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This is the home of the Ruby Slipper Project, an investigative photoessay memoir project I began in late 2015 which aims to explore the stories told in my family from one generation to the next. Until I feel it is finished, I will be traveling across the world, seeking out an immersive experience of my family's most poignant, funny, heartbreaking, weird, and beautiful stories with the hope of inspiring others to do the same. The more frequently we do so with eyes open, rooted in an emotionally-sound connection, the more prone we are as individuals and as a society to cultural acceptance — something which cannot be undervalued in the current politico-social climate. And the shoes? Well… there's a story for that, too.
Links are provided in the title of each 'chapter' below to the original blog post for each installment in this series. This page serves as a cohesively flowing home for the project in its entirety. If you would like to follow my journey and my other work, please follow my blog. Learn more about me or drop me a line here.
I. "It's Not About the Shoes":
The Ruby Slipper Project
"Turn it off", she said, almost in a whisper. It was one of the bad days nearing the end, and the frustration was bearing down on her in ways her cancer had robbed her the ability to express. I could hear the tears gathering in her eyes, but she ensured I could not see them as she turned away in the bed which took up most of the available floor space in the already-cramped living room.
My mother made her swift and decisive way toward her, weaving through furniture and boxes and plastic cups, books, and folded napkins balanced precariously on footstools, through the living room in which my maternal Grandmother, Phyllis Granata Evans, was living her last.
The colours and light levity of 'The Wizard of Oz' had burst through the barriers of fate onto our living room television screen – a screen blacker and less dramatic than the silver one upon which she would have first seen those dancing, vivid depictions of lovable characters and yellow brick roads reminiscent of the gold-paved streets her family had sought in coming to America from Italy so many years before. It was one of her favourite movies, and something she and I had shared for years.
Something about it all had long captivated both of us for as long as I could remember, and more times than I could remember, I on her knee in her coincidentally ruby red velvet armchair, I kicked together the heels of those shoes three times, and as promised, I was home. The vibrant colours, the vivid imagery, the powerful, understated simplicity – it was beautiful.
We would delight for hours on end in Judy Garland's character – and as we watched together, so she became a silver-screen embodiment of Gram. That same strength and the class of its delivery, the bravery in standing up humbly with what knowledge she had, acknowledging fear, and those big, brown doe eyes. Judy Garland had been every little girl's idol in my Grandmother's day, surely – but only I was lucky enough to know a real-life version. We knew the lines by heart, though after the first or second time, I was really only watching her. Her undying, enduring fascination with the film reflected a great reverence for life and a joy besides which she retained to her last.
As soon as I was old enough to ask, I received and cherished my own "ruby slippers" – a plain pair of red leather Mary Jane shoes bows on the toes which I wore at every available opportunity. Gram was always the first to remind me to click my heels together and say the magic words which would get me home.
Cancer had also robbed part of her ability to communicate in her trademark, descriptive way, and the resulting directness was always a bare, minimalist version of what she really wanted to say and a reminder of the way things were 'before'. But in her typical grace, she drove the disparity between communications past and present with great competence and careful consideration, crafting her responses thoughtfully but quickly in order to make the most of the changes like an artist working with a new medium.
Like a dance, my Mother's agility and competency under pressure were among the only things she could give to ease her dying mother's finals days, and she gave them freely with that singular goal in mind. Mom turned the television off at the end of an abrupt series of motions and with it, my childhood entered its final phase. "You want it off, Mom? Okay, she wants it off; Caroline, where's the remote?" The screen went black, and then there was silence.
In my own attempts to ease our communal, hovering state of dread, I had been the one to surreptitiously stumble across those slippers, and like Dorothy, had found an unwanted assignment as my Glinda departed. Like my Mother, it was all I could do – flipping through channels, contributing to day to day goings on – all I could offer to our dying matriarch whose self-educated grace had held our family's seams together even at their most vulnerable. And especially then. I was incapacitated by my inability to help, or to control the rapid passage of time like so much sand through some wicked witch's poison hourglass.
At the time, I was newly seventeen with plenty of the less endearing characteristics that brings, a petulant teenager prone to frustration and misdirection thereof. But she, of course, ever tolerant in her aged wisdom in her mid-eighties and having lost none of her astuteness to the disease which had rendered her housebound and living with us in our already-cramped house, had not lost her ability to recognise that petulance.
Once, as my Mother and I concluded an explosive, nonsensical argument concerning the criminal misplacement of my high-top Chuck Taylor shoes – too close to the radius of the front door's inward swing – she consoled my overworked mother, saying with wisdom and understated humour; "Sandra… It's not about the shoes". For the years of her absence to come, both of 'her girls' – my Mother and I – would cite that line like a ruling from the Geneva convention, mandatorily preceding the apology for each regrettable argument of similar calibre. She was "Mom", she was "Gram", and she had our number until the last.
This time, it was too great on the compressed emotions of a moody high school senior – we would not watch our movie. We could not watch our movie, and that meant that things were not normal. I didn't press the issue because I saw her pain, and so I saw her pain as it became ours. She did not want to show the sadness she would otherwise have been incapable of hiding, she wanted to hide her sadness to remain strong. She couldn't bear to see us see the effect it would have on her, to see her in the pain her brain tumour never delivered due to its merciful placement. I did understand. It would – and had – become a sad thing. We would never watch 'The Wizard of Oz' together again.
Perhaps she remembered the last time we watched it together where I had forgotten it without realising its value. Perhaps she wished to keep it in her memory for its pleasantness or more frivolous circumstance. Perhaps the memory of me on her knee was too valuable to replace with these unhappy circumstances.
For years, I couldn't grasp the emotional magnitude of her request to simply turn it off, her concession to privately experience her emotions where I denied myself the same experience. I noted my Mother's swift follow-through and tight-lipped silence. I reeled in shocked silence, I grasped at the absence of experience, thoughts swimming in a sea of vacant space bereft of the familiar comforting songs and joyful imagery, a shock like the missed step of a staircase. I walked myself through it a thousand times.
We had sat together in the silent living room on days just like that before, but there was never a lack of movement and life about her like there was in the moments which followed that decision – whether reading or watching my parents go about the day to day, flitting from work to chores to family time to sleep and back again to start each day, she faced the future as boldly as she had lived her past.
She died on a quiet morning as Mom and I slept on the floor next to her bedside in the living room – only after looking up one last time to be sure we were there, together. Mom put on Israel Kamkawiwo'ole's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow / Wonderful World", and to this day, I can't listen to it without crying every tear I held in during her illness. Her soul left her body on the holy ground she had built – she had given my parents a place to raise me in her tiny nine-hundred-and-fifty-square foot home which now hosted her death bed.
The days following her death were first years, then moments, and finally seconds. Time has since quickened the course of the hourglass, only slowing down for moments in which we choose to acknowledge memory, and within those moments, more are made.
At first, her absence made home an impossible place to return to by its original definition. No matter how many times I clicked my heels, no matter how many times I closed my eyes and said the words (figuratively and sometimes in desperation, literally), I couldn't seem to get 'home', and my spirit sunk. For the years which followed, and as the world threw me to the wind as it does many young people, I searched for a path by which to return to it wildly, incensed at its evermore present inaccessibility, not understanding how to return to what I would only understand to be an intangible concept after leaving it.
I felt at home only when I lived within the memories she shared which so had made our own memories as a unit, and therein her laughter would surface in my memory at last. The bitter moments of her absence would teach me that, while you really can't go home again, the power to do so truly is within you just as it was within Dorothy.
Three years after leaving the town in which we said our goodbyes and two after leaving the state I had called home for over twenty years, I came into the belated but clear understanding that home was not a place to return to – it has no familiar qualities, no tangible way of entry, no key which directly signifies its locked up return address.
Home is the construct of memory alone, of relayed generational experience, and critically, at the centre still, anecdotes, stories, and oral tradition. We are each the construct of innumerable overlapping fractured pieces represented only by the retelling of memory and buried if not cared for – the stories which make it across generations and ages which perpetuate not only our personal and cultural identities but our sense of family and so, home. Those memories transcend genealogical significance or pure cultural pride and themselves hold the power to unite the entire human race through the commonality of this overlap. A tale of adventure from one city to the next – a snippet of someone's life passed down over generations will reveal coincidence and irony evident only to later generations, proving global citizenship and unfolding a valuable story to understanding our humanity.
My Grandmother was a champion of liberal ideology: she won her open-minded, humanist intellect through self-bought and hard won education. She was flawed as all human beings are, but she was strong, kind, persevering, educated, and all the things I aspire to be. She believed in equality for all, she listened to all, and she cared for all, and through her stories, she imparted these values on all who knew her. Her journey through life embodies the experiences which become stories and so build the house upon which a 'home' stands.
Our remembrance of family stories is of integral value to broad-scale cultural acceptance in a world which desperately needs reminders of it. Within these stories, proof of cultural overlap abounds, proving both multiculturalism and global citizenship at their most deeply-rooted levels – and proving to be a powerful tool in gaining ground on cultural acceptance. No person belongs purely to a single race or culture but instead are each the construct of every culture which has, even minimally, touched our own, and within our stories, those cultures deserve recognition. It is critical to our acknowledgement of ourselves as cultural beings to examine and revisit these stories, memories, and to embark on our own journeys towards self-discovery so that we can, in turn, contribute to the cycle. To place our pride in people, not in place, is at the centre of our ability to understand 'home'.
I can't go home again – not to the place I knew, because her final lesson has divorced me from my faith in place and instead seen me place my faith in time and memory. Home is all about me because of what she taught me. But nearly ten years later, it's just about time to symbolically watch that movie together.
We are living in a world which could have benefited greatly from her presence, and so, in her absence, I found a pair of modern-day ruby slippers, and for the next year, I will be undertaking a project which aims to document the stories in my family through travel, photography, and writing – travelling all over the world in these shoes on a pilgrimage which acknowledges my own origins and exemplifies the global citisenship of humanity through story to prove that there really is 'no place like home' in the hope that others will do the same.
This is a journey through life in her shoes, viewed through the lenses of love and will to learn through which she saw the world. It exists to exemplify the confluence of cultures in our lives and to honour her memory by illustrating the multicultural facets which construct each of our life stories. And yes, Gram, you're right…
It's still not about the shoes.
II. How Van Met Phyllis:
Curley's Diner, Stamford, CT
"Has anyone ever told you you have bedroom eyes?" He leaned in over the counter of the tiny diner and set down their food as her big brown eyes darted back and forth. For the confident, handsome, thirty-four-year-old veteran (a line cook for now), this interaction was easy, comfortable. For her – also a veteran, and savvy, but with a giddy laugh she never was very good at holding back – the interaction would have been a little less comfortable: she was on a date with another man. But my grandfather didn't seem to care much.
That is the spark-flying story of how Van met Phyllis – the story of how my maternal grandparents met. Hers was an extreme caricature of a position many women have encountered over the course of history – whether to follow the head or the heart. She followed her heart, and like their memory, the diner still stands today.
The year was 1948, and Curley's diner in Stamford, Connecticut had been open for seven years, about the same number of years Van Gordon Evans, a southern gentleman with a strong jawline and an incurable sense of confidence, had called the north his home. There was instant chemistry, and through a series of events she never fully detailed, they were married six months later with their first of three baby girls arriving ten months after that.
My grandmother had an affinity for diners – frequently calling us from the land line of a local joint she had spontaneously arrived at to see if we would like to join her for a coffee, one of my greatest regrets in life is the one time I declined to join her on one of these occasions. But more often than not, we would end up in a booth at a diner, having a B.L.T., and talking about life: the future, the past, and the present. It was in those diners where I got my first sense of the world around me, of the community we lived in, and where she passed to me her unabatingly street-smart sense of class. Frequently, she spoke out against things she felt were wrong if the time arrived, but more frequently, she complimented that which she saw as good for the world. I gauged her reactions to the world around me partly in diners just like Curley's, and in so doing, she taught me when to speak up and when to shut up.
Their courtship would have taken place as the height of Country-Western, Latin, and Big Band music led up to the birth of rock n' roll. Most of their dating activities happened in and around the Southern Connecticut area where she had spent the latent parts of her childhood after immigrating with her family from Italy at the age of eight. But Curley's diner is the stand-out landmark of their love story – itself as imperfect and inescapably charming as their relationship. The neighbourhood surrounding them abounded with visual disparity even then between the 'rich' sides of town and the poor, ramshackled places struggling with crime, violence, poverty, and drugs.
The diner was empty when I arrived, and admittedly, sticks out like a sore thumb in the heart of the increasingly gentrified Stamford, Connecticut, which in its efforts to beautify the neighbourhood has gone largely in favour of a more classic turn-of-the-century style. Skyscrapers and parking garages spring up all around, and construction sounds ring out in a clamour from behind the tiny parking lot, but inside there's just silence. Across the street, town efforts to transform the neighbourhood into a bustling downtown are succeeding – it is a portrait of gentility with carefully restored brickwork and particularly-chosen lampposts. Black, Hispanic, and White workers can be seen ducking between the shadows of the buildings, working on construction crews while well-kempt Black, Hispanic, and White families enjoy the appeal of the restoration efforts below, driving into the city for a day of shopping while locals are an interesting mix of privilege and pain. But Curley's is a quirky and quintessentially authentic New England diner, hosting senators, congressmen, and actors – DeNiro even filming a part of his film "Everybody's Fine" at the counter.
"I love your shoes." The waitress says in a very matter-of-fact way as she swings by the table. "Thanks! There's actually a funny story about that – it's kind of why I'm here". I explain my Grandparents' story and the shoes' significance, hesitant at first and admittedly taken aback by the interior which looks more seventies than fifties despite the iconically original sign which still stands on the roof outside, but I am welcomed by her directness and interest. When I explain my grandfather's opening line, she laughs and exclaims with great joy "I'd probably date him, too! And the Wizard of Oz is my favourite movie. Love it."
Opened by Herluf Svenningsen, called 'Curley' for his golden locks in 1941, the diner has been a stubbornly-steadfast icon of Stamford for decades, changing hands in the seventies after being bought by Maria Aposporos. It has, literally, made it through hell and high water: surviving everything from the flood of 1955 which left southern Connecticut drowning, to gentrification efforts which would have liked to do away with the diner entirely.
In 2007, then Stamford City Mayor and now Connecticut State Governor Dannel Malloy's Urban Redevelopment Commission's efforts to seize the diner under Eminent Domain in hopes of replacing it with an apartment complex lost to Aprosporos in a hard-fought and very public Connecticut Supreme Court battle garnering attention from everyone from The New York Times to CNN.
Curley's didn't 'fit in' with the sleek gentrification plan for Stamford, and the ground upon which it rests was valuable. It gives off an anachronous vibe: clashing heavily with the art deco style taking over the newly renovated downtown with its fifties charm and even more out of place seventies interior. Aprospros fought back with a card as political as the one she was dealt, using powerful alliances and the press to establish security on her investment – after paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to fight government claims of Eminent Domain, the battle ended in Aprosporos and her sister Begetis saving the decades-old piece of history from destruction.
Aprosporos, a Greek emigrant with thick white hair and friendly eyes whose accent is as steadfast as her commitment to the diner, has garnered plenty of attention and support from Republican politicians and community members as a result of her public battle with Malloy, at one point supporting Tom Foley's unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign for Governor in 2010, and serving on the Republican Board of Representatives in years prior. During his campaign for Governor against Foley, Malloy would later cite her involvement as a political move and claim no involvement in the Urban Redevelopment Commission's decision to attempt to seize her property in Stamford.
Typically, the Connecticut Democratic Party's constituency are proponents and defenders of arts, culture, and humanist ideologies, and gentrification projects tend to reflect the democratic majority's reverence for the arts and historic integrity, even across party lines – Willimantic, Connecticut, once much more of a heroin hotbed than it is today, has made strong and continuing comeback efforts in recent decades, presenting a swinging comeback which regards the area's original features and historic value.
Today, restaurant is an unapologetically authentic homestead for the family clan – Maria and her daughter chat away in Greek as they serve the community. As she directs her staff, she carries herself with the wary sensibility of a street-smart mother, as though watching carefully for the next political move which may jeopardise the integrity of her legacy. She carries with her the wariness of her generation, looking out for her diner like a child from behind the front counter, ducking in and out of the kitchen in her apron.
An African American woman and her son walk in mere moments after I take my seat – right across from the doorway my Grandfather may have walked out of so many decades before. In the quiet diner, she thwarts the boy's requests for ham in his omelette order, explaining that it would cost more than they had — $0.50 more, to be exact – and that she had to eat, too. As they settle in and prepare to order, the waitress, who has overheard from the kitchen, comes forward to take their orders.
"Excuse me, ma'am, not that it's any of my business, but I overheard part of your conversation. This is the best value on the menu" she points at the menu, explaining the volume of food for one order. "Let him get what he wants. I'll make sure you have enough to eat. I'll put the extra dollar in." She leans down to the child, shyly looking over his menu. "What do you like to study in school?" she asks. He responds happily, explaining in fragmented sentences his love of math, science, and community. He's gotten loads of awards so far this year. He's an area local, it's clear he has no Daddy but he's too young to mind, and he likes ham with his eggs.
Some time passes and a local comes in, greeting the waitress with a hug. They ask each other about business and he sets about getting some lunch. It's the authentic place for the 'real' Stamford residents to come, where on the other side of the street, wealthy shoppers frequent the attractive, restored storefronts.
"Let me see if I can find something for you… Ma! I'm goin' out for a minute"The waitress disappears into the parking lot. Moments later, she returns with two items: an old article from the Stamford Advocate featuring the diner's story for me, and a toy truck. I pour over the collection of images, and information, and naturally, order a B.L.T., then watch as she takes the truck to the boy. "Santa told me you've been good this year", she says, stooping down to deliver the gift. The boy graciously accepts, and the waitress returns with a smile, saying "you keep doin' good in school, okay?" as she walks away.
Curley's diner represents a community through several parts of a very diverse whole, the underlying current of mankind uniting despite political, social, or racial differences to convene for one purpose: to enjoy some really good food and have a chat. Greek, Italian, Scottish, and Black culture, Liberal and Conservative, converging in one space with no animosity. Naturally, conditions are not always this idyllic, but for today, it was peace incarnate, and my Grandmother's affinity for the American diner was alive both through her story and her legacy of acceptance. Their marriage was rife with differences – some more innately curable than others – but they loved each other, so they dove right in.
Maria represents a demographic which came to American in pursuit the American dream: much like my own Grandmother's journey from Italy, and a demographic which is still very much alive and well today, but one which is challenged by hyper-conservative immigration reform proposals and adjacent media firestorms. When big business got in the way, Maria accorded with whichever political side could aid her in moving forward with her dream. But even with her conservative allies, she has not lost her socially liberal ideologies; serving food to the poor, sometimes lending money to regulars, and welcoming everyone, from white collar workers to prostitutes, to eat at her table. In the wake of the election, relations are tense even in the 'quiet corners' of Connecticut – but the American diner is still even ground on which to have a discussion or to learn about life from a stranger.
Diners and community gathering places like them are hotbeds of human interaction: in them, we meet people from all walks of life and from all parts of the world. Frequently, they are tied to the romanticised ideals of American road-tripping, and frequently, that is an accurate connection, with travellers visiting from all over the country and the world. They provide common ground upon which ideas and differing philosophies can duke it out, ground upon which humanity's most basic interests stand, and a chance for minds and hearts to meet. My grandmother's view of diner meals as an occasional luxury was due to more than just her depression-era frugality: she saw the educational, humanist value to the interactions which took place within them.
I speak with Maria on my way out, talking about her experiences owning the Diner and the transitions which have taken place over the years. But charity isn't new to Curley's – in fact, Maria explains that the extent of their charity – feeding the neighbourhood poor, hungry, and prostitutes, had sometimes exceeded thousands of meals a week. She explains her battles to secure her business, her plans to eventually renovate, to keep improving, and to restore the building to a more original 1950s style: big dreams which transcend her age or any battles she may face in future.
"I'm planning to fix the sign" she explains, sounding almost sheepish. But as her daughter chats with the young boy's mother in the background of our conversation, watching the young boy play with his new truck, Maria has no idea how perfect her diner already is.


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I was wondering that too. He must have had some stuff laying around.
I was wondering that too. He must have had some stuff laying around.
De mijne is 4x duurder!
Prodigy's Hegelian Dialectic is a gem of an album.
It is, without a doubt, P's best work -- his last before he passed.
This is a new Prodigy -- a politically, socially, and morally conscious Prodigy.
The album is a call to arms, a call to action. A call to a new consciousness. (No wonder conspiracy theories abound about his death). TAKE A LISTEN!!!
The production keeps Mobb Deep's sinister sounds but without the menace. Think 4th Disciple's production on Heavy Mental but more accessible.
Prodigy was an original -- he had that inexplicable quality as an artist that diminished what ever flaws he had as a MC.
A must-have for all Hip Hop heads!!!!
Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs: Gems from the Equinox,
MC Eiht & DJ Premier: Which Way Iz West,
Showbiz & AG: Take it Back,
Sean Price: Imperis Rex,
OC: Same Moon Same Sun,
Apathy & OC: Perestroika,
PMD: Business Mentality,
Masta Killa: Loyalty is Royalty,
Wu-Tang The Saga Continues,
intell: That Was Then This is Now,
Ruste Juxx & Kyo Itachi: Meteorite,
King Magnetic: Everything Happens 4 a Reason,
Hell Razah & Ayatollah: Blaxploitation,
Rock: Rockness AP,
Apollo Brown & Planet Asia: Anchovies,
Molecules & Showbiz: A Bronx Tale,
Roc Mariano: ROSEBUDD'S Revenge,
Kool G. RAP: Return of the Don,
Sadat X: The Sum of a Man,
Talib Kweli & Styles P: The Seven,
Prodigy: Hegelian Dialetic,
Meyhem Lauren & Icerocks: Raw Cashmere,
Blacastan & Stu Bangas: The Uncanny Adventures of Watson & Holmes
DJ Quik & Problem: Rosecrans LP,
SnowGoons: Goon Bap,
Slaine Vs. Terminology: Anti-Hero
Last edited by Comptilla; 11-04-2017 at 02:19 PM.
Raekwon's The Wild, Tech N9ne's Dominion and Strange Reign
Wu Tang's The Saga Continues.
My wife got me the Paid in Full vinyl set for xmas
Eminem's Revival.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Listings >> Grooming >>Dog Supplies >>Dog Daycare >>For Dogs Downtown HoundClaimed Downtown Hound has a giant indoor play area to keep your dog happy when you're working or out and about. (402) 496-3647 www.dthound.com dogs allowed inside Rate and write a review Cancel reply Connect with: Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Your Review Name * Email * Website How dog-friendly is this place? Title of your review: Photo gallery All photos (3) Latest News Fresh articles from the dog blog The first Pop-Up Dog Park in Omaha October 5, 2016 Community Omaha Featured in Dogster Magazine! October 5, 2016 Dog-friendly Bars in Omaha Dog-friendly events in Omaha Dog-friendly patios in Omaha Dog-friendly Shopping in Omaha A week dedicated to dog fashion, Omaha FURshion Week June 11, 2016 Community Culture Dog Fashion Entertainment View All Leavenworth Street 1513 Omaha 68102 NE US Get directions Write a review Review Add to favorites Favorite Mon-Fri: 7AM-7PM Sat-Sun: 10AM-5PM Closed Holidays After Hours Appts Available Businesses are submitted by users. If this business was added incorrectly, please submit a help ticket to have it removed. Categories Ripley and Rue Dog Bandanas Handmade ❤ Quality ✔ Modern ✌Dog Bandanas RipleyandRue.com Dog Daycare Dog Supplies For Dogs Grooming


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Through a judgement handed down on 4 March 2016, the Belgian Council of State (the "CS") has resolved to dismiss an action for annulment in respect of the Regulation establishing a ban on the distribution of certain non-conventional financial products to retail clients.
This Regulation was adopted on 3 April 2014 by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (the "FSMA") with a view to prohibiting the marketing of the following products:
- traded life policies (or life settlements) or products where the return directly or indirectly depends on one or more traded life policies;
- products where the return directly or indirectly depends on virtual currencies (e.g. bitcoin);
- investment instruments (other than units of undertaking for collective investment) where the return depends directly or indirectly on an alternative investment fund investing in non-mainstream asset(s) (e.g. artworks, liquors, raw materials, precious metals);
- class 23 insurances linked to an internal fund investing in non-mainstream asset(s) or of which the return depends directly or indirectly on an alternative investment fund investing in non-mainstream asset(s).
On 22 July 2014, a claim was lodged with the CS by SETTLEMENTS S.A., a Belgian company whose business was focused on life settlements.
Summarily, the pleas in law came forward on two levels.
As regards the nature of the life settlements, the claimant challenged the alleged speculative, convoluted and fraud-easing features. The CS found that such products were indeed speculative, considering their random and solely profit-seeking qualities. It was also confirmed that the life settlements' ins and outs were too demanding in respect of retail clients' capabilities.
As regards the measure in itself, the claimant layed emphasis on the patent lack of proportionality expressed by the banning approach. Furthermore, he argued that similar results could have been obtained by imposing accrued transparency and monitoring requirements (as already in place, inter alia, through MiFID implementation). The CS upheld that preferring a ban provided the greatest certainty of granting an effective solution for the protection of investors.
Since the claim failed to stand before the CS, the Regulation can now apply unabated.


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Coastal wave basin (CWB)
Facility highlights
The NRC's 63 m × 14 m (207 ft × 46 ft) Coastal Wave Basin (CWB) serves as a narrow 3D basin or a very wide 2D flume. It is ideal for conducting two-dimensional and three-dimensional physical model studies of wave and current interactions with structures and shorelines at medium to large scales
What we offer
Long-crested, irregular waves with significant heights of up to 0.4 m (1.3 ft) can be generated. High-efficiency wave absorbers give less than 5 % reflection over a wide range of depths, wave periods and heights. The basin can be configured to generate bi-directional currents, and combined wave+current flows can be modelled.
By erecting temporary partition walls, the facility can be sub-divided into several narrower channels for conducting two-dimensional studies of multiple cross-sections in parallel. This approach is an efficient method for evaluating the relative performance of several alternative design concepts and for refining preliminary designs. Once the structure's cross-section is optimized, the partition walls can be removed and the three-dimensional aspects of its performance can be investigated in the same facility.
The basin can be accessed easily by heavy equipment used in constructing model bathymetries. The basin is also served by a 1 ton traversing gantry crane and a mobile service bridge.
Features of the NRC's CWB
- A 63 m × 14.2 m × 1.4 m (206.7 ft × 46.6 ft × 4.6 ft) wave basin served by a 1-ton traversing gantry crane and a mobile service bridge
- Comprehensive wave synthesis and generation software including second-order compensation
- The ability to generate a wide range of wave conditions including long-crested irregular waves with significant heights up to 0.4 m (1.3 ft), and regular waves up to 0.55 m (1.8 ft)
- High-efficiency passive wave absorbers that give less than 5 % reflection over a wide range of depth, wave period and wave height
- Various options for generating currents using a combination of recirculation channels, thrusters and pumps
- Simultaneous generation of waves and currents
- Rapid draining and filling
- Easy access for heavy equipment to support construction model bathymetries and structures
- Full range of instrumentation systems for measuring waves, currents, pressures, forces, runup, overtopping, scour and armour unit stability
- Data acquisition on up to 64 channels at 1000 samples per second
- Digital video recording system including both regular and high-speed cameras
Why work with us
In working to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization, the NRC plays a critical role in collaborating with industry to assess the performance of infrastructure project designs, marine vehicles and marine operations in operational and extreme conditions and develop optimizations to improve performance, increase safety and reduce lifecycle costs. Working with the NRC offers you the competitive advantage of world class, customizable testing facilities combined with the broad knowledge and experience of our in-house research staff. The NRC's professional staff has extensive experience in many engineering fields, including the behaviour and performance of structures and vehicles in complex ocean, coastal and river environments.
Fees vary depending on the project and your requirements. For further information, contact Client Relationship Leader, Enzo Gardin, at 613-991-2987, or by email at: firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Fire TV Episode 26 censored
I just finished episode 25 on The Fire TV app and it was uncensored. Been waiting forever for season 3 to be uncensored so I was excited. However when episode 26 played it was censored. I logged in and watched the same scene on my iPhone via Chrome on the FUNimation website and episode 26 is not censored. Is this just a glitch or something? Are all the rest of the episodes going to be censored on Fire TV?


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The Law Offices of McDowall Cotter will be holding a special seminar to answer many of the critical questions involved with planning for a person with special needs. The seminar will be held at their offices on April 19th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. There is no charge for admission, but seating is limited and you must call ahead to reserve a spot. For more details on the seminar, as well as contact information and directions, visit our Parent Links page.
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Stanbridge Academy is a caring, inclusive K-12 school for students with mild to moderate learning differences and social communication disorders. We use an individualized, whole student approach so that students thrive and develop their academic, social, and emotional capabilities to their fullest potential.
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June 2017


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Berlin Office Collection
The happy memories we have of enjoying favorite movies, shows, and games with our loved ones are some of the most wonderful things everyday life can give to us. This Franchi TV Stand is designed to give the home an ideal place for making memories just like those, offering the living room all of the space and storage it needs to host friends for the big game in comfort and style. With a huge array of storage spaces and a traditional solid wood design accentuated with beveled edges and other fine details, the Franchi Open-Faced TV Stand promises decades of use and enjoyment in the family home.
As standard, this beautiful solid wood TV stand includes:
Your Franchi TV stand will be crafted to order in your choice of wood and stain in a small Amish woodshop right here in the United States. Select your perfect materials from the menus above to get started, and if you run into any questions at all - or if you would like to see free samples of any of our woods or stains at no cost - please don't hesitate to reach out to us by phone or by email anytime.
And while this TV stand is beautiful alone, we're proud to offer a range of living room pieces designed to complement it perfectly. Simply scroll down to the "Franchi Living Room" tab below this box to start exploring this exceptional range.
Thank you for your inquiry. We do our best to respond to all inquiries within 24 hours. If you do not receive a response it is likely an email problem. If this is the case, please call us toll free at 866-272-6773.
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Inputting your telephone number in the field on this page will insure that you get a response from us by telephone if email fails.
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Retargeting Campaigns for Social Media
Want to get more attention to your company website?
Retargeting is an effective way to build traffic and have repeat visitors to your website.
Industry wide, website conversion rates hover in the 2% range. That means for every 50 visitors to your site one of them will do something more – sign up for a blog, opt-in, or purchase. There are ways to improve that. While Porter Consulting endorses designing specific website changes to bring your content to the attention of visitors, the fact of the matter is that Retargeting can enhance visitor traffic, conversions, and client business in a significant way.
What is Retargeting and why is it important for small businesses?
When a visitor goes to your business website, they do not always buy or opt-in. Most of the time they will continue to browse through the Internet forgetting all about your website. Retargeting is a way to visually remind a visitor of a site they left behind on a previous search. Most larger companies that sell products or solutions are now using this technology.
How well does Retargeting work?
The average click-through rate offered by display ads is less than 0.1%. That means that out of a thousand people that view an ad, on average only one will click through to the website. Through a marketing study, it was found that Retargeting can increase search activity by more than 1000%. Three out of five buyers say that they notice Retargeting ads when they belong to a site they have already visited. Response to internet ads can be boosted by as much as 400% when combined with Retargeting.
Here is what we can offer you:
- Retargeting Campaign – We can create a standalone re-targeting campaign for as little as $499 for a two-week campaign. This would include ad design and placement.
- Website Redesign – When combined with Website Redesign for Social Media service, the first Retargeting Campaign would be done for you at no cost.


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Over the past eight weeks I have lead a group of young adults (18 and up) through several arguments against evolution. Today we summarized our eight weeks. I thought the summary might serve as a helpful introduction for others as well. Must of the information is drawn from Geisler's Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics and The Answers Book from Answers in Genesis.
I would particularly point out the second paragraph which begins "Second, …"
In Jesus' love,
Topic 1: Evolution
Week 8: Summary
In the eight weeks of reviewing evolution we have looked at several points. First, we defined the type of evolution we were going to discuss. Our definition was the evolution of one type of living creature into a more complex living creature. The difficulty here was the impossibility of randomly generating complexity. We used the example of a computer that could generate random computer characters. At no time would this process generate a usable program which could add numbers. Complexity or instructions cannot be generated from a random process.
Second, we looked at the difference between the evolutionary view and the view of salvation. We found these to be incompatible. Evolution requires survival of the fittest. In order for it to work, the death of the less fit is required. On the contrary, Romans 5:12 says, "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned". Contrary to evolution, Christian salvation relies on death entering the world through sin, not as a normal process that aided the development of all creatures. Further, and more importantly, salvation relies on Jesus Christ conquering death and sin. Second Timothy 1:10b reads, "our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel". If evolution holds then it demands death before Adam and Eve. Death before Adam and Eve would mean that death was not a consequence of the sin of Adam and Eve. If death is not a consequence of sin then Jesus did not have to die for our sins.
Third, we learned about the difficulty of dating the earth, rocks, fossils and the remains of the dead. There are many techniques for finding these dates. One is carbon dating. Carbon dating is only accurate for several thousands of years, not millions. It can be inaccurate unless the amount of carbon 14 in the cycle from air to plant to animal is known. Second is a technique used called radiometric dating. Radiometric dating uses isotopes that break down over predictable lengths of time to date stones and remains near those stones. Difficulties arise when the original amount of the parent and daughter isotope are not known; when the transition rate between the two is varied; and, when amounts of the parent or daughter could be added in the intervening time.
Forth, we review the common argument that the similarities of organisms and the evolutionist's conclusion that these homologous structures necessitate common origin. We also review several real-world examples where similarities do not mean common origin and where they do. We discussed the necessity of many characteristics between organisms because of their common environment on earth. Also, a disconnect was found between structures that are similar between animals. The evolutionist does not concede that the structures are homologous, though they are similar, because there is no pre-conceived idea of a common origin between them.
Fifth, we reviewed a video, Unlocking the Mystery of Life, concerning the argument against evolution from the point of irreducible complexity. This again brought up the idea that the origin of the complex information is never explained in evolution. Also, the bacterial flagellum was used as an illustration of irreducible complexity. The idea of the video was that certain structures are complex and cannot be arrived at through more simple structures because the loss of any piece of the complex structure renders it completely useless. The order of assembly, self assessment, and construction mechanisms are also discussed as further difficulties to the evolution of these complex structures.


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Jesus, what a beautiful name
By Gary L. Van Nyhuis, Associate Pastor, FCOC
The name of Jesus is powerful and influential. His name is above all names, worthy of all praise.
In Acts 3, Peter and John encountered a crippled man who needed a miracle, so Peter instructed the crippled beggar to get up!
How did they do that? Who authorized them?
Verse six makes it clear. Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
Where did this miracle happen? At a gate outside the temple.
In John 10:7 and 9, Jesus declared, "I AM the Gate."
This gate is called "Beautiful!" Why? Not merely because it was built and designed with bronze, as scholars indicate, but I believe it is called "The Gate Beautiful" because Jesus made it beautiful.
Jesus, His miracles and everything about him are and always have been beautiful.
There were some during the early days of Christianity who did NOT like the name of Jesus, demanding: "Don't use that name."
Demons hate our Lord's beautiful name. So does Satan.
Just like the early era of the Church, in our modern era, we must boldly use Jesus' name!
We see in Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
Peter and John, just ordinary men, lived with courage. Some rulers ordered them to leave and stop using Jesus' name! They chose to obey God rather than man.
For centuries, there are people who have been trying to shut Christians up from speaking Jesus' name! We love the beautiful name of Jesus, even though others don't. The early Church faithfully, devotedly declared Jesus' name, and so shall we.
Jesus' name is wonderful.
When we use someone's name, we identify them. The prophet Isaiah [Isaiah 9:6] identifies a great King and Messiah as "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace." Despite the darkness in the world, a Light will come into darkness; a new King is coming and will take the throne.
These names pinpoint exactly the wonderful things God is doing and has in store for us! God's good news is always greater than the world's bad news.
His name is Wonderful, Jesus our Lord. So Wonderful He wants to re-identify ourselves in him; be saturated and immersed in him!
As a Christian, You are wearing his name, Christ-ian, every day. Imagine it's on the back of your shirt like a sports jersey. Wear it gracefully, yet boldly. You are here to represent! You are Christ's ambassador, so represent him in your business, neighborhood, hallways or common areas at school or at dorms at the universities. Let's magnify, glorify, proclaim and praise the beautiful name of Jesus Christ our King!
There is wonder in his name. Our Lord is wonderful. His birth was wonderful. His humanity, life, teaching, healing and miracles were all wonderful. He made the blind see and the lame to walk. He ate with the outcasts and forgave the sins of the broken. When he was crucified, his sacrifice and his resurrection were made possible for ALL! Through Jesus' death and resurrection, he made a way for our sins to be forgiven. Because of that, we're offered eternal life with God.
If you are not a Christian, he's calling you to receive him; his forgiveness, love and eternal life. Experience a brand-new way to be human. Take on his name "Christ" today and his identity as Christian. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.


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Text "ozone" to #41411
Tulsa Area Ozone Alert! emails are sent when an Ozone Alert! Day is issued for the following day. By signing up, your email will ONLY be used for this purpose.We respect your privacy. You will receive a secured email from the OzoneAlert server with a link to confirm your signup. You're not fully signed up until you confirm your address through this emailed link. Additionally, with this email and all subsequent Alert emails, an unsubscribe link option will be provided.


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Catholic Life of the School
At Our Lady of Lourdes pupils are encouraged to think, pray and give to others. We have a number of charities which we support throughout the year.
Gianna Project - When a Child is Born
Every Christmas parents and children donate items suitable for new born babies. These are distributed to new mothers in the diocese.
The Good Shepherd
Catholic Care provide huge support to the pupils and families in our school and throughout the Diocese. Every Lent our children hold a range of fundraising events to raise money for the Good Shepherd Appeal. In May our pupils attend the Good Shepherd Celebration and present a cheque to the Bishop.
Forget me not Hospice
Since it opened, our school has formed close links with the hospice. Pupils have visited to see how they support poorly children and their families. Our choir have recently sung at fundraising events and we have held dress up days to raise money.
MacMillan Nurses
Sadly many people have been affected by, or know someone affected by, cancer. Each September we host a bun sale, coffee morning and non uniform day to show our support for the MacMillan Nurses. As well as MacMillan Nurses we have also promoted World Cancer Day on 4th February 2016.
As well as giving to charity pupils are encouraged to look after the world around them. Our children do this by recycling in school, growing their own vegetables and looking after our chickens in the allotment.


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If you'd like to drop me a line, feel free to use the form below or send me an email at laura @laura fries .com.
Cool, thanks! I am usually pretty good about returning messages, but sometimes emails slip through the cracks. Feel free to follow up in a few days via email or social medias. <3 LF
These days I am enjoying sunny Atlanta, Georgia.
(Want to send me something in the mail? Neat. Direct message me and I will send you my address!)


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What is Paid to Write 101?
Paid to Write 101 is your one-stop resource for all things related to freelancing writing. Don't write "for exposure" or for less than minimum wage! With the advice here at Paid to Write 101, you can earn a real living as a freelance writer.
Who Am I?
Hi! I'm Allison – the creator of Paid to Write 101. I was bit by the freelance bug in early 2006, and after some soul-searching, I decided that getting a "real job" just wasn't for me.
When I started, the online writing world looked very different, but I've learned to adapt, grow as a writer, and face all the challenges this industry has thrown my way. This is my corner of the Internet where I'll be sharing my best advice to help you do the same as the writing world continues to change.
Today, I'm still freelancing from the beach with my fiance Jeffrey, and when someone asks "what do you do," I get to tell them, "I'm living the dream." I work with my toes in the sand and take frequent breaks to spoil my cat. I'm living proof that you can get paid to write!
In my free time, I also volunteer for an exotic animal rescue here in the Hampton Roads area, and I participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) every year, an annual crazy attempt to write a 50K-word novel during the month of November.
Want to connect with me? The best option is to send me an email (allisonmboyer-@-gmail.com) or to connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Pinterest. I hope to hear from you soon!


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The Online Collaboration System is powered by Blackboard Collaborate, which has been integrated with Blackboard Learn to allow for highly flexible online collaboration sessions within Boise State courses.
Want to Learn More?
Check out the How To Guides on the left-hand menu to learn more about managing and troubleshooting Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
Overview of Collaborate Ultra
What is it?
On December 21, 2016, Blackboard Collaborate was upgraded to the Collaborate Ultra experience.
Collaborate with the Ultra experience opens right in your browser, so you don't have to install any software to join a session!
What are the Improvements?
- Brand-new architecture that runs directly in a browser – no need for Java!
- A modern aesthetic and streamlined interface
- HD audio and video
- Personalized participant profiles
- Quick & easy file and application sharing
- Easy guest access for guest presenters or participants from outside Boise State University
- Instant and convenient text chat
- Live closed captioning (with a captioner)
- Integrated telephony for listening/speaking via a telephone
- Breakout rooms
- Scheduled Sessions
What are the Restrictions?
- Session attendance restricted to 100 users
- No Blackboard gradebook integration
- Archives of sessions have to be viewed from the course.


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Week In Review
LIFE@LAKESIDE is a newsletter that you'll receive in your inbox once a week. It is another way for the district to stay connected to parents, students, faculty, and staff. View previous issues of LIFE@LAKESIDE
To subscribe, simply enter your email below and start receiving the LIFE@LAKESIDE Weekly District Newsletter!


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Suburban county fairs mix new attractions with returning favorites
Suburban county fairs this summer will offer everything from a concert by the country duo LoCash to a Bengal tiger show. But traditional favorites -- livestock shows, rodeos and demolition derbies -- also return, along with the usual carnival rides and fair food.
Here are some new and returning highlights that visitors can look forward to at the 2017 Kane, DuPage, Lake and McHenry county fairs.
Kane County Fair
When: July 20-23
Where: Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 Randall Road, St. Charles
Info: kanecountyfair.com
A Bengal tiger show and a science/interactive game area are two of the newest events offered at this year's Kane County Fair.
Third-generation tiger trainer Brunon Blaszak brings his tigers into the ring for a free show. And the Mind Works science/game activity in the fairgrounds' Prairie Events Center will offer guests a new perspective on game playing.
"It's an actual interpretation of games for young people to play and become a part of," said Larry Breon, Kane County Fair Board president. "They will actually become part of the chess game or whatever game they are playing."
Wine tasting is another new event. Wineries from northern Illinois will offer a variety of wines for sampling, Breon said.
And the Swifty Swine Racing Pigs will once again compete in Kane County.
"The pigs are always a crowd pleaser," Breon said. "There is always a new generation of fairgoers every year who have not seen the racing pigs."
Other fair highlights include professional championship bull riding, a demolition derby, carnival rides and 4-H animal exhibits and competitions. Headlining concert performers include Hillbilly Rockstarz and Hi-Infidelity.
Daily hours and admission fees vary.
Livestock exhibits are a big part of the DuPage County Fair.
- Daily Herald file photo
DuPage County Fair
When: July 26-30
Where: DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton
Info: dupagecountyfair.org
A focus on healthy eating is part of this year's DuPage County Fair, said Jim McGuire, manager of the DuPage County Fair Association. Celebrity chefs will be on hand with cooking demonstrations.
"A lot of healthy food choices will be offered at the fair. But of course we will still have traditional fair fare like funnel cakes," McGuire said.
A new beer home brew competition begins on Thursday, July 27.
"Home brewers can bring out their best," McGuire said. Prizes will be awarded. Rules are available on the fair's website.
Opening day of the DuPage County Fair, Wednesday, July 26, is Family Day, featuring a talent show with junior and senior divisions. A parade begins at 4:30 p.m.
A new landscape area with a community garden and entertainment space has been added at the northwest corner of the fairgrounds, McGuire said. A celebration of Hispanic culture with folklorico dances, music, food and costumes is a highlight.
The fair is once again offering a student art contest for DuPage County high school students. Scholarship money will be awarded. Visit the fair's website for guidelines.
"Last year, we awarded $18,000 to 12 student art contest winners," McGuire said.
No matter what the activity, family is always at the heart of the DuPage County Fair, McGuire said.
"County fairs have been going on for 150 years. Tradition is an important thing. It's a time to get together, share some fun, meet new friends and celebrate DuPage County," McGuire said. "It's a family event -- family is always a theme."
Daily hours are 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is $4-$10. Seniors are free until 3 p.m. from Wednesday, July 26, through Friday, July 28.
When: July 26-30
Where: Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake
Info: lcfair.com
Organizers of the Lake County Fair like to call it "summer's best fest," said John Maguire, director of business development and marketing for the Lake County Fair Association.
"We like to think we offer more than most of the neighborhood festivals, with our grandstand events, the animal events -- we try to celebrate the end of summer," he said.
Country duo LoCash headlines this year in a grandstand concert at 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 28. The concert will have a separate $20-$30 ticket fee. Tickets are available for purchase online at the fair's website.
Maguire said a new arena has been built for the motocross competitions. And two rodeos from the Big Hat Rodeo Company are in the spotlight on Saturday, July 29,
Demolition derbies are featured on Sunday, July 30.
"We are mixing it up, with figure eight demolition derbies, women's races and school bus races," Maguire said.
A number of new food vendors will be on-site, and new acts are featured in the fair's beer garden.
"We'll have a lot of diversity in music. We like to showcase the best of Lake County," Maguire said.
Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 26-27; 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, July 28-29; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 30.
Admission is $10 for adults, with discounts available for children, seniors and military.
McHenry County Fair
When: Aug. 1-6
Where: McHenry County Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Road, Woodstock
Info: mchenrycountyfair.com
"Carving Out Our Future" is the theme for this year's McHenry County Fair.
A focus on 4-H and its programs, including livestock and educational displays, continues to be a priority.
"This year is the 100th anniversary of the McHenry County 4-H program," said Katie Bloomfield, general manager of the McHenry County Fair Association.
New this year is a Kid Bucks game show style event, running three times a day, Bloomfield said.
Also new is a roping event, similar to a rodeo, where performers ride out on horseback and catch steer.
The Miss McHenry County pageant begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1.
Motocross events, tractor pulls and a demolition derby are also highlights.
Music headliners include Sawyer Brown at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, in the grandstand. Tickets are $15-$20. Other performers include Jimmy Nick and Suburban Cowboys.
Juggler and fire eater Andy Martello returns to the McHenry County Fair this year, performing three times a day, Thursday through Sunday.
And those with a talent for shouting for hogs and gobbling down watermelon can take part in the fair's hog-calling and watermelon-eating contests.
Daily hours vary. One-day admission tickets are $5-$8. Kids ages 5 and younger are free.
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- Life & Entertainment
- Festivals/Fairs
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Lake County
- McHenry County


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Posted: Thursday, June 13, 2013
Excerpt from Chapter 2
Catie had extreme mood swings, maybe even multiple personalities. She could be happy and upbeat one minute, but down and depressed the next. When we pulled into the garage of the luxury, high-rise condominiums that Catie lived in, the attendant helped her out of the car. She didn't speak or thank the gentleman, or even look at him. That was certainly a clue that she was in one of her darker moods. I let myself out of the car and met her at the elevator. She lived on the thirtieth floor of her building. Each floor past the twenty-fifth had its own key, so the elevator let us out directly into her condo. Without a word, she went straight to her bedroom and closed the door.
Catie's condo was really nice. It looked like it could be featured in a magazine. It originally had three bedrooms, but she had converted one into an office and another into a workout room.
There were three bathrooms, a laundry room, a formal dining room, and a gourmet kitchen. The girl couldn't make noodles, but she still insisted on having a gourmet kitchen. I sat on her brown leather couch, looking through her photo albums. She always had new pictures from the parties she went to. I was still impressed by some of the people she had met. She finally walked out of the bedroom, wearing tight, red leather pants, a red-sequined halter, and a short, red mink. She was holding her shoes in her hands, and when I saw how high the heels were, I knew why.
"How many inches are those shoes?"
A pair of silver drop earrings had taken the place of her diamond hoops, because she never wore her best jewelry to appointments. She smelled like flowers, had on too much blush, and was wearing way-too-long fake lashes.
"Ready?" she asked. Her expression was blank, but there was irritation in her voice.
We had fought about her work far too many times. She knew I thought she was letting all her potential go to waste. I didn't want to go with her, but I didn't want to leave her stranded, either. Anything could happen to her. I loved Catie, but I hated what she did. I felt like she had given up. Somehow, she had convinced herself that no one cared about her—except her.
"Catie, you know you don't have to do this," I said cautiously.
"Do what?"
"Live like this."
She looked around her condo and spread her arms.
"Like a queen, you mean? I don't have to live like a queen?"
Category: Relationships


text: Flippo Gallery Close Sub-Nav Menu Studio Arts Degree RequirementsCourse DescriptionsFacultyFlippo Gallery Submissions The Flippo Gallery is a space dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary works of art by professional artists. Artists exhibiting at the Flippo Gallery, emerging and established, present work in a variety of media addressing a wide range of conceptual concerns. The gallery is intended to serve as link between the educational mission of Randolph-Macon College and the community at large. Built in 1876, Pace-Armistead Hall is included on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was renovated in 1997. The Flippo Gallery is located on the first floor of Pace-Armistead Hall. The renovation was made possible by a generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. M. William Armistead. A gift from Mr. and Mrs. F. Carter Flippo provided an opportunity to incorporate the design of the Flippo Gallery into the renovation. Hours The gallery's hours are 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Mondays through Fridays, and also by appointment. The Flippo Gallery will be closed during Academic holidays. More Information Directions to Pace-Armistead Hall Contact the Curator Kristen Peyton Gallery Director/Curator Flippo Gallery Department of Fine Arts Randolph-Macon College Ashland, VA 23005 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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If you are interested in purchasing a piece of my work please contact me via the contact form. I usually have a range of vessels and sculptures available immediately and use a next day delivery service, otherwise orders can take up to 4 weeks. Please note that the pieces shown in the portfolio section illustrate my range of work and that due to the nature of the materials and techniques I use in my practice, all pieces are one offs and cannot be replicated. If you are intersted in a particular texture or shade of blue glaze this can be achieved, please indicate your preference when getting in touch.
all content ©2009–2017 Anna Whitehouse
Struggling for present ideas? How about a shiny handmade gift card!
Starting from £30, these can be used towards a piece of ceramic art, places on day workshops or the new evening class.


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Newark Valley Historical Society
P.O. Box 222, 9241 Rt. 38
Newark Valley, NY 13811
(607) 642-9516
Newark Valley, NY 13811
(607) 642-9516
The Newark Valley Historical Society preserves and interprets the past of Newark Valley, Northern Tioga County and New York. The Society operates two historic sites: The Bement-Billings Farmstead, located just north of Newark Valley on Route 38, and the Railroad Depot, inside the Village. The Bement-Billings Farmstead is a living history museum which interprets domestic life, agricultural practices, and the natural environment of the early 1800's. The property includes the original Bement farmhouse, a replica blacksmith shop, a reconstructed threshing barn, additional out-buildings, and 90 acres of the Bement family's farmland. The Sycamore Bridge leads to Nature Trails across the east branch of the Owego Creek. This restored 1880's Train Depot is located in the center of the village of Newark Valley. Exhibits include railroad memorabilia, a restored caboose, and a regional scale model Lehigh Valley Railroad display. Refreshments and old-fashioned candy are available at the snack bar and candy counter during Depot events. The Depot is open June-September for Depot Friday Nights, a series of free concerts and lectures. Other special events include Spring Fling, Newark Valley Day, an annual Antique Appraisal, and Holiday Magic. The facility is available for rental, subject to availability.


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Bulls Bested by Bats in 11 Innings
August 10, 2017 - International League (IL) - Durham Bulls News Release
DURHAM, N.C. - The Durham Bulls had their game and series against the Louisville Bats slip away late Wednesday night, as the Bulls couldn't hold on to a one-run lead in the ninth before eventually losing 7-4 in 11 innings from the DBAP.
The Bulls entered the ninth holding on to a 4-3 lead thanks to seven solid innings of work by starting pitcher Yonny Chirinos to go along with four runs on 10 hits by the Durham lineup. Reliever Chaz Roe wasn't able to hold on to the one-run advantage in the ninth however, as the Bats tied the score at 4-4 and sent the game to extras. The contest remained deadlocked until the 11th, when Louisville plated three runs on three hits and a walk to hand the Bulls a 7-4 loss.
The Bulls jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning courtesy of some small ball offense, as leadoff batter Kean Wong reached on a bunt single, stole second base, and eventually scored on a two-out, RBI single from Johnny Field. The Bats quickly responded the next half inning however, with an RBI single by Tyler Goeddel and a wild pitch from Chirinos allowing a pair of runs to score to put the Bulls behind 2-1.
Durham came back to tie the contest in the home half of the frame, with a leadoff, solo home run by Shane Peterson making the score 2-2. That held until the bottom of the fifth, when the Bulls rallied for a pair of runs to go on top 4-2. Jake Hager started the inning with a leadoff double before Wong lined a single to center to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Hager was able to score from third on a wild pitch by Louisville hurler Rookie Davis, while Wong eventually came home on an RBI, sacrifice fly from Jake Bauers to put the Bulls up by two.
The Bats took a bite out of their deficit in the seventh with an RBI single by Goedell to make the score 4-3. The visiting team was then able to once again tie the game in the top of the ninth, as an Eric Jagielo RBI groundout made the score 4-4. The game remained deadlocked until the 11th, when Chad Wallach lined a two-out, solo homer to right to put Louisville ahead 5-4. The road team picked up a pair of insurance runs later in the frame on a two-RBI triple by Zach Vincej to give them the 7-4 final score.
Reliever Chase Whitley (0-2) took the loss for the Bulls after allowing all three runs in the 11th inning. Bats reliever Nick Routt (2-4) earned the win with two scoreless inning pitched, while teammate Jimmy Herget (7) picked up the save after throwing a scoreless 11th to close out the game.
Wong paced the Durham lineup with a 3-6 game including two runs scored and two stolen bases, while Peterson finished 2-4 with his team-leading 11th homer of the season.
The Bulls (71-45) remain at home to host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in a four-game weekend series beginning Thursday night at 7:05 pm.
• Discuss this story on the International League message board...
International League Stories from August 10, 2017
- Bulls Bested by Bats in 11 Innings - Durham Bulls
- Chiefs Fall in Toledo Despite Soto's Big Day - Syracuse Chiefs
- Gwinnett falls to Scranton - Gwinnett Stripers
- SWB Sweeps G-Braves - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Knights Drop Finale to PawSox 6-5 on Wednesday - Charlotte Knights
- PawSox Walk Past Charlotte for Series Sweep - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Chiefs Fall in Extras on Walk-Off Sacrifice Fly - Syracuse Chiefs
- Carson Smith Rehabs in 9-2 Pawtucket Victory - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Team Effort Yields Fifth Straight Win - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Bulls Efficient in Win over Bats - Durham Bulls
- Gwinnett falls to Scranton - Gwinnett Stripers
- Knights Fall to PawSox 9-2 on Tuesday - Charlotte Knights
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


text:
About the head of a truly great horse there is an air of freedom unconquerable. The eyes seem to look on heights beyond our gaze. It is the look of a spirit that can soar. ~ J. Taunter Foote
For the Love of Horses...
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WELL certification is focused on human health and environment and all features are targeted towards human health. There is very god amount of synergy between WELL and LEED.
WELL Certification requires documentation as well as a series of onsite performance tests known as Performance Verification prior to final certification review. WELL certification involves meeting mandatory 41 preconditions Features and selection from 61 optimization Features. We are currently targeting WELL certification at Gold level and this needs to meet all 41 Preconditions and 40% of 61 nos. optimization Features. Any project seeking WELL certification must meet all Preconditions and Optimization Features are Optional. If project meets all preconditions but cannot achieve any optimization feature then it will be considered as WELL Silver. In the event project achieves 80% Optimization Features then it will be declared WELL Platinum. As of now there is only one WELL Platinum Building in the world out of total 16 nos WELL certified buildings.
Mr. Narayan Banerjee, Director, GST BEES is WELL AP.
GST is providing WELL Certification Services to Zulekha Hospital, Sharjah.


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Finances are an integral part of a divorce. And one very important document when discussing finances and divorce is a financial affidavit.
What is a financial affidavit? An affidavit is a sworn written statement made under oath; a financial affidavit describes your assets, your income, and other financial information.
It's very important for divorcing parties to understand what a financial affidavit is and how it can affect you, if you're going through a divorce.
Why It Matters
In a battle for alimony, it's important for both sides to know what the finances are and how the financial affidavit plays into the whole proceeding. As such, it's important that both sides understand the risks in messing up the financial affidavit.
In a divorce proceeding, there are many things that need to be disclosed. Of these disclosures, one of the most important disclosures is finances.
Now, that's not just for the party against whom alimony is sought. That's also the case for the party seeking alimony.
Basically, your finances will be scrutinized by the court to determine your current state of affairs. The court wants to see, for example, how much child support you should pay or receive. A judge can only make that determination if she has your facts and figures on hand.
Filling Out Your Affidavit
A financial affidavit is very important, but it can also be a pain to fill out. A divorce lawyer can help, but you'll still need to do some work. You still have to disclose your finances to your lawyer. And in many cases, this means that you need to go through your papers and accounts all by yourself.
As with any affidavit, it's executed under oath. So lying will only get you into trouble.
Everything we talked about above sounds complicated. But don't fret. Here is a quick summary of everything discussed above:
- Accuracy is important. This could affect the amount of support required under the divorce decree.
- Don't lie. Don't hide assets. An affidavit is under oath, so you're committing perjury if you lie.
- Your lawyer can't do it all. Only you know your finances.
Related Resources:
- The Five Key Points Divorcing Women Need to Know About Financial Affidavits (Forbes)
- Affidavit (FindLaw's LawBrain)
- Divorce (FindLaw)
- Spousal Support (Alimony) Basics (FindLaw)


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Warm, Friendly, Approachable,Intelligent, Caring
Voice Description
As a high school English teacher turned full time voice-over actor, Susie brings a "real person" delivery to a wide range of projects, albeit the "favorite mom" or "let-me-tell-you friend" to the "every woman" or "sensual partner."
Unaccented North American Voice
Neutral Accent
Warm and Smooth
Approachable and Welcoming
Conversational and Genuine
Rich and Luxurious
Clear and Concise
Even Sensual
And Always Professional
Recent Clients Include:
Institute of Public and Preventative Health
Galvanized Films
Trade Intercontinental
Delta Bay Production and Distribution
Cure Pet
Marble Mountain Ski Resort
Egg Film and Radio
Laureate Education, Inc.
Hostage Media USA
Minnie the Clown
The Therapy Spot
Box Aid
M8 Mobile Auto Detailing
National Guide Dog Foundation
America's Vet Dogs
Here's what Susie's clients have to say about her:
"sounds perfect…i put a link from our testimonials page to your website.....thx again."--George, BoxAid.com.
"I enjoyed working with you and look forward to working with you again soon!"--Don Veinish, Director of Creative Services with Egg Films
"A star is born!"--Agnes Birnbaum, Bleeker Street Associates, Inc.
"Susie, this is wonderful!! Thank you so very much, you came thru at the right time for this project!!!!"--Sandra "Swiss" Young, Hostage Media USA
"Thanks again for the great work and I look forward to working with you again soon!"--Matt DeGroot, Media Producer with Laureate Education, Inc.
"I visited your site. You sound great! Here's what I need…"--BoxAid
"Susie's voice is warm, friendly, caring, comforting, intelligent and always articulate."--Marc Cashman, Cashman Commercials
"Good tone, relaxed delivery."--Jeff Hixon, CEO Voicebank
"These lines sound pretty great!"--Matt DeGroot, Media Producer with Laureate Education, Inc.
"Susie has a nice smile within her voice."--Jeffrey Umberger, Umberger Talent Agency
"Very approachable. Very good warmth throughout her reads."--Jamie Hernandez, Special Artists Agency
"Clean sounding voice. Very clear."--Gayle McFarlene, Director of Madison Avenue Casting and Services
"Susie has a nice earnestness to her natural voice."--Rebecca Dodd, SBV Talent
"A motherly quality, and it sounds very real and convincing."--Debby Kotzen, Naked Voices
"Susie has a wonderful voice and I believe that she would be great for the piece."--Teresa Alampur, Study Sync
Recognized as "Voice Over Talent of the Month" by Such a Voice, July 2011
Voice Genders and "Ages" I Can Perform
• Middle Age Female
Language(s) of Which I Am a Native Speaker:
• English - USA and Canada
I Offer my Services for these Recording Purposes
• Commercials
• Promos
• IVR, voicemail, phone systems, and on-hold messages
• Training, business presentations, sales, and web sites
• Audiobooks
• Documentaries
• TV shows and movies
• Podcasts
• Adult content
• Others (on-camera, infomercials, live announcers, spokespersons)
Jobs I Am Willing to Take (Union-wise)
• Non-Union Jobs
My Union Affiliations and Memberships
My Recording and Delivery Capabilities
• I will go to any designated studio in my area
• I can record and then deliver the audio files via Email
• I can record and then upload the audio files via FTP
• I can record and then deliver the files by regular mail
Pre-, Post- and Production Services I Offer
• I offer copywriting services
• I can deliver edited and finished voice tracks
• I have a music library and can add music to any project
My Home Base
, New York, United States
Accents, Impersonations, Characters and Dialects
Non-regional Accent
English North American Accent
My Voice Experience
Client List Includes:
Institute of Public and Preventative Health
Galvanized Films
Trade Intercontinental
Delta Bay Production and Distribution
Cure Pet
Marble Mountain Ski Resort
Egg Radio and Film
Laureate Education, Inc.
Hostage Media USA
Minnie the Clown
Box Aid
M8 Mobile Auto Detailing
The Therapy Spot
National Guide Dog Foundation
America's Vet Dogs
Presenter at Burr Intermediate School Career Day, March 2012
As a former high school English teacher, Susie uses all her voice-over skills to educate, persuade and even entertain.
And as a parent, Susie often uses the same tactics, but with a heaping dollop of love, emotion and finesse.
My Training
Extensive Private In-Studio Coaching with:
Peter Rofe of PDR Productions (NYC): Script Analysis, Vocal Delivery
Ryan Fagman with PDR Productions (NYC): ProTools Technical Training and Post-Production Skill Development
Rob Sciglimpaglia (NYC): Script Analysis, Delivery
Marc Cashman (LA): Script Analysis, Taking Direction, Delivery
Michelle Falzon (Detroit): Script Analysis, Delivery, Technical Development
Graduate of Such A Voice Master's Program
Continued Professionalization includes:
The Trick to Tag Lines Podcast, 6/12
Support the New of Your Sentence Podcast, 5/12
How to Relax Your Voice for an Audition Podcast, 5/12
Making Room for Volume in Radio Podcast, 5/12
Training with Steven Lowell Podcast, 4/12
Storyboard in Your Mind Podcast, 4/12
Forced Hush Delivery Style Podcast, 4/12
Audition for Success Podcast, 1/12
How to Analyze and Break Down Commercial Copy, 1/12
Managing Accounts Payable, 1/12
Trends in Voice Over 2012, 1/12
Clarifying a Character Voice, 10/11
Utilizing Phone Patch Services Podcast, 10/11
VO Biz Teleconference, 9/11
Online Voice Casting Teleconference, 9/11
VO Terminology and Etiquette, 8/11
Branding Teleconference, 8/11
Social Media Teleconference, 7/11
Voice Acting Teleconference, 6/11
Working with Clients Using Remote Tools Teleconference, 6/11
The Importance of In-Person Networking/Marketing Teleconference, 5/11
How to Increase Your SEO as a VO Talent Teleconference, 5/11
Script Interpretation Teleconference, 4/11
Clients Needs Podcast, 4/11
Sounding Clean/Speaking Naturally Podcast, 4/11
Acting in the White Spaces Podcast, 4/11
Relationships with Clients Teleconference, 4/11
Building Long-Lasting Relationships with Clients Teleconference, 4/11
Home Studio Equipment Reviews/Recommendations Teleconferences, 3/11
Writing Up the Perfect Bio Teleconference, 3/11
"OVers" Despite Economic Downturn Podcast, 3/11
Self Promotion Podcast, 3/11
Improving Your Delivery of Printed Text Podcast 3/11
Building VO House Podcast, 3/11
Script Pointers Podcast, 3/11
Signature Voice Podcast, 3/11
Packaging/Branding Podcast, 3/11
More on VO Bios Teleconference, 3/11
Writing Copy for Clients Teleconference, 2/11
Any Script Can Sound Exciting Teleconference, 1/11
In the Studio with the Director Podcast, 2/11
Truthful Imaginary Circumstances Podcast, 2/11
SaVoa Q and A Teleconference, 1/11
Creating Character Voices Teleconference, 12/10
Optimizing your Voice123 Webinar, 11/1o
Minimizing Your Costs to set up your VO Business Teleconference,11/10
My Studio Equipment
As a NYC voice-over talent, Susie has a professional Pro Tools studio on-site with flexible rates, including a quick turn-around time.
Additional Skills
With her experience as a New York English teacher, Susie is an expert in education, English and writing terminology, perfect for e-learning, tutorials, trainings, webcasts, documentaries and industrials.
Also, as a parent, Susie has the ideal mom voice for commercials, narrations and promos. Her voice identifies with the struggles, challenges and rewards of balancing family life.
Payment Methods Accepted
• PayPal
• Personal checks, cashier's checks, or money orders in my local currency
Online Payments Via PayPal
Contact Information
To contact Susie Schwarz by email or phone, please click here.
• Currently Susie Schwarz is a Standard subscriber.
Susie Schwarz does not appear to be an active participant of the Voice123 marketplace at this time.
Susie Schwarz was last active on Voice123 more than 365 days ago, OR may not be receiving our email messages.
Susie Schwarz does not appear to be an active participant of the Voice123 marketplace at this time. Susie Schwarz was last active on Voice123 more than 365 days ago, OR may not be receiving our email messages.


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January February March April May June July August September October November December
Pride Parade
A parade fill the streets in front of our home on Saturday. Space Coast Pride celebrated a bunch of firsts according to their Web site: "FIRST time we party in the street, FIRST-ever LGBT Pride Parade, indoor and outdoor spaces for entertainment & vendors..."
The Eau Gallie neighborhood hosted the festival, using the park and civic center as the focal area.
Everybody had a great time.
Thanks to all those who made it happen.
Keywords: Space Coast Pride


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ELIA Creative is a division of ELIA, s.r.o., an independent creative studio resided in Central Europe, Slovakia.
As a division, we focus on user-experience design, digital marketing, branding, 2D / 3D visualizations and animations, corporate and product advertising. We serve wide range of clients from various market segments. We handle projects ranging from logo design, through website development, Facebook campaigns, up to 3D building animations and technical sophisticated projects.
We love to be creative!


text:
Tonglu Logo Pen Co., Ltd.
Information about the company tested and proven on-site.
Company-supplier verification services: China Credit Information Service (P.R.C.) Ltd. [CCIS (PRC)]
Business license (registration number): 330122000031585
Date of issue of the license: 2010-01-21
License expiration date: 2020-01-20
The registered capital of the company: RMB 100,000
Company Name: Tonglu Logo Pen Co., Ltd.
Country / Territory: China (Mainland)
Registered address: No. 2, Yuhua Hill, Fenshui Town, Tonglu County, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (Mainland) Zip: 311519
Year of Incorporation: 2010
Authorized Legal Representative / CEO: Jianghui Luo
Legal Forms of Business: Limited Liability Company
Issuing Authority: Hangzhou Administration of Industry and Commerce Tonglu Branch
Business Type: Trading Company
Operational Address: 604, Unit 2, Bldg. 4, WuNengJinZuo, Fenshui Town, Tonglu County, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (Mainland)
Full Name of Applicant: Mr. Stephen Luo
Department of the Company: Trade Dept.
Position in company: Manager
You have worked with the company Tonglu Logo Pen Co., Ltd.? Do you think this company scams?
Please share your experience of cooperation with Tonglu Logo Pen Co., Ltd. in the comments:


text:
Question about Televison & Video
I got this tv from a friend, and he didn't have the original remote for it, or the owner's manual. The picture is too big for the screen, and the picture is cut off. I can't see the subtitles in a movie, sports scores, etc. It is really annoying, and I would like to know if there is any way to fix it. I have tried adjusting the autoformat and all that, but when the autoformat is off, the whole picture just moves up about 5 inches, and then i can see the bottom of the screen, but the top is cut off even more. I'm not sure how to fix this...I am using a universal remote.
Posted by kitkat270 on
SOURCE: I have freestanding Series 8 dishwasher. Lately during the filling cycle water hammer is occurring. How can this be resolved
Hi there,
Save hours of searching online or wasting money on unnecessary repairs by talking to a 6YA Expert who can help you resolve this issue over the phone in a minute or two.
Best thing about this new service is that you are never placed on hold and get to talk to real repairmen in the US.
Here's a link to this great service
Good luck!
Posted on Jan 02, 2017
SOURCE: JVC av-56pw30 Picture Adjustment
Sounds like you have a convergence problem and the set will require repair. This repair will run somewhere around $400 if you have a good company complete the repair for you.
If you are interested in doing this repair yourself you will need to be able to use a meter and solder VERY well.
If you have more questions please email me.
Thank you,
Tim Nolan
Posted on Oct 12, 2008
SOURCE: Picture jumps
you might have bad caps or the vertical output integrated circuit, try to locate the vertical ic and check the surrounding areas for bad capacitors.
good luck
Posted on Oct 23, 2008
SOURCE: The top of my picture is cut off.
Change the video output to wide screen
Posted on Oct 15, 2009
SOURCE: cuts peoples heads off, doesnt autoformat
uncheck format , format manually. use "full" or "panorama" setting
Posted on Jan 02, 2010
Tips for a great answer:
Sep 01, 2012 | Televison & Video
Aug 05, 2017 | RCA F27450 27" TV
Jul 18, 2011 | RCA D52W20 52" Rear Projection HDTV-Ready...
Mar 19, 2010 | RCA HD52W59 HDTV Projection Television
Feb 11, 2010 | RCA Televison & Video
Jan 06, 2010 | iLO 2600 Television
Aug 31, 2008 | RCA HD52W59 HDTV Projection Television
Mar 15, 2008 | RCA Universal Remote Control
? What is the model # off the back ?
Does the video work on the RF coax cable input?
For instance,as a test,can you hook-up from VCR coax RF out
to TV coax in,put the TV on Chan. 3,play a tape and get audio and video?
Are you matching colors when trying the A/V inputs?Yellow,red,
and white out of DVD to yellow,red and white in on back of TV?
Then select video input on tv===dial "00" or use input button on
original RCA remote. Are you using original RCA remote that
came w/TV ? Do you have the owner/operator manual for the TV?
Sorry to ask so many ????? Let me know how it goes!! T.
Oct 17, 2007 | Televison & Video
108 people viewed this question
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text:
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Kits retiring
Just a final reminder that my old freebie kits are retiring. You have until the end of tomorrow (Friday) to snag what you want.
Posted by Vicki at 13:55
3 comments:
- shay said...
Thanks so much for all of the cute kits! It's so nice to have the fun free kits! Thanks so much for sharing with all of us!
- 19 February 2009 at 19:55:00 GMT
- She-Ra said...
Eek! Looks like today was a good day to be home sick in bed - I was able to go back and make sure I had all the pieces of all the kits. As always, I love your kits. Thanks so much for sharing with all of us.
- 21 February 2009 at 00:02:00 GMT
- ltnbrn said...
I have downloaded so many of your kits. I have thoroughly enjoyed them! I was excited to see your designs in a store. I look forward to seeing your future kits!
- 25 February 2009 at 05:08:00 GMT
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The flame is dousedMy forearms are sore, the outside of my upper arms are sore, the fleshy muscle at the base of my left thumbs aches and cramps up if used too much, my pads of my left thumb and left forefinger are sore...it must mean that the Knitting Olympics are over! Thanks to the intrusion of life into my knitting schedule (including my father going through leukemia testing) I didn't complete my sweater as early as I had anticipated. In fact, I didn't finish this baby early at all but squeaked under the wire a la the Yarn Harlot. I didn't stay up until 4am as the Harlot did, but I did stay awake past midnight both Friday night and Saturday before my aching arms forced me to set aside the sweater.
(Please excuse the cat. He insisted on being in the picture.)
I enjoyed knitting this sweater. I didn't enjoy having to untwist the two strands of yarn all the time, though. The lighter silk/wool blend continually wrapped itself around the heavier cotton strand. But I think the look of the two yarns together is quite lovely and am pleased with the resulting look.
Overall the knitting was straightforward. The only (comparatively) complicated part is the increases and decreases on the front pieces. The edges that are exposed (aka not part of the seams) are in three stitch garter stitch, and all increases or decreases are made inside the garter stitches. Toward the top of the piece, increases are happening on one side while decreases are happening on the other. The instructions refer to the sides as Side 1 and Side 2, because the pattern is written out for the right front with the left front instructions merely stating "reverse all shaping", so keeping track of which side is Side 1 and which side is Side 2 doesn't allow for mindless knitting.
The sewing together of the two front pieces was the most challenging part of the project. I had to think about what I was doing so that I wouldn't make a mistake and sew the front side to the wrong back side. It was even more confusing when the first side was attached and I had to make sure the second side was properly sewn on. But at last! The sweater is done!
Now on to other projects.
I've finally decided on my color scheme for the Torino sweater. I'm not a blue person and I really don't care for the bronze color used in the upper part of the pattern. As I perused the Heilo color card at the LYS, I thought it would be nice to use the colors of the Italian flag – which incidentally would go quite well with my wardrobe. So I've settled on off white for the body, deep forest green in place of the navy, forest green for the Norwegian blue, sage green for the soft blue, and dark red in place of the bronze. I plan to wear this sweater at Christmastime when I go home for the holidays, so there's no burning need to start this project…and I have to get the yarn in anyway.
There is, however, a burning need to get started on the Wedding Ring Shawl. First I'm going to do some practice rows with the leftover cotton from my Knitting Olympics sweater. It's a DK weight and, like the gossamer silk I'll be using, doesn't have give like wool.
Onward and upward!


text:
I don't have much to say, I'm just happy this 30yr old unconstitutional law has been overturned by the Supreme Court (doesn't go much higher than that), if you are a crazy tree hugging hippie and disagree with me, please see my previous post Guns Make America Safe before leaving angry comments.
full story
Thursday, June 26, 2008
DC's Tyrannical Gun Ban over!
Labels: You need to know
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text:
In recent years large companies have started to use speech-recognition technology to serve their customers better, save money, and even grow revenue. However, the technology alone doesn't enable these benefits—effective speech-recognition user-interface design is critical to achieve these goals.
Many companies are confronted with the question: How can we satisfy thousands (or millions) of customers who, for the most part, all want the same information? To answer this question, we think about using automation technologies and self-service technologies. Connect a database to a Web server, add a good user interface, and millions of people who have computers can get information they need. However, not everyone has access to a computer when they want or need to use one. And some problems or questions are still best handled by a live customer-service representative. The telephone is a logical technology to take advantage of, since telephones and cellular phones are ubiquitous.
One solution that takes advantage of the phone as a medium for self-service is the call center. Hire lots of people to answer phones, train them correctly, and provide them access to the right information. Once again we solve a business problem, but unfortunately time has shown us that call centers are often poorly staffed by representatives who may or may not represent the company well to a caller who may have had to wait for several minutes, only to be talking to the wrong person. In this all-too-common case, the problems are not solved—they are exacerbated, and with this solution the company does not get any cost-savings associated with self-service automation.
So how can we satisfy thousands or millions of customers who need or want to use the telephone to interact with the company? Touchtone systems have been used to solve this problem, but are infamous for their caller-satisfaction catastrophes that result from poor design and technological limitations. Speech-recognition technology can overcome many of the technological limitations associated with touch-tone systems, but must be used the right way, for the right customers to solve the right business problems.
Part I of this book is a primer that covers why businesses have chosen to deploy speech recognition, the basic principles of the recognition technology, and the psychological aspects that underlie all speech-recognition applications. It is important to consider how each of these three elements are inexorably related: the business problems can only be solved using robust technology; however, understanding and using the best technology doesn't mean that callers will want to use the deployed system or will be able to use it. A system that fulfills all the objectives can only be rendered if the designer has an understanding of social psychology and how to apply it.