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Stuck on the Tube for 3 Hours!!!!!
How can a train get stuck underground for 3 Hours!!!!
Ok even in the case of it happening are you telling me another train cant be driven up to it and passengers transferred. I would have been going up the wall. A definite tourettes attack would have ensued (and I dont even have it). I am not litigious either but I would be looking for compensation. Actually, hitting the person responsible might be satisfying enough. What I cant understand is signals breaking down. Are they that old or that shit. What can go wrong? I would have thought that with technology these days the tube could be fully automated without any need for human beings to operate it. Anyway us poor mugs have to take it so there it is.
World Cup
Lets hope England can win the world cup. Cant we have some trains in the Englanbd football team livery. May not be politically correct to celebrate ones own football team in owns own country on the "Iconic" (ironic) tube. On the other hand I bet no one had the imagination to think of it.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kayleigh Stone
|This article does not cite its references or sources. You can help WikiFur by adding references.
For specifics, check the edit history and talk page. Consult the Furry Book of Style for editing help.
Kayleigh Stone (born 1992), also known as Kat Amour, lobotomyxpop, lobotomypop and xrenegade23, is a artist who lives in Michigan, USA.
Kayleigh's fursona is a 17 year old fox named Kat Amour . She is a fox with many feline traits, such as some stripes on her tail and lower back.
Her fur is red and white with black paws. The hair on her head is shoulder length and constantly changing in color, though it is currently black. Her style in clothing is that of the Gothic Lolita, making her completely Victorian era, obsessed, especially with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Her favorite item is her hand-held silver and black mirror, which she keeps in her purse.
She has been known to look more casual with outfits she has created herself, but they mainly consist of a pin-up style. Kat is close to Tyroo and Eos Astraios.
External links[edit]
|This stub about a person could be expanded.


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IBM + StrongLoop - The Million API Jam is ON!
gcuomo 060000X9CG Visits (37063)
IBM + StrongLoop - The Million API Jam is ON! I'm really excited about our StrongLoop announcement and I want to warmly welcome the gang to our IBM Family. With StrongLoop and IBM together, I have a message for the players in the API Economy… "You are about to experience Hyper-growth!" I predict that over the next 3 years we will see the creation of an additional 1 Million Business APIs which will supercharge the economy around APIs. This article attempts to back this bold statement, and why I... [More]


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This week it is my Studio Calico kit mixed with CASE this Sketch.
This card came together nicely once I got rolling. I started with a full panel of the lined paper, intending to put some circles on the paper, and then decided to cut the circles from the paper and pop it over the black pattern paper. From there, it all just came together.
Hopefully I will have more time to create as the weekend nears, as I'm feeling a bit craft-deprived. I hope you have some time to create.
Cardstock, Pattern Paper, Stamps, Buttons: Studio Calico Penny Arcade Card Kit
Dies: Sizzix Circle Die
Ink: Stampin' Up
Other: Fiskars Circle Punch


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WiPHoF Candidates are selected through public nominations.
Rules for Election – Women in Poker Hall of Fame (Revised and Ratified July 2016)
b) Player/industry leader must have contributed to the world of poker in some significant way. For example, a candidate may qualify by either winning major poker tournaments, gained prominence through their poker success, or by making significant contributions to the industry of poker.
c) Player/industry leader candidate must be a proponent of women in poker- i.e.: refrain from publically criticizing women's tournaments.
d) All nominees must be approved by the Organization Committee and current Hall Members.
b) After the public nomination process ends, the list will be forwarded to the WiPHOF Organization Committee for review. The nominations are then forwarded to the current Hall Members for additional review. From the submissions, eligible candidates are selected based upon the candidate's record, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the world of poker.
c) The eligible candidates are then contacted to request acceptance of the nomination prior to being placed on the ballot.
d) Once the ballot is prepared, it is voted upon by the WiPHoF Hall Members and selected media members. Each voting member receives 10 votes. Votes may be cast however the voting panel chooses. (Example: A voter may cast all ten of their votes on one candidate, or spread their 10 votes over several of the candidates.)


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"Following discussions with the manager and on nutritional advice, it was decided to no longer feed our team red meat for health and performance reasons.
"[It has now been] decided that this policy should be extended to the stadium, at least in part as a further step in establishing ourselves as a "green" organisation.
"This is obviously a break with tradition but in time we hope that many will come to see it as a step forward rather than a step backwards.
"If red meat was not good enough to feed our players, then it wasn't good enough for our staff, fans and visitors too.
"At its worst it means once every two weeks watching a football game without being able to eat red meat. Anybody that really needs it can bring a ham sandwich or something if they wish - that's no problem.
"But we are not just doing this to provide tasty food. It takes ten times more energy to feed a meat-eater than it takes to feed a vegetarian. So Rovers is becoming the first ever sports club to offer all fans, players and staff an accredited sustainable menu.


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If you are a Google Advertising Professional for AdWords based in the US, you may have received an invitation to apply to be an AdWords Seminar Leader. This program is looking for leaders to conduct day-long seminars in various locations across the US.
Those who have been asked to apply will need to submit their resume, a two minute long video where the applicant talks about an aspect of AdWords of their own choosing, as well as an application form that AdWords supplies.
Those who are accepted will be paid (although the amount is not specified) and they will also be granted an AdWords contact to keep the leaders up to date on the latest and greatest in AdWords.
This is an interesting approach by Google, but I suspect that applicants will probably be more interested in the contacts and perks of the job, as opposed to the pay. And it will be something to watch if becoming a Seminar Leader working for Google will hurt advertisers and agencies relations with Yahoo! Search Marketing and other PPC providers. I am sure more details will be known once leaders are selected and the first seminars are held.
Also, other Google teams are likely watching this experiment to see if it is something that could be expanded to other Google products, such as "AdSense Optimization Seminars" (similar to the Bay Area Forum I participated in at the Googleplex) or "Sitemaps & Analytics Seminars".
Via ThreadWatch.


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This recipe is a face lift to the traditional parathas with chicken stuffing inside. This is an easy to make recipe that you can try on a lazy evening for dinner. I'm sure the kids would love it as well. This combo would serves the purpose of eating chicken and chappathi separately. It would be a great pair with raita and pickle and even dal would be a good side for this.
For the stuffing
Chicken ½ lbs, cut to small pieces
Onion 1 medium, finely chopped
Green chilly 2 nos, chopped finely
Garlic 6-8 cloves, thinly sliced
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Turmeric ½ tsp
Chicken masala 2 tsp, I used Eastern brand
Oil 2 tsp
Salt as needed
Cook the chicken along with green chillies, turmeric and salt in a pressure cooker (or in a deep pan with ¼ cup water on stove top until all water is evaporated and chicken pieces are cooked through) to one whistle. Allow it to release pressure itself. Once cooled mince/ shred the chicken using a spoon or with hands. Set aside.
Heat oil in another pan and add chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes. Add the chicken masala and stir well until the raw smell goes off. Now add garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. DO NOT let the garlic burn. Adding lots of garlic gives a nice flavor to the stuffing. Next throw in the curry leaves and the minced or shred chicken. Adjust salt, mix well and switch off flame.
For the chapathi
Wheat flour 1 cup
Oil 1 tsp
Water use enough to make the dough
Make dough with wheat flour, oil and water like you do for chapathi. Keep aside for half an hour. (Add salt to your preference).
Divide the dough to make equal size balls (with the above quantity, you can make 4-5 stuffed chapathis). You need little bigger balls as we need to stuff the chicken mix. Take each ball, flatten them using your hand and make a small cup. Place a small portion (almost 1 TBSP.) of the stuffing inside and seal it carefully from all ends. Flatten the balls again and dust with some dry flour. Roll this out into rounds using a rolling pin as you do for chapathi.
Heat the skillet grease it with little bit of oil or ghee then add the chapathi and cook until it attains a light golden brown on both sides. For extra buttery taste you can grease both sides with a stick of butter after taking it off of skillet but before it cools down. Enjoy!!!


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Address: Approximately 2 km East of Hanna on Highway #9
Phone: There is no public phone at the terminal.
Runways Asphalt: 12-30 asphalt 3500' x 75'
Runways Turf: 02-20 turf 1800' x 100'
15-33 turf 1418' x 60'
Flight Planning & Notams: Calgary FSS (403) 276-0337
Aviation Fuel: A $20 call out fee applies. You can contact any of the following:
- Rob (403) 857-9221
- Mark (403) 854-4522
- Bob (403) 854-3543 or (403) 854-8499
Used primarily by private aircraft owners and private charters, the 3500 foot runway is capable of handling general aviation needs as well as light commercial air firms and charter operations.
The 2000 sq. ft. terminal building provides a rest area for pilots and passengers with full washroom facilities. Transportation, food and overnight accommodations are available a short cab ride away, in Hanna.
The main floor of the airport terminal provides a nice meeting space for small gatherings. To book, please contact the Town Office. The current meeting rental fee (effective 2019) is $45.00/hour plus GST or $175.00/day plus GST.
The Hanna Airport is a "No Drone Zone" according to Transport Canada laws. You may also be interested in this illustrated guide.
View the embedded image gallery online at:


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Hamada Distributors To Sell Screen USA 4-Up CTP Thermal Platesetter
Tuesday, September 18, 2001
ROLLING MEADOWS, IL. - Hamada of America and Screen (USA) announced today an agreement where Hamada and their dealers will market Screen products with Hamada's impressive B452 series digital color printing solution. Effective immediately, this marketing agreement includes the PlateRite 4000 thermal CTP platesetter and Trueflow workflow solution. Hamada will promote the B452 with Screen's products through its 56 dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada. "We are very pleased to reach this agreement with Hamada of America," said A.J. Kakiuchi, President of Screen (USA). "Hamada and Screen are two companies very much alike. Both have been proactive at introducing new technologies to the graphic arts industry. Hamada is well known for its outstanding dealer network, and this sends a clear message about their confidence in our PlateRite system. The opportunity to be involved in their distribution channel serves as a tremendous benefit to us." Ken Yokoe, President of Hamada of America, stated, "We are extremely pleased to bring to the market the PlateRite 4000 thermal CTP platesetter. This is complementary and enhances Hamada's multi-color press lines such as the B452 series. This allows our customers to receive the full benefits of CTP technology. We are also pleased to exhibit the PlateRite 4000 with Trueflow solution at the Hamada booth #3737) throughout Print 01." Screen (USA) introduced the PlateRite 4000 thermal CTP platesetter two years ago. Since then, customers have discovered the true abilities of the four-page device with its incredible speed, impeccable quality and reliability, and customer satisfaction. Trueflow has remained the PDF workflow solution of choice since its introduction last year at Graph Expo. It incorporates the latest features and handles automatic job processing, preflighting, automatic trapping, RIP'ed PDF files output, plate layout, editing and more. The Hamada B452 series is a four-color press that features the Easy Plate Setting System (EPS) and Auto Blanket Wash. With a maximum range of 20 1/2" by 14 3/8", it prints at a speed of 10,000 impressions per hour and offers landscape feeding and an ink key control system.


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Cerasmus+ Project for Innovation in the Ceramic Sector
The project training course was held in Kecskemét (Hungary)
7-11 January 2019 (Kecskemét, Hungary) – The training course of the project was held in the facilities of the International Ceramic Studio (http://www.muveszetimuhelyek.org/), a ceramic art centre created in Kecskemét on the initiative of Hungarian artists who had felt culturally and ideologically isolated. The mission of the studio is to promote the formal, aesthetic and technical development of ceramics and to help foster creative skills.
Co-funded by the European program Erasmus+, the Cerasmus+ project aims to protect the European traditional heritage, to modernize the ceramic sector and to develop vocational training in ceramic craft industry enhancing work based learning models.
During the training in Hungary, professional of the ceramic sector discussed the training needs on the topics of Tradition and Innovation; Urban environment and Business start ups.
On the 18th of December 2018, AEuCC team led the online international stakeholder meeting of the Cerasmus+ project, with the aim to discuss the results of the questionnaire about the training needs of the ceramics sector.
AEuCC – Agrupación Europea de Ciudades de la Cerámica (AECT limitada) - NIF: Q3000822A - Our Privacy Policy


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By Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — There's a new matchmaking website in Philadelphia, but this one's designed to hook up local nonprofits with technology companies that want to help.
It's called commitpledge.com
"You can sign up and say I want to donate 10 hours to a nonprofit that's doing work with basic coding skills, or a nonprofit can apply and say I need volunteers to help me with my constituency in building their resumes for job applications."
Brian James Kirk is co-founder of Technical.ly, which runs the news site Technically Philly (technical.ly/philly) and is behind this service drive.
"We're planning to match people on June 1st. We'll send out those initial introductions to make sure that they find one another."
The site was unveiled at Philly Tech Week, and already it's buzzing with those pledging hours worth of work blogging, doing social media, and web design, as well as with organizations in need.
In early June, Kirk says they'll start connecting nonprofits with techies with a goal of strengthening the community.
"At the end of the day, any nonprofit — whether it's a more traditional nonprofit or one focused on providing tech skills to a growing workforce in Philadelphia — everyone needs that extra set of hands to help."


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Moreleta Park Hotels & Lodges
4 results for Hotels & Lodges in Moreleta Park.
All Seasons Boutique Hotel
741 Frhensch Street, Moreleta Park, 0181, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
All Seasons Boutique Hotel offers fine accommodation in six lovely rooms. Located in Moreleta Park, Pretoria and here you can enjoy total serenity. From here you are close to many great activities and attractions to keep you ...
French Manor on Jacques
718 Jacques Street, Moreleta Park, 0044, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
French Manor on Jacques offers luxurious accommodation in Moreleta Park. All rooms have tea / coffee making facilities, air conditioning and a TV with selected DStv channels and Free WiFi. The guesthouse has a ...
French Manor Guest House
606 Freedmann Avenue, Moreleta Park, 0044, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
French Manor Guest House is situated in the upmarket suburb of Moreleta Park in Pretoria-East. When staying at French Manor Guest House you have the choice of six units, each tastefully furnished with beautiful French ...
Blue Diamond Boutique Hotel
761 Rubenstein Drive, Moreleta Park, Pretoria, 0181, Gauteng, South Africa
We take guest comfort very seriously - who wouldnt want to be serious about experiencing fine 100% cotton linen, king and queen size beds, plush carpets, spacious living areas and beautifully appointed on suite bathrooms? ...
4 Results for Moreleta Park
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I didn't get photos of every army at the Indy Open, but I did get good pics of about half of them. Enjoy!
Composition-wise, there are a LOT of Grey Knight, Necron, and Dark Eldar armies on hand. My subjective impression is that these 3 armies account for about half of the entire field. The Imperial Guard and Blood Angels still have very decent showings, and we a lot of Daemons due to their popularity amongst the local players. Space Wolves are surprisingly weakly represented, with only a two players. Even the Orks and Vanilla Marines have more players on hand than the Wolves.
There are no Tau or Nids, and only a couple of Craftworld Eldar.
Guard, Guard, and...
Nooooo! Day glow flesh-NECRONS!!! Eeeeew! ;)
Yep, another Grey Knight army. Missile proxies instead of autocannons on the Dreds at least.
This one is even more impressive in person.
ScottyDon't brought his Vulkan Marines.
Beautiful! Now hand me a tissue. ;)
This is the only Space Wolf army that I remember seeing.
I've seen this guy before, maybe at Adepticon?
Lion-Riders as Rough Riders. With horns.
...zzzzzzzt! What's with the lone blue guy?
GeekProtem's "Blood Angels". He likes old Land Raiders and spindly bike/dred conversions.
Hey! You stole Vulkan's old display base!


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I was intrigued to go because of the Christmas mythology the movie was tapping into.
Rooted in European folklore, Krampus is one of the Companions of Saint Nicholas. The Companions go by different names in different cultures, and their role is to provide a dark counterpart to St. Nicholas. Here's the Wikipedia description (slightly edited) of the Companions:
The companions of Saint Nicholas are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. Nicholas in German-speaking Europe and more widely throughout the territories formerly in the Holy Roman Empire. These characters act as a foil to the benevolent Christmas gift-bringer, threatening to thrash or abduct disobedient children. Jacob Grimm associated this character with the pre-Christian house spirit (kobold, elf) which could be benevolent or malicious, but whose mischievous side was emphasized after Christianization. The association of the Christmas gift-bringer with elves has parallels in English and Scandinavian folklore, and is ultimately and remotely connected to the modern Christmas elf in American folklore.Santa mythology has always had a moral aspect, rewards for the good children and punishments for the bad children. The visitation of Santa has always been a bit ominous. Consequently, children are taught to "watch out" for Santa:
Names for the "dark" or threatening companion figure include: Knecht Ruprecht in Germany, Krampus in Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Friuli, Hungary; Klaubauf in Bavaria, Austria...Schmutzli in Switzerland...The corresponding figure in the Netherlands and Flanders is called Zwarte Piet or "Black Pete," and in Swiss folklore Schmutzli, (schmutz meaning dirt). In the Czech Republic, St. Nicholas is accompanied by the čert (Devil) and anděl (Angel).
You better watch outIn our modern, kinder Santa mythology the punishment you get is being ignored by Santa, or getting a lump of coal in your stocking. This reflects our progressive, liberal sensibilities when it comes to disciplining children, the use of what psychologists call "negative punishment," the withdrawal or withholding of something positive. Time outs, grounding or taking away something cherished by the child (e.g., iPhone, car keys, video games, etc.) are all forms of negative punishment--punishment by subtraction/removal. Getting ignored by Santa for being naughty is a form of negative punishment.
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list
He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out
Who's naughty or nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Generations past, however, were less squeamish about positive punishment, bringing/adding something negative (like pain) into the life of the child. Spanking is the quintessential example of positive punishment when it comes to child discipline. And that's where Krampus and the Companions of St. Nicholas come in. Be good, children, or you'll get either St. Nicholas or Krampus. Presents or a beating.
The movie Krampus, then, is set up as a Christmas morality tale. The movie opens with the darkest of Christmas images--the frenzied mobs of Black Friday. We see shoppers knocking over the employees and people fighting over presents. It's basically Christmas retail hell. The nadir of the scene happens when a fight breaks out between the children participating in a Nativity play.
Which is potent imagery for Christians, violence around the manger of the Prince of Peace.
In the opening scenes, then, we get a vision of a completely decadent town, a town that, because it has lost touch with Christmas, has lost its soul, community and moral compass.
From these scenes we then switch to the home of Tom and Beth and their two children, Sarah and Max. Also living in the home is Tom's Austrian mother, the German-speaking grandmother who is affectionately referred to as "Omi" by Max and Sarah. Omi is the one who, later in the movie, tells the story of the Krampus to explain what is happening to the family and town.
Irritating family members soon show up to spend the holiday. And paralleling the retail hell scene, we are entertained with vignettes of holiday family hell as this dysfunctional family interacts. It's a Christmas hell all the way around--from the aggressive shopping to the horrors of family dysfunction.
All of this eventually summons Krampus who, along with some evil assistants, punishes the town. What follows is comedy/horror scenes reminiscent of the Gremlins (1984) movie.
And yet, from a theological perspective, the movie is more than a simple morality tale, a story of bad people getting Krampus rather than St. Nick. The real story isn't about moral just deserts, the real story is about enchantment.
What ultimately summons Krampus isn't wickedness but the loss of enchantment. Though he's getting a bit old for it, Max still believes in Santa. This is symbolized by the note he has once again written to Santa. But when his horrible cousins come they tease Max unmercifully for still believing. They find his note to Santa and humiliate Max by reading and mocking it aloud at the family dinner table.
Devastated and shamed, Max's belief in Santa snaps. Through tears he rips up the note to Santa, opens a window, and throws the pieces into the winter wind. And that--the loss of belief--is what summons Krampus.
We are led to believe in the movie that Max is that last one in his family and his town who, in words of the movie, still believes in miracles--still believes in Santa, still believes in enchantment. And this belief acts as a shield and buffer for the town. The town is wicked, but with one believer still left in the town the town has been spared a visit from Krampus. But as soon as Max rips up his letter to Santa, the moment the town is given wholly over to disenchantment, Krampus comes. When faith evaporates hell comes to earth.
Don't believe in Santa? Fine. You'll get Krampus instead.
This story is told again by Omi later in the movie. Omi has seen Krampus before. Like Max, as a child Omi lived in a town that became filled with coldness, hostility and inhumanity. And like Max this had seeped into Omi's home, a home that became filled with conflict. And like Max, Omi was the last person in her town who believed in Christmas. And when Omi gave up belief, despairing as Max despaired, she unwittingly summoned Krampus who came and took her family and the entire town away.
There's a lot of powerful theology here. Belief in miracles--faith, belief, enchantment--acts as a buffer, protection that keeps us from sliding into conflict, violence, and inhumanity. Once enchantment is lost Krampus comes. The Devil arrives and we descend into the hell we've be asking for.
More than a simple morality tale, where the bad people get what's coming to them, Krampus is ultimately about the moral consequences attendant to the loss of enchantment--the hell and inhumanity created upon earth when we stop believing in miracles.
Phrased differently, Krampus is a movie about enchantment as grace.
A grace that saves us from the hell we deserve.


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Accountable Care Organizations
What's an ACO?
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, who come together voluntarily to give coordinated high quality care to their Medicare patients.
The goal of coordinated care is to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors.
When an ACO succeeds both in both delivering high-quality care and spending health care dollars more wisely, it willshare in the savings it achieves for the Medicare program.
Medicare offers several ACO programs:
Medicare Shared Savings Program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has established a Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) to facilitate coordination and cooperation among providers to improve the quality of care for Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and reduce unnecessary costs. Eligible providers, hospitals, and suppliers may participate in the Shared Savings Program by creating or participating in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO).
The Shared Savings Program is designed to improve beneficiary outcomes and increase value of care by:
- Promoting accountability for the care of Medicare FFS beneficiaries
- Requiring coordinated care for all services provided under Medicare FFS
- Encouraging investment in infrastructure and redesigned care processes
The Shared Savings Program will reward ACOs that lower their growth in health care costs while meeting performance standards on quality of care and putting patients first. Participation in an ACO is purely voluntary.
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations
The Affordable Care Act established a new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations (InnovationCenter) that will test innovative care and service delivery models.
Working in concert with the Shared Savings Program, the CMSInnovationCenter is testing an alternative ACO model, the Pioneer ACO Model. The Pioneer ACO Model is designed to support organizations with experience operating as ACOs or in similar arrangements in providing more coordinated care to beneficiaries at a lower cost to Medicare. The Pioneer ACO Model will test the impact of different payment arrangements in helping these organizations achieve the goals of providing better care to patients and reducing Medicare costs.
The CMSInnovationCenter is also testing the Advance Payment ACO Model, which will provide additional support to physician-owned and rural providers participating in the Shared Savings Program who would benefit from additional start-up resources to build the necessary infrastructure, such as hiring new staff or improving information technology systems.
Advance Payment ACO Model
The Advance Payment Model is designed for physician-based and rural providers who have come together voluntarily to give coordinated high quality care to the Medicare patients they serve. Through the Advance Payment ACO Model, selected participants will receive upfront and monthly payments, which they can use to make important investments in their care coordination infrastructure.
There are 35 ACOs participating in the Advance Payment ACO Model.
In developing the Advance Payment ACO Model, CMS is responding to input from stakeholders received on the proposed rule for the Shared Savings Program, and comments received (PDF) on the initial Advance Payment Model announced in May 2011. Some providers have expressed a concern about their lack of ready access to the capital needed to invest in infrastructure and staff for care coordination. The Advance Payment ACO Model is meant to help smaller ACOs with less access to capital participate in the Shared Savings Program.
Initiative Details
Through the Advance Payment ACO Model, selected organizations will receive an advance on the shared savings they are expected to earn. Participating ACOs will receive three types of payments:
- An upfront, fixed payment: Each ACO will receive a fixed payment.
- An upfront, variable payment: Each ACO will receive a payment based on the number of its historically-assigned beneficiaries.
- A monthly payment of varying amount depending on the size of the ACO: Each ACO will receive a monthly payment based on the number of its historically-assigned beneficiaries.
Advance payments are structured in this manner to acknowledge that new ACOs will have both fixed and variable start-up costs.
Pioneer ACO Model
The Pioneer ACO Model is designed for health care organizations and providers that are already experienced in coordinating care for patients across care settings. It will allow these provider groups to move more rapidly from a shared savings payment model to a population-based payment model on a track consistent with, but separate from, the Medicare Shared Services Program. And it is designed to work in coordination with private payers by aligning provider incentives, which will improve quality and health outcomes for patients across the ACO, and achieve cost savings for Medicare, employers and patients.
There are 23 ACOs participating in the Pioneer ACO Model.
Initiative Details
The payment models being tested in the first two years of the Pioneer ACO Model are a shared savings payment policy with generally higher levels of shared savings and risk for Pioneer ACOs than levels currently proposed in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. In year three of the program, participating ACOs that have shown a specified level of savings over the first two years will be eligible to move a substantial portion of their payments to a population-based model. These models of payments will also be flexible to accommodate the specific organizational and market conditions in which Pioneer ACOs work.
Organizations across the country have already transformed the way they deliver care, in ways similar to the ACOs that Medicare supports.
As a healthcare provider, must I participate in an ACO?
Participating in an ACO is purely voluntary for providers. We realize different organizations are at different stages in their ability to move toward an ACO model. We want to try to meet you where you are. Our hope is to show you models of participation that will encourage you to participate in and begin this work, no matter your organization's stage.
What are the rights of my Medicare patients if they see providers who participate in a Medicare ACO?
Fee-for-service Medicare patients who see providers that are participating in a Medicare ACO maintain all their Medicare rights, including the right to choose any doctors and providers that accept Medicare. Whether a provider chooses to participate in an ACO or not, their patients with Medicare may continue to see them.


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Thursday, April 25, 2013
Why Americans spend so much on health: they work themselves sick
Yes, according to Hui He and Kevin Huang, who use a dynamic general equilibrium model to study the impact of labor income taxes on the labor supply and health outcomes. The resulting story they can tell follows essentially these lines: First, to be more likely to be healthy, you need a good amount of leisure, or not be overworked (which may explain why I have been sick the last few days). But if labor income tax is low, you tend to want to work more. This diminishes your health, which you compensate by buying more health services, which you can afford thanks to higher income. Due to high demand for these services, they also become more expensive. In the end, Americans end up with an outcome where they have more stuff to consume which they trade off with paying more for health services, enjoying lower health and less leisure. All this because of the labor income taxes. Whether they are better off is a matter of individual taste. I could certainly need a bit more leisure about now.
1 comment:
A few other explanations about why Americans spend more on health :
1/-their food industry is overruled by the giant food company using GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)to a much greater scale than Europe. Scientists have proved that it has some ill effects on people's health and well-being. (nicely illustrated by the film "Supersize me".
2/-The food shops are open 24hours a day (ultra liberal economy) to encourage people not only to buy but all the time...This situation will undoubtedly have side effects on the digestion system (working all the time)
3/- the combination of these 2 situations has produced a society of overweight and obese people who then have to control or counteract the negative effects of their diet on their health...
We are beginning to see this trend appearing in some European countries like in France. Will European be wide enough not to follow blindly the American Way to unhealthy living???
- May 3, 2013 at 5:14 AM


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Victaulic and each of its global subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, "Victaulic") respect your privacy. This Privacy Statement informs you of our privacy practices and of the choices you can make about the way your information is collected online and how that information is used. This statement is readily available on our homepage and at the bottom of every Victaulic Web page. We may update this Policy at any time. The most recent version of this Policy is reflected by the version date located at the bottom of this Policy.
In the development of Victaulic's privacy policies and standards, we respect and take into account all major principles and frameworks around the world, including the OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows, EU Directive 95/46/EC, APEC Privacy Framework, the Madrid Resolution on International Privacy Standards, the Israel Protection of Privacy Law 5741-1981, China Civil Law Article 120, and the Constitutional protections afforded the citizens of each of the other jurisdictions in which Victaulic operates.
Victaulic has also self-certified its privacy practices as consistent with U.S.-E.U. Safe Harbor principles: Notice, Choice, Onward Transfer, Access and Accuracy, Security, and Oversight/Enforcement. More information about the U.S. Department of Commerce Safe Harbor Program can be found at http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/. In compliance with the Safe Harbor Principles, Victaulic commits to resolve complaints about your privacy and our collection or use of your personal information.
We self-certify compliance with
1. Sites covered by this Privacy Statement
Victaulic is a global organization, with legal entities, business processes, management structures, and technical systems that cross borders. This Privacy Statement applies to all Victaulic-owned websites and domains and the websites and domains of our wholly owned subsidiaries ("Victaulic website"), except that a privacy policy or statement posted on Victaulic websites specific to a particular Victaulic program or service will apply instead of this Privacy Statement.
Links to non-Victaulic websites
The Victaulic website may provide links to third-party websites for your convenience and information. If you access those links, you will leave the Victaulic website. Victaulic does not control those sites or their privacy practices, which may differ from Victaulic's practices. We do not endorse or make any representations about third-party websites. The personal data you choose to provide to or that is collected by these third parties is not covered by the Victaulic Privacy Statement. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any company before submitting your personal information.
We may also provide social media features on our website that enable you to share Victaulic information with your social networks and to interact with Victaulic on various social media sites. Your use of these features may result in the collection or sharing of information about you, depending on the feature. We encourage you to review the privacy policies and settings on the social media sites with which you interact to make sure you understand the information that could be shared by those sites. You may elect to not use Victaulic's social media features and/or adjust your personal settings and preferences to protect your privacy.
2. Collection of personal information
To serve you better and understand your needs and interests, Victaulic collects, exports, and uses personal information with adequate notice and consent, along with required filings with data protection authorities, when applicable. For example, when you order products or services, request information, subscribe to marketing or support materials, register yourself or your Victaulic products, enter contests or participate in surveys, or apply for a job at Victaulic, we will ask you to provide personal information to complete these transactions. The types of personal information you provide to us on these pages may include contact information such as your name, address, telephone number, and email address; financial information such as your credit card number; and other unique information such as user IDs and passwords, billing and transaction information, product and service preferences, contact preferences, educational and employment background, and job interest data.
If you choose to use the ShareThis program on our site to email to a friend, the information collected will be covered under the privacy policy of ShareThis, a third party website.
If you post, comment or share personal information, including photographs, to any public forum on an Victaulic site, social network, blog, or other such forum, please be aware that any personal information you submit can be read, viewed, collected, or used by other users of these forums, and could be used to contact you, send you unsolicited messages, or for purposes that neither you nor Victaulic have control over. Victaulic is not responsible for the personal information you choose to submit in these forums.
In addition to the information you provide, Victaulic may also collect information during your visit to a Victaulic website, or a website "powered by" another company on behalf of Victaulic, through our Automatic Data Collection Tools, which include cookies. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on user's prior visits to the Victaulic website. These tools collect certain traffic information that your browser sends to a website, such as your browser type and language, access times, and the address of the website from which you arrived . They may also collect information about your Internet Protocol (IP) address, click stream behavior (i.e. the pages you view, the links you click, and other actions you take in connection with Victaulic websites or "powered by" websites) and product information. An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web, allowing Web servers to locate and identify your computer. Computers use IP addresses to communicate on the Internet, allowing users to browse and shop. To learn more, read How Victaulic uses automatic data collection tools.
Victaulic also collects information from commercially available sources that it deems credible. Such information may include your name, address, email address and demographic data. The information Victaulic collects from its commercial sources may be used along with the information Victaulic collects when you visit Victaulic's websites. For example, Victaulic may compare the geographic information acquired from commercial sources with the IP address collected by Automatic Data Collection Tools to derive your general geographic area.
3. How we use your information
The information Victaulic collects to understand your needs and interests helps Victaulic deliver a consistent and personalized experience. For example, Victaulic may use your information to
- assist you in completing a transaction or order;
- prevent and detect security threats, fraud or other malicious activity;
- communicate with you about products and services;
- provide service and support;
- update you on new services and benefits;
- provide personalized promotional offers;
- select content to be communicated to you;
- personalize some Victaulic websites;
- measure performance of marketing initiatives, ads, and websites "powered by" another company on Victaulic's behalf
- allow you to participate in contests and surveys; and
- contact you regarding Victaulic products or services.
We will give you the opportunity to choose your privacy preferences regarding the communications we send (see your choices and selecting your privacy preferences).
Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet. The DoubleClick cookie is used by Google in the ads served on the websites of its partners, such as websites displaying AdSense ads or participating in Google certified ad networks. When users visit a partner's website and either view or click on an ad, a cookie may be dropped on that end user's browser. Users may opt out of the use of the DoubleClick cookie for interest-based advertising by visiting the ads preference manager. (Alternatively, you can direct users to opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for interest based advertising by visiting aboutads.info.)
4. How we share your information
Victaulic will not sell, rent or lease your personal information to others except as described in this Statement. Victaulic shares personal information in the following ways:
Victaulic retains service providers and suppliers to deliver complete products, services and customer solutions and to assist Victaulic with marketing and communication initiatives. These providers and suppliers include, for example, providers of customer support and live-help, IT and network vendors, marketing, email service providers, automated data processors, and shipping agents. Although, some of these suppliers and vendors may have the ability to access data, these suppliers and service providers are required by contract to keep confidential the information received on behalf of Victaulic and may not use it for any purpose other than to carry out the services they are performing for Victaulic.
From time to time, Victaulic participates in marketing initiatives with other companies, including websites "powered by" another company on behalf of Victaulic. As part of these initiatives, certain Victaulic services and marketing communications may be delivered at the same time as those from other companies. Some of these services and communications offer you the option to share personal information with both Victaulic and the other companies participating in these initiatives. For example, you may receive marketing communications from Victaulic and other companies or have the opportunity to register online for software products from multiple companies. If you choose to provide personal information only to Victaulic, Victaulic will not share this information with the other companies participating in that marketing initiative. If you choose to provide personal information to the other companies, that personal information will be handled according to the privacy policy of those companies which may differ from Victaulic's policies and practices.
Victaulic will require the export of your personal information to other Victaulic -owned business entities in the US and Worldwide in accordance with this Statement to satisfy your request. Such export is a requirement of providing the information to Victaulic.
Except as described in this Statement, Victaulic will not share the personal information you provide to Victaulic with non- Victaulic third parties without your permission, unless to: (i) respond to duly authorized information requests of police and governmental authorities; (ii) comply with any law, regulation, subpoena, or court order; (iii) investigate and help prevent security threats, fraud or other malicious activity; (iv) enforce/protect the rights and properties of Victaulic or its subsidiaries; or (v) protect the rights or personal safety of Victaulic employees and third parties on or using Victaulic property.
Circumstances may arise where, whether for strategic or other business reasons, Victaulic decides to sell, buy, merge or otherwise reorganize businesses in some countries. Such a transaction may involve the disclosure, transfer, or assignment of personal information to prospective or actual purchasers, or the receipt of it from sellers. It is Victaulic's practice to seek appropriate protection for information in these types of transactions.
5. Children's privacy
Victaulic does not knowingly collect information from children under the age of thirteen (13) and does not target its websites to children under 13. We encourage parents and guardians to take an active role in their children's online activities and interests.
6. Your choices and selecting your privacy preferences
Victaulic gives you the choice of receiving a variety of information that complements our products and services. You can subscribe to receive certain product- and service-specific information and also choose to receive Victaulic general communications. We give you a choice regarding delivery of Victaulic general communications by postal mail, email, telephone, and mobile device.
You can make or change your choices about receiving either subscription or general communications at the data collection point or by using other methods, which are listed in the following sections.
The communications that you receive from Victaulic will be provided in accordance with this statement. Some communications may utilize automatic data collection tools. To learn more, read How Victaulic uses automatic data collection tools.
Subscription communications
Subscription communications include email newsletters, software updates, etc. that may be expressly requested by you or which you consented to receive. After you request such communications, you may opt out of receiving them by using one of the following methods:
- Select the email "opt out" or "unsubscribe" link, or follow the opt-out instructions included in each email subscription communication.
- To unsubscribe from messages delivered to mobile devices, reply to the message with the words "STOP" or "END".
- Contact us at email@example.com. Be sure to provide your name, relevant contact information, and specific relevant information about the Victaulic subscriptions that you no longer wish to receive.
Please be aware that when you opt out of receiving certain subscription communications, it may affect the services you have chosen to receive from Victaulic where accepting the communications is a condition of receiving the services.
Victaulic general communications
Victaulic general communications provide information about products, services, and/or support. This may include new product information, special offers, or invitations to participate in market research. You may opt out of receiving these general communications by using one of the following methods:
- Select the emails "opt out" or "unsubscribe" link, or follow the opt-out instructions included in each email subscription communication.
- To unsubscribe from messages delivered to mobile devices, reply to the message with the words "STOP" or "END".
- Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com. Be sure to provide your name, relevant contact information, and specific relevant information about the Victaulic subscriptions that you no longer wish to receive.
7. Access to and accuracy of your information
Victaulic strives to keep your personal information accurately recorded. We have implemented technology, management processes and policies to help maintain data accuracy. Victaulic provides individuals with reasonable access to personal information that they provided to Victaulic and the reasonable ability to review and correct it or ask for anonymization, blockage, or deletion, as applicable. To protect your privacy and security, we will also take reasonable steps to verify your identity, such as requiring a password and user ID, before granting access to your data. To view and change the personal information that you directly provided to Victaulic you log into your personal profile. If that is not possible, or if you are experiencing issues, please email us at email@example.com.
8. Keeping your personal information secure
Victaulic takes seriously the trust you place in us. To prevent unauthorized access or disclosure, to maintain data accuracy, and to ensure the appropriate use of the information, Victaulic utilizes appropriate physical, technical and administrative procedures to safeguard the information we collect.
9. Changes to this statement
If we change our privacy statement, we will post the revised statement here, with an updated revision date. If we make significant changes to our statement, we may also notify you by other means, such as sending an email or posting a notice on our home page.
10. Contacting us
We value your opinions. If you have comments or questions about our privacy statement, please send them to the email@example.com or write to us at the following address:
Marketing Department
4901 Kesslersville Road
Easton, PA 18040-6714
Phone: 610-559-3300
Version date: December 6, 2011
How Victaulic uses automatic data collection tools
The following sections provide additional information about commonly-used web technology tools.
A "cookie" is a small data file transferred by a website to your computer's hard drive. Victaulic or its service providers send cookies when you surf our site or sites where our ads appear, make purchases, request or personalize information, or register yourself for certain services. Accepting the cookies used on our site, sites that are "powered by" another company on Victaulic's behalf, or sites where our ads appear may give us access to information about your browsing behavior, which we may use to personalize your experience. Cookies are typically classified as either "session" cookies or "persistent" cookies.
- Session cookies do not stay on your computer after you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies remain on your computer until you delete them or they expire. Most browsers automatically accept cookies by default, but you can usually refuse cookies or selectively accept cookies by adjusting the preferences in your browser. If you turn off cookies, there may be some features of our site that will not be available to you and some Web pages may not display properly.
You can find information on popular browsers and how to adjust your cookie preferences at the following websites:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer: http://www.microsoft.com/info/cookies.htm
- Mozilla Firefox: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Deleting%20cookies
From time to time, Victaulic will use Flash local shared objects (LSOs) to store Flash content information and preferences. LSOs perform similar functions to HTML browser cookies and deposit small files on your computer, which are commonly called Flash cookies. Flash cookies are different from browser cookies and cookie management tools provided by your browser will not remove Flash cookies. To learn more about Flash Cookies and how to manage the related privacy and storage settings, please visit the Adobe Systems website .
This site uses Google Analytics to help analyze how users use the site. The tool uses cookies to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. The information generated by the cookie about use of the website (including user IP addresses) is transmitted to Google. This information is then used to evaluate visitors' use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity for Victaulic.
Victaulic uses Google tools to advertise online by showing our ads on other sites across the internet.
Victaulic does not use this statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of visitors to our site. Victaulic will not link, or seek to link, an IP address with the identity of a computer user. Victaulic will not associate any data gathered from this site with any Personally Identifiable Information from any source, unless you explicitly submit that information via a fill-in form on our website. Victaulic and third-party vendors, including Google, use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) together to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on someone's past visits to your website.
For more information on Google's Privacy Policies, visit: http://www.google.com/intl//privacypolicy.html
Related Links:


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Suite #112
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Telephone: (323) 433-0033
Website: www.tbsp.la
Services: Screen Printing (contract and custom), T-Shirt Shop, Graphic Artist, Direct to Garment (DTG) Printing, Sublimation, Embroidery
About: The history of this company started 24 years ago when we opened a small print shop in Eastern Europe. The shop started successfully with t-shirt screen printing, later expanding to industrial screen printing facilities with more than 180 employees. Nowadays there are more than 40 printing companies around the world under different trade marks managed by our company.
Offers online ordering.
Company video: https://youtu.be/hVNXMPCaIEw
Contact: Zack Kalan


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Benefits associated with Flax Seed Petroleum And How Ones Hand Wheat Grinder Can certainly help
Flax seeds because of a blue blooming plant that came from Europe. The seeds is a little bigger than sesame and get a smooth texture and consistancy. Flax seeds possess a nutty, earthy flavor and then a slight crunch for many years. To take selling point of the health positive aspects, it is not often eaten whole but ground providing the nutrients to soak up naturally. Ground flax seeds may well have some abdominal crunch, depending on how coarse it can be milled. While it can be what comes in the flower the true benefits because of the oil.
There are plenty of benefits of flax seed starting oil. The most documented benefits are generally about the Efa's, including omega 3s. Deficiency of omega 3s can result in many serious health issues. In fact that FDA has raved about some great benefits of flax seed petroleum and Omega 3s as soon as it agreed that will, "Flax seed oil is a good known vegetable method to obtain omega 3s. A lot of these fats help generate prostaglandins that keep up healthy skin, joints and mobile or portable membrane structure and promote cardiovascular together with nervous system wellness. " According for a document put available by FITNESS LABS Eating plan Corporation in 2004 on the FDA web online site, some the more specific health conditions omega 3s can certainly help with are: heart disease, arthritis, tumor, skin problems, together with stress.
It is also a healthy laxative that has the capacity to help those using sensitive stomachs. It will help eliminate stomach acids, the idea soothes stomach ulcers together with bowel problems, therefore lubricates and absorbs waste therefore preventing poisonous chemicals buildup.
As known previously, the benefits may not be available without primary grinding the signs. Most electric grain mills should not have the capability with grinding flax, or some other oily grains together with seeds. One the simplest way you can routine flax seeds has a good top quality hand wheat grinder.
The best give grain grinders have the choice of attaching stainless burrs instead with stone milling goes. This allows that hand grain generator to grind fatty seeds. Simply get, attach the stainless burrs and routine away! Now, rather then buying flax seed oil within a bottle, you can chose the seeds and produce ones own oil.
Milled flax seed may be put in virtually anything. Put it inside your protein shake and smoothie and derive much more nutritious value in the mix. Sprinkle it with cottage cheese or higher a baked spud, add it to help soup or yogurt, or add the idea to bread and also other recipes. With its appetizing nutty flavor it can also be added to virtually any food.


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Kmart Is Getting Into the Check-Cashing Business
Kmart (SHLD) announced today that it will be rolling out in-store check-cashing services at the vast majority of its U.S. locations.
The service will be available to members of the retailer's Shop Your Way rewards program. Fees for the service will range from free in some states to as much as $3 a check. That flat rate compares favorably to other check-cashing institutions, which often charge a percentage of the check's value, which can significantly cut into customers funds.
Customers will be able to cash government checks of up to $2,000 and payroll checks up to $1,500. Kmart will also take the somewhat unusual step of cashing personal checks, though those are capped at $400 to account for the heightened risk of the check bouncing.
The nationwide roll-out follows a test run that began last October. While the company had tested putting the money onto prepaid debit cards, customers preferred the convenience of just turning their checks into cash.
Kmart isn't the only retailer to have had the bright idea of letting customers cash their paychecks in stores -- Walmart does it, too. And it's clear why. As discount retailers, Kmart and Walmart (WMT) rely heavily on the low-income shoppers who are most likely to rank among the tens of millions of unbanked and underbanked Americans. Offering check-cashing services gets this customer base in stores, and then hands them a wad of cash to spend while they're there. And by limiting it to members of its loyalty program, the retailer increases the odds that the people using it are going to be loyal Kmart shoppers.
In other words, cashing customers' paychecks for them while they're standing in the store is going to get them to spend more money. Holtz wouldn't elaborate on whether Kmart expects to make money on the check-cashing program itself, but this makes good business sense either way.
And offering such services to low-income shoppers is going to become even more popular as discount retailers fend off competition from dollar stores. Earlier this year, Sears announced a lease-to-own program for customers who lacked the credit to finance big purchases. And both Kmart and Walmart will offer free layaway for holiday shoppers this Christmas season.
Matt Brownell is the consumer and retail reporter for DailyFinance. You can reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com, and follow him on Twitter at @Brownellorama.
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I currently have a server in my home lab running Splunk, really love it. I'm soon going to have another server in the EC2 cloud, and I'd love to be able to monitor that using Splunk, hopefully though the primary Splunk server I already have setup.
Now, I don't plan on having a VPN connection set up between the two servers, I don't have the proper hardware to allow that currently sadly. So, what would be the best way to feed data from my remote EC2 server to my local one?


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ARA News
Qamishli, Syria – During the past few days, the Islamic State (IS/ISIS) has expelled many Kurdish families from the village of al-Wardiyah in Tell Brak sub district of Hasaka province, northeast Syria.
According to activists, the Kurdish civilians were forcibly displaced by IS militants on charges of supporting the Kurdish forces of the Popular Protection Units (YPG) –which has been in conflict for months against IS extremists in northern Syria.
"IS expels the Kurdish families and confiscates their private property claiming that these families oppose the group and support the YPG," sources from the village told ARA News on the phone, under condition of anonymity.
The same sources pointed out that the displaced villagers of al-Wardiyah fled to the predominantly Kurdish city of Qamishlo (Qamishli), in northeast Syria.
The militant fighters of the IS reportedly executed dozens of young Kurdish men in the village of al- Wardiyah before expelling their families.
Meanwhile, fierce clashes broke out between the YPG forces and militants of the Islamic State on Thursday evening, during which several fighters from both sides were killed, and a number of civilians were injured, media activists reported.
Reporting by: Dilshad Mohammed
Source: ARA News


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C - MoMo (Dumplings) is my leftover MoMo remedy. We Nepalese have the tendency of always finishing off Achar (tomato sauce) that we make to go with the MoMos. C - MoMo is basically spicy, hot and tomato goodness. The beauty of this recipe is that you can also use store bought dumplings and it will still taste amazing. It is very simple to make and delicious on your palate. So here is C - MoMo. For MoMo Recipe check out my older post (http://www.nickspalate.com/2011/12/momo.html)
- MoMo (20 - 30 pieces)
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes
- 5-6 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 ginger
- 3 green chilies
- 4 tbs of tomato ketchup
- 1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 3 tbs of Chili Sauce
- 3-4 tbs of soy sauce
- 1 red onion diced
- 3 green onions (scallions) chopped
- 1 red bell pepper julienne
- Oil
Here is where I get some amazing flavor for my C - MoMo. Cut your tomatoes in half, together with ginger & garlic and broil them in an oven. Just make sure you don't broil the ginger and garlic too much. About 3-4 minutes is more than enough. For tomatoes about 6-8 minutes.
After the ingredients are broiled, chop and puree them in a food processor. Let it rest.
In a hot pan, add some cooking oil and brown your MoMos. Just slightly so that you get a crispy skin.
In a pan hot pan add small amount of oil and sautee the onion, green chili, bell pepper and scallions.
After sauteing the ingredients for about 3-4 minutes, add the ketchup, chili sauce, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. I put Worcestershire sauce because it give the dish a tangy and sweet taste to the dish. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the MoMos together with the puree of tomatoes, ginger & garlic. Stir just once and close the lid and turn off the stove. Let it rest for about 3-4 minutes before serving.
|Bon Apetit
C - MoMo is ready to be served. Just make sure you have a good drink to go with it :) Beer preferred !


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Hello my name is Beverly Tucker. I am trying to find any info about my great grand parents and other family from Birtish Guiana (Guyana).
The names I am searching are:
Vincent Teixeira B. abt 1860's 70's D. British Guiana Don't know when 1900's
Julia D'Agrella B. abt. 1860's70's D. British Guiana Dont know when 1900's
Julia and Vincent were married.
Mathilda Teixeira (Hilda) B. abt 1902 Georgetown Demerara British Guiana
Georgiana Cecillia Teixeira ( My grand mother. She came to the U.S. 1924) B. 1904 Georgetown Demerara Birtish Guiana
Victor Teixeira B. abt 1906 Georgetown Demerara British Guiana (Went to Canada in the 1950's
Eva Ursula DeAbreu B.1901 Georgetown Demerara British Guiana (Came to the U.S. in 1922 with her husband
Andrew Washington Godchaux B. 1900 Georgetown Demerara British Guiana (Came to the U.S. 1922 with his wife Eva.)
Eva was a cousin to Hilda, Georgiana and Victor
Any info on my family and other relatives would be greatly appreciated. I am not sure where Vincent and Julia were born. I hear that the Teixeira's are from the Azores but do not know when they migrated to British Guiana. Could have been in the 1830's 40's. I just don't know.
Thank you, Beverly Tucker


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Auditions for Family Feud!
Do you have an outgoing, enthusiastic family that would love a chance to go on the long running family game show "Family Feud"?
Family Feud with Steve Harvey is holding open casting calls in Boston, New York / New Jersey and New Orleans!
This is a shot to get your family on the show and maybe win up to $100,000 and a brand new car!
New York / New Jersey tryouts for Family Feud
Got a family with tons of energy and enthusiasm? Ever dream of being on a game show with your family? Does possibly winning 100,000 dollars and a new car appeal to you? Family Feud will be holding a casting call in Atlantic City on April 30th and May 1st.
This is your one-in-a-lifetime chance to be on the long-running game show hosted by Steve Harvey!!!
If your family is interested in having a great time auditioning for the show, email us at email@example.com
2011 Family Feud Audition Schedule
Atlantic City, NJ – April 30th & May 1st, 2011
To sign up to tryout send an email to: email@example.com
Boston, MA – May 14th & 15th, 2011
To sign up to tryout send an email to: email@example.com
NEW ORLEANS, LA – July 2nd, 2011
Audition for Family Feud and watch STEVE HARVEY host a live game at the Essence Music festival!
To sign up to tryout send an email to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Cant make it to an open call – It's OK because video submissions are also being accepted
Create a 3 to 5 minute video clip of yourself and your family and send a DVD to:
Include a letter and mail to:
Fremantle Media NA
4000 West Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91505
attn: Family Feud Casting Dept.
or you can upload the video to Youtube and email the Youtube link to: email@example.com


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SOURCE: adidas
adidas Golf Launches adicross – A New Line Extension That Addresses the On- and Off-Course Life of the Modern Golfer
- No-show technology (featured in the Henley, t-shirt and pique polo):
- For the guy that's breaking a sweat hitting balls at the driving range during his lunch hour, no one will notice. This technology offers a sweat-wicking, double-knit material that eliminates the appearance of sweat before it even gets to the surface. Look good, stay cool.
- Nylon-spandex blend (featured in the five-pocket pant and short)
- This material combines stretch and comfort to increase ease of movement, all while being highly durable. Pants are designed with modern tapered fit, perfect to wear anywhere.
- Primeknit (featured in Icon Polo and Jacket)
- This proprietary material from adidas is soft and stretchy while providing a balanced weight; ideal for enhancing mobility and providing premium comfort and feel.
Press Release Download
Client email@example.com


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Mysteries and legends abundantly flow through the pages of Texas history and J. Frank Dobie was a master collector of those stories that made Texas famous.
In this second volume of his acclaimed collection, he turns his editorial eye to those tales about the supernatural, the lovelorn, and the infamous pirates who made their way into Texas history. There are also tales told of how places, flowers, and streams got their names.
Dobie is careful in his selection, choosing those tales with the most reliable resources for authenticity. They cover the obscure and the well-known. Among the fabled tales of Texas, one can find stories of "The Mysterious Woman in Blue," "Lovers Leap at Santa Anna," "The Pirate Ship of the San Bernard," "An Indian Legend of the Blue Bonnet," and "Lost Canyon of the Big Bend Country." For history buffs, students, and the plain curious, these are tales that provide unique explanations for the unknown, with a twist of intrigue and entertainment.
Originally published in 1924 by the Texas Folklore Society, Legends of Texas in its two-volume format was released by Pelican in 1975.
Other books by the author:
Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver
Cow People
Coronado's Children
Ben Lilly Legend, The
Bob More: Man and Bird Man
I'll Tell You a Tale
Flavor of Texas, The
Legends of Texas Vol 1
Legends of Texas Vol 2
Longhorns, The
Mustangs, The
Mustangs and Cow Horses
Tales of Old Time Texas
Vaquero of the Brush Country, A


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|By James Houghton
Article Rating:
|August 12, 2010 07:30 AM EDT
A few days ago we facilitated a passionate discussion on the subject of Blueprints (ah, the joys of an emerging market). The gist of the conversation was focused on deciding where limited marketing resources should be applied, and during that exercise a surprising insight came to us. It seemed so counter-intuitive at first, then as we kept exploring it became so blindingly obvious that we questioned our intelligence for not thinking of it before.
What was this revelation, you ask – and more importantly, why should you care?
An Architect doesn't need a Blueprint.
Let's step outside IT for a moment and use the analogy of a Blueprint for a building to illustrate this point, since no one questions the value of either an Architect or the Blueprint in that context. The Architect has the smarts; with years of experience they interview the client to gather requirements and constraints, show possible designs and articulate tradeoffs, and then eventually labor to codify the design decisions into a complex multi-dimensional Blueprint. If all goes well the client signs off and, unless there is a problem when the structure is being built or the client changes their mind, their job is done.
But the Blueprint is just getting started...now it gets handed off the general contractor, who in turn provides relevant pages to the subcontractors that do everything from excavating the foundation, to installing plumbing and wiring, to interior decorating. The general contractor also provides the Blueprint to the relevant inspectors, who reference the Blueprint as they audit the facility to ensure its compliance with building codes and other ordinances. And once the structure is completed, the Blueprint is provided to the party responsible for operating the building, where it's consulted whenever a change is proposed or when trying to diagnose a difficult problem. In this context, it's pretty clear that the while the Architect creates the Blueprint, they are the ones who use it the least. However, the Blueprint is essential to communicate what's going to be built by a number of different groups, to audit what's actually been built, and to serve as the authoritative reference when a change is proposed or when a complex problem is observed.
If we bring this back to the realm of IT there are strikingly similar parallels. We have an Architect assigned to design an environment to support a new application/business function, or perhaps to replace an existing one. Step one entails an interview with the business user or their proxy to understand the purpose of the system, and to capture requirements and constraints. The architect then does their work, selecting from enterprise standard technologies and assembling them in a manner that they believe will meet the requirements. They draw diagrams, create a document with cost and time estimates, and then go back to the business user for approval. Assuming that approval is granted, the service request is then fired off into the enterprise process for procurement, engineering, and system builds. Many different groups, many different processes, many dependencies – all trying to provide the system the business needs, but frequently 'interpreting' the request based on their view of the world and without a clear understanding of the impact of changes or delays in their work to the overall process.
In most environments we have seen, the diagrams and document originally created are filed in the appropriate repository but each group has their own documentation process and thus uses the original specification approved by the client as 'input' to their process. When it finally makes it through the QA/test function to production, the Operations team is given a handful of documents to keep track of (typically stored in different places), so they too create a document suitable for their purposes using 'input' from the others. Have you ever watched a group of young children play the game "telephone", where a message is whispered from child to child? The final message rarely resembles the original. Is it any wonder that IT continually fails to meet business expectations?
Now to be fair to Blueprints, they offer a lot of benefits to the Architects as well. They provide a common language and template for communication that all parties involved recognize and understand. They also provide a great starting point when designing a new widget with similar requirements as one they created in the past. And they certainly help a journeyman Architect perform at a much higher level than they might otherwise, which provides both scale and consistency benefits.
But in the end, does the Architect really need a Blueprint? No. But everyone else sure does.
- Personal Branding Checklist
- Ulitzer Names the World's 30 Most Influential Cloud Computing Bloggers
- Confessions of a Ulitzer Addict
- Facebook, Twitter LinkedIn, Ulitzer, MeettheBoss - Execs Go Online Big-Time
- Is the PR Business Extinct? Yes
- Twitter, Linked In, Ning and Ulitzer: Easy Personal Branding Strategy
- My Thoughts on Ulitzer
- Ulitzer Live! New Media Conference & Expo
- Will PR Firms Survive The New Media Avalanche?
- Instant Professionalism Online Despite Yourself...with Ulitzer


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Eco-smart siesta spot
Amid Mayan masterpieces
Situated on a private beach, Maria del Mar is a tranquil and traditional boutique hotel in Tulum with a modern approach: rustic wood furnishings are upcycled from the remains of reclaimed fishing boats; dreamcatcher trinkets and turquoise Acapulco chairs add contemporary colour to minimalistic rooms; and an eco-friendly conservation project keeps the hotel as green as the neighbouring Sian Ka'an biosphere. Stretch out on a feather-soft day-bed beside the pool, delve into beachside watersports from kitesurfing to paddleboarding, and discover ancient Mayan ruins in the surrounding hills.
Smith Extra
Get this when you book through us:
Bottle of champagne on arrival. Goldsmiths also get 15 per cent off in the spa


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Eric Gordon scored 27 points off the bench as the Houston Rockets saw off the Golden State Warriors 127-105 in the second game of the Western Conference finals.
Gordon was among five Rockets players to hit double-digits at the Sony Centre to tie up the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
James Harden also hit 27, PJ Tucker shot 22 and Trevor Ariza had 19 as the Rockets' balanced attack outscored the Warriors in each of the four quarters.
A Gordon jump shot late in the first put Houston ahead, with the home side leading for the rest of the game and extending the advantage into double figures.
Kevin Durant top scored with 38 points for the Warriors, but Steph Curry had only 16, and shot one three-pointer from eight attempted.
KD with authority 💪
📺 @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/hmWsjiQAIF— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 17, 2018
Klay Thompson fared worse shooting only eight points after scoring 28 in the series opener on Monday night.
Game three takes place at Golden State on Sunday.


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Boys & Girls Club of Collier County believe in hiring, training and retaining talented professional staff who are motivated by our mission and committed to the betterment of our youth. Our staff belief in our mission inspires and enables young people to realize their dreams. We place a high priority on professional development and a supportive environment. We do this through intensive education and training, certification programs, advancement opportunities, retreats and conference and individual mentoring.
We are always seeking talented individuals from all backgrounds to join our staff and make a lasting impact on our Club members. As BGCCC takes great pride in its responsibility to the children in our care, all staff and volunteers must undergo a thorough screening process prior to their employment. Our rigorous screening process, for all candidates, includes:
Personal interview(s)
Employment Checks
In-depth Reference check(s)
Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) review
Sexual Offender Record Information (SORI) review
National background screening
If you would like to join our staff, we encourage you to review our current job opportunities:
Youth Development Professional (Part-Time) Positions available at both our Naples and Immokalee locations. Please specify which location you are applying for.
Vo-Tech Instructor (Part-Time) Nichols Campus
Art Youth Development Professional (Part-Time) Nichols Campus
Boys & Girls Club of Collier County
Nichols Campus in Naples
7500 Davis Boulevard
Naples, FL. 34104
(239) 325-1700
Bolch Campus in Immokalee
1155 Roberts Ave West
Immokalee, FL. 34142
(239) 675-7003


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About FPT
Board of Directors
Name List of FPT Board of Directors
M.R. Supadis Diskul
Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services PCL.
Chairman 29 Jul 2013
Mr. Loyleuan Bunnag
Director 29 Jul 2013
Mr. Singto Pichetwong
Director 28 Apr 2015
Mr. Prakobkiat Ninnad
Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services PCL.
Director 28 Apr 2015
Mr. RangsunPuangprang
PTG Logistics Co.,Ltd.
Director 25 Feb 2016
Mr.Puttipong Prasarttong - Osoth
Bangkok Airways PCL.
Director 25 Feb 2016
Mr. Chokchai Atsawarangsalit
Bangchak Corporation PCL.
Director 27 Mar 2018
Mr. Charoen Charusalaipong
Director and Managing Director 30 Mar 2017
Mr. Amnuay Pahuvanich
Thai Aviation Refuelling Co.,Ltd.
Director 30 Mar 2017


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Document Type
Publication details
Cameron, Leone C 2008, 'Staff recruitment, selection and retention in family-owned small businesses', PhD thesis, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.
Copyright LC Cameron 2008
The proficient Human Resource Management of employees and their contribution to small business is commonly accepted as contributing to Australia's future prosperity (Schaper, 2000). Effective recruitment, selection and retention of employees are part of the employment relationship and can enhance work performance and contribute to business success (Compton and Nankervis, 1998).
Effective recruitment and selection has regularly been associated with positive retention and performance outcomes. However, this centre of attention has rarely focused on family-owned small businesses. This is reflected in the paucity of literature relating to family-owned small business, especially in rural and regional areas of Australia.
The research objectives were to understand the variables and dynamics of the recruitment, selection and retention process. This study focused on mixed research design. The triangulation firstly examined the literature. Then quantitative exploratory research investigated the recruitment, selection and retention activities in family-owned small businesses in rural and regional areas of Australia. Constructs were developed from the quantitative study. Qualitative semi-structured interviews tested the constructs to complete the 13-phase procedure used in this research.
The research found that the establishment, building and maintaining of strong relationships between employer and employees is significant to the effective recruitment, selection and retention of employees in family-owned small businesses in rural and regional areas of Australia. The research found four significant constructs, each having 'relationship' as a common theme. The relationship theme identified in this research can be compared with the framework established by relationship marketing, that is, owner/managers of family-owned small business should constantly sell themselves to their employees by concentrating on relationships as the primary emphasis of recruitment, selection and retention of staff.
To assist owner/managers of small family-owned businesses, a model and a check-list have been developed to ensure consistency in the application of the new relationship model. It is anticipated that this new model and checklist will enable effective utilisation of the newly developed Three R's of Relationship, Recruitment and Retention.


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Xbox One Wireless Controller VS Logitech Gamepad F710 for PC
Hello everyone for many years' people can not decide which controller is best to use for PC most people are saying that it is older controllers but why not the new controllers.
Choice that I would pick
I believe that it could be either Xbox one controller or the Logitech F710. Both of them are nice and big so your hands can fit over them but the Logitech F710 makes it so that you can fit your fingers under Neath the triggers.
Logitech F710
The Logitech controller used to be like the PS2 and Xbox controller but now they have changed the design of them and made them so they were half PS3 and half Xbox 360 also it is built well and is nice and heavy which is good for soft plastic grips. Also the controller is wireless so you can play from a distance away and not worry about not being able to reach it. Not only this the controller gives you the ability to let you have programmable buttons but that it is not the best feature it also has the ability to emulate the older version and also a wired Xbox 360 controller with a flip of a button. Also it allows you to be able to put the USB in a compartment which where the battery sits in the back of the controller so you do not have to worried about losing it anymore which is a good feature if you have to plug something else in and you have no where else to put it.
Xbox one
Although the Logitech has the ability to make your fingers fit around it nicely the Xbox one trigger are also very easy to use and feel quite nice on your hands. Also both controller feel nice and soft the Xbox one controller is good as the controller is excellent as the buttons are all the right spots which allows you to quickly change buttons so you can do the next level also the response time is excellent and it doesn't mix up what you press. There are 2 different Xbox one controllers the first gen had a few problems such as the buttons squeaked when you pressed them in also the extremely shallow buttons which only allowed you press them on the side pieces.
Bad about the Logitech F710
There a few things that are wrong with the controller for instance if you have the USB plugged straight into the PC you can only reach a few feet away but if you have the extension cord plugged in than you will be able to reach from 20 feet away. Also not all the programmable features that you set don't always work for instance you might of set jump to be A on the controller but it might change and become X I do not know why it does this but it does.
Bad about the Xbox one
I do not find anything wrong with the new controller as they fixed it when they released the new controller. the problem was that the head set piece didn't fit normal headphones which was very annoying as you had to buy separate headphones which were extra money. Also the shallow pumpers on the old controllers were really hard to push in so that was also a problem but other than that it was really good.
In conclusion both of the controllers are very good and are great for what they do but in the end I would personally like the xbox one controller more as it feels better to me in my hands and also the new headphone jack is great as it allows me to plug in my headphones thank for reading my blog.


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Road trip: Through the North East of the USA and Canada
We made this trip a few years ago. In the late summer of 2012, we were on our way to the USA. We started our tour from Boston with the rental car and drove on the east coast to the north. There we visited the Acadia National Park. We then traveled to Canada, spent the … [weiterlesen…]


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Saul Audio Blog for Wednesday April 19th
All is One, there is only One, all of creation is eternally connected to Itself. All that exists is lovingly and joyfully held within the infinite vastness that is God, the Source of Supreme Intelligence and infinitely loving Wisdom, and the best word that you have for this state, this condition – which is Reality – is LOVE!
Focus on Love because there is nothing else. What you experience that is not Love is unreal and has no presence, no consciousness, and no power, so focus on Reality and find It within yourselves – the brilliant Light that embraces and supports you in every moment – and delight in the peace, the comfort, and the contentment It offers you ceaselessly. God's Will for you is that you be aware of His Love for you, of your inseparable Oneness with Him, and that…
View original post 1,094 more words


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I always fancy a massive spread for breakfast every morning, but rarely care to cook much at home. And, whenever I am traveling, I love to pig-out on hefty breakfast meals! This story is about one such lovely time.
Location: Hollywood, Florida (Not Los Angeles, California)
That's a vital piece of information considering the fact that a simple Google search would always take you to Hollywood in Los Angeles.
In my short trip to Florida, I randomly chose to stay at Hollywood Boulevard (approx. 30 miles from Miami) because I found a great AirBnB house in that location. Luckily, Hollywood turned out to be extremely beauteous, lively and brimming with warm people. After driving for 6-7 hours from Orlando, we reached Hollywood at 7 in the evening and decided to gorge on Pizza for dinner. We had to throw it eventually as the same was topped with under-cooked chicken and since it was a take-out we couldn't get a replacement.
As we were starved post previous night's dinner disaster, I wanted to eat something delicious and filling for breakfast the next morning. And with great hopes, we went to a close-by restaurant Waffleworks, only to be pleasantly surprised with the food.
We entered this Waffle place with expectations of a menu only filled with waffles, and were intrigued by the display of car models all around. The walls were adorned with mini-cars from different eras which were pleasing to the eyes.
The place had a lively atmosphere and a very jovial staff who greet you with big smiles! Once we checked out the whole place, we sat by the window at one corner to have a complete view of the cars.
Thankfully, the menu was elaborate and my eyes lit up at the variety of eggs, crepes, bread, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, pancakes, and waffles!
Here's a link to their menu: Waffles
We ordered a Double Classic Waffle and Breakfast Combo that included Ham Steak, Two Scrambled Eggs, Toast, and Hash Brown, along with Coffee and Iced Tea to drink. Our server was a delight to talk to and suggested us house favorites as we looked clueless. And, they gave free refills on coffee! Plus, there was a maple syrup on each table so we could pour as much as we wanted on the Double-decker waffle!
The portions filled us to the brim and the flavours enticed us to make another visit. And, we obliged by returning within two hours and brought our friends along who were earlier sleeping to glory. In the next visit, we ordered a Double Waffle with Cream & Strawberry and Pancakes.
The next time around we were greeted with an even bigger smile and one of the servers noted in a friendly tone:
Back Again?
I said, Yes and with more people
He was obviously glad and said bring more!
This is what I love about traveling. You realize how charming & friendly people are across the world.
Coming back to the food, I would whole-heartedly recommend this place as a must-try if you happen to be in Hollywood. Their toasts & eggs were done to perfection, hash brown was crispy & huge, and the ham steak was little salty but went great with the eggs. For those with a sweet-tooth, this place is a breakfast mecca! The pancakes were fluffy & soft, but the waffles stole our heart! The classic waffle was a treat in itself, however when we tried it with cream & strawberries, we felt content. Those strawberries were a rare find.
Hollywood is mainly inhabited by people from Cuba, Puerto Rico, & Mexico (as told to me by our AirBnb host) who came across as genuinely nice and fun people to me. Apart from Waffleworks, you can just stop by the place for a night or two to explore the locality which boasts of a scenic Hollywood beach (I found it better than Miami beach).
Waffleworks was a sumptuous start to a fun-filled day ahead which helped in lifting our spirits!
Just a symbolic expression of my experience → ♥ ♥ ♥


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Legislative Support
Over the years, Marquardt & Co. has been extremely successful in securing passage of our clients' legislative priorities. During the spring session of the 96th General Assembly alone, we assisted our clients in passing more than a dozen distinct pieces of legislation – all of which became law. We have an impressive track record of recruiting sponsors who will work with us and our clients from introduction, to the committee stage, and to the floor of the chambers to secure passage of key legislation. On the other side of the coin, we have also been effective at stopping legislative initiatives detrimental to our clients outright, or by working to substitute language agreeable to all sides.


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ALBANY -- The scheduled Senate confirmation of the Cuomo administration's top economic development official was postponed this morning.
Kenneth Adams, tapped by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to become president and chief executive officer of the Empire State Development Corp., has to put off his appearance before three Senate confirmation committees before an expected full Senate vote this afternoon. A Cuomo spokesman said Adams could not make it to Albany today because of an illness in his family.
Adams is the former president of the Business Council of New York State.
-- Tom Precious


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I saw a recipe for apple cranberry sauce yesterday on Simply Recipes and decided I needed to adapt it for the slow cooker. I had Molly Delicious apples and cranberries in the fridge that I had bought at the farmers market Saturday morning. The original recipe called for baking apples so I reduced the amount of sugar to accommodate for the sweeter apples. I also reduced the amount of water because food cooked in a slow cooker retains most of its water.
- 4 pds Molly Delicious apples (or similar sweet apple)
- 1½ c fresh cranberries (can use frozen)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ c white sugar
- ¼ c brown sugar
- ¼ c water
- ½ tsp salt
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 hr
Total time: 6 hr 10 min
Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples.
Combine chopped apples with the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker. Mix well.
Cook on low for 6 hours or until apples and cranberries are very mushy.
Mash with a potato masher, push through a sieve, or use a food mill to turn it into the consistency you want.
Serve warm or cold.
Makes about 6 servings
My notes
- Feel free to start with the least amount of sugar you want. You can always add sugar towards the end if you taste it and think it needs more. As long as the mixture is still hot, the sugar will melt into it.
- This recipe could easily be doubled and most likely would need to be to serve it for more than 6 people.
- Serve with turkey, chicken, or pork dinners or eat by itself as a snack or breakfast.
- This would make a great Thanksgiving side dish and can be made several days ahead of time. You could even make it now, freeze it, and take out two days before Thanksgiving to thaw.
See also:


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Ways We Support Youth
Our Lodge hosts Brownies, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA Troop #101, Eagle Scout Projects and Order of the Arrow Talako Lodge. We accommodate Amigos Program, AFS HS Exchange Program, baseball umpires and soccer referees with their training and meetings.
We promote drug education and awareness for youth and their parents, including human trafficking seminars for teens.
We support youth sports and activities, including softball, baseball and soccer, hoping to improve the well-being of all families in Marin.
We sponsor many high-school scholarships and other educational grants through our scholarship and charity giving.


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As you know, we FTC editors live entirely busy/lazy lives, and for as much as we'd like to blog regularly, sometimes it's just impossible. However, there is a threshold to our atrophy, and we may have just reached that by being surpassed by the Trib in offering you baseball related content.
You'll notice the proposed lineup, followed by a brief description of the player. Allow me to put that in a bit better context for you.
Akinori Iwamura - Second baseman we got in a trade with Tampa Bay, in exchange for reliever Jesse Chavez. Iwamura is going to be 31, has a career OPS+ of 98, and costs $3 million-and-change. His acquisition raises two questions about Huntington's decision making: why is Aki worth a young reliever? And why didn't we just keep Sanchez if we wanted to overpay for a mediocre hitting middle infielder on the wrong side of 30? The first question is easy to answer if you agree philosophically with Huntington. As he sees it, a reliever is typically overvalued for what they actually contribute to a 162 game season; furthermore, their development from season to season is extremely hard to predict. As to whether Iwamura is a better value than Sanchez, let's look at their career lines. Aki - .281/.354/.393, Freddy .299/.334/.417. More and more, OPS is being debunked for the inherent flaw that OBP is worth more to the equation than SLG. With that in mind, Iwamura is a slightly better offensive player. Also, for as ridiculous as $3 million is for Iwamura, Sanchez was making twice that. The final thing to consider about this deal, is that it sets up trade potential in the future. With Iwamura, Huntington knows what he'll have at the trade deadline, and can potentially acquire prospects otherwise unavailable, if he were just trading Chavez. Akinori Iwamura is not a long-term solution, but he's definitely a part of the transition plan to a leaner, more flexible roster.
Andrew McCutchen - He's the quietly great dreadlock'd fellow in center field. First-round pick (11th overall) in the 2005 draft, and the only thing Dave Littlefield ever did right. He is the reason you will pay to see baseball at PNC Park this year. Also, when the Trib says he stole 22 bases last year and is aiming for 35 this year, what they mean to say is that he OPSed .836 as a rookie and is aiming to draw more walks.
Garrett Jones - The other reason you'll come out for a game, besides McCutchen. Jones put up excellent power numbers in a short season (21 HRs, .938 OPS in 82 games), in what was also his first stint of everyday playing time in the majors. We got him virtually for free, purchasing his contract from the Minnesota Twins, who had no use for another left handed bat with limited fielding options (RF/1B). What's the catch? Well, Jones was already 28-years old last season, which is to say, his peak and decline will come a lot faster than for a guy like McCutchen. In some ways, he reminds me of David Ortiz (also plucked from the Twins' system) or Travis Hafner; both huge guys, limited in the field, left-handed, and completely under the radar until the age of 27. For several years, they each dominated, only to completely shrivel up upon entering their early 30s. Wouldn't be the worst scenario for Jones, if it happened.
Ryan Doumit - Is a switch hitting catcher who hits the ball hard, doesn't draw walks, and gets injured a lot. The Pirates took a catcher in the first round of last summer's draft, so don't expect to see a multi-year extension being offered to Doumit any time soon. If he has trade value, my guess is he's gone. One of these guys who isn't patently bad, but definitely won't deliver the change you can believe in.
Lastings Milledge - This guy was supposed to be the biggest steal of a deal since Brian Giles. In his first 58 games as a Pirate, he hit .291/.333/.395, which is in line with his career .267/.327/.399 line, which has come in 318 major league games. Yes, he's still young (turns 25 on April 5), and yes, his previous experience in the majors has been shifty and not really conducive to his development. However, his continued lack of a break-out is starting to make me wonder.
Jeff Clement - A first round pick by the Mariners back in 2005, Clement OPSed .865 in 5 seasons in the minors. He's 25 now, and probably not a catcher. Whether he can have the kind of offensive success in the majors to justify his spot at first or corner outfielder is unknown. Chances of that aren't stellar, but I'll always take a question-mark with potential over a Daryle Ward or Randall Simon.
Andy LaRoche - I love Neal Huntington, I completely agree with the reality that he had to trade Jason Bay, and I think looking at the scouting reports he had, he made the right choice at the time in taking Andy LaRoche. However, in terms of return, the Pirates have gotten very little. I'm trying to look for positive trends in LaRoche's development, and nothing is popping out. He was red-hot in the last month of 2009, after being super-terrible in the three months prior to that; very good in May, very shitty in March/April. Maybe I'm being pessimistic with Milledge, Clement and LaRoche, but all of these guys should be entering their prime, and instead they're 25/26-year-old AAAA players. Is it possible that LaRoche can rediscover whatever it was that made him a .900 OPSer in the minors? God, I hope so. But he needs to do it fast, because his development years aren't indefinite.
Ronny Cedeno - Any performance you get out of this guy that is close to average is a gift. He's bad. The reason we took him in the massive Jack Wilson / Ian Snell deal is that we needed a placeholder at SS, and we were happy to take a cheap one. I have no problem with this as part of a larger plan. Just know he isn't anything special or long-term. Also, when the Trib says "Has power, but needs to make contact more often." you can absolutely believe they're talking about a guy with a .346 slugging percentage (league average = .438), and a guy with an 81% contact average (league average = 80%). Making contact is not Ronny Cedeno's problem. Ronny Cedeno's problem is that he doesn't take anabolic steroids or walks.
Okay, that's enough blistering, dark-hearted commentary for today. Maybe tomorrow we'll brutalize the pitching staff.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
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