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Strusta Lake (Braslau Lakes) in Belarus
(photo credit Zedlik, March 2011)
.As 10:16 in the morning (UT/+0 time) rolls through on March 17th, you may feel yourself relax. Or maybe you'll start feeling more comfortable about something in some subtle if vital way - not that you would even notice in the moment.
But an hour or two down the line - yes. You'll look up, you'll think back and you'll know: Venus has certainly entered Taurus.
Venus in Taurus is Venus in one of its two signs of rulership. And where in Libra (the other Venus-ruled sign) Venus focuses its grace/lack of grace through relationships and how or whether we relate to someone (or are willing to relate to their ideas or even their presence), Taurus is more about personal pleasure.
Which makes sense: Libra is a third-quadrant interactive sign - it's about learning how to relate to the world (and others in that world) where Taurus is a first quadrant sign all about experiencing and learning about one's Self.
And that quality - the 'learning about me' part of all things Taurus, that's both the Venus in Taurus triumph and its ultimate drawback. Venus in Taurus motivates us to do what we need to do in order to 'feed' our needs, whatever they may be, which is how Venus in Taurus comes to be associated with food and food chains, restaurants, chefs and food supplies.
Yet when we talk about anything so basic, there is a chance that such needs will not, or at times cannot be met. That's one of the big Taurean (and 2nd house) negatives. Because we all instinctively know it's possible for needs to not be met, that understanding fosters a basic sort of insecurity none of us escape.
And then of course, there's greed. Theoretically a sort of 'astrological inversion' of the Taurus principle, greed is Taurus unchecked by responsibility and morality - those two notions being basic qualities associated with the zodiac's other two earth signs, Virgo (morality of process) and Capricorn (the responsibility to uphold-adhere to world-national-cultural standards). In other words, greed is Taurus need converted to 'me-only' desirous form (in keeping with Taurus' opposition sign, Scorpio) and taken to the 'I want what I want, and nobody else matters' level.
This is something to keep in mind (astrology students, take note): every sign has a negative side, and when any sign embodies its worst, they will do so by displaying qualities which have been 'pulled in' from the worst qualities the polarity sign tends to display.
The Moon above palm trees ... with Venus just below
and Jupiter to the right.
(photo credit: Downtowngal)
.Yet all is hardly negative here. Venus in Taurus can be generous, magnanimous and caring even under duress as this is a combination which has a native understanding of value, and of the value of having values. And even if Venus in Taurus isn't any guarantee that others will like what we like or want to join us in any given endeavor, under Venus in Taurus people who otherwise might be reluctant to discuss or negotiate may see the sense (or advantage) in doing so.
Part of this we attribute (astrologically) to the idea that fixed star Mirach is positioned at 0 Taurus. So anything entering Taurus is going to first enter Mirach's aura (its orb of influence) and upon entering Taurus become 'immersed' (for however long) in Mirach's 'can do' atmosphere so noted for its ability to promote and evidence possibilities.
Then again, let's be real and realistic: Venus is entering Taurus only three days prior to a solar eclipse which is not only likely to 'blow something out of the water' in keeping with Saturn's station ...
... but is also likely to prove that things are changing and that in response to that, values are going to change, like as not because needs will change and drive those changes in value. That Mercury conjuncts Neptune on the day Venus enters Taurus also suggests something either coming to be not as important as it had been (or seemed to be) or something 'new' turning something else into a 'has been' or something we don't believe is "it" any more.
Or maybe it's just a realization in our heart that we either don't have to settle ... or (because of the solar eclipse) that something we thought we could do or could have is not going to happen - not at least in the way we thought it would.
And that leads us into a whole other side of Venus in Taurus, that being the level at which Venus in Taurus speaks to the kind of inner security which allows us to function from a position of security. Most people think of this as being about money, as money certainly allows people to feel like they have options. But because there are instances in life where money can't buy you what you need - which against the idea that real security ... inner security ... exists come what may and is useful in all circumstances without exception, that's one very good reason to know that the 'security' Taurus speaks of isn't really about money. As second sign of the zodiac, Taurus is the yin (responsive) mode to the Aries 'coming to be' or realizing that we exist.
In other words, it's about self-confidence, self-worth and everything about our Self that we develop or think well enough about to develop so that we can be 'someone' in this world, whether your definition of 'someone' is a person who has worldly importance or simply someone who knows who they are and in that, is content to pursue their personal interests, wherever that may take them.
Because of this ... and in light of the fact that this Venus in Taurus ingress is occurring just a few days in advance of the 29 Pisces solar eclipse, a lot of people (and situations)are going through changes centering on what they value and where certain values (theirs or those of others) may need reassessment. And since solar eclipses tend to 'explode' our myths (particularly those we tell ourselves about our Self) for those whose charts are in orb of eclipse aspect the whole of this Venus March 17th - April 11th transit of Taurus seems fertile ground both for discoveries and opportunities to discard or 'clear out' things which have compromised our ability to make good on our talents and abilities, whatever they may be.
In fact, on the date of the eclipse (March 20th) Venus will be passing through 4 Taurus, putting it in an inconjunct to the position (4 Sagittarius) Saturn just went stationary/retrograde at this past weekend.
Not that Saturn's moved yet. Now in retrograde, Saturn will continue to occupy 4 Sagittarius until the 17th of April (UT/+0) - which is not but a few days beyond when Venus will exit Taurus.
That, among other things, tells us that whatever we are doing, the overhanging sense of need to stick with whatever we need to do (despite not being thrilled with where it seems to be going) is going to be with us yet for a while - and how whether that need is truly a need or not is up to us to figure out.
But then, that's a common Venus in Taurus question. Just because we like something, does that make it the right thing to do or to invest our time, energy and talents in? No - which is why under Venus in Taurus, even without a solar eclipse in the works, we tend to re/direct ourselves towards paths which have a future, which hold promise and which can help us become the kind of person we would be satisfied with knowing ourselves to be.
Venus in Taurus is a guiding light of sorts. Yet the path it illuminates is seldom a worldly one. We think it's worldly because we associate Venus with opportunities to do more and feel better about ourselves (and how we're living our life). But that's about our using or embodying our Venus to positive effect, because Venus functions as an energetic hinge - that quality which tips the scales in favor of whatever it is we're wanting, whether it's good for us or not.
The effect ... the applause or love or that torrent of admiration? That isn't Venus. We are our Venus - but only when we aren't focused on our essential Venusian qualities. In that, Venus is a bit like the famous pot of water which won't boil if you stand there watching it.
To work, Venus requires virtually no effort - which is one of the reasons why Venus (plus) Saturn is considered a stable and fruitful pair. Where Saturn requires long-term effort and all sorts of focused attention to process the rules and standards which generate Saturn's process of 'earning rewards,' Venusian gains are more about who we are, and how we go about being that person.
Which means ... in the end, Venus is all about our quality of being.
So be you. May Venus in Taurus grant you that greater comfort with yourself to be You more effectively ... more willingly ... more genuinely.
BE well.


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Palau is truly the remote destination for nature lovers and outdoor and marine enthusiasts. It is not an easy destination to reach from Europe or the states. Non stop flights connect in Japan or Guam - this is part of Micronesia - about 800 km as the crow fly's from Manilla, Philippines.This island nation has not yet been overly developed with strip malls, high rise condo's, fast food restaurants that plague many island nations. This is uniquely … [Read more...]
Mud Pond & Raymond Burr Gardens, Fiji
With the weather remaining dark, gloomy and at times spitting buckets of heavy rain scattering people under overhangs in downtown Nadi - it was a "weather weight off my back" today as the clouds parted and we finally had sunshine! Too much of this rain and gloomy weather is bad for my personal psyche. The cyclone watch was lifted a day or two ago and it was just a waiting game for the storm to dissipate. Today I set out for the hot springs and … [Read more...]
Palau Celebrates the Globe's Ten Best Places to Swim
(Palau, Micronesia --- July 8, 2014) There are many idyllic swimming destinations in the world, but Palau's Jellyfish Lake ranks high as one of the most unusual. According to social media manager Jessie Cahill, "Because of the overwhelming intrigue in Jellyfish Lake and the many positive comments we receive from visitors, we decided to post a survey on the Visit Palau Facebook page to formulate a list of what our fans believe to be the Top … [Read more...]
"Two Tickets to Paradise", Palau
"I've got two tickets to paradise. Pack your bags and leave tonight" – Eddie Money In the evening we arrived to the Airai Hotel located conveniently near Palau's international airport. The Airai hotel staff was welcoming and our hotel room that overlooked the coastline from a distance and the hotel waterpark below us was a spacious and comfortable midrange option. At the restaurant we sampled tasty white snapper pesto served over a bed of … [Read more...]
Touring Koror, Palau
Whenever we arrive to a new place, we attempt to learn about the country. Therefore, our first stop in Palau was the Belau National Museum where the exhibit: "A Cherechar A Lokelii: Palau Through the Years" gave us a detailed introductory education. Strolling through the halls we learned about the past presence and influences of the Spanish, Germans, Japanese and the United States from a historical context. The Spanish first visited Palau in … [Read more...]
Quality Dining Palau Style
Since Jellyfish Lake and the Rock Islands were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in July 2012, more and more seasoned travelers are choosing Palau as a vacation destination. Recent statistics indicate that nearly 100,000 people visit Palau annually. Holidaymakers who have not yet explored Palau's charms may be yearning to ascertain if the above water cuisine experience matches Palau's underwater treasures. During our ten-day stay on Palau, … [Read more...]
Palau, Micronesia Has Over 235 Manta Rays
(Palau, Micronesia --- July 10, 2013) --- According to one of Palau's eco-tourism partners, Etpison Museum, this Micronesian destination is home to at least 235 different manta rays, which have been recently photo identified as of June, 2013. All of the Palau belly IDs, dramatic photos and information on Palau manta rays can be viewed on the newly updated www.mantaIDpalau.org website, one of the ongoing awareness projects of the non-profit … [Read more...]
Palau, Micronesia Has A Host Of Options For Adventure Seekers
(Palau, Micronesia --- June 20, 2013) --- Known for its world-class scuba diving conditions, Palau is host to a whole range of options for adventure seekers. In addition to being one of Jacques Cousteau's favorite dive destinations, this Micronesian paradise is also one of Survivor TV's Jeff Probst's favorite places on earth. It's no wonder…the remote location is free of commerciality and truly a genuine eco-environment, which is not at all … [Read more...]
Exploring Port Moresby
Port Moresby is a bit difficult to explore on your own - the city is spread out and there aren't that many attractions to visit right in town. However we caught up with the energetic folks from Cold Media Productions who are covering my visit to PNG. We headed out in their Toyota Land cruiser for the top of a nearby mountain - Sogeri which affords one excellent views overlooking all of Port Moresby in the distance, the Stanley-Owens range (the … [Read more...]
Palau Tops Scuba Diving Awards
(January 17, 2013) --- Considered by industry experts and scuba diving enthusiasts as "the best of the best," Scuba Diving Magazine's Top 100 Gold List is a "popularity contest" where rankings are based on a total number of responses from global readers and divers. The Top 100 Gold List features operators, resorts, live-aboards, underwater experiences (i.e., best wall, shore and wreck sites), dive bars and more. Here are some of the highlights … [Read more...]

subset: commoncrawl


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Com.En.ART Residency
This Northern Short-Tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) was illustrated as part of the Com.En.ART artist-in-residence program at the Huyck Preserve and Biological Research Station (Rensselaerville, NY). The lakes, meadows, and waterfall in the historical preserve are meandered by trails and the entire area is an inspiring and rich working environment for artists and scientists alike.
The animal was found dead of natural causes during a hike in the preserve's trails and brought to life with watercolors.
Media: watercolor on paper
Client: Huyck Preserve and Biological Research Station – Com.En.ART residency


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A passion for music and "what could have been" have lead Mr Mitty a talented graphic designer who has worked for some of the worlds largest brands including Coca Cola and Sony to release his first collection.
Giclee on Paper - Image Size 22.5" x22.5"
Edition size of only 195 each hand signed by the artist
Kerry Darlington and other art produced in the UK, we aim to ship next day or with in a few days of order.
Artwork which need to be ordered from the Studios may take 14-21 business days to arrive, this may also include in stock items as these may be on hold at the Studio. All our items are bespoke pieces, many of which are also hand-signed and are not "off the shelf" items. However we do aim to deliver your artwork as quickly as possible to you.
We do not accept returns of original production / limited edition artwork, this includes animation cels and drawings. If artwork arrives damaged, please contact us within 5 days of receipt and we will work with you to get a suitable replacement.
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Bleach plus Hydrochloric Acid will produce a poisonous gas!
Muriactic Acid will eliminate the minerals that are needed for acid etching.
A floor that has been acid cleaned previously will take the stain
unevenly or not as dark as it should or not at all!
It is always recommended that a small out-of-the-way section of your project be tested to see if the desired reaction occurs. If it does not, you probably have surface contaminants on your slab.
A new concrete slab must have cured for five (5) weeks. The optimum time to stain in a new home is after all construction (taping, bedding, texturing, and painting) is completed and just prior to the baseboards being affixed. We recommend that you protect your new slab during the construction phase with plastic, paper, cardboard, plywood, or sheet rock covering as the initial cleaning step will be much easier. All laborers should be advised that the slab will be the finished floor. Sheet rock mud cleans up easily, however, primer over spray will be tough and glue will need stripper.
If scoring is desired, giving the impression of stone or tiles, we suggest that it be done within three to four days after the slab is poured, and we suggest that the scoring groove be no deeper than 1/8 inch. Deeper grooves will collect dirt. Wide grooves ¼" look better than skinny lines. Another option is to grout the grooves for a more finished look.
Wash the concrete surface, as it must be clean and free of paints, wax grease, dirt and other surface contaminants. Do not acid wash or use Clorox bleach or heavy alkali cleaners. Tri sodium phosphate (TSP) and Citrus Strip are excellent mild all-purpose cleaners (available at hardware or janitorial supply stores) and when mixed with water, can be used to clean the slab by scrubbing with a long handled stiff brush or floor scrubbing machine and then wet vacuumed.
Protect all walls with tape and paper. Do not allow the stain to touch any wood or metal.
STEP TWO - STAIN (First application) - CONCENTRATED FORMULA
Generally, you will mix equal parts stain with equal parts water (50%-50%). You can apply the mixture with a brush, or sponge; however, we suggest that you consider using an all-plastic garden (insecticide) pump-up sprayer (no metal parts) as you can control volume much easier and remember that (VOLUME EQUALS DEPTH OF COLOR).
Make sure all container lids are tight and shake vigorously before using. Put the water in the spray container, and then add equal parts stain. Close the lid, pump up the pressure and begin randomly spraying the mixture on the floor by holding the nozzle of the wand approximately 18 inches from the floor. Try to avoid precise back and forth motions. You should apply the mixture leaving full moisture short of puddles. Try not to leave puddles as puddle edges hold more moisture (Volume equals depth of color). As you apply, there may be varying degrees of fizzing and there will not be a lot of color. Let the floor dry completely.
Drying time will depend on porosity, temperature, humidity and volume, but it generally takes several hours. Do not walk on the floor while it is wet or damp. Do not remove the residue that is left from the chemical reaction.
Using the same procedure as mentioned above, apply the second application. Again allow the floor to dry completely. You will notice darker tones of color appearing at this time.
After the floor has completely dried, scrub off the residue with a long handled medium stiff, bristle brush and water with ammonia or baking soda to neutralize acid residues. Remove the water/residue mixture from the floor by squeegee and a wet vacuum. Allow the floor to dry completely.
STEP FOUR - WAX OR SEAL- Wax is just like shining shoes.
Kemiko Wax is best applied with a heavy floor machine and three attachments, a stiff natural bristle brush (if available), or a burnish pad to apply wax and a buffing or polish pad.
To begin, spread a smooth light coating of wax out from the walls (2-3 inches) and in the corners out to the radius of the floor machine attachment. Put on no more than ¼ cup of wax on the floor in the center of the first 3 to 4 foot square. It will appear wet and dull. Immediately work the wax by spreading and burning it in with the burnish pad attachment (this may take 4-5 minutes). Move to the next 3-4 foot quadrant and repeat the step only after the wax in the preceding area has turned to a slight glare and the wax ridges have disappeared. Mineral spirits will soften any ridges or excess wax allowing it to be spread and worked in.
When you have completed the application phase, change to the medium bristle brush or buffing pad attachment and buff the entire floor including your original hand waxed areas. After buffing, if greater protection is desired, repeat the first phase applying a thin second coat. Then rebuff. If a slightly higher sheen is desired, buff with the white polishing pad.
If you have chosen to use Kemiko Clear Sealer instead of Kemiko Wax, it can be applied by an airless sprayer or a low nap paint roller. Two coats of sealer will almost always be necessary and sometimes a third with at least 4 to 5 hours of drying time between coats. When rolling 2nd or 3rd coats, use the low nap or even a sponge mop to avoid bubbles, and apply thin coats.


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Purpose of Lesson:
The purpose of this lesson is to get kids excited about events in Earth's early history and to let students practice their discussion and note taking skills.
Major Strategies to Watch for:
1) Timed Brainstorm- A timed brainstorm is a great fast paced method for accessing prior knowledge and raising the energy of the class.
2) Stop and Go film- This strategy is used with movies that have a lot of content. The teacher stops the film often for discussion and note taking and provides a note catcher
3) Socratic Seminar- A Socratic Seminar is a discussion structure where students use a high level resource as the base of a student centered discussion.
Learning Goal: Discover some of the major events in early earth history.
Opening Question: How do you think the earth formed?
Students record their opening question on their learning goal sheet and are ready to start class by three minutes after the bell has rung. I reward students who get started early with ROCK STAR SCIENTIST tickets.
Today I want to hear about students understandings and misunderstandings of the formation of Earth. I have students share ideas at their table and then share out to the class. I grab a few of their ideas, to record them, as it is always interesting to return to them later and compare to new understandings.
Then I let students know that we were going to start by watching a movie that could answer many of our questions.
Follow the links to learn more about the beginning of class strategies and ROCK STAR scientist tickets.
For the hook today, I want to access the students' prior knowledge of major earth events that they might have heard of before. I've decided to do that through a timed brainstorm that encourages motivation and engagement while not taking up the entire class period. I ask the students to get out a piece of paper and tell them that I will be giving them 3 minutes to list as many Earth events as they can think of. To model this task, I list - Formation of Earth. I use an online timer that I can project which encourages a fast pace. When students are complete I have them popcorn out the ideas that they came up with. Then I tell them that we are going to be watching an amazing film over the next seven days that traces the history of Earth from its beginning to present day.
The film, The Story of Earth by National Geographic, is amazing. The information covers major geological and biological events from 5000 mya to the present day. It also traces chains of events which demonstrates the CCC Cause and Effect.
When I first started showing this movie, I simply turned on the projector and played it through. This didn't allow the students to truly understand the science or be able to use the content in anyway. Now I show the movie in short 13-20 min sections. I stop the film often to have students record notes on major events using a notecatcher. I also use notes that are already made for students with slow processing or writing difficulties. These modified notes make it possible for all students to complete the final project.
Today I showed from 0:00 min to 13:11 min of the film "The Story of Earth" This section of the film shows many major events that occurred at the beginning of Earth's history including:
- The formation of the earth.
- The formation of the moon.
- How comets brought water to the planet.
- The formation of the land.
Even though this clip of the movie is only 13:11 min, when I use it in class it takes twice that much time as I stop the movie often to clarify, have students predict, point out evidence and let students take notes.
When the movie is done, I ask the students what they found the most interesting and we have an open socratic seminar like conversation about it. I have the students pull their chairs into a circle and I let them know that I want them to have a discussion about the movie where they listen carefully to others' answers and use those answers to build off from. I use Class Dojo to record when students are participating, actively listening, presenting a new idea and building off of another's idea. At the end of the discussion we look at the Class Dojo points, not as grades, but to suggest how they might contribute in the future.
Some of the questions that I used as starting off points are:
Below is a screencast showing how I interpret the results of a Socratic Seminar.
Closing Statement: Today we looked at some of the earliest events in Earth's history. Tomorrow we will continue the story.
Closing Question: What events do you think you see in the film tomorrow?
Closure depends greatly on timing and is not as easy to plan in advance as opening. You can find more information about how I manage closure here.


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Anyway, on to shoemaking. For those of you who missed it last week, check out this video - it's pretty cool.
And check out these shoes which we have just uploaded to the website. And these. It is a patina service we offer to clients done by our friend Paulus Bolten in Paris - pretty luxurious and beautiful. It's great to be able to offer these extra services to our customers, it adds to the feeling of uniqueness which is part of the bespoke experience.
We recently contacted another patina artist in Brussels (Place du Chatelain) whose work we have admired for a while - Landry Lacour. We will have to send him a pair of shoes to paint. Really love this kind of thing, ways to enhance a pair of shoes.
And so to shoemaking. When you are stitching a sole, one of the things you have to be aware of is the little ridge that the stitches can make under the channel. This looks bad and also makes finishing the sole a bit tricky. This is particularly true on a thin sole because you naturally cut the channel more shallow which makes the stitches sit nearer the surface.
Normally we make a groove with a grooving tool which consists of a broken awl which has been sharpened to a point which we run inside the channel (see this blog post for images).
This method works very well, but sometimes, if you are making a very thin sole like 3/16" or less, it can improve the look of the final sole to cut your groove like this.
|3/16" Sole With Channel Cut
You can see the channel is shallow.
Making sure the tip of your knife is both pointed and sharp, score a line inside the channel with the very tip of it. You are not really trying to cut the leather, more just scoring the surface. You need to be very careful and confident of your knife skills. Make sure the line is in the right place. Check this by looking at your welt and estimating where the awl will come through.
This is how it should look.
Then get a small screwdriver and run it in the scored cut. This has a major effect and makes a wider and deeper groove for the stitches to sit in.
Hard to see here, but the stitches sit flush with the surface of the leather and don't stick up.
This stage is very important. Take your bone and rub the stitches really hard and fast to squash them. You should work up a sweat doing this.
Then you can glue down the channel with contact adhesive, hammer the edges, and smooth the whole sole with a smoother (a sanded chair leg or rolling pin will do fine).
You can see here that the sole is smooth and the stitches are not visible.
On a thicker sole, you have much more leather to work with, so you do not need to use this method. Having said that, it does fit in with my personal idea that it is better to learn to work with as few tools as possible because finding specialist shoemaking tools is getting harder and harder. As you can see from the following page from the 1981 Barnsley catalogue, there used to be a tool for cutting the channel; opening the channel; and three different tools for grooving the channel. All lovely and very functional and probably easier to use than just the knife, but you can do all these jobs with the knife, a screwdriver and a bone - simple!
Hope you enjoyed the post. and until next week, happy shoemaking.
PS There are 2 places left on our New York intensive shoemaking course in May if you fancy making a pair of shoes with us - it's fun!
And don't forget our new pattern making course here in London starting on 29th July for a week. All the basics for making shoe patterns for one-off shoemaking projects.
And finally, the August intensive shoemaking course here in London is full. Next one is January!


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It's almost time for Rivals of Ixalan, and preview cards are rolling in like crazy. Just today, I've seen fifteen or so cards, and the pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together. While it will still be an uphill battle to topple the various energy decks that are currently dominating Standard, there is an amazing amount of potential.
I'm not going to waste any more of your time, so let's get right to it. Here are my Top 8 cards from Rivals of Ixalan. First up, here's a card that I want to try out immediately.
Many of you probably haven't played Magic long enough to remember creatures like Nekrataal or Flametongue Kavu, but those effects can be very powerful in creature-heavy formats. We've already seen a little bit of this with Sand Strangler in Ben Stark's Treasure Red deck at GP Atlanta last year, as well as from the sideboard of many Ramunap Red strategies.
This card seems pretty disgusting if you can re-use the effect. Black means The Scarab God. Pairing it with blue means Vizier of Many Faces. And pairing it with artifacts means yet another tool for God-Pharaoh's Gift. While some might argue that Hostage Taker is potentially better, since you can actually cast the card you steal, I want my effect now. I don't want to wait until the seventh turn or later to cast Hostage Taker and the card I take. I want to curve out and kill something on the fourth turn, then follow it up by copying or reusing said ability.
Ravenous Chupacabra, while only a 2/2 after its effect, should be a fine addition to a lot of strategies in Standard. While the body isn't going to be hugely relevant, I think pairing it alongside some raid abilities also sounds like a fine idea.
My first pet project with the card:
Creatures (26)
- 4 Bristling Hydra
- 4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
- 4 Longtusk Cub
- 4 Ravenous Chupacabra
- 4 Ruin Raider
- 4 Servant of the Conduit
- 2 Tetzimoc, Primal Death
Lands (22)
Spells (12)
I thought pairing Ravenous Chupacabra with stuff like Ruin Raider would be a good start. Not only does it come down and kill off an early opposing threat, but the body can be relevant later in the game by attacking and drawing a card off Ruin Raider. While Ruin Raider isn't a card that sees a lot of play at the moment, this deck pushes it pretty hard. Is this list good? Probably not, but I think it is a fine place to see if both Ruin Raider and Ravenous Chupacabra make a good pair.
Alternatively, you could play Sultai instead of Jund, which gives you access to a better mana base with Botanical Sanctum. On top of that, you could play stuff like Vizier of Many Faces and/or Rogue Refiner to keep the juices flowing. And to top everything off, splashing for The Scarab God doesn't seem like an awful idea.
The downside of playing this combination of colors is that you lose Harnessed Lightning, which is a big deal in a format featuring Glorybringer. And, to be honest, Glorybringer is a card I'd be very worried about for any creature-based deck that can't kill it before its effect goes off. While black does have Vraska's Contempt to help in that regard, four mana is a lot to leave on the table in preparation for getting hit by a Glorybringer.
The alternative solution, which I think might be fine, is to have a bunch of insanely good creatures that overwhelm your opponent's removal (and Glorybringers). If your deck is packed with Ruin Raider and Glint-Sleeve Siphoner, as well as a slew of other must-kill threats, it might not even be necessary to play something like Harnessed Lightning. Just let that Glorybringer resolve and kill something. You can always deal with it on the next turn with Ravenous Chupacabra, Vraska's Contempt, or some other removal spell. The one thing I know that I don't want to do is play Winding Constrictor and Walking Ballista.
Is this card good? Probably. Of all the big Dinosaurs I've seen so far, this one is actively enticing. The effect is unique and pretty cool. But still, I don't know if it's better than something like Vraska, Relic Seeker. Six mana is a lot, and investing more than that to get a sweet effect might just be too costly.
The problem is that you still can't really kill either The Scarab God or Bristling Hydra, two threats that have been tearing through Standard over the last few months. And, even if you're killing Whirler Virtuoso, you still have to grind through all of those tokens. Regardless, I'm excited to try this card out, but I'm not exactly getting my hopes up.
Holy moly is this card good. To be honest, this card reminds me a lot of Vengevine, but you can't do a whole lot of cool graveyard stuff with it. It's just a four-mana 4/3 flier that requires back-to-back removal spells to deal with it. Or you could just exile it I guess. But the same could be said for The Scarab God in a lot of circumstances.
At the very least, even if cards like Whirler Virtuoso threaten to invalidate this card, I would look for it being absolutely busted by this time next year. The stats alone are reasonable, but the ability to threaten returning it to the battlefield, with haste, puts it over the top for me.
I wanted to put all the Merfolk from Rivals of Ixalan onto the list, but that would make it quite long. Suffice it to say that with Silvergill Adept, Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca, and the slew of powerful Merfolk already previewed, you stand a chance of becoming a real deck. Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca singlehandedly turns Deeproot Waters into a real Magic card. It gives you something to build toward. And, most importantly, it acts like a real "lord." And yes, I do realize that Merfolk Mistbinder has already been previewed.
The only downside to Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca is that it's legendary. Traditionally, cards like this one are fine in multiples, because they have effects that help pump your whole squad. And when you're playing a tribal deck based around deploying a bunch of creatures to the battlefield, all you want is ways to make those creatures better. Time and time again, when sets are based around tribal mechanics, the only way to make them viable is to have marquee creatures that can reward you for playing a whole bunch of creatures of the same tribe. Before Rivals of Ixalan, I just don't think any of the tribes gave you enough reason to be a tribal deck.
There are so many Merfolk coming out of the woodwork that could make the cut that I honestly have no idea how I would even start building the deck. It's been a long time since a tribal strategy has gotten this much love, but it shouldn't take long for people to put the pieces together. Eh, why not. Let's take a crack at it!
Creatures (28)
- 4 Deeproot Elite
- 2 Forerunner of the Heralds
- 4 Kumena's Speaker
- 4 Merfolk Branchwalker
- 4 Merfolk Mistbinder
- 1 Seafloor Oracle
- 4 Silvergill Adept
- 1 Kopala, Warden of Waves
- 4 Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
Lands (23)
Spells (9)
Seems pretty cookie-cutter to me. I'd like to potentially get some more support cards in the mix, but you need a lot of creatures to power some of your synergy-driven Merfolk. And even though Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca is legendary, I want to start off playing four of them and seeing how often its drawback is relevant to early-game development.
Wedge did a pretty great job on this card already, and I'd recommend taking a look at that video if this card interests you in a more casual setting. Yes, this card is pretty mediocre against a creature-based deck, but its sideboard potential is unbelievable.
While it might look a lot like Carnage Tyrant, at least you could deal with that via a sweeper effect. Against control, this card will singlehandedly beat them unless they outright win the game with Approach of the Second Sun. While seven mana is a lot, control mirrors will be defined by who draws this alongside seven mana first. You can't kill it. You can't cast spells without getting buried. You can't really match it without casting one of your own. It's absolutely terrifying.
Another strange card that looks pretty sweet on paper, but I don't know how good it will be in practice. Legacy Weapon had a similar effect at a much higher cost and saw some fringe play way back in the day, but I think this card could end up being pretty good. While it is slow and still doesn't really deal with Bristling Hydra, I'm a pretty big fan of it actually exiling the creatures it targets. That means you get an instant-speed (ish) way to interact with The Scarab God.
The problem with this card is that I don't see anywhere it really "fits." It's a powerful tool for control, but I don't know if it's worth the splash (or just playing B/W). This card is so intriguing to me, but I'm also just curious what other people end up doing with it. You don't often see a permanent that can continuously remove creatures from the battlefield. And, after all its "charge up," you actually get to use those creatures against the opponent. A removal/card advantage engine is always something to take a second look at.
Have y'all ever played with Verdant Force before? Because this card reminds me a lot of Verdant Force. And the cool thing about Ascend on permanents is that it constantly checks, so the moment you hit that Saproling that gives you your tenth permanent, it's time to send in the botanical army!
I like this card. I like any card that can singlehandedly win the game if your opponent doesn't interact with it. I especially like those types of cards when they cost five or less mana. Yes, it "dies to removal spells" just like any other creature, but imagine if your entire goal is to stick one of these and ride it to victory? I could see this card playing a similar role to Ishkanah, Grafwidow in midrange decks, but the threat of it coming back over and over is even more terrifying.
You know what? This card is probably bad, but I don't care. It gives me a "Mirari's Wake" vibe, and I'm digging it pretty hard. As an Izzet mage, making my spells cost less is already attractive to me. And I get to draw extra cards? And the permanents I hate most won't be effective against me? And my creatures, should I decide to play any, get a permanent boost?
There's a lot going on here, but the main point of contention is the prohibitive mana cost. For six mana, I expect a lot, and this card is right on the cusp of being good enough (I think). Unfortunately, this will take some splash damage from Abrade, so I don't know how much of a major player it will be in Standard, but it is cool as all hell so I'm willing to give it a shot. The fact that it's legendary is also a bit of a bummer, but I'm already over it.
While The Immortal Sun probably won't be tearing up your local FNM anytime soon, this will be a hot card for Commander. Artifacts with splashy effects always are.
The Newness
Is Rivals of Ixalan going to change everything in Standard? I doubt it. But hey, that's why Modern exists! I don't know about y'all, but I'm ready for Kaladesh to rotate out of Standard. But to be fair, I was saying the same thing about Gideon, Ally of Zendikar around this time last year so...
I'm not going to bash Standard. In fact, I think Standard is actually a lot of fun. The games are interactive, the cards are powerful, and there are quite a few decks to choose from. The problem is that if you're choosing anything except some form of energy deck, you're probably going in at a disadvantage. And since Attune with Aether and Aether Hub make splashing colors so easy, you can play virtually any card you want. That why it was so easy for Temur to adopt The Scarab God and Vraska, Relic Seeker.
I think this set is pretty awesome, and in a normal world I'd be having an absolute blast building new decks. I just think that Temur Energy (and its ilk) are too oppressive. The energy mechanic is too good. The Scarab God is too good. Time and time again we see energy being the glue that holds everything together in the most dominant Standard decks. In Aetherworks Marvel, it was pretty obvious because the marquee engine was built around the mechanic. But before that we still had to contend with Four-Color Saheeli, which was basically an energy deck with a two-card Splinter Twin knockoff jammed into it. Sure, you could beat the combo with a removal spell, but you still had to deal with Whirler Virtuoso and Rogue Refiner.
I'm just sick of energy. But until it rotates out of Standard or randomly has some stuff banned from it (which I don't recommend), we're just going to have to deal with it.


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HealthQx Wins Marcum Innovator of the Year Award
Nov 18, 2013, 11:00 ET
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - HealthQx, a company that analyzes big healthcare data market-by-market to score physicians and hospitals compared to their peers, has been named Marcum Innovator of the Year in the small business Healthcare category.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130918/NY81827LOGO )
HealthQx, based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, beat 17 other nominees in its category in the Philadelphia region to take the Award. The presentation was held at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute November 14.
Mark McAdoo, HealthQx CEO commented, "This award comes a few months after we won a five-year, multi-million dollar contract to employ our CareQx Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Solution to help direct millions of veterans to top-tier specialty physicians at the best price. It's been a great year."
One of the judging criteria for the Award was the impact the entrant's innovation had on the Greater Philadelphia area. HealthQx added five new positions, including heads of business development and product management, in 2013 to support company growth.
"Given today's performance-based healthcare landscape our CareQx cloud-based solution apparently struck a chord with the judges," Bill Conlan, the company's founder and COO, added.
About HealthQx
HealthQx specializes in data analytics and decision support software to bring transparency to the healthcare industry. The company measures healthcare values market-by-market, nationwide, scoring physicians and hospitals compared to their peers on quality and cost-efficiency. The goal: to help patients and their physicians find quality care at the most affordable price.
The company's CareQx solution delivers analysis on quality and cost ratings of physicians and hospitals nationwide. This valuable utilization of big healthcare data can help health plans, self-insured employers, health systems – particularly Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) – and patients, who are the ultimate users of healthcare services, make informed decisions.
Individual investors and Ben Franklin Technology Partners, one of America's "longest-running technology-based economic development programs," provided early stage funding for HealthQx.
To learn more about HealthQx, visit www.healthqx.com
About MARCUM and the Award
Marcum LLP ranks among the top 20 independent public accounting and advisory services in America. Marcum Innovator of the Year competitions take place nationwide to honor innovation in healthcare, business management, technology and energy. The Philadelphia region awards were presented by Marcum and Region's Business magazine and supported by multiple sponsors, including PNC Bank, First Niagara, and Wells Fargo.
SOURCE HealthQx


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As an entrepreneur, you are more than likely aware that running a successful retail business is no easy task. There are many obstacles that you will encounter on this journey. One of these obstacles, if not the most challenging, is connecting with your customers, and relating with them enough that they will want to do […]Read More
Boasting a 98% open rate, SMS marketing is a cost effective, efficient and direct communication facility to use as a marketing tool to engage in a 2 way conversation with your customers and clients. In this article, we will show you 5 ways your brand can start using bulk SMS to improve and strengthen your […]Read More
Online shopping has been increasing in popularity ever since the first online transaction in 1994. 14 years later, almost every single person that has used the internet, has purchased something off an online store. Whether it be your monthly groceries, or a gift for your significant other, we all have succumbed to the pressures of […]Read More
Running any medical practice can include its fair share of admin duties. One of which, a very important one: reminding your patients of their appointments. Without your patients arriving for their appointments, you don't make any money as a practice. So how could you remind your patients without breaking the bank or an arm and […]Read More
The question business owners and marketers will always ask, is "how much will it cost?" With all the free instant messenger platforms such as WhatsApp, Blackberry Messenger, Skype, Dasher, and Snapchat, one will wonder why you should pay for an instant messaging tool such as SMS. Let's look into why you should pay for SMS, […]Read More
E-mail to SMS is exactly what it sounds like it is: it's an e-mail that is converted to an SMS, and sent to the cellphone number provided in the To: e-mail address field. Why would you want to use SMS if you are using e-mail already? Here are 4 reasons why: Not everyone is available […]Read More
With the sudden rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the popularity of online trading has risen substantially in the last few months. It would seem that everyone you meet and their uncle owns at least a fraction of a Bitcoin, or some form of online currency that they trade with and follow religiously. Let's look […]Read More
In this day and age, business owners and marketers constantly seek for the most effective and cost efficient way to market their brand, or to simply keep in contact with customers and staff. Let's look at 5 reasons why SMS should be your go-to method of communication: 1: 99% open rate: Yes, this means that […]Read More
The tattoo business has grown exponentially in the last 10 years. Popular tattoo artists have been known to have up to an 8 month waiting period for a single hour's appointment. As a tattoo artist, managing your appointments will be a nightmare without a proper reminder service, this is where SMS can help. Reminding customers […]Read More
It's that time of year, when the weather gets warmer, and we are all getting rid of our jackets and long pants, and replacing them with shirts, shorts and skirts. The downside of this change, is that if you stayed inside all winter, you would have put on the inevitable "winter coat". Let's see how […]Read More
Bulk SMS has been known to increase customer ratings and sales dramatically and cuts down your advertising costs at the same time. Now it is all fine and well blasting an SMS out to a list of cellphone numbers, letting them in on the good news of a special or discount, but there are a […]Read More
Every business owner knows how difficult it is to run a successful business, and will work diligently in finding new ways to give their business the edge above its competitors. Not only are business owners and developers looking for the most simple and effective methods to boost their income, but it must also be cost […]Read More


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A specialist in contemporary Fiji politics, Dr Jon Fraenkel, believes the main threat to Commodore Frank Bainimarama's regime is internal strife.
The Australia based academic says recent reports of beatings by the military appear to be a revival of immediate post coup tactics of intimidating and harrassing opponents.
He says a popular uprising in Fiji, of a kind seen in the Middle-East, would appear to be less of a problem for the regime than disquiet among its ranks, but it's difficult to gauge public sentiment.
"I think people are very fearful and the popular opposition to the coup seems to have largely played itself out. At the moment what's threatening the regime is internal friction, an internal sense of crisis, loss of direction and disarray."
Dr Fraenkel says Commodore Bainimarama has been effective at retaining control evidenced by the recent removal of key military officers.


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It's no secret that the restaurant industry is facing one of the worst labor shortages in history. Couple that with the fact that restaurants are the largest employer of immigrants, Muslims, and LGBTQ individuals — all vulnerable populations today — and staffing gets a lot more challenging.
That tension is part of the inspiration behind Sanctuary Restaurants, an organization founded to stand up for the rights of restaurant workers, owners, and consumers. We spoke with Saru Jayaraman, Executive Director and Co-founder of Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) United, one of the groups that helped launch the Sanctuary Restaurants movement. Here, she shares the inspiration behind the project and how owners and operators can serve their employees and communities.
Tell us the story behind Sanctuary Restaurants. What spurred the creation of it?
Even before this election, a lot of our industry partners were reporting that this is the worst labor shortage they've seen. When the election happened and there was all the rhetoric of hate — discriminatory policies against immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ individuals, women — our employer partners became very concerned that what was already a difficult situation for them, in which they had a hard time hiring and retaining workers, was going to become even more difficult.
We had some employers report that workers were terrified to even show up for work, there was tension and fighting among staff, workers were being harassed by customers who felt empowered by the rhetoric. Our employer leaders came together and decided to write an open letter to President Trump saying, business owner to business owner, please don't make this more difficult for us. We don't need a hostile environment for all the most vulnerable workers in our industry.
Why is the restaurant industry specifically affected?
We are the largest employer of every one of those vulnerable populations — of immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ individuals — everybody. To have an industry that's already going through this shortage now facing incredible tension among these vulnerable workers, this is not what we need. What we need is a path to citizenship for these workers, our employees.
They wrote the letter and, to make it more visible, came up collectively with the term Sanctuary Restaurants. The motto is "a place at the table for everyone." As a Sanctuary Restaurant, they are a community space that is open to every kind of worker and every kind of customer. They would not tolerate any kind of discrimination based on anyone's identity, whether it's their political beliefs or religious/ethnic identity, or their status as an immigrant.
How are Sanctuary Restaurants identified?
First they created signs and stickers, but we also wanted a way to support workers as well. We partnered with Presente.org, which is the largest Latinx online organization in the United States. They helped us create a web platform and a mobile texting system in which workers can text into a number to get rapid response support should anything happen in a restaurant, any kind of discrimination or harassment emergency.
Workers, consumers, and employers can all join. Employers and workers who join are invited to join legal presentations and webinars where they learn their rights and best practices for how to deal with these issues. Consumers are given cards that they can hand out to their favorite restaurant owners or managers. And they can hand out cards to workers with the mobile text number. Consumers can be one of best tools to grow this, and the employers involved feel like it's very important to grow it so that it really begins to have some power and voice.
What kind of engagement have you seen from those groups?
Since we launched the program in early January more than 400 restaurants have signed on, about 1,000 workers, and about 15,000 consumers. It's been rapid growth, with a lot of press attention and a lot of support from the industry.
We've been pleasantly surprised that so many restaurateurs are being so courageous in standing up and saying, we need a safe, welcoming environment for all these people because we rely on all of these people — and because we care about them. They are our families and communities.
What stories are you hearing from restaurants about what workers are facing?
There have been some raids. We have seen some instances of consumers feeling empowered to say harassing, discriminatory things to workers or employers. We've seen some employers who are not part of the program retaliate against workers for participating in the Day Without Immigrant marches and strikes.
Unfortunately, we've seen harassments come from co-workers, from consumers, and in other instances, employers. We've also seen a lot of employers who see the level of fear and division in their own restaurant. One employer in New York said to me, "It really feels like 9/11 all over again." Nobody's eating out, and people feel scared — to be in public places in some cases, to be around other people. It's really about trying to create a sanctuary space in restaurants: this is a safe place anybody can come to and enjoy themselves and be treated with hospitality, which is what our industry is really about.
What do restaurants need to know about protecting their workers right now? Any tips?
Being in a collective space is the safest place. Joining something like Sanctuary Restaurants, being with other employers who are concerned about the same things, being able to learn from one another about what's happening.
One of the best things about Sanctuary Restaurants is that there is an army of legal defense: so many attorneys right now that are gearing up to support immigrants and Muslims, which is great. There is safety in numbers, safety in knowing what's happening in our industry in other parts of country, and hearing from lawyers with industry expertise who can provide that kind of support.
For example, we had employers in one case who were dealing with some hateful customers, and another from Maine said, here's an email I sent to customers and how I dealt with it. It was a real learning moment for a lot of employers in other parts of the country for how they could deal with similar situations. That's the benefit of an industry-specific group. Our group is of employers who care deeply about their workers' well-being, who want to see them survive and thrive. They think, "We do better when they do better."


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Wortzmans is now MT>3, a division of McCarthy Tétrault
Happy Anniversary! It's just over two years since Wortzmans joined McCarthy Tétrault and we wanted our name to reflect this new and exciting stage in our career: we decided to become MT>3.
Our new name MT>3 represents the foundations of our work: leading edge technology, proprietary processes, and a multi-disciplinary team.
As a division of McCarthy Tétrault, we continue to pride ourselves on offering cost-effective e-discovery and information advice and services.
Susan Wortzman will be the Program Director for a five day Certificate Program commencing in April 2014. This program was a tremendous success in 2013 and we look forward to another great year. Stay tuned for details from Osgoode.
Leave a Reply.
October 2019


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A suspicious package reported inside a Home Depot store on Long Island is not consistent with an explosive device, but police and bomb squad officers were continuing to sweep the premises as a precaution Wednesday evening.
Police were called to the store on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont when an employee opened a returned box that was supposed to contain a jigsaw but instead contained other unspecified material.
The worker and store managers, on alert after a pipe bomb was discovered inside another Home Depot store in Huntington Monday, called police.
All businesses in the strip mall on Hempstead Turnpike, including Office Max and GNC, were evacuated as police and bomb squad responded. The stores were expected to re-open and employees returned to work when the all-clear is issued, police said.
Authorities Monday found a crude pipe bomb inside another Home Depot in Huntington, after store managers there opened a threatening letter that described where the bomb was left inside the building and demanded money by Black Friday.
Police were contacted and they located the pipe bomb on a shelf behind some boxes. Suffolk County's Bomb Squad destroyed the device Monday evening.
Law enforcement sources said the bomb did not have a timer attached to it but if someone had opened the box containing the device, it could have detonated.
The sources added the threatening letter had been sitting for some time in the store before it was opened Monday, and the letter stated more devices may be planted in other stores.
Sources said the letter was mailed from Long Island.
Police across Long Island and in New York City have been made aware of the threat, as have Home Depot stores in the area, the sources said.
"We are cooperating with authorities in the investigation," said Stephen Holmes, a Home Depot spokesman. "The safety of our customers and our employees is of the utmost importance to us."


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Bethesda, MD FASEB MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers) Program has announced the travel award recipient for The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) Introductory Course in Immunology at The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia from July 9-14, 2011. These awards are meant to promote the entry of underrepresented minority students, postdoctorates and scientists into the mainstream of the basic science community and to encourage the participation of young scientists at the AAI 2011 Introductory Course in Immunology. This year MARC conferred 1 award totaling $1,650.
The FASEB MARC Program is funded by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health. A primary goal of the MARC Program is to increase the number and competitiveness of underrepresented minorities engaged in biomedical and behavioral research.
The following course participant has been selected to receive a FASEB MARC Travel Award:
Dr. Patricia B. Lodato, University of Maryland School of Medicine
|Contact: Fran Yates
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology


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Chef Manager
- Recruiter
- CH&Co Group
- Location
- Bidwells
- Salary
- Competitive and great benefits
- Posted
- 26 Sep 2019
- Closes
- 23 Oct 2019
- Sector
- Restaurant jobs
- Job Function
- Chef
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full Time
We are CH&CO, a group of chefs, nutritionists and people pleasers with a shared passion for food that fuels emotional positivity as well as physical wellbeing. In a world where what we consume is becoming ever faster and more disposable, we're proud to take a more thoughtful, mindful approach to the food experiences we source, prepare and present.
We are looking for an efficient, motivated and committed Chef Manager to join our vibrant and passionate company.Main Responsibilities
- To manage an efficient and effective catering operation in accordance with client requirements, company standards and statutory regulations
- To ensure that legal and company requirements are adhered to in respect of Hygiene, Health & Safety, Employment Law, and Food Safety Law for all staff, visitors and customers
- To ensure that all the unit standards, administration, payroll, cash control, stock control and security procedures are accurate and in accordance with CH&Co policies and procedures
- To ensure full catering services are provided as agreed within the client contract
- Develop future budget, planning and delivery along with Operation's Manager
- Is someone with a desire and passion to cook with fresh quality ingredients sources from local producers
- Is willing to always push culinary boundaries
- Can manage the FOH & BOH operations within the unit
- Demonstrates similar experience in a Chef Manager position
Similar jobs


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Auburn mom wins $90 million Powerball jackpot
Lisa Quam doesn't play the lottery often.
The Auburn resident said she only buys tickets on special occasions: birthdays, Christmas and other holidays. She had never purchased a Powerball ticket, but decided to buy one on a whim while doing some shopping on Thanksgiving.
She purchased two tickets, one for her husband and one for herself. She stuck the tickets on the fridge and forgot about them until Sunday night, when she decided to check her numbers: 25, 30, 32, 46, 54 and 26.
And to her surprise, she was the winner of the $90 million jackpot.
"I yelled for (my family) to come upstairs," Lisa Quam said. "They all took turns checking the numbers and re-checking the numbers."
According to Washington's Lottery, Lisa Quam had a one in 175 million chance of winning the Powerball. Lisa Quam will be able to cash out her winnings for $56.8 million.
She doesn't consider herself a particularly lucky person. Before winning the jackpot, she had only ever won concert tickets in a radio station contest.
But, in this case, Lisa Quam said she has no choice but to attribute her winnings to dumb luck.
Her husband, Everett Quam, said he had a strange feeling about that day when the couple pulled into the Haggen parking lot and saw a man walking around in a white bathrobe and flip-flops.
"It's one of those days when you see something weird and you know something's going to happen," Everett Quam said.
That chance decision will change the Quams' lives, allowing them to pay off their childrens' student loans, repair their house and buy homes for their children.
"(I'll) make sure my family is taken care of," Lisa Quam said. "Family comes first."
The couple will also retire early, but Lisa Quam said she's not sure what she'll do with the free time — she only realized Tuesday that she would have enough money to quit her job. The couple work for the same company, with Lisa Quam coordinating contractors and Everett Quam working as an assembly mechanic. They declined to name the company.
Once the family is taken care of, the couple will donate some of their winnings to charity, Lisa Quam said. Her children were involved with the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts and she's considering the organizations as donation recipients.
She's also picked out a new car: a Subaru Forester. The couple also plans to buy themselves smartphones.
Lisa Quam purchased her winning Powerball ticket at a Haggen store on Tapps Parkway in Auburn. The store will receive a $50,000 selling bonus, according to Washington's Lottery.
A few Washington residents were lucky playing Powerball in November, with a Bonney Lake resident winning $1 million Nov. 15. Two other Washington residents won $10,000 each on Nov. 29.


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"I was unaware, when the news broke in Israel, about a group of residents from Kiryat Malachi who refused to rent or sell their homes and apartments to Ethiopians. The home owners claimed that the Ethiopians would "lower" the market value of their homes. At the time, I was working with an American group – Yahel Service Learning Israel. This is an educational organization that runs volunteer programs, and local community building, and empowerment projects in Israel (a MASA program). This group was volunteering in my local neighbourhood of Gedera.
It was painful for me to see and hear the residents of Kiryat Malachi expressing themselves in such a vulgar and disgusting manner, with racism and hatred in their hearts. I tried to hold back my tears! I was a professional staff member and educator with a group of young adults from America, and I thought it would be inappropriate to break down and cry in front of them. Despite my attempt to fight the pain, I cried.
Two days later, when the first protest by the Ethiopian community gathered in Kiryat Malachi, I was angry and humiliated. An overpowering feeling drove me out to the streets, to shout in protest "my blood has been spilled for a second time!" The first time Ethiopians came out to the streets in protest of "spilled blood" was in 2006 whenMagen David Adom threw out all of the donated blood that had been collected during a blood drive. Unfortunately, I was too young to attend.
However, this time I could stand up and be counted! The protest was filled with young Ethiopians who were all shouting, "end the racism!" I was one of them.
A few days later, I heard Sofa Landver, Minister of Absorption, express herself in an improper manner for any government minister, especially the Minister of Absorption. She was appointed and made responsible for absorbing new immigrants which involves being sensitive and attentive to their needs. In response to the protests, she remarked: "Instead of protesting, they should say thank you for what they have received from the government."
A few more days passed by. Some brave girls, from an absorption center near Jerusalem, recorded their bus driver saying: "You Ethiopians stink! Why don't you shower! Your smell is killing me!" and numerous other racist, discriminating phrases. What hurtful hate speech! I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing as my wife and I listening to these offensive recorded speeches on the news. The bus driver did not stop for even a second to think that these girls were only 11 years old. Imagine that! At such a young age, these girls lost their innocence and naïveté about the 'wonderful' world around them. They learned very quickly that there are people so consumed with hatred, they are not even embarrassed to spew such filth in public.
I admire those young girls! They showed courage and bravery during this ordeal. They did not curse or yell back at the bus driver, but rather sat there quietly recording his hateful comments and reporting him to his superiors.
These days, when I am without a car and have to use public transportation, quite often I find myself wondering if the person sitting next to me, or behind me, shares those opinions. Perhaps I'm sitting next to the person who commented on the YNET talkbacks: "Those Kushim [Negros] have gone too far."
It is too painful for me to let go of those feelings and thoughts. Some might say this is simply an inferiority complex, but what am I supposed to feel when people make me out to be inferior – a second-class citizen?! I'm good enough to serve in the Israeli army and die as a Jew defending my homeland, but I'm not good enough to marry without someone questioning my Judaism?! How can I not feel inferior during those times?
As time passes, I am realizing over and over again, that the direction of the organization that I am part of, Friends by Nature, is so critically important for Israeli society. Through empowerment of the young Ethiopian generation and through educating their parents, we are working to strengthen their Jewish-Ethiopian identity. Only we can rely and help ourselves! Only we can change our situation from within. Through utilizing and actualizing our own potential as a growing population, we will not need to rely on others for help."
Avi Dnku was born in Ethiopia and made aliyah with his family in 1991. Avi is a law student and has been involved with Friends by Nature since 2007. Friends by Nature is an umbrella organisation for different Ethiopian communities across Israel. Its philosophy is to use community empowerment as a tool, through working with people who want to create a change from within. In 2010 he became the Garin Director for Garin Gadera. Avi also worked for Yahel – Israel service learning program, where he was the community liaison officer.


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RCI has designed optical systems for more than 100 different customers spanning a variety of project applications such as ruggedized space-based & aerospace optics, UAVs & military, stray light & illumination design, hyperspectral & multispectral systems, lithography & inspection, bio-medical & medical applications and much more. Our team has over 100 years of combined optical engineering experience giving RCI a remarkable aptitude for optical system design.
RCI uses Zemax™, CODE V™, FRED™ and ASAP™ as well as in-house software called GELOE. GELOE provides unique stray light and opto-mechanical analysis capabilities and is often used as a tie-breaker between Zemax™ and CODE V™ as it approaches the analysis from a much different point of view. GELOE also has the ability to integrate the mechanical CAD model into the stray light analysis for a more comprehensive optimization.
RCI has developed many in-house macro routines using Matlab, Mathcad and Python. Some of these routines include powerful tolerancing algorithms that accurately predict the allowable lens and mechanical fabrication errors as well as the assembly and alignment processes. Our group specializes in optical design evaluation as well, where RCI is able to optimize a customer's design for manufacturability and production. RCI's wide range of optical design expertise is tailored to the fine balance of cost and quality, and our track record for customer satisfaction speaks for itself.
Over the course of several years, RCI has developed and perfected in-house tolerancing routines which are heavily depended on for high performance, tight tolerance systems. The routines utilize Zemax's ZPL macro language in conjunction with MathCAD and Python to accurately predict the as-built performance of optical systems.
Each optical system requires a unique analysis that usually begins with a sensitivity run. The results from the sensitivity analysis are used to define compensators such as focus control, re-spacing, decenterable lenses and/or groups, etc. Script files are created from performance metrics and compensators which are used to draft the initial system tolerances. With a script file in place, 100+ Monte-Carlo runs are executed in Zemax and are optimized by applying the defined compensators. Our routine compiles the results in scatter plots where they are used to evaluate the percent yield of the fabrication and assembly process. Typically these results require a feedback loop or iteration until the percent yields are acceptable.
RCI has relied on these routines to predict the performance of prototypes such that they meet spec the very first time they are built. These routines are automated and do not require extensive labor which in the end offers our customers high value analysis at a lower cost.
RCI has a strong stray light analysis team led by Al Greynolds who originally teamed up with Mitch Ruda in the 1980's. Ruda-Cardinal has an extensive history of successful stray light analysis including programs such as the Rockwell, Thousand Oaks blue-green laser submarine com receiver, SLCR development for the NAVY and ultra-low ghost design for Lockheed Martin's PNVIS system, etc. RCI currently uses three analysis programs: ASAP™(originally written by Al while employed at a different company), FRED™, and GELOE, an in-house program written by Al while at RCI.
GELOE incorporates system information from various optical and mechanical design programs which allows the software to produce realistic models of any optical assembly. In addition to GELOE's multiplatform software integration, it can import external sources into the model. These external sources can be setup to propagate non-sequentially through a system and can be used to evaluate how much (if any) light is seen by the sensor. From this kind of analysis and modelling, baffles and other light traps can be engineered to mitigate the effects of these sources. Ghost image determinations, veiling glare modelling and ghost analyses are also part of RCI's stray light capabilities where lens radii, particulate/contamination density and A/R coatings on optical surfaces are part of the optimization process.
Ghost image determinations, veiling glare modelling and ghost analyses are also part of RCI's stray light capabilities where lens radii, particulate/contamination density and A/R coatings on optical surfaces are part of the optimization process.
Ruda-Cardinal has decades of experience in engineering optical systems that require optimized performance specifically tailored to harsh environmental conditions. Product development and manufacturing has included optical systems for the automotive, military, aerospace and space-based industries, all of which have had varying degrees of environmental specifications and requirements. A broad temperature range such as -40°C to +85°C can have devastating effects on the performance of an optical system if the design has not been engineered correctly. Ruda-Cardinal has extensive experience in passive athermal optical system design where optical performance such as image quality and focus drift are well controlled across a broad temperature range. Passive athermal correction is done without the need for motorized mechanics, heaters or other compensators. A thorough athermal design must include thermal stress analyses that examine the mounting of glass elements, CTE mismatches and material strengths.
In addition to a thermal stress analysis, the makeup of the glass must also be taken into account. Optics systems can behave in mysterious ways, and as a lens heats up or cools down, the focus position of an imaging system can either increase of decrease. By making good use of material selection and multi-configuration modeling, the properties can be well understood such that the design works properly.


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Plastic waste can be found in every part of our world! We have produced enough plastic waste to wrap our precious planet in plastic film six times over. And this plastic waste will not degrade for centuries...
...but we all love plastics. Plastics were developed to fulfill the dreams of mankind and we cannot live without it. Saphium Biotechnology brings back the love!
We develop all-natural, non-toxic and compostable bioplastics in microorganisms. These PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) based bioplastics are water resistant, stable in shelves and degraded in soil within 180 days. PHAs have thermoplastic properties and can be processed with current available machines.
The substrates for these plastics are the gases carbon dioxide and hydrogen. We capture carbon dioxide from the air or from industrial waste gas streams and produce hydrogen with electricity from renewable energy sources via electrolysis. At the moment we are in the development phase for the purification, but we will soon start our first test runs in the Pilot scale.
The production of 1 kg of plastic by this process would remove 2 kg of carbon dioxide from the air. If we substitute the whole worldwide plastics production with our process we would produce 6% less carbon dioxide by 2018. Based on the increasing plastic consumption, it would account for more than 20% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2050.


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I'm a freelance creative, based in Inverness in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland, but working on a range of projects, in a range of places.
A large portion of my work is photography, and it's what I worked in exclusively for 12 years, but over the last couple of years I've also been offering a broader range of freelance creative services through Tentmaker Creative.
I first picked up a camera back in 1997, and when living in London about five years later my addiction to the captured image really took off. A few years later I graduated with Merit from Glasgow Metropolitan College and began my freelance career as a photographer.
During my studies, I developed a working relationship with some of the leading Broadsheet Newspapers, with my press work being shortlisted for the title of 'Scottish Young Photographer of the year for three consecutive years in 2006, 2007 and 2008. I travelled extensively in this period, and still do, with a couple of months of each working year normally spent on projects overseas.


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At first glance, Tell Spring Not To Come This Year feels like more of what we've already seen in war documentaries like Sebastian Junger's Restrepo and Korengal. We see soldiers relaxing in the barracks or talking to locals, hear their stories and get a sense of the unique bond that grows between men in their circumstances.
It's when Farouky bravely follows them out into the battlefield that things take a turn for the worse. As the bullets fly all around, he captures that paradoxical sense of terror and boredom in a firefight that so many similar films fail to convey.
Tell Spring is an angrier yet wearier documentary than most; the lists of fallen soldiers are a grim reminder of how little 11 years of war has changed.
DIRECTORS: Saeed Taji Farouky, Michael McEvoy
SYNOPSIS: Tell Spring Not to Come This Year follows one unit of the Afghan National Army over the course of their first year of deployment in Helmand without NATO support.
Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015 ran from June 5th-10th 2015. One Room With A View's coverage is available here.


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I refuse to believe that summer is coming to a close any time soon. It's my absolute favorite season filled with excuses to lay on the beach + eat ice cream. I managed to get away for a few days to give my Anchors Away QTee some wear.
Wishing I was dusting sand off of my toes right about now...anyone else? xx


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Kelvynboy ft. Kwesi Arthur – Holiday
Kwesi Arthur - Woara (God's Engineering)
Vision DJ ft. Dice Ailes, Kwesi Arthur & Medikal – Otedola (Ghana Remix)
King Promise ft. Kwesi Arthur & Mr. Eazi – Oh Yeah Re-Mix
Twitch – Take Your Somtin ft. Kwesi Arthur (Prod. NOVA)
Kwesi Arthur - No Title (Prod. Yung Nyame x 079Rayf)
Ko-Jo Cue - Wole (Remix) ft. Worlasi, Kwesi Arthur, Shaker, Kay-Ara, Temple & C-Real
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President Noynoy Aquino Answers Media Panel Questions on Manila Hostage Crisis – Philippine President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III called for a media panel, Thursday, September 9 for the specific purpose of clearing all issues concerning the Manila Bus hostage crisis last August 23 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Philippines.
The media panel was composed of the top three televisions stations, GMA 7, TV 5 and ABS-CBN. The representatives from the three media groups asked no-holds-barred questions about the incident which claim the lives of 10 Hongkong nationals. Paulo Bediones, Mel Tiangco and Ted Failon grilled PNoy for one and a half hours.
President Aquino said that he was in complete monitoring of the whole situation on August 23 and maintained close contacts to those handling the crisis. He said that he did not went to the incident site because it might complicate the situation and the hostage taker, Rolando Mendoza might ask for more conditions and request.
PNoy also said that he was confident with those handling the situation because he believes that they had been trained well to handle such a situation. If they are not trained, he said that it would be impossible for them to reach such a high rank in the police.
As the hostage crisis progressed and the assault of the bus began in the evening, Aquino said that he was totally disappointed with what he saw. He reiterated that such an operation should be past and free of any error but that is not what happened during that day. After he saw that Aquino said that he immediately look for those in charge and found them at the Emerald.
"This incident will not define this administration. In the end, my administration will be judged on what we have accomplished and what we will accomplish in the coming years: a reduction in poverty and the restoration of a government that is honest in its efforts to build a better nation," Aquino reiterated.
He also said that there is no faction in his cabinet and depends his management style saying that he is a president that wants everybody to have a voice and a share in the decision making. He told everyone that he is not a person who always likes to be at the center of news and attention and always being the hero.
"Our government is now focused on taking the necessary steps to prevent this tragedy from ever happening again," he said.
When asked why no officer had been fired or dismissed yet, Aquino said that he is waiting for the findings of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima before deciding which officials need to be removed from office for their failings during the hostage crisis.
The report and findings of the IIRC will also be part of the documents that will be brought to Hongkong by the high level delegation to be headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay. They will also be bringing a personal letter from President Aquino.
For those who want to see the video of the media panel question, you can CLICK HERE.
What do you think should be done to prevent this from happening again? Do you think it is right to blame the Philippine government for what had happened? Share your views.To receive updates from WWNN.co.uk directly to your e-mail, you can subscribe to us for free by entering your e-mail address here and confirming your subscription by clicking the link that will be sent to your e-mail address.
Topics: Manila, Philippines, President Noynoy Aquino
i want to see our president noynoy to anwser the question about the manila hostages


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Many attorneys, accountants, financial planners, brokers, insurance agents, estate planners and other professionals work with the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc. to help clients meet their charitable goals. We offer a range of services that match donors' interests with their tax planning requirements.
Why Work with a Foundation?
Because we work closely with nonprofit organizations across our region, the Community Foundation has a deep understanding of community needs and the groups that address them. We also know which nonprofits operate most effectively. We can help you identify charitable opportunities and tailor a giving strategy for each client, based on the impact that he or she wants to make.
When your client establishes a fund with the Community Foundation, we manage all the administrative details, including investment, accounting, audit and tax returns. Donors can focus on the inspiring part of philanthropy, directing their gifts according to their interests and passions.
As an established organization with long experience, we can ensure that any fund we manage will continue to help the community, according to your client's wishes, far into the future. We also offer strong economies of scale, since our fund holders share the services of one administrative staff and one group of investment advisors. Our funds spend less on overhead than independent foundations, allowing donors to direct more support to their causes.
Our job is to make life easier for professional advisors. We can help you explain the benefits of different charitable programs to your clients, and we are always available to answer your questions about different options for giving.
How Is the Money Invested?
The long-term investment goal of Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc. is to achieve an annualized return of 7.5%. The majority of our assets are invested in equity or equity-like securities, with fixed income securities used to lower the short-term volatility and provide income stability during market downturns. Non pass-through fund fees are 1% for fund balances up to $1 million and .75% on balances in excess of $1 million.
Helpful Documents
Community Foundationvs. Private Foundation Chart (pdf)
Community Foundation Investment Policy (pdf)
TOP TEN Reasons to Start a Fund at a Community Foundation (pdf)
Fund Brochure (pdf)


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Hey it's Wednesday, which means it's time for our weekly blogger Q+A session. This week we talk to Jessica Page of Music Vagabond. We touch on what music she's been into in 2011, as well as advice for up & coming bloggers.
When, How & Why did you start Music Vagabond?
What albums/artists/songs have been in your heavy rotation this year?
What does Music Vagabond do to separate itself from other music blogs?
How does a new artist catch your ear?
Do you have any advice for any aspiring bloggers looking to set themselves from the pack?
Stay true to what you like. Don't blog about artists because everyone else is too. If you're really passionate about it then put yourself out there. Go meet bands and talk to other bloggers in real life. You never know what it will lead to. Everyone can write a blog, but it's always nice to put a face and personality to the name.


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"How to land the toughest tee times in public golf"/
Even in the age of Google, I've recently gotten this question about a few courses--usually Torrey, Pebble and the Old Course--so it's nice to see Jason Scott Deegan put together a list of the tough tee time gets, and how to get them.
Bookmark this for yourself or your friends who ask!
He writes about all of the above mentioned and others.
The only thing I'd add is this story on East Lothian golf for Golf Digest that includes some links to the courses in that region, including Muirfield.


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Public - Data Solutions
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Gaining an Edge with Unique Connections
The challenge with data is making it structured and insightful. To gain an edge, you must be able to make unique connections that turn insight into performance. Ned Davis Research creates the connections needed to clean, structure, and back-test more than 200 data sources. This creates the solid foundation used in a library of pre-built insightful models that can be integrated into your existing processes.
Why should you work with NDR as your data provider?
Data Sets, Ready to Go
Our data solution provides comprehensive, clean, vetted and combined data sets from more than 200 sources, including NDR's own proprietary data.
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We use a scientific, fusion-based research approach, so you get unbiased data.
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We provide full access to model reports showing results over time.
Choice, in a Full Library
Get the data you need with a full top down solution including economic indicators, market timing models, stock selection systems, and a library of factors, factor groupings, weighting and models.


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Java Draw Created Apr 02, 2013 460 x 640px Unless noted Copyright 2013 drobert486.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
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really cool creature
Has a nice 3D look, very good! ヅ
Cool. Love it. Collect
what an awesome character you are so amazingly talented them5h fav


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Tail Up Goat
It has been an incredibly busy year so far. So busy that I have barely had time to enjoy the new restaurants in D.C., or to blog about them for that matter. Last week when I was in town I finally made it over to Tail Up Goat in Adams Morgan which is new restaurant brought to us by three partners who have previously worked at Komi and Little Serow. Given their pedigree, I had no doubt that this restaurant would be a wonderful addition to the scene.
Tail Up Goat is serene and inviting with cool blue hues throughout, and festive decorative tiles. The staff was knowledgeable, helpful, and pleasant as we were picking out our drinks for the evening. I was excited to see they have Lambrusco on the menu. We enjoyed the crispy salt cod fritters to start, and the braised carrots with spring onion and honeycomb. The most interesting dish of the night was the smoked rutabaga ravioli (pictured above). The bitterness of the rutabaga paired nicely with the basil mint pesto making it an incredibly enjoyable dish. It was also plated beautifully on a blue and white dish, and topped with crispy breadcrumbs. In addition to the pasta, the lamb ribs for two are a must order. The ribs are flavorful and moist, and they are piled high on a plate with onions, beets, and yogurt sauce. While it is a very hefty portion, there is no question your stomach will be happy at the end of the meal.
I really enjoyed the vibe, service, and food at Tail Up Goat. It's a great spot for a casual dinner with friends, and could also be a special place to celebrate an occasion. Bravo to Jon Sybert, Jill Tyler, and Bill Jensen on a wonderful opening.
Tail Up Goat
1827 Adams Mill Road NW
Washington, DC 20009