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Describes all available options.
See also: AWS API Documentation
See 'aws help' for descriptions of global parameters.
describe-option-group-options is a paginated operation. Multiple API calls may be issued in order to retrieve the entire data set of results. You can disable pagination by providing the --no-paginate argument. When using --output text and the --query argument on a paginated response, the --query argument must extract data from the results of the following query expressions: OptionGroupOptions
--engine-name <value>
[--major-engine-version <value>]
[--filters <value>]
[--cli-input-json <value>]
[--starting-token <value>]
[--page-size <value>]
[--max-items <value>]
[--generate-cli-skeleton <value>]
--engine-name (string)
A required parameter. Options available for the given engine name are described.
--major-engine-version (string)
If specified, filters the results to include only options for the specified major engine version.
--filters (list)
This parameter isn't currently supported.
Shorthand Syntax:
Name=string,Values=string,string ...
JSON Syntax:
"Name": "string",
"Values": ["string", ...]
--cli-input-json (string) Performs service operation based on the JSON string provided. The JSON string follows the format provided by --generate-cli-skeleton. If other arguments are provided on the command line, the CLI values will override the JSON-provided values. It is not possible to pass arbitrary binary values using a JSON-provided value as the string will be taken literally.
--starting-token (string)
A token to specify where to start paginating. This is the NextToken from a previously truncated response.
For usage examples, see Pagination in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide .
--page-size (integer)
The size of each page to get in the AWS service call. This does not affect the number of items returned in the command's output. Setting a smaller page size results in more calls to the AWS service, retrieving fewer items in each call. This can help prevent the AWS service calls from timing out.
For usage examples, see Pagination in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide .
--max-items (integer)
The total number of items to return in the command's output. If the total number of items available is more than the value specified, a NextToken is provided in the command's output. To resume pagination, provide the NextToken value in the starting-token argument of a subsequent command. Do not use the NextToken response element directly outside of the AWS CLI.
For usage examples, see Pagination in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide .
--generate-cli-skeleton (string) Prints a JSON skeleton to standard output without sending an API request. If provided with no value or the value input, prints a sample input JSON that can be used as an argument for --cli-input-json. If provided with the value output, it validates the command inputs and returns a sample output JSON for that command.
See 'aws help' for descriptions of global parameters.
OptionGroupOptions -> (list)
List of available option group options.
Available option.
Name -> (string)The name of the option.
Description -> (string)The description of the option.
EngineName -> (string)The name of the engine that this option can be applied to.
MajorEngineVersion -> (string)Indicates the major engine version that the option is available for.
MinimumRequiredMinorEngineVersion -> (string)The minimum required engine version for the option to be applied.
PortRequired -> (boolean)Specifies whether the option requires a port.
DefaultPort -> (integer)If the option requires a port, specifies the default port for the option.
OptionsDependedOn -> (list)
The options that are prerequisites for this option.
OptionsConflictsWith -> (list)
The options that conflict with this option.
Persistent -> (boolean)Persistent options can't be removed from an option group while DB instances are associated with the option group. If you disassociate all DB instances from the option group, your can remove the persistent option from the option group.
Permanent -> (boolean)Permanent options can never be removed from an option group. An option group containing a permanent option can't be removed from a DB instance.
RequiresAutoMinorEngineVersionUpgrade -> (boolean)If true, you must enable the Auto Minor Version Upgrade setting for your DB instance before you can use this option. You can enable Auto Minor Version Upgrade when you first create your DB instance, or by modifying your DB instance later.
VpcOnly -> (boolean)If true, you can only use this option with a DB instance that is in a VPC.
SupportsOptionVersionDowngrade -> (boolean)If true, you can change the option to an earlier version of the option. This only applies to options that have different versions available.
OptionGroupOptionSettings -> (list)
The option settings that are available (and the default value) for each option in an option group.
Option group option settings are used to display settings available for each option with their default values and other information. These values are used with the DescribeOptionGroupOptions action.
SettingName -> (string)The name of the option group option.
SettingDescription -> (string)The description of the option group option.
DefaultValue -> (string)The default value for the option group option.
ApplyType -> (string)The DB engine specific parameter type for the option group option.
AllowedValues -> (string)Indicates the acceptable values for the option group option.
IsModifiable -> (boolean)Boolean value where true indicates that this option group option can be changed from the default value.
IsRequired -> (boolean)Boolean value where true indicates that a value must be specified for this option setting of the option group option.
MinimumEngineVersionPerAllowedValue -> (list)
The minimum DB engine version required for the corresponding allowed value for this option setting.
The minimum DB engine version required for each corresponding allowed value for an option setting.
AllowedValue -> (string)The allowed value for an option setting.
MinimumEngineVersion -> (string)The minimum DB engine version required for the allowed value.
OptionGroupOptionVersions -> (list)
The versions that are available for the option.
The version for an option. Option group option versions are returned by the DescribeOptionGroupOptions action.
Version -> (string)The version of the option.
IsDefault -> (boolean)True if the version is the default version of the option, and otherwise false.
Marker -> (string)
An optional pagination token provided by a previous request. If this parameter is specified, the response includes only records beyond the marker, up to the value specified by MaxRecords .


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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: [13:48] — 12.7MB)
Our bodies need hydration. Most bachelors get this hydration from a single source: Mountain Dew. (This, by the way, is not a paid advertisement so please do not buy anything from Mountain Dew until they give me money. That's right! I'm holding you ransom for Mountain Dew. Uh, that is, for them to pay me. I don't want them sending Mountain Dew to me—I really can't stand the green stuff myself.)
I, however, get my hydration from a healthier source: A&W's Sparkling Vanilla Cream S—um, I mean water … yeah. I get my humor from the soda—or "pop" as some of you call it—but my hydration really comes from water. Mmm! I love water! I dream about water. I cleanse my clothes in water. I capture water and collect it in little bottles, even carrying some of these wherever I go, sometimes even taking water on beautiful walks in the park. I decorate water with little rocks and fish in big, glass display cases in my house and connect little filters to keep it pristine under a fluorescent light. I even bathe in water!
I love water so much that I have a special system just to keep water comfortably warm. I have a huge hole in my backyard where I collect as much water as I can, and then feed it special vitamins and minerals to keep it healthy and then I … I … swim in it … and I … jump into it with reckless abandon. And my cares of this world float away on water's back. When weather gets cold, I cover water with a giant blanket and tuck it in with love until the next season.
But alas! Ours is a wishy-washy relationship. More on the wishy side than the washy. At times, I fear that water does not love me in return. These are the chronicles of my war with water.
Part One
Ever since the local mayor told me that I could no longer live and conduct my graphic design business under the interstate bridge, I have moved from cardboard box to cardboard box, struggling to find somewhere that suited my needs. Although I found many cardboard boxes wired for electricity and even indoor plumbing, the broadband monsters must've deemed the cardboard box market too small to extend their high-speed services to me, despite my offering to move onto company property.
Thus, I was left with no choice but to buy my own house. I had familiarized myself with the housing market (which mostly involved ensuring my ability to distinguish between houses and public parks), I interviewed several realtors (they needed to indentify a house, too!), and I began shopping. (Oh! That reminds me. I need to go grocery shopping again soon. I'm out of chicken-flavored ramen noodles; I have only the more-exotic flavors left in my pantry.)
I eventually found a great house. Not only did this house have high-speed internet available, but in the backyard was a modest-sized, in-ground swimming pool! I knew this would give me extra points in my struggle to achieve "elite bachelornessity," so I bought the house. (Listen to episode 4 to learn about "elite bachelornessity.")
The former tenet did not take good care of the pool at all—he was probably some Mountain-Dew drinking loser who thought the pool was a meteor impact crater from a martian rock. Not only was this evident from the drained pool and resulting destroyed liner, but there was something dead in what little water existed in the pool. It was very hard to tell what this creature had once been—all I could see was soaked hair and a bloated body.
(It's at this time that I'd like to remind my listeners (or those slackos who read my podcasts rather than listen to them—you guys are missing cool audio features like this: __[really cool audio feature]__) that this portion of the podcast is best enjoyed on an empty stomach. If your stomach isn't empty now, it may be within a few minutes.)
I can't tell you how many times I've wondered what would happen if I threw a cat into a pool, but I never thought to remove the cat after the experiment. Perhaps this was the same flawed logic as that of this home's former resident. In any case, I now know what happens to a cat if you throw it into a pool. But then again, I'm not even sure if this was a cat.
The backyard stank, but not overly so. It was almost bearable, if for just a few moments. This dead animal was only a preview of things to come. And for ease of telling the remainder of this story, and to make it easier for my listeners with weak constitutions, let's call this dead whatever-it-was animal … Edna, which stands for "extremely dead, nauseous animal."
After I had a contract to purchase this house, but before the closing date, I decided that Edna just had to go. She just couldn't continuing hanging around my new home—actually, I guess she did more floating than hanging. Whatever the case, I tried to figure out how to get rid of Edna.
In a stroke of sheer brilliance—or utter stupidity, it's hard to tell the difference at times—I stopped by the house after work one day. In my business-casual attire, I strolled to the backyard to negotiate a severance plan with Edna. Either she pulls herself back together and climbs out of there, or we do things the hard way. Unfortunately for both of us, Edna refused to reason, so I reached for the swimming pool net.
I'm not sure if it ever occurred to me that I'd have to do something with the body once I dealt with Edna. But throwing caution—and my last breath of clean oxygen— to the wind, I extended the pool net into the brown water in attempts to capture Edna.
I've never had much luck with fishing. It always seemed that no matter how far I cast the line, no matter how much bait I put on the hook, and no matter how patiently I waited, I could never catch a fish. This day proved no different—except that I wasn't fishing for a fish this time. I guess that's different.
The net dipped into the murky water and slowly, quietly drifted toward Edna. My hope was to catch her by surprise. If it wasn't for the long piece of flesh (presumably her former tail) on one end, I wouldn't have known which way Edna was looking.
SNATCH! I had her! Or did I? I tried to lift up, but Edna was too heavy! So I thrust the net deeper into the water and pulled it up under her. But this time, Edna pulled a nasty one from her bag of tricks. Rather than simply sinking into my net, Edna kind of … spread out over the water. But that wasn't all! You think skunks and your uncle smell bad when they let one go, Edna was a thousand times worse times a thousand dead animals times a thousand pig farms times a thousand rotten eggs times sewage plant gravy.
Immediately, my eyes begin to water, my stomach began to twist, my throat began to contort, and my saliva became thin. If I didn't get out of there, I knew I would toss my noodles.
I threw the net into the yard and ran as fast as I could back to the front yard. But I found no relief! The stench was so horridly strong, that I could still smell it in the front yard. I could see a need for relandscaping in the near future as plants in my future front yard, and the neighbors' front yards all along the street began to wither as if bowing under Edna's odorous presence.
Edna's stinky stubbornness proved to be a problem that I could not solve alone. So, the next day, I called in the experts: the Environmental Protection Agency. I explained the problem to them, trying to frame this as a hazard to the environment and possible detriment to Earth's longevity, but they told me the worst thing that I could hear, "Soldier, you're just gonna have to deal with this yourself."
Homeland security didn't understand the terror Edna brought, the NSA said that Edna posed no threat, the CIA said that dead Edna could tell no tales, the local police were too busy with Betsy the cow, the FBI went on a raid to find Edna's kidnappers, and the local library agent said that the only book to have a solution for my problem was already checked out. Even my real estate agent turned his back on me, saying that he couldn't blow his cover.
Thus, I alone began plotting how to evict Edna. Once I had moved in to my new home, I ran several errands to buy the necessary material, checked the weather reports, and scheduled my offensive.
On that Saturday morning, the Sun wasn't too high and the air was still. The cooler temperature would help keep Edna's stench to a minimum. It was time and I was armed for battle.
I wore my dirty-work clothes, in case Edna decided to fling body parts at me; and I doused a red handkerchief in some of the flavored dish soap from episode 1 and wrapped the cloth around my face to protect my acute senses of taste and smell from Edna's not-so-cute influence. This time, a shovel was my weapon of choice, and several of the thickest trash bags that I could find would be my way of protecting you, my listeners. (See? I care about you!)
Instead of taking the higher ground in my war against Edna, I climbed into the dried shallow end of the pool to come to a near-level battleground with my enemy.
I arranged one trash bag for a quick deposit and then grabbed my shovel. Edna cautiously drifted toward me to see what was going on. She saw the trash bag and the shovel hidden behind my back! But before she could effect her escape, I thrust the shovel under her and began to struggle to pull her out. She resisted with all the strength in what remained of her body. Edna was heavy, but not heavy enough for my two-liter-bottle-strengthened arms. The attack was quick, and I had her bagged—literally.
But one bag would not be enough to contain this would-be escape artist. So I tightly tied that one bag, and then tied it into another bag, and then put that bag into another bag, and then put that bag into another bag, and then put that bag into another bag. Each bag being tightly locked. Despite these seemingly extraneous security layers, Edna still screamed nauseating protests.
Being assured that Edna wasn't going anywhere, I locked her in yet another container to be picked up by the only government agency available to transfer my prisoner. This Rumpke representative came the following Monday morning and took Edna away, all without knowing that he was transporting a prisoner more deadly (or maybe just more dead) than anyone he's ever seen before.
Having removed the threat, I called the CIA cleanup crew to replace the pool so that no one would ever know what happened here. But this was only the first battle in my war with water.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Noni, can we play with the Easter decorations?"
So that's what she did! And did we end up with a cute creative mess!
My Easter tree with many collected ornaments was soon bare. That was fine with me to start fresh.
Memaw's old drapery rings came in handy over the years for my cross stitch ornaments.
The serious bunny hutch was created under the dining room table! "It's beautiful!"
There are color coordinated purple accents.
The Bunny Teacher has her students lined up for math class.
Of course each Bunny Student has a heart rug.
The flowers hanging from the room are on lace.
What a precious day with a 5 year old. I'm pretty lucky to have it!
Oh, yeah. Noni made a mess Friday too! My mess isn't quite as cute.


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Snow Plow Insurance in Rapid City SD & Spearfish SD
Snow plows provide a vital service in places where snow can accumulate enough to block the roads. Whether helping the average employee get to work or allowing emergency services to reach people who badly need help, snow plowing is near the top of many cities' necessary services during the winter months.
Snow plows face a particular set of vulnerabilities that most other vehicles don't. Aside from needing to head out onto slick surfaces (which is dangerous enough by itself), plows have to deal with problems like threats hidden beneath the snow, wear and tear from pushing snow aside, and the increased likelihood of collisions with other vehicles.
Snow Plow Insurance Features
As the owner of a snow plow business, you're trying to help your community—and any interruption in your ability to plow snow, like damage to a vehicle or plow, could leave you scrambling to find replacement services and leave your company without any contracts. Snow plow insurance can help cover costs and ensure that you can get back to work as soon as possible. This type of coverage is so important that some areas actually require you to have it before you can apply for a permit to operate your plow on a commercial basis.
First Western Insurance Agency agents are always available to advise you on snow plow insurance, including making sure you are properly covered during active plowing months, and aren't paying for coverages you don't need in the summer. For example, maintain comprehensive coverage on your vehicle and plow all year, so that it's protected even if damage occurs in storage, but reconsider at other parts of your policy, like liability, when the plow is not being driven. Contact our office or request a quote today.
Our Locations
First Western Insurance (Rapid City)2630 Jackson Blvd, Suite 202
Rapid City, SD 57702
Fax: 605-342-4579
First Western Insurance (Belle Fourche)41 Fifth Ave
Belle Fourche, SD 57717
Fax: 605-892-6267
First Western Insurance (Custer)40 North 5th Street
Custer, SD 57730
Fax: 605-673-2330
First Western Insurance (Deadwood)460 Main Street
Deadwood, SD 57732
Fax: 605-578-3462
First Western Insurance (Hill City)427 Main Street
Hill City, SD 57745
Fax: 605-574-4975
First Western Insurance (Hot Springs)242 S Chicago St, Suite 2
Hot Springs, SD 57747
Fax: 605-745-7899
First Western Insurance (Newell)106 8th St
Newell, SD 57760
Fax: 605-456-2807
First Western Insurance (Spearfish)132 E Illinois Street
Spearfish, SD 57783
Fax: 605-642-7315
First Western Insurance (Sturgis)238 Main St, Suite 1
Sturgis, SD 57785
Fax: 605-347-4730
First Western Insurance (Wall)418 Main Street
Wall, SD 57790
Fax: 605-279-2292


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True Texas Field Trips
Some of the San Antonio Field Trips activities include:
- Meet "Woodrow" our Texas Longhorn. Take a picture and ask questions.
- Enjoy a tractor wagon ride through our 86-acres of lush pastures and wooded hills. While on the ride passengers will be viewing longhorns, llamas, exotic deer, white tail deer, antelope, real American buffalo, and much more.
- Take a walk through our Western town and learn a little bit about Texas and the way life was in the 1800s.
- Visit the replica of a native American teepee that gives a great perspective on their lifestyle.
- Bring your sack lunch and enjoy our covered picnic area and playground.
San Antonio Field Trips at Enchanted Springs Ranch! Imagine stepping back in time as you roam a real and authentic Old West town. Your classroom is our 86-acre ranch where you will experience the history of Texas. Your group visit will be an interactive look into the history of the Old West.
Enchanted Springs Ranch is located only 25 minutes north of San Antonio. This is the field trip that the kids will continue to talk about throughout the year.
For San Antonio field trips, each team-building initiative is aligned with instilling moral values through virtuous actions and teaching personal responsibility in our children through self-discovery.
Field Trips are available by appointment only. They take place on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Please fill out the Request Information box found on this page and someone will contact you regarding our availability. Click here to learn more about Enchanted Springs Ranch field trips.
Certified Teachers – Free
For 1-85 Students the rate for a field trip is $700.00
Parents/Chaperones: $12.00
For groups 86+ see below:
Kindergarten – 5th grade: $8.00 per student
6th grade – 12th grade: $ 10.00 per student
Parents/Chaperones: $12.00 per person
Parents or Chaperones: All adults attending a field trip must register through the specific event link that the school will administer. The price is $12.00 per adult and must be paid online through the link. Registration closes 10 days prior to the day of the field trip and will not reopen. All adults must bring their ticket day of. No adults will be admitted without a ticket.


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BROWNSVILLE, Brooklyn — Two NYPD detectives were allegedly ignored and denied service at a combo Dunkin' Donuts-Baskin Robbins store in Brooklyn on Sunday, the president of the detectives union said.
The two investigators entered the store at 1993 Atlantic Ave. in between cases around 12 p.m. to purchase ice cream from the Baskin Robbins section of the store, the detectives union said. The detectives were not wearing suit jackets, so their shields clipped to their belts and holstered guns were visible.
The detectives got in line behind someone who was already being served, union officials said. A man got in line behind the detectives, and a woman with two children joined the line after.
The employee behind the counter allegedly ignored the detectives and asked the man behind them in line, "Can I help you?" The man responded that the detectives were ahead of him in line.
According to the union, the employee answered "Yeah, I know, but I don't serve cops."
The cops heard the comment, but they did not respond, union officials said. The man behind them in line was served, and the employee asked the woman and children in line what they wanted.
The officers then left the store and went to another Dunkin' Donuts store on Eastern Parkway before returning to work.
"I think it's disgraceful but I'm really not surprised," Michael Palladino, president of the Detectives' Endowment Association said to PIX11 News' Shirley Chan. "And there's some shared responsibility here of course there's some degree of responsibility on the clerk for his ignorance but there's also some responsibility on the part of elected officials who have encouraged this type of behavior for their constant bashing of police officers and the decriminalization agenda, so although I'm shocked I'm not surprised."
Mayor Bill de Blasio commented on the incident, saying that refusing service is "illegal" and "unacceptable."
De Blasio said that there has been a decrease in complaints against police officers over the past four years, and "that tells a hell of a lot more than some jerk at a Dunkin Donuts."
The corporate spokesperson of Dunkin' Donuts said that the store's owner apologized to one of the detectives and plans to meet with the officer this week.
"Dunkin' Donuts has a long history of supporting local law enforcement and all those who do so much to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods and our country," Michelle King, the senior director of global public relations at Dunkin' Donuts, said in a statement. "Our franchisees are committed to serving each and every guest with respect and courtesy."
Palladino initially called for a ban of Dunkin' Donuts by all detectives union members and their families, but he ended the ban after the response from the company.
"I respect the response from headquarters and I think they can use this as a learning process I think from what happened here they should start ordering their franchise to start giving their employees a little sensitivity training and maybe check their politics at the door before they punch into work," Palladino said. "After all, police officers, they don't want special treatment. They would like equal treatment."


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Kathryn R Obney
psychologist Akron
Address: 880 Mull Ave, Akron, Ohio 44313
Phone: 3308648898
Latitude: 41.0994
Longitude: -81.5812
Website: Data not provided
Description - Kathryn R Obney psychologist Akron
Doctor Kathryn R Obney specialist Psychologist. The address of the doctor's office is 880 Mull Ave. You can see the map to us on the interactive map. Find other doctors in Akron


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Susan R. Jacob, PhD, RN
Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
920 Madison, #1057
Memphis, TN 38163
(901) 448-1320
Susan R. Jacob received her BSN from West Virginia University, a Master of Science degree in Community Health Nursing from San Jose State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Jacob has been a nursing educator for over thirty years, serving as a tenured Professor on the faculties of the University of Memphis and Union University where she also served as Dean of the School of Nursing prior to serving as the Executive Associate Dean (2003-2011) and Interim Dean (2011-2012) in the UTHSC College of Nursing. Dr. Jacob retired from UTHSC in 2012 as Professor Emeritus in the College of Nursing and returned in November 2015 to assume the position of Professor and Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs until June 30, 2016. In September 2016 Dr. Jacob assumed the role of Interim Chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention until July 2017. In January 2017 she assumed the role of Interim Director of the BSN program until June 2018 when she was appointed Assistant Dean of Quality and Strategic Affairs. Dr. Jacob also currently serves as Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
Dr. Jacob has extensive experience in the area of curriculum development and teaching/learning at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She serves as a team lead evaluator for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and a curriculum/accreditation consultant for colleges of nursing. She is co-author/co-editor with Barbara Cherry of Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, and Management, Elsevier's leading Nursing Issues textbook in its 8th edition, and the author of numerous book chapters and journal articles. She served as lead editor for the 2014 Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Curriculum and is currently leading efforts for the 2019 edition.
Dr. Jacob serves as a manuscript reviewer for the American Journal of Health Behavior and the Journal of Religion and Health. Her research interests include grief, bereavement, and aging. Dr. Jacob has had local and national funding for her research focused on grief and bereavement, grief support groups, gerontology, and innovative models of home healthcare delivery. Her community outreach activities include facilitating grief support groups and training mentors and mentoring vulnerable Moms through One by One Ministries. Dr. Jacob serves as Chair of FACES (Family Advocate Center for Empowerment) and Chair of the Methodist Alliance Professional Advisory Committee. She serves as Vice Chair of the National Board of One by One Ministries. She is frequently a speaker on end of life issues, spiritual care, and faith community nursing.
Dr. Jacob is currently a member of the Beta Theta Chapter at Large and the Nu Lambda Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, the American Nurses Association, and the Tennessee Nurses Association. She has served as the Education Consultant for faith community nursing with the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing at Church Health since 2012.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The new agriculture rule released in conjunction with the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) proposal could fundamentally alter interaction between farmers and the federal government and should be immediately withdrawn, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Republican members of the Senate Agriculture Committee asserted yesterday.
Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Cochran, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and John Thune (R-S.D.) have asked the Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide an update on implementation of the agriculture Interpretive Rule and requested its immediate withdrawal.
"We have heard from farmers, ranchers and other rural constituents about the Interpretive Rule and are deeply concerned it has created great confusion about what agriculture activities are exempt from regulation under the Clean Water Act," the senators wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Army Secretary John McHugh and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The WOTUS regulations, issued jointly by the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers, would bring more waters, including streams, creeks, wetlands, ponds and ditches, under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act making them subject to EPA permitting requirements. The agriculture Interpretive Rule outlines just 56 activities out of more than 160 conservation practices that previously qualified for the normal farming and ranching exemption.
In their letter, the senators say the Interpretive Rule should be withdrawn because farming, ranching and rural constituencies had little opportunity to have input on the new rule.
"Beyond adding confusion and uncertainty, the Interpretive Rule would fundamentally change the relationship between the Department of Agriculture and farm families. Over decades of farm policy, USDA has established an unprecedented relationship of trust with farmers, ranchers, and rural stakeholders. This unique relationship is built on voluntary conservation programs and a mutual commitment to protecting natural resources and keeping land in agriculture. Bringing USDA into the Clean Water Act permitting process would profoundly shift the nature of this successful approach by dismantling a longstanding partnership between the Federal government and agriculture community," the senators wrote.
The correspondence is the latest step taken by Republican members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee to raise concerns with the Obama administration about the WOTUS initiative. The proposed regulatory scheme was a central topic when the senators met with McCarthy in July to discuss the effect of aggressive EPA regulatory expansion on agriculture and rural states.
Now, the senators continue to call for more transparency and stakeholder involvement.
"As the Administration continues to extend the timeframe for finalization of the flawed WOTUS proposal, any further discussion of how agricultural activities may fit into this framework must allow for a transparent and public process in which the voice of American agriculture can be heard," the senators' letter concluded.
… we'd like to ask for your support. More people are reading the Mississippi Business Journal than ever before, but advertising revenues for all conventional media are falling fast. Unlike many, we do not use a pay wall, because we want to continue providing Mississippi's most comprehensive business news each and every day. But that takes time, money and hard work. We do it because it is important to us … and equally important to you, if you value the flow of trustworthy news and information which have always kept America strong and free for more than 200 years.
If those who read our content will help fund it, we can continue to bring you the very best in news and information. Please consider joining us as a valued member, or if you prefer, make a one-time contribution.Click for more info


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Brazil's Social Democracy Party Abandons Temer Government*
Last year, Temer's party also left the governing alliance before the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff.
Brazil's Social Democracy Party, PSDB, announced Thursday that it will no longer participate in the government of President Michel Temer.
Currently, the PSDB directs four ministries under Temer's administration, including Foreign Affairs, Cities, Secretary of Government and Human Rights.
The announcement comes as the scandal-ridden leader faces corruption charges and a possible impeachment.
"During these last days, the party, without any imposition of the leaders (of the House and the Senate), is naturally evolving towards the departure of the government, not to oppose the government of Temer, but to stop participating in the government," Tasso Jereissati, interim president of the PSDB, said to Globo television.
Temer is being accused of receiving and approving bribes in the largest corruption investigation in the country's history, known as Operation Car Wash. Federal police launched an investigation against the former vice president and alleged that they had strong evidence that he was complicit.
The appointed president was one of the main architects of impeachment manoeuvers against former President Dilma Rousseff after his right-wing Brazilian Democratic Movement Party left the governing alliance with the Workers' Party, or PT.
Criminal charges against Temer have to be approved by about two-thirds of the lower house of Congress. A total of 341 out of the 513 lawmakers would have to vote in favor. Only then can the Supreme Court issue a conviction. If approved, Temer could be suspended for 90 days while awaiting impeachment proceedings.
The PSDB has experienced an internal split between those who believe that it is necessary to separate themselves from Temer and those who await more evidence and the outcome of his trail.
The party's former head, Senator Aecio Neves, was removed from office in May by the Federal Supreme Court, but was later reinstated as part of the same corruption scheme investigation.
Related Topics:
Temer Formally Accused of Corruption*
Brazil's Temer Defies Calls to Step Down over Wiretap Scandal*
Brazil's Key Corruption Judge Who was Killed in a Plane Crash Demands Investigation and Protection from Temer*
Key Temer Aid Resigns as Scandal Closes in*
Brazil's Coup President Michel Temer to Lift Ban on Foreign Ownership of Land*
Canadian Company to Construct Brazil's Largest Open-Pit Gold Mine—in the Heart of the Amazon*
Brazil's Coup Government Moves to Scrap Environmental Regulations*
Brazil Just Approved 20-Year Spending Freeze to Punish the Poor*


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We demonstrate an electrically reconfigurable silicon microring resonator-based filter with waveguide-coupled feedback. Our experiments and scattering-matrix-based modeling show that the resonance wavelengths, extinction ratios, and line shapes depend on the feedback coupling and can be controllably tuned by means of carrier injection to the feedback-waveguide. We also demonstrate nearly uniform resonance line shapes over multiple free-spectral ranges by nearly phase-matching the feedback and the microring.
©2007 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
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Chao Li, Linjie Zhou, and Andrew W. Poon
Opt. Express 15(8) 5069-5076 (2007)
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Opt. Lett. 32(7) 781-783 (2007)
Opt. Express 16(12) 8649-8657 (2008)


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Chekkit Technologies Connect. Verify. Trust.
Chekkit is a cutting edge anti-counterfeiting technology for supply chain tracking and consumer real-time feedback analytics by using Unique ID labels – secured on the Ethereum blockchain network – and USSD or QR scanning to verify product authenticity and automate data entry.
Our Mission: To Help the world track and learn from it's data.
We help companies (Pharmaceutical and Food/Beverage Companies) track their supply chain integrity, collect and analyse real-time consumer feedback data, as well as securing protect their products from counterfeiting.


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State plans a MS, ME trade fair in Jan, 2013
The decision in this regard was taken at a high level meeting where it had been decided to felicitate big industries which undertake maximum purchase from small and micro units operating in the state.
Railways, Defense, Central and State PSUs and other large scale industries will also be invited to participate in the fair. The Fair will focus on marketing, technology, product quality, credit availability and related aspects of MS&ME growth, said Special Secretary of ME&ME Panchanan Das.
It has been proposed to organize the trade fair from January 1, 2013 to January 15. Chief Secretary B K Patnaik who chaired the meeting has suggested the department to develop a logo for the purpose.
An Apex Committee will be formed under chairmanship of Chief Secretary and one Organizing Committee will be formed under the Chairmanship of Special Secretary MS&ME to look in to different aspects of the Fair.
A number of MS&ME units have grown up in the sectors like Food Park, Agro Processing units, Plastic, Steel, Automobile, Steel ,Chemicals, Mineral, Electronics, Handicrafts, Gems and Jewelry in the state.
"Many others are in pipe line," Das said adding that steps are being taken for establishment of Almunium Park at Angul, Plastic Park at Paradeep, Timber Processing Unit at Paradeep and IT Incubation Center in notified SEZ (info-valley ).
Other important projects initiated include Integgrated Textile Park with Testing Laboratory and Certification Center near Bhubnaeswar, Mega Food Park at Rayagada, Sector Specific SEZ at Paradeep, IT Towers at Mancheswar, ITES Corporate Towers at Chandaka, Flori Culture Export Center, Dry Spice Technology & Skill Development Center, Hard Ware and Electronics Park near Bhubaneswar.
Marine Food Processing Park near Bhadrakh, World Trade Center at Bhubaneswar and Special Investment Region in Dhamara Port area. "Theses projects have ample opportunities for emergence of Micro Small & Medium Scale Industries," he said.


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A Question Many People Are Asking Themselves: Should We Refinance?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
When refinancing your mortgage, you must look at the big picture to see if it really makes financial sense for you. Since rates are at an all time low, many people are considering it. Here are some ways to help you decide if it will benefit you or not. If you have plans to pay off your mortgage in the next few years it makes no sense for you, as you will not be able to recover the re-financing fees in time. Same thing goes if you are planning to move in the next few years. If you are planning to stay in your home for many years and currently have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, then refinancing to a 30-Year Fixed is a very good option for you. Refinancing may not lower your monthly payments by all that much, but you may sleep better knowing that those payments will never go up. Another good reason to refinance is if you are currently paying a very high rate. A very good rule of thumb is to calculate your costs and make sure that you can earn back the roughly $2,000 in fees that you will pay, within two to three years. Two other things to consider are that if you are paying less interest over time, you will pay more taxes. Also, money that you pay in refinancing fees could be invested instead. Think of the return on that sum you could earn over thirty years!


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8326 Fenton Street - #A, Silver Spring, MD 20910 US Silver Spring Home
8326 Fenton Street - #A, Silver Spring, Maryland
Super Cool NYC Style Loft in Downtown Silver Spring
Property Details
Listing Information
- Bedrooms: 2
- Baths: 2
- Partial Baths: 0
- Style: Sleek Modern
More Information
Property Description
Located in Downtown Silver Spring, living is easy and exciting in this 2 Bedroom - 2 Bath Spacious Sunny New York style loft. Built in 2006, it has hardwood floors, soaring ceilings and windows, a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, in unit washer/dryer, one car parking space and a balcony off the living room. Walk to everything! - Metro, Whole Foods, Safeway, shopping, AFI, movies, restaurants and parks.
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Our friend Francesco Vecchio over at Francesco's Drumming Blog has developed a wonderful book that contains 42-pages of Jeff Porcaro grooves. The book includes eight transcriptions of some of his most memorable performances, playing with artists such as Toto, Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan and Michael McDonald. A biography on Porcaro introduces the reader to his extraordinary career. The transcriptions that follow are Lido Shuffle, Lowdown, Hold the Line, Gaucho, Africa, Rosanna, I Keep Forgettin' and Georgy Porgy (Live).
You can view a 15-page preview of the book here.
You can purchase the book here. (Ebook version) – (Paperback version).
Francesco is a formally trained student of the drums and is on Facebook , Twitter and Soundcloud.


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If someone went around in public trashing me, then tried to act friendly to my face, he should hope that the only thing that I would do is tell him off. Where I come from real men do not put up with that kind of two-faced disrespect, and Cheney is a Wyoming real man.
I agreed with him at the time and I am glad that, unlike today's sissy-boy falsely apologetic politicians, he stands by his actions. Leahy had it coming.
[HT: Gateway Pundit]


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Date: This webinar is now available On-Demand.
Duration: 90 Minutes
Purchase this on-demand training
Course details
Daily Management is where the rubber meets the road, and the daily reality of our strategic plan comes to life. This session will start with an overview of BMGI's Leadership Triangle, providing direction on alignment, accountability and sustainability, followed by an exploration of four key areas critical to Daily Management -- Foundational 5S, Genba Accountability, Basic Rapid Problem Solving, and Leadership Standard Work.
Over the course of this online training session, attendees will learn why Daily Management is so important and how to implement it in order to align with the strategic direction of their organization. Additionally, this session will cover how to use basic problem solving techniques, such as Kaizen events, to identify, create and implement corrective actions.
After attending this session, you will know how to:
- Ensure alignment from your strategic plan to the daily activities, top to bottom.
- Build your Daily Management process to drive accountability.
- Execute the Daily Management process to ensure sustainment of improvement.
Agenda topics:
This 1.5-hour session will introduce four focus areas that will enable you effectively deploy a Daily Management process across your organization.
1. Foundational 5S: 5S is not about housekeeping; it's about creating an infrastructure of discipline. It's not something that gets done one time and it's over; it's about a process that builds the foundation of daily management. The following tools will be discussed:
- 5S zone maps
- Shadow boards
- Point of use tools
- Floor markings
- 5S audits
2. Genba Accountability: Developing and implementing good process control is critical to effective Daily Management. The need for a structured approach to identify and report key performance indicators (KPIs) is a must to ensure continuous improvement. The following tools will help create the path to success:
- Process control
- Visual management
- Creation of metrics
- Creation of metrics
- Tiered meeting structure
3. Basic Rapid Problem Solving: A critical piece of sustaining process improvements, basic rapid problem solving is the ability to identify and solve problems quickly using simple thought processes. The rapid problem solving tools listed below will help you do this. They are:
- Pareto principle
- Fishbone diagram
- The 5 whys
- Affinity diagrams
- Ease/impact analysis
- Action plans
4. Leadership Standard Work: Leadership standard work provides the structure and routine that forces a behavior change. It emphasizes a focus on process and results. It also develops layers of accountability and creates a checklist for leaders as they go through their day. The following will be discussed:
- What is standard work as it applies to leaders?
- Examples of leadership standard work for several levels within the organization
- Modifying and using leadership tri-folds
- Cross training
Purchase this on-demand training
Who should attend
- Vice presidents
- Plant managers
- Operations and quality leaders who are responsible for improvement efforts
- Process owners who are responsible for ensuring improvements are maintained
Included with all registrations
- A login for the live training course
- Downloadable slides for note-taking
- 1 year access to an on-demand version of the course
Continuing education credits
Each registration entitles you to receive continuing education credits through our partnership with the International Association for Continuing Education & Training (IACET). During the training session, you'll receive instructions on how to claim your credits.
IACET continuing education credits are accepted by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and hundreds of other organizations and companies.
Choose your registration type:
- Individual -- for those who want to attend the training alone. $199.
- Group* -- if you want to train multiple people at your location. $349.
* Rules for groups:
A "group" consists of multiple people within a single room at a single location, viewing the training session on a single screen. If you want to train people in multiple locations, or if each person requires their own screen to view, they must register separately.
- A CD-ROM of the training course can be added to any registration for an additional $99.
Technical details
This training session, presented in partnership with IndustryWeek, will be conducted using a slides-and-audio format. You will also have the ability to ask the instructor questions, and you can participate in polls the instructor pushes to the audience during the session.
After you complete your registration, you will receive a confirmation email with details for joining the training course, as well as your unique password. On the day of the training, use the instructions in this email to log in.
A few days after the live training session is over, you'll receive an email informing you that the on-demand version is available.
- • How IndustryWeek webinars work
- System test (pops up in a new window)
- Contact us: [email protected]
Sign up for this online training course
John Strickland
John Strickland leverages over 22 years of professional experience with multiple successful Fortune 500 companies, including multiple Lean transformations spanning operations in high-tech industries, automotive, and financial services. An expert trainer, Strickland has taught more than 2,000 employees on the understanding and execution of process improvements. Additionally, he has provided direction and led hundreds of Kaizen events across multiple plant sites with diverse cultures. Before joining BMGI, Strickland most recently held the role of business center manager at the North American Tire Division of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Auburn University and a Lean certification administered by The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.


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Now that the Samsung Galaxy S5 is official, various carrier providers across are putting some lucrative offers and contracts for the device. US largest carries Verizon is now taking its promotions to next level and taking the competition further it has announced its (Verizon branded) Galaxy S5 for a price of just $99 via Amazon.
Samsung and Verizon seems to be sharing a very good relationship as even the developer version of the device comes with a Verizon branding. You can get the complete details of the deal by visiting the official Verizon and Amazon websites.
The device is out of stock at the moment but just keep looking so as to quickly grab the device, once the signal is green.


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How to Clean a Clogged Drain
Having a clogged drain in the bathroom or kitchen is such a nuisance, especially if you're doing using the sink. If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, there are quick DIY things you can do to fix your clogged drain. In this article, we will show how to clean a clogged drain Erie PA.
1. Treating the Odorous Drain
If you smell odor coming off from the drain, treat with a ½ cup of baking soda and followed by ½ cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain and let wait for 15 minutes before you put boiling water down the drain. You can also clean the stains with a solution of vinegar and baking soda.
2. Treating Dirty Drains
Don't wait until your drain gets clogged. Regular preventative measures can be done so the drain smells nice and doesn't get dirty too. Use biological cleaner because it is safe for the drain and environment. Just follow the instructions on the packaging.
3. Scour Out the Disposal
If you have a garbage disposal that's working well but doesn't smell great, you can clean it with ice cubes, salt and lemon peels. The smell might be because of the bacteria and organic reside that build ups on the grinders. Let the garbage disposal grind the mixture so the build-up is going to be scoured out.
4. Unclogging the Drain
You can use a plunger to unclog the tubs and sinks. Fill the tub or sink with water and let it cover the drain and bottom. Press the plunger over the drain, the way you do with the clogged toilets. Give several quick pumps to unclog the drain. You can also use a barbed plastic for the blogs near the opening of the drain. Slide the tool and then pull it out. The build-up like hair will be pulled out.
To blow out the blogs, you can use water or gas powered cleaners to blast the clogs out. If you use the latter, just make sure the device fits in the drain. If you use the former, use an adapter to attach it the faucet you have indoors. If you don't know to how to use all these or if the situation is really worse, you can call a plumber to take care of it.
5. Clear Deep Clogs
There are deep clogs that can't be removed with the mentioned methods. But you can do so by using a plumber's snake or cable auger. You can rent these tools or but inexpensive ones in the store. First, remove the trap under the sink. Next, push the auger cable into the pipe opening. Keep cranking the auger so wire will lodge firmly in the clog. Turn the crank the other way so the auger will be withdrawn from the pipe. After this, you can test the drain if the process is successful. Repeat the process if necessary. Remember if you don't know how to use auger or plumber's snake, you can call a professional plumber.Read More


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This quintessential summertime salad makes a perfect light and easy weeknight dinner or a gorgeous potluck dish for your next barbecue. Ready in minutes and requiring just one pan, this dish gets a dose of heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering fiber from the hearty barley that's its base. Lime-flavored shrimp, tomatoes, onions, and avocados make for a healthy and colorful summertime medley in this salad, while the sprinkling of bacon adds lots of juicy flavor for minimal fat and calories. We're sure you'll be making this one again and again this season, so be sure to stock up on quick-cooking barley next time you hit the grocery store.
Barley Salad With Marinated Shrimp
• 3 slice(s) bacon, chopped
• 1 1/3 cup(s) water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup(s) barley, quick-cooking
• 1 pounds shrimp, peeled and cooked, (21-25 per pound; thawed if frozen), tails removed, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup(s) lime juice
• 2 cup(s) tomato(es), cherry, halved
• 1/2 cup(s) onion(s), red, finely diced
• 1/2 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped
• 2 tablespoon oil, olive, extra-virgin
• pepper, black ground, freshly ground, to taste
• 1 medium avocado, peeled and diced


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Projects that save lives
(Edmonton) Four U of A researchers are among winners of this year's Grand Challenges Canada competition. Each will receive $100,000 to develop innovative projects in different parts of the developing world aimed at saving lives or improving the well-being of millions of people.
The winners are Aman Ullah (agricultural, food and nutritional sciences), Michael Serpe (chemistry), Karim Damji (ophthalmology) and Abdullah Saleh (medical resident).
Water filters to reduce disease
Aman Ullah will use modified keratin—a protein in poultry feathers—to make filters that remove arsenic from contaminated drinking water. Arsenic affects about 140 million people throughout the world, particularly in developing countries, he says, adding the filters have to potential to save millions of lives.
"Arsenic is a serious threat for human health, particularly for poor people living in remote villages of resource-limited countries. The only source of drinking water for these people is arsenic-contaminated groundwater," Aman says.
Prolonged use of water containing arsenic can cause cancer in the lungs, bladder and elsewhere. Higher rates of cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disorders, respiratory problems and diabetes have also been linked to chronic high doses of ingested arsenic.
Better diagnoses with better tool
Michael Serpe says millions of people die in developing countries because they're treated for diseases they don't have.
"When people go to a clinician for, say, malaria, the clinician will just treat them for whatever they think they have, without anything to back up their diagnosis," Serpe says. "The problem is that diagnostic devices are just not available...[or] the clinicians do not necessarily believe the results they get in cases where there are diagnostic devices."
Serpe will work with colleagues in Nigeria and Pakistan to develop a device to test for multiple biomarkers—molecules that indicate the presence of a diseases. The aim also is to make it less expensive than other tests on the market.
"Instead of one test being positive, they will have up to seven separate tests confirm the presence of a disease and this will boost the clinicians' confidence on the result," he says.
Helping prevent blindness in Africa
Since 2009, Karim Damji has been helping prevent blindness in Kenya and Ethiopia by training eye specialists how to assess, treat and operate on patients suffering from glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness in eastern and sub-Saharan Africa. Damji says support from Grand Challenges Canada will help advance that work.
"We hope to expand this program to other countries in east Africa," says Damji. "We want to help develop centres of excellence in east Africa that will be expansions of a regional network to reach into sub-Saharan Africa. It's about building capacity in Africa, so that Africans can run the show in terms of developing international standards of care, education and research."
Connecting medical records for better care
Abdullah Saleh founded ICCHANGE, a non-profit organization he says creates models of infrastructure to help deliver health-care services efficiently in developing countries. The organization will be developing an electronic medical-record system for the 1.2 million people living in Kibera, a slum in Kenya.
The project will connect the medical records among seven clinics so patients' health information can be shared.
"Right now, people are transient within the medical system," Saleh says. "They go to different doctors for different reasons and none of their records are connected. Every time, it's a unique diagnostic record."
Saleh's group plans to partner with another organization that has gathered geographical data on the slum and develop a GIS system that connects to the medical records system. "This will allow clinics to use a map to see where there has been an outbreak of cholera, for example. This information could be used to locate the water source and better treat patients, as well."
A statement by Grand Challenges Canada describes each of these projects as a bold idea with great potential to save lives.


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Lingerie Insight
Lingerie Insight is one-stop source for global news media based on lingerie industry & brands get UK lingerie business news of nightwear and swimwear community via magazine and website. Subscribe us now
UK Britain - The Best Place To Start And Grow Digital Business. The UK government has set out a new strategy to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow digital business.
The strategy includes new commitments to offer free digital skills training opportunities to millions of individuals, charities and businesses by 2020. This pledge is expected tackle barriers to technology adoption in sectors such as retail. Story continues below Advertisement. Agent Provocateur - Sports Direct Investment Vehicle Buys. Agent Provocateur has been sold to Sports Direct-backed firm Four Marketing, after going into administration.
It has been reported that the firm paid around £25m for the retailer after seeing off competition from private equity firm Lion Capital. Mike Ashley's Sports Direct holds a 25% stake in Four Marketing, which represents brands including Guess, 7 for All Mankind and Orla Kiely. House OF Fraser - Anchor New £300m Chester Retail Complex. House of Fraser has signed an agreement to open an anchor store at a major new retail complex in Chester.
The new department store, which will cover 100,000ft2 of retail space over three floors, will open at Chester Northgate, a £300m redevelopment of Chester city centre set to open in 2021. Chester Northgate will be House of Fraser's second major UK store opening, following Rushden Lakes, which opens this year, since its acquisition by Sanpower Group in late 2014. Story continues below Advertisement In recent years, House of Fraser has focused on further developing its multichannel proposition, alongside continued investment in its store portfolio and international expansion, celebrating the opening of the company's first store in China, Nanjing in December 2016.
Yawn - Nightwear Brand Secures Five New UK Stockists At Moda. British nightwear brand Yawn has signed on five UK stockists after a successful Moda show.
The company, which designs luxury pyjamas featuring unique hand-drawn prints, has tied up with Bravado Underwear in Edinburgh; Debby and Jilly Underwear in Ledbury, Hertfordshire; The Lingerie Room in Harrogate, North Yorkshire; and Feathers of Marlow in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Belle Femme Lingerie of Kilkenny, Ireland, also picked up the brand at Moda Lingerie & Swimwear, which took place at NEC Birmingham on February 19-21. Lingerie Insight - Unveils 2017 Power List Website. Lingerie Insight is pleased to announce the launch of a new website to promote our first annual Power List, a guide to the 50 most important and influential individuals in the industry.
The microsite provides a complete overview of the 2017 Power List, a rundown of the five individual categories and information on unique sponsorship opportunities. The view the site CLICK HERE. Story continues below. Agent Provocateur - Slams Sale To Mike Ashley As A Disgrace. The founder of luxury lingerie retailer Agent Provocateur has slammed the sale of the retailer to a Sports Direct-backed firm, labelling it "a disgrace to British business".
Agent Provocateur was sold by private equity firm 3i to Four Marketing on Thursday after going into administration. Sports Direct, whose owner is billionaire Mike Ashley, holds a 25% stake in Four Marketing, which represents brands including Guess, 7 for All Mankind and Orla Kiely. Regional Focus - South East England Lingerie Boutiques. We meet five independent lingerie retailers based in the South East of England to find out how business is faring and how the high streets in their local areas have changed over the years Loncherie Owner, Carolyn HardmanLocation: Farnham, Surrey When and why did you decide to open a lingerie boutique?
Helen Masters - Opinion How To Keep Your Employees Happy. With over a third (35%) of lingerie professionals admitting they are unhappy in their jobs in Lingerie Insight's Job Satisfaction Survey last month, we question how employers can possibly keep morale up in the workplace.
Helen Masters, founder of Pudding Retail Lingerie Training & Consultancy has the answers. Any manager or business owner worth their salt knows that the key to a successful business – whether it's a retailer, manufacturer, designer or marketing consultancy – is good people. And the key to finding the best team to grow your business is recruiting staff with the right skill sets and attitude and, secondly, keeping those people engaged and productive. Lingerie And Swimwear Brand Naturana Celebrates 100 Years. Naturana will mark its 100th anniversary this year with special events both in Germany and the UK, but positive changes to the business in recent years have given the brand even more reasons to celebrate.
This summer, lingerie and swimwear brand Naturana will raise a glass in celebration of its centenary year. At its head quarters in Germany, the founding Dölker family and their associates will open a heritage museum charting 100 years of lingerie-making history. Acai Activewear - Emerging Brand The Story Behind It. Emerging brand Acai will return to Moda this month after witnessing an overwhelming response to its functional and fashionable activewear collection last season.
Activewear was the talk of Moda last season, with buyers from Brown Thomas to JD Williams reacting positively to its dedicated athleisure platform, which was launched to reflect the contemporary consumer demographic seeking apparel for active lifestyles and wellness. The Active area presented collections from new and established brands, which exceeded their sales expectations for the three-day trade show due to the overall consensus from retailers that athleisure has become a key focus of their business.
Story continues below. London Fashion Week - Presentation OF Lingerie Brands Dazzle. Luxury Retail - London Crowned The Capital Of The World. London has topped the global ranking for new luxury retail store openings in 2016. According to Savills' Global Luxury Retail report, more luxury stores opened in London than in any other city last year – a total of 41 new openings – compared to Paris' 36 and New York's 31. London has consistently been the most visited city in the world by international tourists, says Savills, making it an important luxury retail market as approximately a third of this type of spend takes place abroad.
Story continues below. UKLA - Elissa Grainger To Host Lingerie Exhibition At DMU. Elissa Grainger, an emerging lingerie designer who was crowned Rising Star of the Year in the 2016 UK Lingerie Awards, will exhibit her portfolio of work in a new gallery space at De Montfort University (DMU). The Contour Fashion graduate will showcase her designs in The Gallery, a glass-fronted space located in the Vijay Patel building, the cutting-edge new home to the university's art and design courses. Open to the public this spring, the exhibition will feature Grainger's trademark latex lace designs, including her final-year collection, which was showcased on the Contour Fashion catwalk in June 2015, and an innovative black and white range which won her the St.
Adidas - Unveils Swimwear Line Made of Recycled Ocean Plastic. Adidas has launched a new swimwear range made from recycled ocean plastic as part of its ongoing collaboration with ocean conservation group Parley. The SS17 collection is made from INFINITEX, a durable fabric that derives from plastic wastes, including debris and used fishing nets, which are processed into a recycled nylon yarn. The range includes men's swim boxers and swim trunks and a one-piece swimsuit for women.


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CSR (Banking) | AlabangSubmit ResuméLink
Successful candidates will provide customer service assistance for multinational clients specializing in banking and financial services. This organization is considered one of the largest corporations in the United States. A Global Bank Servicing US Credit Card Label.
- Competitive Compensation Package with Monthly Performance Incentives
- Meal and Other Allowance
- HMO and Dental Coverage from Day 1 of Employment
- Continuous Education Assistance and Skills Enhancement through Training & Personal Development Programs
- Exciting and Encouraging Work Environment
- Candidate must possess at least a Bachelor's/College Degree on any course.
- Preferably Fresh Grad / Entry Level specializing in BPO/Call Center or equivalent.
- At least 18 years old of age.
- Must possess excellent PC and key-boarding skills
- Willing to work different shifts including night, weekend schedules and overtime
- Ability to work in a fast-paced and high volume service center self-managing call efficiencies
- Detail oriented
- Excellent English oral and written communication skills
- Ability to promptly resolve client inquiries and escalate as need
- Ability to attentively service customer needs and concerns while being empathetic and maximizing opportunity to build rapport with the customer
- Willingness to address the expressed and unexpressed needs of the client helping to build customer loyalty.
- Ability to utilize tools and resources appropriately to efficiently resolve customer inquires
- Strong problem solving and decision-making skills
- Be able to service customers on a variety of topics, which can include, but not limited to, providing account transactions details, placing investigations or on-line navigation assistance.
- Ability to be organized and detail oriented with the capability to multi task
- Experience in banking and credit card industry preferred
- Amenable to work in Northgate Cyberzone, Alabang, Muntinlupa City;
- Full-Time position(s) available.
Click APPLY NOW and expect a CALL within 24-48 hours from our recruitment team.
*Terms and Conditions Apply.
- Location: Muntinlupa City, NCR.
- Full Time position(s) are available.
- Number of vacancies: 22.
Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services firm that makes business transformation real. We drive digital-led innovation and digitally-enabled intelligent operations for our clients, guided by our experience running thousands of processes primarily for Global Fortune 500 companies. We think with design, dream in digital, and solve problems with data and analytics. Combining our expertise in end-to-end operations and our AI-based platform, Genpact Cora, we focus on the details – all 87,000+ of us. From New York to New Delhi and more than 25 countries in between, we connect every dot, reimagine every process, and reinvent companies' ways of working. We know that reimagining each step from start to finish will create better business outcomes. Whatever it is, we'll be there with you – accelerating digital transformation to create bold, lasting results – because transformation happens here.


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Okay. So, I started a new job on Monday, and I could do a whole blog about what I've learned regarding this job in the last four days, but the economics of our day to day family life demand that I not get fired, so I will abstain. Suffice to say, it's a call center, and when I complete my classroom training in another three weeks, I'll be taking calls from disgruntled and stupid customers at horrifying hours of the day and night. You can review my old blog entries made while working in other call centers for anything further you might need; nothing is different about this job, except in the ways that this job is worse than those I've held previously.
I'm pretty much over LouisvilleRPG.net, and I'll tell you why.
The latest thing was, I had set up this scenario to run for my Monday night gaming group using the SAVAGE WORLDS RPG system. SAVAGE WORLDS is extremely simple minded and unrealistic and I'm not crazy about how several of its essential mechanisms work, but the system's slogan is "Fast, Furious, Fun!" and that, at least, is accurate. I would never use the system for any kind of serious campaign, but for different, more shallow adventures, it's pretty workable. So I came up with this scenario and I was really psyched to run it, as it's set in 1938 and features larger than life pulp hero/villain archetypes, which is a subgenre I've loved since I was a kid reading DOC SAVAGE paperbacks at my babysitter's house. I was really looking forward to it, it was going to be a lot of fun.
But those hopes began to die when I started my new job.
See, I'd known that after six weeks of training, I'd have to bid on a shift and chances are that, having no seniority, I'd end up with one nobody else wanted, meaning, I'd be working nights. My Monday night gaming group ran on, well, Monday nights, so it seemed pretty certain that once six weeks went by, I'd no longer be able to game with those guys, but that was okay, as the scenario I'd come up with was designed to run maybe four sessions at most. So all was cool. Yes, it seemed likely that after training was over, I'd have to drop out of the Monday night group indefinitely, but at least I'd go out with a bang.
Now, the path to getting my new job was long and arduous and required several phone conversations/interviews with various HR people and supervisors, as well as a drug screen and a background check, over the course of several months. During these contacts, I was told repeatedly by several different people that for training, we'd be working Monday through Friday, 8 to 5. After training, we'd have to bid on shifts and most likely would start out working at night, as very few people want to work at night and that's what we'd get stuck with... a very familiar dynamic to me from past call centers. But for the first six weeks, Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.
Which worked well with our Monday game group, as it met from 6 to 10. Four hours isn't much to run an RPG in, and I wouldn't have wanted to try running any kind of RPG for much less than four hours a session, but getting out of work at 5 would leave me ample time to make a 6 o'clock start time.
So I thought, anyway.
But Nate's going on vacation next week, so that was one Monday we weren't going to have. Which was no problem, as my scenario was only supposed to run 4 sessions, and I still had 5 weeks available for sessions before training concluded and I had to quit the group. So it was still going to be cool and I was still totally psyched.
But then, one of the other guys (he doesn't like his real name used on the internet, on the sight he goes by Cruel Despot, so I'll call him CD) announced he'd be out for a week in there, too... not the same week Nate was going to be out, but a different one.
So that dropped my six weeks of availability down to 4. But I could still do it, no problem. Gonna be fun, totally psyched...
So then Nate found out on a Thursday that the following Monday (last Monday, the 29th of June) he was going to have to go out of town for work and wouldn't be around. Fuck. Okay. At first I figured we just weren't going to get to play that week, which sucked, and I was sad and disappointed. But then, everyone in the group -- CD, another guy named Chris, and Nate -- agreed to do it on Wednesday night instead. Okay. Going to be cool, totally psyched...
Then at work, first day, right out of the box, we were informed that our fifth and sixth weeks of training we'd be working 2 pm to 11 pm, instead of 8 to 5. Which meant suddenly I'd have to quit the Monday group two weeks earlier than I'd thought. So I started sending emails on my break again, and that dialogue went something like this:
ME: I only have four weeks until I start working evenings. Two weeks of those we can't play. Suggestions?
CD: Run it anyway as a one shot, or for two sessions. I want to play.
NATE: Hell to the yeah.
CHRIS: Whatever, dudes.
So... okay. I could cut back, I could streamline, I could cram. I could run the scenario for one or two sessions. I could make that work. And I was incredibly psyched to run. Even comopressed, it was going to be SO much fun. I just love Golden Age pulp.
So there were two other guys who were kinda sorta thinking of joining the Monday night group, which as I have noted, met from 6 to 10 on Mondays. I'd been hoping they'd both play in the scenario, as 5 player characters would be better than 3. One of them, whom I knew only by his board sig, ElSanto, had sent me a few emails full of excellent ideas for Golden Age type pulp heroic player characters. So I was really hoping he'd be able to play on Wednesday.
Another, a guy named Conner, I hadn't heard a word from. But after the run had to be pushed from Monday to Wednesday, I heard from ElSanto... he was sorry, but the only night he could make it was Monday. Goddamit. Okay, that was disappointing.
Then I heard from the other guy. He wasn't really interested in the 1930s or 'the whole pulp thing', as he put it. So he wasn't going to play, either. Bummer. Oh, well. Anybody who doesn't like Golden Age Pulp is a waste of space and organized protoplasm, anyway, so... whatever.
But I still had three players for Wednesday, and was totally psyched. It was going to be SO cool. I was really looking forward to it.
So then at the end of our first day, after I'd made all these adjustments and absorbed all of these changes, our trainer mentioned that she was changing training hours from 8 to 5 to 9 to 6.
That dialogue went like this:
TRAINER: Did they tell all of you you'd be working from 8 to 5 for the first four weeks of training?
CLASS: Yes. Over and over again.
TRAINER: I'm going to change that just a little, to 9 to 6. I really think it will help you to get a little later start in the morning. You'll be more awake.
ME: You fucking bitch. I will kill you, I will skin you, I will suck the marrow from your bones, tan your filthy hide and make it into taut, supple drumheads that I may beat out the rhythms of my rage with the long and weighty lengths of your femurs, which will feel so very right and comfortable in my vengeful hands.
Or at least, that's how it went in my mind.
(Should the human race become telepathic, I will find it impossible to remain employed.)
So, I sent emails out again. Did people still want to try to run this thing, if I couldn't be there until 6:30, quarter of 7? I hated losing any time at all from such a narrow, finite window. But I only had two potential sessions left to run this thing where a reasonably sized group could get there, and I really wanted to run it, despite what seemed to be an absolute determination on the part of God to do everything short of hitting the Earth with a planet killing meteor to stop me doing so.
That went like this:
ME: Uh, so, my hours just got changed and I'm working until 6 and I probably can't get there until like 6:30, quarter of 7. I hate that. Do people still want to play?
CD: I'm cool.
NATE: Totally.
CHRIS: Uh... I forgot to tell you guys but like two months ago I promised my girlfriend I'd do something with her and her family on Wednesday and she just reminded me so, uh, too bad, so sad.
ME: You fucking bitch. I will kill you, I will skin you, I will suck the marrow from your bones, tan your filthy hide and make it into taut, supple drumheads that I may beat out the rhythms of my rage with the long and weighty lengths of your femurs, which will feel so very right and comfortable in my vengeful hands.
Okay, I didn't really say it, or even type it, that time, either, but I badly, badly wanted to.
It was especially exasperating, as I'd gone to great efforts to attend a couple of RPG sessions that Chris had GMed, the previous week. But... whatever, dude. Skin you later.
At this point, I just gave up, because it seems obvious that if I persist in this folly, God is going to send a plague of boils or a voracious and unstoppable onslaught of hideous mutated giant boll weevils or some such shit to keep me from ever running this scenario.
Which makes me sad. And frustrated.
Just to add further general aggravation to the situation, it appears that apparently by some bizarre alchemy, this complete collapse of my planned scenario has transmuted itself into the complete collapse of the Monday night gaming group. Those two guys who were going to join the group? They decided to start their own Monday night group instead. Chris and CD? They've joined the new Monday night group, abandoning our previous one.
It's like, I get a job where I'll have to work evenings, and everything falls apart all around me.
I had no idea I was such an essential person.
Anyway. By itself that wouldn't have been enough to sour me on the RPG site, but, well, it's been coming for awhile, and this is just that fabled final straw. Beyond all the crap I've already reported above and in previous entries, well, I'm just tired of the idiocy and, more importantly, the hypocrisy, that is redolent on the site. What do I mean? Well... listen, O Prince, as I weave for you the tales:
A while back, I happened to casually mention in a thread on the site a particular incident that had occurred in my RPG back in the 90s, in Syracuse. I thought it was funny, and that others would find it amusing. As nearly always happens, I vastly overestimated the intelligence, maturity, open mindedness, and wisdom of my fellow gamers, especially those at LouisvilleRPG.net. But let me tell you this anecdote as I told it to them:
The group of player characters in my game at the time had broken into a wizard's lair and stolen several valuable items. One of the most valuable they couldn't sell in Ona Tengu (the area where they were) because it was powered by a kind of magic that was very illegal there (necromancy) and they would have been executed if anyone had suspected they had such a thing.
So they had booked passage on a ship to a less lawful realm, but it didn't leave until the next morning. They were pretty sure the local underworld was aware they had the item, and would try to kill them and get it. So they rented an inn room, and took turns sitting up on watch in the hallway outside the inn room door. (In a previous scenario, a different group of characters played by the same guys had been in a similar situation, and they'd stood watch inside the inn room, and an assassin had snuck up to the door and pumped the room full of toxic gas through the keyhole. So this time, they posted their guard outside the door, to preclude that.)
So I was going to have the local crimelord send an attractive bimbo to try and lure the PC guarding the door away.
Naturally, the players were going to be suspicious of any kind of approach... players generally know when an encounter or occurrence is random or planned, based on what kind of dice the GM has them roll. So they were suspicious of anything that happened, especially if they hadn't rolled a random encounter. (Some GMs roll such things behind their DM screen, specifically so that players won't have this kind of information, but I make rolls like this where people can see them, so they know I'm not cheating. It's just how I DM.)
Now, what the players were doing in this instance is called metagaming... playing your character with knowledge that only the player has, usually based on a game mechanic the character has no idea exists... and I have rules to deal with it. There are skills in my RPG that allow characters to Persuade each other to do things, even if the player of those characters knows better and does not want their character to do those things.
So I was going to have a cute dancer or tavern servant or something go down the hall and make a Sex Appeal roll on whoever was standing guard. The player would be pretty sure it was a trick, given the lack of a random encounter roll... they'd be fairly certain this was an event planned by the GM, and therefore, part of some scheme... but if the non player character succeeded at the skill roll vs the player character's Willpower, then it wouldn't matter what the player suspected... the PC would be successfully seduced and removed from position.
At the last second, it occurred to me that in my RPG setting, there is no homosexuality taboo and nearly everyone is bisexual... so it could just as easily be a male cute young thang as a female assigned to the seduction/distraction task. Certainly, it would never occur to the local crimelord that he needed to specifically send a woman to do the job. So I told the player whose character was on guard (his name was Chris) to roll a d6. He said "What do I want?" and I said, "Well, knowing you, probably an odd number". He rolled a 4. So the cute young thang set to seduce the big burly male mercenary was, indeed, male.
In my RPG setting, this wouldn't make any difference, which was why I did it... to underscore that the world my players were gaming in was not our world, but an entirely different reality, and their player characters, having been raised in that world, would have somewhat different values, morals, and taboos than the players themselves did.
So this is how that went:
ME: So you see this incredibly sexy inn servant coming up the stairs... you saw this same NPC serving drinks in the bar downstairs when you came in. Long reddish blonde hair, silky soft, beautifully applied make up, young,soft skin the color of coffee with cream, big brown eyes... you smell just a hint of a very pleasant, musky perfume mingled with a very sexy natural body scent as this sexy thing sways past you in the hall, carrying a tray of drinks to one of the rooms further down. You get a wink and a smile as you watch the NPC go by with the tray. A few minutes later, this same server comes back out and walks back down the hall, and pauses a few yards away from you and says "Gods, I hate this shift. What are you still doing up?"
CHRIS: Uh... I ignore her.
ME: Ignore beauty such as this? Roll 2d6 and add 2.
CHRIS: Goddamit... okay. Erg. 9.
KENNY: Dude, you are totally into her.
ME: In character, I don't think your character would just ignore her.
CHRIS: I want a Willpower roll.
ME: Okay... roll. (rolls dice) I have a 19 total.
CHRIS: I can beat that... (rolls dice) Fuck. A 12. Okay, I'll say "Well, I'm keeping watch and I need to concentrate so I'll talk to you later."
ME: Okay. You see a disappointed pout come to the NPC's lovely features. "Look," that lovely voice says, dropping to a whisper, "it's dead downstairs; the barkeep won't notice if I don't come back for a little while. This room across the way is empty... wanna slip into it with me for a quickie?"
KENNY: Dude, don't do it!
NATE: She's going to make a Sex Appeal roll and I'll bet she's got this huge rating.
SCOTT: It's a good thing it's not my watch or I'd already be there. She wouldn't even have to roll on me.
KENNY: Dude, you're a horn dog.
NATE: You'd get us all killed.
CHRIS: I tell her I can't, really, but I'm flattered.
ME: Well, your character knows he SHOULD say that, but I'm not sure he actually can. Roll and add to your Willpower.
CHRIS: Goddamit. (rolls dice) A 23.
ME: (rolls dice) Yeah, but I have a real good rating... 29. Your character totally wants to go.
CHRIS: Goddamit, goddamit! I know this is a total set up from the Kinship!
ME: Your character goes off with the good looking young waiter, and I'm sure has a great time...
NATE: Wait. 'Waiter'?
SCOTT: It's a guy?
ME: Well, I've told you guys before, there is no homosexuality taboo on the River, so your characters wouldn't care. It's not our world.
CHRIS: What the fuck...? It's a GUY?
ME: It wouldn't make any difference to your character, Chris...
KENNY: Dude! It's a DUDE! You're totally going to bone a DUDE! Your character is a fag!
SCOTT: {coughs into hand} Homo!
NATE AND KENNY: (playing air guitar) Lolaaaaa... Lo Lo Lo Lo Lolaaaaaa... Lo lo lo lo lo Lolaaaaaa...
CHRIS: (yelling) That is so totally stupid my character is not gay I would totally never play a gay character I would never even let a guy get close to me that is so fucking bogus I AM TOTALLY NOT QUEER THAT IS SO UNFAIR YOU CAN'T DO THAT...
So I told this story on the site. I mean, it's fifteen years later, right? People are more enlightened now. Everyone would see how funny the whole thing was.
Or so I, entirely erroneously, presumed.
You would have thought I'd confessed to killing someone's kid.
IDIOT 1: You can't make people be gay. That's crazy. Players should have total control of their characters, especially something as important as whether they're gay or not.
ME: It.. okay, in my rpg setting, the kind of homosexuality taboo we take for granted in our world does not exist. People can be attracted to other people regardless of gender. I'm not 'making' anyone be gay, it's simply that my culture does not place enormous social pressure on all its members from birth to only behave in a heterosexual manner.
IDIOT 2: You are totally overestimating the impact of culture on sexuality. People are born straight or gay. And all my characters were born totally straight. Totally.
ME: Look, in most RPGs, characters are pagan, right? You don't get a choice in that. The background culture worships many gods, so, so do your characters. You don't feel offended or outraged that your character is going to worship some weird made up deity from a Monster Manual because that's what people do in the world where he grew up.
IDIOT 3: That's not the same, being gay or straight is totally different from that, and all my characters are straight. The world they are born in has nothing to do with it.
IDIOT 4: Also, you can't just make somebody's character do something they don't want to. Even if it was a girl trying to lure me away, I should get to decide if I go or not.
ME: So, if some good looking NPC makes a Sex Appeal roll on you, and you fail a Willpower check, there should be no consequences?
IDIOT 5: The player decides what his character does. Unless you're using a mind control spell or something. Sure she might be hot but my character might think about the good of the mission and how the party needs him and decide not to go with her. Or maybe my character is married or just isn't in the mood to have sex right then. It's up to me, not you.
IDIOT 2: Also, my character isn't gay. I would never sleep with a man under any circumstances and neither would any of my characters.
ME: So, the player always controls the character, even if the behavior is out of character?
IDIOT 1: It isn't out of character. My character might decide to go with the chick, but he might not. It depends. I'd play my character in character. But only I get to decide what that is.
IDIOT 3: And he would never under any circumstances be gay. That's final.
This "how dare I make anyone be GAY" thing is, in my opinion, beneath contempt... it's nothing but homophobia, which was made pretty clear in the succeeding posts in the thread. The more the members of this particular posse protested that they had nothing against gay guys, it's just that THEY weren't gay, and weren't interested in roleplaying gay characters, and none of their characters should ever be gay, or would ever be gay, under any circumstances, the clearer it became that these were some deeply homophobic motherfuckers, at least some of which were probably repressing their own particular impulses and fantasies to an entirely unhealthy extent. And I have no time for that idiocy, any more than I had time for the one player who rolled up a member of a dark skinned race in my game and didn't want to play him, because he just wasn't comfortable if his PC wasn't a white guy, like him.
So all that soured me on the site, too. But the last straw was an incident that occurred just last week.
As background, let me take you back to the height of the Doc Nebula Flame Wars. This was a period when most of the site was up in arms at me, because I do not like Dungeons and Dragons, I think it's an incredibly stupid fucking game system, and I also think that adults who play Dungeons and Dragons instead of using any of a hundred or more better game systems, or making up their own, are kind of retarded, or, at the very least, have no idea what roleplaying actually is, and are apparently unwilling to learn. And I'd said so, repeatedly, on the site.
Now, this is a site devoted to roleplaying games, and one where supposedly, freedom of expression is cherished and championed. However, apparently one of the big unwritten taboos of the site was and remains, Thou Shalt Not Talk Shit About D&D Because We Worship It Beyond All Sense or Reason. D&D is a childish system, a simple minded system, an unrealistic system, a brainless, dumbass, fucked up and retarded system, and this is inarguable to anyone who has ever roleplayed using it and who has more than four functional brain cells. Everybody I knew who was serious about roleplaying started out with one of the various D&D versions, eventually (usually quickly) became disgusted with its limitations, and moved on to more sophisticated systems allowing greater depth and breadth of roleplaying.
And, in point of fact, many of the people on the site made similarly disparaging remarks about D&D, although they still played it. And many site members also insulted each other with great regularity. However, apparently, my derisive comments regarding D&D, and those who played it irregardless of its obvious limitations and built in stupidities, were intolerable. And so, the flame wars raged.
So at one point, I posted an essay on what freedom of speech meant, and how it was necessary for people of maturity and good will to take responsibility for their own responses, when something that was not intended to insult them wound up offending them gravely. I truly believe that we generally choose to be offended by something, although often we are not consciously aware of it, and if we spend all of our time reacting with umbrage and outrage to everything that offends us, we are not being particularly adult. Freedom of speech doesn't work well in an environment where people scream like four years olds every time somebody says something that conflicts with one of their precious provincial biases or dearly held preconceptions.
I posted that essay in a sub forum where I had moderator privileges, and warned people in advance that while I was looking forward to a spirited debate as regards the ideas in the essay, I would, as moderator of the forum, delete any posts that were simply abusive and/or pejorative.
The first response I got was "DOC STOP BEING SUCH A FUCKING DOUCHE!!!!" And, as I had said I would, I deleted it.
And oh my God. You would have thought I'd bombed downtown Louisville with flaming grandmothers, or something. I could barely keep up with deleting all the abusive, insulting, infuriated tirades of personal invective. I deleted and deleted and deleted. Every once in a while someone would post something pertinent to the actual discussion, and I'd leave that up and respond to it, but those posts were about 1/10th of the flood of hysterical abuse that came pouring in. And most of the abuse was no longer about my hateful intolerant insults in regard to D&D and those who played it, or even what a jackass I was to post essays on freedom of speech and how mature adults should behave in response to it. No, now I was horrible, appalling, and a megalomaniac because I DARED to delete people's posts. I should be stripped of my privileges as moderator in my own sub forum. I should be thrown off the site. I should have a rebar shoved up my ass. It was an outrage.
Well, all that was months ago, but it served to convey to me that apparently, on the site, it is considered to be an absolutely unforgivable offense for a moderator in a forum to delete anyone else's posts, for any reason whatsoever, period, the end.
So, last week, a site member who was posting in another site member's sub forum hit 1000 posts, which is quite a milestone on the site. And he mentioned it in his post. And was clearly pleased at the accomplishment.
So the next day, the member with moderator powers in the sub forum, who has a long standing personality war going on with the first guy, went in and deleted half a dozen of the first guy's posts, to drop him back below 1000. And then he changed the visible signature paragraph on all HIS posts, to make it clear he'd done it just to be a dick.
So the first guy started a thread in which he described what had happened and replaced all the posts that had been taken down. And I read this, and I could not believe what a complete asswipe the other guy had been, and I also could not believe that the rest of the site, which had come after me so hard and furious when I'd deleted posts by other members for what was a very good reason, was going to just sit there and let the dumbass get away with deleting another member's posts for a completely childish and spiteful reason.
So I went in and posted something about what an amazing jackass he was.
And the sky fell in on me.
I'm not kidding. Here's how that went:
IDIOT 1: You fucking hypocrite. You did the exact same thing deleting other people's posts and now you're getting in someone else's face for it? You are scum.
ME: Uh... I deleted posts that were personally abusive and insulting, after advising people that I would. He deleted posts just to be a dick. That's not the same thing.
IDIOT 2: Shut the fuck up, you're stupid.
ME: I... hold on. Even if it is the same thing, when I did it you people crucified me for it, and now, none of you are saying a word to him about it...
IDIOT 3: It was just a joke. Those two have a history. You should just stay out of it. You're such an asshole.
ME: Okay, wait. So when I delete other people's posts for a good reason, I'm scum, and everyone screams at me, but when some other guy does it for a joke, just to be an ass, that's okay?
IDIOT 4: Shut the fuck up.
IDIOT 5: Somebody wake me up when he stops crying like a little bitch.
IDIOT 6: I can't believe you're trying to start a flame war over this. Delete your thread or I'll delete it for you.
ME: ...what...?
IDIOTS: Shut the fuck up.
I want to say I don't understand, but of course I understand. The guy who deleted the other guy's posts, just to be an ass? He plays D&D, albeit with about a thousand house rules loaded on top, and frequently brags about how much he loves D&D and would never play with another rules system. So apparently, as long as he loves D&D and says so frequently in public, he can do no wrong.
Me, on the other hand... my input to the site is only just barely suffered by most other members as long as I never express any kind of negative opinion regarding Dungeons and Dragons. My constant suppression of my opinions regarding that particular gaming system, and the retarded morons who game with it, is the price of my continued sufferance on the site.
So, I'm pretty much over LouisvilleRPG.net.
But if you love Dungeons and Dragons, it is definitely the place for you.
Go to it. Bear its children.
I'll be over here, scheming to make all your characters gay.
Friday, July 03, 2009
It's just a jump to the left
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