, opportunities, and new discoveries. As I stand at the edge of the decade, waiting for 12 am for the 2020 to wave, there were different sounds that believed to drive away all the negativity and bad spirits, so as a tradition each one of us made noise and watched as the fireworks display. No matter what goals and changes I have for this coming year or how many New Year’s resolution I planned to move, in the start of a new year is a moment to acknowledge.

Community Engagement

Today, January 2, 2020, it is great to start a year with discoveries at the same time with adventure. We were tasked to go in a community we thought who are in needs as part of our subject Community Engagement and as a Humanities Student who are in lined with this area of specialization. Our group agreed to meet in front of SPDA at 8 am but unfortunately out of the 10 members only four of us were able to come. It is OK for me because of some instances that we cannot handle and commitments. At around 11 am, we decided to light up the fuel onward. We rode on a tricycle motioning the distance of Brgy. Assumption. We were lost bird in a desert misguided by the location of that hidden vicinity. We have no little knowledge on how far that place is nor where is the exact location because the one who’s suggest the place was not around why the driver occupied our being clueless. He charged us fare that is not accurate to the distance of our trip but we didn’t argue anymore. He dropped us in the low part area because he said that the tricycle has no resistance to climb up the mountainous area so we started walking and seeking for the whereabouts of our destination. Luckily, the people there was approachable and not rude. Some people we’ve asked warned us that the Brgy. Hall is far to walked but we decided to pursue it to exercise our muscles and enjoy the surroundings. We walked for about 4 kilometers fortunately, the road was cemented before reaching the Barangay hall and then we signed our permission letter to run the evaluation smooth. According to the people there, there 7 sitios and we are not sure where to go. The air brought us to Sitio Datal Fitak, the fifth sitio and more elevated and a kilometer away from the Brgy. Office. The people there are B'laans and the way they live is very simple. As we start our evaluation, we were surprised by their kindness and genuinely. The warm welcome and smile to us relieved our tired. Every time we asked them to conduct a survey, they let us in their humble home and treat us politely. It was 3 in the afternoon when we finished our sample target population and we went home. I wish I can go back to that place again where the smiles of the children are genuine and sincere.

[heathnewfashion-blog]

That's what we used to think

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[whittlebaggett8]

Why Did Beijing Suppress Wang Yang’s Remarks on Taiwan?

The Politburo Standing Committee member spoke candidly at a cross-strait media summit – seemingly too candidly.

By Dave Brown for The Diplomat

Could 30, 2019

When Chinese Communist Bash (CCP) leader Wang Yang made unusually candid remarks at the Cross-Strait Media Summit in early May perhaps, the textual content of his remarks was practically immediately taken down. What experienced Wang – an authoritative spokesman on Taiwan policy – explained? Why have been his remarks suppressed?

The Fourth Cross-Strait Media Summit was held in Beijing on Could 10.  The meeting was formally co-hosted by the Beijing Media Affiliation, performing on behalf of the CCP Propaganda Department, and the WantWant China Occasions Media team from Taiwan. It introduced with each other about 70 primarily pro-China media reps from Taiwan and their mainland counterparts. The theme of the meeting was the media’s obligation in cross-strait exchanges. The Party’s function in convening these media summits is to cultivate persons in Taiwan’s media planet who will cooperate in spreading the CCP’s concept in Taiwan.

At the finish of the assembly, Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Yang, the chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Convention, the optimum stage CCP United Entrance group, resolved the participants. His remarks have been remarkably candid and down-to-earth. Amazingly, the posted text of his remarks and the video clip of his presentation had been nearly immediately eliminated from official media websites. In their place, Xinhua introduced a short report. That report ended by stating that the “media on both of those sides should jointly play the purpose of communicating to the people on equally sides of the strait by selling Chinese society, deepening the integration of thoughts, and continuing to advertise the course of action of peaceful reunification of the motherland and try to comprehend the China aspiration.” This is ordinarily bureaucratic language that Wang basically does not voice on the video.

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The authentic CCTV video clip, as noticed and recorded in Taiwan, confirmed Wang addressing the delegates from at the rear of two microphones, with out a podium or notes. He spoke for about 8 minutes in a informal, down-to-earth style – a type that would seem to be correct for an off-the-file speak.

Substantively, Wang started by pretty briefly summarizing a handful of crucial details from CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping’s January 2 deal with on the anniversary of the 1979 Information to Taiwan Compatriots. Wang claimed Xi’s tackle showed that in obtaining the tranquil reunification of the motherland, the mainland has both “time and trends” on its aspect. In saying this, Wang clarified, “he was not pondering that the mainland is now potent economically, militarily, and technologically, but relatively that we have comprehensive self esteem in our idea, construction, and civilization.”

Wang went on to compare China and Taiwan. Mentioning the CCP’s ambitions for the two 100-calendar year anniversaries in 2021 and 2049, he stated all those objectives present that China is implementing long-phrase options. He then belittled Taiwan, saying, “When we think of the authorities in Taiwan, they cannot even warranty what will come about in the upcoming two many years.” This demonstrates why the mainland has “time and trends” on our side, Wang asserted.

Wang then moved to accusing Taiwan independence forces of hoping to count on the United States and described the Taiwan Assurance Act, lately passed by the U.S. Dwelling of Associates. He requested rhetorically, “Do you believe the People in america can deliver assurance?” Wang answered himself: “The People just handle Taiwan as a pawn. Will The united states go to war with China more than the Taiwan difficulty? My judgment is no. And if they battle, will they win? I judge they can not.” Wang outlined that the American-led UN forces did not defeat the (Chinese) Volunteer Army on Korean War battlefields. At that time, China was however impoverished. “Facing today’s China, would The united states dare to go to war with China?” It is exceptional for CCP officers to discuss so candidly about the military components in the context of unification.

At the starting of his remarks, Wang experienced claimed that his attending the conference along with Propaganda Office Head Huang Kunming reflected the value that the Occasion areas on the function of the media. He finished by indicating that to attain peaceful unification and have out “one place, two devices,” the Occasion however is dependent on our close friends in the media. Wang acknowledged that advertising unification inside of Taiwan was not quick, but assured Taiwanese contributors that their endeavours would be remembered by history when reunification is realized.

So why had been these remarks by Wang taken down so promptly? From time to time, the removal of photo or report about a leader indicates the individual is in difficulties. There is no indicator this is the case listed here. It may well be that Wang in no way anticipated his remarks to be documented verbatim, and the mistake was that the video clip and textual content had been introduced in the 1st place. Just why they ended up taken out, or ended up mistakenly unveiled, is identified only to all those who manufactured the conclusion. The reason is possibly that his responses on military elements and speculation about war ended up deemed inappropriate for publication. His emphasis on military services things is inconsistent with the CCP’s emphasis on tranquil unification.

It is also possible that Wang was as well uncomplicated in conveying how the Occasion hopes to achieve unification peacefully. When the Party’s recreation system for unification is buttressed by this challenging energy, it is crafted around two psychological factors, which Wang discussed: initial, undermining the Taiwan people’s confidence in their authorities and democratic method and, second, undermining Taiwan’s assurance in the United States as a reputable supporter capable of coming to Taiwan’s guidance in the confront of rising PLA capabilities. This game approach signifies a problem for the United States. The Social gathering might misjudge U.S. solve, but generating uncertainty about American help is an critical tactic. When not a new standpoint, publicly highlighting the purpose of Taiwan’s pro-Beijing media in undermining general public assurance in Taiwan may perhaps have been viewed as counterproductive.

Wang’s reviews on the army elements of unification are also noteworthy for another rationale. Wang did not speak about the mainland working with force. He was describing how latent PLA capabilities would constrain and influence each U.S. steps and Taiwanese perceptions. All those who emphasis on PLA assault scenarios are lacking this more essential standpoint. A host of components will go on to constrain Beijing from really making use of force. But then, Chinese strategic imagining relationship back to Solar Tzu areas the optimum value on obtaining aims with out acquiring to use drive. The vital is utilizing armed service electrical power for impact. How both of those Beijing and Washington create their armed service abilities and deploy people abilities to achieve political and psychological affect will have an crucial outcome on how individuals and leaders in Taiwan view their solutions in the future.

Wang Yang is an authoritative spokesman. On cross-strait policy difficulties, he is second only to Xi Jinping. His remarks are far more than just a pep communicate for this audience or tips of present propaganda themes for the media. They convey to a whole lot about how the Party leadership hopes to carry out unification peacefully.

Dave Brown is a browsing scholar in the China Scientific tests System at the Johns Hopkins Faculty of Advanced Worldwide Scientific studies (SAIS)

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[xoxopimpimxoxo]

CHAPTER REVEAL: DIRT (BOOK 1) of EVERGREEN SERIES by CASSIA LEO 

Title: DIRT

Author: Cassia Leo

Series: Evergreen Series

Release: January 12, 2018

DIRT - CHAPTER 1 LAUREL

I hugged Jack Jr. tightly against my breast, and he molded his soft, warm body to mine. His eyes remained closed as his tiny fingers curled around the fabric of my blouse, his rosy lips puckering as he geared up for more food.

“You sucked me dry, little fella,” I whispered, leaning in to press my nose against the downy-soft, golden hair on the top of his head. I inhaled his scent and my muscles unspooled. “But I’ll be back to feed you soon. I promise.”

Why do babies smell so damn good?

Before I got pregnant with Junior, my favorite smell was orange blossoms. As a teenager, I often got scolded by my mom for picking the flowers off the orange tree in our backyard in Portland. I’d rub the creamy petals between my fingers, bruise them with my fingernails, then sniff my hand for hours until the scent wore off.

When I was pregnant with Junior, my favorite scent became the rich aroma of the forbidden coffee I could no longer drink.

After Junior was born, and my decaf days came to a glorious end, I realized how wrong I’d been. There was absolutely no scent as sweet and soul-quieting as the smell of the top of a baby’s head. Bonus points if the baby was lying peacefully on your chest sound asleep.

“Are you ever going to put him down?”

I flicked my head sideways, startled by Jack’s clear, baritone voice.

He stood in the doorway of Junior’s nursery, the silhouette of his six-foot-three athletic body framed by the warm light in the hallway. His head was tilted to the side. He’d probably been standing there admiring us for a while. After six years together, I knew Jack’s body language and facial expressions better than I knew my own face.

I stood from the rocking chair and stole one more sniff of Junior’s head before I placed him gently on his back in the center of the crib. I adjusted the left sleeve of his pajamas, pulling it down to make sure it covered his entire chubby arm. I didn’t want to imagine him waking up cold and alone in here.

Jack appeared at my side as I switched on the video baby monitor. “He’s going to be fine,” he murmured, reaching down to stroke the soft patch of hair on Junior’s head. “In fact, he’ll probably enjoy some time alone. After all, he is just like his daddy; sometimes, we need a break from the constant attention from the ladies.”

I rolled my eyes and headed for the door. “Making jokes only makes leaving him slightly less scary, you know,” I said as we stepped into the hallway of our five-bedroom home in Hood River, Oregon. I couldn’t wait to fill up every one of these bedrooms with brothers and sisters for Jack Jr.

Jack chuckled as he followed closely behind me. “Less scary is an improvement,” he replied, grabbing my hand to stop me in the middle of the corridor. “You promised Junior you’d be back soon. Can you also make me a promise?”

The hallway lights made his brown hair look glaringly shiny, but I couldn’t help but notice how weary his blue eyes looked tonight. Since Junior arrived three months ago, I’d been so focused on my baby boy’s vulnerability, his scent, his beauty, I hadn’t slowed down enough to appreciate how those were the same qualities that made me fall in love with Jack.

Suddenly, my worries about leaving Junior with my mother for the evening evaporated. All I wanted to do was kiss Jack, grab hold of that dark hair and make love to him for hours. I wanted to replace the weariness in his eyes with dark hunger, or maybe a glint of mischief.

I squeezed his hand and smiled at the thought of possibly having sex with him in public tonight. We hadn’t done that in a while.

“What kind of promise?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nope, you’re not allowed to ask. Just promise me you’ll say yes.”

My stomach vaulted at the sound of those words. They were the same words Jack spoke when he asked me to marry him. I wondered what he would ask this time.

The phrase “just promise me you’ll say yes” had become like an inside joke, our own private, unspoken promise to each other that we would always do whatever it took to stay together. The last time he had uttered this phrase, he asked me to stop taking my birth control pills. With Junior here, it was easy to trust that whatever Jack asked me for this time would turn out to be exactly what I needed.

I tilted my head back so I could look up and into his crystal-blue eyes. “Yes, I can make you a promise.”

His expression became sober. “Promise me you’ll be present tonight.” He fixed me with a piercing gaze as his large hand cupped my face. “It’s just you and me for the next three hours. Promise me.”

I smiled. “I promise. Just you and me. And I’ll even put my cell phone on vibrate.” As I said the words, a sharp finger of fear prodded my subconscious, telling me it was a bad idea to risk missing a phone call tonight.

The weariness in Jack’s eyes melted away as he smiled. “I can deal with that, but you have to promise me one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

His smile turned almost menacing as he looped his arm around my waist and drew me close. “Promise me you’ll lemme smash that blonde bombshell booty,” he said, landing a light swat on my ass.

I shook my head as I recalled how we often had sex in public during our first year together, in our senior year at Oregon State University, Cascades. For some reason, once we graduated and moved in together, having sex in public seemed like something we couldn’t get away with so easily. We decided public throw downs — throw down was our nickname for sex — would be reserved for special occasions like anniversaries or vacations.

Truthfully, Jack and I kicked off our relationship by having sex on the first date. He was always a very difficult man to resist. When he showed up at my apartment to pick me up that night, I couldn’t resist his suggestion that we should stay in and make paper masks of ourselves, then put them on and ask each other first date questions as if we were the other person. I had never laughed so much on any date. Ever. But when he asked — while pretending to be me — if I’d ever had sex with someone on the first date, I couldn’t help but respond with, “I’m Jack-fucking-Stratton. I’ve fucked a lot of girls on the first date. But none as gorgeous as you.”

Jack always knew how to keep things fresh and alarmingly sexy. Six years in and my body still craved him almost every second of every day.

Today was our three-year wedding anniversary. We’d only had sex twice since I gave birth to Junior three months ago, and both of those times were truly awkward.

The first time was painful. My C-section incision hadn’t fully healed yet, and even trying to have sex with him behind me was uncomfortable. The second time we tried, Jack was so afraid of hurting me, he stopped midway through. There’d been a lot of oral sex happening in this house since then.

Luckily, a few weeks had passed since our last attempt, and I had repeatedly assured him I was fully healed up now. I was certain that even if the sex did hurt a little, it would still be worth it. I couldn’t understand couples that didn’t consider sex an important part of a relationship. I never felt more complete, more present, more alive than when my body and mind were entwined with Jack’s.

I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I think I know just the place for a proper throw down.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Ooh. Tell me more.”

As he leaned in to kiss me, my mother’s voice interrupted us.

“Are you two making out again?” she said, standing at the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips as she gawped at us. “Well, don’t let me stop you.”

Jack laughed and I shook my head as we moved toward her.

“We’re just trying to keep you entertained while you’re on vacation, Beth,” Jack said.

My mother cocked an eyebrow. “If I wanted to watch porn, I’d open up your laptop and have a look at your internet history.”

“Mom, don’t be gross,” I protested, trying not to laugh.

Jack smiled as he held out his elbow for my mom to grab hold as they descended the stairs in front of me. “I made a special collection of links for you. They’re in a folder labeled Tantric Geriatric. You’ll love it.”

I rolled my eyes. Jack and my mother exchanged jabs like this all day.

My mother was staying with us for a few days, so Jack and I could have some time to ourselves and get some much-needed uninterrupted sleep. She was leaving tomorrow to go back to the house where I grew up in Portland. Though she pretended as if she was desperate to get home to her Craftsman cottage in the city, and I even teased her about how she was dying to get back so she could see the handsome new neighbor she’d been going on about, I knew she was going to miss Jack’s pretend insults as much as she would miss Junior and me.

My mother practically shoved me toward the front door. “I order you to go have fun,” she said, smiling as Jack opened the door and stepped outside. “And don’t come home until you’re too drunk to walk.”

I shook my head. “Thanks, Mom. Please call if you need anything. And don’t answer the door for anyone. There’s a house that got broken into a few streets away.”

She waved off my paranoia. “Stop worrying so much. We’ll be fine. See you later, babe.”

I blew her a kiss, then I closed the door behind me.

* * *

“I have to admit, having sex on the waterfront was one of my favorite public throw downs ever,” Jack said, pulling his Tesla into the long driveway of our four-acre dream home. “But do we really have to wait until our fourth anniversary to do it again?”

I tugged the silky fabric of my skirt straight as I pressed my thighs together. Though my body was still raw with the evidence of the dirty deed we’d just committed, I couldn’t wait to get Jack inside and pounce on him again. I hadn’t realized how much I missed the sensation of him moving inside me, and how good he was at making me feel beautiful.

“We can do that anytime we can snag a babysitter,” I replied as he turned the car off.

He made no move to exit the Tesla. “Well, babycakes, you’d better get ready to interview a fuck-ton of babysitters.”

I laughed. “Babycakes? That’s a new one.”

Jack rarely used the same term of endearment twice in a row. He liked to keep me guessing.

He scrunched up his nose. “Yeah, that one was kind of creepy. Now that I’ve tried it out, I think I can bury that one in the nickname graveyard.”

“Try the incinerator,” I said, reaching for the door handle.

“Duly noted,” he replied, exiting the vehicle.

Jack and I glided unhurriedly along the flagstone walkway, which was lined with sparkling pathway lights. As we made our way toward the steps leading up to the covered porch, I stopped in the middle of the path and closed my eyes as I inhaled the sweet scent of the lavender and honeysuckle I’d planted with my mom’s help.

That was when I made a wish, a corny wish, but I didn’t care.

I wished that every person could find someone they loved as much as I loved Jack. I wished every child could feel as loved as Junior was. And I wished every anniversary could be as perfect as this one.

“No… No, no, no!” Jack’s voice grew louder with each no.

They say mother’s intuition is scientifically proven to exist. I knew by the tone of Jack’s voice, without even opening my eyes, that my world would never be the same. I knew in that instant, I would regret leaving Jack Jr. tonight for the rest of my life.

Though I knew something was wrong, I wasn’t prepared for what we found.

At some point, while we were lost in our blissful celebration, the front door of our home had been forced open. This discovery was what had made Jack cry out in disbelief. Father’s intuition must also be a thing, because he told me later that, even though the door was still closed, the moment he saw the gouges in the wood near the handle, he had felt that same sense of dread. That feeling that the universe had suddenly tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness.

The house was ransacked.

Furniture upended, paintings and flatscreen televisions torn off the walls, shards of shattered vases littered the floors. Complete and utter chaos.

The master bathroom doorknob looked as if it had been shot off. We found my mother’s lifeless form huddled against the bathtub, my baby boy’s dead body clutched tightly in her arms.

** END OF EXCERPT **

DIRT Synopsis:

A hard-hitting, emotional new series from New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo.

Jack and I had everything. Then, in one brutal instant, the universe tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness. Now, I have a cocky a**hole for a husband. The only way we communicate anymore is when we’re fighting or f**king. With nothing left to lose, I write Jack a goodbye letter and head for Portland, where I quickly meet a neighbor who helps me find a job. My new neighbor—broody, tattooed ex-soldier Isaac Evans—is complicated. Nevertheless, we form a fast friendship, bonding over our mutual desire to create something beautiful from the wreckage of our lives. But despite the distance between us, Jack and I are still trying to make things work—fighting and f**king dirtier than ever. And he doesn’t appreciate my new friendship with Isaac. Not one f**king bit. 

Links: 

iBooks: http://bit.ly/dirtibooks

Release Alert: https://cassialeo.com/dirt-alert/  

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/EvergreenGR

Dirt Playlist Direct Link: https://open.spotify.com/user/cassialeo/playlist/7dUHV27ZCwfC5sAT4gtbP4  

Dirt Trailer Direct Link:https://youtu.be/TuibAMY4QNM 

​Rafflecopter Direct Link:http://gvwy.io/2vn41ok 

Facebook Giveaway: http://bit.ly/2pDvr9l 

About Cassia Leo:

New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time re-watching Game of Thrones and Sex and the City. When she’s not binge watching, she’s usually enjoying the Oregon rain with a hot cup of coffee and a book.

♥ STALK HER: ♥

Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/CassiaLeoNews 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorcassialeo 

Club Cassia: http://smarturl.it/ClubCassia 

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorCassiaLeo 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassialeo/ 

Website: http://cassialeo.com

 ♥

[localeur]

My lead investor was an angel even before he died.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love."

Today, I am incredibly saddened and disappointed to share that yesterday morning, my friend, adviser and Localeur's lead investor Walt Schoenvogel passed away suddenly.

Maybe you've heard the saying, "God works in mysterious ways." Or perhaps you too live by the axiom that "everything happens for a reason." Powerful and often timely words, indeed, but I must be honest in saying there are moments like the present one when I just cannot quite see God's plan or cannot see beyond this particular day or moment to get to the silver lining of justification.

Doubt can creep in as such moments, but most of all its utter disbelief that whether one believes or not, God's power is so complete, so total, so eternal and so infinite yet somehow we spend a great many hours and days and years of our lives contemplating, consternating and, only occasionally, celebrating the most tremendous blessings we've been given: life and love.

We take such unquantifiable gifts for granted day after day after day. Even those seemingly living full lives on Instagram or with full bridal parties at our weddings or with full three-car garages and full bank accounts are often caught up in the temporary stresses of the lives we've been blessed to have that we often fail to see the forest for the trees instead preferring to complain about the rain or the drought and heat or the quality the soil or the lack of fruit yet bearing or in envy of the neighbor's trees or fruit.

We get caught forgetting that life and love are the only experiences that truly count.

Walt is one of the very few people I have ever encountered whom seemed to fully grasp how precious it is to have life and love.

The son of a doctor who refused to deny patients in the 1950s and 60s due to the color of their skin at a time when such refusals were the industry norm in the South; the husband of a beautiful wife Charlyn for four decades whom he always referred to with the admiration of a boy first acquainted with love; and the father of a daughter whom remains one of the most intelligent and all-around impressive individuals I've had the privilege of working with and knowing, it's clear to me that Walt had both a great respect both for his role in a lineage of people who honored time, hard work and principles and a great sense of duty to celebrate the joy in family, friendship, kinship and life's true gifts.

Before March 2016, I had never met Walt but knew of him through his daughter Sally who I worked with nearly a dozen years ago in Washington, D.C. Walt sent me a message on Facebook asking if I was still seeking investors for Localeur, to which I replied I had been. After a brief phone call, Walt and I planned to meet briefly at Walton's Fancy and Staple where he proceeded to convince me without a single word of persuasion that he would neither threaten my vision nor demand a board seat in becoming the lead individual investor in Localeur with a sizable investment. Six months later, he re-invested in my vision for Localeur, and through the past year has remained among my most steadfast, engaged and responsive investors and advisers.

A successful businessman in his own right across many industries, Walt is a man that I came to look up to as not just an investor but someone who had unlocked some secret doorway to a life worth living where its daily stresses never seemed to rise above his vocal chords or beyond the surface of his eyebrows and temples. The man simply seemed to live life as the gift it was, day after day. Often times, I'd see photos of his here on Facebook with his wife and children and grandchildren on vacation or of him enjoying a meal at a new restaurant or a glass of wine, and find the parallels to the lifestyle I am building for myself. Here was a man whom knew how to laugh and to live.

Altogether, I spent time with Walt on five occasions since last March, but it feels like we had years because every interaction was so full not only of words and exchanges of information, but of genuine interest and the kind of good vibes that people often project through social media but seldom experience in real life. My favorite time with Walt was when I introduced him to my fiance Susannah and he introduced me to his wife Charlyn while we were both on a trip to Paris, them celebrating another wedding anniversary and us celebrating our engagement. Despite the gap of many years, it was like we quickly became couple friends and shared stories of our lives and love over laughs that I'll never forget.

Walt touched the lives of his family and friends in a way that may never be measured in ways words can capture. I've read Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking" and Paul Kalanithi's "When Breathe Becomes Air" and fully grasp the power of words, but no words of mine will ever suffice to relay to you all exactly how instrumental Walt has been not only on Localeur's trajectory as a company and my trajectory as an entrepreneur, but on my journey as a man, a future husband, a future father and a friend.

We have a board meeting on August 1, and I was so looking forward to seeing Walt and Heather Brunner and Blake Chandlee and my attorney Evan Kastner to talk through all the ways in which Localeur can continue its steady march toward fulfilling both our mission and our potential as a business. Mostly, though, I was looking forward to feeling the kinship that this group has formed not because these people care deeply and solely about the financial outcome of Localeur, but because these people - none more than Walt - have invested in me as a person.

Life and love are gifts, and Walt was gracious enough to share his gift with me and with all of us both with sage advice and a ready smile. For that, I am eternally grateful. Rest in peace, my friend.

- Joah, founder & CEO

[fatimakhans12345]

Speech by Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to launch the German-Georgian year 2017

Speech by Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to launch the German-Georgian year 2017

My colleague Mr Janelidze, Mikheil, Ms Haratishwili, Mr Kobiashvili, Mr Voss, Colleagues from the German Bundestag, Ambassadors, Ladies and gentlemen,

A warm welcome to the Federal Foreign Office for the launch of the German-Georgian year!

Thank you very much for this musical greeting with wonderful Georgian singing! I have learned that the text of the song we just heard tells us that we should not be afraid of the future, because the future is in our hands. That made me think that the song would also be a good hymn for Europe!

And it shows the optimism with which our friends from Georgia are looking to the future – and it is also an indication of why they are so welcome in Europe.

The launch of our joint year of culture is a happy occasion, for it shows that the sceptical view of Europe held by long-time members of the European Union is not the only perspective. And if we want to know why Europe is a unique project that gives people cause for optimism, we need to look towards Georgia.

Because sometimes it is the people observing us from the outside who are better able to appreciate the value of Europe. For Georgia’s assessment of Europe is correct: there is no region in the world where people can enjoy as much peace, democracy and security as they can in the European Union.

I think that Europeans, and specifically we Germans, need to become more mindful of this unique quality.

Mikheil,

Thank you for coming here today. We have the right motto for the German‑Georgian year: “Inheriting the future”. That means something has been placed into our hands that we have not ourselves created. So we need to make sure that we handle this treasure with appropriate care.

This witty motto clearly shows that time is a relative concept. That is why we had the idea of stretching the German-Georgian year to span 1½ years! It will last from April 2017 to its culmination in October 2018, when Georgia will be the Guest of Honour at the world’s largest book fair in Frankfurt.

Nino Haratishwili, I am delighted that you are here today and that you will also be involved in the preparations for Georgia’s guest appearance in Frankfurt. For no one else in recent years, ladies and gentlemen, has brought Georgia so close to Germany as Ms Haratishwili, who lives in Hamburg. And the 100 years of Georgian family history that she shares with us in her breathless novel “Das achte Leben” (The eighth life) are also a “timeless time”.

This broad, open concept of time is a recurring theme of our German-Georgian year.

Together, we will trace the footsteps of the first German settlers in the Caucasus, Swabian pietists who established colonies 200 years ago at the invitation of Tsar Alexander I and who were subsequently to play a key role in Georgia’s cultural history.

We will remember Germany’s support for the founding of the first Georgian Republic in 1918. That is another reason why it is good that the German‑Georgian year runs until 2018.

We will commemorate Eduard Shevardnadze, who played a significant role in German reunification together with Hans‑Dietrich Genscher and others in his role as Soviet Foreign Minister.

We will honour the trustful and intensive cooperation between our two countries, particularly in difficult situations, when every minute counts. One such situation was the terrible terrorist attack on our Consulate General in Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan last autumn, where Georgian soldiers were the first to come to the aid of our colleagues.

This year we are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the commencement of our diplomatic relations. On 13 April 1992, Germany was the first country to recognise Georgia after it had regained its sovereignty, and opened the first embassy there. And I want to take this opportunity to state loud and clear that we support the undivided sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.

In a nutshell, our excellent German-Georgian relations are timeless.

Foreign Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

We want to build on our relations and our rich shared cultural heritage, and focus on developing them for the future. A future in which we will be able to offer Georgians even more productive exchange with the European Union – also thanks to the association and free trade agreement that has been in force since last year.

In our bilateral relations we are focusing on an area in which the “time” dimension often plays a crucial role – the area of education and training.

In Georgia, education does indeed seem to be a timeless resource, for even in Soviet times, Georgia was the country with the highest number of doctoral theses per capita.

In our cooperation we are building on the outstanding German skills of many Georgians, often acquired at the legendary School No. 6 in Tbilisi – and these days also at the German School in Tbilisi, the Goethe-Institut and our 13 partner schools.  

At the same time, we want to use grants from the German Academic Exchange Service to extend our cooperation in the sphere of education to encompass Georgia’s breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia, so that more and more young people on both sides of this administrative boundary line, which is causing so much suffering, realise that only through reconciliation will they be able to experience further development and international mobility.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Since Einstein we know that not only time but also space is relative.

That is why I am pleased that we also feel that we are moving closer together geographically now that Georgians can enjoy visa-free travel to Germany and all Schengen countries – this arrangement finally came into force a few weeks ago.

At the same time, we are constantly engaged in measuring the area and defining where it starts and finishes.

Where are Europe’s borders? Which countries belong to Europe? And who belongs to the so‑called “West”?

My response to that isn’t geographical but political. Europe is where there is a common history and where people and states stand up for shared European values, human rights, freedom, democracy. The historian Heinrich August Winkler speaks of the “normative project of the West”: the West is where the separation of powers, inviolable human rights, the rule of law and representative democracy reign.

And Georgia is moving along this normative path towards the West more than perhaps any other country in the European Union’s neighbourhood. And not merely as a technocratic government project, but with the consistent support of more than 80 percent of the population. That is despite the fact that it is neither a short nor an easy path. That is what is remarkable.

That is why Germany has been accompanying this transformation course very intensively for two decades now. Ambassador Chanturia, who is also a German professor of law and thus another example of the effectiveness of German-Georgian cooperation in the field of education, worked for a long time as a successful advisor to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in the area of judicial reform in his homeland, and later himself became Georgia’s Justice Minister. He has first‑hand experience of this joint engagement. We want to continue to support Georgia’s remarkable reform efforts within the government and society, and will do so.

Yet Georgia is not only taking determined steps towards the West. It is also very successfully rediscovering its Asian side, its role as a bridge-builder between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea – politically, economically and in the realm of energy policy. That just shows that the idea of the West is not a geographical, but a political one. Georgia is also building on its centuries-old relations with Iran and on the asset that Russian language skills still represent for the wider cultural and economic region.

Georgia’s future also lies in this bridge‑building function between the East and the West. We in Germany have a strong political interest in the restoration of the Black Sea region and the Caucasus as a region of interaction, stability and economic upswing – and we are delighted that Georgia in particular is doing its part to help achieve this.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are “inheriting” an extremely vibrant Georgian-German future!

Here today we have been able to enjoy a little sample of just how vibrant this future – and indeed our shared present – is, given the optimism of the Georgian flash mob we just heard.

And that was only the beginning! The beginning of 130 projects and events which will take place not only in Tbilisi and Berlin, but also throughout Georgia and Germany. Events which reflect the diversity of our relations: music, literature, film, language, economic cooperation and, last but not least, wine!

And if I had a glass of Georgian wine, I would raise a toast to the German-Georgian year in accordance with old Georgian tradition: Gaumarjos!

Thank you very much!

from UK & Germany http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2017/170426_BM_GEO.html?nn=479796

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New Post has been published on Webpostingpro

New Post has been published on http://webpostingpro.com/tech-news-updates-clash-of-clans-boasts-of-new-features-such/

Tech News & Updates: 'Clash of Clans' Boasts Of New Features Such

Extended family Conflict has been introduced precisely three years in the past, so we’re celebrating the 3rd anniversary of it these days and for the subsequent 10 days) by getting 3x the XP for our clans in Extended family Conflict for “Conflict of Clans.”

It’s been quite some time for the reason that closing information we were given regarding the subsequent replace, alas, it cannot inform us something legitimate today regarding Sneak Peeks or release date, but we are celebrating the 3rd anniversary of the introduction of Extended family Conflict for “Clash of Clans.”

Consistent with AllClash, the Occasion capabilities 3x Extended family XP for 10 days

A Value Percent with a hundred twenty-five,000 Dark Elixir, and Clan Presents, so be careful in the Clan chat to collect some unfastened Gems, plus the Clan Present Packs in order to deliver your Extended family buddies some unfastened Gems if you buy them.

As in keeping with DroidReport, the Clan desires to complete the Warfare inside this activities period to get the 3x bonus XPs. Also, the free Gems and Darkish Elixir could have been the source of the information in which the leak originated from. Even as different sites including AllClash have all, however, showed that the “Clash of Extended family” leak is legitimate, there may be nevertheless a danger that the said leak became part of an April Fool’s Day prank that turned into observed a bit too overdue, and these websites fell for it.

The Need for an Impartial International News Service

The history of 2016 could be very difficult to put in writing. There had been such a lot of fake announcements repeated by means of each information outlet, and with business and political pressures at the back of every medium, the news is rushed out in fierce opposition to be first. Falsities were frequently corrected, however, corrections are always much less sensational, and consequently less memorable, than the primary scandalous pronouncement. Then both in reference to the Brexit referendum within the United kingdom, and the presidential election in the U.S., individuals have been contradicting themselves and making unsubstantiated statements at a rate that left each the media and the public pressured and floundering some distance behind the data, in which information was able to be discerned.

The news media have to share an awesome percentage of the blame for the

Disastrous outcomes of the United Kingdom Brexit referendum and the united states presidential election. In each instance, emotion became allowed to overwhelm motive: the perceived need for strict controls on immigration became trumpeted an awful lot louder than the opposition should voice the outcomes of undefined social and monetary regulations. In each instance, it become the opposing social and monetary arguments that had been primarily based on truth, the advantages of the huge Eu free market in the one case and the extrapolation of the a success Obama guidelines within the different, yet linked to greater liberal policies on immigration they have been destined to be misplaced inside the media clamour.

There has been a time whilst the BBC World Service seemed as an

incredibly unbiased news medium however funded with the aid of an annual provider from the British Foreign Workplace it could not be said to be entirely free of political bias. On the grounds that this help resulted in 2014, the BBC has proposed confined industrial interest which indicates a flow out of the frying pan into the heart. Absolutely everyone experiencing the incessant commercial breaks on alternative news services is aware of the pernicious have an impact on of the large business, overt recurrent boredom imposed by means of the have-nots on the have-nots and hid political manipulation.

Even as the BBC Global Provider could function a useful model for an

Independent international information medium, the brand new business enterprise can’t be associated with any one countrywide government. It should be under the aegis of the United International locations. Problems like Brexit and the united states presidential election have complicated global ramifications and must be seen and stated from a worldwide angle. A nucleus already exists to distribute news of UN activities,

However, this wishes to be significantly multiplied to offer a completely international information Provider. Free of opposition, it might haven’t any wanted to hurry and will take its time checking records to ensure accuracy. Freed from the need to take business breaks, it might have time to absolutely bear in mind modern Issues, consulting main specialists in all fields and in any respect places. The want for UNIVOX may additionally have existed for a long term, however, it’s miles possibly best in the confusion of 2016 that it has become an urgent necessity.

Google Panda and PageRank Updates: Top Two Ranking Factors in SEO Unchanged

Keyword issue is an essential idea in Seo (search engine optimization). It pursuits to perceive those key phrases that are in variety for an internet site to attain first-page positioning on seeking engine consequences pages (Engines like google).

The author believes that the most effective parameter that may be used for Keyword issue is HomePage PageRank – the number 1 factor on Google. Furthermore, Google assumes that the HomePage of an internet site has the greatest authority of all the pages on the internet site. For that reason, HomePages competing for a Keyword appear to get hold of a boost to an adjusted maximum PageRank 5 (# 2 component on Google).

The HomePage PageRank Keyword problem (HPR-KD) on a selected Google area (Google.Com., Google.Co.united kingdom and so forth.) is calculated through finding the HomePage PageRank of every of the pinnacle 10 web pages for the Keyword including the #2 adjustment. The HPR-KD is the average cost of the top 10 web pages for the Keyword.

Google posted a PageRank update on 18th January 2011 after a 9-month hole.

An evaluation of HPR-KD for a fixed of 1000 key phrases on 31st December 2010 became as compared to a re-evaluation on 24th January 2011. These keywords were obtained from a variety of Search engine optimization initiatives on subject matters ranging from fitness, holiday, website design and advertising and marketing and all the analyses used Google.Com. The sum of the HPR-KDs for the 1000 key phrases on 31st December 2010 become 5847 (common 5.eight – variety 3.2 to eight.6) and on January twenty-fourth it became 5878 (common five.9 – range 2.eight to 8.eight). There was no trade in HPR-KD for 197 key phrases and There was an exchange in HPR-KD for 803 keywords. The suggested exchange in HPR-KD become simplest zero.36.

It’s miles top notch that the suggest HPR-KD

For These thousand key phrases remained solid despite the fact that There was a 9-month hole between Google imparting a PageRank replace.

Extra currently, HPR-KD for the same set of one thousand key phrases became compared earlier than the first Panda update (analysis – 24th January 2011) and following the trendy Panda replace (fifth July 2011 – analysis – 15th July 2011). The sum of the HPR-KDs for the 1000 keywords in January was 5878 (common five.9 – range 2.8 to 8.eight) and in July it becomes 5871 (common five.9 – variety three.three to eight.zero). HPR-KD did no longer exchange for 121 key phrases – 879 keywords modified their HPR-KD. The mean alternate in HPR-KD changed into 0.36.

How Clash of Clans Became One of the Most Popular MMO Games

Whether you play games to your cellphone or now not, you may have heard approximately the famous MMORPG game known as Clash of Clans. Available for iOS and Android, Clash of Clans is one of the longest strolling, maximum famous recreation for smartphones. First of all launched in United states and Canada in 2012, Clash of Clans is now performed through thousands and thousands of lively customers worldwide. So how did they grow to be so famous amid heaps of To be had video games in this saturated market of telephone apps?

The key to their success is user satisfaction

The game is thoroughly pleasant to play. And it’s now not simply the best scores it obtained from critics during its launch, however, it’s also the options and capabilities it offered its players.

The game can be played in each unmarried participant and multiplayer mode. And there’s a key point to word. Not like different games obtainable, this game isn’t centered on one element best. It concurrently supports both single player and multiplayer. You can select no longer to play any of the 2 gameplay modes. This gives customers flexibility and desire. Some thing people continually need, even when playing a Mmorpg sport. For individuals who do not know, Mmorpg refers to Large Multiplayer Online, which is the type of game Clash of Clans is.

May you have heard of Dota 2? it’s a global sensation for game enthusiasts

It is so large that each yr million dollar tournaments are held, referred to as e-sports activities. but Conflict of Clans is confined on your smartphones handiest. but it is a massive game. The creators of The sport, Supercell, bring in millions of dollars in coins just from this recreation, even though it’s a loose-to-play recreation.

So, if it is a unfastened-to-play recreation, how does it carry in tens of millions of bucks? The solution is flexibility. The sport offers customers the power to play it without spending a dime, however, there may be also a paid choice, which isn’t always mandatory. In case you need to get in advance of The game, You may purchase in sport foreign money, known as ‘gem stones’. Those ‘gems’ act as boosts.

[webpostingpro-blog]

New Post has been published on Webpostingpro

New Post has been published on http://webpostingpro.com/tech-news-updates-clash-of-clans-boasts-of-new-features-such/

Tech News & Updates: 'Clash of Clans' Boasts Of New Features Such

Extended family Conflict has been introduced precisely three years in the past, so we’re celebrating the 3rd anniversary of it these days and for the subsequent 10 days) by getting 3x the XP for our clans in Extended family Conflict for “Conflict of Clans.”

It’s been quite some time for the reason that closing information we were given regarding the subsequent replace, alas, it cannot inform us something legitimate today regarding Sneak Peeks or release date, but we are celebrating the 3rd anniversary of the introduction of Extended family Conflict for “Clash of Clans.”

Consistent with AllClash, the Occasion capabilities 3x Extended family XP for 10 days

A Value Percent with a hundred twenty-five,000 Dark Elixir, and Clan Presents, so be careful in the Clan chat to collect some unfastened Gems, plus the Clan Present Packs in order to deliver your Extended family buddies some unfastened Gems if you buy them.

As in keeping with DroidReport, the Clan desires to complete the Warfare inside this activities period to get the 3x bonus XPs. Also, the free Gems and Darkish Elixir could have been the source of the information in which the leak originated from. Even as different sites including AllClash have all, however, showed that the “Clash of Extended family” leak is legitimate, there may be nevertheless a danger that the said leak became part of an April Fool’s Day prank that turned into observed a bit too overdue, and these websites fell for it.

The Need for an Impartial International News Service

The history of 2016 could be very difficult to put in writing. There had been such a lot of fake announcements repeated by means of each information outlet, and with business and political pressures at the back of every medium, the news is rushed out in fierce opposition to be first. Falsities were frequently corrected, however, corrections are always much less sensational, and consequently less memorable, than the primary scandalous pronouncement. Then both in reference to the Brexit referendum within the United kingdom, and the presidential election in the U.S., individuals have been contradicting themselves and making unsubstantiated statements at a rate that left each the media and the public pressured and floundering some distance behind the data, in which information was able to be discerned.

The news media have to share an awesome percentage of the blame for the

Disastrous outcomes of the United Kingdom Brexit referendum and the united states presidential election. In each instance, emotion became allowed to overwhelm motive: the perceived need for strict controls on immigration became trumpeted an awful lot louder than the opposition should voice the outcomes of undefined social and monetary regulations. In each instance, it become the opposing social and monetary arguments that had been primarily based on truth, the advantages of the huge Eu free market in the one case and the extrapolation of the a success Obama guidelines within the different, yet linked to greater liberal policies on immigration they have been destined to be misplaced inside the media clamour.

There has been a time whilst the BBC World Service seemed as an

incredibly unbiased news medium however funded with the aid of an annual provider from the British Foreign Workplace it could not be said to be entirely free of political bias. On the grounds that this help resulted in 2014, the BBC has proposed confined industrial interest which indicates a flow out of the frying pan into the heart. Absolutely everyone experiencing the incessant commercial breaks on alternative news services is aware of the pernicious have an impact on of the large business, overt recurrent boredom imposed by means of the have-nots on the have-nots and hid political manipulation.

Even as the BBC Global Provider could function a useful model for an

Independent international information medium, the brand new business enterprise can’t be associated with any one countrywide government. It should be under the aegis of the United International locations. Problems like Brexit and the united states presidential election have complicated global ramifications and must be seen and stated from a worldwide angle. A nucleus already exists to distribute news of UN activities,

However, this wishes to be significantly multiplied to offer a completely international information Provider. Free of opposition, it might haven’t any wanted to hurry and will take its time checking records to ensure accuracy. Freed from the need to take business breaks, it might have time to absolutely bear in mind modern Issues, consulting main specialists in all fields and in any respect places. The want for UNIVOX may additionally have existed for a long term, however, it’s miles possibly best in the confusion of 2016 that it has become an urgent necessity.

Google Panda and PageRank Updates: Top Two Ranking Factors in SEO Unchanged

Keyword issue is an essential idea in Seo (search engine optimization). It pursuits to perceive those key phrases that are in variety for an internet site to attain first-page positioning on seeking engine consequences pages (Engines like google).

The author believes that the most effective parameter that may be used for Keyword issue is HomePage PageRank – the number 1 factor on Google. Furthermore, Google assumes that the HomePage of an internet site has the greatest authority of all the pages on the internet site. For that reason, HomePages competing for a Keyword appear to get hold of a boost to an adjusted maximum PageRank 5 (# 2 component on Google).

The HomePage PageRank Keyword problem (HPR-KD) on a selected Google area (Google.Com., Google.Co.united kingdom and so forth.) is calculated through finding the HomePage PageRank of every of the pinnacle 10 web pages for the Keyword including the #2 adjustment. The HPR-KD is the average cost of the top 10 web pages for the Keyword.

Google posted a PageRank update on 18th January 2011 after a 9-month hole.

An evaluation of HPR-KD for a fixed of 1000 key phrases on 31st December 2010 became as compared to a re-evaluation on 24th January 2011. These keywords were obtained from a variety of Search engine optimization initiatives on subject matters ranging from fitness, holiday, website design and advertising and marketing and all the analyses used Google.Com. The sum of the HPR-KDs for the 1000 key phrases on 31st December 2010 become 5847 (common 5.eight – variety 3.2 to eight.6) and on January twenty-fourth it became 5878 (common five.9 – range 2.eight to 8.eight). There was no trade in HPR-KD for 197 key phrases and There was an exchange in HPR-KD for 803 keywords. The suggested exchange in HPR-KD become simplest zero.36.

It’s miles top notch that the suggest HPR-KD

For These thousand key phrases remained solid despite the fact that There was a 9-month hole between Google imparting a PageRank replace.

Extra currently, HPR-KD for the same set of one thousand key phrases became compared earlier than the first Panda update (analysis – 24th January 2011) and following the trendy Panda replace (fifth July 2011 – analysis – 15th July 2011). The sum of the HPR-KDs for the 1000 keywords in January was 5878 (common five.9 – range 2.8 to 8.eight) and in July it becomes 5871 (common five.9 – variety three.three to eight.zero). HPR-KD did no longer exchange for 121 key phrases – 879 keywords modified their HPR-KD. The mean alternate in HPR-KD changed into 0.36.

How Clash of Clans Became One of the Most Popular MMO Games

Whether you play games to your cellphone or now not, you may have heard approximately the famous MMORPG game known as Clash of Clans. Available for iOS and Android, Clash of Clans is one of the longest strolling, maximum famous recreation for smartphones. First of all launched in United states and Canada in 2012, Clash of Clans is now performed through thousands and thousands of lively customers worldwide. So how did they grow to be so famous amid heaps of To be had video games in this saturated market of telephone apps?

The key to their success is user satisfaction

The game is thoroughly pleasant to play. And it’s now not simply the best scores it obtained from critics during its launch, however, it’s also the options and capabilities it offered its players.

The game can be played in each unmarried participant and multiplayer mode. And there’s a key point to word. Not like different games obtainable, this game isn’t centered on one element best. It concurrently supports both single player and multiplayer. You can select no longer to play any of the 2 gameplay modes. This gives customers flexibility and desire. Some thing people continually need, even when playing a Mmorpg sport. For individuals who do not know, Mmorpg refers to Large Multiplayer Online, which is the type of game Clash of Clans is.

May you have heard of Dota 2? it’s a global sensation for game enthusiasts

It is so large that each yr million dollar tournaments are held, referred to as e-sports activities. but Conflict of Clans is confined on your smartphones handiest. but it is a massive game. The creators of The sport, Supercell, bring in millions of dollars in coins just from this recreation, even though it’s a loose-to-play recreation.

So, if it is a unfastened-to-play recreation, how does it carry in tens of millions of bucks? The solution is flexibility. The sport offers customers the power to play it without spending a dime, however, there may be also a paid choice, which isn’t always mandatory. In case you need to get in advance of The game, You may purchase in sport foreign money, known as ‘gem stones’. Those ‘gems’ act as boosts.

[fatimakhans12345]

"The future of Europe – what needs to be done?" - Speech by Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid

"The future of Europe – what needs to be done?" - Speech by Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid

-- check against delivery --

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to start my brief input with a quotation on the future of Europe:

“What started out as a European peace project must in the 21st century become a factor for peace in the world. Our young people will, without a doubt, back such a project. Because it is they who dream of a world like that. It is what our citizens are calling out for and what is expected of us outside Europe. We have the means. (...) Europe is a point of reference for a world based on solid, respected laws and institutions. That is my idea of Europe. And I believe with all my heart that this can and should be the next achievement in the grand European project. We have the capability. Let us mobilise the political will and make it happen.”

No, this is not me quoting myself. These inspiring words come from a former student of this university, a brilliant Spaniard who went on to become the first High Representative of the European Union – Javier Solana de Madariaga.

He gave the speech from which I just quoted in 2007 when he received the Charlemagne Award in Germany for his exceptional services to European integration. It was a speech full of energy and optimism about the European project and what the EU could do in the world.

What a remarkable difference to today’s world. Ten years later, speeches about the EU are no longer so bright and hopeful. In fact, nowadays they are often like doomsday speeches. The EU has been dealing with so many challenges since 2009 that somebody invented the term “European poly-crisis”. The effects of the financial and economic crisis can still be felt in several places in Europe, including here in Spain. Migration continues to put Europe to the test, and Europe’s neighbourhood is becoming increasingly unstable. The rise of populism in many Member States, including countries such as France and my home country Germany, where elections will take place this year, is also extremely worrying.

Yes, the past decade has been exceptionally difficult for Europe. But to call the European project as such into question is certainly not the right answer. Instead of questioning the EU, we should strengthen it. Because in the face of globalisation, the EU is our only life insurance in times of crisis. What we need to learn from the past decade is that we must mobilise all our energy to make Europe work better.

So what needs to be done? I have four main thoughts.

Firstly, Europe needs to revive its promise of prosperity and solidarity.

A common market for Europeans seemed to be in itself a promise of growth, employment and prosperity. And for a long time, that may have been the case. But we now see clearly that a common market is by no means enough. The European economy needs to become a genuine social market economy. I firmly believe that if Europe wants to keep its promise of prosperity, it must first and foremost strengthen the social dimension of the European project.

Current data supports my point. Whereas growth is returning, unemployment remains high. The European Commission estimates that economic growth in the Eurozone was 1.7% in 2016, outperforming even the US at 1.6%. One of the leading economies in Europe was Spain, with an impressive growth rate of 3.2%. That is the good news.

The bad news is that the average unemployment figures in the Eurozone are still around 10%. Youth unemployment is even higher. And in some Member States such as Spain, this figure is much higher still. That is unacceptable. It is the responsibility of all politicians to bring these numbers down. We have tools on the European level that we can use in better ways to support national measures. One example is the Youth Guarantee of the European Commission. So far, some nine million young people have benefited directly from this. But we can do more. Greater investment is another example. Also, we can and should make better use of European structural and social funds in order to help the young generation join the work force.

In just three weeks’ time we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome. I believe that this anniversary will be the right occasion to reflect on how to fulfil the promise of prosperity for all our citizens that was made as early as 1957.

Secondly, we need European answers to the migration issue.

Does anyone in this room seriously think that we are better off if every Member State tries to solve the migration issue on its own? I don’t think so. National approaches, such as relying on national border controls, offer no lasting solutions. On the contrary, they pose a threat to the Schengen system, one of the greatest achievements of European integration. We all like to enjoy the benefits of Schengen. We can travel across Europe without even having to show our passports. How could the protection of Europe’s external borders then not be a job for the EU? The migration issue is just another example that shows we need Europe and that we need more rather than less Europe.

Important initial steps have been taken. Cooperation with countries of origin and transit on migration policy has become an integral part of European foreign and development policy. Some progress has been made as regards strengthening solidarity within the EU, though the topic remains difficult. The Member States intend to do more to help each other, coordinated by Frontex, in order to regain control over our external borders. Member States continue to learn from each other’s experiences with migration. Spain also has a lot to bring to the table in this regard. One major milestone is the establishment of a European border and coast guard agency.

But tackling the migration crisis is not only a task that has to be solved. The fundamental question is whether we are able and willing to defend our liberal European model of democracy. Europe has always been a continent of migration – both internal and external – and a safe haven for those fleeing dictatorships, wars and persecution. Our Europe is based on common values.

These values bind everybody. But our societies must be open to different religions, cultures and ethnicities. Diversity enriches us and makes us stronger, not weaker. We are determined to defend our values, as we always have, with a strong and compassionate European asylum policy. We must also work with our neighbouring countries and further partners around the globe to tackle the root causes of migration, not just to manage its effects. As you might know, this is a vast undertaking, but Europe is moving forward. And it is worth the effort.

Thirdly, Europe must protect us!

We must do more on internal and external security. Given the alarming fragmentation and disintegration of our neighbourhood, Europe has to do more to manage these crises in a better way. Former Commission President Prodi wanted to create a “ring of friends” around the EU. That was in 2002. History went the other way, and now we are experiencing a ring of crises. Just look at Libya, Syria and Ukraine.

We Europeans must adapt to this. Just as Javier Solana said, Europe must become a real factor for peace and stability. That means that the EU must become a more proactive political actor. Its Neighbourhood and Foreign Policies should become more consistent and targeted. Last year, the EU came up with a new Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy. That has been a good starting point. Now is the time for implementation.

Fourthly, we must protect Europe!

This point is especially important to me, and it should be to you, too. We mustn’t allow populists and nationalists to determine our actions. We, whether politicians or citizens – in particular you, as the young people of Europe – must jointly respond in the strongest terms and speak up for our values and beliefs! Let’s not leave the stage to groups who claim to present the majority, but don’t respect fundamental rights such as freedom of opinion or the protection of minorities. Let’s not leave the stage to those who reject a model of pluralist and open society based on the values of tolerance and respect for others.

Admittedly, it is not easy to speak up for Europe and to be committed at the moment. In a world of fake news, sensationalism and echo chambers of online social communities, demagogues are having a field day. But fighting for freedom, tolerance and respect has never been easy, as our European history shows.

Last but not least, I want to make a very personal plea to you. The best way to counter Europe fatigue is to experience Europe for yourself. We have to make sure that as many young people as possible experience Europe at first hand, regardless of their parents’ financial means. So I can only encourage you to go and study abroad and take part in an Erasmus exchange programme. Get to know your fellow Europeans and their languages and cultures! Be a part of this great endeavour. Now and in the future, we need Europe. And for Europe to have a bright future, we need you!

from UK & Germany http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2017/170303-StM_R_Complutense.html?nn=479796