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We just published a Temkin Group report, The State of the CX Profession, 2013. Here's the executive summary:
We surveyed 283 customer experience professionals and compared their answers to our data from last year. The vast majority of respondents believe that CX is a great profession to be in, and most remain satisfied with their individual roles. As a result, fewer of them plan to look for a new job this year. Most respondents believe that their efforts have had a positive impact and say that their organization expects to increase CX spending and headcount in 2013. The top areas of focus for interactions are web experience and mobile experience while CX measurements and metrics customer insights, and customer-centric culture are the CX efforts that are gaining the most momentum. We examined the difference in responses between CX professionals at larger and smaller companies and found that large companies are more interested in cross-channel interactions and text analytics. We also compared responses from executives and non-executives which shows that executives see more importance in culture, and that non-executives are more likely to look for new job.
This report is an update to the report we published last year. Here are some of the interesting datapoints:
- Forty-nine percent of CX pros think their efforts had a positive impact in 2012 and 75% expect to have a positive impact in 2013.
- Ninety-eight percent of CX pros think they are in a great profession.
- Ninety-one percent of CX pros are satisfied with the content of their jobs, but only 66% are satisfied with opportunities for advancement.
- Thirty-eight percent of CX pros are likely to look for a new job (outside their company), which is down from 41% last year.
- Voice of the customer programs remains the activity in which CX pros are most actively involved. The area of focus with the largest change since last year is "process analysis and redesign, where 57% of CX pros are involved this year versus 52% last year.
- The percentage of CX pros who agree that their customer experience efforts have all of the resources, skills, and leadership they need has dropped from 46% to 41%.
- Fifty-four percent of CX pros expect their company to spend more on CX in 2013 than it did in 2012, compared with 53% last year.
- Forty-six percent of CX pros expect their firm to expand their full-time CX staff, up from 40% last year.
- At the top of the list of vendors they expect to increase spending on are text analytics and voice of the customer software vendors, while market research firms are at the bottom
- The top interaction channel to focus on for improvements in 2013 is the Web, followed by mobile.
- CX pros at companies with 1,000 or more employees are more satisfied than those from smaller organizations. At the same time, 48% of CX pros a larger organizations are likely to look for a new job outside their company in 2013 compared with 39% of those from smaller firms.
- Seventy-eight percent of CX executives see networking as a key professional development goal compared with 71% of non-execs.
- Sixty-two percent of CX non-execs see training as a key professional development goal compared with 47% of execs.
The bottom line: The CX profession continues to thrive


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My journey to essential oils was prompted by desperation. I wasn't interested in the pretty diffusers, or replacing the candles from my home. I was looking for alternative medicine- I wanted something that I could use therapeutically to treat my health issues without risking the side effects that I had learned the hard way you should never ignore.
Six years ago, I was prescribed a daily medication called Topomax that was supposed to stop my migraines. At first, it was great! It worked really well and I even had significant weight loss as a side effect. I took it for about six months before the other side effects started to kick in.
We've all seen the pharmaceutical commercials- it doesn't matter what the drug is- they show a person looking sad and then getting their lives back thanks to said miracle drug, and then they list the 400 potential side effects. But be honest, do you ever really think about those potential side effects when you start taking a new prescription drug? I certainly didn't.
Until the morning I work up and I couldn't talk. My words were slurred and garbled, it sounded like I had drunk an entire bottle of vodka and then put rocks in my mouth. In the beginning it was just enough to make me feel self-conscious about talking, but other people didn't seem to notice it. And then my mom and sister were commenting on it, and my doctor finally heard it (Ever take your car in to the shop because it's making a noise only to have the mechanic tell you there is nothing wrong and they don't hear a noise? That feels so much worse when the conversation is between you and your doctor.)
Almost as soon as other people started to notice the garbled speech, I began to forget words. All the time. It was like my brain was disconnecting from me- the knowledge was still there, I just couldn't access it. It got so bad that I would end a conversation in tears. This is when I stopped taking the Topomax. Migraines are horrible, but this was worse. Eventually, my speech went back to normal- but my memory never has. I still have a hard time recalling words, and I avoid debates of all kinds because I know I won't be able to express what I actually mean. The worst part, and it has taken me years to figure this out, is that there are entire periods of my life that I have no memory of at all. Whole events and people that are just gone- which makes for some awkward conversations let me tell you.
Now, please don't get me wrong, I'm a believer in the power of western medicine-but I am also now a believer in its limitations. I've spent the last couple of years researching alternative options because of this experience. I pretty quickly came to the realization that there is only so alternative that I am willing to go. When the conversation takes a turn towards my aura, and how I store my memories of past traumas in my liver- I'm out. No offense to anyone at all, but I just can't do it. Gwyneth, I am not.
Essentials Oils, however, are not that kind of alternative. For starters, there is actual Science backing them up. If you go to Pubmed- which is the online portal for the U.S. National Library of Medicine, you will find tons of studies about Essential Oils and how they work. In fact, let's take a minute to look at how Pubmed defines essential oils:
"Essential oils (also known as volatile oils) are the basic materials of aromatherapy. They are made from fragrant essences found in many plants. When essences are extracted from plants in natural ways, they become essential oils. Each type of essential oil has a different chemical composition that affects how it smells, how it is absorbed, and how it is used by the body."
Or, as my Dad would say, "Better living through Chemistry!" Just the natural form of Chemistry. And they aren't just for emotional benefits, which I admit is what I originally thought of when I heard people talking about them. I'm not going to even try to list every benefit that you can get from essential oils- and it is important to remember that just like with a medication, an oil may have a different effect on you than it does on your neighbor (but unlike with medications, they have no real side effects- unless you blatantly ignore common sense rules like don't drink that whole bottle and don't pour that undiluted peppermint down your pants.)
For me, finding a high quality oil company that I could trust and believe in was key. And please believe me when I tell you that I did my research. I tried lots of different oils from lots of different companies. I read reviews and studies- I joined chat groups to hear other people's opinions. What I learned was this- there is a remarkable difference amongst brands in the efficacy of essential oils, and that is affected by many more factors than just, "is it 100% natural?" which is the question I most found debated on the internet. Farming is a complicated process, and there are lots of factors that affect crops: type of farming method used, do they use chemical or organic fertilizer, how much did it rain that season, what time of day were the crops harvested, how long did they sit before being distilled, how long were they distilled… The list goes on and on.
This is important to know because the chemical composition of essential oils has to be very precise if you want it to do more than just smell good. Therapeutic grade doesn't just mean pure- it means pure and at the highest efficacy. Which is important when you are talking about a product that you are using to treat actual health issues.
I have to stop now because if I talk about actual specific oils and what they can do when used therapeutically, I get into murky FDA waters (bureaucratic nonsense that protects the pharmaceutical companies and their profit margins). However, if you're interested in learning more- I'm always adding new information to the My Herbal Studies tab- and I'm happy to chat with you, just hit me up and we can talk about how EO's can help you.
If you're curious which company I personally use- here's the link to how you can score them for yourself. My favorite Essential Oils

subset: commoncrawl


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Labyrinths & Mazes in the 21st Century | Wind your way through a maze or a labyrinth: two symbolic journeys, both rooted in myth and mystery. But while labyrinths are flat, circulate pathways designed for the acquisition of inner peace, mazes feature patterns of barriers that challenge, confuse, and deceive the walker.After looking at the legends and evolution of these two kinds of complex, twisting paths, Jeff Saward considers the innovative ways today's land artists and garden designers have recreated labyrinths and the new "craze" for mazes—from maize mazes and mirror mazes to wood and water mazes and simple garden turf mazes. The diverse and stunning examples come from all around the world, and this breathtakingly photographed overview captures their visual excitement and unique inspiration.
Author: Jeff Saward,
Publisher: MITCH , 2008-03-04
You can order HERE
You can order HERE


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Over the past week or so, my focus has been entirely on preparing our new computer service shop in Siler City, NC, to open. If you've never opened a business on a shoestring budget (and yes, $50,000 is an extremely thin budget to open even the smallest and cheapest shop you can think of!) then you don't realize how huge of a challenge it can be. So far, in only one week's time, myself and two of my family members have managed to move most of the computer parts I had stored in my home (as well as miscellaneous furniture, i.e. desks, I don't need anymore) for Tritech into the new shop, constructed four 10'x8′ walls to create a "front" and a "back", spackled more holes in the wall than I could count, spent two hours getting the somewhat unmaintained front windows cleaned up, and that doesn't count all of the "business" side of stuff: paying the rent for the space, filling out forms for a business privilege license, getting a temporary sign permit, getting the power and water services turned on, and preparing fliers and other "propaganda" (as I like to call all advertising) to let the entire city know that we're opening up soon.
"How is $50,000 a "small amount" for business purposes?" you might ask. I thought that it was a substantial amount of money myself, but I have quickly come to realize how horribly tiny it is, and that if I manage to get this off the ground without getting another loan to supplement it, I'll be fairly lucky. Here's how $50,000 will generally break down for my business (the amounts are not exact, they're rough estimates from my memory):
One-time and non-recurring items: $ 13500 Rent for 14 months, ~1100 sq. ft. $ 200 City permits, licenses, and water/sewer deposit $ 1200 Purchased items so far (carpet, lumber, spackle, paint, tools) $ 150 Sheetrock we're purchasing today $ 250 ~12'x9' temporary GRAND OPENING banner $ 1000+ Lit electric sign above the retail space (+installation) $ 1000 Two additional smaller sign panels for the plaza panel (+installation) $ 800 Approximate gasoline costs after everything is completed $ 500 Miscellaneous infrastructure parts (networking, etc.) ------- $ 18600 Total non-recurring (startup) costs Recurring monthly costs (approximate): $ 200 Power bill $ 40 Water/sewer $ 6000 Payout for a staff of three technicians (approximate) $ 500 Monthly gas expenditure for my business travel (parts, advertising, etc.) $ 1000 Small business loan monthly payment $ 120 High-speed Internet access ------- $ 7740 Total direct cost per month to stay in business
After starting the business, I have roughly $31,400 left to keep the business going if I make no money whatsoever. That means that I have about 4 months worth of operating funds TOTAL after I open up shop. I'm extending this somewhat by doing some of the work myself, but the bottom line is that I don't have much funding available after starting up to keep things going. This means that a very slow half-year start could very well cause the failure of my business. Luckily, if I can't get business going in half a year, that means either there was never a market there in the first place (and I already know there is), or I can't run a business worth anything at all!
Conspicuously absent from that list of expenditures is "carpenters" and "painters" and "general contractors." That's right, I did my research and learned how to frame and build a wall entirely by myself! For the most part, it's worked out great, but I've had some helping hands along the way when, for example, the walls needed to be anchored to the concrete floor. I've surely saved thousands by doing it myself, but it has been "my own personal slice of hell on earth," slaving away night and day to get the job done before opening the doors to our new customers.
I am certainly not a carpenter, but being willing to do some hard work on my own has saved me a substantial amount of money, which I can then use to make other improvements to my business, such as installing a security system.
I had previously decided to not acquire Internet access, but because I'm hiring contractors to do the bulk of the computer work, if one decides to tap my Internet access, the others will be able to take over the work of the browsing person and receive the pay for the job that is "on hold" due to excessive Internet play. With employees, I'd have to do something about it, but with contractors, they can balance each other out, and my manager on duty can act as a "whip" to make sure that no one is egregiously abusing my Internet access while they're doing jobs for me.
While this might seem an injustice to techies who love the Internet as I do, the increased productivity that will be generated can quickly lead to more business, and that means that my existing staff will get raises which I doubt I will receive many complaints for issuing! My ultimate goal is to put Best Buy and the like totally out of business by providing what they don't: great service, super-low prices, and ultra-fast turn-around times.
But first, I have to finish putting up the sheetrock.


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Links in Education Week: January 10, 2007
This page provides links to reports and resources highlighted in this issue of Education Week. The headlines show the Education Week stories in which the references appear. The links below them will take you to resource materials on other Web sites.
School Proposals in 'Tough Choices' Report Could Face Frosty Reception From States
- An executive summary of "Tough Choices or Tough Times" is posted by the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce.
Online Teacher-Contract Database Launched
- Get more information on Teacher Rules, Roles, and Rights.
Media Campaign Involves Hispanics
- More information on the campaign is available from the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options.
Report Roundup
- Home Schooling Choices Examined:
"The Choice of Public, Private, or Home Schooling" is posted by the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education.
- Magnet Schools and Diversity:
"Comparison of the Enrollment Percentages of Magnet and Non-Magnet Schools in a Large Urban School District" is available from the Education Policy Analysis Archives.
- Antidepressants and Suicide:
A summary of the analysis is posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Overweight Preschoolers:
An abstract of "Racial and Ethnic Differentials in Children's Overweight and Obesity Among 3-Year-Olds" is available from the American Journal of Public Health.
Vol. 26, Issue 18
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.


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About Us
Poolarama is a family-owned and operated business entering its 3rd generation.
We are located at 881 Richmond Road, where we've been since 1978.
Our story began in 1965, when Lou Bourada made the decision to leave the Ottawa Fire Department and start a swimming pool company.
His dream started from humble beginnings on Churchill Avenue, and in 1970, the company moved to a larger location on Woodward Drive. As the business grew, he realized that the next step was constructing his own building. The present location on Richmond Road opened its doors in 1976, completing his dream. The Burning Log was incorporated in the same building two years later.
A quality garden furniture store, Patio Comfort, was added, and has become Ottawa's premier garden furniture store. Current owners Derek and Steve Bourada have taken their father's dream and developed it into the business it is today.
With the help of Derek's son Adam, Poolarama keep the tradition alive by offering only the best in quality, performance, and friendly service. This is reflected in the high rating awarded to us by the Better Business Bureau.
Poolarama builds above-ground, onground, and inground pools. We offer a complete line of pool products including chemicals with in-store testing, pumps, filters, salt water systems, and anything else your pool could need. We can also renovate your old pool and bring it into the 21st century with modern amenities and features. With brands like Hayward, Pentair, Bioguard, Kafko, and Poolwerx, Poolarama only offers the highest standard of pool products. We work exclusively with experienced installers to make installations a worry-free experience for our clients.
Since 1988, we've been proud to carry the Canadian-made Hydropool Hot Tub. It offers the best in technology and construction, made for all of our Canadian seasons. They are makers of the self-cleaning hot tub—come in to see or even try one today!
Our business would not be where it is today without the help of our long-time managers, Russell Milks and Paul Andersen. Russell handles all of our business outside the bricks of the building. He's incredibly knowledgeable when it comes the pool industry, and constantly educates himself on new and emerging trends and technologies. His ability to adapt on-the-fly and learn about tomorrow's pools are second to none in the industry. Paul takes care of the inside of the building and manages the floor. He has knowledge of not only pools and hot tubs, but he can also troubleshoot plumbing, leaks, and even cloudy water. There are no problems these two can't be resolve with a little thought and TLC.
From our family to yours, let us help create the space for that special family time.
Looking forward to seeing you,
The Bouradas


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Low price. Offers a comfortable reading experience. Sensible control layout. 100 preloaded classic books.
Book downloads require a PC or Mac. No AC adapter in the box.
Bottom Line
If you don't need wireless book downloads, the Kobo eReader makes a fine digital reading companionand it comes at a compelling price point.
The e-book reader market just keeps growing, with all sorts of productssome of which are too expensive for mainstream buyers. The Borders-backed Kobo eReader is different. It rings in at a reasonable $149.99 (direct), which puts it $110 below the Amazon Kindle ($259, ) and the Barnes & Noble Nook ($259, ), and $50 below the Sony Reader Pocket Edition (PRS-300) ($199.99, ). And the Kobo eReader also comes with 100 preloaded classic titles to get you started, like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Moby Dick. If you don't need over-the-air book purchases, it's a solid low-cost choice.
Similar Products
Design and Setup
Measuring 7.2 by 4.7 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighing 7.8 ounces, the Kobo eReader is smaller than the Nook and the Kindle 2, and slightly bigger than the Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-300, though the latter has a smaller, 5-inch display. The Kobo's e-ink screen is 6 inches, and can display eight shades of gray. Some competing models, like the Kindle, can display 16 shades, though that really only comes into play when displaying photos, or if you're really particular about the way the unit renders book covers. There's nothing in the box aside from the reader, a USB cable, and a foldout guide for getting started. That means no AC adapter, which could be a problem if you're not taking a laptop along on your next trip.
The Kobo's front panel is made of matte white plastic. The back features a quilted, rubbery surface that makes the unit pleasant to hold. If you want to customize the eReader's look, GelaSkins are available in various colors and styles, along with more than 50 artist-designed versions. The turquoise, five-way, rubbery control pad offered slow but deliberate cursor movements and selections in my tests. Four rubber buttons on the side of the unit trigger Home, Menu, Display, and Back functions; I found these easier to use than the Nook's press-the-frame-style plastic controls.
To set up the eReader, I connected it to a 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro via the included USB cable. You can also connect the Kobo to a PC wirelessly via Bluetooth, though you can't buy books over the air (see below for more on that). I fired up the Mac OS X desktop installer, double-clicked it, and dragged the icon over to the Mac's Applications folder. When connected via USB, the Kobo eReader charges in about three hours. Like the Kindle, the Nook, and many other e-ink based readers, the Kobo boasts solid battery life; the company estimates that you should get about two weeks of typical use on a single charge (or about 8,000 page turns). A dim red LED lights up when the unit is charging, and then winks out when the cycle is complete. Meanwhile, a blue LED indicates the unit is "working." Sometimes it took a few seconds before I regained control of the UI, though I've seen similar, minor delays with many e-ink-based readers.
Reading Books, Downloads, and Conclusions
The Kobo eReader can display your e-book collection in a list, as raw text, or in a shelf view. In my tests, individual books loaded in less than ten seconds once chosen. The eReader's high contrast display and crisp text was easy to read; you can choose from five font sizes, and between serif or sans serif fonts. While reading, the page count displays the number of pages left in the chapter, but I couldn't find an overall page count anywhere.
The eReader can access over a million books and ePub, Adobe DRM, and PDF files are supported. For now, you can download or buy books at KoboStore.com; Borders has said it is launching its own e-book Store later this month. There's no over-the-air store like the Amazon Kindle or the Sony Reader Daily Edition ($399 list, ). Since Kobo also offers free apps for the iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, and Android devices, you can sync your books across multiple platformsthis way you can pick up where you left off using any device. The Kobo eReader's 1GB of internal memory can hold about 1000 e-book titles; an SD card slot at the top of the device offers extra storage if you need it.
So the big question is this: Do you need a connected reader? The Kobo eReader removes the instant gratification you'd get with a Kindle or Nook. Those devices let you browse, buy, and download books over the air in moments, wherever you can find a cellular signal. On the other hand, the Kobo eReader is a smarter purchase than the also-tethered Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-300, which costs $50 more, has a slightly smaller display, and doesn't come with a memory card slot or any preloaded books aside from a few excerpts. The Sony Reader supports more file formats, though. And you can conceivably stick it in a (big) pocket, which you can't do with the Kobo eReader. Meanwhile, the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook ($259 each) are still our top picks; the former is our Editors' Choice. If you don't need wireless book downloads, though, the Kobo eReader is a solid choice at a palatable price.
More eReader Reviews:
Amazon Kindle Kids Edition
Onyx Boox Max 3
Kobo Libra H2O
Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019)
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2018)


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Join the Seattle Aquarium for Winter Fishtival, where we'll feature different sea animals and fun activities each day. December 30 will be all about puffins, the diving birds often referred to as the clowns of the sea. Why? Keep reading to find out—and to discover a bit more about these charming birds!
Clown-like markings and colorful bills have earned puffins their nickname as the "clowns of the sea." Contrary to popular belief, puffins aren't related to penguins—puffins are from the family Alcidae and penguins are from the family Spheniscidae. Also, unlike penguins, puffins can fly (although they must flap their short, rounded wings quite quickly in order to stay airborne). While those wings may seem like a handicap in the air, they do double duty, serving as flippers when puffins dive underwater in search of fish to eat.
Learn more about puffins during Winter Fishtival— and watch our video to see some of the Seattle Aquarium's friendly puffins rubbing their beaks together to show affection!


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Nurse practitioner uses CrossFit passion to build community
Three years ago, Natalie Wheatley, NP, made a decision to change her life for the better.
At the time, she lived a sedentary lifestyle, resorted to fast food convenience and worked the overwhelming night shift. She was unhappy and needed something to give her life a boost. That's when Wheatley fell in love with CrossFit.
CrossFit is constantly varied, high-intensity exercise that focuses on "functional movements" that translate into everyday life, like with deadlifts and squats.
"Squatting at the gym translates into sitting, standing and getting up off the toilet. Performing deadlifts prepares your body for carrying groceries or picking anything up off the ground," said Wheatley, who is now a CrossFit coach at her husband's gym.
What she now knows about exercise helps when she's working with her Family Medicine patients, especially as she encourages them to find workouts that work for them.
"My position as a nurse practitioner has helped me see things with a prevention focus," she said. "I work to encourage my patients to live a healthy lifestyle."
Many of her patients try and like CrossFit because coaches are able to scale the workouts for each individual.
"Whether it's grandparents whose goal is to play with their grandchildren or a college student seeking to relieve stress, as a coach we strive to help meet those goals," she said.
Wheatley believes her motivation for fitness drives her motivation to help her patients.
"It is amazing to build relationships in the hospital and at the gym," Wheatley said. "Everyone at the gym is positive and encouraging. It does not matter what size you are or where you are in your fitness journey. The young and the old help each other out.
"These relationships evolve over time, and it is really about building a great community inside and outside the gym."
Wheatley's own experience sets her up as both a trusted and a dedicated expert.
"When I began weightlifting, I felt empowered," Wheatley said. "CrossFit has allowed me to focus on personal goals and work at my own pace. The nice part about it is that every workout is made specifically for you to accommodate your own goals."
"I am either working with patients or at the gym. That is my life."


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New Boats – Pontoon Boat Dealer – Boat Sales – Olympia
New Boats Sales. Campion. Northwest Welded Aluminum Boats. Polar Kraft. Sweetwater Pontoon Boats. Aqua Patio Pontoon Boats. Boats For Sale In Olympia WA.
We are a Pacific Northwest leader in new boat sales. We have a wide selection of new boats. We sell new pontoon boats. These are new boats from top makers. Our new boat brands include Campion Boats. We have Northwest Welded Aluminum Boats. We have Sweetwater Pontoon Boats. We carry Aqua Patio Pontoon Boats. We stock Polar Kraft Aluminum Boats. Come and see the selection of new boats. Come check out the pontoons. We have boats for sale for almost any boater. We have many of these new boats in stock. We Sell Suzuki outboards. We sell Yamaha outboard motors. We do custom add ons. We do boat and motor repairs. We stock parts. We have boating gear. We have used boats for sale. We have used motors for sale. We almost always have a selection of quality pre owned boats. Come see our lot and our showroom. Get your new boat here. Buy an used boat here. Have fun on the water now.
We can launch these new boats. We can launch these used boats. Our boat ramp is right here waiting. Schedule your test drive today!
We are Located on the waters of Puget Sound in Olympia, Washington. We have been at the same location for over 50 years. We serve Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Shelton, Tacoma, Seattle and beyond. Thank you for visiting our website. Give us a call. Our phone number is 360-491-7388.


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In Royce Scott Buckingham's Impasse, a man is left to die in Alaska while on an "adventure vacation" and must somehow survive to get his revenge on those who betrayed him. Forty and facing a mid-life crisis, Stu Stark has lost his mojo. He simply gave up after being fired from his prestigious job as a prosecuting attorney for losing the biggest case of his career. So when Stu's best friend gifts him a one-week trip into the Alaskan wilderness to rediscover his manhood, Stu thinks it just might do him some good. But after a horrible week, Stu is crushed when he realizes that no one is coming back for him. Dying, Stu is found by a grizzled old hunter who informs that winter has set in, and they're not going anywhere for a while. So begins Stu's training to become the man he never was...and to get revenge on those who betrayed him. This adult debut by the internationally bestselling YA author is a modern day take on The Count of Monte Cristo.
Product recommendations
by Royce Buckingham
by Scott Mariani
by Sir Walter Scott
by Ian Fleming
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DDD: My fix for the end of the year.
Occasionally I get this urge to take on some risk in my portfolio. Not for any other reason but to keep investing interesting and exciting. For the last six months I have found the market just too hard to invest in. My core holdings, the nine stocks that I hold are either fairly valued or expensive by my analysis and I have no interest in adding to them at these levels. I obviously don't want to sell them either because I don't want to keep trading core positions. Though I feel like the markets are extended, they seem to be in a funky state were there is a great deal of faith that the markets will continue to go up for the rest of the year and even if it doesn't the downside risk is limited due to portfolio rebalancing by bug funds. With that in mind, playing the short side of the market is just too hard. Does not bode well for my remaining short positions on the SPY for the end of year, but I leave it there as my insurance.
So what can I do for now. This is were options are so vital in my investments. It helps me place bets on long odds with minimal capital. So here I am talking about DDD.
At the beginning of the year this stock was flying high and was atrociously expensive. But just like everything else, the good times had to end. Today DDD suffers from all kinds of negative sentiment. Lets list a few:
1. System upgrades and production delays hurting revenue growth
2. Profit margin pressure from product mix
3. Big players stepping into the market in the form of HPQ and GE
4. General negative sentiment on the market segment
So what does DDD have going for it at these levels
1. A 35% short position that will be squeezed at some point
2. Cleaning up of the production delays
3. A balance sheet that looks pretty clean for a company growing at these rates
4. Cash and debt levels that keep the company finances fairly healthy through rough times
5. A positive cash flow that does not eat into the financial health of the company.
6. Another year or more of time before the big competitors get into the market
7. A market cap of $3.6 Billion that is palatable as an acquisition target
So what is the trade? It is a 2016 call option for a strike of 35$ for the price of $6. The assumption here is that by the start of 2016 DDD would have worked through its production issues and would be firing on all cylinders and at that point the shorts would be squeezed out. They would also be a lot closer to the $1 Billion mark in revenue which at 41$ (my "in the money" for the option) would mean that DDD would be trading at 4 times revenue which would not be a stretched valuation anymore. This should also be time enough for them to show new market segments and some additional partnerships that fend off the competition. If they keep up their growth I think the stock should be in the mid 60s by 2016 with a market cap closer to $7 billion.
Clearly this is a speculative trade. But that is what makes it exciting and at a cost of $600 it is worth the price to keep me engaged in the market.
Only time will tell.


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Exclusive: FBI Director Comey's judgment that Hillary Clinton was "extremely careless" but not criminal in her sloppy email practices leaves her limping to the Democratic nomination and stumbling toward the fall campaign, writes Robert Parry.
Category: Politics
Hillary Rebuffs Bernie's Policy Demands
Eager to hold the political "center," Hillary Clinton has budged little on Bernie Sanders's policy proposals beyond nice-sounding platitudes, a strategy that could lead to clashes at the Democratic convention, says Lawrence Davidson.
Garrison Keillor's Prophecy and Apostasy
Public radio storyteller Garrison Keillor signed off his last show over the July Fourth weekend, leaving behind an adoring audience which he chose not to challenge with "prophetic" critiques of America, writes Sam Husseini.
Misunderstanding Russia and Russians
Western media has demonized Russia and President Putin with unrelenting propaganda that has dazed and confused many Russians, a condition that retired U.S. Col. Ann Wright encountered on a recent visit.
Thomas Jefferson: America's Founding Sociopath
From the Archive: When Robert Parry's article was posted two years ago, the Thomas Jefferson v. Alexander Hamilton debate vastly favored Jefferson, but the hit Broadway musical "Hamilton" has brought new realism about Jefferson's ugly side.
Anger at Obama over Immigration
President Obama's mixed record on immigration includes deporting nearly three million people while seeking protections for some categories of undocumented immigrants, a move just obstructed by federal courts, writes Dennis J Bernstein.
Poll Disputes Claim of Obama's Weakness
Democrats' hawkishness is fed by fear that Republicans will attack them as doves, a concern heightened by the charge that President Obama is disdained globally for not using more military force, a point disputed by ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.
How Hillary Clinton Ignores Peace
Special Report: Despite neocon-instigated chaos and bloodshed across the Mideast (and now into Europe), Hillary Clinton continues to advocate more "regime change" wars with almost no fear from a marginalized anti-war movement, writes Robert Parry.
Lost in the Military-Industrial Complex
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have ducked any serious discussion of America's escalating military spending, suggesting that whoever wins will be captive of President Eisenhower's "Military-Industrial Complex," writes Chuck Spinney.
Colombia's Peace Finally at Hand
Exclusive: In a world darkened by war and disorder, a rare glimmer of optimism broke through as Colombia's government signed a long-delayed peace accord with the country's primary guerrilla movement, as Jonathan Marshall describes.


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I don't know about you, but I've been doing some thinking.
I'm tired of having things.
It's so easy to think about minimizing and purging when feeling overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of things we've been accumulating, but it never seems that one can actually "win," even while taking the minimalist approach to material things.
It costs a lot of money to have anything at all, really, no matter what it is.
You have to pay the initial sticker price
You have to maintain the thing. This can include a number of other things.
- Buying a steamer or an iron to ward off unsightly wrinkles and folds.
- Buying waxes or protective sprays, to keep your whites white, to keep your colors colorful, to keep your shoes waterproof, to repel dirt, etc.
- Buying sweater shavers or sweater stones to remove fuzz and keep the thing looking generally unfuzzy, like when you first purchased the thing.
- Buying and exhausting lint roller supplies and using them when you get dressed, before you leave the house, after you take a drive, etc. Especially if you are harboring any sort of furry creature in your home.
- Taking it to the dry cleaners and make time to drive in your car to the cleaners, consuming fuel, and then paying to have it dropped off and then making the time to get into your car again and pick it up later.
- Getting things zip-soled so that the things last longer, so you don't have to buy the thing again so soon.
- Buying things to ward off things that want to eat your things, like cedar blocks or moth balls… for moths.
- Buying hangers, boxes, holders, display-ers, bags, furniture, etc. to house and hold your things.
- Detergents to clean your things. Machines to clean the things. Machines to dry the things. Which also costs energy.
- Cases to protect your things (i.e. mobile-device things)
Okay, not everything on that list was a physical thing, but you get the point. It costs a lot of time and effort into keeping your things.
Because if you don't, you'd have to buy new things to replace your old things.
When you have to buy things for your things, you know you have too many things.
I'm starting to feel that perhaps my home is not actually for me, but instead for my things.


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Solair Retractable Awnings
More living space, increased flexibility, better value.
More and more, homeowners are looking for ways to expand their living space. One of the first places they turn to is their patio or deck.
While this outdoor area offers many advantages, it does have one big drawback—the BLAZING SUN! Between the hours of 10a.m.-5p.m. the patio area is so hot that is virtually unusable.
To remedy this problem homeowners can add shade systems that range from a common patio umbrella or permanent roof to the increasingly popular manual or motorized retractable awnings.
Q: What are the differences between a retractable awning and a patio or deck umbrella?
A: An umbrella shades a very small area and must be operated manually. It also is highly susceptible to wind damage. An awning, on the other hand, is more durable and can be equipped with features such as remote controls and automatic wind sensors. Most importantly, an awning can cover a large area which gives you a much larger shady area for entertaining, playing with the kids or simply relaxing.
Q: Why would you want a Solair® retractable awning versus a fixed frame patio awning or permanent roof?
A: Retractable awnings make more sense for homeowners who are looking to extend their living area, yet maintain flexibility. Thanks to its spring-loaded arms, a Solair® awning can be extended or retracted to the length you want, so you are in complete control to enjoy the sun or shade whenever you want. Permanent structures give you no flexibility or freedom.
Q: Does a Solair® awning really make it cooler on my deck or patio?
A: YES! Your Solair® awning can reduce heat gain in your home by as much as 77% and can lower your indoor temperature by as much as 15 degrees. By lowering the temperature, you lower air conditioning usage and your energy bill.
Q: What kind of fabric is on a Solair awning?
A: Solair® awnings use Sunbrella fabrics – the industry leader in durability and beauty. These high-grade materials have the color embedded in every fiber, ensuring that they won't significantly fade over time.
Q: Does the fabric color I choose affect how hot it is under my awning?
A: While color choice has some slight impact, the fabric itself has the most impact on heating. Because the Sunbrella awning fabric is woven, air is allowed to circulate through the fabric instead of building up under the awning, which also keeps the temperature down.
Q: Does my Solair awning come with a warranty?
A: Of Course! We stand by our retractable awnings with one of the most generous warranties in the industry. The Solair® PS2000 comes with a 5 year warranty, while the Solair® PS5000 offers a 10 year warranty. All Sunbrella fabrics have a 10 year warranty against any fading, staining or mildew.
Q: What happens when it rains?
A: Solair® retractable awnings are designed to provide protection from the sun's harsh rays. Your Solair awning can be used during light rains with proper unit pitch. In heavy rains or wind, your Solair awning must be retracted to keep water from "pooling" on the fabric and causing irreversible damage.
Q: How much wind can an awning handle?
A: Light winds of less than 5 mph should not harm your awning. To prevent wind damage, it's best to retract the awning before wind speeds reach the point of causing the awning to sway side to side or up and down. You may want to consider a Solair®retractable awning model with an optional automatic wind sensor that automatically retracts the awning when stronger winds are detected.


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Call Us Today!
Home » Video Testimonials
Our Cincinnati dentist team at West Chester Dental Group provide exceptional cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, and general dentistry to patients all around the Tri-State area but primarily in Butler County and Hamilton County, including from Cincinnati, West Chester, Mason and Fairfield, OH and zip codes 45069, 45014 and 45040. They even provide sedation dentistry for patients that prefer it.
© 2016 West Chester Dental Group


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The workshop cost for this type of workshop are shown below.
|Workshop type
|Duration (minutes)
|Mock casting
*1The workshop deposit, if any, is payable at the time of booking, with the balance (cost minus deposit paid) being payable on the workshop due date, which is usually 7 days before the actual workshop session.
*2Included in the cost of this workshop is the right to use of all media recorded, still images, or video, while represented as a model by 12 to 18 Management Ltd. This includes the downloading of images for personal use. The only limitation is that you cannot use any media from these workshops for representation by other agencies, and should you leave 12 to 18 Management all right to the media recorded ceases immediately.


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I realise that what I present here is necessarily brief in terms of summing up of both the provocations and the conversation afterwards. I am also intensely aware it must contain a good deal of my own thoughts, but that these thoughts might have been articulated by others in different ways. The sessions begin at 9:30 with the first provocation. There is a coffee break at 11:00, which is followed by the second provocation.
Gillian Beer's provocation concentrated on the writer-reader relationship and investigated the differences between memoir and fiction. She postulated a resistant reader and reminded us that the idea of the contact between writer and reader is not automatically available.
The reader of the memoir, she said, 'has no part in the conversation' - what is happening is happening to a written 'them'. The reader has to trust that what they are told really did happen as described. The distance between reader and text or author is implicit. The author may be wanting to offer us a particular reading of his or her life. We think of the celebrity memoir.
[But why should we be interested in the lives of others? Why spend time reading about others in general and one specific other in particular? There are people in whom we have some kind of interest and that may, for some, involve celebrities. On the other hand, we may feel a twinge of guilt in such 'nosiness' especially when tragedy is involved. I think of the so-called 'ghouls' at the scene of a wreck. I think of Warhol's Crash series. I think of our interest in the dead generally.
Such things are dramatic of course. But what do we seek in less tragic lives? Why are we drawn to examine them and seek the further evidences of diaries, letters and archives of scribbled notes, cards, lists? Curiosity is natural. Without curiosity there would be no human progress, no human interest, certainly no literature or any other art?
But what do we seek in memoir in particular, where the author gives a personal account of not only the events through which he or she has passed, but also the personal feelings nd thoughts associated with it? In what way is this presentation of reality as personal evidence different from other possible forms. Is autobiography different? Is the story told round a table different?]
While memoir is in some sense a 'closed' form, suggested Gillian, fiction is 'open'. The reader enters as a participant [I wanted to know more about the way the reader participates and whether memoir was quite as closed as a straight contrast sugsests], unfettered by the likelihood of things actually happening or having happened. Here we discover a different kind of belief but may also reject it by abandoning the book. Why might we do that? Is it because we don't like the development or is it because of some factor in the narrative that we find difficult to accept? Because it betrays us in some way, breaking the trust we have placed in it?
[I kept thinking of context and convention here. Is it the proprieties of the convention that induce trust? Do we accept such conventions as the frame within which the contract between writer and reader may be established. Does loss of trust occur because the book has, in some way, broken the frame? Or could it be precisely because it has kept to comfortably in the frame, the frame being something about which we are - rightly? - sceptical. Life is not to be too easily framed. Framing, we might argue, is cliché.]
The conversation moved this way and that. Does memoir refer to an essentially locatable self? How far is that self locatable? Teju Cole questioned the standard definition of memoir. Alvin Pang wondered if memoir, given time, might become fiction. Cathy Cole talked about scepticism regarding the reality of the self. Robin Hemley quipped that the first novel was in fact often taken to be a form of memoir.
The credibility of memoir [but possibly of fiction too?] might be a matter of detail, suggested Gail Jones, a matter of detail and recapitulation. She talked of the moment of authentic feeling. Perhaps authentic feeling was what we really wanted, I added, or maybe authentication of feeling, that truth in this sense was that kind of creature. Joe Dunthorne talked of 'truthiness' - a term he thinks he read in Luke Kennard, and I first heard on R4 the other day. What was it? I said I understood it as the system whereby the listener / reader is given the impression that the speaker /writer believes so firmly in what they are saying that the listener / reader is obliged to give it some credence. (George Bush was mentioned in this context.)
On the matter of detail, it might have been Robin who told us that Marquez had written a scene where a room is filled with butterflies and, realising that this sounded merely fanciful, added yellow butterflies to make it convincing.Incidentally, Robin informed us, he taught a semester on fake memoirs at Iowa. Very popular too. There are of course a good number of examples, including some Holocaust memoirs. These books might still be good books, he added , and some of them recover critical respectability. The authentic, the true, and the facts are not necessarily the same.
Tim Parks suggested the self as a position in both life and narrative,and how hard it was to find such a narrative. He referred to Beckett's First Love and how the homeless figure demands everything and gives nothing, exactly as Beckett himself did in service of his art.
There was then the dilemma of a potentially longed for, or required misreading in poets such as Christopher Reid's Katerina Brac (the invented poet), or indeed the question of poetry as a reporter of memoir events. Christopher Reid and Jo Shapcott's Costa Prize winning books, Reid's book, A Scattering, being about the death of his wife, Lucinda; Shapcott's Of Mutability about her own grave illness. Perhaps poetry was deemed to tell us more, or give us more understanding of personal history under stress.
John Coetzee's provocation follows.


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Ninety patients a day are currently dying from opioid addiction. This number is going up. Pain is a big problem and the over counter medications such as NSAIDS are not any better than opioids.
Research from a Danish study was recently published in a journal of the American Heart Association, stating that pain medications are associated with higher risks of heart-related deaths in healthy people. The study looked at the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). They found that ibuprofen; the main ingredient in Advil and Motrin, was associated with a 29 % greater risk of fatal or nonfatal stroke. Rofecoxib, sold as Vioxx before it was recalled in the United States, was associated with a 66% greater risk of cardiovascular death. Naproxen, commonly known as Aleve, was not associated with heart problems. All prescription NSAIDS carry the same cardiovascular warning and may cause increase of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which can be fatal. The American Heart Association advised in 2007 that NSAIDS, except aspirin, for chronic pain upped the risks for heart attack and stroke.
Many of people are taking NSAIDS daily thinking that they are safe because they are sold over the counter. As a naturopathic doctor one must approach and treat the cause of pain. Pain can be related to our emotional state, hormonal imbalances, injury, stress, autoimmune disease, food allergy, nutritional deficiencies etc. If you do not get to the cause of the pain the pain will continue to return when one continues to treat only the symptoms.
For sports injuries I am currently using homeopathy injections to treat the inflammation locally. When the inflammation resolves the pain resolves. One may need 1-5 injections initially.
Craniosacral treatments are another way in which I completely align the whole body. If the body is not aligned pain will not resolve. Craniosacral treatments are beneficial for all types of pain, migraines, concussions, sinus infections etc, For more on craniosacral treatments click here.
Castro oil packs over the effective area can also help. For more information click here,
Our diet can effect inflammation in our body. Foods high in sugar, caffeine, alcohol, red meat, white flour and rice. And there are many foods that are anti-inflammatory. For more information click here.
Natural inflammatory supplements & herbs can be a great substitute for NSAIDS. These are specific depending on where the pain is coming from and the dose that should be used. I generally use combination anti-inflammatories. These can be curcumin, MSM, boswelia, bromelain, ginger, CBD oil, valerian, passionflower, bioflavones etc. Again, this all depends on location and severity of the pain.
If you are having chronic pain you need to get an assessment to find out where the pain it coming from. This can be emotional, hormonal imbalances, injury, stress, autoimmune disease, food allergy, nutritional deficiencies etc. If you do not get to the cause of the pain the pain will continue to return when one continues to treat only the symptoms. Dr. Wiancek 970-926-7606.


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Favors & Intentions
When an individual becomes a candidate for sainthood, there is an opportunity to call upon him or her for help. Favors received through Father McGivney's intercession are signs of God's love manifested through the holiness of his life.
Submit & View Intentions
Enlist Father McGivney as an intercessor for your prayers. View prayers.
Report & View Favors
Tell the world how Father McGivney has helped you!
In the News
Benefits of Guild Membership
Weekly Guild Mass
Each week a Mass is celebrated by Father Gabriel B. O'Donnell, vice postulator of the cause for Father McGivney, for the intentions of members of the Father McGivney Guild.
All Souls Novena of Masses
Between Oct. 24 and Nov. 2, Father Gabriel B. O'Donnell, vice postulator, celebrates Mass for all deceased relatives and friends of Guild members.
Novena for World Peace
During the nine days preceding the feast of the Sacred Heart, the Guild celebrates daily Mass in Rome for the cause of world peace.
Christmas and Easter Triduum Masses
Petitions from Guild members are placed on the altar for Masses celebrated in Rome at Easter and Christmas.
The McGivney Prayer
God, our Father, protector of the poor and defender of the widow and orphan, you called your priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, to be an apostle of Christian family life and to lead the young to the generous service of their neighbor. Through the example of his life and virtue may we follow your Son, Jesus Christ, more closely, fulfilling his commandment of charity and building up his Body which is the Church. Let the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love so that we may continue his work of caring for the needy and the outcast. We humbly ask that you glorify your venerable servant Father Michael J. McGivney on earth according to the design of your holy will. Through his intercession, grant the favor I now present (here make your request). Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


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Peter Thiel funds Elon Musk's sputtering rocketships
Peter Thiel fought viciously with Elon Musk in the early part of this decade; after they merged their companies to form with PayPal, they wrestled for control, with Thiel emerging victorious as the CEO who led the company through an IPO and a $1.5 billion sale to eBay. At the time, Musk was the richer, having sold a forgotten company to another forgotten company for an unforgettable $220 million. The two have long since made up — and a lucky thing for Musk, who now finds himself a supplicant to Thiel. Thiel's venture capital firm, the Founders Fund, has agreed to invest $20 million in Musk's faltering SpaceX, a rocket-ship startup whose latest vehicle crashed into the Pacific Ocean rather than soaring into the beyond.Ignominiously, the botched launch ended up splashing the ashes of James Doohan, the actor who play Scotty in Star Trek's ashes all over the Pacific. Perhaps more materially, three satellites — two from NASA and another form the department of defense — also saw their trips cut drastically short. Thiel's $20 million follows $100 million of Musk's own money already sunk into the project. As friendly as the two are now, Thiel's investment has to be humiliating — a reminder that Musk may have the occasional clever idea, but it takes a Thiel to make it pay off.


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Tagged With: Veterans Day
Better Late Than Never…..
(Source: LOC, Prints & Photographs Division) Hi folks, I blew it…completely crashed it! What I'm saying is that I missed my post yesterday, for Veterans Day! So to all my fellow veterans, I completely apologize…and hat's off to you guys and gals that sacrificed for our country…and for those who didn't make it back. Established … Continue reading
Categories: Veterans Day Tags: Air Force, Army, medal of honor, MOH, Navy, patriotism, SAC, sailor, Strategic Air Command, Veterans Day Leave a comment


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HCG Ultra Diet Critic
Finding the right diet program can be very difficult. It may take time and some experimenting in order to find the best possible diet program to meet your needs. Every person will react to diet plans differently and your experience may be completely different from someone else's. It is important to stay focused and http://www.HCGUltraDietCritic.com never give up. You will find the perfect program that will help you to finally get rid of all your unwanted weight. You can follow these tips to help you find the best possible diet plan. These tips will guide you towards finding an effective program that will work with your body to help let go of all the unwanted pounds.
The first tip is to search for a diet program that is safe and effective. Take you time and do plenty of research before you commit to any diet plan. Choose a supplement that is all natural and organic. This will ensure that you are consuming safe ingredients that will have very limited side effects. If you do not like taking pills then it is possible to find liquid or powder supplements. They are just as effective as pills but you can choose to consume them a bit differently.
The next tip is to find a diet program that will help you lose weight quickly. Many people want to lose at least 30 pounds as fast as they can. They may have an upcoming event and want to look their best. You can find trusted diet programs that will help you to reach your goals. Make a commitment to eat healthy and start a regular exercise routine. This is one of the best things you can to do to start losing weight. Once you have made this change in your lifestyle then you will be ready to add an effective supplement.
The ultra hcg website offers more information about how to lose weight quickly. You will have the chance to learn more about ultra hcg and how this program can help you to reach all of your weight loss goals. It is a safe an effective diet program that has helped thousands of people lose weight fast.


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City of Novi, Michigan Events for February 2018
Are the winter blues getting you down? The City of Novi has a number of exciting events planned for each member of the family. From a daddy-daughter dance and mother-son dance to the Super 5K Road Race on Super Bowl Sunday, these are events you won't want to miss.
Daddy Daughter Dance
- Friday, February 2, 2018
- Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Saturday, February 3, 2018
- Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Cost: $19 per person
- Location: Novi Civic Center
- 45175 10 Mile Road, Novi, Michigan 48375
This year's Daddy Daughter dance is sure to be a fun time to create lasting memories with your family. Let your daughter get all dolled up and have that special time out with Daddy. This year's theme is Hooray For Hollywood!
For more information and to register online, please see Community Events.
Super 5K Road Race
- Sunday, February 4, 2018
- Time: 8:30 a.m.
- Novi High School
- 24062 Taft Rd, Novi, MI 48375
What better way to kick off Super Bowl Sunday than to participate in a family fun run in the morning?
Every entrant gets a pair of 5K gloves and headwear to help you brave the freezing temps! In no time at all, you will be warm and halfway finished with that race. Run your race and then start the day's feasting right after the finish line before you go home to gear up for your next fun party. The race begins and ends at Novi High School and the course is mostly flat and paved.
For more information, please see register online.
Chamber of Commerce Winter Business Mixer
- Tuesday, February 6, 2018
- Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Novi Civic Center
- 45175 10 Mile Road
- Novi MI 48375
Are you new to Novi and running a small business? Or maybe your business is growing and you need some questions answered. Whatever the reason, the Chamber of Commerce Winter Business Mixer is your opportunity to meet fellow business owners, chamber leaders, and City of Novi partners and ask them your questions in a relaxed environment. The cost is $5 per person. Drinks and appetizers are included.
For more information and to register online, please see Winter Business Mixer.
Love and Friendship Luncheon
- Wednesday, February 14, 2018
- Time: 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Location: Meadowbrook Activity Center
- 25075 Meadowbrook Rd., Novi MI 48375
- Ages: 55+
You don't have to have a sweetheart to come to this luncheon, but you do have to be age 55 or older. This month's luncheon happens to be right on Valentine's Day and it's all about the love between friends. Bring your friends and come to celebrate love.
The cost is $7.50 for residents and $9.00 for non-residents. The deadline is February 7 or until sold out. For more information, please call 248-347-0414 or visit Special Events.
Get Your Game On - Mother Son Dance
- Friday, February 23, 2018
- Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Location: Novi Civic Center
- 45175 10 Mile Road
- Novi MI 48375 US
This mother-son night is not just for mothers and sons, but for aunts, grandmothers, sisters or any special female in your son's life. There will be dancing, appetizers, photos and more. The theme this year is sports, so have your son dress in his favorite team jersey or t-shirt!
The cost is $14 for residents and $17.00 for non-residents. Registration ends on February 16. For more information and to register online, please see registration information.
Easy, Fun and Healthy Cooking for One or Two
- Tuesday, February 27, 2018
- Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Location: Novi Civic Center
- 45175 10 Mile Road, Novi MI 48375
- Ages: 55+
If you learned how to cook all your best meals when you were raising a young family, but it seems challenging to adjust to only feeding yourself or two of you, this class is for you. Maybe you need some tips for healthy eating, or just want a fun way to learn some new recipes. This is the perfect opportunity. Leave with some healthy ideas and great recipes!
There is no charge for this event. Registration ends on February 23. For more information, please see Health & Wellness.
Novi is a great place to live and to raise a family. If you are interested in moving to Novi, Michigan please give our office a call. We would love the opportunity to help with all of your real estate needs.


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It is supposed to be a relaxing experience.
Frankly, the experience can be intimidating to novices like me. The three important principles to remember when playing golf are etched into my mind: Play the course as you find it; Play the Ball as it lies, and if you can't do either, do what's fair."
Etiquette covers both Courtesy and Priority on the Course as well as Care of the Course.
1 Don't move, talk or stand close to a player making a stroke.
2 Don't play until the group in front is out of the way.
3 Always play without delay. Leave the putting green as soon as all players in your group have holed out.
4 Invite faster groups to play through.
5 Replace divots. Smooth footprints in bunkers.
6 Don't step on the line of another player's putt.
7 Don't drop clubs on the putting green.
8 Replace the flagstick carefully.
"People get in arguments every day on every golf course in America," Carpenter told the paper. "But 99.9 percent of the time no one takes it this far."
It's still unclear who jammed the iron club into Carpenter's leg during the melee and who threw the first punch.
During the 911 call, the other golfers said that Carpenter's groin was "leaking [blood] like a faucet" and that they had to pinch his femoral artery to stop it from bleeding while paramedics arrived.
Monitoring your emotions is fundamental to enjoying the game and getting the best out of yourself and your playing partners. Hey, we all have off days but WTF? I guess this way anger is labelled the rotten apple of golf!


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Featured Restaurant Projects
Little Ricci's – Golden
Lil' Ricci's is a New York style Pizzeria located at 16950 W. Colfax Avenue in Golden. The MEP for this project consisted of the addition of ADA restrooms, dining and...
Learn More About This Project
Solaris Lobby Restaurant – Vail
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing design for a 1,250 sqft commercial kitchen for a high end Japanese restaurant at the Vail Solaris complex. The kitchen design included 40 linear feet of...
Learn More About This Project
Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
The historic building at 1437 California Street was transformed into a full service restraunt specializing in shrimp. The original structure was built in the late 1800's and required significant field...
Learn More About This Project
More Restaurant Projects
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
- Little Ricci's – Golden
- Solaris Bol – Vail
- Solaris Lobby Restaurant – Vail
- INK! Coffee – Design Phase
- National Cattlemans Beef Association
- Republic Plaza – Santa Fe Cookie Company
- Wall Street Deli – Design Phase


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More than 4,000 Syrian refugees have already fled into Turkey and aid agencies are anxious to get into the country.
Hicham Hassan from the International Red Cross in Geneva talks to the BBC and says they are getting reports that the number of injuries in the past week has increased but have still not been given access to the country.
The US government has charged Syria with creating a humanitarian crisis.
Thousands streamed out of the town of Jisr al-Shughour, on the road between Syria's second city Aleppo and the country's main port of Latakia.
"When the massacre happened in Jisr al-Shughour the army split, or they started fighting each other and blamed it on us," a woman refugee, who refused to give her name, told Turkish news channel NTV.
Unlike in Libya, however, other nations have thus far not intervened, and the situation continues to unfold.


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Chris Mason
Chris Mason is a longtime contributor to the Linux kernel and maintainer of the Btrfs filesystem. He is currently a software engineer on Facebook's kernel team and the chair of The Linux Foundation's Technical Advisory Board. Prior to joining Facebook, Chris worked as a kernel developer at SUSE, Oracle, and Fusion-io. He lives with his family in Rochester, New York.Facebook
Dan Williams
Dan Williams is a kernel developer in Intel's Open Source Technology center. His primary role is enabling next generation storage technologies, like persistent memory. In his more than a decade-long history of contributing to the Linux kernel, he has also had the opportunity to work on embedded system-on-a-chip enabling, memory management, and other core functionality.
Greg Kroah-Hartman
Greg Kroah-Hartman is among a distinguished group of software developers who maintain Linux at the kernel level. In his role as a Linux Foundation Fellow, he continues his work as the maintainer for the Linux stable kernel branch and a variety of subsystems while working in a fully neutral environment. He also works closely with Linux Foundation members and projects, and on key initiatives to advance Linux.
Greg created and maintains the Linux Driver Project. He is also currently the maintainer for the Linux stable kernel branch and a variety of different subsystems that include USB, staging, driver core, tty, and sysfs, among others. Most recently, he was a Fellow at SUSE.
Greg is an adviser to Oregon State University's Open Source Lab and a member of The Linux Foundation's Technical Advisory Board. He has delivered a variety of keynote addresses at developer and industry events, and has authored two books covering Linux device drivers and Linux kernel development.Fellow
Jonathan Corbet
Jonathan got his first look at the BSD Unix source back in 1981, when an instructor at the University of Colorado let him "fix" the paging algorithm. He has been digging around inside every system he could get his hands on ever since, working on drivers for VAX, Sun, Ardent, and x86 systems on the way. He got his first Linux system in 1993, and has never looked back. Jon is the Co-founder and Executive Editor of Linux Weekly News.LWN.net
Kees Cook
Kees is a Software Engineer at Google.Google
Laura Abbott
Laura Abbott is a Fedora Kernel Engineer at Red Hat.Red Hat
Olof Johansson
Olof Johansson has been co-maintainer of the arm-soc effort for five years and counting, during which time he has helped drive the transition from total chaos to something that's humming along very smoothly.
He has had the opportunity to work closely with a number of ARM vendors to get them engaged in upstream development, in particular through work as technical lead of the Chrome OS kernel. Olof is familiar with the challenges and benefits that vendors see when they go through this process, and how to make the best out of them. His proudest achievements are also in this area, where he has seen vendors such as Nvidia, Rockchip, and Mediatek step up and participate.Tesla
Steven Rostedt
Steven Rostedt started working on the Linux kernel in 1998, when he was working on his Master's in computer science. Since then, he has focused on making Linux kernel development into a career. His upstream work includes being one of the first main developers of the PREEMPT_RT patch set. His focus has been on making the Linux kernel into a more deterministic operating system, and he helps maintain the real-time part of the scheduler. Steven currently maintains the stable releases of the PREEMPT_RT patch set.
Steven also brought the PREEMPT_RT patch's latency tracer into the kernel, using ideas from his own internal tracer, the end result became what is now called "ftrace." Steven continues to be the main developer and maintainer of the tracing code of the Linux kernel.
Ted Ts'o
Ted Ts'o graduated from MIT with a degree in computer science, after which he worked in MIT's Information Systems department. During this time he was project leader of the Kerberos V5 team.
In 1994, Ted created the /dev/random Linux device node and the corresponding kernel driver, which was the first Linux kernel interface that provided high-quality cryptographic random numbers to user programs.
After MIT, Ted went to work for VA Linux Systems for two years. In 2001, he joined IBM, where he worked on improvements in the Linux kernel's performance and scalability. After working on the real-time kernel at IBM, he joined The Linux Foundation for a two-year fellowship. Initially he served as Chief Platform Strategist before becoming Chief Technology Officer in 2008. Ted also served as Treasurer for USENIX until 2008, and has chaired the annual Linux Kernel Summit.
He is a Debian developer and has maintained several packages, mostly filesystem-related, including e2fsprogs, since 2003. He was a member of the Security Area Directorate for the Internet Engineering Task Force, and was one of the chairs for the IPsec working group. He was one of the founding board members for the Free Standards Group.
In 2010 Ted moved to Google.
Tim Bird
Tim is a Senior Staff Software Engineer at Sony Corporation, and is maintainer of the Fuego Test System – an embedded Linux test framework.
Tim has been working with Linux systems since 1993. He is former Chief Technical Officer of the early embedded Linux company Lineo, and has been working on embedded Linux systems for over 20 years. He has been involved with embedded Linux industry associations for most of that time, including being a founder of the Embedded Linux Consortium, the Consumer Electronics Linux Forum, and the Core Embedded Linux Project of the Linux Foundation. He created and runs the Embedded Linux Conference. Through these organizations he has developed or sponsored technical improvements to Linux in the area of bootup time reduction, system size reduction, real-time enhancements, power management, and other technical areas important to using Linux in embedded and consumer products.


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At Lynch's Pharmacy we provide all your prescription and over-the-counter drug information, both online and in-store. If you have any question regarding your medicine, click on the "live virtual-consultation" button, and talk to a Pharmacist, who is ready to answer your questions.
Medicine - X
Xalatan eye drops contain the active ingredient latanoprost, which is a type of medicine called a prostaglandin analogue. Latanoprost is used to lower raised pressure within the eyeball.
Xanax (Alprazolam) tablets are only used to treat severe anxiety and severe anxiety associated with depression.
XARELTO® is a prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation, not caused by a heart valve problem.
Xatral tablets contain the active ingredient alfuzosin, which is a type of medicine called an alpha-blocker. It works by blocking alpha receptors that are found in the muscle in the prostate gland.
Xenical (Orlistat) is indicated in the treatment of obesity in conjunction with a low calorie intake diet.
Xyzal (levocetirizine) is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.


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3 supplier articles matched your search
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Donkeys given a new start after surviving 'unacceptable' conditions
Two donkeys found with nothing to eat and drink but rotting carrots and maggot-infested water have been taken into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary. Living in filth An investigation...
Gangs stealing donkeys from Ethiopia for slaughter in Kenya
A shocking new investigation has revealed that Kenya is acting as a trade hub for donkeys smuggled in across the borders of its neighbouring countries after its own donkey population has...
Charity disappointed by 'backwards step' for donkeys
The Donkey Sanctuary has expressed disappointment at the news that China is reducing the import tax on donkey skins for use in traditional medicine. Alex Mayers, head of programmes at The Donkey...


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NASIOL is the go-to name for nano-coating, it represents the expertise in protective nanotechnology: water-repellent coating at your fingertips for everything from your car to your favourite pair of shoes.
How many of us don't notice such kind of products because of the boring explanation videos?
TAKA came up with a different way. It was not easy, actually it was pretty complicated, but we made it.
The task was hard. We had to push BRAND it self, same time, we had to make it easy to understand, that means, we must show all the functions and benefits. So how do we show it in an entertaining way?
First- we wrote a very detailed story board. Second- we shoot- we create an original material in industrial open space, using models and Mercedes to give the power to BRAND.
Next step- we create a 3D material to visualize the problem and benefits. Last part- we add fresh and energetic original soundtrack, and the video is ready to go online.
The challenge was to balance the footage, 3D and sound in manner that it fell like one story!


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Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Mitten Activity
Here is the finished mitten(yes I was interrupting snacking).....
and the animals!
I love the story The Mitten by Jan Brett. She has a wonderful website www.janbrett.com were I got the images of the animals from the story. We colored all of our animals and then I quickly cut them out(if you have older preschoolers they can do this themselves) Just like Nicki from the book we made our own mitten, decorated it, and taped it to our bag. Then we practiced retelling the story.
I did this over 2 days and I told the story many different ways(I just read it, told it as a flannel board story, used the mitten bags the kids made). They loved telling the story and trying to remember what came next.
Posted by Unknown at 11:08 AM
Labels: Fun4Kids
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Show Less
Migration, Mobilities and the Arab Spring
Spaces of Refugee Flight in the Eastern Mediterranean
Edited by Natalia Ribas-Mateos
Confronting questions of globalization, mobilities and space in the Mediterranean, and more specifically in the eastern Mediterranean, this book introduces a new type of complexity and ambiguity to the study of the global. In this theoretical frame an increasingly urban articulation of global logics and struggles, and an escalating use of urban space to make political claims, not only by citizens but also by foreigners, can be found. By emphasizing the interplay between global, regional and local phenomena, the book examines new forms and conditions, such as the transformation of borders, the reconfiguration of transnational communities, the agency of transnational families, new mobilities and diasporas, and transnational networks of humanitarian response.
Show Summary Details


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Articles tagged with: cellulite
How to remove cellulite?
Cellulite is a problem that most women have to deal with. There are a lot of effective and not so effective remedies to remove it. We want to explain how to fight cellulite efficiently, using the right treatments, exercise and diet.Pincha aquí para leer más »


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Elmwood Park Zoo Elmwood Park Zoo
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Please wait . . .
Mission Statement
To foster an appreciation of wildlife and their habitats that will inspire active participation in conservation.
Elmwood Park Zoo was established in 1924 when a local farmer transferred 16 acres and a small menagerie to the Borough of Norristown. Today, the Zoo is owned and operated by the Norristown Zoological Society, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster an appreciation of wildlife and their habitat that will inspire active participation in conservation. Under the Society's careful management, Elmwood Park Zoo has attained the elite status as one of only 225 institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Would you recommend Elmwood Park Zoo?


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During the holiday season there is a lot usually going on. Family and friends are coming and going, gifts to buy and wrap, house to clean, food to prepare, Christmas tree to decorate, parties to plan and of course decorating the outside of your home. We can help with the outdoor decorating; there are many reasons to decorate such as holiday spirit, children, your spouse, the neighborhood or even boost employee and customer morale.
Contact us today for your personalized consultation and dont forget to check out the other services we provide.


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September 14, 2017
Toronto Police nab Nigerian living there that had made millions doing identity theft and other crimes; defendant had been arrested several time before but never got jail time. Great explanation of how this worked
Israeli newspaper says binary option investment fraud companies located there result in a massive increase in organized crime
Three in Florida found guilty for fraud that ripped off people around the world
- Sent mailings telling people had won large sums
- Simply needed to send in $20 to get winnings
- First criminal convictions for this type of fraud anywhere?
- Operation had been shut down by the FTC
- BFR study on fraudulent mailings
Four men from India living in the US plead guilty for laundering money from victims of IRS impersonator calls coming from India; 17 guilty pleas so far
Tip of the week – Flooded cars. All of those thousands of cars that were underwater in Houston and Florida are probably totaled. But in these cases crooks always try to dry them out, move them out of state, and resell the cars without revealing that they have very serious problems. As always, before buying a used car, especially over Craigslist, get an independent inspection (they don't cost much) and a vehicle history report such as Carfax or Autocheck. If the history shows that the car has ever been in Florida or Texas take special care. And here is a Carfax alert on this.
Equifax Data Breach Updates
- No one yet seems to know who stole the data or whether it was a foreign government or a hacker who wants to sell the information
- I've not yet seen any reports of the stolen data being used
- Consumer Reporter: Take a deep breath over the Equifax breach and hold before buying Lifelock or freezing your credit file
- FTC explains difference between credit freeze and fraud alerts
- Credit monitoring is different
- Experts believe Equifax failed to do a patch update to "Apache Struts" software it uses that caused the vulnerability
- FTC has a free and very useful program for people who are ID theft victims
- Consumer Reports advice on Equifax breach
- What we don't know about the Equifax data breach
Fraud News From Around the World
- Seven indicted in Southern District of Illinois for tech support fraud operated from Florida
- Nigerian man in Texas sentenced to prison for Business Email Compromise fraud
- Guilty plea by Nigerian in the UK nabbed for ID theft; he had thrown stolen credit cards out the window when arrested
- Bogus emails pretending to be from the BBB have malware in them – do not click on the links!
- Jury duty frauds are calling doctors telling them they will be arrested if they don't pay a fine with Green Dot MoneyPaks
- Woman in Gander, Newfoundland convicted for running rental fraud
- Australian consumer agency warns of iTunes cards
- AA419, a group of internet fraud fighters, warns of frauds from Cameroon
- UK family pays for and arrives at villa they had rented in Spain – and are stranded because it was not for rent
FTC and CFPB
- FTC settles with companies that offered "free" golf and cooking products – and did not tell people that in providing their credit cards they would be charged for a monthly subscription
- FTC information about a company that advertised that it could help inventors market their products
- CFPB settles with lead aggregator – defendant collected online information from people interested in payday loans and sold it to company that made loans that were illegal in some states
Tax Fraud
- Georgia letter carrier convicted by jury for providing addresses to those filing bogus tax returns so they could pick up refund checks
ATM Skimming
- ATM skimmers caught in St. Louis area
- Romanian pleads guilty in Buffalo for skimming $150,000
- Camden, New Jersey deports Romanian man over his ATM skimming
- Florida woman convicted of ATM skimming and gets 30 year sentence
Romance Scam Fraud
- Australian grandmother arrested in Malaysia for smuggling drugs and faces possible death sentence; she claims she was romance scam victim and did not know she had drugs with her
- Short American Greed TV piece on romance frauds
- Australian woman loses $575,000 in romance scam that used picture of Texas weight loss expert
Ransomware shuts down computers in Kansas county government
Jamaican Lottery Fraud
- Pittsburg woman charged with fraud for receiving money from elderly US people that were victims of lottery fraud in Jamaica; sent $295,000 on to Jamaica
- Jamaican Ex-Cop and a second defendant plead guilty to lottery fraud in North Dakota
- Police in Jamaica arrest woman for lottery fraud who was 9 months pregnant; she is out on bail now
- Retired New Jersey police chief pleads guilty to collecting victim money for Jamaican lottery fraud; he had himself previously lost money
Just for fun….
Spectacular Photos from around the world
Add to the News! Have you seen a recent prosecution or other fraud information that others should know about? Send it into the Baker Fraud Report at firstname.lastname@example.com
Know you saw something in the BFR but can't find it? Previous issues can be found under "library" here.
sign up for weekly reports


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http://notimetocook.accessyourwebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/disney-world-kitchen-sink-sundae.jpg 1530 2048 Julieanne Gee http://notimetocook.accessyourwebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/NoTimeToCook_100x340.png Julieanne Gee2016-10-05 18:24:062016-10-05 18:26:40Crazy Ice Cream Sundaes at Disney World
Crazy Ice Cream Sundaes at Disney World
We proudly present the following ginormous ice cream sundaes brought to you by Disney. Which one would you tackle? Tell us in the comments!
1) The Kitchen Sink – get it at Disney's Beach Club Resort
2) Olaf's Perfect Sundae Day – Get it at Disney Parks
3) Mickey's Masterpiece – Get it at Disney Studio Store and Ghirardelli Soda Fountain
4) 10-Gallon Challenge – Get it at Whispering Canyon Cafe in Disney's Wilderness Lodge
In the sundae you'll find:
- Scoops of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and mint-chocolate chip ice cream
- Pineapple sauce, strawberry sauce, some caramel sauce
- A whole slice of apple pie
- Two cupcakes: one vanilla and one chocolate
- An entire layer of whipped cream
- Two huge chocolate brownies
- Two Mickey Mouse shaped sugar cookies with dipped chocolate ears
- One banana cut in half
- Two Oreos
- Four toasted marshmallows
- Two pieces of chocolate covered bacon
- Cherries
Which of these would you go for?


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Click above to watch the first proper video for Perfume Genius, for the song "Lookout, Lookout" (via Pitchfork). Directed by Patrick Sher and shot in Portland.
Perfume Genius has also just announced one more NYC show before the end of the year, supporting Light Asylum at a secret space in Bushwick next Wednesday, December 15. The $28 tickets include free hors d'oeuvres and three free drinks. Go to envelopefamily to buy tickets; location information will be included with purchase confirmation.
For those of you who missed it, yesterday we re-released the Learning album in a special slipcase edition with new artwork and three new tracks. You can buy it from us:
or from your favorite local record store or online retailer. Check out an MP3 of Dreeem, one of the new tracks, HERE


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In many large universities where class sizes may have upwards of 100 people or more, professors and their TA's face the continuous problem of how to engage students in discussion and participate in the class. Dr. Monica Rankin, a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas experimented with using Twitter in her history class as a means to increase participation.
According to TA Megan Malone, "It's been really exciting because, in classes like this, you'll have three people who talk about the discussion material, and so to actually have 30 or 40 people at the same time talking about it is really interesting,". Students in another class at Purdue University using Twitter also agree that digital communication helps overcome "the shyness barrier", especially in large classes.
You can read more about Twitter in the classroom at http://mashable.com/2010/03/01/twitter-classroom/. The YouTube video below showcases the opinions of the instructor and students to using Twitter.


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March 30, 2015
March 24, 2015
the silent shell
Looking at these pics the only things I can think about are... peace and silence!
You and your shell, perfectly merged in this beautiful environment, a delightful privacy to escape from the every-day noisy life.
The thrilling experience of living open-air...
Pubblicato da clo a 6:31 PM No comments: Link a questo post
Etichette: architecture, like, sensations
March 01, 2015
Well, the first hit was the flooring: geometry, asymmetry, high contrast and then the higher contrast with the armony and fluency of the interior design. A strong recall of Gaudì and his "bones", his organic architecture. As I always state, when it comes to your own place you can express yourself at your best!
Pubblicato da clo a 6:41 PM No comments: Link a questo post
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24-7 Support: (800) 342-6485
Midstate Security's service-oriented approach and vast 35 years of experience has earned us the reputation of being a superior provider of customized security solutions.
We design integrated systems for office, manufacturing, retail, government, educational, and healthcare facilities – and provide ongoing support through our state-of-the-art Command Center – 24/7, 365 days a year.
It's why over 6,000 personal, commercial, and dealers' customers rely on Midstate Security to handle ALL of their security needs. From video surveillance to fire protection, emergency communication to intrusion, telephony to analytics, Midstate Security has you covered.
Please contact us at 616-257-1100 for assistance!


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Echocardiograms Reveal Extent of Damage
Echocardiograms ("echoes") are ultrasound tests that use sound waves to take a moving picture of the heart. An echocardiogram can reveal the size and shape of the heart, pumping strength, and the location and extent of damage to heart tissues. The Echocardiography Laboratory at Froedtert & the Medial College of Wisconsin performs thousands of echo procedures a year and is accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories.
Echocardiogram tests performed in the lab include:
Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE)
In this common procedure, an ultrasound transducer, which emits sound waves, is placed on the chest in the area of the heart. The transducer picks up the echoes of sound waves and transmits them as electrical impulses to a machine that converts the impulses into images of the heart.
Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
This is a test that involves placing a thin tube with an ultrasound probe on the end into the esophagus. The technique places the ultrasound probe closer to the heart and provides greater detail. Since 2007, the Heart and Vascular Center has also tested 3-dimensional TEE to diagnose heart problems.
Intracardiac Echocardiogram (ICE)
This test is conducted during heart catheterization and electrophysiology procedures. It provides unique ultrasound images from inside the heart muscle.
Echocardiogram Stress Tests (Stress Echo)
Stress echoes help determine how the heart functions under stress. The test can show if the blood supply is reduced in the arteries that supply the heart. Stress tests may be done on a treadmill, a supine bicycle (the patient pedals while lying in bed), or with the use of a medication that stimulates the heart to pump faster, simulating exercise.
3-D Echocardiogram
This technique provides a three-dimensional (3-D) echo picture of a beating heart. The Echo Lab at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin has the longest clinical experience in the state using real-time, 3-D echocardiography.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) Evaluation
This procedure uses echocardiography to measure the level of asynchrony (lack of synchronization) in the heart and determine a patient's eligibility for a specialized pacemaker to correct the problem.
Strain Echocardiogram
This procedure allows physicians to identify the performance of each segment of the heart separately, which would give physicians a much more accurate indication of heart damage caused by cancer therapy or other substances.


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The LMLGA is one of the 5 area associations of the UNION OF BC MUNICIPALITIES [UBCM].
It includes 33 local governments (from Pemberton to Hope) and 3 regional districts: Squamish Lillooet Regional District, Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley Regional District.
The LMLGA is a non-profit organization whose purposes are:
To accomplish its purposes, the LMLGA has several committees who meet regularly to advance the goals of the Association.
© 2016 Lower Mainland LGA


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Federal Court: A federal judge ruled that Poway school officials violated the constitutional rights of a math teacher when they ordered him to take down classroom banners that referred to God.
Judge Roger Benitez said teacher Bradley Johnson is entitled to a declaration that his First Amendment rights were violated by the Poway Unified School District.
He also said in a ruling Friday that Johnson should get damages of $10 from each of nine officials he named in a lawsuit filed in 2007.
Benitez also ordered the district to allow Johnson to rehang the banners in his classroom.
The banners are about 7 feet wide and 2 feet tall. One has the phrases "In God We Trust," "One Nation Under God," "God Bless America" and "God Sheds His Grace On thee."
A second reads "All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator," with the last word in uppercase letters.
The district said it had to come down on Johnson because the banners advocated a Judeo-Christian point of view that was not in sync with the nonreligious mission of public schools.
Benitez said the district allows other teachers to post things on a variety or religious and nonreligious topics without penalty.
He said the action against Johnson amounted to discriminating against a particular point of view, which courts have long said is not permitted.