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Rob Brezsny consiglia ai Gemelli:

“Più fai quello che vuoi”, dice l’artista Erika Wanenmacher, “più accadono magie”. Erika cerca di farsi sorprendere dagli eventi casuali della vita e li usa nel suo lavoro creativo. Quando passeggia vicino a casa, per esempio, trova oggetti che sembrano chiederle di far parte delle sue opere: sassi a forma di cuore, cucchiai deformati, frammenti di giocattoli. La sua opera Spell wall è composta unicamente da oggetti trovati per caso: “Posso fare quello che voglio con quello che voglio”. Vorrei che la prendessi come modello, Gemelli. Va’ in cerca di suggerimenti inaspettati che ti facciano sentire disinvolto, libero e fecondo.

da Internazionale

The life I wanted, originally uploaded by beinja, what’s the deal?.

MADRID, Nov 26, 2009 (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo ended two months of injury torment with a 20-minute appearance as Real Madrid put one foot in the Champions League knockout phase with a 1-0 Group C home win over FC Zurich on Wednesday.

A 21st minute goal from Argentine Gonzalo Higuain secured a narrow victory for Real who now lead the group, two points ahead of AC Milan who drew 1-1 with Marseille, and need just a point in the final game at Marseille to secure qualification.

“I am scoring some goals which is nice but the most important thing is we are winning,” said Higuain. “This win boosts our chances of qualifying for the next phase of the Champions League and also gives us confidence for the Barcelona game at the weekend.”

Ronaldo, top-scorer in this season’s Champions League with four goals in two games, came on in the 69th minute after eight weeks out with an ankle injury and is now ready for ‘El Clasico’ against Barcelona on Sunday.

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (L) replaces Raul during a UEFA Champions League football against Zurich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, on November 25, 2009. AFP PHOTO

Real lead the Spanish table by one point from champions Barcelona going into the duel at Camp Nou.

“It is good to see Cristiano back as he is very important for us and could help us win (against Barcelona) on Sunday,” said defender Pepe. “It is a big game for us and we will be very motivated to try and win there.”

The Zurich match was a landmark game for Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who was making his 100th Champions League appearance putting him third in the all-time list led by captain Raul on 129.

Raul had been on the substitutes’ bench for the past three consecutive league games but returned for the Zurich game with French striker Karim Benzema making way.

Just four minutes into the match Brazilian Kaka showed quick feet to create a shooting chance and his left-footed drive was tipped over.

Zurich had caused a major upset by beating AC Milan 1-0 on their own patch but were cautious at the Santiago Bernabeu putting numbers behind the ball and playing on the counter attack.

Real probed and got the early breakthrough they craved on 21 minutes with Kaka stealing possession and threading a pass to Higuain who finished with aplomb to enhance his claim for a starting place against Barcelona.

Xabi Alonso, celebrating his 28th birthday, almost scored his first Real goal with his 26th minute drive pushed wide by goalkeeper Johnny Leoni.

A training ground routine almost provided the second for Real with Higuain cutting a corner back to the edge of the penalty area and thundering a volley against the post in the 36th minute.

Zurich had offered little and a decent long distance shot from Alexandre Alphonse was their only effort of note but Casillas always looked in control.

After the break Real went in search of a second goal while Zurich continued to offer little from an attacking point of view.

Ronaldo warmed up on the touchlines to draw applause from the home crowd.

However, Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, playing for his future at the club, was the first substitution, replacing Alvaro Arbeloa close to the hour mark.

Real were struggling to create chances and Zurich grew in confidence with the impressive Alphonse causing some problems with his running from deep.

After 69 minutes Real coach Manuel Pellegrini delighted the home crowd by introducing Ronaldo – missing for the past ten games – with Raul coming off.

Ronaldo, who showed some nice touches, came through the match unscathed which was the most important thing from Real’s point of view.

The former Manchester United man almost scored in the final minute after a good one-two with Esteban Granero but his left-footed shot lacked the power.

All in all the second half display was below-par from Real and they will have to raise their game for treble winners Barcelona on Sunday.

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Halloween is not just for October in Scotland’s capital city. Ghouls and bloody murderers haunt Edinburgh’s streets all year round due to the vast number of ghost tours which take place.

The city of Edinburgh is one of the most culturally fascinating cities in the world, playing host the internationally known Edinburgh Festival. It is well known for its music, literature, theatre, and film as well as its visual arts, libraries and museums. Although these factors are more than enough to charm any traveller or tourist, one of Edinburgh’s most interesting attractions are its numerous ghost tours which explore the ancient district of Edinburgh’s city centre.

Edinburgh is famed for its sinister and murky past. It is the city that the infamous body snatchers, Burke and Hare operated in and the city that inspired books such as ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, adventures of ‘Sherlock Holmes and today’s ‘Inspector Rebus’. Amazingly even the atmosphere that is felt whilst roaming the streets and alleyways of the Old Town district of Scotland’s capital city fills the most fearless of sightseers with an eerie trepidation.

In April 2003, the door was once again opened to the mystical Mary King’s Close; a series of rediscovered underground streets which lie beneath the famous royal mile, Edinburgh’s busiest and most historical street. New research from archaeologists reveals that over 150 years ago the secret streets were originally made up of enormous tenement buildings reaching seven stories high on either side. During the Christmas of 1645, the Plague arrived in Edinburgh, wiping out most of its population, leaving Mary King’s Close derelict and forgotten. Throughout the course of the tour, guides dressed in clothing from the era provide the audience with information of the people who once lived there such as their names and the jobs that they did. Although the guides are informative, they are definitely not boring as they create a fun and relaxed atmosphere which is enjoyed by everyone who visits Mary King’s Close. This find has become the core of many of Edinburgh’s ghost tours, offering a breath taking setting and an exhilarating way in which to spend a night with friends or family. With extensive opening hours and a location in the heart of Edinburgh’s city centre, tourists should certainly make time to enjoy a one on one experience with the capital cities most historical tour.

As well as the famous Fringe Festival that takes place in Edinburgh every august, the Mary King’s Close Fest has taken place every may for the past few years. The quirky ten day celebration has become a favourite with the tourists and manages to attract a unique audience from across Scotland, the UK and from overseas. The off-peak festival uncovers many of Edinburgh’s notorious dark tales and paranormal activities. Every year it offers visitors the chance to experience and explore the truly haunted past of Scotland’s capital city. The 2009 gathering was extremely successful and featured visits from Dr Ciaran O’Keefe and Steve Parsons from TV’s ‘Most Haunted’, a Victorian séance with City of Dead Tours and ghostly storytelling from Mercat Tours. As well as those attractions there were screenings of favourite spooky films, clairvoyant gatherings, talks from leading experts and exclusive city tours.

Although may is possibly the spookiest time of year in Edinburgh, there is no need to wait until then for a taster of its haunted past as ghost tours proceed to run throughout the year. There are many established enterprises battling it out so spectators are never short of choice if they fancy a night of bloodcurdling entertainment. Cheap prices and terrific guides are additional reasons to get involved and enjoy a unique tourist experience. Many of the tours, most of which are suitable for children, provide some very artistic performances from actors and the infamous ‘jumper-ooters’ who may be lurking behind any corner.

In such a fascinating city every visitor should find time in their busy schedule to embark on one of Edinburgh’s renowned haunted tours as the experience cannot be equalled by any other town. Customers will go home feeling thrilled, joyful or haunted but never disappointed after an encounter which shall not be forgotten.

Mobile phone company Vodafone says it is planning to close its final salary pension scheme to 4,000 current staff…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: mobile camera phone. The blog is also related to: mobile phone prices.

The Borders bookshop chain in the UK – which contains 45 stores – is on the verge of going into administration…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: international shopping. The blog is also related to: shopping ideas.

Nikon D300s + AF-S Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G at f/18, ISO200 1/200 Second / SB900 (camera L) +1.7EV, SB800 (camera R) -0.7EV

We have some lovely orchids in our bathroom that recently bloomed, and Bridget’s been after me to take a photo of them. Seeing as I’m still getting over this nasty cold that I’ve been fighting all week, which has been keeping me indoors and preventing me from heading outdoors for photography, I decided today was a good time to make an image of these flowers.

Until I started getting more comfortable with hot shoe flashes, I relied solely on natural light for flower shots (or any kind of still life for that matter….or any kind of photography for that matter….). The sun had already set when I started shooting the orchids, so natural light was not an option. Sometimes, you just gotta roll your own light! This shot was taken using the pop up flash on the D300s set to command an SB-900 high on camera left and an SB-800 low on camera right. Both flashes are firing first through dome diffusers followed by a light tent that is housing the flowers. I shot in manual so I could set a shutter speed that would prevent ambient light from effecting the exposure while setting an aperture that would give me long depth of field for this macro shot.

Speaking of macro, it’s been quite a while since I’ve used my Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G lens. I forgot what an amazing piece of glass it is. Focus speed is absolutely silent and feels instantaneous, even in low-light. To think I considered selling this thing!

Once again, the photo looks amazing in Lightroom and just so-so on WordPress. Can’t figure out why!

A telephone advice charity which has supported thousands of people in Sheffield is to close because of funding problems…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: mobile phone buy. For a different topic see bra types. The blog is also related to: cheap mobile phone.

so close yet so far

fings allways so far awayz

Picture by: dunno source Caption by: dunno source via Loldog Builder

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This morning I had an awareness.  I have discovered that people can be very open acting, but in actuality hold back.  Until people have observed what you are like, they do not trust you.  This is a human condition that is not natural to our species.  I have always assumed that when someone genuinely shares about themselves in a public way, this means then, they are open.  What I have learned though is the opposite.  This is not so much about hypocrisy as it is about lack of confidence.  It’s clear that humans have become detached from belief in the Universe.  If I sense openness from someone I have apparently been making the mistake of believing that I too could be open to them.  What I have suddenly noticed is that what is expected of me is to then present who I am and what I’m about.  It’s not an invitation to let me in, it’s an invitation to show myself as they have done.  Ah!  This is maybe a different twist.  I have never understood how humans operate socially in some ways.  This is one of them.  Good to note.

Women please stop giving up the ass so fast!  You are a treasure and should be treated as one.  You complain endlessly about not being able to find a good man.  Of course not!  Some of you guys jump in the sack so quick with these guys, it makes my head spin.  No man wants to wife a woman that he banged on the first date.  He assumes you do that with every man you meet.  Can you blame him?  I’ve never respected a woman that will give it up on the first date or say, “You don’t need a condom, I’m clean.”  Yeah, whatever.  If you give it up on the first date, you’ve just been categorized as a ho by that man and that’s all you will ever be to him.

The women I respected the most in my life made me wait a month before we had sex.  She respected herself and made me respect her.  I knew at that point that I wasn’t just another notch on her bedpost.  It’s important to a man.  Some men don’t care, but most do.  A good man, anyway. 

Respect yourself.  Make him wait.  If he doesn’t want to wait, let him go.  That’s one more headache and heartache you don’t have to deal with and one more doctor’s visit you don’t have to plan.

Now, if you just need a quickie, do what you got to do.  Don’t go backwards, though.  Some women go and hook up with exes because the sex was good.  C’mon ladies, there’s obviously a reason your not with him.  Let it go.

Whether you believe it or not, you’re a gift to a man.  You complete him.  And no matter what we say or how much we complain, we need you.  Can’t exist without you.  So cut out the fat – all those bum-ass men you associate with and look for quality.  When Mr. Quality comes along, you will have so much more to offer him.  Like a tight vagina.  Accept only the best.

All we ever have in this life is our self-respect.  Keep it.

Officials decide to close all remaining Edinburgh Leisure centre creches by March 2010…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: china city. The blog is also related to: world’s cities.

A Coventry school is to remain closed until the end of the week after pupils reported flu-like symptoms…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: oregon teach. For a different topic see easy soup recipes. The blog is also related to: school part-time.

Lady Gaga consegue resumir muito bem o termo fazer a loca.

Ao vivo dá pra prestar mais atenção na corêo pra depois desenvolver no dancefloor, né?

Trovato, cito e linko.

“C’è spesso una contraddizione tra il modo in cui ci comportiamo con una persona e ciò che in un diario diciamo di provare per quella persona. Ma questo non significa che quello che facciamo è superficiale, e che solo quello che confessiamo a noi stessi è profondo. Le confessioni, e naturalmente intendo le confessioni sincere, possono essere più superficiali delle azioni. Sto pensando adesso a quello che oggi (quando sono andata al 122 Bd. St-G per controllare la sua posta) ho letto su di me nel diario di H. – quel giudizio secco, sleale e ingeneroso su di me in cui dice in conclusione che non le piaccio veramente ma che la passione che io provo per lei è accettabile e opportuna. Dio sa se fa male, e sono indignata e umiliata. Raramente sappiamo ciò che gli altri pensano di noi (o, meglio, che pensano di pensare di noi…) Mi sento in colpa per aver letto quello che non era destinato ai miei occhi? No. Tra le principali funzioni (sociali) di un diario c’è proprio quella di essere letto furtivamente da altre persone, quelle persone (come i genitori e gli amanti) sui quali si è stati crudelmente sinceri solo nel diario. E H. lo leggerà mai, questo? “

Susan Sontag

(CFD.net.au – Contract for Difference, Share, Forex, ETFs, Commodities Traders) – More than half of New South Wales schools have blown their stimulus budgets.

Correspondence obtained by the State Opposition shows 402 of the 720 fully-tendered school projects are over budget and 328 projects are under budget.

The letter to the Federal Government from the state heads of the school infrastructure program said major changes to building projects were needed to avoid them being scrapped altogether.

Sent in August, the letter said schools that were under budget were refusing to hand over money to schools that needed more.

NSW Education Minister Verity Firth says since then, some schools have been convinced to share funding.

“Close to 50 per cent of principals have in fact agreed to, if they’re under budget, redirect some of their funds to those projects that are over budget,” she said.

But Opposition education spokesman Adrian Piccoli says the stimulus money should have been handed directly to schools to avoid State Government mismanagement.

“This would have made it much cheaper and would have allowed NSW to fit within its budget and deliver great projects for our schools,” he said.

“The Labor Government in NSW have got a dreadful track record of delivering infrastructure and this is just the latest example.”

Source: Projects under threat: Schools blow stimulus budgets

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(clicky) Quiet Storm (album download) (clicky)

Okay, this is the final part of the stories behind the tracks on my album Quiet Storm.  Parts 1, 2 and 3 can be viewed if you click on those little numbers, and I want to thank everyone once and again for supporting my album and my blog.  I really appreciate it, and I hope that these behind-the-music notes have added a little to your enjoyment of my music.  On with the show!

18. Role Model (Interlude)

This was originally an entire song which was a rap song with a sung chorus. You can hear the original full version on my High Fashion mixtape but although the lyrics were kinda cool, I wasn’t too keen on my flow in places and I thought that I would rather not have the raps as part of my album.  Nevertheless, I appreciated the idea of the chorus and feeling misrepresented in society as a young person, a gay man, a singer, my music tastes, where I come from, my heritage… all those things are categorised and yet how many of us actually fit the stereotypes for those categories?  I felt that it led into the next song well, as it is about exposing who I am as a person, and not letting anyone’s pigeon holes or preconceived notions dictate who I am.  This is me, and this is…

19. The Truth

This song is probably the most heartfelt I’ve been in any of my songs recorded to date.  It discusses my relationship with my family, life and death, my emotional state and insecurities, my childhood, my education, and music.  It is the truth of who I am – sometimes we feel sad or hard done by, and other times we remember how happy we have been and whatever happens, we just have to keep going and get on with it anyway.  This song is a bit scratchy due to the fact that I have recorded myself playing acoustic guitar on the track (yes, that is me!) and it didn’t work perfectly, though I think it did the job.  I liked the guitar and the piano and the beat – it combined together well to be a midtempo R&B joint that was musically quite stable and almost sunny, yet anchored in place by some really heavy lyrics.  I thought it would originally have been the album closer, but then you’ll see I changed my mind about that.

20. Last Chance

I wanted the last song proper on the album to be a dance song – something that really went out with a bang! I decided this because sometimes (in keeping with the nocturnal theme of the album) you’re not ready to go home at the end of a night, until the DJ has played one final song that really gets you to annihilate the dancefloor and you can just let yourself go with the music before calling it a wrap.  This song is that song – I was inspired by “Work” by Ciara (sampled on the track!), “Get Me Bodied” by Beyoncé, “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas and just any song that really makes me want to move.  Other songs sampled in this are Paulina Rubio’s “Sexi Dance” (at the very end when the track fades out) which gives the song a late-night / early morning sensuous hue, and Beethoven’s “Für Elise” – just because it worked! I was crafting this track for a really long time, and between utilising the beat at the end of “All Night Long” to give the album a sense of circularity and closure, and trying to really fire up the beats and make them incendiary, I just tried to be as crazy as possible.  The rap, the off-kilter song structure with multiple hooks and instrumental at the beginning, the extended coda – it’s really going for broke! And that was what I wanted for the last song.

21. Close

To once again fit with the theme of closure and circularity, this is the “outro” of the album, to pair with the “Open” intro – again, I wanted to use the word “Close” in two different ways, both signifying the end of the album and also bringing in the idea of just wanting someone to hold you close, and desiring that intimacy (not necessarily sexually) at the end of the night, just before the sun rises and you’re feeling contemplative.

22. Lucky To Have You (Bonus Track)

My grandfather passed away during the creation of this album, and I remember being at Oxford and hearing on the telephone from my mother and grandmother that his health was really deteriorating. I wrote this song to comfort him (though he never heard it, and neither has anyone else in my family) as he passed away – I wasn’t allowed to go home and see him because it was in the middle of my finals, and he died and the funeral was held all while I was stuck in Oxford and expressly forbidden to come home.  I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forget that – feeling so helpless far away and yet just glad his suffering was over (his illness was long and protracted).  This song is really personal and dedicated to him; it doesn’t fit with the rest of the album, but I nevertheless wanted to include it somewhere so I thought a bonus track was the best opportunity.

—

That’s it!  Once again, please download my album if you haven’t already, and check out my blog! Thanks for all the support – I really appreciate it and I’ll keep the posts coming!

(clicky) Quiet Storm (album download) (clicky)

Tim Bennett, the president of HARPO, just released this statement:

“Tomorrow, Oprah will announce live on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ that she has decided to end what is arguably one of the most popular, influential and enduring programs in television history. The sun will set on the “Oprah” show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.”

The end is near. Obviously.

I’m sad.

Hello Team!

I’ve been sat in rehersals all week and thinks are looking brilliant. Main Cast, I’m coming round next weke with my camera to film some video blogs. So make sure that you all do your hair and all that

Also, If you know anyone who wants to come see you in the show… BUY THEM TICKETS! Haha

Thats it for now

Tom

x

Edit c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/watir-1.6.2/lib/watir/ie-class.rb

def close
   return unless exists?
   @closing = true
   @ie.stop
   wait
   chwnd = @ie.hwnd.to_i
   @ie.quit
   while Win32API.new("user32","IsWindow", 'L', 'L').Call(chwnd) == 1
      sleep 0.3
   end
end