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As the Trans-Provence stage race draws to a close , we catch up with all the action from stage three through to six.
Day Three
Start: Dignes -Les Bains
Finish: Villars- Colmars
Riding distance 48.64km
Day three sees Trans- Provence riders have a slightly less arduous day than the epic that is day two. Regardless of that, it's still three hard stages including a brutal bike-a- hike to start the day.
The start of day sees riders gain 500 vertical metres in less than four kilometres, starting with fire road and then a steep path cut in to the Mountain side,the hard breathing and carrying (and no doubt cursing) was rewarded with amazing views across Provence and in the distance the second special stage (Special stage9) of the day
Before any of that Trans-Provence competitors first had to negotiate Special stage 8 – A huge drop in elevation and in a classic Trans -Provence Style most types of technical riding thrown into one huge trail!
From the col an open section led through open loose rock singletrack and switchbacks before plunging in to leaf filled woodland similar to something you may find on a (dry ) day in the south of England.
The riders were then spat out in to open meadow land all to briefly before finding themselves in long a rock chute of singletrack that threw them down to the valley floor, after cresting one more updulation™ (Trans-Provencers who have been part of the event since the first year are used to Ash's various way's of describing climbs without saying the word climb) the trail finally plummeted down to the timing belise and a chance to breathe.
After the feed station Special stage 9 was a combination of woodland and rock gardens – before a hard fire road climb that lead to the an open rock river bed through pine forest – fast and not as technical as most stages and the climb in the middle meant that the stage really suited fit riders not just good technical ones.
The final stage of day three was more of what any one that loves mountain biking would ask for. Fast on site flowing open sections through the top stage with a feeling of exposure, before pine forest loam land curled down to a riverside trail and the end of another hard days riding
As always today has been about great trails in beautiful country but day three also passes a major watershed and begins our Journey in to the higher Maritime Alps , as can be seen by tomorrows start of the day with the amazing start of day four with 2000 metre drop form col du champs.
Day Four
start: Villars-Colmars (1180m)
• trailhead: Col des Champs (2080m)
• finish: Guillaumes (793m)
• riding distance: 41.49 km
• on-bike height gain: 965m
• on-bike height drop: 2434m
Many regular Trans-Provencers think that day four is the finest over all day of the weeks riding – starting with the huge decent from Col des Champs and including the unique Grey earth stage, if these two trails were all that you rode in a day , you'd consider it a fine days riding, but with two other exceptional trails included it really is a special day in the big Mountains
Special stage 11 is Col Des Champs then. This is a real test of riding – individually each of the many sections would be challenging but taken together it takes a strong technical rider , who can also onsite rock gardens and turn into the tightest switchbacks whilst ignoring the ever increasing exposure on either side of them, all of this of course is whilst the clock is ticking -it's a fifteen minute descent for the fastest riders.
Next Special Stage 12. The liaison stage itself is something quite unique. It's a slice of exposed rock that cuts it's way across the side of a Mountain with vertiginous 200 metre drops below you and an amazing viewing point down across the valley and to the stages ahead.
The stage itself continues initially in the same vein as the Liaison but with the risk to life removed a little if you fall off! More open rock face switchbacks lead to the lower pine forested trails and beautifully grippy sandy corners – with dust still hanging in the air from the rider in front.
From the feed station a fun liaison stage took riders across the valley floor before the fire road climb to the start of the Grey Earth.
Special Stage 13 The Grey Earth is unique to this part of the world. What looks like a combination of grey cement dust mixed in to tarmac that has then rolled down a hill like lava, has then set into long flowing ridge lines of incredibly grippy and fast rolling trail. For the riders there's a suggested line laid out for them but the opportunity to go "off-piste " and choose a quicker line is there for those that want it..
The final stage of the day is reached by steep bike a hike to open meadowland – before a steep switchback loam ride propels riders back to the valley floor once more and the chance to recuperate for the next day.
We haven't mentioned racing much other than results before today .Whilst the Trans-Provence is a race it's also just as importantly for many people taking part in a chance to ride amazing trails and to be in this beautiful part of the world.
Today however we had our first injuries and they've been with the fast guys. Ben cruz is out with either severely torn ligaments or a broken ankle – Steve Jones had a big crash and whilst Nico Vouilloz hasn't hurt himself – he lost time after tearing of his rear mech.
For the people that are racing tiredness is starting to show – Seven days of racing is partly a war of attrition.Silly mistakes are having consequences that could either cost the race, the stage, or stop them from finishing the event itself.
Day Five
start: Guillaumes (793m)
trailhead: Bouchanières (1418m)
finish: St-Sauveur-sur-Tinée (500m)
riding distance: 39.22 km
on-bike height gain: 977m
on-bike height drop: 1954m
no. of timed "special stages": 4
highlight: long, winding, physical descent from Roure
Day five regardless of what old timers at the Trans -Provence may think turned out to be the favourite by some degree with riders so far.
The combination of technical trails and the majority of climbing on roads gave the riders a little relief from the standard bike a hike and fire road climbs to the top.
First trail of the day Special stage fifteen definitely drops a long way but also has some hard pedalling sections combined with technical moves. To quote Chris Porter from Mojo: "You need the trials skills of Danny Macaskill and the lungs of
Indurain." We couldn't decide if that was a complement or not!
A long road climb with opportunities for coffee and cake at the top (which most seemed to take ) led the riders in to Special Stage Sixteen a woodland epic that finally saw them fire through arable fields before reaching the feed station.
Another long road col gradually winded the riders to special stage three – a fast dusty trail that cuts along the edge of ravine and out and along a old road that leads to them through tiny villages and finally into a deep ravine which demands the only carry of the day!
Finally the Village of Roure is reached and another of the classic Trans- Provence trails. zig zagging across open hill side with a enormous sense of exposure on either your left or right depending on which way the trail was taking you held together with perfect switch back corners – faster and less technical than some of the other stages – it definitely has a bit more flow and speed to it.
A final uplift of the day saw competitors reach there camp for the night and much needed rest for day six , the only day that compares to day two in terms of duration.
Day Six
start: St-Dalmas-Valdeblore (1262m)
trailhead: St-Dalmas-Valdeblore (1262m)
finish: Sospel (430m)
riding distance: 47.80 km
height gain: 1430m
height drop: 3358m
no. of timed "special stages": 4
highlight: seemingly endless singletrack from Granges de la Brasque is
amongst the most varied trail ever ridden by the organisers
Today we thought rather than us describe the day we'd ask a competitor so here's Steve Jones from Dirt Magazine take on the day , well the week as well:
The symphony of snoring had been going on all night, but it was a pretty big hooter of a fart from my neighbour Rowan Sorrell that silenced the blue swarm of Quechua tents at about 3.30am. I know as I checked my phone.
It was an early start, an 800m climb into what had been described as some of the rockiest most exposed sections of the week. I spent the morning trickling uphill with ten-time World Champion Nico Vouilloz who, after a day of sketchy mechanicals on day 5 had him behind Jerome Clementz on time. "I smell technical singletrack" said Nico clearly smarting from his misfortune the previous day.
But then it's been tales of woe all around really. Ben Cruz, Andreas Hestler, Cesar Rojo, Marc Beaumont, Rowan Sorrell had all been victims of some form of mechanical. Running third into yesterdays stages Mark Weir cruelly flatted yesterday afternoon which put him back a fair bit and allowed double World Champ Fabien Barel into third as the race entered his, and Vouilloz's home territory today.
Sven Martin smashed a derailleur before he even got to the first stage, as some of the top runners opted for downhill casings on the day's sharp, relentless rock sections. Following Nico through the transfer section to stage 20 was pretty awesome, as he picked up,
lined up and carried his speed seemingly without trying as I bashed through seemingly going backwards. Its easy to forget the vintage on display here – this field really is packed full of some of the best mountain bikers on the planet.
The first stage of the day was high-speed stuff, I set off in a vain pursuit of Nico to try and get some idea of the speed. No chance, instead I accelerated into what I thought was a reasonable tempo only for Cesar Rojo to come past me like a demented runaway as if I was
standing still. I tucked in behind the Spaniard soon to realize I was considerably out of my depth.
Nico took a tumble on 21 just before what is becoming an eagerly awaited lunch stop. But not quite to the extent of my riding partner Mick Kirkman who switched himself off in a technical rock section at mach 4. End of race for Mick as Doc told him to take his riding boots off.
With only a day to go I look back on an eventful week, its not since last Monday that I've had a solid clean run as a mix of mechanicals, wrong turns, and a tweaked shoulder have lost me considerable time.
For the past few days I've had to sleep on my back and it takes until about lunch time to get the shoulder warmed for the unremitting pounding of boulder and rock. Still I managed to get going a bit better today (I hope, not seen results yet) and with a day to go simply cannot afford to make any mistakes.
And they offer themselves up many, many times a day. It might be a touch dramatising it to say today was dangerous but as me and Rowan reflected on the days stages the consequences of getting one or two race lines wrong would as Rowan pointed out "chuck you in a coffin."
It was a day for heads up riding.
Eight hour riding days are now taking their toll on most of us. I'm sat here again with Andreas Hestler at half five at night unwashed, sore, hungry and exhausted and still under pressure to perform. The army of workers busy themselves preparing food, setting up camp,
transferring kit as we are out there on the hill "enjoying ourselves."
This is a battle, physically and technically and we are all noting short of totally dependant on them. If anyone has delivered this week then it is them.
Also the manner in which Nico has commanded the week has been utterly impressive. Ok there's one day to go and the race is still open but given the challenges form skilled climbers its been stunning stuff. On the climbs he manages the red line superbly and on the descents he shows totally and completely why he is the rider he is. Everyone around the campsite comments that "he rides so different to everyone else."
Control, timing, focus. Clementz is up against it but he is such a wily character with skill and race craft of the highest order too. Its only a few miles from Nico's house, he knows this country well and then again not. The trip has highlighted the true vastness of France in this small corner, yet everyone, including the locals from fifteen valley's away know there's a battle heading for Monaco.
Racers, tourists, Trans Provence is a rich and unique mix of the various facets of mountain biking. Its certainly on a scale much bigger than I imagined, the fatigue is bigger than I imagined and the race tempo is also much quicker than I had envisaged. The scenery has
opened my eyes to terrain that is unimaginably complex in places, I really didn't think landscapes like this existed in France.
Trans Provence Day Six . from Trans-Provence on Vimeo.
Results from stage six
Place Dos Surname First Day 1 Day 2
Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Total Time
1 35 VOUILLOZ Nicolas 00:28: 00:30:
00:27: 00:39: 00:23: 00:35: 03:04:
2 12 CLEMENTZ JÈrÙme 00:28: 00:30:
00:27: 00:38: 00:24: 00:36: 03:05:
3 6 BAREL Fabien 00:30: 00:30:
00:28: 00:38: 00:24: 00:35: 03:07:
4 25 WEIR Mark 00:28: 00:30:
00:26: 00:39: 00:30: 00:37: 03:13:
5 36 RYAN Matt 00:29: 00:32:
00:27: 00:41: 00:26: 00:39: 03:15:
6 27 BEAUMONT Marc 00:30: 00:33:
00:32: 00:41: 00:25: 00:38: 03:21:
7 30 SORRELL Rowan 00:32: 00:31:
00:30: 00:43: 00:27: 00:39: 03:24:
8 20 RICHARDS James 00:33: 00:34:
00:30: 00:44: 00:28: 00:42: 03:34:
9 32 JONES Steve 00:31: 00:34:
00:32: 00:46: 00:29: 00:42: 03:37:
10 24 MARTIN Sven 00:37: 00:33:
00:33: 00:45: 00:27: 00:40: 03:38:
11 1 KIENAST Pascal 00:37: 00:35:
00:31: 00:45: 00:29: 00:43: 03:42:
12 56 MATHEWS Iain 00:35: 00:39:
00:31: 00:44: 00:29: 00:44: 03:44:
13 38 GRAVERSE Tim 00:34: 00:37:
00:32: 00:48: 00:29: 00:46: 03:49:
14 18 MCLEAN Neil 00:35: 00:38:
00:33: 00:47: 00:30: 00:45: 03:50:
15 19 MOSELEY Tracy 00:38: 00:36:
00:34: 00:49: 00:29: 00:44: 03:51:
16 41 HARPER Kevin 00:37: 00:36:
00:34: 00:45: 00:33: 00:44: 03:52:
17 34 HESTLER Andreas 00:31: 00:43:
00:30: 00:43: 00:42: 00:45: 03:56:
18 42 BROOKES Rob 00:35: 00:35:
00:32: 00:51: 00:29: 01:02: 04:08:
19 23 MARTIN Anka 00:39: 00:41:
00:35: 00:51: 00:32: 00:48: 04:09:
20 31 PORTER Chris 00:36: 00:36:
00:36: 00:50: 00:42: 00:49: 04:10:
21 54 ALDER Matt 00:40: 00:41:
00:35: 00:55: 00:33: 00:54: 04:20:
22 57 GROGNUX Johann 00:42: 00:44:
00:38: 00:54: 00:33: 00:50: 04:23:
23 2 SEVERINO Alessandro 00:39: 00:42:
00:42: 00:56: 00:33: 00:52: 04:27:
24 10 ZIMMERMANN Joris 00:39: 00:42:
00:34: 00:56: 00:33: 01:03: 04:30:
25 3 HOHERMUT Ingrid 00:39: 00:44:
00:37: 00:56: 00:33: 01:00: 04:32:
26 14 WARRICK Ben 00:45: 01:07:
00:31: 00:48: 00:38: 00:43: 04:36:
27 16 THOMAS Alun 00:46: 00:41:
00:37: 00:58: 00:33: 01:00: 04:38:
28 52 VELISS Lee 00:41: 00:40:
00:39: 00:54: 00:46: 00:54: 04:38:
29 11 DE RUYVER Arno 01:02: 00:37:
00:37: 01:05: 00:31: 00:49: 04:45:
30 17 SHINGLER Guy 00:41: 00:43:
00:35: 01:03: 00:35: 01:13: 04:52:
31 4 HYDE Jasper 00:40: 00:44:
00:36: 01:06: 00:37: 01:15: 04:59:
32 58 FULFORD Giles 00:47: 00:55:
00:39: 01:02: 00:37: 01:00: 05:03:
33 8 COULING John 00:45: 00:48:
00:42: 01:04: 00:51: 01:02: 05:14:
34 37 BOELEMA Kara 00:46: 00:49:
00:45: 01:02: 00:39: 01:14: 05:17:
35 55 BƒCK Daniel 00:46: 00:52:
00:39: 01:06: 00:44: 01:11: 05:21:
36 9 THOMAS Jason 00:49: 00:52:
01:01: 01:04: 00:38: 00:58: 05:25:
37 28 MAURISSEN Mark 00:39: 01:09:
00:45: 01:07: 00:45: 00:58: 05:25:
38 39 VAN Joost 01:07: 00:54:
00:43: 01:03: 00:39: 01:11: 05:40:
39 50 ALLEN Dan 00:47: 00:50:
00:50: 01:11: 00:38: 01:26: 05:44:
40 7 THOMSON Fiona 00:57: 00:57:
00:50: 01:13: 00:45: 01:13: 05:58:
41 5 HYDE John 00:46: 00:54:
01:12: 01:08: 00:40: 01:18: 05:59:
42 43 VAN DURME Dietbrand 01:01: 00:59:
00:46: 01:12: 00:47: 01:16: 06:02:
43 29 ROJO Cesar 00:32: 00:37:
00:38: 03:08: 00:29: 00:39: 06:05:
44 45 VERKEST Peter 01:01: 01:14:
00:51: 01:18: 00:43: 01:24: 06:33:
45 40 CRCEK Ales 01:00: 01:23:
00:48: 01:28: 00:43: 01:12: 06:36:
46 44 VAN DURME Matthias 01:07: 01:06:
00:47: 01:15: 00:44: 01:43: 06:46:
47 49 GUARITA Bernardo 00:53: 01:01:
01:18: 01:35: 00:47: 01:26: 07:02:
48 46 DARKE Andy 01:14: 01:29:
01:08: 00:00: 00:59: 02:11: 07:03:
49 47 PATTERSO Robert 01:04: 01:17:
00:58: 01:38: 01:00: 01:36: 07:36:
50 13 RUSBATCH Cherie 01:02: 01:39:
00:58: 01:44: 01:02: 01:41: 08:07:
51 33 KIRKMAN Mick 00:34: 00:34:
00:32: 00:47: 00:27: 05:26: 08:23:


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I received this product for free from Moms Meet, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are 100% my own. I'm always on the look out for creamy nut butter. I love making smoothies, protein shakes with added nut butter for that extra protein. Almond butter is the most I've tried. There's so many out there, Sunflower, Cashew, of Course, peanut butter and more. My favorite has to be cashew. I was excited to see that Once Again Nut Butters are AMAZINGLY creamy, organic and delicious. I was so excited to try it. Recently I've been consistent in my fitness Journey and been [Continue Reading…]
Cranberry Orange Protein Muffins
I'm back at it again, working out. Getting my summer body back. While I'm working out and trying to get my summer body back, I'm on the hunt to finding healthy breakfast and snack ideas. Here I created a healthy muffin you can eat for breakfast and still stay on track. I have some leftover frozen cranberries. Whenever I make bread with cranberries I need to have orange juice with it, So I created Cranberry Orange Protein Muffins. I have tried these in the morning drinking Herbal coffee, during those busy days when you don't have time to cook, I can pack these up and freeze them. Take one out and heat up and I'm on my way to start the day.
Gluten-Free NoGii Bars Review
I was blessed with the AMAZING opportunity to review Nogii Bars. Through Momsmeet A community of moms that help grow their families the natural and organic way. Helping each other share resources to help foster a community of a family of moms helping moms. It is an online community that empowers moms to connect, learn and share their thoughts on raising healthy families and living green. When trying out these bars, the plus side of this was… It is gluten FREE!!! Here's a little bit about the company and product. It was Created by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Gluten-Free Mom, Emmy Award-Winning Talk Show Host, and New York Times Best-Selling Author of "The G-Free Diet" and "Deliciously G-Free," NoGii is a line of certified gluten-free protein bars, protein powders, and paleo bars. [Continue Reading…]

subset: commoncrawl


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|Archived February 20, 2019
Researchers Study Benthic Habitats in Glacier Bay, Alaska
During the cruise, more than 40 hours of georeferenced digital sea-floor video were collected along 52 transects in water depths of 15 to 370 m in Glacier Bay to
The video sled was equipped with forward- and downward-looking color video cameras, a pair of lasers to provide scale (by producing two red dots on the sea floor exactly 20 cm apart), and sensors to measure water depth, heading, pitch, roll, and height above bottom. The data and video were transmitted to computers and digital recorders aboard the Alaskan Gyre by a 2,000-ft-long cable, then combined with the ship's position as determined from differential global-positioning-system (DGPS) data. During video collection, the scientists recorded real-time observations of sea-floor characteristics (including primary and secondary substrate type, slope, roughness, and benthic biomass), as well as the presence of benthic organisms and demersal fish (fish normally found near the seabed).
Commonly observed substrates include bedrock, boulders, cobbles, rippled sands, large sand waves, and mud. The sea-floor video revealed extensive beds of living Modiolus (horse mussels) and scallops, features that had not been previously described. Among the other important organisms observed were Tanner, Alaskan King, and Dungeness crabs; halibut, flounder, sole, pollock, rockfish, and sculpins; numerous shrimp; and sessile invertebrates, such as gorgonians, sea pens, sea stars, and urchins. Using these observations, coastal and marine geologists from the Pacific Science Center are collaborating with ecologists from the Alaska Science Center to investigate the relations between geologic features of the sea floor and the biologic communities that inhabit them.
Commercial-fishing closures mandated by Congress in 1999 in parts of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (southeastern Alaska) created a network of five protected areas, which make up one of North America's largest temperate-marine reserves. Twelve active tidewater glaciers remain in the Glacier Bay fiord, where historical rates of glacier retreat are among the highest documented worldwide (more than 60 km of retreat in the past 200 years). In collaboration with the National Park Service, the USGS conducted sidescan- and multibeam-sonar surveys in 1998 and 2001 to map the acoustic reflectance and bathymetry of the sea floor in lower and central Glacier Bay. These data provide information about the geologic characteristics of the sea floor and offer the opportunity to link studies of sea-floor geology and benthic ecology.
Geologic features of the sea floor provide essential habitat for benthic communities that sustain the demersal (sea floor) and pelagic (surface and water column) fisheries of the world ocean. An understanding of sea-floor composition and sedimentology, benthic-habitat change, and trophic relations is essential to make informed resource-management decisions and to evaluate the design and long-term utility of marine reserves.
Global climate change may be accelerating glacier retreat and associated sedimentation in Glacier Bay, impacting essential habitats for commercially and ecologically valuable fish and crabs. Sediment samples, gravity cores, and digital bed-sediment images that were collected during the cruise will be used to examine rates and patterns of sedimentation, grain-size distribution, and organic-carbon content in the region.
A detailed geographic-information-system (GIS) database has been constructed, using the software program ArcGIS (with help from Pete Dartnell, USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology Team [WCMG], Menlo Park, CA); the database contains geophysical, videographic, and sedimentologic data from WCMG cruises conducted in 1998, 2001, and 2004, as well as data contributed by ecologists at the Alaska Science Center. This GIS database is being used to produce a benthic-habitat map that characterizes the sea-floor geology of Glacier Bay and illustrates the distribution of biologic communities. The map will be used by scientists, managers, and the National Park Service to
Methods developed in the collection and analysis of data from Glacier Bay will be useful in studies of other areas where geologic change is occurring over biologically meaningful time scales. Collaboration between geologists and biologists enables the sharing of knowledge and resources to improve our understanding of habitat structure and function and to make predictions regarding future change in these marine systems.
in this issue:
North Carolina Submarine Groundwater
Mucus-Hosted Microbial Communities
Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative
Forensic Geology Assists Investigation
Submarine Groundwater Discharge
|Archived February 20, 2019


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Ron Scott
I am the founder of the Detroit Art Review. The mission at the Detroit Art Review is to review art exhibitions in the Detroit Metro area. Philosophically, our audience is broad and diverse. I like A.O. Scott's explanation, "that we are, in fact, all critics, because criticism informs almost every aspect of creation, social interaction, and private feeling."
I was born in Detroit, attended graduate school at Wayne State University in painting, and I have always considered myself part of the Detroit Art Community. I paint and write full time.
In the writing of art criticism, there are primarily three types of writers: Journalists, Art Historians, and Artists. I fall into category three, as I have a visual art practice and have exhibited for over thirty-five years, primarily in southeastern Michigan. Because I had worked in public television as a writer / producer, I developed some writing skill, and when I retired from that profession, I turned my writing to art criticism and fiction.
I usually select an exhibit where I feel I might have something to say that is constructive. This would usually be a painting, photographic, sculpture, or mixed media exhibition. I prefer working on solo exhibitions that provide me with some space to go deeper into the work. I try to understand the perspective of the artist through an artist statement or an interview. I visit the exhibition space and take notes that capture my reaction to the work in the present. I do a rough draft as soon as possible and then begin the research process. I add the research elements and imagery to the polish. The final stage is submitting to an editor for his/her review. Each writer has their own style and approach to writing reviews at the Detroit Art Review. Contact: ron1441(at)comcast.net
Glen Mannisto
Glen Mannisto teaches the "History of Modern Design" and has taught the "History of Video since the Sony Portapak." at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit. As an art journalist he maintains a strong relationship with the Detroit art community often writing catalogue essays and reviews for Art Journals, galleries and museums. He has also edited two art and literary related journals, "Straits" and "Trait."
Clara W. DeGalan
Clara W. DeGalan attended University of Michigan and just recently graduated with her MFA in painting from Wayne State University. She is a painter who exhibits in the Detroit metro area on a regular basis and has written for varies publications. She teaches drawing and painting as an adjunct instructor for various Universities.
Jonathan Rinck
Jonathan Rinck has lived, worked, and studied in Canada, Scotland, and Japan. In Addition to writing for the Detroit Art Review, he blogs regularly for the International Sculpture Center and review nonfiction for Publishers Weekly. His articles have appeared in Sculpture Magazine, Michigan History Magazine, and Ceramics: Art and Perception. A devoted fan of short-form essay, his favorite writers include John Updike, Simon Schama, Martin Amis, and Joan Didion.
Dennis A. Nawrocki
Dennis A. Nawrocki serves as adjunct faculty in the department of art and art history at Wayne State University. He directed Center Galleries at Detroit's College for Creative Studies from 1990 to 1998, in addition to teaching art history there from 1990 to 2005. Author of Art in Detroit Public Places (Wayne State University Press, 2008) and a freelance critic, Nawrocki has reviewed national and international exhibitions for Art in America, Sculpture, American Ceramics,New Art Examiner, and Metro Times.
Ryan Standfest is a Detroit artist. He is the editor and publisher of ROTLAND PRESS, presenting publications of humor and despair, and founded the performance group Cabaret BLACK EYE, a hybrid of vaudeville and Absurdist theatrical tendencies. He is also a curator, assembling exhibitions that focus on different forms of humor in the visual arts. Standfest holds an M.F.A. in Printmaking from The University of Iowa.


text:
The Chicago Reds participated in the 2017 American Subbuteo Association Nationals.
Players from nine states made it to the Grand Rapids area and the event featured six current and former Team USA World Cup members.
Open category
Mike Tillman and Dario Passadore qualified for the semifinals where they faced our own Tim Tumminaro and the favorite Daniel Cranston, respectively. In the semi-finals, Cranston defeated Passadore 5-2 and Tillman beat Tumminaro 5-1. In the championship game, Cranston beat Tillman 3-2 win and claimed his third national title and his first since 2011.
Veterans category
Our own Erik Haefke, Peter Alegi, and Paul O'Donovan Rossa reached the semifinals along with in-form Passadore. O'Donovan Rossa beat Passadore in penalty shots while Alegi edged out Haefke 4-3. In the final, O'Donovan Rossa beat Alegi 1-0 in overtime.


text: According to the National Association of Realtors, over 4.93 million homes were sold in the year 2014. With that many purchased and sold, it seems to still be such a mystery, and incredibly stressful, to the first time home buyer or experienced home owner. As a realtor, the question I most often get is "I […] I want to buy a house. Now what?This entry was posted in Uncategorized on March 16, 2016 by admin


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Have you noticed how personal business has become recently?
In this post-GFC era of distrust of corporations, we are relying more and more on the individual relationships we build to grow our businesses. This is more important than ever before for financial services.
Yesterday I spoke with Dr Jim Taggart of Taggart Group about his recent doctoral thesis. Jim chose to research the role of business networks and in particular the importance of trust, commitment and reciprocity to effective networking.
This started me thinking about how you would select, or coach, employees who have a role that includes the important task of networking to bring in new business.
Here are just five of the 155 traits measured by Harrison Assessments that I believe would enhance your team's networking success:
- Outgoing – the tendency to be socially extroverted and enjoy meeting new people
- Warmth/empathy – the tendency to express positive feelings and affinity toward others
- Helpful – the tendency to respond to others' needs and assist or support others to achieve their goals
- Optimistic – the tendency to believe the future will be positive
- Persistent – the tendency to be tenacious despite encountering significant obstacles
Other traits that could have a positive impact on networking include self-motivation, assertiveness, diplomacy, influencing, flexibility and tolerance of bluntness. On the other hand, care should be taken to avoid employing someone to this type of role if their profile shows they are blunt, dogmatic or self-sacrificing.
Every one of these traits can be measured as part of our online assessment that takes less than half an hour. You can try it for yourself here.
It is possible to assess these traits in your selection process. Employees can also improve their performance through coaching, once you know their strengths.
Imagine how your business could benefit from knowing your employees better.


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On Suffering in Leadership
We recently published a blog post about how flourishing cannot exist without suffering. I asked Mike Weber of ProMinent Fluid Controls, Inc. to reflect on the concept of suffering in leadership that Andy Crouch lays out in his book, "Strong and Weak."
By definition, leaders have authority. But in order to lead well and to flourish as leaders, they must also bear hidden vulnerability, the weakness and the risk that no one else sees. This, Crouch says, is the drama of leadership. The willingness to not only bear the inevitable suffering that leadership requires but even more, to actively choose to embrace that suffering, knowing that it is the pathway to flourishing for the community is THE common characteristic we see in the most effective leaders.
If you know Mike you know that he is a unique blend of compassion and no nonsense. His immediate response was this; "It is not a philosophy, it is a reality that God grows us through suffering. " In fact, just before my conversation with Mike he discussed this very issue with a senior member of his staff who manages an incredibly difficult client. "There are people in every industry that are insecure and aggressive. They are petulant and mean and they use their power and position to belittle those under them." Honoring those customers and standing between them and others in the organization is a difficult to do and takes its toll on a leader. I asked him how he thinks about these situations. He said, "first, be prepared. You will encounter difficult people and situations. Don't go it alone. People are embarrassed to talk about their struggles. You have to bring those pains and struggles into the light- offer them up to God, share them with coworkers and family. This may be uncomfortable but it is vital. Ephesians 6:13 says, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." A leader in God's economy does not go into battle but to takes up the armor of God, bring their full self to the tasks at hand to the best end of those around them, and, in the end, to remain standing.
- Be prepared. You have to know that difficult times will come if you are doing the right things.
- Don't go it alone. Have your trusted advisors close let them in on what's going on. Seek God ask, "What do you want me to see in this?"
- Celebrate a good outcome. Know that God suffers with us seek to find a spirit of gratitude and trust that faithfulness will bear fruit over time.
Mike said it well, "I don't seek out difficulty but when it comes my way I don't avoid it. I actually embrace it. I know that when time are hard I am more humble, more open, more willing to ask for help and more willing to share."


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Q I've consistently been told that men should not abrasion amber shoes with a dejected or a atramentous suit, that you should abrasion alone atramentous shoes. Yet I see a lot of guys cutting amber shoes with them. Which is right?
A I accord it a breach decision. My aboriginal acknowledgment is never abrasion amber shoes with a atramentous suit. But the acknowledgment to whether amber shoes can go with a dejected or gray clothing depends on a few elements — blush rules, break and personality.
COLOR RULES: The accustomed aphorism is there are alone three adequate men's dress shoe colors: black, amber and a aberration of amber alleged cordovan. Cordovan has a adumbration of red in it, but is not as red as burgundy.
A broadly accustomed aspect of bathrobe able-bodied is repeating colors in at atomic two items in your combination. Traditionally, atramentous shoes go with clothes in the gray/black and in the dejected blush families; amber shoes go with clothes in the amber family.
These are your safest, best adapted choices, affirmed to be correct. This opens the aperture to why black, rather than navy, shoes go with clothes in the dejected family. The honest acknowledgment comes beneath that aberrant class of some things are accurate aloof because they are and with no analytic explanation. The acknowledgment veers from the accustomed blush allocation rules: absolutely simply, no well-dressed man anytime wears dress shoes in any adumbration of blue. (Apologies to Elvis.) Another accessible acumen may aloof be that fleet dejected is "nearly black." A accepted catechism is, "What blush shoes do I abrasion with the weekend mix of fleet blazer and biscuit trousers?" Cordovan is the answer.
DRESSING FOR THE OCCASION: For all important events, it is added able and added academic to abrasion atramentous shoes with your fleet or gray apparel than any artistic variation. The best business admonition is never, ever, go to a job account cutting annihilation added than a brace of atramentous shoes with a fleet or gray suit, and a white or actual ablaze dejected shirt. No amount how abundant you may anticipate of yourself as an adroit dresser, able accoutrements should be added of a constant "uniform" rather than an announcement of your personality. Getting the job and bulging that you are a aggregation amateur are your actual goals, not impressing the accuser with your camp individuality.
Besides analogous and repeating colors, shoe blush best is additionally about acclimation the amount of breeding or academism of your aggregate with the accident you are accessory (which explains why amber shoes are abundant added frequently beat than atramentous with accidental weekend clothes).
THE PERSONALITY OF THE WEARER: If you see a guy who's not a decidedly abundant chiffonier cutting amber shoes with a dejected suit, best generally it's because he does not apperceive abundant about bathrobe and what goes with what. But, occasionally, you will see a absolutely knowledgeable, aciculate chiffonier cutting awful able amber dress shoes with a gray or dejected suit.
For some reason, it is anon credible that he called them on purpose. The man who advisedly pairs a amber shoe with a gray flannel or a fleet clothing displays his adeptness to use blush with sophistication. The abrupt best contrasts beautifully and looks great. Even so, accumulate in apperception that this is added of a artistic way of dressing, best aloof for the assured guy and the amusing accident he is branch to.
The acceptable account is if you are cerebration this abundant about it, you apparently are authoritative astute choices. This is abnormally accurate if you chase my academician advice!
Please accelerate your questions on men's dress and admonishment to MALE CALL:
High Profile on 10/14/2018
Seven Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Dress Shoes For Mens Suits | Dress Shoes For Mens Suits – dress shoes for mens suits
| Encouraged in order to my own weblog, within this period We'll provide you with regarding dress shoes for mens suits


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Service Area: Newport News & Hampton
This program is for: Low income households, medically underserved, homeless, young adults, adults and seniors
Program description: The Clean Comfort day shelter program provides shower facilities and a clean change of clothing for men and women in need on the Peninsula. Free medical consultations are also available with various healthcare providers on-site. Other services include mail-drop, phone services, bus tickets, toiletries as well as direct on-site referral services. The program also periodically provides food drives, meals from various member churches and winter coat drives.
Everyone deserves to be clean and comfortable.
STAT: 10,622 services provided to homeless clients by Clean Comfort.
Phone Number: 757-247-5105


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Summer can be an extremely exciting time for all of us, school is out and it's finally time for family vacations and weekend getaways. We can't wait to explore new horizons and enjoy ourselves. But what happens to our workout routine when we take a break from it all? Because let's face it, exercise usually gets left behind. What if there was a way to sneak in your workout no matter where you go without paying gym fees or lug any equipment with you in your suitcase? There is! Let me introduce you to the Summer Elevator Busters Challenge!
Here's the scoop: wherever you go, if there are stairs or ramps, take them. Take them up and take them down. If you can only handle a few, start with that and build your endurance up. For those needing a lower impact variation, choose the handicap accessible ramps instead of the stairs. Either way, you'll be getting your legs, thighs, and butt muscles moving, on top of getting your heart (the most important muscle) pumping.
In just one day, you'll be surprised at how much activity you can get in. Simply walking to find the stairs or ramps will increase your steps. From the hotel to the museum steps and back will be enough to hold your head up high! Mix it up and challenge your friends and loved ones with you. Bonus: taking the stairs or ramps can shave off wait times when many guests are in line for the elevators. That means you'll be first in line for a restaurant or a new exhibit on a group tour. A nice added benefit of exercise!
So start the challenge today! Make sure you are prepared with comfortable shoes and a water bottle. Always check with your health care provider if you are new to exercise or haven't been active in a while. Start out slowly and take breaks whenever you need them. Just know that at the very same time you are walking up your ramp, I am somewhere in a stairwell, pushing myself as well! Let's do this!


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CHESTNUT HILL, MASS. – Fresh off their victory against Vermont Tech the Gators faced Southern Vermont in their second game of a back to back and it showed in the opening minutes of the game. You could tell that the Gators were a bit fatigue but managed to will themselves to 2-0 lead to finish the first half. The first goal came at the 21:00 mark when Owen Haughton finished the header as he received the corner kick from Shaquille Sailsman. Sailsman's wasn't done just yet as he made a beautiful pass thru the center gap and led Kenardo Dwyer for his first goal of the day.
The second half started off the same way the first had ended with the Gators connecting on two goals within less than a minute apart. Dwyer then returned the favor from his earlier goal and assisted on Sailsman's goal as he connected on a cross pass leading to the goal. Dwyer and Sailsman teamed up once more as they both assisted as Daniel Alanis finished off the play giving Pine Manor a 4-0 lead.
Southern Vermont could have easily given up at that point but fought and battled to get on the score board as Mahat Abdullahi connected on his goal at the 64:01 mark. The Gators then tackled on two more goals for reassurance as Alanis set up Dwyer for his second goal of the day. The last goal happened in a crazy fashion as Goal Keeper Oscar Estrada launched the ball into the backline defense as Dwyer battled with two Southern Vermont players creating both of them to tap the ball into their own goal giving Pine Manor the victory 6-1.
Southern Vermont now drops to 0-7 on the year with their next contest against Green Mountain on Wednesday September 30th, kickoff at 7:00 p.m.
Pine Manor now improves to 7-2 with a five game winning streak on the line as they travel to Fisher this Wednesday September 30th, kickoff at 6:00 p.m.


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Possible Duplicate:
Monitoring production server
In my company there are 5 servers, each one of them is running on different OS such as Linux, Red Hat, Windows, and Mac OS Server.
So my question is, is there a way to monitor performances and utilise the Internet connectivity of all servers at just one computer? I mean something to collect the information of all server and report it in one page or even email?
Is there any software that be so cross platform?


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Even when things couldn't get worse in Gaza, some Palestinian business owners and merchants decide to increase prices dramatically higher in order to profit from this war. The Hamas police force has stopped many merchants after complaints from customers. The reality is, there are bad Muslims. Very bad Muslims who even at times of war try to take from their brothers and sisters when they are in need.
Full article below:
Battered Hamas police struggle to keep order amid chaos
By AHMED AL BURAI in Gaza City, and MUHAMMED AL JAMAL in Rafah
GAZA CITY police have redeployed in force as Hamas works to maintain law and order in the Gaza Strip amid the prolonged Israeli air assault.
But many of the officers on patrol are now wearing civilian clothing and carrying sticks rather than guns to avoid being targeted by Israeli warplanes.
"We are trying to cope with the situation," said one officer Abu Ahmed (47). "It's not easy to work under the current situation but we have no other option but to keep working."
In addition to maintaining the peace among an increasingly desperate, heavily armed population, police are arresting merchants suspected of profiteering – all the while keeping a vigilant eye on the skies.
"We are used to this, we have to keep our peoples' lives safe," said officer Mojammed Abo Hwaishel. And besides, he adds, "The streets are safer than the buildings nowadays."
Nearly half the Palestinians killed since the Israeli attacks began on Saturday have been police, according to spokesman Islam Shahwan, who says most of the 180 dead officers were killed in the initial strike. "All of our security compounds in the Gaza Strip were destroyed or seriously damaged," he adds.
In all, Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since mid-2007, has an estimated 20,000-strong security force composed of the standard police force, Protection and Security, a force similar to the Secret Service, and Internal Security, an intelligence and interrogation squad with a rising reputation for brutality.
Many security force members also moonlight as part of the Izzedine Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing. The actual casualty figures haven't made a huge dent in Hamas's forces. But the Israeli attack has disrupted communications, gutted most security facilities and left leading officials of the senior command structure dead.
Now the police are back in force with a mandate to prevent looting and crack down on profiteering. In the western Gaza city of Rafah, a young man selling kerosene was approached by three police officers, who demanded he lower his price from five Israeli shekels (about €1) down to four. He refused, so the officer called in reinforcements and the merchant backed down, according to residents who witnessed the incident.
Elsewhere in Rafah, residents complained that a flour merchant was boosting his prices above the official ceiling. Several police arrived at his store in civilian garb. They warned the merchant he risked confiscation of his flour if the complaints persisted.
One of the most immediate tests to police authority came Monday when a blood feud erupted between two heavily armed families in Rafah. After two members of the same clan were murdered in a dispute, the victims' family set fire to several homes belonging to the alleged killers' clan.
Police intervened en masse, established order and brought in neighbourhood elders, known locally as mukhtars, to host a reconciliation session and negotiate compensation. – (Los Angeles Times-Washington Post service)
Source: Irish Times


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Alasdair McGregor
About me
My work
News and events
Biographical notes
Contact me
About me
I am a writer, painter and photographer based in Sydney, Australia. My professional and creative interests range across a number of fields and include natural history and the environment, architecture and design, and the history of exploration.
Ross Sea. Photo by Diana Patterson
A few of the corners of my worl
3. + 4. 5. 6
1. Fraser Island. Photo by Rob Jung
2. Macquarie Island. Photo by Peter Boag
3. Sydney studio. Photo by Rob Jung
4. The Kimberley. Photo by Quentin Chester
5. Cape Denison, Antarctica. Photo by Mike Piper
6. Mawson's Hut, Antarctica. Photo by Geoff Ashley
This web site is powered by Digital Pacific Web Hosting and was built using our free sitebuilder.
Web Hosting Australia
© Alasdair McGregor


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propraetor.net and the red windows
salve, citizens.
first off, as the astute observer will have noticed, the website domain name has changed to propraetor.net. as a result, the domain is properly mapped (which means that, when you go to click on my bio, it reads "propraetor.net/about" instead of "propraetor.wordpress.com/[bunch of numbers]/about."
it seems much more professional. therefore, everyone update your bookmarks.
also, for those visitors who are not following me on facebook, i have a facebook-only gallery called the red windows. generally, i try to keep my various online presences different in small ways from one another. this gallery features a series of crimson sketches and vermillion daydreams. they have no deep meaning, not a lot of detail and are in no way as polished as any of my other works.
you see, when i create, my routine is to go to a cafe or coffee shop with a sketchbook and a concept, plug into some dark music of some sort, then see what comes out. sometimes i get nothing, sometimes i get a handful of interesting ideas. since it takes me so long to finish a single ink drawing, owing to the scale and the detail i put into them, the windows serve to at least give some of these images a semi-finished presentation. one or two of them might even find their way into larger production.
here are a few. if you wish to see more, i suggest you visit my facebook page (hit "like" while you're there) and check out the gallery.


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Animal Activity Castle is suitable for any ages, including adults so there are no excuses for Mums and Dads to not join in the fun.
Animal Activity Castle is approximately 16ft x 19ft (height 9.5ft) (including front step) and is suitable for Schools, Fete's and Parties.
Boing Boing Fun Bouncy Castles and Activities are suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Please see Terms and Conditions.


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Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle turned lower on Friday after profit-taking and fund liquidation gave back some of the market's gains over the past two days, said traders.
U.S. stocks' plunge over trade war fears unnerved CME livestock investors still digesting Monday's Chinese tariff hike on U.S. pork, with similar plans for beef.
China's beef tariff threat had a minimal fundamental impact on cattle futures because it mainly involves by-products, but psychologically it is another factor affecting an already bearish market, said KIS Futures president Lane Broadbent.
Through the first two months of 2018, U.S. beef exports to China, which resumed in June 2017, totaled 1,187 tonnes valued at $11.1 million, according to the latest U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) data.
This week packers paid $116 to $118 per cwt for market-ready, or cash, cattle that a week ago fetched $120 to $121 in the midst of ample seasonal supplies and soft wholesale beef demand.
Investors will closely track next week's cash cattle and beef prices for signs of a recovery as grocers feature meat for grilling while more parts of the country enjoy spring rather than winter-like weather.
April live cattle closed down 2.075 cents per pound at 112.225 cents. June ended 2.725 cents lower at 102.325, and below the 10-day moving average of 103.490 cents.
Technical selling, profit-taking and lower live cattle futures sank CME feeder cattle contracts.
April closed 2.150 cents per pound lower at 135.325 cents.
Hogs Close Lower
CME hogs fell on lower wholesale pork prices and pressure from the exchange's live cattle market selloff, said traders.
They said worries about higher Chinese tariffs on U.S. pork discouraged futures buyers.
From January to February U.S. pork export volume to Hong Kong/China dropped 14 percent year-over-year to 69,515 tonnes worth $164 million, the USMEF said.
The group attributed the decline to increased Chinese supplies.
Some U.S. farmers may be sending hogs to market earlier than planned as almost $4 per bushel corn erodes their profits, a trader said.
Sharply lower wholesale pork belly prices suggest that end-users are relying on fresh rather than frozen product, he said.
April hogs closed down 0.325 cent per pound at 52.125 cents. May ended 1.375 cents lower at 64.475 cents, and below the 10-day moving average of 65.043. Most actively-traded June finished 0.550 cent lower at 73.275 cents.


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Former San Ysidro Scout shares tales of historic trek to inspire others
What to bring when you ski across Antarctica
• 90 dark chocolate bars (one a day)
• 14 boxes of cereal
• 30 boxes of shortbread cookies
• 180 sticks of butter (two sticks a day)
• 180 energy bars (two bars a day)
• 15 cans of 6-ounce almonds
• 2 pounds of sugar
• 100 tea bags (also used as wash cloths)
• 30 pounds of freeze-dried food
South Bay native Aaron Linsdau spent 82 days skiing alone from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole just to see what he's made of and then share his experience with the world.
Linsdau, 40, grew up in San Ysidro and became the second American to complete the journey alone from the Hercules Inlet and is considered to be the 29th person in history to complete the trek.
Upon returning, he began booking speaking events to share his experience, photos and video, hoping to motivate others to pursue their dreams.
A special opportunity came up Jan. 13 in Chula Vista where he presented to about 60 boys, ages 11 to 18 from Boy Scout Troop 1194.
An Eagle Scout himself, Linsdau grew up with a love for the outdoors.
Linsdau now lives in Jackson Hole, Wyo., where he is a commercial and adventure photographer with degrees in engineering and science.
He began his journey Nov. 1, 2012, with the intention of completing an unassisted, solo round trip in 90 days. Unfortunately not far into his journey, Linsdau began experiencing poor weather conditions, developed bronchitis and had some equipment failures.
This forced him to bury about 70 pounds of supplies that were picked up by a scientific crew and later forwarded to another location for pick up by Linsdau a few weeks later.
"It was a great emotional struggle to drop the supplies, as it dramatically altered my style," Linsdau said. "But potentially not making the pole ... was not an option."
Dropping the supplies cost him his "solo" or unassisted status, but he still finished the trek without the aid of dogs or kites on Jan. 21, 2013.
"I already wasn't making enough distance per day, so if I didn't drop it there wasn't a good chance I'd make it," he said.
Linsdau set his eyes on the trek to the South Pole for something more adventurous about 10 years ago after completing several 85- to 100-mile skiing trips at Yellowstone.
Linsdau towed a large truck tire attached to his body with a climbing harness up to eight hours a day year round to train for the expedition.
"You have to be a very self-motivated person to keep yourself going," he said. "You have to have patience and perseverance."
Once on the ground in Antarctica, Linsdau lugged more than 300 pounds of food and gear on a sled for about 700 miles.
He dodged crevasses and 9-foot-tall sastrugi, sharp irregular grooves or ridges that form on a snow surface due to high wind. He fought near white-out conditions, temperatures between 5 degrees below zero to 45 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, and gale- and hurricane-force winds.
"Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, harshest place on Earth," he said. "It's not a place to be trifled with."
In order to keep his energy high and stay hydrated, Linsdau had to drink five liters of water and eat 6,000 calories a day. His diet consisted of two sticks of butter, one bar of dark chocolate, shortbread cookies and a variety of freeze-dried food, among other items for nearly three months.
Despite the near-triple increase in calorie intake per day, by the time Linsdau reached the South Pole, he'd lost 28 pounds.
Chris Lines, scoutmaster of Troop 1194, said he wanted the troop to hear learn about overcoming obstacles.
"There's a tremendous amount of planning that went into what he did," Lines said. "The Scout motto is 'be prepared' and he had some real adversity thrown at him. It was a great lesson for the boys."
Linsdau used satellite phones to communicate coordinates and send text messages to friends and family.
For company, Linsdau brought along his version of "Wilson" from the movie "Cast Away," a stuffed animal he called Monster.
"When you are out there, you're literally alone," he said. "After so many days being by yourself, you do talk to yourself, you do talk to little stuffed animals."
Linsdau said traveling to Antarctica was a personal test.
"I wanted to go there to discover what's inside of me — to find my edge," he said. "After 10 years and 82 days, I was able to make it to the South Pole and my dream became a reality. But the interesting thing is that when I walked up and touched that pole it was almost a letdown because I knew that journey was over."
But another will soon begin.
Linsdau plans to hike Gasherbrum II in August — the 13th-highest mountain on the planet, on the border between Pakistan and China.
He is also looking at a trek to the North Pole in 2016 if he can raise enough money.


text: Network medical cost evaluations Print Connect Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Milliman is a market leader in performing medical network evaluations. Differences in negotiated reimbursement have a significant impact on a self-insured employer's healthcare spend. Since provider contracts are frequently re-negotiated, carrier market rankings will fluctuate. Employers should review carrier discount rankings every couple of years to ensure they are with the most competitive network from a discount perspective. At Milliman, we leverage our expertise in data handling with best practice standards to assist our clients in making informed financial decisions.Industry experience Milliman facilitates the Uniform Data Standards (UDS) workgroup that sets the guidelines for consultant data submissions and discount calculations. This group was established in 2007 and provides guidance for consistent and fair comparisons. In addition to UDS, we have performed network evaluations for thousands of employers, ranging in size from Fortune 500 companies to local employers. Employer-focused approach Many discount studies in the marketplace rely simply on the employer's census to weight carrier book-of-business discounts. Milliman utilizes multiple methods for helping our clients by identifying the optimal approach based on needs and timing. We will take a deeper dive by using actual employer claims experience, which reflects the group's mix of providers and services. This type of analysis provides a more accurate measurement of the financial impact of a network change. We also factor in provider disruption to model the impact if a network change is made. Milliman's expansive industry knowledge, our expertise and efficiencies in handling data, and our independence make us a clear choice in analyzing cost differentials under alternative networks. Next steps Contact us


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Create clear and convincing internal communications, strategic plans, research reports and other boardroom-style slides.
You will reduce the amount of time you spend creating PowerPoint slides by 50%-75% if you plan your deck on paper before you even open PowerPoint.
People waste an extraordinary amount of time in PowerPoint creating slides, playing with colors and fonts, inserting clip-art, tweaking font sizes and placement of different elements. And in many cases, after spending an hour on a slide, they decide they don't like that slide and they shuttle it into the appendix.
People also make a fatal mistake when they start designing their slides in PowerPoint without quite knowing what they are trying to say. They use PowerPoint as a place to dump their charts and graphs. They get to slide 10 and wonder "where was I going with this?"
Instead, plan your entire deck as a paper storyboard first. I like to use 3×5 index cards. I can quickly scribble out a slide in 30 seconds and design an entire 30-slide storyboard in about 15 minutes. Then I can re-organize my slides, add slides, throw slides away and make sure I have a story that flows.
It's a great feeling to sit down at the computer with a stack of hastily scribbled index cards and just start creating slides. You feel like you're making progress quickly as you see the pile of cards shrinking.
Trust me. Plan on paper. Not only will your deck flow better, but you will eliminate many of those all-nighters to finish the deck in time for the next day's presentation.
Next: Slide Title


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Analyzing recommender systems for health promotion using a multidisciplinary taxonomy: A scoping review
Journal Title:
Publication Date:
May 14, 2018
Recommender systems are information retrieval systems that provide users with relevant items (e.g., through messages). Despite their extensive use in the e-commerce and leisure domains, their application in healthcare is still in its infancy. These systems may be used to create tailored health interventions, thus reducing the cost of healthcare and fostering a healthier lifestyle in the population. ObjectiveThis paper identifies, categorizes, and analyzes the existing knowledge in terms of the literature published over the past 10 years on the use of health recommender systems for patient interventions. The aim of this study is to understand the scientific evidence generated about health recommender systems, to identify any gaps in this field to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) (namely, "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages"), and to suggest possible reasons for these gaps as well as to propose some solutions.
DOI/Link to source:
mTERG Terms:


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The song "John (Joan) to the Maypole" dates back at least to 1600, we know several text versions with the same title but also with different titles, (to "May-day Country Mirth", "The Young Lads and Lasses", " Innocent Recreation "," The Disappointment ") the first printed version dates back to 1630 when the melody is attributed to Felix White, and we find it in the collection" The Pills to Purge Melancholy "by Thomas D'Urfey c. 1720.
The song describes a typical May Day on the lawn: couples dance around the May Pole to contend for the coveted award, the May garland. The winning couple will become King and Queen of May.
To organize May Day feast we need just a green, that is an open space outside the village, a well planted pole in the middle of the lawn, decorated with flower garlands, some "summer houses" where to sit in the shade and refresh with drinks.
In the painting by Charles Robert Leslie we see a scene celebrating the May with Queen Elizabeth depicted on the right in the foreground while being entertained by a jester. On the expanse of the second floor stands the May pole decorated with green garlands; around the pole the dances are taking place and the characters dressed by Robin Hood, Lady Marian, Fra Tack, but also a seahorse, a dragon and a buffoon (the classic characters of mummers and Morris) are well distinguishable.
In the Victorian painting by William Powell Frith we find again the same situation described in the late medieval period: in the distance on the left stands out the profile of a church, not by chance: it was in fact the church that financed the May celebrations; with the beer sold, the parish church was maintained or the alms were distributed to the poor.
It is not even so strange that Beltane feast has merged under the control of the Catholic Church, but the Puritans were horrified by all May customs, thus May Pole and related celebrations see moments of obscurantism alternated with moments of tolerance (see more)
The tune is from "Margaret Board Lute Book" (here) the manuscript in the private collection of Robert Spencer, has been dated c1620 up to 1636 (it seems that lady Margaret took lessons from John Dowland).
Toronto Consort from O Lusty May 1996 ♪
in "The new standard song book"- (J.E.Carpenter) – 1866 with the title: "very popular at the time of Charles I". A version of nine verses is featured in the broadside titled "The May-Day Country Mirth Or, The Young Lads and Lasses' Innocent Recreation, Which is to be priz'd before Courtly Pomp and Pastime." Bodleian collection, Douce Ballads 2 (152a ) and The Roxburghe Ballads: Illustrating the Last Years of the Stuarts Vol. 7, Part 1, edited by J. Woodfall Ebsworth (Hertford: Ballad Society, 1890) (see)
Joan to the Maypole away, let us on,
The time is swift and will be gone;
There go the lasses away to the green,
Where their beauties may be seen
Bess, Moll, Kate, Doll,
All the gay lasses
have lads to attend them,
Hodge, Nick, Tom, Dick,
Jolly brave dancers,
and who can mend them?
Did you not see the Lord of the May
Walk along in his rich array?
There goes the lass that is only his,
See how they meet and how they kiss.
Come Will, run Gill,
Or dost thou list to lose thy labour(1);
Kit Crowd scrape loud,
Tickle her, Tom, with a pipe and tabor!(2).
There is not any that shall out-vie
My little pretty Joan and I,
For I'm sure I can dance as well
As Robin, Jenny, Tom, or Nell.
Last year, we were here,
When Ruff Ralph he played us a bourée,
And we, merrily
Thumped it about and gained the glory.
Now, if we hold out
as we do begin,
Joan and I the prize shall win(3);
Nay, if we live till another day (4),
I'll make thee lady of the May.
Dance round, skip, bound,
Turn and kiss, and then for a greeting.
Now, Joan, we've done,
Fare thee well
till the next merry meeting.
1) the exhortation refers to the musicians who are not yet ready with their instruments to kick off the dance.
2) Pipe and tabor or tabor-pipe is the three-hole flute associated with the tambourine, the flute is played with one hand and with the other one it is accompanied by a tambourine (see more)
3) the May garland at stake
4) it is not clear whether the election dethroned the previous couple immediately or is the title valid for the following year.


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It's taking some digging to determine the steps to reliably import/ship from Malawi to Canada at a reasonable cost.
We researched the international couriers, such as DHL, however they are extremely expensive. So we are going to try the Post Office route for the first shipment. Ceaser already shipped some of the paintings, however, I am now concerned that the shipment may get caught up in customs. I called customs in Canada today; it is clear I need a Commercial Import Account setup with Revenue Canada. Then the next big decision is determining if we need to work with an import broker or if I can do this myself. Given there is no money at this time, I am leaning towards trying to figure this out myself.
I also learned the Canadian Government has a database that lists all the importers, guess how many from Malawi… if you guessed 0 you win the prize! This could also be your opportunity to setup an import business between Malawi and Canada. For anyone interested here is the Step-by-Step guide around importing in Canada.
I also talked to Canada Post today and learned that if the value of the goods is under $2500.00 it can be shipped via Canada Post, if higher then we need to find another shipping option. So given that there are no major importers from Malawi, maybe I just need to fly to Malawi and pick this stuff up myself. I could use another backpacking trip and would enjoy going back to Kande Beach. However that is for another day… Tim


text: Don A. Luscombe's first aircraft, the Monocoupe, was built by the Central States Aero Company of Davenport, Ohio. It was a small two-seat sporting monoplane known as the Central States Monocoupe. Powered by a 70 hp engine, it was reputedly able to become airborne within five seconds of starting its take-off run.


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Shop Announcement:
Story Book Cushion Cover - I believe in fairytales
Story Book Cushion Cover - I believe in fairy tales
Has a little pocket in the front to keep a book
Envelope back cushion cover only, Book and insert not included.
Takes a 16" x 16" Cushion Pad and can be purchased separately
Shipping & delivery
This item will be posted to you by Bizzy Lizzys Place within 3 days of receiving payment.
|Shipping destination
|Additional items
|United Kingdom
Returns Policy
You have 14 days, from receipt, to notify the seller if you wish to cancel your order or exchange an item.
Unless faulty, the following types of items are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to your specific requirements; items which deteriorate quickly (e.g. food), personal items sold with a hygiene seal (cosmetics, underwear) in instances where the seal is broken.


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Indiabulls Greens in Panvel| Upcoming Residential Projects in Panvel
Indiabulls Green is an upcoming residential project by Indiabulls Real Estate located at Panvel. Indiabulls Greens in Panvel is a proposed residential project meant for bringing together like-minded families to live a lifestyle with a difference. More information on Indiabulls Greens by Indiabulls Real Estate.
Indiabulls Greens in Panvel| Upcoming Residential Projects in Panvel
Indiabulls Green is an upcoming residential project by Indiabulls Real Estate located at Panvel. Indiabulls Greens in Panvel is a proposed residential project meant for bringing together like-minded families to live a lifestyle with a difference. The project by Indiabulls Real Estate will be spread over an area of 80 acres amidst dense greenery. Indiabulls Greens in Panvel promises use of responsible building materials which keeps you guilt free that you are not enjoying your lifestyle at the cost of the environment. Indiabulls promises to use Low Maintenance PVC Pipes, Low energy consuming precast slabs, Aerated Concrete blocks, Energy efficient lighting fixtures, Water saving plumbing fixtures, Energy efficient ventilation systems and on-site masonry units. Investing in Panvel is considered to be one of the wisest dicesion at the moment, due to the sanction of Navi Mumbai International Airport. The prices are to rise further, with the Realty boom in Navi Mumbai
Location of Indiabulls Greens in Panvel
Indiabulls Greens is located at a perfect location which would make it feasible to both Mumbai and Pune. This promising destination is just 5 km from Panvel Railway Station. Panvel Railway Station is very well connected to all the major cities like Mumbai and Thane by harbor line. Indiabulls Greens is located 8 km from the Proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport. Indiabulls Greens is easily accessible from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and JNPT. The proposed site is adjacent to the National Highway No. 4 (NH4) and along with Mumbai – Pune Highway. Apart from Panvel Station, the nearest station for Indiabulls Greens will be Somathane Station, which lies on the Panvel Rail route.
Features of Indiabulls Greens in Panvel
The Indiabulls Green by Indiabulls Real Estate plans to have best facilities and ultra modern amenities. Apart from responsible building materials Indiabulls plans to use additional efforts to contribute their part in conserving the natural resources. This upcoming residential project in Panvel plans to construct Solar Panels for Solar Power. Other such features would include:
Rainwater Harvesting
Solar Power
Eco-friendly Garbage Disposal System
Hybrid Eco-system to recycle water
Facilities and Amenities at Indiabulls Greens in Panvel
Facilities' ad Amenities at Indiabulls Greens in Panvel are as follows:
Spacious and air-lit apartments
Landscaped Gardens
On-site nursery
Terrace gardens
Dedicated jogging tracks
Biking and walking boulevards
Rooftop landscaping
Nature trails
Grand clubhouse
Swimming pool
Toddler pools
Badminton court
Cricket pitch
Cycling track
Yoga center
Meditation center
World-class School
World-class Mall
Shopping centers
Dedicated Bus Service
Children play area
Toddler's Play area
Elder sit-outs
24 X 7 Security system
24 hour generator backup
Accommodation offered by Indiabulls Greens in Panvel
This upcoming residential project in Panvel plans to offer 1.5 BHK, 2 BHK, 3 BHK and 4 BHK Apartments. Each and every apartment will have delicately furnished exteriors and interiors. The apartments are set to sell at a price of Rs. 3100/- PER SQUARE FEET. Each and every apartment will have high quality vitrified tiles in each room including bedrooms. Kitchen will adorn a polished black granite platform with glazed tiles and a stainless sink. Telephone and internet outlets will be provided in living areas and bedrooms. The living room and bedrooms will have the provision of Concealed conduits for drawing cables for Satellite TV. Non-skid ceramic tiles and glazed wall tiles will be provided in the bathroom.
Site Address of Indiabulls Greens in Panvel
Indiabulls greens
District - Raigad
Related Articles: Investing in Navi Mumbai Properties


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Crop ProgressMinnesota's sunflower condition rated 57% good to excellent, up 6% from last week. In the Dakotas, sunflower fields are beginning to bloom: 22% of North Dakota's sunflowers are reported blooming, and 18% in South Dakota. Kansas also reports 20% of the sunflower crop in that state are blooming.
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Lamar icon Kampus Korner keeps adapting, but doesn't fix what ain't broke
Bobby Patel bought Kampus Korner Restaurant in 2009, ran it for a semester and then shut it down for remodeling. Reopened in August 2010 with a new look to accompany the newly rebuilt Rolfe Christopher Drive, this Lamar University icon was completely different, yet somehow the same.
The old-school diner with the antiseptic red-and-white motif is gone, replaced by the chrome and wood more commonly associated with a neighborhood bar, but with muted red accents paying homage to its Cardinal heritage. A full-service bar with 12 taps overlooks a seating area that Patel says diners modify to suit their own needs, pushing tables together or pulling them apart. More comfy bar stools face not the bar but the big windows looking out on a campus that itself has been transformed in recent years.
Farther down from the food counter where you place your order are more seating, pool tables, sofas, four TVs and even a smoking patio — very important considering the restaurant's proximity to the non-smoking campus.
"It caters to multiple needs at the same time," Patel said, with quiet corners and room for large groups.
Across the street from the Maes Building and Cherry Engineering, at the corner of Rolfe Christopher Drive and Colorado Avenue, just a couple blocks from MLK Parkway, Kampus Korner is popular with professors and students, refinery workers and residents of the South Park neighborhood. That's something that hasn't changed since Ebrahim Motiee open the restaurant in 1981. But what keeps them coming back?
The gyros, for one. Kampus Korner is known for this Greek sandwich, of sorts, with mixed lamb and beef with onions and tomatoes topped with tzatziki sauce (Google it) made from scratch at the restaurant, all served on a pita. You can get a gyros plate for about $9.
"That recipe has been here unchanged since 1981," Patel said, passed on by Motiee himself. "That sauce is what makes it."
And there's the Chicken Special Sandwich, also on the menu since Day One. The chicken is boiled, deboned, marinated overnight with onion and seasoning, then served on a wheat hoagie with lettuce and tomato. A little spicy, it's the antithesis of fast food, but at fast-food prices — about $5.50,
"When they come in and order the Chicken Special, I know they've been coming since the '80s," Patel said.
With that kind of tradition and quality, why branch out, take a risk and try something new? Because you're missing out.
Take the turkey sandwich, for example. This is no cold-cut compromise, but grilled mesquite turkey served hot with the cheese of your choice (go with the Swiss). The shredded turkey is moist and tasty, and served on a jalapeño bun. Delicious.
Relatively new on the menu are the quesadillas. We tried the chicken. What looked like an ordinary quesadilla had an extraordinary taste. The secret, Patel said, is the mozzarella cheese, instead of the traditional Monterey Jack. And it comes with guacamole, sour cream and pico on the side. At $6, it's worth your attention.
Sticking with the Mexican theme, we moved on to the fajita plate. Your choice of chicken or beef fajitas is served with grilled onions and peppers, but not with tortillas. In the spirit of Kampus Korner's famous gyros, the fajitas come with pita bread to wrap it all up for that important plate-to-mouth transition. All that and a salad will set you back about $9.
Kampus Korner customers come from the far corners of Southeast Texas (think Silsbee) for these and other dishes like Philly cheese steaks, pizza and burgers, but few have come so far as Patel himself, a native of India who earned his masters in chemistry at Lamar in 1987. He would move away after graduation, working at Smithkline Beecham in Pennsylvania. But the pull of Beaumont is strong.
"The people here are so nice," Patel said.
So the chemist came back to Beaumont to engineer himself a fortune selling sandwiches. And it's going well so far, so well that parking can be a problem at peak hours, which can vary depending on the ebb and flow of university students. But Patel said he has an understanding with the bookstore and bank next door, and his customers can park in their lots.
So what comes next for Kampus Korner, the steadfast yet adaptable Beaumont bar and grill? Watch for expanded coffee and cappuccino offerings in the near future, and by fall, a burrito and salad line reminiscent of Chipotle.
But always and forever, there'll be the gyros.


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In the world of film, few franchises are as symbolic and beloved as those of the Rocky saga. A series that spans nearly four decades, the films have resonated with fans of all-ages through a mixture of heart-pounding action and relatable characters that seem to leap through the screen.
This Thanksgiving, a new chapter in the Rocky story unfolds as Creed hits theaters worldwide. The upcoming film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema is directed by award-winning filmmaker Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) and stars Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station, Fantastic Four) as Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed and Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone in his iconic role.
In Creed, Adonis Johnson (Jordan), son of world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed heads to Philadelphia to track down Rocky Balboa (Stallone) and ask him to be his trainer. Agreeing to take him on, Rocky trains the young fighter, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring. The film hits theaters worldwide on November 25, 2015.
In celebration of this monumental release, Vivid Games recently released Real Boxing 2 CREED for mobile, the follow up to 2012's Real Boxing. Allowing players to take control of Adonis, the game offers players an exclusive new vantage point into the world of the film, which is an exciting prospect for both the fans and the developers.
"It's a great privilege to work with such a legendary property." said Vivid Games' Jan Chichlowski. "Looking back at the Rocky franchise and how it inspired entire generations across almost four decades really inspired us to create the best boxing experience for mobile that does justice to the movies."
In the past properly translating a larger-than-life cinematic experience like CREED to the realm of gaming would have been challenging for most developers. Yet, Chichlowski explains that with Unreal Engine 4 the team hasn't had to cut any corners, creating a blockbuster title worthy of the franchise.
"Real Boxing 2 CREED uses a wide range of different tools offered by Unreal Engine 4 to make it not only the best boxing title for mobile, but also a fantastic gaming experience in general." he said beamingly. "With a lot of effort from everyone on the team and the power of Unreal Engine 4 we were reach new heights when it comes to visual quality."
Thanks in part to Unreal Engine 4, Vivid Games has created a technical knock-out. Features baked into the engine, such as post-processing, advanced particle systems, new shader technology and realistic physics give Real Boxing 2 CREED fidelity worthy of its cinematic inspiration.
Moreover, tools like Unreal Engine 4's Blueprint Visual System have also played a large role in the game's development. Among many other applications, the tool allows developers to create a reference build and smoothly translate it to mobile devices, taking some of the pain out of the overall process.
"One of the most important ways in which Unreal Engine 4 helped us is the new Blueprint system, which lets you create game logic using an object-based language." Chichlowski said. "Combined with the ability to create build references, this new feature allowed us to speed up the development process considerably and allowed us to focus on the creative aspects of developing Real Boxing 2 CREED."
It's not enough for the characters in the game to look like the characters from the film, they need to move and feel like them too. Through an appreciation for the franchise and a dedication to detail, Vivid Games has gone to great lengths to ensure the characters in Real Boxing 2 CREED feel as good as they look.
"Adonis not only looks unique, but also plays differently to other characters in the game." explained Chichlowski. "Every aspect of the character, including his gear, is unique in order to have our players feel as if they are part of the movie"
Much like the game's titular protagonist, Real Boxing 2 CREED isn't pulling any punches. Armed with Unreal Engine 4, the game is poised to deliver a knockout, one you can take everywhere you go.
The launch of Real Boxing 2 CREED is just the beginning. With the Rocky franchise's fortieth anniversary around the corner they're committed to going the distance, promising that there's much more to be excited about ahead.
"We have some very exciting plans for the game that will start early next year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Rocky's first appearance on the silver screen." Chichlowski hinted. "We have some amazing plans regarding the whole Rocky universe and the way we can blend it with the Real Boxing experience, so players will have a lot to look forward to."
Real Boxing 2 CREED is available now on the App Store and Google Play: www.PlayCREED.com
CREED © 2015 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
For information on Real Boxing 2 CREED and Vivid Games check out Facebook and Twitter.


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Years of lowly servitude have made you better at dealing with people and good at either reading them or lying to them.
Prerequisite: Anumus.
Benefit: You get a +2 racial bonus on all Diplomacy checks. For this feat, choose either the Sense Motive skill or the Bluff skill. This choice is permanent. Gain a +2 racial bonus in the chosen skill. If you have 10 or more ranks in one of these skills, the bonus increases to +4 for that skill.
Remarkable Races: Compendium of Unusual PC Races, Pathway to Adventure Edition. Copyright 2009, Alluria Publishing; Author: J. Matthew Kubisz


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It is often said that, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step". Well, for me, my journey began with a single drop. That drop was a drop of doTERRA essential oil and it literally changed my life. I have been a doTERRA wellness advocate for over 3 years now and it's amazing how that tiny drop of oil changed my life.
This blog is all about essential oils and how to use them in your everyday life. Whenever I refer to oils, it will always be the doTERRA brand of oils. I have been with them for three years now and cannot imagine a more amazing essential oil company. They have won my loyalty completely (more about that later).
So I'd like for you to come and join me on this amazing adventure as I explore and learn more about these essential oils and all of the amazing opportunities that come from them.


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For the past few years, I've followed the birth and development of the sharing economy, amazed by the market potential for activities based around a very common human act: Sharing.
On the web or via mobile, we can now share almost anything. With Airbnb, we can share our living spaces. With Skillshare and Udemy, we can share our knowledge. With Getaround, we can share our cars. And if we have a car, but lack a parking spot, we can find a spot to share on Parking Panda.
All of this sharing activity, though, often begins with a conversation about safety. How do I know an Airbnb guest won't ransack my apartment? Is it guaranteed that a Getaround user will return my car? If I lend my parking spot, is the space renter going to leave it vacant when I need it? Or when will be that inevitable day when something goes wrong?
Sites like Airbnb and Getaround have taken drastic measures implementing features, such as ID verification and social graph integration, to guard against safety issues. Startup TrustCloud, too, has ambitions to create a portable measure of trust that can be referenced from any place on the web.
Safety and trustworthiness, as it appears, are still issues in the world of collaborative consumption, but we're moving towards a model that favors reputation: A reputation economy, if you will.
In its latest installment of the Networked Society film series, technology company Ericsson looks at new ways of exchanging money and how reputation is becoming a driver for trusted trades, especially digitally. The film, On the Money, among other things, discussed the effects of sites like Airbnb on the way we live, travel, and even work.
The world is still in need of a standard solution that transparently showcases the trustworthiness of individuals offering goods and services on the Internet. So, there is much room for innovation and discussion here. Check out the video above and share your thoughts on reputation and the sharing economy. What system would you create to better the reputation economy? Let us know in the comments below.
Image and film courtesy of Ericsson


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The Inspiration Approach
We provide a loving, happy, educational, and secure environment for children. We strive to instill in each child a love of learning, a positive self-image, and a sense of creativity. Our nature based curriculum utilizes a hands on approach to provide our students with a unique opportunity to acquire traditional preschool skills and learn kindness driven social skills. We have a solid commitment to providing high quality care and education for young children.
Preschool Discovery Program
Ages: 3 years through the start of Kindergarten
Hours: 8:30am-3:00pm
2 Days * Tuesday & Thursday
3 Days * Monday, Wednesday & Friday
5 Days * Monday through Friday
Extended Day Hours
Sunset Care: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Schedule a Tour Today!
If you're looking to enroll your child in a preschool program we would love to show you around and discuss how our program may fit your child's educational goals.
- Contact us to Schedule a Tour
- Review the Parent Welcome Packet
- Complete the Enrollment Forms


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Whether you're looking for pencils, giveaway pens, or stylus pens, Gold Bond has you covered. Gold Bond's Super Glide pens boast a smooth, reliable German ink that doesn't skip and starts every time. Stylus pens give twice the bang for the buck with a tip for touch screens and a quality refill for writing.


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Part Number:CPD-ID-BA014
Item Size:5" x 7"
Announcing Seal Birth Announcements
Celebrate your new arrival with this flat white birth announcement which features a white background with a blue outer border. A grey seal with blue ears blows a green bubble at the top of the card which reads, "ANNOUNCING!". Includes white unlined envelopes.
Ideal For:Baby Boy Announcements, Boy Birth Announcements
Delivery Time
To determine your delivery time, add the ground shipping time to your location, as shown on the map below, to the listed processing time. To speed up your delivery, you can select rush processing(details below in the form) and/or upgrade shipping to next day or second day air during the checkout process. If you have requested a proof, the processing time listed begins after you have approved your proof.
Processing Time:Approximately 2-3 business days
Ships From:North Carolina
Font Shown:Bodoni & Futura Book
Font Color:Grey
Paper Thickness:130# White Cover
Printing Method:Digital Press
Min. Order Quantity:10


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Free mp3??? Where to get? where to get???
Aimini is like a file sharing website. Members will have the options to upload and share their files (videos, music, etc), which can be downloaded at any time, of course by fellow members! Signing up is free anyway so, that's good!
Of course, you can't find everything in there but only what the members uploaded. But still you can get good finds. Just search and try to get a particular mp3. It's still a great help, aight? :)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 | Labels: Free | 0 Comments
Digital Scrapbooking
I remember as a beginner, I only rely on freebies to do a project (LO). Mr Google has always been my reliable helper. Since then, I got hooked.
Going into the history.....
Scrapbooking is a method for preserving personal and family history in the form of photographs, printed media, and memorabilia contained in decorated albums, or scrapbooks. The idea of keeping printed materials of personal interest probably dates to shortly after the invention of printing. This trend is probably similar for photographs. Historically, scrapbooking was a tradition similar to storytelling, but with a visual and tactile, rather than oral, focus.
In ancient Greece hypomnemata were a form of notebook for recording one's own copies of what one had heard, read, or thought that might be worth remembering. There is little evidence in the archaeological and historical record that this practice was undertaken anywhere else previously. That one had to make one's own hand-written copies of what someone else had written reflected the expense of hiring a scribe to do so. More recently commonplace books reflected the same practice. Only with the availability of abundant printed material is it likely that the content of such books shifted away from one's own hand-writing or drawings or those of one's family members toward commercially available printed material.
Scrapbooking in its earliest form was a way to blend ephemera, memorabilia collections and journaling. People have been scrapbooking since printed material became available to the average person. Some of the earliest and most famous American scrapbookers include Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain.Scrapbooking with photographs has been around since photos became available to ordinary people. Old scrapbooks tended to have photos mounted with photomount corners and perhaps notations of who was in a photo or where and when it was taken. They often included bits of memorabilia like newspaper clippings, letters, etc. Modern scrapbooking has evolved into creating attractive displays of photos, text, journaling and memorabilia.
Digital scrapbooking
The advent of scanners, desktop publishing, page layout programs, and advanced printing options make it relatively easy to create professional-looking layouts in digital form. The internet allows scrapbookers to self-publish their work. Scrapbooks that exist completely in digital image form are referred to as "digital scrapbooks" or "computer scrapbooks."
While some people prefer the physicality of the actual artifacts they paste onto the pages of books, the digital scrapbooking hobby has grown in popularity in recent years. Some of the advantages include a greater diversity of materials, less environmental impact, cost savings, the ability to share finished pages more readily on the internet, and the use of image editing software to experiment with manipulating page elements in multiple ways without making permanent adjustments. A traditional scrapbook layout may employ a background paper with a torn edge. While a physical page can only be torn once and never restored, a digital paper can be torn and untorn with ease, allowing the scrapbooker to try out different looks without wasting supplies. When you create a digital layout, you do it in much the same way that you would a traditional layout, in that you layer papers and elements on top of one another. Each paper, photo, or embellishment exists on its own layer in your document, and you can reposition them at your discretion.
Furthermore, digital scrapbooking is not limited to digital storage and display. Many digital scrappers print their finished layouts to be stored in scrapbook albums. Others have books professionally printed in hard bound books to be saved as keepsakes. Professional printing- and binding-services offer free software to create scrapbooks with professional layouts and individual layouting capabilities. Because of the integrated design and order workflow, real hardcover bounded books can be produced cost effectively.
If you haven't tried doing it, I encourage to go and try it now. It's fun! There are a lot of websites that offer lots of freebies to start with. There are also helpful tips to guide you as you go with it.... and if you ran out of free stuffs, you can always buy...hahaha! Just ask Mr. Google to help you on your searches.
Monday, April 28, 2008 | Labels: Digital | 0 Comments
My first post on my second home...
This blog is created to document everything new that I'll encounter as time goes. So expect a lot of new discoveries here...maybe somethings will not be new to you but this is me...and everything new to me...
Monday, April 28, 2008 | Labels: thinking out loud | 0 Comments


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Iconic harbor swim returns to Hong Kong after 33 years
After a hiatus of more than 30 years, Hong Kong's cross-harbor swim recommenced early Sunday with 1,000 swimmers racing across Victoria Harbour.
Swimmers dived into the harbor at Lei Yu Mun's Sam Ka Tsuen pier and raced 1.89 kilometers to Quarry Bay Park pier.
Ling Tin-Yu -- a member of the Hong Kong swim team -- won the race, crossing Victoria Harbour in 20 minutes, 34 seconds.
Now branded the New World Harbour Race 2011, the event began more than 100 years ago, but has not been held since 1978 due to polluted waters and busy harbor traffic.
Last week, data from Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department (EPD) revealed E. coli levels in the harbor were twice the maximum acceptable level at Hong Kong bathing beaches.
The Green Harbour Actions environmental concern group warned that swimmers partaking in the swim risked becoming ill.
However, the EPD announced water quality in the harbor, particularly in the eastern section where the race took place, has "shown significant improvement" and E. coli levels have decreased by 95 percent since a new sewage treatment scheme began in 2001.
Organizers said E. coli levels since October 15, a day before the race, were at acceptable levels and no swimmer has reported becoming ill so far.
Also on CNNGo: The facility that is cleaning up Victoria Harbour
Ling, the winner of the men's individual competition, said he felt that today's weather conditions, water temperature and calm seas were suitable for racing.
As for pollution levels, Ling said that "the water was clear."
Among the youngest competitors in Sunday's swim was 12-year-old Lo Cheuk-ling, who felt the water quality was "not bad." Apart from some floating leaves, he said he did not see any rubbish in the harbor.
Doug Woodring, co-founder of the Ocean Recovery Alliance and Project Kaisei, was a spectator at the harbor race. He was happy that many people came out to swim and watch the race.
"So many people came out and it really shows the value of the ocean," said Woodring. "The more we clean up the water, the more opportunities there are to do these sorts of events.
"Even though the water quality is not perfect yet, it is great to see that people care about the water."


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Each restaurant, bar, hotel/motel, and healthcare facility has different ice needs.
Half-Dice Ice
With a unique rhomboid shape, these hard, clear ice cubes measure 3/8" x 1-1/8" x7/8". A half-dice ice machine utilizes a vertical evaporator for maximum efficiency. Half-Dice Cubes provide maximum cooling with a nearly 100% ice to water ratio. They are most commonly used in restaurants and bars.
Full-Dice Ice
Full-Dice Ice may also be simply called Dice Ice. They are very similar to the half-dice cubes. They are hard, clear ice cubes with a rhomboid shape, but they measure 7/8" x 7/8" x 7/8". Full-Dice Cubes provide maximum cooling with a nearly 100% ice to water ratio. They are most commonly used in restaurants and bars.
Regular-Dice Ice
Also referred to as Regular Cubes, these cubes are also similar to the half-dice and full-dice cubes. They share the rhomboid shape and are clear hard cubes. They measure 1-1/8" x 1-1/8" x 7/8". Regular-Dice cubes offer maximum cooling with a nearly 100% ice to water ratio. They are most commonly used in restaurants and bars.
Nugget Ice
Nugget ice has a soft, chewable texture. While easy to chew, it is still hard enough to be dispensed without hand scooping. Average pieces measure from 3/8" to 1/2" in length and width. Nugget ice is most commonly found in Sonic Restaurants. With a 90% ice to water ratio, nugget ice can cool drinks quicker. Unfortunately, they do melt quicker.
Tubular Nugget Ice
Similar to nugget ice, tubular nugget ice also has a soft, chewable texture. However, individual pieces have a cylindrical shape with a 5/8" diameter and an average 1" length. The long shape and the 90% ice quality make tubular nuggets ideal for dispensing applications.
Flake Ice
Flake ice consists of small, soft pieces of ice with a 73% ice to water ratio. Flake ice is perfect for food and beverage presentation and preservation. It can be formed around an object without bruising and holds it in place without tipping or spilling. Flake ice can also be used for hand scooping to drinks. However, the low ice to water ratio causes the ice to melt at a faster pace.
Crushed Ice
Crushed ice is formed from full-dice or half-dice cubes crushed into small pieces using a Manitowoc ice machine and Servend beverage dispenser equipped with an icepic ice crusher. Crushed ice provides a selection of crushed or cubed ice from a single ice maker/ice beverage dispenser combination. This offers maximum cooling with a nearly 100% ice to water ratio.
Gourmet Cube Ice
Gourmet Cubes are hard, clear, individual cubes with an octagonal shape. Each cube measures 1-3/8" x 1-3/8". They offer maximum cooling with nearly 100% ice to water ratio. With a crystal-like appearance, these are the premium beverage companion. Bars use these cubes more since the slow melt will sustain flavor in a drink. A gourmet cube is also ideal for a drink on the rocks with a single cube.


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5 reasons your child can NOT become an animator
Because you think animation is not real education.
The ability to imagine, create, design, draw and give life is a special talent We would like to tell you that Animaster offers a 4 year degree programme of BVA or Bachelor of Visual in Animation, Gaming, Graphic design, web design and VFX in affiliation with the Bangalore University which is one of the leading universities in India. But then again, that's not engineering or medicine or law, right? . Nurturing that special quality is the best education you could give him/her.
Because you're worried about his jobless future.
But did you know that, with the gaming industry booming, with TV channels looking for newer animated series and ads and movies using extensive animation and VFX, it's a great time for the industry. It has also been reported that the animation industry has seen an 8% in the number of jobs since 2012. In fact, we at Animaster constantly get people, who are tired of their mundane corporate jobs, enrolling into our certificate programmes.
Because he cannot pursue a master's degree.
There are several institutes, some very reputed ones such as UCLA, Bournemouth University, Indian Institute of Digital Art and Animation that offer an MFA in graphic, web design or an MVA in Animation. The learning in this vocational field is only limited to one's creative capabilities.
Because there is not good animation school in the city/town/country where we live.
We are bridging this gap with Animaster's cloud-based BVA programme. With this, your child can study animation anywhere, anytime, with just a web-enabled device. Isn't that amazing?
Because you did not know about all this.
Well, now you do. Do visit our website here for more on our programmes and courses. Also, bookmark our blog for more updates from the animation scene.