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Under the least sexy blog title I hope ever to write comes part (b) in number II of the now alarmingly fractal Terribly Boring series…
Nearly everyone I know who has a manager thinks they do a crap job, and nearly everyone I know who is a manager hates doing it and thinks they're crap at it. These people, obviously, are often one and the same. Anecdotally, that's not a very encouraging sign, is it?
Management theory, however, is a boom industry in education and in publishing. On the one hand you have the Oxford Saïd Business School MBA, the programme for which reads like some moderately hardcore economics and technical finance has been wodged togther with a soupcon of sociology and international development. Comparatively little that is obviously balls. Well done. On the other hand, you have Who Moved My Cheese While I Was Busy Screwing Over Absolutely Every Consumer in the World and Still Getting a Knighthood in One Minute For Dummies. Or whaddever. Descending down the categories tree on Amazon like Dante into hell, I find that the Books > Business, Finance and Law > Management path yields at the time of writing 152,497 results. And that's just on UK Amazon.
Anyone who has ever worked in publishing will know what all those bright covers and offbeat, colloquial titles signify; this is competitive stuff, and not only that, it is a branch of writing whose basis is persuasion. These people are basically writing diet books for corporations – their way is the "one that really works". There must be dry, academic tomes on management theory in there somewhere, and they may well be more analytical and less evangelical, but they buy into the same core belief: that individual managers can make measurable differences to corporations.
New Labour managerialism was going to change the world, and specifically the public services, permanently and for the better (if what follows is rather simplistic, it's because I've cribbed it from the Search Inside bits of Chris Dillow's book because it's just too cold to go to the library). Better line management structures, whizzy McKinsey-esque strategic change, a wholesale importation of targets, mission statements, visions and all the other paraphernalia of the business guru's art were going to turn around the culture of public services and transform them into self-sustaining market-engines of perfection. It was going to be the first implementation at state level of the thinking underlying the squillions of books, papers, conferences and motivational events: that you can use the same set of principles and tools to manage anything, and you can teach anyone to use these tools, and by using them arrive at a perfect solution which has a built-in capacity to keep re-generating managerial perfection.
In other words, managerialism as a philosophy is top-down, teleological, utopian and bizarrely, twistedly, egalitarian. Sound like any political party you know? Hm! Oh look, a one-size-fits-all solution that can be potentially implemented by every manager and every organisation in the same way and give rise to a universally ideal system based on centrally dictated guidelines, tenets and directives. No wonder New Labour bought wholesale into managerialism.
But at the heart of New Labour's faith, and indeed in the credibility of the topic as a whole, there are two misfires. One is that their evident belief in certain brilliant individuals, and also in swoop-down strategic consultancy, to improve things, is demonstrably at odds with the universal nature of the one-management-style-fits-all principle. How can you have a universal system which gives supposedly everyone the same capacities, and also appoint gurus, czars, superheads and, if all else fails, call in McKinsey?* If A Few Good Men really can change the world, what's the point of targets, mission statements and all the other self-sustaining fripperies?
And the faith is misplaced anyway. As Rob Knight suggests on his other oft-neglected blog, it is impossibly difficult to assess what impact individuals are actually having on an organism so complex, multi-layered and supra-human as an organisation. Human behaviour is so complex, and organisational behaviour (which is an entirely separate thing) is so complex that the science has yet to be invented that will effectively assess them in relation to each other. If you ask me (which you did by clicking in) management theory and practice as it is currently understood will bear the same relation to that science, when it emerges, as alchemy does to chemical engineering.
The other misfire is that the debunking of the old "progress towards utopia" chestnut really ought to have filtered down into even the field of business studies by now. It hasn't because management theory is a proto-science in flux, uncertainly staggered between psychology and economics, and is it exceptionally vulnerable to quackery around the fringes. Never mind – ha! – that it hasn't worked in the political sphere. The idea that it might work was intellectually bankrupt from the off. If it really were possible to construct a management system that, er, delivered sustainable improvement across the piste (nyaaaargh, it's got me, it's got me!), then why would governments departments and public services need to keep on doing it? Managerialism ought to be a concept that makes itself obsolete by creating a structure pervious to change, and that is manifestly not happening in politics any more than in Real Life. A system based on evangelism, individualism and persuasion and with an avowedly teleological approach, it has the same scope for understanding its own limitations as a goldfish.**
PS: In pottering around the internet in what laughably passes, these days, for research in the People's Republic, I came across the Saïd Business School's shiny new blog, born a few days before Christmas. A lot of what is there at the moment is your typical student bloggery (the post currently at the top of the page opens with the word "Whoa") but there is a sub-blog promisingly titled "Research" that doesn't yet have any posts, probably because all the would-be posters are agonising about how best to tilt their writing so that their fellow students don't get bored and yet snidey observers like me can't drive a sarcastic wedge into the first sentence. But it's early days. If I were to suggest an opening post subject for some brave soul, it would be Convince the People's Republic of Mortimer that the study and implementation of management theory is not a complete and utter self-important waste of time and space and also fundamentally at odds with the total debunking of the obsolete concept of teleological progress. Feel free to work that down a little.
* And I have precisely these misgivings about Nick Clegg's appointment of Chris Bones.
** Apparently their short-term memory lasts about three months, not, as some commentators unfairly suggest, seven minutes. Goldfish, that is. Not managers.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Kroll Bond Rating Agency assigned preliminary ratings to six classes of Invitation Homes 2014-SFR1 mortgage pass-through certificates.
IH 2014-SFR1 is a single-family rental securitization that will be collateralized by a $1 billion loan secured by mortgages on 6,537 income-producing single-family homes.
This is Invitation Homes' second securitization.
The loan backing the securitization will be a non-recourse, first lien, floating rate mortgage loan originated by German American Capital Corporation on the securitization closing date and funded with proceeds of the sale of the certificates.
The floating rate loan will require interest-only payments and have a two-year term with three 12-month extension options. The underlying properties are one to four unit residential properties located in ten states, with the top three representing 70% of the portfolio: Florida (32.0%), California (26.8%), and Arizona (10.8%).
The top three MSAs represent 30%, and include Phoenix, Ariz. (10.8%), Sacramento, Calif. (10.0%) and Atlanta, Ga. (9.2%).
The portfolio is comprised primarily of homes with three or more bedrooms, two or more bathrooms and an average estimated square footage of approximately 1,788 square feet.
"Large-scale institutional ownership and management of SFRs is a fairly new business model and securitizations of these assets in the U.S. are still evolving," Kroll's report stated. "While this is the fourth transaction of its kind, and the second issued by Invitation Homes, performance data for the sector is limited. KBRA accounts for the limited historical data by utilizing relevant elements of its commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) methodologies, and by employing conservative assumptions with respect to defaults and loss severities in its rating analysis, as described herein."
There are also two distinct differences related to tenancy in the IH 2014-SFR1 as compared to the prior SFR transactions, Kroll said.
For starters, all three prior SFR deals had fully occupied collateral at the time of the related securitization's closing date; however, 5.1% of the properties in the IH 2014-SFR1 portfolio are currently vacant. Vacant homes create a burden on the borrower because these homes generate no income to offset fixed expenses such as real estate taxes, insurance and HOA fees, if applicable. However, KBRA's analysis assumes that the portfolio will operate with some level of ongoing vacancy, which is typical for income-producing commercial real estate, including multifamily. In performing its analysis, KBRA applied a 10% vacancy rate assumption to the in-place gross revenue generated by each property, which is approximately double the actual vacancy rate of the portfolio.
Secondly, in all prior SFR transactions, each tenant was required to satisfy the requirements for an "Eligible Tenant". The concept related to tenant quality and the criteria included, in the case of IH 2013-SFR1, the satisfaction of a minimum rent-to-income ratio and confirmation that the tenant was not subject to a current bankruptcy action prior to the execution of the lease. Failure to comply with the eligible tenant requirement would cause the related property to become a "disqualified property" that must be removed from the collateral through prepayment or substitution (unless the borrower deposited 100% of the allocated loan amount for such property in a reserve account).
"In the current transaction, the eligible tenant concept was removed; however, the property manager continues to employ a screening process that includes a review of credit and income, rental history and prior evictions and a background check for criminal activity," the report states.


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Is he crazy or intoxicated by Benadryl?
Recent studies done at Yale University revealed that some so-called psychotic patients were actually suffering from a chronic overdose of Benadryl. Many of the "symptoms" of psychosis, such as delirium, speech disorganization, alternating states of consciousness, and poor attention span, are some of the signs of chronic overdose with this sedative that has been popular for over 50 years.
The medication was first introduced as an antihistamine. One reason Benadryl has been popular with physicians and patients alike is because it was believed to have few side effects. It was considered so safe that it became one of the first prescription items to go "over-the-counter" as an antihistamine. Today its function is the same, but it has been specifically noted for use against cold and allergy symptoms. But it does, in fact, have one rather severe side effect: It produces serious drowsiness.
A new dangerous drug is born
Only after people began having automobile accidents, falling asleep at the breakfast table, and sticking their hands into cutting and grinding machines, etc. did the manufacturer of Benadryl start to take notice. The result: The company simply changed the indication to that of a sedative! A new star, called Unisom, was born. That's called turning lemons into lemonade.
The recent findings are clear: Patients taking Benadryl or Unisom were at a 70 percent increased risk of symptoms of delirium compared to those who were not. Researchers found the patients to be three times more likely to be inattentive, three times more likely to have altered consciousness, and more than five times more likely to show disorganized speech compared with patients not taking diphenhydramine [the generic name of the drug].
Actions to take:
If you have a parent or grandparent in a nursing home, be sure to check their medication occasionally, especially if they are acting abnormally. Never take for granted that it is senile dementia or the dreaded Alzheimer's disease without doing some homework regarding their daily "meds."
"Cognitive and Other Adverse Effects of Diphenhydramine Use in Hospitalized Older Patients," Archives of Internal Medicine 2001; 161: 2,091-2,097.


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By using solutions that are accessible from any HTML5 device/browser, work is simplified and executed faster, leading to a streamlined maintenance process and minimized non-productive time (NPT).


text: Hey yall the year is going great. Underground Interviews has made quite a few huge changes. Currently we are on a new path with a new direction. Our team has decided to make 2015 the year of new ideas and great change. As a team we are building up and finding new way's to deal with our website. We are planing to stream music, and bring you more and more artist on cam, both local and national artist...Our tem is building a Merch store for all of the artist we work with as well. Our plans will Shift the face of our website. Stay tuned in and be part of a huge change in 2015. We are looking for Ideas from the readers as well and also looking for Writers so let us know if your interested!!


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Well it feels as if the holidays have ended and I'm back at school again! The past week has been occupied with form filling, briefings about the country and cultural context, VSO policies, health and safety, and language lessons. We even went to the British High Commission for an introductory briefing by the Deputy High Commissioner! I'm now the proud holder of a photo ID from the Department of Immigration showing my residential status in the Gambia, which reminds me whenever I produce my card of that song by Sting – "I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien" although I believe that was about Quentin Crisp – "An Englishman in New York". I expect to receive my VSO identity card shortly, and then soon after that, my tax office number, as although being an impecunious volunteer I have no tax to pay, without that vital number I'm unable to open a bank account. So that means more form filling, and another photograph for identification. Which one should I use from the many pictures I was advised to bring with me? My "happy" face or the one that looks like a "Wanted" poster? and how should I choose which one of about 14 banks I should entrust with my few dalasi while I am here? After some thought I decided to use a large international bank rather than its smaller Gambian cousin as although I'm told the bank charges (yes, there is no free banking here, unlike the UK!) are slightly higher, it has a larger network from which I can access cash when necessary.
Public transport is taking a bit of getting used to. The main means of getting around the Kombos is by taxi and there are two types, distinguishable only by colour. They come in various shapes and sizes but are typically a battered diesel Mercedes saloon, either green for the tourists (i.e. higher price), or yellow for the locals. The yellow ones will either charge you for a "town trip" at a (higher) price negotiated before you get in, and take you wherever you want, or drive fixed routes and are known as "Seven Sevens" as the fare is 7 dalasi (14p) from wherever on that route you get in, to wherever you get out. There are large numbers of these taxis (– sometimes it seems every car in the Kombos is a taxi) driving slowly around the area blowing their horns, shouting and waving at those on the street, particularly "toubabs" (white people) such as myself in an effort to gain a fare, but before getting in (if you are wise) you will shout at the driver "Seven Seven" and your destination, otherwise if the taxi is empty, you may be charged for a town trip instead of the 7 dalasi per head fixed fare! The other option is to take a "gelli" which is a kind of minibus operating on the same principal, but with an attendant taking the fare as well as the driver. It's all very noisy and looks chaotic at times, but it seems to work, as around half the population of the Gambia live in this urban area, and at rush hour it seems as if they all cram into the taxis and vans to get to work. I'm sure that in time I'll get used to the system and to the boom box which blasts out West African music from behind my head in most of these vehicles!
Meanwhile, being from Yorkshire, I've quickly adapted to the volunteer mentality – "If I can walk, even if it takes 45 minutes, it will save 14p" so only take a Seven Seven for the longer distances and travel much of the time on foot.


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We are passionate about our products being made in Britain. A product's provenance is important to us and we want to support and endorse British-Made wherever possible. We will continue to source high quality products in the UK and partner with suppliers who are proud to be 'Wonderfully British'.


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Here's a social media experiment that we didn't see coming. Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest has begun distributing 55,000 condoms to college students with QR codes, allowing students to anonymously "check in" and boast about where they've practiced safe sex. A Web site dubbed WhereDidYouWearIt.com chronicles all of the action, so you can see that folks are particularly frisky in Ballard or Bellevue or Bellingham.
"Did you just use a condom to protect yourself against unintended pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections? You go, tiger! Sex that (is) safe, should be shared," declares the Web site.
The interactive map also includes comments from users. For example:
A 20 something guy and a girl whose relationship is just for fun and have already talked about safer sex and STDs used a condom in the bedroom to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. It was ah-maz-ing – rainbows exploded and mountains trembled.
A 30 something guy and a guy whose relationship is non-existent and have not yet talked about safer sex and STDs used a condom at a party because their partner told them to. It was fair- a work in progress.
What's the point of this unusual social media effort?
"We hope the site promotes discussions within relationships about condoms and helps to remove perceived stigmas that some people may have about condom use. Where Did You Wear It attempts to create some fun around making responsible decisions," said Nathan Engebretson, new media coordinator at Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest.
The effort was introduced as part of National Condom Week, with check-ins now recorded in 48 of 50 states and on six continents.
OK, we want to know: Which states are the hold outs?
UPDATE: We're told that all 50 states are now represented (the holdouts were Maine and Vermont). There have been 955 check-ins worldwide, and the map has now received 9739 visits.
Here's the map of the Seattle area where folks are having sex (or at least sharing it publicly).


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Framus Panthera Legacy Guitar Review
August 2, 2011 by G-v Rover · Leave a Comment
Framus guitars have come a long way since their sixties heyday. Founded in 1946, achieved great heights through the years, but failing to market their product properly to gain more customers forced the company to bankruptcy in 1975. In 1995, Framus guitars were revived by Warwick, however are much different than the originals; centering on modern designs that are perfectly made Read more
Framus Diablo Supreme and Supreme X Electric Guitars
Framus Guitars are active for 2010 pre-NAMM. The successful guitar company introduces two revised guitars. First we have the Framus Diablo Series that has been completely revised for 2010. The body shaping has been ergonomically optimized, the pickup repertoire has been expanded, and die wood options now offer a broad range of body and neck combinations. The models Diablo Supreme and Diablo Supreme X are now the new flagships of the series. Both feature an elegant arched book-matched AAA flamed maple top and a rosewood fingerboard, but retain otherwise a completely independent character that makes them shine each on its own. Read more


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Cold Hand in Mine
Cold Hand in Mine by Robert Aickman
This isn't my first attempt at reading this collection. I tried it back in March of this year, read the first story, and then decided it wasn't for me. A few months ago, I started my Valancourt Books reading project (while also working on my Dark Tower reading project and my Star Wars reading project), and saw that one of Aickman's books was on their publication list, so I thought I'd try this one again with a fresh perspective.
The results are mixed. Some of the stories are good, others elude me, and one of them was surprisingly good. Aickman has a knack for atmosphere, which I would ascribe to the lengthy establishing scenes in his stories. Each of the stories started out with one, which helped in the long run, but was a bit of a struggle at the start, since I couldn't quite get a sense of where the starting point of the story actually was. This is somewhat fitting, as the stories also lacked conclusive endings.
The collection opens with "The Swords", an eerie erotic story about a man losing his virginity to a prostitute. Maybe. He definitely loses his virginity, but whether or not he loses it to a prostitute is in question. It was strangely disconcerting, not just due to the horror element, but also due to it being about sex, but reading like it was written in the 19th Century.
"The Real Road to the Church" follows, and I honestly don't understand the point of it. My best guess is that the soul walks a path with those who come before, but I could be wrong. I had difficulty following this one, but I see it's a story that other readers didn't quite get.
The next story is "Niemandswasser", which is German for "No Man's Water", which is exactly what this story is about. There's an unclaimed portion of water in the middle of a lake, where a suicidal prince has gone to grieve an ended love affair. He begins to obsess over it, especially after a friend is maimed by something in that section of the lake. There was on passage in the story that raised my eyebrows, though not for anything related to the story:
Women have no inner life that is so decisively apart. With women the inner life merges with the totality. That is why women seem to me either deceitful or elusive, or moralistic and uninteresting. Women have no problem comparable with the problem of merely being a man.
It's a shockingly male perspective, blaming a woman for a man's perception of her. It's hard to tell if the passage is related to Elmo, the prince, or if this is some philosophy of Aickman's that bleeds through. There's a lengthy afterword written by a woman who knew Aickman, and she describes him as a jerk, even as she calls him a friend. Some people might call him "complicated", but I'm inclined to say he was a bit of a misogynist. Luckily, this was the only passage out of the entire collection that was overtly so.
According to my research, "Pages from a Young Girl's Journal" is the most well-regarded story from this collection, which is odd since it's the most straightforward of all the stories, and least like the others in style and tone. It seems like the story is addressing class issues while being a vampire story, and there are nice touches here, like it opening with our narrator being bitten by bugs, and with the voice becoming more mature over the length of the story. It just doesn't break new ground, either as a vampire story or as an Aickman story (limited though my experience may be).
"The Hospice" is probably my favorite from the book, and is easily a five-star slow burn of a story. A man's car breaks down and he's forced to find a place to stay the night. It's easy to follow, maintains a quiet tension, and ends in an ambiguous manner. This story also shows off Aickman's characterization skills the best.
The next story, "The Same Dog", is almost two stories, each with its own way of spooking the reader. The first half is about our main character as a boy, and the second half is him after he's grown up and returns to his home town. It's a neat parallel in the story, and it also serves as a contrast to "The Hospice" in how Aickman develops character. The protagonist in "The Hospice" is relatable because he has something to lose, while the one in "The Same Dog" has already lost it. It's interesting to see how I respond to them differently (more to "The Hospice" than "The Same Dog"), and I wonder if it's due to those characterizations.
"Meeting Mr. Millar" follows, and is no easy story to read because the main character isn't likeable. He's stodgy and stuck in his ways, and after reading the afterword of this collection, I get the feeling this is the closest we get to autobiography in these stories. It has a lengthy build-up, which would be fine for an effective payout, but here it feels weak. It does have some eerie, atmospheric moments, but the story doesn't support it as well as it could.
The closer of the book is "The Clock Watcher", a story about a man from the US who takes a German wife after time spent abroad in World War II. It was a tough read, especially when I came across "There was a great deal to be said in favour of Nazis, of course, in many other ways." It didn't help that I read that line the Monday after the events in Charlottesville, and I almost quit the story all together, but I figured this could be a way to establish his narrator as unreliable, and persevered. It's hard to tell, but it definitely doesn't feel like it's how Aickman feels about them. The story works in some ways (Aickman hints at the conflict to come in the same way Shirley Jackson does in We Have Always Lived in the Castle), but fails in others (I'm still not sure what happened at the end of the story). It's decent, but nothing like "The Hospice".
Aickman belongs in the Weird camp, even though he doesn't write about cosmic, nameless horrors, but he also has a room in the Quiet Horror house. He's a bit hard to place, but he has his own style. Fans of other stylistic horror authors (Thomas Ligotti and David Nickel come to mind) would probably like his stuff the best. I wanted to like this collection, but it turned out to be an OK read, at best.
Unfortunate Musical Connection: "No Son of Mine" by Genesis.


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A group of Lincoln High School students received the CMHC Buddy Award during Centennial Mental Health Center's celebration of Mental Health Month Wednesday in Fort Morgan.
Also, Centennial case manager Jody Strouse was honored with the Clarion Award as people learned that there is hope for those with mental illness. Strouse is also a co-facilitator of the Love and Limits parenting class.
Andrea Rodriguez, 17, Samantha Bass, 17, Trey Wright, 16, Theron Pace Jr., 19, Miriam Porras, 15, Kayla Ceniceros, 19 and Nallely Morales were honored for their participation in the "Safe Dates" play they perform to teach teens what they should expect in dating.
The students play couples and they show how emotional and physical abuse should not be a part of dating, Rodriguez said. The message is that teens do not need to be in abusive relationships.
The students have dedicated a great deal of time and energy to the play that tells kids they should be safe while dating, said Karl Cline, regional operations director for Centennial.
The Clarion Award that went to Strouse is given to those who deliver a remarkable message about mental health, Cline said. In her case, the award was given out for speaking out clearly on mental health issues across the region.
Strouse knows how to make herself heard throughout the community, representing CMHC at community meetings, health fairs and other events, Cline said.
She does not back away from a challenge and has worked diligently to help start several projects in the region, he said.
It is important to speak out about mental health, said Patrice Marqui, director of office and member family affairs for the Northeast Behavioral Health Partnership.
In fact, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has a Stamp Out Stigma campaign, she said. People are talking about mental health and treatment, which is not always as portrayed by sensational media.
Ted Pemberton was on hand to speak about his own experience with mental health services.
He said that after years of sexual, emotional and physical abuse he felt he had no hope, but CMHC staff gave him the tools he needed to recover.
Pemberton said he had not understood mental illness, and the pattern of his life seemed normal, since he had grown up with abuse and lived with it his whole life.
He used alcohol to self-medicate, but the staff and his family did not give up on him, and now the good days outnumber the bad days.
"There is always hope," Pemberton said.
He now considers himself a "survivor and thriver," he said.
Today, he is a psychology major and wants to help those who have problems similar to his, Pemberton said.
"I'm very proud of Centennial Mental Health," he said.
Centennial offers many services, including group, family and individual therapy; jail-based services; vocational rehabilitation services; play therapy; day treatment; substance abuse treatment; animal-assisted therapy; emergency response; mentoring; a community support program; a Parenting With Love and Limits program, and the Pioneer Wellness Line.
The wellness line offers a call line for people with mental illness, and those who run it have their own mental health experiences, said John Mercer, who partners with the Centennial treatment team.
Those answering calls understand the issues and concerns of the callers, he said. They can help clients with crisis situations, which can keep them out of the hospital.
That is part of Centennial's peer specialist program, Marqui said. Peer specialists are trained to help people who are in recovery. They can tell their stories to give people hope. Sometimes they meet for coffee with mental health clients to share their stories or they work in drop-in centers or peer groups.
Sometimes clients resist using the medications that would help them, and peers can help them see the importance of medications, she said.
Peers also help clients to reconnect with the community, Marqui said.
"There is a lot of hope," she said. "There is recovery."
NAMI offers support to families of those who have mental illness, and that is another resource, Marqui said. The organization has a "wealth of information" to share with families and individuals.
It can be very helpful to family members to learn about mental illness, she said.
NAMI also offers support groups for families, and she is working to set one up in Morgan County, Marqui said.
Marqui also talked about her job, which is to uphold the rights of those who use Medicaid for mental health services. Part of that is to promote wellness and recovery and to lead efforts to advocate for those who struggle with mental illness.
They should be free from discrimination and stigma, she noted.
Marqui talked about the formal grievance process, which helps clients to deal with problems they have with staff or programs.
Cline said part of the reason for the event was to talk about what is happening in the local mental health center.
This year, the event did not have as many activities for the public, since it was more focused on clients, he said.
The theme was Focus on Yourself.
— Contact Dan Barker at email@example.com.


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Deja Vu, February Evening
March 2, 2018
The smack of a basketball against the driveway just before dinner
The back door snapping shut as my son runs inside for a plate of spaghetti,
The sun falling down,
the smell of a dark, wet, sky,
Dishes, cat food, liquid detergent,
The sound of leaving, and staying,
The smack of the basketball just after dinner-
I lean on the sink, close my eyes.
All that has happened
Has not.
It is just before spring.
He is my boy.
I am the mother of two,
With lunches to pack,
Who needs to make plans for camp.
The basketball smacks against
the driveway, against his hand.
There is no noise
When he makes a basket.
Never was.
I don't know what I'm waiting for,
So I turn the radio up,
While I wash the pot, wipe the plates.
He stays outside.
As long as the music plays,
He's making
One basket
After another.


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Welcome to the second installment of Branded Watches For Men On Sale. Today I want to talk to you about Princeton Watches. If you're anything like me, which I think you are, you've been looking for the best place to buy branded watches at discounted or near wholesale prices. There's good news because this is not an unreachable dream but a real possibility because they're a numerous discount watch stores to choose from. Over these past months, I've been putting together a list of potential discount watch stores to use in your search.
I'll begin with listing in alphabetical order brands of luxury and fashion watches in Princeton Watches listings, and suggest a couple of interesting options for both Luxury Watches and Fashion Branded Watches. The list is extensive from ArmourLite, Bulova, Citizen, Festina,Movado, Seiko, Victorinox Swiss Army. To see the full listing of brands please follow the FULL LISTINGS link here.
Best Site For Watches
If you're not looking for a particular brand but more interested in the price range then check this list based on the price range.
Price Range $100 to $40000 with Discounts
Price Range $350 $4000 No Discounts but clearance area
Price Range $30 to $68000 with Discounts
Price Range $30 to $10000 with Discounts
Price Range $100 to $50000 with Discounts
Price Range $100 to $50000 with Discounts
Price Range $150 to $3000 with Discounts
Price Range $50 to 50000 with Discounts
Price Range $100 to $10000 with Discounts
Price Range $100 to $10000 with Discounts
Read My Best Discount Watch Stores Reviews
Cheap Luxury Watches For Men
For the man with a certain interest in deluxe watches, you should consider some brand names. Depending upon your design preference you will want to check out a huge list of Luxury watches before you locate the one for you. Unless you already have a favorite?
My favorite brand name and model is the Breitling Superocean. However, I've always claimed discount watch stores is about real watches for actual people, not super costly out of this world, impossible purchases. Having said that, I might throw in a wild card on occasion, like a Rolex, Breitling, or Patek Philippe, just to wax lyrical regarding their precision and elegance.
Right, let's look some well-known brand names. My strategy is to toss a few High-End brand names and also prices into the mix just to provide you some concepts to get the ball rolling. To remain within my own standards I'm going to try and maintain the prices under $5,000 which I think is enough for any person.
Let me give you some examples that I am taking from princetonWatches.com, and gradually go through other online stores as I progress.
Founded in New York 1875 Bulova is a manufacturer of watches and clocks. Located in New York City, Bulova's Swiss-Made line is known as Bulova Accu•Swiss. Price range is between $60 to $647 and well worth a visit.,
Chase Durer
Chase-Durer is known for their chronographs, Military watches, Pilot watches, Racing watches, and Diving watches. Their design is fresh and youthful, offering quality and affordability for this high-end timepiece between $649 to $5000.
Mondaine, is a Swiss watch design icon recognized worldwide and the official Swiss railways Watch, Based on the original 1940s design by Hans Hilfiker that took its design queues from Swiss train station clocks. It wasn't until 1986 that Mondaine developed its first wristwatch version which can now be your for between $149 to $696.
Skagen founded in the US in 1987 by two natives of Denmark. Their dream to create beautiful designs, of high-quality but at reasonable prices. The plan worked and today there is a global community of Skagen enthusiasts who appreciate the excellence and quality of Skagen watches for the amazing prices between $99 to $245.
Wenger Watch S.A. arrived 1997 in Bienne, Switzerland. The collection is broad from casual everyday watches to sports watches ranging between $99 to $299, so very affordable. Recently the family-owned Swiss company Victorinox took over the Wenger with is now managed it as a standalone subsidiary.
Branded Watches For Men On Sale
Fashion Branded Watches at affordable prices are easier to come by, so let's take a look.
Kenneth Cole
Founded in New York in 1982, Kenneth Cole is a young company doesn't have the history the luxury market holds so dear, It does have a massive footprint and can be found around the world in Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Colombia, Israel, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and South Africa.
With prices as low as $79 to $155, it's a perfect brand to investigate if you're looking for one season only accessory.
Oakley is the leading sports fashion retailer making products for athletes and active individuals in mind. With a watch collection priced $165 and $975, there is almost definitely a model for everyone's pocket.
Rawlings are an interesting turn of events, being crafted from maple wood. Created with the same exacting care and attention used to create baseball bats, sports menthey are the official MLB baseball timekeepers making them unique timepieces for collectors and baseball fans alike, at the amazing price of $99.
Masportsmenand women enjoy the Reactor Watch collection. The combination of quality and style meets Reactor's mission statement to make the "Best sports watch, period." Bold and unconventional styling make the Reactor a winner and the timepiece of choice for sports enthusiasts. With a price range between $239 to $1500 you know you're getting a quality piece.
Tommy Bahama
The story goes Tommy Bahama is a modern action man, women want to be with him and men want to be him. Forget James Bond and his Omega, Tommy Bahama is the intrepid traveler and adventurer. Not only can he speak multiple languages, we can land a 200lb 'yellow fin' using only a coconut shell, broken sunnies, and elastic from his swimwear. I'm not saying if you buy one of his watches from between $79 to $474 you're going to become and action hero, but I'm not saying you won't either.
Vintage & Pre-Owned
For those with a decerning taste and a few dollars to invest, you could do worse than take a look at this bonus area of Pre-owned and Vintage watches. The great thing about the vintage watch is the history, the price, and the knowledge that it has been checked and certified genuine and in good working order. Don't think that it's an old piece to sell off, no, it comes with the original manufacturer warranty or the Princeton warranty. Prices here vary between $495 to $4500, so it's not a small purchase, it's like buying a new watch with a history.
Prices and models may vary depending on the availability online at the time of viewing.
Read my Princeton Watches Review page here.
Or Go Directly To The Shop
Did you like this post? If you did, please share or like it so others know about it. If you don't like it please tell me why. I'd love to know what you think.


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The purpose behind everything we do here at the New Shine.FM is to point people to Christ through upbeat, positive music. At the same time, we are always encouraging you to be salt and light in your community by making a difference. We would love to hear your story. If the music or a specific song has made an impact in your life, please tell us about it. If you were able to make a difference in someone's life by a simple act of kindness, please tell us about it. If you simply want to share part of your journey that could be an encouragement to someone, please tell us about it. Remember, we are all in this together!
Complete the Form Below:


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For our very own handforged micro-roasted 100% parrot friendly Red Tail Brand coffee please visit the Caffeinated Parrot at CoffeeParrot.Coffee. You read that right.
CoffeeParrot Dot Coffee!
Hope to see you there.
Purveyor of Organic Coffee, Tea
and Rare Books
Please Use Sitemap at Left to Navigate Through the Parrot Cafe
If You Wish to Go Straight to the Coffee Bar,
Click on the COFFEE Sign Below
Our Greenwing Macaw & Diva Parrot Roxanne is Our Spokesparrot
Contact Roxanne by email with questions or comments:
We Offer $5.00 Domestic Flat Rate Shipping on All Orders,
Regardless of Quantity or Amount!
International orders, please contact us first for shipping options.
Copyright 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 by Northwest Parrots Fund
Northwest Parrots is a Registered Trademark Protected by the State of Washington
Seattle, Washington
All Rights Reserved


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West Orange, NJ. November 6, 2012. Kessler Foundation announces that The 2012 Estabrook Distinguished Research Lectureship will be given on November 28, 2011 at Kessler Conference Center, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange, New Jersey, from 12 noon to 1:30 pm. Edward Taub, PhD, will lecture on "Constraint-induced (CI) Therapy: A Family of Treatments in Rehabilitation that Remodel the Brain." Dr. Taub is director of the CI Therapy Research Group and Taub Training Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a professor in the Department of Psychology.
Registration is complimentary, but reservations are required. Light refreshments are included. Register for the Estabrook Lecture now!
Dr. Taub, a noted behavioral neuroscientist, developed constraint-Induced therapy, which has been shown to be effective in improving movement after stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological injuries. In this intervention, the unaffected limb is immobilized, encouraging use of the weakened limb. CI therapy produces an increase in grey matter tissue in motor areas in the cerebral cortex of both hemispheres a true remodeling of the brain. This occurs in older patients as well as children, indicating that the plasticity of the brain persists throughout the life span. Grey matter in the hippocampus also increases, indicating that the creation of new nerve cells may be involved in the therapeutic effects produced by CI therapy.
Dr. Taub has received numerous awards for his research, which has been called one of the ten most exciting lines of neuroscience research. Nearly 400 papers have been published on the effects of CI therapy.
|Contact: Carolann Murphy
Kessler Foundation


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After many months of researching the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) and lurking on forums and Facebook pages, I've decided to commit to the diet.
It's only day 1 and already I'm finding it very tough. At one point today, I nodded off while watching TV, and actually had a nightmare that I'd gone to the fridge, taken out the gherkins, and eaten one before remembering (in a panic) that I was on day 1 of SCD. Wow, was I relieved when I woke up and realised it was just a bad dream (as I'm typing this, I remember that nightmares can be a symptom of being on the intro diet).
So yesterday I cooked up the batch of the 'chicken broth'. I got the measurements wrong whilst converting from pounds to kg, and ended up dumping 2kg (about 4lb) of chicken into the soup. Today it was basically a large pot of chunky chicken, with little liquid to be seen, so I've been improvising and adding water to each little bowl of 'soup' I eat. I can't stomach the smell, for some reason, nor the taste – just thinking about it now makes me quite nauseated. Which is weird, because there are very few foods I don't like the smell of, and even fewer that I don't like! I'm the kind of person who'll eat something to find out how it tastes, or whether it's off! Perhaps that's what got me into this predicament in the first place…
Anyway, today I've eaten the following:
– 2 boiled eggs for breakfast
– Chicken broth with 2 meatballs/burger patties for lunch
– Carrot puree and 2 meatballs for supper
It's bed time and usually by this stage of the night my stomach is incredibly bloated and distended, and I'm experiencing significant amounts of gas. It must be noted though that I usually eat more than this each day. But I just can't seem to stomach this food (although I'm going to persevere and push through – you can do anything for 3 days!).
Important things I did before starting SCD
Following the advice of the SCD Lifestyle guys (Jordan Reasoner and Steve Wright – I've spoken more about them on the About page), I bought new food containers to store my SCD meals in, and I also thoroughly cleaned my work area in the kitchen, to remove any lingering bits of gluten. Luckily, I've been gluten-free for a few months now, and my partner is also trying to 'kick the habit', so I feel fairly confident that the area is 'safe'. However, I did also buy a new chopping board (glass) and created an 'SCD space' in the kitchen where I prepare my food.
I also drink loads of water. I never used to. I used to live on diet drinks. Some days, I consumed up to 2 litres of the stuff, and oodles of artificial sweetener in my tea and coffee. Ironically, at the back of my mind I always knew that these two vices were causing me terrible harm, but it was only when a nutritionalist told me to cut them out that I finally did. I will NEVER go back to fizzy drinks, especially not artificially sweetened ones. They do terrible, terrible things to the gut, and cutting them out can only do you good.
Anyway, after cutting out the fizzy stuff and removing the 'fun' part from my tea – the sweetener – nothing really appealed to me. I'm not crazy about fruit juice and I don't like iced tea. So I drink about 2 litres of water a day. It doesn't just happen – every day I have to make a concerted effort to do it. It's much more enjoyable drinking sweet things 😉 And of course, you spend a lot more time in the loo! But it's an essential part of SCD and it's good for you too.
Jordan and Steve advise people to 'journal' when they're doing SCD. In fact, they say it's absolutely crucial to success. Day 1 is behind me (well, the food part of it anyway), and while it wasn't as easy as I'd expected, it wasn't torture either.
I think the hard part is going to be the phases, but I'm not going to get worked up about that now.
What I do know about myself is that my moods can be highly influenced by what I'm putting in my body. Pretty scary actually. If I'm hungry, I become incredibly grumpy, and if I'm craving sugar, I can't concentrate. But knowing that I absolutely cannot cheat on this diet is helping me push through the sugar cravings, and they haven't been intolerable. This might also be because over the past few months, I've limited my sugar intake as much as possible (without giving up wine, though!). This was also on the advice of my nutritionalist. I have been a bit more grumpy than usual today, and I'm feeling quite tired and weak. I feel so sorry for my amazing partner who puts up with me – and oh so grateful.
Now it's time for a good night's rest, and then to navigate lunch at a Mexican restaurant with colleagues tomorrow. I'm going to try to get out of it, but I know that's not a long-term solution. It's just that people jump to all sorts of mean conclusions when you don't hunker down on a burrito when they do.
Anyway, that's Future Debby's problem 🙂 Two more days of intro, and then it's onto Phase 1.


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Opt-in to Henrico's Community Emergency Notification System
What is the Henrico County Community Emergency Notification System? This system is one of many tools that Henrico County Public Safety officials use to notify you of critical information from evacuation notices to missing child alerts. Henrico County is using the CodeRED high-speed notification solution. This system provides Henrico County public safety officials the ability to quickly deliver messages both to targeted areas of the County and/or to the entire county.
How do I sign up? Visit www.henricoalert.org and complete the online registration form. This portal will register your home phone number, mobile devices (cell phones, text devices), and your work phone number (should you choose to add that information) on the system. It does not matter where you reside for text-messages. It is open to anyone who would like to register, regardless of residency. There is no cost to you from Henrico County for the system, but your cell provider may charge you for text messages. Once you register, you can test your email and cell phone in the system to make sure your information is working, or you can contact Henrico's Office of Emergency Management at 501-7183 or email firstname.lastname@example.com for assistance.
I have some other questions. Where can I get information? Henrico invites you to visit the Division of Fire's web page at www.henricofire.org for more information on the system. You will see the icon for CodeRED on the right side of the page. Or, you can call Henrico's Office of Emergency Management at 804-501-7183 or email firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
Want to know MORE about the Opioid epidemic, and How to Talk to your Children?
Operation Prevention (www.operationprevention.com) - partnership between the DEA and Discovery Education. It's an educational program for middle and high school classrooms that aims to educate students, using science, about the impact of drugs.
Get Smart About Drugs (parental resource) - (www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com)
Get the Facts About Drugs (youth resource) - (www.JustThinkTwice.com)
Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. (www.dare.com)
Partnership at Drug Free (www.drugfree.org) - provides information for parents on teen prescription drug abuse
And of course, the DEA's website is a good resource as well - www.DEA.gov
Your Homeowner's Insurance Rate may have decreased!
Check with your Insurance Agent
From left: Art Petrini, former Director of Public Utilities; Tony McDowell, former Fire Chief;
Frank Thornton, Fairfield Supervisor; Pat O'Bannon, Tuckahoe Supervisor;
Economic Development Authority Member, Benjamin Miles.
Henrico Earns Highest Fire Protection Rating from Insurance Services Office (ISO)
Recently, Henrico County participated in a fire protection classification survey conducted by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). ISO is a private corporation that evaluates public fire protection, water supply, 911 communications, and the adoption of building codes in communities. They provide the information to insurance companies that use the data to establish property insurance premiums.
Due to Henrico's work and investments in recent years, the county's rating has improved. It is now the best rating available nationally. Of the 47,000 communities evaluated in the USA, only 97 have received this rating. Others in Virginia are Fairfax County, Roanoke City and the City of Charlottesville. Henrico County is the only county in the nation with both an accredited fire department and a Class 1 ISO rating.
This rating may result in decreased insurance premiums for residential and business property owners. In order for current residents and business owners to take advantage of this rating change, you should contact your insurance carrier.
Henrico residents voted "yes" to the 2005 Bond Referendum in order to build more fire stations. This vote made a major difference in the response time for Fire and Emergency Medical Services. Residents' vote on the Bond Referendum helped reduce their insurance rate.
Complete this Citizen Satisfaction Survey about the Police Division:
Henrico is a premier destination for sports, leisure and
historic travel.
Visit the web site: www.VisitHenrico.com
Disabled Veterans can apply for real estate tax exemption
Henrico County is urging disabled veterans who own their principal residence in the county to apply for recently implemented real estate tax exemption. Virginia voters adopted a constitutional amendment in the general election directing the General Assembly to provide a tax exemption for a retired service person with 100 percent service-related, permanent and total disability, as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The exemption applies to: principal residence and up to 10 acres; veteran or surviving spouse (if the veteran's death occurs on or after Jan. 1, 2011); and does not require re-filing each year.
Unlike Henrico's Real Estate Advantage Program (REAP), there are no income or financial requirements for disabled veterans seeking the tax exemption. In addition, there is no cap on the amount of relief you will receive.
For more information, contact Henrico's Revenue Division at 501-4263, or log onto www.co.henrico.va.us/finance and follow the link for "Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption."
Save Money! Time to Reinvest in your property - for a tax credit!
Reinvest (Residential Investment Tax Abatement) is a partial tax-exemption program designed to encourage improvements and rehabilitation of qualifying homes -- those 40 years and older with an assessed value of $200,000 or less. This is a program open to all owners of residential property, both investment properties or your primary residence (excluding multi-family rental units). The program is designed to protect and preserve mature, settled neighborhoods. By improving the appearance of the properties, Henrico County will continue to be an appealing place in which future homeowners will invest!
To qualify, any improvement, renovation or addition must increase the base value of the structure by a minimum of 20 percent, and may not increase the square footage of the structure by more than 100 percent.
Renovations on eligible homes are not taxed for seven years -- including additions and similar projects that meet program criteria. This means that when assessing your home for real estate tax purposes, the county will not tax your home improvement, even though it will increase the assessed value of the total structure. The homeowner will pay real estate taxes only on the base value of the residence, for seven years.
There is a one-time, non-refundable $50 processing fee that must accompany your application. You can download the application from Henrico County's Finance Department Web site at www.co.henrico.va.us/departments/finance and click on "Reinvest: Residential Rehabilitation Tax Credit," or call 501-4217 - Tom Little - for more information.
This Web site is not paid for by Henrico County.
It is paid for, authorized by and maintained by Patricia S. "Pat" O'Bannon for Supervisor
Content copyright 1999-2019. All rights reserved.


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Researcher Academy provides free access to countless e-learning resources designed to support researchers on every step of their research journey. Browse our extensive module catalogue to uncover a world of knowledge, and earn certificates and rewards as you progress.
Open science
Open science is the new buzzword but what does it actually mean? And what about open access? Where does that fit into the story? In these modules, we cover the topics in detail. We look at the many definitions of open science and how you can use it in your own research and publishing career. We also explore open access and whether there are any specific points to consider when choosing to go down that publishing path.
Total Time
3+ hours
0 / 4
- English
What you will learn
- What is open science
- New insight into how you can benefit from it
- Points to consider when publishing open access
4 modules
How to leverage open hardware to improve your researchWhy is Open Source Hardware important? Did you know it offers fundamental advantages to the research community?
Publishing open accessUnderstand how open access publishing works and how you can publish open access.
Open access and navigating the journal landscapeOpen access – understand your options and what you should consider when choosing a journal.
- Certified Peer Reviewer Course
- Job search
- (-) Finding the right journal
- Career planning
- Social impact
- Research collaborations
- Book writing
- Writing skills
- Publishing in the Chemical Sciences
- Open science
- Funding
- Career guidance
- Fundamentals of manuscript preparation
- Ensuring visibility
- Becoming a peer reviewer
- Research data management
- Fundamentals of publishing
- (-) Fundamentals of peer review
- Ethics
- Technical writing skills
- Going through peer review
6 results


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Gift Cards: The Advantages and DisadvantagesGift Cards: The Advantages and Disadvantages
This post is a very informative post on gift cards. with the Holidays fast approaching the use of gift cards has exploded in recent years. Many consumers are unaware of the many disadvantages to using gift cards. Gift cards seem like a quick and easy fix for that last minute gift, but many times they turn into free money for retailers. The last gift card you recieved, did you spend the entire amount?? Chances are you either spend over the amount, but in most cases there was a small balance left from a few cents to 2 or 3 dollars. This little bit of change doesn't seem like much,but add it up and it easily yields over $4 Billion dollars. A gift to the retailer. Money they get free because we either lose our card or forget this little remaining balance.
Below is a very good article on some of the advantages and disadvantages of using gift cards.
Gift Cards: The Advantages and Disadvantages
by: Pete Glocker
Everyone loves receiving and giving gift cards for special occasions. They reduce the stress of worrying if the recipient will like those jeans or shirt you bought them. They eliminate the fake smile and the "I can always use a new pair of jeans" routine from the person getting the gift. However, beware of the risks and hidden cost while using your gift card.
Consumer Advantages
Every year, gift cards are increasing in popularity. Generally, there are three different cards: store-specific gift cards, restaurant gift cards and general-purpose gift cards. Store-specific gift cards are meant to be used at the particular store and usually come with less hidden fees. Some stores like Old Navy and Banana Republic have became partners and allow their customers to use the gift card at either store. Restaurant gift cards are very similar to store-specific gift cards. They allow you to go and enjoy a nice dinner as a gift. Just make sure you tip the server the same percentage as you would if you were paying the total bill. General-purpose gift cards give the consumer a broader range on where to use the card. These types of cards are typically Visa, MasterCard or American Express and can be used anywhere those major credit cards are accepted. The flexibility is the main benefit of using the general-purpose card. You can fill up your gas tank, go out to eat, buy concert tickets or what ever else you want to do with it.
Consumer Disadvantages
Many general purpose cards come loaded with fees. According to The Lowdown on Gift Cards article on Bankrate.com, some gift-card programs will issue you another card if your card expires. These replacement cards will cost you from $5.95 to $10. If you order the card online or by phone you will be charged a $4.95 to $8.95 shipping and handling fee and a $3.95 to $11.95 service fee. Some gift cards will charge you a monthly maintenance fee if you still have a balance on your card after six months or a year. If you still have a balance after this period of time, a $2 to $3 monthly fee kicks in.
If your gift card is lost or stolen, good luck! Some retailers will not replace a missing gift card. Other retailers such as Macy's and Bloomingdales are more easygoing and will issue you a new card if you can provide a receipt showing your most recent purchase. Some general-purpose cards will cancel the missing card and will re-issue a new one for a $5.95 to $10 fee.
So make sure you keep your card in a safe place, use it before it expires and buy it directly from the merchandiser and you will avoid most of these fees.
According to the Retailers Just Love Them article on CBC News Online, the sales of gift cards have exploded from $1 billion in 1995 to an expected $70 billion in 2006 in the United States. As of 2004, 68 percent of all major retailers offer some sort of a gift card. The number is probably even greater now that it is 2006. Coffee giant, Starbucks, has estimated that 10 percent of all their sales come from gift cards.
Another reason retailers love gift cards is consumers will pay less attention to sales and they tend to spend more than what they have on the card. Retailers notice that consumers will spend the whole amount on the card and have a small balance of $2 or $3 left on it. Chances are, shoppers will never use the card again and this works to the retailer's advantage.
One more advantage to retailers is instead of having just the holiday rush and then being prepared for holiday returns, they actually get a double rush. Since consumers give gift cards as holiday presents, the gift card holder will usually rush straight to the mall after the holidays to spend their cards. This results in a major cut-down in returned merchandise.
There are a few disadvantages for retailers. Gift cards can cost the retailer for 50 cents to $3 per card, depending on how many are ordered. There are also implementation costs of up to $50,000. Implementation costs cover all start up fees related to producing and tracking of gift cards.
Gift Card Exchanging
Recently, Internet businesses have created web sites allowing people to sell or swap unwanted gift cards. EBay got involved in this idea and now has more than 7,500 gift cards listed for sale or auction. This can be a good idea if you receive a gift card to a particular store and you do not like anything in that store. You can exchange these cards on these sites for other cards or even cash. Sites such as SwapAGift.com and CardAvenue.com are good sites that offer this service. On CardAvenue.com, you can even buy gift cards at a discounted rate. For example, you may be able to buy a $25 Office Depot card for $17; that is another way of saving.
Copyright 2006 Debt Management Credit Counseling Corp. Article written by Pete Glocker


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Best firewall, decent antivirus. Highly accurate spam filtering with whitelist/challenge/response option. New Game Mode eliminates interruptions. Now offers resources and education against identity theft.
Spyware protection improved but should still be better. Spyware and virus scans not integrated.
Bottom Line
ZoneAlarm's security suite remains a great choice. This version improves spyware protection and adds a Game Mode that suppresses distractions without sacrificing security. The new Identity Protection Center helps users prevent identity theft or recover from it.
a new version of zonealarm's security suite always excites interest, even when it's just a "point-five" release. the biggest change in this version is the online identity protection centerservices and resources to protect against identity theft. the new game mode lets gamers play without interruption while retaining full security protection. the antispyware module has been enhanced, and the developers keep tweaking other modules in large or small ways. i put the entire product through its paces to make sure the changes didn't break anything.
zone labs says the product now tracks more spyware threats, removes them more thoroughly, and gets updates more often. spyware protection has been the suite's weak point, so i put their claim to the test. i challenged it using eight test systems infested with commercial keyloggers, spyware, and (just to see what it would do) "rogue" antispyware programs. in each system i updated definitions, selected the deepest possible scan, and ran a combined virus and spyware scan. despite the promised updates, spyware removal performance was about the same as in the previous version. it successfully removed nine of the sixteen spyware samples, missed two, and recognized but couldn't remove another five. of eight commercial keyloggers, it removed five, completely missed two, and incompletely removed one.
improvement was evident, however, in zass's ability to keep spyware out of a clean system. the new spy site blocking feature blocked downloading of eight malware samples; i overrode it to complete the tests. out of the sixteen spyware samples, it completely missed one and failed to block two others it detected. but it successfully prevented installation of the other thirteen. in a half-dozen cases, the os firewall silently killed the installation process, and spy site blocking blocked several others that "phoned home" to complete their installation. clearly spyware blocking is a team effort! that teamwork was less effective against the keyloggers. it blocked three from installing and partially disabled three more, but two others continued merrily logging keystrokes and other activities. standalone products like spyware doctor and spy sweeper do a much better job against these nasty apps, as do the norton and mcafee suites.
the mailfrontier-based antispam module didn't change, but i tested it anyway to be sure it handles the latest spam variations. of a thousand real-world messages, it didn't flag a single valid from-a-person message as spam, and it directed let less than two percent of the more numerous spam messages into the inbox. that's way better than most suites. and of course it offers whitelist and challenge/response based protection as options.
the antivirus, licensed from computer associates, hasn't changed, but it did help out by neutralizing some of the worst spyware threats. other features that haven't changed are: mailsafe, which blocks unsafe attachments and monitors outbound e-mail for suspicious behavior; im security, which can encrypt im conversations, filter out spam, and block risky features like file transfer; privacy, which can block cookies, ads, and scripts; parental control, which prevents access to undesirable web sites in specified categories; and id lock, which records private data such as credit card numbers and blocks its transmission via im, e-mail, or web-based forms.
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Working with RF-/ALUMINUM
Product Feature
The data specified in RFEM/RSTAB concerning material, loads, and load combinations must comply with the design concept of the Eurocode. Relevant materials are already covered in the material library of RFEM/RSTAB. Furthermore, RFEM/RSTAB allows for an automatic creation of load and result combinations in accordance with the Eurocode. It is also possible to generate all combinations manually.
In the RF-/ALUMINUM add-on module, it is necessary to select members and sets of members as well as the load cases, load and result combinations for the design. In the next steps, you can adjust the presettings for lateral intermediate supports and effective lengths.
In the case of using continuous members, you can define individual support conditions and eccentricities for each intermediate node of the single members. A special FEA tool determines the critical loads and moments required for the stability analysis.
Associated Products
Add-on Module
Design of aluminium members according to Eurocode 9


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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
i would so not be the biggest loser
The part of my BlogHer trip that people were most jealous of was my workout with Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser. Quaker put on the show and allowed 50 people to participate, so it was a nicely sized group. We met on a terrace of the hotel. It was a little chilly, but the view was nice!
Bob is hard core. He was not letting us off easy! And he kept teasing people about wearing make-up, not wearing shoes, not eating breakfast before hand... I didn't think the not eating breakfast thing was fair becuase they were serving us oatmeal after the workout! Quaker provided us with a yoga mat and bag that we were able to take home. It will come in handy for my weekly zumba class!
While the workout wasn't easy... it was oh so good. My thighs burned for 3 days! There we're some things we did that I couldn't complete or I had to take a break. I could just imagine Bob walking over to me and yelling that I wasn't a quitter. That kept me motivated and luckily he wasn't in Biggest Loser mode!
I only remember a few of the exercises, but I got one of Bob's DVD's after the workout. I have yet to try it, but my zumba class was cancelled this week so I was hoping to give it a try tomorrow night. I'll let you know if I like it.
After our workout everyone clamored to get a picture with Bob. His publicists or assistants or whatever were kinda rude about the whole thing, announcing that he only had "30 more seconds" until he had to leave. Bob didn't listen to them and he kept taking pictures for as long as he could before his 'people' drug him off the terrace.
Here is the group picture that Bob tweeted out later. After this we all ran over to the convention center to have a Quaker sponsored oatmeal breakfast and a Q & A session with Bob.
It was fun, and tiring, way to start our Saturday morning!
xoxo, christa
ps: All of this is my own opinion. Quaker didn't ask me to write anything about them. Bob did ask that we say nice things about him, but that didn't persuade me in any way. ;)
4 comments:
I kind of think this would have killed me lol.ReplyDelete
You are so lucky!! I can only imagine how your thighs burned; I would've been in the same situation too :( He's a cutie!!ReplyDelete
Love, Mere
Days! I was sore for DAYS! But it was really awesome. Glad you made me go. ;o)ReplyDelete
Seriously-- how cool is that?! You got to work out with Bob! I can't imagine the pain that you were feeling after that intense of a workout. I would be like the Biggest Loser contestants on the very first day if I did a Bob or Jillian work out.ReplyDelete
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Let's look at how this strategy has fared so far this season:
To date I played each keeper as highlighted in green, based on the matchup rankings I post each week. This has led me to score 69 points through 14 weeks out of a possible 79. If I had simply played Sorensen every week I would have scored 64. Compare this with scores of 59 for Given (25% owned), 58 for Cech (14% owned) and 53 for Reina (7% owned) and the value of the budget keeper becomes clear. While I accept the difference between the rotation strategy and simply playing Sorensen every week is small, this is largely due to the incredible value of Sorensen together with Stoke's relatively easy schedule to date. As these matchups get harder it will be important to have a pair of budget keepers to allow for proper rotation should you choose to go this route.
Complimentary Combinations
Given my desire to save cash at the keeper position I am only considering Sorensen, Hart, Jensen and Robinson who all cost below 4.5m and have each notched 50 points this year.
Over the next 10 weeks, the average opponent's GPG you will face by having the following pair of 'keepers is as below:
- Robinson and Jensen - 1.04 (8.6m)
- Hart and Jensen - 1.08 (8.4m)
- Hart and Robinson - 1.11 (8.6m)
- Robinson and Sorensen - 1.17 (8.8m)
- Sorensen and Jensen - 1.26 (8.6m)
- Hart and Sorensen - 1.34 (8.6m)
It's tough to get rid of Sorensen before week 20 as he faces two opponents with GPG under 1.25 and I might stay put until then. The downside of this is having to either Chelsea or @Man City in week 19 so it becomes a tough decision. All four keepers have a decent matchup this week so we have another week to decide but with Stoke on a bye next week, you need to decide on how to juggle your keepers very soon.
As always, why not post your thoughts below or tweet @plfantasy.