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In an investigative report today, the Wall Street Journal says Google circumvented the iPhone's privacy settings to track user browsing habits against their wishes.
The company "used special computer code that tricks Apple's Safari Web-browsing software into letting them monitor many users," the WSJ reports, noting that Safari, "is designed to block such tracking by default."
Google says the newspaper is mischaracterizing the situation, telling the WSJ in a statement, "We used known Safari functionality to provide features that signed-in Google users had enabled. It's important to stress that these advertising cookies do not collect personal information."
Whatever the case, Microsoft says it's more evidence that you should use Internet Explorer.
Yes, it's a bit of a stretch, given that Internet Explorer isn't available to iPhone users. It's hard to imagine many people switching to Windows Phone over this latest report.
That said, the WSJ investigation does more fuel to the fire as Microsoft tries to persuade Google users concerned about privacy to try out its competing services. The effort started earlier this month with Microsoft taking out a series of full-page newspaper ads.


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Hotel & Travel
Rooms have been blocked in area hotels at special Vassar rates for the convenience of guests attending the Inauguration. Reservations must be made by August 22 in order for the negotiated Vassar rates to apply. All room blocks will be released by this date, however additional rooms may be available at each hotel's standard rates after this date. Details are listed below.
For your convenience, we have provided a map of the campus.
Two-Night Minimum Stay
September 22 & 23
Hampton Inn (no vacancies)
2361 South Road
Poughkeepsie, NY
$179.00 per night
Group:Vassar College Inauguration
One or Two Night Stay
Days Inn
536 West Haight Avenue
Poughkeepsie, NY
$89.00 per night / Business Double or Business King
Group:Vassar September '17
Residence Inn
2525 South Road
Poughkeepsie, NY
Group:Vassar College
Approximately 30 minutes travel time
Courtyard by Marriott Fishkill
17 Westage Drive Route 9 & I-84
Fishkill, NY
$204.00 per night
Group:Vassar College Room Block
Hampton Inn Fishkill
544 Route 9
Fishkill, NY
$189.00 per night
Group:Vassar College Presidential Inauguration
Ramada Inn Fishkill
542 Route 9
Fishkill, NY
$119.00 per night
Group:VC Presidential Inauguration
Code:VCPI 11
SpringHill Suites
500 Westage Business Center Drive
Fishkill, NY
$189.00 per night
Group:Vassar College Presidential Inauguration
One Night Only
September 23
Approximately 30 minutes travel time
Quality Inn & Suites
849 Route 52
Fishkill, NY
$125.99 (Queen) per night; $149.99 (King) per night
Group:Vassar Inauguration

subset: commoncrawl


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Laws of Rest was conceived as an elegy of sorts for my friend Jordan Berlant, who died of cancer in 2002, at the age of 31. Soon after his death, I began writing these poems. I moved to New York, in the mid-1990s, because my friend Michael suggested I could crash on the futon inContinue reading »
Monthly Archives: December 2013
Weekly Roundup December 6 – 13
Don't forget: all existing BookThug titles, including the 2013 frontlist, are on sale for 30% off the cover price until January 2, 2014. Buy them here! Friday December 6 Toronto Poetry Slam | 8:00 p.m. sign-up at 7:30 | The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen Street West | A three-round slam competition open to anyone, featuringContinue reading »
Holidays à la BookThug
It's currently the season for a lot of things—like spending exorbitant amounts of money on yourself and on other people and on food and on things nobody really needs—but most excitingly, 'tis the season to read. What else would you do with your time off? BookThug wants to help with this. From now until JanuaryContinue reading »
Interview with Sandra Ridley, author of THE COUNTING HOUSE
Daydreaming isn't a waste of time. It's not idle or lazy time for a writer. It's an essential activity, a pure form of creative work. That's my favourite part—sitting still, or better yet, lying back and daydreaming. I don't have to be defensive about it. It's useful and productive to be still and to beContinue reading »


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You Can't Miss Out These Great Aspects That Complete Your Life
It is said, that succeeding in all aspects of life in a single lifetime is nearly impossible. But a person who tries, certainly gets all the happiness in life.
Geeta Dhavale
Last Updated: Mar 12, 2018
All the aspects of life are related to our emotions and feelings. Our environment and surrounding, that includes our family, friends, school, and work place, help us shape our ideologies, principles, and ethics in life. The religion and community we live in form our faith and beliefs. It also forms our notions about right or wrong and good or bad. All these things are related to human feelings and these feelings make us what we are. The socialization process we have undergone is influenced by the economical, psychological, and cultural conditions that shape our personality and create our identity. These various things are basically the epicenter of our life, which distinguishes humans from animals.
The quantum aspects of life cannot be measured, they just differ in degrees for each individual. Some people may regard a few aspects as important and may want to achieve success in them.
Family Life
Family is the basic and foremost aspect of every human being. Every person's goals are generally driven towards a happy family and well-being of all the family members. Family relationships give us the feeling of belonging and a sense of security. Your family can consist of your parents, or your spouse and kids, or both. People generally feel more warmth and love towards their family members.
A career is also a crucial aspect, as it is directly related to our financial condition that determine our living standards. A good mix of progress, career opportunities, and job satisfaction makes a great career that adds to our happiness. Our work also makes us independent and self-reliant.
Money Matters
Our economic condition also determines our socialization process and standard of living. Unfortunately, it has become an important aspect of human life. All the so-called luxuries and comforts can only be bought by money. Though we say money can't buy everything, it certainly makes our living better.
Social Life
Community consists of people living in the same geographical area. People living in the same community generally have a similar lifestyle and cultural background. Similar rituals and practices bring people closer. A human being always wants to do something nice for his society and his countrymen, as he/she feels strongly for his community. After all, the beauty of life lies in giving and a sense of belonging.
Health and Wellness
Your health determines the quality of your life. To enjoy the goodness of life, it is important to have a good and healthy body, mind, and soul which will double the joy of living. This is the reason why they say 'health is wealth'.
Friendships and Relationships
Friends are an integral part of our lives, be it school, playground, or office, human beings are known to make acquaintances. Many times, an acquaintance can turn into a lasting friendship. The things we cannot share with our family can be shared with our friends. Friends make us a part of their lives, giving us a sense of appreciation.
Leisure Time
Entertainment - be it hobbies, passions, or sports - relives stress and rejuvenates the mind. Listening to music, watching a movie, or attending a social event can serve as recreation. Our lives will be boring and monotonous with only work and daily routine, so a little bit of recreation will give us a chance to express ourselves and help us appreciate worldly creations.
Religion and Spirituality
Spirituality may not be related to any of the world religions. It is about your faith, beliefs, and inner peace and harmony. Spirituality connects you to non-tangible things that bring immense joy and satisfaction to those who believe in it. It is about searching for the meaning of life and bringing a balance between real and spiritual life. Some people do not believe in the spiritual aspect but many associate spirituality very close to their heart, which determines their goals in life.
All these aspects inspire and motivate us to pull through in the toughest situations. All these aspects bring meaning to our lives and become the reasons to live. Though we change and grow over time, as that is the rule of nature, these various aspects make life enjoyable and worth living.


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With plethora of things to do on the internet such as games, social network, and shopping for example, job opportunities have also swamped the net.
Today, lots of people have depended on the web to apply for jobs, discover work, as well as search for employees. Aside from the well-liked online writing jobs, the booming exercise in the Internet is the compensated online surveys. The paid online surveys'appeal is the work from home system as well as becoming paid for every small effort and energy exerted.
However, what numerous do not know are the numerous risks that come in addition to paid online surveys. These kinds of risks work for both the companies that give them and the people who take them.
Web sites offering online surveys
There are several Sites that offer a different systems and system of online surveys. In which cater to specific group such as the age group, the racial division, and quite a few others. But the typical denominator of these sites is actually rewarding system: paying participants for filling in online surveys. It should be mentioned that each site offers unique reward techniques.
So how these sites usually work? First, they will ask participants to join up at the Web site and also answer some basic make contact with and login details. Then, the person will receive an e-mail having a link that guides to a page asking for more detailed demographic for example sex, marital status, education level, as well as race. After which, individuals will receive intermittent e-mails together with links to surveys that correspond to the particular demographic.
Though the duration varies, but most research take an average of 10 to 20 minutes to refill. Some sites offer reward based on how extended the survey was finished. For example in e-Rewards, that gives $29 for one-hour finishing of survey. In a situation where a participant doesn't qualify for the survey, a partial award is given for many instances.
In paying down the participants, sites have varied incentive systems. Some send an actual check, while others let participants accumulate points to be encashed for rewards.
Possible dangers
One of the foremost perils of paid online surveys for companies is the reliability of such surveys. Using this kind of method, members can actually cheat and lie to take much more surveysthus to be paid more. Sometimes, people may lie on market profile to be able to qualify to take surveys. In some cases, people sign up for the identical companies with multiple different addresses so that you can take more research using varying users. The quality of the surveys can be compromised when people begin to make cases as mentioned above.
On the participants conclusion, there is a higher chance for signing up on scam Web sites. Individuals should by now understand that paid online surveys are becoming haven for World wide web scam. Participants ought to beware f the actual middlemen who demand registration fee for accessing the databases of surveys, that in fact are free.
Strategies for avoiding paid survey scams
Participants ought to avoid signing up with Internet sites requiring charge regarding accessing surveys. They should read privacy assertions and disclaimers. And the much more the site defends alone as legal, the much more likely it is a scam.


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You've thought about starting your Christmas shopping at least 20 times in the past week. You haven't actually started though. That's for December 23rd, obvs.
You've checked the advanced weather forecast at least twice. All of that Bing Crosby on your morning commute has got you dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones you never knew. You envisage yourself gazing out of the window on Christmas morning and shrieking in delight at a perfect blanket of fresh snow. You've forgotten that snow is cold and wet and only ever fun for five minutes.
Christmas sandwiches! You can't walk past them without punching the air in glee and shovelling multiple offerings into your shopping basket. TAKE MY MONEY AND FEED ME HAPPINESS!
Your neighbour has erected your street's infamous 6ft inflatable Santa. His smiley, borderline creepy, scars-of-24-British-winters face bopping in the December breeze is probably more iconic a sight for you than the Coca Cola Christmas truck, and you struggle not to urinate with excitement every single time he appears. Season of goodwill and tacky decorations, we are in you!
You've discussed Christmas traditions with all of your colleagues at work and squeezed in a heated debate about which John Lewis advert is best. Monty, I miss you.
You've lusted over sophisticated, adult advent calendars because you are absolutely a sophisticated adult. Yankee candle? Benefit? The Body Shop? Ohhh wait, you've purchased a 99p kiddy, festive scene one from Asda because 'OH, EM, GEE... SANTA AND SNOWMEN AND FLYING SLEIGHS.'
You feel slightly bitter about the fact that you can quite easily leave the house without opening said advent calendar. Since when were you no fun anymore?
You've heard the question 'what do you want for Christmas?' from at least six of the people you're closest to. You're the easiest person in the entire world to buy for! You realise that they just don't know you at all.
Whilst staring at your blank Christmas shopping list, you discover that you don't know them either. Oh.
You're already getting excited about making your homemade stuffing on the big day. Chestnuts. Cranberries. All of the sausage meat you can find. Bacon. Orange zest. A sprinkling of fresh rosemary. You can't wait for the one moment of the entire year when you actually look like you've got your shit together. You're optimistic that you won't fuck it all up by drinking too much Bucks Fizz at breakfast time. (You will).
You've made a pile of all 24 of your Christmas films and have vowed to watch them all before the big day. 'I just like to smile! Smiling's my favourite!'
You've already lost five friends through quoting Buddy the elf.
Your go-to hot chocolate has suddenly doubled in size. Is that a warm beverage... Or a whipped cream MOUNTAIN? You don't really mind either way. You kind of like your seasonal, frothy moustache.
Every day, you find yourself using this creative, merry addition to the British small talk portfolio. 'So, are you at home for Christmas this year then?' You want to ask if they'll be consuming so much Prosecco at the office party that they'll 'accidentally' have intercourse with 'GEEZA GARY' again, but, instead, you listen with forced intent as they regale the tale of how they've ended up tied to their passing promise of spending the festivities with 'moan-twice Margaret', who they once worked with in Pizza Express.
Yankee candles! You can't walk past them without punching the air in glee and shovelling multiple offerings into your shopping basket. TAKE MY MONEY AND FILL MY HOUSE WITH JOY!
You rummaged to find the Christmas sock selection in the back of your drawer. Those socks are now at the front of your drawer. And the front of your mind. And in front of the faces of everyone who loves you, because, 'look at my socks, aren't they just the best!'
Every high street store has turned into a human oven. Those places are so bloody hot that you're adorning a sweaty brow before you've had time to undo the first button of your coat. 'Am I here to find myself that Christmas tree themed beanie hat? Or am I here to be marinated and served up with chips? What is my life purpose? Somebody help. Please?'
You've decorated a tree, and you loved every second of it. You are a glittery tinsel bauble bandit, and, even though you now leave the house without opening your advent calendar (seriously, what are you?), your heart filled with love and magic as you tangled those twinkling lights and adorned hundreds of branches with cheery trinkets. Your Christmas tree: a shining beacon of joy and hope and opportunity, makes you smile every time you look at it. You are so glad it isn't lonely like the sorry star of 'One, two, three: sing Christmas with me!' All the tree wanted was for somebody to take it hoooooome so it could be snug and warm by the fireplace. You don't have a fireplace, but still, you did a good thing!


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Nov. 22, 1965-Nov. 21, 2013
Ann M. Spare, age 47, of Pulaski, Tennessee, formerly of Monroe, died Thursday, November 21, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Friends and relatives may visit from 3 ? 8 p.m. Monday at Rupp Funeral Home where services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Rev. Roy Southerland, pastor of Monroe Missionary Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park, LaSalle.
Born November 22, 1965 in Monroe, she was the daughter of Charles and Rosemarie (Bomia) Reaume. She was a 1983 graduate of Monroe High School and was married for 27 years to David Spare.
While living in Monroe, Ann was employed by Monroe Bank & Trust and Monroe Sports Center. She enjoyed listening to rock ?n? roll music and was a big NASCAR fan. It was no secret that Jeff Gordon was her favorite driver, attending races at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn whenever possible.
Ann is survived by the pride and joy of her life, her two children, David (Jessica) Spare of Lewisburg, Tennessee, and Danielle Spare of Erie, Michigan. She is also survived by two brothers, Michael (Susie) Reaume of Newport and Dominic Reaume of Illinois; three sisters, Patricia (Jim) King of Ontario, Canada, Melinda Rockhold of Flagstaff, Arizona, and Martha Lewis of Monroe.
Ann was preceded in death by her parents.
Online condolences can be sent through www.ruppfuneralhomeinc.com.


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Christine Luzuriaga, O.D., F.A.A.O.
"Vision loss is one of people's greatest fears. By being able to help preserve and improve sight, I am able to help improve my patient's overall quality of life. I take great pride and joy in being a part of that."
Education Improves Engagement
"I have always taken my education seriously because my education is what gives me the knowledge to care for patients. The things I have learned, and continue to learn, are what enable me to treat patients to the highest standard of care. Additionally, I am able to pass on my knowledge so that patients are able to understand their condition and take an active role in their care."
- BS: Health Science, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, cum laude, Calhoun Honors Scholar
- MS: Vision Sciences, New England College of Optometry, Boston, MA
- OD: Doctor of Optometry, New England College of Optometry, Boston, MA
- Resident: Ocular Disease, Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Always Sharing, Always Growing
"Being a member of professional eye care organizations gives me the opportunity to attend lectures and read journals on the latest developments in eye care, which I am then able to use when diagnosing and treating my patients. These organizations also give me relationships with colleagues with whom I am able to collaborate and gain additional knowledge."
- Member: Pennsylvania Optometric Association, American Optometric Association, American Academy of Optometry
- Licenses: Maryland Board of Optometry, TPA-certified Optometry, Pennsylvania Board of Optometry, Therapeutics and Glaucoma Optometry, DEA
Keeping An Eye On Research
"I absolutely love what I do and enjoy the relationships I have developed with patients. I take my responsibilities as an optometrist seriously and strive to stay atop of current technology and research so that my patients receive the best possible treatment."
- Research: Glaucoma Medication & Patient Compliance, Peripheral Aberrations & Development of Myopia
- Lecture Presentations: Cataracts, Glaucoma, Refractive Surgery, Retinal Conditions, Corneal
- Conference Presentations: Risk factors in the development of glaucoma
- Case Presentation: Panuveitis–A Hidden Diagnosis


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Food Science Institute - Undergraduate Financial Aid
K-State's Office of Student Financial Assistance distributes more than $150 million annually in federal, state, university, and private aid.
Applying for and receiving financial aid is a complex process. It takes time, patience, and effort to understand and meet deadlines. Planning ahead and following the necessary steps in the application process will get your educational investment off to a successful start.
Graduate School Financial Support
Graduate students can find financial assistance through assistantships, traineeships, loans, grants and more.
Scholarships for Food Science Students
University and College of Agriculture Scholarship Deadlines
Incoming transfer students and returning students, the deadline to apply for scholarship is February 1st. Do not forget to apply! The College of Agriculture has great scholarships to award every year!


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City Collects Trash And Christmas Trees
The city of Casper will send garbage trucks out on their usual routes on New Year's Eve. The city has also provided five drop-off points for Christmas trees suitable for composting.
New Year's Eve trash collection:
"On Friday, you just roll your container out to the gutter line in the curb like you normally do, and have that out there by 7 am, and they'll come around and pick up the trash, even though all city offices are closed on Friday, we're still collecting trash as usual."
Beth Andress, of Keep Casper Beautiful, says the landfill will be open from 7:30 am to 1 pm on Friday, but will be closed on Saturday, New Year's Day.
And for those actual tree, Christmas trees in need of disposal, the city has provided five prepared locations to drop them off.
Christmas tree drop areas:
Those five drop-off locations are: the corner of Valley Drive and Iris, in Paradise Valley by the pool; Mike Sedar Park behind Fire Station Number Two; the ag-extension on Fairgrounds Road in the Community Garden area; the north Casper recycling depots by the ball fields on K Street; and Viking Court, which is Blackmore Road and Wyoming Boulevard.
Ms. Andress says that the Christmas tree collection areas are marked and fenced so people can drop them off any time of the day or night, any day of the week.
She does ask people to remember that these trees are for the city compost, so they need to be thoroughly undecorated and checked for any foreign material.


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Quick YouTube Stats:
- 22,037 subscribers
- 5,198, 501 Views
Any major credits I should list? -Xxxtentacion, -Mick Jenkins
How old are you? 20
Where are you from? Saint Albans, West Virginia
How long have you been producing? 4 to 5 years
What's the dopest thing to happen to you since you started making music and releasing product? Getting the feedback and support that is able to help me keep wanting to this
What is something about you people would be surprised to know? I started out playing drums and guitar for about 10 years before I even thought about making beats
What do your beats normally cost? Leases and Licensing vary $25 is cheapest and exclusive is upwards to $1,000
What is the most you have made from one beat? $1,000
Who are your influences?
- J Dilla
- Pete Rock
- Madlib
- Damu The Fudgemunk
Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII | 25-Key Ultra-Portable USB MIDI Drum Pad & Keyboard Controller with Joystick, VIP Software Download Included
Who are the favorite artists you have produced for?
- Daylan Hill
- Andy Lemons
Hardware or software? Hybrid of both
How many leases or beats, do you think you have sold in your career? I don't think I could count, haha
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP7Ob…
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lukewhiteont…
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lukewhite9
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lukewhitemusic
Authors note: Luke didn't mention it in the interview but he is currently doing a 3 for $25 lease deal > www.iamlukewhite.com
CuratedFlame links:
Follow CuratedFlame on Spotify, we are creating one of the best playlist ever! https://open.spotify.com/user/curatedflame/playlist/58Z9VVhiZSZI1yvYYcYU1t
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/curatedflame
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/curatedflame
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/curatedflame


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Cheap quality advertisement!
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Check out Avery Storm "Animal" Video, the latest video from Avery Storm, released on Tuesday, August 21st, 2012. Avery Storm's chances in this game are improving with each new release, and Avery Storm "Animal" Video is no exception - quite the opposite, in fact. It's a nice addition to the impressive catalogue Avery Storm has been building over the years. We're definitely anticipating the next move.Miike Snow Flip
Let us know what you think, folks.
Did y'all catch Avery Storm's latest visual for Avery Storm "Tell Me" Video?
Hit up Avery Storm's profile page for the latest info, news, songs, and mixtapes. Don't forget to follow Avery Storm on Twitter.


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LGIS combined Illinois Department of Revenue data with a forecast by Senate Democrats to estimate how much additional income tax will be paid in each Illinois city.
North Henderson's estimated increase in income tax payments ranks 12th out of 12 Mercer County cities, with an average increase of $612.19 per person. All told, the entire Mercer County will collectively pay an extra $4,348,301.95 in income taxes this year, according to the analysis.
Retroactive to July 1, the higher rate now 4.95 percent, up from 3.75 percent will be withheld from employee paychecks over the remaining six months of 2017.
Before the hike, someone earning $50,000 paid $72 in state income tax per paycheck. That person will now pay $95, or an additional $600 per year.
Senate Democrats estimate the tax hike will siphon $4.453 billion more this year from individual taxpayers. Businesses will pay another $1 billion.
The following table shows how cities within Mercer County compare:
Here's how all cities within the Rock Island Today coverage area will fare under the tax hike:
The following cities will experience the highest estimated increase:


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Government Proposal Solutions Inc. (GPSI) announced today that it has been selected to provide assistance to the District of Columbia Procurement Technical Assistance Center (DC PTAC). GPSI (http://govprop.com) will support the Center in its efforts to provide small business counseling to help companies successfully navigate the government contracting process.
DC PTAC (http://dslbd.dc.gov/service/dc-procurement-technical-assistance-center-dc-ptac) is a program within the Department of Small and Local Business Development. It offers one on one business counseling and assistance to small businesses pursuing state, local and federal government contracts.
GPSI provides market analysis, expert consultant matching, a Knowledge Academy and other services to help businesses compete and win in the highly competitive government marketplace.
"Our business subscribers receive a broad range of professional services, but DC PTAC is our first government client" said Eric Adolphe, CEO, who noted there are over 300 PTAC's across the U.S. "It's an honor to be selected for this government effort to help small businesses develop, compete and win," Adolphe noted.
About GOVPROP.com (http://govprop.com) GOVPROP.com is a one-stop secure marketplace dedicated to providing professional market analysis, expert-consultant matching and proposal support to enable businesses, government organizations and those who support them to effectively and efficiently bring resources together to produce quality proposal-related solutions and deliver results. GOVPROP.com provides real time market intelligence, a Knowledge Academy, secure collaboration and talent-matching services for verified experts and a broad range of related services.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]]]


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What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind. - Buddha
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The Bodies Exhibit: San Jose Tech Museum
On Saturday Irwin and I went to the San Jose Tech Museum to check out the Bodies Exhibit. I was really excited to see the various displays of the human body, and not in a form that I'm used to seeing. These were actual body parts, donated to the exhibit for the purpose of being displayed. It kinda made me not want to eat beef jerky again, but it also scared me away from ever smoking, eating anything that will increase my cholesterol/clog my arteries, and just make my insides look black or clogged. It was pretty interesting, but we weren't allowed to take pictures in that exhibit. So afterwards we went exploring and playing with all the cool little gadgets they had throughout the museum. Even got a robot to spell out our names... (although it could never get Irwin's name right, spelling it with a "b" instead of an "r". But all in all, awesome day date!
Posted by Maritess at 6:48 PM 1 comment:
Greenhearts Family Farm
A friend at work was telling me about becoming a CSA member (community support of agriculture), which basically entails signing up to support a farm, and in return, the farm will send you fresh produce straight from their farm and deliver it to your door. After researching some farms near me, I decided to go with Greenhearts Family Farm. I was so excited to open my first package, it was like Christmas Day. The vegetables are great, and the fruit was sweet. Plus, I'm not ingesting any pesticides, and since it's coming direct from the farm, I'm not losing the nutrients that are somewhat lacking in store bought veggies (that are often shipped from far away). Greenhearts family also has a set up at the Ferry Building Farmers Market, but since I hardly wake up early enough to go, this is a great alternative. It forces me to eat my vegetables and also to try some that I never would have chosen.
Thanks for the tip Tina!
Posted by Maritess at 6:28 PM No comments:
Messy Side Braid Pony Thing
H&M trench and jeans, Banana Republic sweater
Wore this outfit on Wednesday. I had almost forgotten about these boots, but this on/off rainy weather reminded me to use them. My hair is also semi long enough to put in a weird, messy, side braid/ponytail thing. I liked it. The boyfriend did too. Sometimes I get lucky when I play around with my hair in the morning.
Posted by Maritess at 6:11 PM 3 comments:
Labels: HM trench coat, side braid
Monday, March 7, 2011
Rattle Pops for Baby Jacob
I made these back in January for another baby shower for a friend. Red Velvet, and now I wish I had taken pictures of the way they were displayed for the shower because it was so cute. Red Velvet as requested by the parents-to-be.
Posted by Maritess at 8:56 AM 1 comment:
Labels: baby rattle cake pops
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Christmas 2010 (3 months later)
After sorting through what seemed like a thousand pictures, I finally was able to upload all my favorites. Warning: lengthy picture post!
Posted by Maritess at 2:56 PM 1 comment:
Christmas Cake Pops
I cranked out about 100 Christmas Cake Pops within the span of 12 days, just before Christmas. I had to get Irwin to help me make these because there was no way I could have done them all by myself. All red velvet. All came out perfect.
Posted by Maritess at 12:57 PM No comments:
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
Dwolla is easier and cheaper than Paypal
So why wait? Sign up today and you and I will both get $10 in transaction fees!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Ezra Klein Should Know Our Roads Are Killing People
If roads were collapsing all across the United States, killing dozens of drivers, we would surely see that as a moment to talk about what we could do to keep roads from collapsing. If terrorists were detonating bombs in port after port, you can be sure Congress would be working to upgrade the nation's security measures. If a plague was ripping through communities, public-health officials would be working feverishly to contain it.
Only with gun violence do we respond to repeated tragedies by saying that mourning is acceptable but discussing how to prevent more tragedies is not. "Too soon," howl supporters of loose gun laws. But as others have observed, talking about how to stop mass shootings in the aftermath of a string of mass shootings isn't "too soon." It's much too late.
Actually, the American Society of Civil Engineers says roadway conditions are a significant factor in 1/3 of all traffic fatalities.
Americans spend 4.2 billion hours a year stuck in traffic at a cost of $78.2 billion a year--$710 per motorist. Roadway conditions are a significant factor in about one-third of traffic fatalities. Poor road conditions cost U.S. motorists $67 billion a year in repairs and operating costs--$333 per motorist; 33% of America's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 36% of the nation's major urban highways are congested. The current spending level of $70.3 billion for highway capital improvements is well below the estimated $186 billion needed annually to substantially improve the nation's highways.
US traffic fatalities average over 30,000 per year, so we have over 10,000 deaths due to road conditions, and many billions of dollars wasted, every year. Seems like we learned to ignore our deadly infrastructure and our epidemic of gun violence. Maybe Americans are ignoring all kinds of things that are literally killing people? Pollution, Climate Change, Budget Cuts, Inadequate Health Care, Wars...
If terrorists were killing 10,000 Americans every year, I wonder how much we'd spend on war and security? The ASCE says we need to spend $2.2 trillion over the next five years to fix our crumbling infrastructure and make ourselves safer, more productive, and more competitive. So, a little over $400 billion a year (which we can borrow at negative interest and buy cheap materials with) seems like a real bargain.
Friday, December 07, 2012
Nectar Hills Designs on Etsy
Our friends at Nectar Hills Farm have started an Etsy store: Nectar Hills Farm Designs. The store features handmade sheep skin pillows, handbags, and hats, plus this amazing Scottish highlander cow skull.
This is a great way to shop for gifts that will help support our local organic farmers!
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Dave Brubeck Changed the World of Jazz
From Wikipedia:
The concert is credited with making jazz a legitimate field of musical study at Oberlin, but it and the album did much more that. The album is further credited with initiating making jazz a subject of serious intellectual attention in a listening-centric environment; Wendell Logan, the chair of Oberlin's Jazz Studies Department, described it as "the watershed event that signaled the change of performance space for jazz from the nightclub to the concert hall".
In addition, it was one of the early works in the cool jazz stream of jazz; The Guardian's John Fordham wrote that "indicated new directions for jazz that didn't slavishly mirror bebop, and even hinted at free-jazz piano techniques still years away from realisation"; he further observed that it "marked Brubeck's eager adoption by America's (predominantly white) youth - a welcome that soon extended around the world ... for a rhythmically intricate instrumental jazz".Just listening to the album now takes me back to my youth, when I would listen to Dad play it--loud, so loud that you could hear it up the hill behind the house, all the way up to the shed (which he later tore down and put a hot tub on the slab), all the way up to the Kumquat tree, where I would sit on a limb and listen while looking at the view of the San Fernando Valley.
Of course, I was just one of many kids who's Dad taught him about Brubeck. Brubeck inspired many generations of musicians. While I tend more toward John Prine than Jazz, the influence is there, and it makes up a part of who I am musically--from what I play to what I listen to to this day.
Friday, November 09, 2012
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Saturday, November 03, 2012
I Know Comedy is Tragic, but...
Send any fake skeptic science deniers to bet on global warming at Intrade!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Culinary Delight Catering in the Los Angeles area on the HOTLIST
Vote for Culinary Delight Catering in the Los Angeles as LA's best caterer!Please click the link above to vote for my friend Emma Tate's catering company as the best caterer in LA! It will only take a second, and it makes her so happy!
And visit Los Angeles caterer Culinary Delight Catering's website.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Already in Chains
The wingnuts, who call Obama a Kenyan/anti-colonial/food-stamp/non-work-requriing/anti-christ/witch-doctor/un-American/socialist/commie/hippie/dope-smoking/terrorist, are upset that Uncle Joe used hyperbole to describe the result of trickle-down economics, which steals the fruits of our labor?
Exhibit A:
Friday, July 20, 2012
David Gergen Still Gets Paid to Speculate Wildly
Analysis: Romney's secrecy becomes focus of Obama's attack strategy
In ads, interviews and social-media blasts, the Democratic president's team is casting Romney as a mysterious figure who is guarding important secrets about his wealth and work history.
Feeding the Democrats' storyline: Romney's refusal to release more than a year or two of his tax returns, questions about whether he is being honest about when he left his job at Bain Capital, and the reams of records that have been kept secret from his years as Massachusetts governor and chief of the Salt Lake City Olympics.
Here is an example of an unforced meme, and an unforced error by Willard. Or, perhaps it's not fair to call it an error, since there's really not much he can do, apparently. He really, really wants to be president, but that seems to conflict with the fact that he, in the past, really, really wanted to be rich. Now it seems his hard work at becoming rich is hurting his chances to be President. Hoocouldaknowed?
The fun part in this story is David Gergen, who is yet another pundit who has been so horrifically wrong in the past that it is a wonder that he still gets paid to spew what he thinks through his pie hole.
David Gergen, an adviser to two former Democratic and two Republican presidents, is among those who believe that questions about Romney's faith are an unspoken part of the Democrats' strategy of focusing on the secrecy issue.
"I think they're connected," he said. "Clearly they're trying to weave together: 'Do we really know what he did at Bain ..., do we really understand his faith and, you know, what he would do and who is he?' "
Democrats "know it's in the culture," Gergen said of questions about Romney's religion. "They don't have to say it. I think they're very intentionally weaving these together."
Gergen added that the Obama campaign's strategy could backfire if it mentioned Romney's religion directly.
Of course, Gergen doesn't have one shred of evidence proving that the Obama team is "very intentionally weaving these together." He just thinks it. And, of course, the reporter doesn't ask if he has any evidence, or even a plausible theory, supporting such a contention. Because that would be, ummm, reporting, instead of dictation, which is all reporters are allowed to do anymore.
None-the-less, if we just drop the whole thing about Willard's sky wizard worship being more secretive than, say, the Vatican is when moving pedophiles around, we find that the rest of the article focuses on more substantial issues, like, well, Willard's taxes and offshore accounts.
And, that's it. No mention of the erased hard drives from Willard's Governorship in the rest of the story. No mention of the secrets from the Olympics mentioned at the top of the story. No mention of anything else at all. And yet, there is so much they could have covered. Here's just one example:
Bush Library Refuses To Release Rob Portman's Records
The George W. Bush Presidential Library has denied a request by a Democratic super PAC to turn over documents relating to Rob Portman's stint in the Bush administration.[/quote]
So many things to choose from when it comes to the leader of the GOP's secrets. In fact, at the end of the Reuter's article, the story just turns to some concern trolling on Gergen's part:
"Politically all of these attacks may in the end work, but it's also clear that they are going to come at the expense of governing in a second term" by making it even tougher for Obama to work with Republicans, Gergen said.
No worries that Willard's attacks on Obama might possibly poison the well with Democrats in congress if Willard wins, eh Mr. Gergen?
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Senator Jon Kyl is a liar, again
"I note that in his response to today's Supreme Court ruling, President Obama called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. I also note that the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill I helped draft in 2007 was killed -- in part -- by then-Senator Obama."--Senator Jon Kyl
I guess it's a good thing Senator Kyl is retiring, because he seems to be losing it.
Senator Obama voted for the bill.
As you can see at that same link, Senator Kyl voted to filibuster the bill.
So, not only did Obama vote for the bill Kyl says Obama voted against, but Kyl voted against the bill he says he was for.
Ergo, Senator Jon Kyl is a liar. Again.
h/t Steve Benen
Sunday, June 10, 2012
IATSE Local 33 Stagehand Died at Gibson Amphitheater
But there are guys I've worked with who, like Mohawk Indians on the high steel of sky-scrapers, would just saunter right out on those beams, like they were walking down the sidewalk. Of all the different specialist stagehands I worked with, I always had a huge respect for the riggers. They take big chances to make slightly more money than the guys on the floor, and they do it with gusto.
To put this incident in context, I was shocked to learn yesterday that more people died on the job in the US in 2009 than the total amount of Americans who died in the entire Iraq war:
...4,551 people killed on the job in America in 2009, carnage that eclipsed the total number of U.S. fatalities in the nine-year Iraq war. Combine the victims of traumatic injuries with the estimated 50,000 people who die annually of work-related diseases and it's as if a fully loaded Boeing 737-700 crashed every day. Yet the typical fine for a worker death is about $7,900.
If you'd really like to get an idea of what a huge problem workplace safety is in this country, check out the AFL-CIO's Death on the Job Report.
In 2010, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,690 workers were killed on the job—an average of 13 workers every day—and an estimated 50,000 died from occupational diseases. Workers suffer an additional 7.6 million to 11.4 million job injuries and illnesses each year. The cost of job injuries and illnesses is enormous—estimated at $250 billion to $300 billion a year.
We have a much higher worker fatality rate than other industrialized nations, and Republicans would like to cut OSHA and other workplace safety programs. Insanity. It reminds me of a poster we had back at Arkansas Explosives Inc, where I occasionally worked when I was in college: "OSHA is not a small town in Kansas." I guess if the GOP gets their way, it would be.
Saturday, May 05, 2012
Brian Naughton, Musician, Friend, and Stagehand, Lived for Today
I also worked with brother and bass player James Naughton, in the ABC carpenter shop, where I started calling him "good for Naughton," even though he's actually a damn good bass player and carpenter. I just couldn't resist the nick name.
Brian, James and Brian's son Corey Naughton started a band called the Naughtones (their MySpace page has more music):
In 2006 the Naughtones won a L.A. music Award for Independent Classic Rock Album of the Year for their debut album entitled "From the Nut." They were also nominated for Best Male Singer/Songwriter for their song called "Around Me."
In 2008 the Naughtones realeased their Sophmore album. The album is a five song EP that is featuring the group in its new state as the best they have ever been. The album is a Self titled EP that has won the L.A. Music Award's 2008 Producers Choice Award for Rock EP of the Year and also was nominated for 2008 Rock album of the Year by the L.A. Music Awards.
Biographies Brian Naughton started playing guitar at age 12. His first group was a surf band called the Velaires in 1961. In 1965 he joined a national surf group called the Persuaders. In 1969 Brian formed his own group called Rock Candy. Rock Candy was signed to MGM by a man named Mike Curb. In 1970 he took the opportunity to join the International super group called the Grass Roots. Brian toured and did T.V. shows (American Bandstand, Sunny & Cher, and Kenny Rodgers) with the Grass Roots until 1972. After that he played for a short while with a group called Peanut Butter Conspiracy. PBC had a big hit called "It's a Happening Thing." Always in his pursuit of his own original Rock and Roll, Brian left PBC to form a group called Rockit in 1973. By 1976 RSO Records signed the band and renamed them Rockicks. The band was managed by Warren Entner who also managed Quiet Riot. Rockicks shared a rehearsal room with Quiet Riot and also did gigs with them. They played all over the country and locally at places like the Roxy, the Aquarius Theater and Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Rockicks had radio commercials and a lot going for them until a show opening for Blondie at Whiskey was given Tom Petty. This was Tom Petty's big break show and the beginning of the end for the Rockicks. By this time his son Corey was about three Brian began his first day job at the age of thirty. Although Brian began earning his money behind the scenes as a stagehand he never stopped writing, singing and playing his guitar in little bands and local jam nights. Now Brian's life is all about the Naughtones and blessing the world with his amazing skills.
Brian's son Corey reports that Brian died of a heart attack, on the golf course, and that it was quick. I can report that the world needs more people like Brain Naughton, not less.
Start your engines, Brian. We'll miss you.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Ann Romney's Hard Work
In 2010, Willard paid 4 people just over $20,000 to help around the house. I wonder how much he paid when there were five boys running around? How many cooks? How many nannies? How many maids? How many drivers? Tutors? Gardeners? Ski coaches? Horse trainers? If Willard would just release all his taxes, we could all find out just exactly how much work raising five boys was for Ann Romney.
And I would really like to hear how the Willard team makes up for the fact that their candidate has let himself be defined as an out-of-touch rich guy war monger who lies a lot and wants to cut his own taxes even further?
And I would REALLY like to know how the Willard team makes up for the fact that he is the least liked Republican nominee WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY ever.
Romney's 42% support in the final 2012 nomination preference poll ranks among the lowest Gallup has measured for a nominee in its final poll since 1972, when the McGovern-Fraser reforms shifted power for choosing the nominee to voters in primaries and caucuses rather than party leaders at the national conventions.
Obama shares are still $6 at Intrade. It's a steal.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Dave Dutton and Sonia Sola's Story
|Photo of Nectar Hills Farm by Robin Supak
Nectar Hills Farm is incredibly picturesque, with 200+ acres of pastured rolling hills, natural bubbling streams and crooked heirloom apple trees. It is the epitome of wild beauty. From the front steps of the 150 year old farmhouse it is easy to make out herds of sheep and scottish highlander cattle, seen as moving specks along the vast countryside. Curious pigs root through scattered brush with their babies in tow and two large emu birds step cautiously and proudly around the barnyard. Chickens and ducks cluck and waddle across the driveway enjoying their free range to the fullest, while the lone peacock seems to always be on his own personal mission. Grapes hang on a vine outside the kitchen door and near that stands a peach tree with fresh and fuzzy fruit. Throw in a few rescued dogs, a couple of friendly cats, several goats and three handsome horses and the joyful lively abundance has just begun to be summed up.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The White Horse Apoplexy
This president should have put in place crippling sanctions against Iran, he did not.Benen points to the still quite conservative Jeffery Goldberg, who says:
It is precisely because the Obama Administration has constructed a sanctions program without precedent, and because the Obama Administration has funded and supported multinational cyber-sabotage efforts against the Iranian nuclear program, that Iran is panicking and lashing-out.
It is not only Israeli leaders who have doubted Obama's commitment to stop Iran's nuclear program; Iran's leaders themselves didn't take Obama seriously. After all, George W. Bush labeled Iran's government a member of the axis of evil, but then did nothing much at all to thwart its ambitions. But Obama, while avoiding rhetorical drama, has actually done more to stop Iran than the Bush Administration ever did.Here's the thing, Republicans. When you update your brain with the reality patch, which essentially just puts the Bush Administration back into your memory, you'll realize that we had a President who lied us into attacking Iraq, which empowered Iran, which wanted to protect itself from US imperialism and a belligerent White House that says shit like "Real men go to Tehran," so it gets going on building a bomb, and then this whole Mission-Accomplished ball of bee-hive gets handed to Obama as part of the giant clusterfuck that was the end of 8 years of GW Bush and Dick "Deficits Don't Matter" Cheney.
Obama then quietly repairs our image around the world, gets major-league sanctions going while keeping diplomatic channels open, slowly ratchets up the pressure, and even gets praise from Jeffery "WMD" Goldberg, and the best Willard (who's foreign policy team is a who's who of Dick Cheney's best friends) can do is a lie that stands out like a man standing in front of everyone with nothing on but his magic underwear, which is hanging by a thread.
Monday, February 20, 2012
The Incredible Shrinking Man
For the record, Jan. 4 was when the story of Mitt not releasing his taxes got started. Put that in your general election pipe and smoke it.
Will Femia found (via Steve Benen) another interesting data point today.
Romney is having Trump campaign for him in Michigan. That's right. I said "for."
Santorum to win MI shares at Intrade are $4.26 a share right now. Seems like a good bet, considering how popular Trump is.
If you're trying to head off a guy in your home state who does well with the kind of middle class voters who define Michigan, and you bring in Donald Fucking Trump, then you are an even worse campaigner than I thought.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
What's Worse, They Curse
What's Worse, They Curse:
This Townhall column by Laurita Doan is the fucking shit. I mean, holy FUCK is it fucking great. I fucking agree with ever single fucking word in this motherfucker.
Americans seem to have become accustomed to the casual use of the "F" word, with celebrities tracking, proudly, the number of times they "drop the "f" bomb" in public. The frequent use of the "f" word has coarsened our public discourse. But, many of our most emblematic American values, the very characteristics that shape our national character and contribute to American exceptionalism, have been given a bad rep by liberals because they, too, are "F" words.
As George Washington his own fucking self would have fucking said, fuck yeah.
Freedom from an overly intrusive government that thinks that only government knows what is best for Americans. Democrats prefer to support over-expansive government intrusiveness in the lives of all Americans, and over-regulation of our industries that is stifling American competitiveness.
Too fucking right. It was over-fucking-regulation of fucking credit fucking defaults that fucking destroyed the fucking economy and threw people out of fucking work. I mean, fuck!
Faith, the belief that something exists that is greater than we. The acknowledgement that, regardless of the religious diversity that currently exists in our country, we were founded as an essentially Judeo-Christian society, so much so, that we have no qualms about putting "In God we Trust" on our nation's money is a concept which Democrats seem to abhor and Republicans embrace.
Because as The Mothafuckin Son of God said, "put my fucking pops name on your money, bitch, or you motherfuckers hate fucking ME."
Go read the whole fucking thing.
Sunday, February 05, 2012
Republicans have a real problem with counting votes
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Just Because a Majority Votes for Bigotry Doesn't Make It Right, or Legal
"I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South."Apparently, the Governor is unaware of the fact that any such referendum in the south would have resulted in the continuation of Jim Crow (see the election of Wallace as proof). Apparently, he's not talking about the black people, who were doing most of the fighting and dying, since they obviously wouldn't have been happy to have a referendum where the white majority voted to continue Jim Crow.
Corey Booker, the mayor of Newark, NJ, had this to say in response:
But dear God, we should not be putting civil rights issues to a popular vote, to be subject to the sentiments, the passions of the day. No minority should have their rights subject to the passions and sentiments of the majority. This is a fundamental bedrock of what our nation stands for.I wonder if Governor Christie would be so eager to put a referendum to the people on treating overweight white guys as second class citizens?
I get very concerned that we have created in our state, and we refuse to address and call it like it is, that we've created a second-class citizenship in our state. That's what we have in America right now, we have two classes of citizenship. Jackie Robinson said the right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.
I read the 14th Amendment clearly. It talks about equal protection under the laws, and that was never something that should go out to a popular vote, whether blacks, women or other minorities should be equal, first-class citizens.
Monday, January 16, 2012
The Long Arc of the Moral Universe
"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."--MLKThe older I get, the more I wonder about this. Yes, things are much better for many people. Poor people are still poor, but hey, according to uber-right Heritage Foundation, it's not so bad because they have refrigerators now! Way to bend that arc, boys!
Remember this King of Ironies: the motel where MLK was assassinated (while in Memphis fighting for union garbage collectors) is just blocks from the Peabody hotel where a bunch of ducks live in the Penthouse.
The GOP has all hands on deck trying to bend that arc back in the direction of rich white people. They stick their pry bar of fact-denial under the big arc, rest it on the fulcrum of hate and bigotry, hook up their elephants, and pull with all their might.
When faced with the fact that 45,000 people per year die because they don't have health insurance, they send out Senator 1% from Arizona, or former Senator Shitlube, to claim that it's not a lack of health care that kills them, but something else. Maybe they died because they chose to be poor. Or, in Santorum's case, maybe he thinks they're all gay and deserve to die for choosing that lifestyle. Or something.
"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think."--MLKI can only imagine the headache Santorum gave himself when he tried to explain that he really said "blah people" instead of "black people." (So much for the Blah vote.) But then, Republicans, and apparently some Democrats and Independents, don't give a damn about the black vote. In fact, the southern strategy dictates that they get out there and blow those dog whistles just as loudly as they can if they want to get the vote that matters down south. Their continued battle against the Civil Rights Act might not get much traction outside the Paul campaign, but the GOP's war against the 1965 Voting Rights Act continues to this day, because their winning strategy is made up of two parts: get racist whites out to vote, and keep black people home. LBJ had some great things to say about this when he was getting the Voting Rights Act passed, as Charles P. Pierce pointed out in this awesome piece: On Our National Holiday, America's Everlasting War.
Race has popped up in the campaign this year. Newt Gingrich tripped over it while talking about food stamps and let's not even deal with the preposterous lie that Rick Santorum told about how he really said "blah people." Both of them were talking in gussied-up code, and they professed to be mystified as to how anyone could possibly think such a thing. And, of course, race has been a central theme (never a subtext; don't even try to make that case) in the irrational hatred directed at the current occupant of the White House. And it's not possible to read Lyndon's great speech — in which he called out "every device of which human ingenuity is capable, has been used to deny this right" — and not think of all the smart little clerks all over the country with their smart little voter-ID laws who are so damned mystified as to why people are so upset.Nobody is trying to bend that arc back more than Ron "Hate Whitey Day" Paul. The fact that a major candidate for President can get a large chunk of primary votes based on a philosophy that would allow states to return to Jim Crow and force women to give birth should be a shock, but it is not. A huge chunk of Republicans want to return to the 1950's, when women stayed home, even New Yorkers hated a black football hero (until he proved how well he could play), fire-hoses and dogs kept black people in their place, and wire clothes-hangers doubled as surgical tools. The only difference between Ron Paul and the whitest man to run for President in a long time is that Romney's religion was officially racist until 1978, while Paul maintains that just because he would let states return to their racist days doesn't mean he's a bigot.
On this point, I wonder what President Paul would do when Mississippi passes a law outlawing interracial marriage again, or when Texas passed a new anti-sodomy law despite the Supreme Court's ruling on Lawrence v. Texas...
Meanwhile, our extremely successful President faces a desertion from a bunch of lefties who, despite having handed GW Bush his "victory" in 2000 by voting for Ralph Nader in Florida and New Hampshire, apparently think there's no difference between Obama and Mitt Romney (who's foreign policy team is a who's who of Dick Cheney's war mongering friends).
Exactly how does one bend the long moral arc of the universe toward justice when a bunch of people who don't know what Strategic Voting means just stop pushing on our own lever, and let the GOP win?


text:
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Crutch Mentality Of Public Transport
Latest: One supporter has made a podcast out of this article. All thanks to him/her! ;)
PAP government has taken every fine measures to prevent "crutch mentality" from developing among our citizens. Any tiny suggestion of "welfarism" is considered as a big taboo.
However, we have been witnessing public transport companies raising fares every now and then and this is done with the blessings of the government. Ever since public transport companies are being "privatized", the reasoning is always the same; these companies must make money. It seems to me that only transport companies are "blessed" in such a way that a profit will be guaranteed no matter what. Of course, the easiest way for a public transport company to make money is to raise fares. If cost went up, raise fare to cover the short fall. Never mind if the companies themselves lack efficiency or lack creativity in making money from other means.
I have put up an article on fare hike before and here again, I am going to show why we should not let transport companies to persistently ask for fare increases.
The two most important aspects of a public transport companies are:
1) Serving the masses
2) Provide convenience
These are the responsibilities as well as the means that the companies could make money from. However, if a public transport company only think of making money out of charging fare alone, then it will fail miserably. It should learn about what "cross subsidies" can do to boost bottom line.
If a public transport company only thinks about making money out of charging fare, then it will inevitably end up in a vicious cycle of losing commuters and thus ridership, forced to increase fare. There is nothing mysterious about this. One way to make more profit is to squeeze cost. This means that to increase the number of trips a commuter needs to take, reduce competition, reduce frequency of services, increase fare....etc.
This is partly why we end up with an interesting situation here whereby the cost of car is so expensive but yet, Singaporeans are still prefer to have a car of their own. This is basically because public transport has become so inconvenience and unbearable.
I have learnt from the HK public transport model that the main profit is generated from sources other than the fare itself. Due to the competitive environment, bus companies in HK have to provide efficient system of bus services. This would mean an increase in costing but they could cross subsidize it by having more advertising income. If you look at our buses on the road or the trains, you will realize that advertising space is not fully utilized.
If you walk into the HK's MTR station, you will realize that every space possible for advertisement will not be left empty. Every space available for shops that provide convenience is not spared. The trains will have digital board running with news updates and advertisement. Every MTR stations or bus terminals are linked closely with some residential flats. The newer MTR stations are built together with shopping malls as well as residential flats on top or just linked next door. Some projects are done by the train company in cooperation with other property developers. It means that train stations are integrated with residential projects to provide maximum convenience. In return, the train company earn a cut from development as well as property maintenance. By doing so, it will retain higher ridership and in the end, higher profits from advertisement.
Have you seen any MRT station in Singapore which is integrated with residential projects? Could you find a shopping mall with residential flats on top standing next right to a MRT station? There are residential flats with as many as 20 flats of 30 storey high sitting next to a MTR station in HK! This is one of the fundamental reason why Hong Kongers prefer to take public transport instead of driving their own cars. And by doing so, the train company get to hold on to a strong demand of commuters by virtue of convenience. On the other hand, by virtue of the massive commuters it has, it could command a good return from advertising because its effective and efficient in reaching out to consumers.
If we look at the design of our town planning, it seems that most people need to take feeder bus service before they could reach a train station or the bus terminal. It not only inconvenience commuters but also added cost to them. In the long run, with such time consuming, costly as well as inconvenient system, people who could afford a car will give up on public transport.
In Singapore, it is a total dismay in such strategic thinking. When the development of Ang Mo Kio Hub was given to Singapore Labour Foundation, it was first planned to have residential cum office on top. However, for some reasons, the idea was scrapped. Now, if the project is given to either MRT or SBS Transit, the outcome would be very different. These transport companies could earn rents from the shopping mall as well as the offices, at the same time, earn from the sales of those residential flats on top. Why not? But no. No shopping mall projects or condominium projects near any MRT stations or bus terminals were given to the transport companies! Why is the case?
If the transport companies were given priority in developing the shopping malls and condominium or residential projects surrounding it, it could better incorporate linkages to these projects. Furthermore, it would rationalize according to its priorities and business model. Alternatively, city planning in Singapore towns must be revamped. It means that land near the transportation nodal points must be marked out as residential cum shopping malls. The overall strategic thinking of both the transport providers and city planners must change in Singapore.
I would say that local public transport companies should be more aggressive and creative in making money instead of waiting for the approval of fare hikes. Instead of strengthening their means to create value, they have been diminishing their value in the name of "cost cutting". Frequency of their services have been lowered. In the long run, ridership will fall. If we aim to accommodate 6.5 million people, how can this go on like this?
The demand of regular fare hike is a crutch mentality in the making. There are really many other ways that public transport companies in Singapore could make profits, not just from fare but from their strength in convenience and the masses they command. If we continue to allow other GLCs or SLF to develop prime areas in towns instead of the transport companies, how could there possibly be full utilization of resources and cross subsidies to public transportation companies?
In comparison, our public transport companies have not fully capitalize on advertising revenue as compared to their Hong Kong counterparts. Instead they have put more time in thinking of ways to maximize profits by means of creating more demand on services via re-routing and feeder bus services. However, this inconvenience commuters and will result in loss of ridership in the long run.
While our government always self proclaim to be "World Class" that command "World Top Salaries", I think they should do better than increasing public transport fare hikes every now and then. It is time to evaluate efficiencies of public transport companies in terms of generating other revenues rather than over depending on revenues from fares alone. Most importantly, stop the crutch mentality of public transport companies depending on increasing fare hikes to increase profits. Please think out of the box!
Goh Meng Seng
Posted by Admin at 1:14 PM
13 comments:
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Labels: Policy Views, Public Transport
Monday, May 07, 2007
Singapore Political Comics
The above Comic is taken from Insane Poly -- Elite Girl
I remember during my university days, one of the most "shocking" political news is about the authority ordering an comic artist to remove one of his creation from his exhibition because the comic he drew is seen as "offending" someone up there. The reason given was that Singapore is an "Asian" country/society whereby political leaders should be respected and should not be made fun of, even in comic art.
The irony is that we always see local newspapers, be it English or Chinese papers, have been putting up comics drawn on other political leaders around the world, including some of our neighbouring countries leaders. Aren't our neighbouring countries "Asian"? Shouldn't they be "respected" and not "made fun" of?
This has puzzled me quite a bit even up till now. Once a while, you could still see some comics about political leaders around the world, be them "Asian" or otherwise, being printed in local newspapers. But you could hardly find any comics of our Singapore political leaders; well, maybe on opposition leaders but hardly any ministers, as far as I could remember.
Anyway, the wonders of this digital age is that citizens could freely express themselves in this cyberspace. The following are some links to political comic sites; well, be warned that they are persistently political. ;)
Insane Poly -- Elite Girl
My Sketchbook
Talking Cock.com
Enjoy yourselves!;)
Goh Meng Seng
Posted by Admin at 1:19 AM
6 comments:
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Friday, May 04, 2007
Nationhood-- what will bind us & what went wrong?
Yes I know I have promised to write the article on whether we should let local transport companies to continue to depend on Public Transport Fare Hike or not but recently there are good discussions going on about Nationhood, patriotism, emigration and stuffs like that.
A good article could be found at this blog named "Chasing Idle Dreams".
There is also an open letter by an ex-journalist posted on The Online Citizen
There is also an article on Today:
Not a recipe to win hearts over
More intrinsic appeal needed to woo overseas locals back
Siew Kum Hong
I WENT to Singapore Day in New York a couple of weeks back. I was there for work, was with a Singaporean friend living in the city who wanted to go, and eventually found myself in Central Park on a bright, sunny Saturday.
The event was undoubtedly a success. The hawkers were a big hit, with some queues taking up to two hours. Still, some Singaporeans I spoke to had reservations, even as they enjoyed the food.
Some queried the registration requirement and amount of information requested, and wondered if the Government is using the event as an excuse to gather data on overseas Singaporeans. Others found the tone of the event — which included National Day songs belted out by homegrown entertainers — off-putting, as it reminded them why they had left Singapore in the first place.
While I applaud the idea of Singapore Day, I think these views are nevertheless valuable and interesting. There was a certain fuzziness around what the event sought to do, but I doubt it was a sinister effort to track overseas Singaporeans, a theory I find borders on paranoia.
Was it a disguised attempt at getting Singaporeans to come home? If so, it needs to be more sophisticated in its approach. The performance of the National Day songs came across as being over-the-top and contrived.
A Singaporean who liked the idea of re-connecting with her country was turned off by the hardsell and rolled her eyes at the brochures on integrating returning Singaporeans' kids into our education system. I also met more than one gay Singaporean, who, regardless of however much he or she enjoyed the event, were all convinced that they would never return home.
I prefer to take the Government at face value and think that the event served to refresh connections with overseas Singaporeans, to remind and update them about Singapore.
However, I also noticed certain unflattering aspects. There were no activities for kids. The American husband of another Singaporean noted the irony of flying in Singaporean bands that sounded exactly like many other bands in New York. (The highlight for me was the getai skit from Royston Tan's upcoming film 881.) There was a lack of recycling bins despite the number of Yeo's-sponsored canned drinks being guzzled down.
And, as pointed out by another Singaporean, it was a "typically Singaporean" event, with a singular emphasis on food.
I was bothered by this display of food as the overarching — and apparently sole — factor that unifies Singaporeans. (And I am at least as greedy as the next food-loving Singaporean.) The identification of eatables as being at the core of "Singaporeanness" betrays a certain pragmatic consumerism and materialism. If being Singaporean is so intimately tied to something extrinsic, what will happen when it is gone?
Singapore Day hinted at the troubling answer. The crowds thinned considerably as the stalls ran out of food. Few stayed for the entertainment flown in from home. Fewer paid any attention to the displays and booths touting the developments at home and that of overseas Singaporeans. In fact, there was a lack of interest in anything other than the food — and when the food was gone, there was little interest in anything at the event at all.
Food can be replicated, even if it is difficult to do so authentically. New York-based movie director and foodie Colin Goh said all the local fare at Singapore Day was available in New York except for the chwee kueh. That was the first item to run out.
The sad truth is that while food is the easiest and surest way to tie Singaporeans' minds to Singapore, it is a tie that does not bind tightly, if at all. We would do well to develop and emphasise other ties that are far more intangible and emotional — and hence tighter and less easily displaced and replaced.
This will require greater subtlety, creativity and resources. Perhaps Singapore could be "recreated" through miniature replicas of familiar landmarks. Instead of including rubber bands in goodie bags with instructions on how to play "zero point", a zero-point competition could be held for children and adults. Another suggestion I heard was to have people register for a Friendster-type social networking service, to tease out connections between people.
The aim of events such as Singapore Day should be to engage people's hearts and minds, not just their stomachs. Otherwise, overseas Singaporeans may flock to future Singapore Days, but the events will not deepen or strengthen their links with Singapore.
The writer is a Nominated Member of Parliament and corporate counsel, commenting in his personal capacity.
I have touched on this topic before under my first few articles A Singapore without Singaporeans back in 2005.
But after reading all these articles, I feel that I need to put down my thoughts after meeting some young undergraduates as well as watching the "banned" interview by Martyn See.
This is what I wrote:
What will bind a people or even a Nation?
In our persistent pursuit of economic success, which is the basis of PAP's monopoly of power, we have forgotten all about the other pillars of the Nation, mainly culture. Food culture is merely one small of the whole spectrum. Have we developed our unique culture?
Well, to some extend, one could say that our "unique culture" is mostly about negative aspects: Kiasuism, Kiasism and the government will say, Singlish is not a desirable sub culture language.
Singapore used to be the cultural centre of Southeast Asia back in the pre-WWII, 50s and 60s. This development is in tune with a more liberal political settings where hundreds of flowers blossom. You could even read about great debates between newspapers, not merely politicians.
Choirs, writers, song writers, plays, painters... etc. you name it you have it. Singapore, though economically speaking not top of the world, but it is the Paris of SEA in terms of the richness of its cultural development.
After the misadventure of "Malaysian Malaysia", everything seems to change overnight. We have traded our cultural development and political rights for the economic miracle. The era of "White Terror" came right after that and lasted throughout the 1970s. "White Terror"? What "White Terror"? Some young undergraduates have asked me recently. If one is to write something critical or just a little bit similar to the leftist or communist literature, you will be call up for tea in ISD or even locked up. This is one singular political tool that has stiffen cultural development and even up to now, we still could hear of censorship on political interviews and films. A generation or two have been lost in this era of cultural whitewash.
White Terror era is also the dark ages of social-political activism. When young, socially conscious students or activists organize themselves to fight against the social injustice that they saw in the society, it will be quickly termed as "leftist" or even "communist" elements and thus, ISD will step in. How could you cultivate a generation of passionate citizenry by clamping down on all social-political activism? We could not possibly groom a generation of citizens that are passionate about society with such closed minded administration. Up till now, a simple protest be it in persons or using cardboard White Elephants are still being scorn off.
The fact that our young "elites" lacks such understanding or knowledge of Singapore's social-political-cultural dark ages is quite alarming. Why? A nation or a people has to know and learn their history well in order accumulate wisdom and cultural upbringing in not repeating mistakes of the past. But under one party domination, this is just too "inconvenient"! A simple interview with an ex-political detainee is deemed as "undermining confidence" in the present administration!
When a nation that loses its cultural development, loses its soul. And naturally, how could a tree without deep roots grows higher? Least binding its branches?
In the 1980s, PAP realized that something has to be done and thus we have the "new initiative" of big bang National Day celebrations with all those "Count on Me Singapore" songs. Thus, it is not surprising that they actually used these songs in the New York event. That is, pathetically and sadly, our only "cultural heritage" that could be "remembered" as a people.
Here today, due to the fact that this nation and its people has not really learned about ills of the past history of "White Terror", has repeated its persistent scorn at "sub culture" like Mr. Brown's hard hitting humorous podcast, censored plays and films of social-political nature. We can't post political videocast nor podcast... not ven the simple use of music and songs are not allowed in political rallies during general elections! This is how "open" we are!
Will there be hope in Singapore? To cultivate active citizenry and thus, passionate loyalty to the country, not to the dominant party? When will history not become "inconvenience" or "undermine confidence" of present government so that our future generations could have the courage to face our history, good or bad, together as a people and a nation? The answer is so obvious.
Goh Meng Seng
Posted by Admin at 9:16 PM
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Gopher Bait
Gophers cause considerable damage to yards, commercial turf and golf courses. Gophers eat grains and plants. These rodents also leave mounds of dirt above the entrance of their tunnels that are unsightly and difficult to mow. Baiting gophers has been a successful method of control for decades. Gopher bait is shaped like grain. Single dose gopher bait is available and contains either strychnine or zinc phosphide. These baits should be applied in small amounts and can kill a gopher after a single feeding. However, if children or pets are present, it is best to use anticoagulant gopher bait. These baits are lower in toxicity and kill the gopher after multiple feedings. Large amounts of anticoagulants are necessary, and gopher activity can continue for up to a week.
Proper gopher bait placement is key to controlling gophers. Gophers dig lateral tunnels and vertical tunnels. Vertical tunnels lead to gopher burrows, and are the most successful site of bait placement. To find a gopher burrow, locate a gopher mound and begin probing around the edges with a long steel rod or a commercial gopher probe. The entrance to vertical tunnels is usually off-center of the mound. When the probe finds the tunnel, it should drop a few inches into the ground. Carefully remove the probe and insert the gopher bait. Several commercial probes come equipped with bait applicators. Once the bait has been placed in the tunnel, carefully seal the gopher hole created by the probe. Be sure not to drop dirt into the tunnel, as this can cover the newly placed bait.
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- Best Rat Bait
- Gopher Bait
- Rat Bait Stations
- Rat Poop
- Repel Mice
- Rodent Control
- Trapping Mice
- Vole Bait
- Voles In Yard


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102 Parnell Drive,
Houma, LA 70360
Property Description
Capt.Tommy Pellegrin. Charter fishing offshore and shoreline. Red snapper and tuna specialist. All saltwater fishing available. Credit Cards accepted: A/E, V, D, M/C. Hours vary by season.
- Fishing Charter
General Information
- Open Year-Round
- Saltwater
Guest Information
- Family Friendly
- Meeting/Tour groups welcome
- Reservations Required
Payment Options
- Cash
- MasterCard
- Visa
Suitable for Ages
- All Ages


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Marshawn Lynch wants to outfit the Bay Area in "Beast Mode."
That's the name of the Seattle Seahawks star and Oakland native's clothing company, which grand opens Friday at 811 Broadway Street.
The Chronicle reports Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf is expected to attend an opening party at noon and has declared Friday "Beast Mode Day" in the city.
According to the Beast Mode website, the store will enter all customers who purchase at least $100 today into a chance to win a pair of tickets to Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
As for whether he'll return to the field himself next year, Lynch cheekily deflected the question from TMZ Sports on Thursday night.
Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media


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Cape Town ranks 14 out of 100 cities worldwide and saw an 8.3% rise in property prices
CAPE Town is the shining star of Africa's luxury residential market, with the 2017 KnightFrank Wealth Report
LONDON has beaten New York as the most important global city for ultra- high- net- worth individuals, according to the annual Knight Frank Wealth Report.
JOBURG is the second best performing African city in the luxury residential market, according to 2017 Knight Frank Wealth Report 2017.
With 27% of global transaction volumes attributed to private buyers in 2016, commercial real estate remains an important asset class for private investors.
Knight Frank South Africa highlights the need for practical real estate solutions to optimise spend and efficiencies within business spaces.
London — Johnny Sandelson, the property entrepreneur developing a luxury-home project for seniors in London's Chelsea district, is in talks to buy a £100m plot
Commercial and residential property group, Knight Frank has published its Wealth Report for 2017, showing how many dollar millionaires live in South Africa.
Landlord's shares climb on new Covent Garden rental forecast.
Capital & Counties Properties wrote down the value of its land holdings in west London by 20%,
Ericsson's research and development campus in Garrycastle, Athlone went on the market yesterday (Wednesday), and is expected to sell for in excess of E19million.
As the commercial property market in South Africa matures and is pulled in line with global best practice so too does the need for practical real estate solutions to optimise not only
Daar is meer aan residensiële eiendom wat dit aantreklik maak as die dak wat dit oor jou kop bied. Baie daarvan het met die opbou van welvaart te doen.
Among several rival creation stories concerning the winter skiing holiday, British readers may favour the one that stars Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Woodstock, one of Cape Town's very first suburbs, retained its popularity in 2016 according to. information extracted from CMA Info (it records all transfers finalised and those in progress at the Deeds Office),
There is no substitute for experience, and new addition to Knight Frank's dynamic team of real estate professionals in Seapoint, Kevin Greenblau, has been around the block both literally and figuratively.
An estate agent should always encourage a seller to disclose any defects in the property prior to sale.
The appointment of the conveyancing attorney is an important decision when selling your home.
South Africans are becoming increasingly aware of the need to lead environmentally friendly lifestyles.
When putting one's house on the market the primary objectives are usually selling your home quickly and efficiently and, hopefully, at a price that ensures you make a profit.
The Hickling Broad Estate - part of a world-renowned nature and conservation reserve at the northern end of the Norfolk Broads' network in England - has come to the market at a guided price of £2.3 million.
According to Knight Frank's recently published Prime Global Cities Index, Cape Town was a top performer for the second quarter of the year, with the city's annual property price growth reaching double figures in the year to June.


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Creating Tomorrow: the future of money – what does it mean for you?
Nov 11, 2019 | By Carla Buzasi
Aug 04, 2016
By WGSN Insider
While most of the world is going wild for Pokémon GO, creative colour obsessives and designers now have their own reason to geek out over an app.
Pantone, the global authority on colour, has just released Pantone Studio: a digital workspace that colour tracks your surroundings. As most big brands move into the digital sphere, this latest app is Pantone following suit and future-proofing its product for modern times, when consumers and designers alike are attached to their smartphones.
The tool which the colour authority just launched can be accessed for now through iPhone only, and allows users to play with its colour coded colour chips in digital form, plus it has a built-in tool on it that uses the camera on your phone to tell the user the colour composition of his or her surroundings.
Developed in collaboration with full-service digital agency Rokkan, the app offers a limited selection of colours available to all users, which Pantone subscribers can get access to all Pantone colours or can sign up for monthly ($7.99) or annual ($59.99) subscription fees.
omg the Pantone app…. pic.twitter.com/VN0Fc9HTZK
— Poe Baratheon (@staennis) August 3, 2016
The new @pantone app is changing my life. Colour inspo on the move ✌🏾 pic.twitter.com/i3tb5fQVcP — Florence Adepoju (@flowsphenom) August 4, 2016
"Fifty-three years ago, Pantone was introduced as a standardised language to communicate specific colours in the print market," said SVP and General Manager, Ron Potesky. "Today, Pantone has become iconic and indispensable as the de facto language of colour in all design disciplines, as well as a source of colour intelligence and inspiration. Recognising the needs and opportunities for designers today, we created PANTONE Studio to provide them their own private colour studio – a place where they can explore, capture, create and share colour inspiration with friends and colleagues."
The app also invites designers to name palettes and add geotag locations and for Instagram fans, the app lets you share palettes across Instagram and Facebook.
"This tool promotes interactivity and dialogue with a community of designers which really elevates the services Pantone has traditionally offered. Storied brands are tasked with figuring out how to build a strong digital presence that makes sense. With this initiative, Pantone has essentially developed an endless library of colour at the touch of a fingertip that can be personalised and shared across platforms and with friends, " says Cassandra Napoli, WGSN Assistant Editor, Digital Media & Marketing.
WANT MORE? Check out our blog on How to create a brilliant colour palette: Five expert tips
NEED INSPIRATION? WGSN publishes 350 in-depth reports each month. That's a seriously awe-inspiring amount of inspiration. Join WGSN.
Know what's next. Become a WGSN member today to benefit from our daily trend intelligence, retail analytics, consumer insights and bespoke consultancy services.


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Content marketing is the marketing process of creating and distributing valuable, important and regular content to entice the audience for your business.
Understanding the definition of content marketing is one thing, but creating successful content marketing is a different story altogether.
Don't panic; we have compiled ten basic rules, which are the general foundation of content marketing. Without them, the chance of a good content strategy is something that you might find difficult to achieve or get good results.
Here are our ten commandments of content marketing:
Great Headlines Work
Great content marketing starts with a great headline. Start mastering the art of writing headlines. From here, you should have an understanding that you only have moments to capture attention and get that click to your link when it appears on any social media platform such as Twitter, Facebook or Google+.
Try putting yourself in the audience or readers shoes; would you click on a link that does not have a catchy or attention-grabbing headline? Bear in mind that there are plenty of other articles online - if the first headline is not interesting enough to grab the attention of the audience, the audience will move down to the next article.
Use Article Descriptions
Let's look into article descriptions.
In a fast-paced world, time is of the essence. Article descriptions are used when shared on social media or linked in search results; they are the next element your audience will read and decide if your articleis worth reading. Adding them to your posts is as important as your headlines.
So, spend time to create an amazing description, otherwise you will have to rely on search engines to create them for you.
Audience to Customer Conversion
Always put yourself in the audience or readers' shoes. The objective of any content marketing is to entice and engage the audience, so create interesting content that gives your audience every reason to engage with your brand.
When you manage to get audience enticed in your content, you are getting them engagedin your brand. Your content should focus on the topics or problems that provide answers and solutions.
Strategic Marketing
Yes – it is not just marketing – it is strategic marketing.
Sit down with your team and discuss the goals and how to achieve them, and record or take notes. Use these notes to guide you at all times, and as something to look back at, should you or your team goes off course.
Don't forget to track your results and conversion using simple tools like Google Analytics; otherwise, you will have no idea if you are advancing toward your goals.
Be Regular. Be Organised. Be Human!
Regularity is important, if you are not there or not consistent, your customers won't be either. Spend a couple of hours per day to create or monitor content and post new material regularly.
Be organised and dn't rely on your content marketing calendar all the time. Whilst important, these calendars generally make you think about quantity, not quality.
At the end of the day, we are all human (in case you need a little reminder), and consider adding humour into your content with a dash of compassion.
Quality Supersedes Quantity
Everything you do should always be focussed on creating great content that is well-written, refined, structured, as well as value-adding.
When you sacrifice the quality of your content, you sacrifice the quantity of your audience and customers. Remember that content marketing is about building relationships and that takes time. It's a gradual path; you won't see huge results overnight; this doesn't mean failure. Don't start smashing through tons of other articles just for the sake of quantity.
Share uyour article on social media, to reach your intended audience.
Indirect Selling
Take note: Content marketing is not about the hard sell.
It is about building relationships and trust over time. Do not irritate your audience by going into wanting to sell your product and services all the time. Remember, entice your audience to your brand by offering free guidance and value.
Let It Go Flow
Your content needs to flow like water flowing down the stream. Your article may be less than ten thousand words, however like any great story, your content should flow nicely.
Regardless if the content provided is full of data and figures, try writing it in a way that it would interest your readers.
Our minds are full with day-to-day ideas and information that can feel overwhelming. Look into writing well-structured content that uses:
- Short sentences;
- Short paragraphs, and;
- Bullet points
Create and publish your content in a range of formats, it really helps!
Easy to Share
Sharing is Caring. Don't forget to add social sharing buttons that are prominent and easy to find. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth.
When you create great content, include a couple of sharing button for others to encourage others to read as well.
Review Monthly
It is pointless to create great content and generate a fantastic marketing strategy when you do not review it monthly.
Try to audit your content and strategy to make sure that your plan works out and is making an impact on your business or if it requires revision.
To recap, great content marketing consists of;
- Great headlines work
- Use article descriptions
- Audience to customer conversion
- Strategic marketing
- Be regular. Be organised. Be human
- Quality supersedes quantity
- Indirect selling
- Let it flow
- Easy to share
- Review monthly
Good luck in keeping your content marketing efficient, effective and on course.


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I am a new customer.
By creating an account at Image Edizioni you will be able to shop faster, be up to date on an orders status, and keep track of the orders you have previously made.
I am a returning customer.
Image Edizioni eshop section requires another registration process.
You have to register again, you can use the same username and password (if not yet used by anothere user) to register.
We apologize for the inconvenience!


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At their meeting Monday night, the Johnson County School District One Board of Trustees voted to approve two separate bids, one for property/casualty insurance and the other for a storage building and drainage work at Buffalo High School.
Bid One, for the district's casualty and property insurance coverage, was awarded to HUB, International for an annual premium of $123,083 per year. The other bid came from North Wyoming Insurance of Buffalo for $149,394. The winning bid will save the district roughly $30,000 per year in insurance premiums.The contract is for one year.
The second bid award is for the construction of a storage building, some curb and gutter work and work to alleviate a drainage issue at Buffalo High School.
District Business Manager Matt Ramey explains the drainage issue further.
The bid of $121,878 with an altenate bid of $1,672 for insulation in the storage building was awarded to Cleary Building Corp. of Sheridan.


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For many clients the soapy massage experience is the ultimate pleasure. The name for this massage is originally coined from Thailand in South East Asia and is a naturist massage performed with the aid of soap suds to create a slippery and amazingly sensual erotic massage experience. Although we dont have any Thai masseuses working with us at Aphrodite Massage we believe that our erotic soapy massage experience will really put you on Cloud 9 from a pleasure point of view!
When you compare Aphrodite Massage prices to a lot of others in London for the same massage we are also very reasonably priced. If you take a quick look at the dazzling beauties that we have working at our London tantric massage agency you will see why a soapy massage with Aphrodite is now such a popular service!
If you haven't already experienced the truly sensual wet and wild massage at Aphrodite massage in central London then this surely should be on your list of things to do!
Our wet and wild soapy massage begins with a sensual bathing experience and ends with our clients on cloud nine! It is a great form of massage therapy that will certainly wash away all the stresses and strains of daily life in London.
What could be better than a sensual soapy massage with one of our sensual masseuses who will wash your body with various soaps and oils. After this you will be lead into the bedroom by our sexy masseuse who will give you an unforgettable and erotic massage session with a very intimate body to body massage.
Our masseuses really do know how to create an electric atmosphere and as you enter you will see different coloured candles arranged around the bath tub and a very dimly lit room, some nice fragrances in the room and of course some soothing music playing in the background. This will really increase the sexual energy in the room and will really bring you to life!
Get a real pampering with a true soapy massage in London!
Being pampered with a soapy massage in London with one of our wet and wild masseuses will most certainly make you feel like you are on another planet and is a profoundly uplifting experience. After your session you will feel totally relaxed and recharged and more than likely booking your next wet and wild massage sessions with one of our goddesses.
This can be offered again as both an incall and outcall erotic massage service and to book a masseuse you can do so either by phone on 07404 681 945 or alternatively email us through our online booking system where we will be happy to take care of your needs!