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Through its subsidiaries and operating divisions, Trustmark provides access to a full spectrum of employee benefits, providing more than 2 million people with flexible medical, life, and disability benefits, as well as fitness and wellness-related services.
Trustmark's dedication to its customers and employees resulted in quiet and steady growth until the mid-1990s, when the company faced unprecedented business challenges. Consolidation in the health insurance industry put new constraints on growth and profitability, while other financial pressures forced the company to reassess its operations and competitive value proposition in the marketplace.
The mantra became "focus...focus... focus," and employees were asked to adopt an almost military mentality. Trustmark concentrated on core competencies, sold off non-core businesses, and made generating capital a top priority.
While Trustmark leadership knew that this approach was necessary in the short term, it was not the strategy that would carry the business to long-term growth and prosperity. With the company on firm footing again, it needed to create a culture that would be open to innovation and opportunity.
The Trustmark RenaissanceThroughout decades of partnership- building with clients, Trustmark was trusted by its customers for its flexibility and the caring service its people provided. When it came time to initiate the fundamental culture change the business needed, the company's senior leadership decided to build on those attributes that helped the company thrive for nearly a century. The result is what became known as "The Trustmark Renaissance"—a change initiative that, at its core, required a radical change in employee mindset.
"It was difficult at first," says Kate Martine´, senior vice president of human resources and corporate communications at Trustmark. "Culture change is hard. Business transformation is hard. And the renaissance at Trustmark meant that people had to think differently about how they approached their work."
For some, the challenge was daunting. Others saw an opportunity to help shape the company's second- century legacy. As one Trustmark executive described it, the challenge was to find a way to turn a command- and-control style army into a community where everyone felt supported in challenging the status quo and seeking new opportunities.
"We knew we needed to launch out into new venues. And that meant taking risks," explains Martine´. "It was only through effective leadership— trust, confidence, and credibility—that people felt that it was okay to take those risks. The leadership development that supported those tenets soon became a central component of our business and cultural revival, where innovation and open communication would thrive."
A leadership development program to support radical culture change Trustmark knew that it must effectively build leadership capacity throughout the ranks, from seasoned senior leaders and new managers to individual contributors. Shying away from "flavor of the month" programs and generic course offerings, Martine´ searched for a leadership program with a proven, time-tested track record; a core model grounded in research and evidence-based results; and flexible and customizable delivery options that aligned with the renaissance strategy.
A valid and reliable 360-degree feedback tool was also a must-have component. Martine´ and other senior executives wanted leaders to receive the feedback needed to gain a deeper understanding of their own specific development needs.
Through a long-standing relationship with Third Eye Leadership and its two principals, Jo Bell and Renee Harness, Martine´ discovered and eventually chose "The Leadership Challenge" program, created by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. The authors' fundamental belief, that leadership is a measurable and learnable set of behaviors, resonated at Trustmark.
For the Trustmark Renaissance to succeed, more employees would need leadership skills—an understanding of the importance of trust and credibility in motivating others to achieve shared goals. This aligned perfectly with Kouzes and Posner's field-tested leadership model, "The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership" (model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart).
With guidance from Bell and Harness, who are also Leadership Challenge Certified Master Facilitators, Trustmark began to focus on long-term implementation using several components of The Leadership Challenge Workshop and the 360-degree feedback tool, the "Leadership Practices Inventory" (LPI).
The practice of leadership developmentAt the outset, Trustmark leadership knew that it was important for the company's most visible senior leaders to "model the way" before asking others to follow. As a result, this initiative began with a small pilot group of senior leaders and then quickly spread to all of the organization's directors and managers.
The initial structure of The Leadership Challenge Program consisted of five components:
- A half-day introductory session in which participants learned the basics of the five practices and received feedback reports generated from the LPI Online (completed prior to this first meeting).
- A one-to-one coaching session by Bell and Harness, in which participants could discuss their leadership challenges and LPI feedback. Participants also identified and made notes on key development areas to focus on during the workshop.
- An intense two-day workshop in which participants learned more about the five practices and how to address development areas identified in their LPI feedback. All participants left the workshop with a plan of action for improving their effectiveness as leaders.
- A paring of participants, called commitment partners, who provide post-workshop support and encouragement, exchange action plans, and make commitments to follow- up at specific periods to help en- sure success in implementation.
- A second LPI, a second coaching session one year later, and another half-day session to discuss what was learned.
"What distinguishes Trustmark is the conviction its leaders have about the meaning of their work. More than 160 Trustmark leaders have experienced The Leadership Challenge and have taken what really matters to them to heart in creating a vision of their future. This has had an effect on the engagement and motivation of employees as well as on bottom-line results," explains Harness.
Going forward, Trustmark is actively integrating its leadership development program into various areas of its business. As part of its new strategic direction, for example, Trustmark acquired HealthFitness Corporation in early 2010 and is introducing The Leadership Challenge to new employees to help ensure a smooth integration and make the most of the new opportunities the acquisition affords both organizations.
Recently, frontline supervisors and team leaders began participating in The Leadership Challenge e-learning pro- gram—a self-directed, asynchronous course that enables Trustmark to easily and flexibly introduce The Five Practices model and The Leadership Challenge philosophy where it is difficult for employees to participate in traditional classroom workshops.
According to Donna Hirsch, second vice president of organization development at Trustmark, "The Leadership Challenge E-Learning Program uses a variety of interactive activities to engage participants and enhance their learning. The modules are chunked into 15- to 30-minute sessions. That's short enough to fit into anyone's schedule!
"I also really like that participants are prompted to think about a real business challenge and work on that challenge throughout the program. With most e-learning courses receiving poor completion and satisfaction ratings, we were quite pleased with our initial marks: 86.4 percent of participants found the course to have good or excellent rel- evance to their jobs, and 86.3 percent of participants rated the overall quality of the course as good or excellent."
Results that matter
More than ever, people at Trustmark have a say in how the company works and the direction it's going, and those efforts are recognized and rewarded. From inspiring messages displayed on walls throughout the office to celebratory events and "Ask, 'What If?'" board games, employees are committed, energized, and active participants in ensuring the success of their teams and the organization.
"When we gave employees freedom to participate in shaping Trustmark's strategy, we were, in effect, inviting everyone to take a leadership role," says Trustmark CEO Dave McDonough. "That can be intimidating. The Leadership Challenge has been invaluable in building a culture where employees have the courage to step forward as leaders."
Today at Trustmark, employees have a much better understanding of how they contribute to Trustmark's success.
"I'm thrilled with Trustmark's results," comments Lisa Shannon, associate publisher at Pfeiffer, the publisher of The Leadership Challenge and LPI materials. "They are living proof that values matter, and developing leaders at all levels is an extremely effective path toward transformative change. With the current economic difficulties, the companies that invest in more leaders will be the ones that solve the complex problems, find the next growth strategy, and discover the next innovation. Leadership development is no longer an optional investment for organizations that are looking to thrive in today's business climate."
Terri Armstrong Welch is a writer and president of Armstrong Welch; firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our products are carefully sourced from the UK's leading manufacturers and suppliers of mobile steps, storage equipment, workshop and warehouse equipment and material handling solutions. All items are either ex stock or on short deliveries and are at very keen prices to make your money go further.
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text:
Marvel hardly fails to marvel. Ant-Man was always on the cards, and when the time came to epitomize the superhero, they were successful in delivering it quite brilliantly. Peyton Reed wraps up a beauty of a superhero from the squad of superheroes to help Marvel climb another successful ladder of spinoffs. Now we wait for him to enter the circle of trust and append Avengers.
The plot of the movie keeps you constantly riveted. What makes it further entertaining is some good comedy grated by Michael Pena depicted brilliantly by Reed. Michael Douglas is great as Pym. So is Corey Stoll as Yellowjacket. Paul Rudd is fantastic and apt for the role of Scott Lang. Choice of Evangeline Lilly for Hope couldn't have been better.
At times you feel the thrill of going ant-size, should have been properly manifested. Also, the movie would have looked much better with a little intensity. Scott agreeing to don the suit for his daughter, and the entire Pym coaxing prep talk seems a little far-fetched. Also, the bit in the quantum realm could have done great with a little bit of time ripples. But then again we are talking comics here! Let it just be entertaining.
One of the most beautiful things about the Marvel cinematic universe is that they have been able to create, relate and link everything to one common ground and it goes on like a TV series. So even if you feel a movie is a little bland, there are enough Easter eggs to root you back into it.
There are two end credit scenes to the movie that hints things are going big in the next flick of the Marvel franchise. Don't miss those!


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chefsam necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web codificada y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 21 diseños de 10 diseñadores freelance.
Professional chef, thekoshergirl.com looking for chic web designer to design and program a new website to promote her business. Should be designed with simplicity and clean lines. Keep web 2.0 design concepts in mind, and should be easy to navigate and user friendly.
Desired Color Scheme:
bright colors: greens, yellows, pinks, white, black (any combination)
Desired Style:
kitschy, retro, clean, fun, vibrant, simple
Accepted File Formats:
Please see submission #1 mock up for a little guidance. Also, check out the chef on thekosherhostess.com for details on and pictures of the chef.
Aesthetic: Kitschy, bright, fun, fresh, trendy, hip, clean,
Some theme ideas: polkadots, green zebra tomatoes, produce, retro kitschy kitchen gear, kitschy Judaica , kitchen utensils (whisk, thermomether, baster, etc.) imprints.
Color Scheme: Black, White, Bright Green, Bright Yellow, Pink?
4 page templates:
Class List/Schedule/signup(maybe a calendar?)
MUST INCLUDE on homepage:
- Press section (thumbnail photos of magazine covers/newspaper articles that sam has been featured in, linking to larger full page versions so users can read the articles)- Recipes section (recipe names that link to full page recipe with picture). see this center section on this page for recipe format: http://www.thekosherhostess.com/foo…e_risotto- Classes section, maybe a class list on homepage or mini calendar? click on the links to go to the full classes page? - About the chef with Photo section (no link, just text and photo)- Samantha Garelick is a professional chef, enthusiastic foodie, kosher caterer and inspiring cooking instructor. After realizing that she craved food more than finance, Sam left her career in investment banking andenrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan.
Sam has worked at some of the top restaurants in New York City and Chicago, and now lives in Los Angeles, where she loves teaching classes to small groups of people who love to learn about food. Sam is known for her enticing recipes and her passion for creating a healthy, realistic and delicious way of living. - Video Section (use any media player to show brief cooking videos from the chef) +Link to more videos - Links box (two websites thekosherhostess.com & wildpomegranate.com, open links in new window)- Services box (simple list, no links)
- kosher catering
kosher cooking parties
knife skills classes
kosher-kitchen consulting
group or private cooking lessons
- more info link (will email sam)- Email Chef Link (will open a new email message in user's outloook/mail program)- Newsletter Sign up box (when user enters their email, an email will be sent to the chef so she can add to her mailing list)


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dicksonlegal needed a new wordpress theme design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 51 designs submitted by 8 freelance designers.
Dickson Steinacker PS. See http://www.dicksonlegal.com to view our main website.
We are a medium-sized law firm with offices in both Seattle Washington and Tacoma Washington. For those of you who don't know, Tacoma is about 45 minutes south of Seattle. However, we can help people with legal problems anywhere in the State of Washington.
Our main areas of practice are: Real Estate Law, Construction Law, Probate Law (wills and estates), Business Law, and Loan Modification Services.
Our main website, http://www.dicksonlegal.com, is a decent site that works well for most of our needs.
However, starting next month we are going to start advertising on the radio just for our loan modification services. For those of you who don't know, a loan modification service is when we help homeowners who are struggling to make their monthly mortgage payments. We do this by negotiating with the banks on behalf of our clients and try to get the bank to reduce the interest rate being charged. This helps the homeowner because now they will have a lower monthly payment to the bank.
We need a stand-alone wordpress-based website that just tells people about our loan modification services. On the radio ads we are going to produce we will point people to this new stand-alone loan modification website.
Home owners who live in the State of Washington and are having a hard time making their mortgage payments for their home loan.
We need a stand alone wordpress based website to promote our loan modification services department at our law firm. Please see the "tell us about yourself" section of this job for more background on loan modifications.
We would like there to be four or so pages on the website: home page, about us, loan mod process, and contact us.
We don't necessarily need flash on the website - but we are not opposed to it.
We already have a logo (see attachment) and we do have some pictures of our head attorneys and other staff that we would like to be incorporated into the website if possible. We would also like some stock photos incorporated into the site as well if necessary.
We want our phone number prominently displayed and we would like a form on every page of the website so a potential client can fill out their name, email address or phone number and short message.
Some examples of websites from other law firms in other states that are kind of what we are looking for are:
http://www.randolphlawfirm.com, http://www.modificationsloan.com, http://www.nyloanmodificationattorney.com, http://www.drlawlv.com.
Thank you for your interested in our project. We look forward to working with one of you.


text: Lance Berkman is still in the majors at age 36, and as a member of the National League Cardinals, gets to entertain us in the field on a daily basis. And entertain he did this afternoon in the first inning of St. Louis' tussle with the Milwaukee Brewers, as what should have been the final out of the inning became a comedy of literal errors, allowing two of the Brew Crew to cross the plate. Sure, it's not all Berkman's fault—the throw from shortstop was errant—but his tumble and toss is a riot. [FSMW]


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- "Need a CREDIT for a NEW BROOM? Living on an overpotion? Pressure from debt diviners? Afraid to open your owl-mails? Robbing sorcerer to pay sorceress? BEEN REFUSED A LOAN TO HEX YOUR DEBTS? Send us an OWL, before it is too late. GalloLoanS (financial bafflers) - NO. 343, Diagon Alley South"
- —GalloLoans[src]
GalloLoans was a wizarding financial services company based at 343, South Side, Diagon Alley, London. They offered loans with interest rates starting at 239.45%.[1]
They ran an ad in the Daily Prophet in June 1996.[1]
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
What is NATO? | CNBC Explains
- published: 14 Dec 2016
- views: 272406
It stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but what exactly is it and why is it so important? CNBC\'s Phil Han reports. ----- Subscribe to CNBC International: http://cnb.cx/2gft82z Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/cnbcinternational Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cnbcinternational/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/CNBCi Subscribe to our WeChat broadcast CNBC_international...


text:
|Make all the tiles blue! Alien Tiles is a vivid and fiendishly difficult puzzle recently developed by Dr. Cliff Pickover and programmed by Cam Mckechnie. Some have called it "Rubik's cube for the new millennium." The rules are simple, but the patterns soon become very complex. We look forward to hearing from artists, puzzle fans, and mathematicians regarding any interesting solutions, observations, and patterns.
Click on any tile in the array and all tiles in the same row and column advance by one color in a cycle from red to green to blue to purple and finally back to red. Try it. You can always start over again by selecting the "Start" button.
First Goal: Starting from all red, your goal is to make every cell in the puzzle turn all green, blue, or purple in as few moves as possible. Are you certain your solution requires the least number of moves?
Second Goal: Starting from all red, create a board that is all purple except for a single, central red tile.
Third Goal: Inside the 7x7 array, create a Xenoplastic Diamond -- a rotated 4x4 square of one color inlaid within tiles all of another color. Click here for an example. If you can ever create this magnificent specimen, you will have a long life filled with joy.
Fourth Goal: To achieve ultimate peace and transcendence, create the following Alien Tile "Sivaraman" patterns: Bazuluk Shenkursk Vologda Novomoskovsk Orel Shar'ya Vyshniy Charon
You can use a mouse to copy all your moves. As an example, you can try playing back a sequence of 587 moves for the 7x7 board. You can try this by using a mouse to copy this odd solution into the "Replay" field.
Click here for the Classic 4x4 board. (In some situations, this is actually more difficult than the 7x7 board.)
Click here for an amazing 14x14 board.
Click here for a grand Internet contest with valuable prizes as a reward.
Click here for other challenges, unanswered questions, and challenges from vistors to AlienTiles.com.
Click here for a technical math paper on Alien Tiles (PDF file).
Click here for another technical math paper on Alien Tiles (PDF file).
Click here for some program code to solve the puzzle.
Click here for a book chapter on the game.
Click here for a technical math paper on Alien Tiles.
Click here for a technical math paper on Alien Tiles.
If Alien Tiles intrigues you,
check out these new books.
Shiver at the sexy minds who have laid naked the mathematical machinery whirring just beneath the skin of reality.
e-mail me if you get these books, as I would like to know what you think of it.
Send AlienTiles.com feedback, questions, and discoveries.
There are still many mysteries and questions surrounding the Alien Tiles. Visit our web sites for puzzles, artwork, books, mind expanders, and more information about us:
-- Dr. Cliff Pickover, contact information
-- Visit Cliff Pickover's web site (www.pickover.com)
-- Discussion Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CliffordPickover)
-- Cam Mckechnie, firstname.lastname@example.com
-- Visit Cam Mckechnie's web site
Tell five friends about this web site. After you do, you have permission to click here for a different, wonderful alien image every hour. Thanks.
© 2002-2009, Cliff Pickover and Cam Mckechnie, www.alientiles.com. All rights reserved. No copying of the Alien Tiles game is permitted. "Alien Tiles" is a trademarked term. Alien cartoon by Brian Mansfield.


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Every outfit needs a signature piece to showcase your style - find yours when you browse our collection of orange S/M cardigan sweaters for women. From tie-front to open front women's cardigans in striped cotton or sexy lace, you can't go wrong with a women's cardigan sweater from New York & Company. Whether you need the perfect cardigan to keep warm on a laid-back date night, or a gorgeous sweater to enhance your work wardrobe, you can choose from a variety of looks.
- Everyday style. Have fun with our selection of casual women's cardigans, available in a range of patterns and designs. Add a little flair to your look when you choose from our bold palette of colors, including fierce animal and floral prints. Pair one of our fringe-trim or open-front drawstring cardigans with your favorite pair of jeans and strut your stuff - whether you're headed to a friend's house or the grocery store.
- Office chic. Who said you had to sacrifice style for professionalism? Create timeless looks that are perfect for the office when you pair our cardigans with any pant or skirt from our stunning collection. Our prices are so affordable you can select several staple pieces to enhance your entire work wardrobe this season.
- Dressy casual. Having high tea with the girls this weekend? Attending a bridal or baby shower? Dress up your style with one of our cardigan sweaters for women. Explore our collection of ruffle-trim, ribbed-knit, and lace-accent sweaters and find the perfect fit for any celebration.
- Out on the town. Some of our cardigans were designed to help you kick it up a notch. Drape yourself in a sweater duster or women's lace cardigan and showcase a gorgeous new you.
Build your essential wardrobe right here at New York & Company. Whatever your particular style, our collection of women's cardigans features everything from classic to contemporary looks.
No matter what styles you choose, we understand that there's no such thing as one size fits all. At New York & Company, you can showcase you unique body style with flattering clothing that's just the right fit - much of which is available in sizes ranging from XXS (00) to XXL (20).
Don't forget the accessories to complete your look. Browse our stunning jewelry, shoes, handbags, and more - all just a click away. Want to see more on-trend fashions? Discover the latest styles at New York & Company today.


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Yesterday Warner Bros announced "Batman: Arkham Origins" (next installment in Batman Arkham video-game franchise) for current generation consoles and Wii U. Fans of the series were bit disappointed with the announcement, as many of them were expecting Batman: Arkham Origins to arrive on next-generation consoles (PS4 and Xbox 720).
Not only this, fans were also disappointed with the change in development hands for Batman: Arkham Origins from "Rocksteady to WB Games Montreal". Does WB Games Montreal has the potential to carry forward the legacy of Batman Arkham series and Rocksteady?
I hope the Rocksteady Superman rumor is true. WHen was the last superman game anyway? (where he's solo/lead, of course)
I don't think the origins pics are screen shots, that and you know it should look better being on the next gen. Using the new unreal engine I assume.
I have every faith in WB Montreal. They did a great job with Arkham City Armoured Edition, even though that was pretty much just a port it gave them experience with the franchise and they've seen how to make an Arkham game.
Eh I wanna be optimistic but given Halo 4 and Sly 4 were both less adventurous than their previous devs I am gonna be a skeptic until the day that game comes out. I can't really think of a series that changed hands and ended up being better than it's predecessors.
my only problem is that they've changed the look of the characters. It's WB Montreal style and less Rocksteady style. If you pay close attention to the screenshots, you will see what I mean. Even Penguin looks different.


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Cameron University's speech and debate team claimed victory at the recent Oklahoma Intercollegiate Forensic Association's state tournament. Cameron's team emerged as the tournament champion in Overall Sweepstakes and won the state championship in both Debate Sweepstakes and Combined (Debate and Individual Event) Sweepstakes. They defeated opponents from 17 schools.
"This was an incredible tournament for our team," says Sarah Collins, Director of Forensics. "The majority of our 14 competitors are in their first or second year of collegiate competition. To win first in the state is a huge accomplishment for this group and a testament to their hard work and dedication."
Cameron's team dominated the individual events. Savanna Sanders, Madill, and Jonathan Good, Tipton, were named state champions in Duo Interpretation. Good also claimed the state championship in After Dinner Speaking, the category in which Steven Haber, Lawton, claimed a fourth-place finish. Katelynn Wright, Geronimo, was named state champion in Informative Speaking and finished sixth in Extemporaneous Speaking. Her success led to a second-place ranking in Pentathon, the individual student sweepstakes. Skylar Williams, Newton, Kan., won the state championship in Impromptu Speaking, and Curry Coleman, Sterling, won the state championship in Dramatic Interpretation.
In Parliamentary Debate, teammates Williams and Zakariya Rajpari, Tahlequah, made it to the final four round. Haber and his partner Savannah Price, Dallas, Texas, made it to the elite eight round, a successful foray for the two, who are in their first year of collegiate competition. Price was named fifth-place speaker.
In Lincoln Douglas Debate, Danny McQuarters, Kansas City, Mo., was named state champion. Nick Pasternak, Kansas City, Mo., was named fourth-place speaker, and Amber Smith, Bixby, was named sixth-place speaker. Diana Reyes, Oklahoma City, made it to the elite eight round, a significant accomplishment as this is the first semester in which Reyes has competed. Rajpari also made it to the elite eight round.
Kynzie Pierce, Frederick, also competed in the tournament and helped contribute to the team's overall success.
The team will participate in two national tournaments in March, the JV Nationals for first and second-year competitors in Hutchinson, Kan., and the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament in Indianapolis.
February 27, 2014


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Global Community Practice for the Global Agenda
Manohar Pawar and Marie Weil
This article presents an integrated perspective and framework for global practice towards achieving the Global Agenda. First, it presents the origin and current understanding of the Global Agenda for social work. Second, it illustrates the utility of the term "global practice" as a progressive, comprehensive, and future-oriented term that encompasses social work and social, economic, and sustainable development at multiple levels: local, national, regional, international, multinational, and global. Third, it discusses ways of moving forward on the Global Agenda at multiple levels through an integrated perspectives framework consisting of global, ecological, human rights, and social development perspectives to guide practice. Finally, it concludes that global practice and the Global Agenda need to be translated into local level social work and development practice and local level agendas, making a case for social work and sustainable social development leadership and practice at grassroots and national levels.
Cheryl L. Franks and Marion Riedel
Privilege is the invisible advantage and resultant unearned benefits afforded to dominant groups of people because of a variety of sociodemographic traits. Privilege provides economic and social boosts to dominant groups while supporting the structural barriers to other groups imposed by prejudice. Social work education and practice seldom challenges us to evaluate the effects of privilege on our professional relationships and the concomitant systems of oppression that marginalize many of the groups we work with. Privilege nurtures dependence, distances us from others, and creates a barrier to reflective social work practice. Acknowledging the effects of privilege increases our capacity to affirm our humanity and that of the communities we serve.


text:
We believe that people perform their best when they are appreciated.
We know that happy employees are the secret to a wonderful customer experience. That is why we have been making Plum a great place to work for over 35 years.
At Plum, we work hard, but it's because we love what we do. We love helping our customers and we like working with each other.
So if being appreciated is important to you and you take the business of looking sensational seriously, then you should apply to Plum.
Applying is easy, just visit our opportunities page ▶


text:
UHV students clean up Mustang Island beach
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973, offers courses leading to 70 bachelor's, master's and specialist degree programs and concentrations in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
Lauren Hightower-Emerson


text: Environment Friendly and Powerful Computing! - Intel® X38 chipset- Intel® Core™2 Quad / Core™2 Extreme / Core™2 Duo / Pentium® Extreme / Pentium® D / Pentium® 4 Processors - ASUS EPU (Energy Processing Unit)- ASUS Express Gate- ASUS WiFi-AP @n - ASUS 3rd Generation 8-phase Power Design Shop Modal header Environment Friendly and Powerful Computing! The P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP@n is an IntelR X38 chipset-based motherboard that combines powerful performance with great energy efficiency; and supports DDR3 1800MHz dual-channel memory architecture and Dual PCI Express 2.0 x16 lanes for extreme graphics performance. It also comes with the world's first ASUS EPU (Energy Processing Unit), allowing the CPU power supply to be digitally monitored and fine-tuned with improved VRM efficiency in heavy or light loadings – attaining the best possible power efficiency and energy savings to help save the environment. The P5E3 DELUXE/WiFi-AP@n also supports 802.11n WiFi specifications onboard for faster data transfers, and ASUS Express Gate – an optional Linux OS bootup for instant access to the Internet in 5 seconds.AI Lifestyle Series motherboards bring lifestyle and personal computing together. They provide you better system performance to enjoy graphic-intensive games and applications. The cutting-edge audio feature dramatically enhances the quality of voice signal. Thoughtful design allows you to set up your system easily. To create a peaceful environment, several new and improved innovations are included to reduce noise and temperature. Don't change your way of life for a computer. Instead let the ASUS Lifestyle Series improve the quality of your life. CPU, Chipset and Graphics features LGA775 IntelR Core?2 Processor ReadyThis motherboard supports the latest IntelR Core?2 processors in LGA775 package. It also can support IntelR next generation 45nm Multi-Core CPU. With new IntelR Core? microarchitecture technology and 1600 / 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz FSB, IntelR Core?2 processor is one of the most powerful and energy efficient CPU in the world. IntelR X38 ChipsetThe IntelR X38 Express Chipset is the latest chipset designed to support 8GB of dual-channel DDR3 1333/1066/800 architecture, 1333/1066/800 FSB (Front Side Bus), Dual PCI Express 2.0 x16 graphics and multi-core CPUs. With the specially included IntelR Fast Memory Access technology, available memory bandwidth usage is optimized and memory access latency is reduced - allowing faster memory speeds. PCIe 2.0Double Speed; Double Bandwidth This motherboard supports the latest PCIe 2.0 devices for double speed and bandwidth which enhances system performance. AMD CrossFire TechnologyAMD's CrossFire boosts image quality along with rendering speed, eliminating the need to scale down screen resolutions to get the high image quality you want. CrossFire ignites with the higher antialiasing, anisotropic filtering, shading, and texture settings you desire. Adjust your display configurations, experiment with your advanced 3D settings, and check the effect with a real-time 3D-rendered preview within AMD's Catalyst? Control Center to rule your CrossFire system. Memory Features Dual-Channel DDR3 1800(O.C.)/1333The motherboard supports DDR3 memory that features data transfer rates of 1800(O.C.)/1600(O.C.)/1333/1066/800 MHz to meet the higher bandwidth requirements of the latest operation system, 3D graphics, multimedia, and Internet applications. The dual-channel DDR3 architecture doubles the bandwidth of your system memory to boost system performance, eliminating bottlenecks with peak bandwidths of up to 17 GB/s. Furthermore, the supply voltage for the memory is reduced from 1.8 V for DDR2 to just 1.5 V for DDR3. This voltage reduction limits the power consumption and heat generation of DDR3 which makes it an ideal memory solution. ASUS Special features ASUS Express GateSurf the Internet in 5-second-boot time without entering WindowsWith a fast bootup speed of only 5 seconds, the ASUS Express Gate offers an optional Linux OS bootup that allows you to enjoy instant access to commonly used functions like accessing the Internet, VoIP, and Web emailing without entering the OS.*The boot speed depends on system configurations. ASUS WiFi-AP @n6 Times Faster than 802.11g WiFi TechnologyWith spec 300 Mbps transfer rates, 802.11n supports the latest WiFi specifications for better signal coverage, stronger signals and faster data transmissions in comparison to previous 802.11b/g standards. With two antennas, you will not suffer from signal loss like before. You can also enjoy the choice to set the device in AP-Mode or Client Mode. ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution ASUS EPUEnables the Most Energy Efficient Motherboard in the WorldThe ASUS EPU utilizes innovative technology to digitally monitor and finetune the CPU power supply with improved VR responses in heavy or light loadings. Working together with AI Gear 3, it automatically provides power for higher performance or improves efficiency by 50% when the PC is running low intensity applications - helping you attain the best possible power efficiency and energy savings of up to 80.23% to help save the environment. ASUS 3rd Generation 8 Phase Power Design Longer Life, & Higher Efficiency! With power efficiency so important to operating temperatures, ASUS' 3rd generation 8-phase VRM design leads the industry with its 95% power efficiency. High quality power components such as low RDS (on) MOSFETs for minimum switching loss & lower temperatures, Ferrite core chokes with lower hysteresis loss, and high quality Japanese-made conductive polymer capacitors all add up to ensure longer component life and lower power loss - creating more energy efficiency. Up to 20°C(36°F) Cooler - Stack Cool 2 Effective Fanless Heat Dissipation at 0dB Stack Cool 2 is a fanless cooling solution offered exclusively by ASUS. It effectively and noiselessly transfers heat generated by the critical components to the other side of the specially designed PCB (printed circuit board) for effective heat dissipation - making temperatures cooler by up to 20°C. Pure Copper Heat Pipe Lowers Temperatures by up to 10°C The Pure Copper Heat Pipe design effectively directs the heat generated by the chipsets to the heatsink near the back I/O ports - where it can be carried away by existing airflows from the CPU or a bundled optional fan. This innovative and groundbreaking fanless heat pipe design effectively lowers temperatures by up to 10°C without having lifetime problems that a normal chipset fan has. Furthermore, it provides options for users to install side-flow fans or a passive cooler. This Heat Pipe design is the most reliable fanless thermal solution to date. Q-Fan 2 Adjusts both CPU fan and chassis fan speeds according to system loading ASUS Q-Fan2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU fan and chassis fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet, cool and efficient operation. AI Nap Minimize noise and power consumption when temporarily away! With AI Nap, users can instantly snooze your PC without terminating the tasks. System will continue operating at minimum power and noise when user is temporarily away. It keeps downloading files or running applications in quietest state while you're sleeping. Simply click keyboard or mouse, you can swiftly wake up the system in few seconds. Uses 100% All High-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors!This motherboard uses all high-quality conductive polymer capacitors onboard for durability, improved lifespan, and enhanced thermal capacity. ASUS EZ DIY AI Direct LinkLightning Fast Data Linkage between Your PC & Laptop AI Direct Link can easily and efficiently transfer large amounts of data via the network cable - saving up to 70% of the total time taken. With AI Direct Link, it becomes easy to backup or share large data files like movies or other media content. Q-ShieldEasy and Comfortable InstallationsThe specially designed ASUS Q-Shield does without the usual "fingers" - making it convenient and easy to install. With better electric conductivity, it ideally protects your motherboard against static electricity and shields it against Electronic Magnetic Interference (EMI). AI Slot DetectorAssists in Proper Installation for PCIe/PCI DevicesWhen PCIe/PCI devices are installed, users can simply plug in the power cable and find out if these devices are successfully installed. Without even switching on the PC or entering the operating system, ASUS's innovative on-board LEDs provide an efficient way to identify the correct way to set up the PC. Q-Connector Make connection quick and accurate! The ASUS Q-Connector allows you to connect or disconnect chassis front panel cables in one easy step with one complete module. This unique adapter eliminates the trouble of plugging in one cable at a time, making connection quick and accurate. CrashFree BIOS 3 Simply restore corrupted BIOS data from USB flash disk The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data from a USB flash disk containing the BIOS file. This utility saves users the cost and hassle of buying a replacement BIOS chip. EZ-Flash 2 Simply update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OSEZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply launch this tool and update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS. You can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or using an OS-based flash utility. O.C. Profile Conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settingsFreely share and distribute favorite overclocking settings The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Profile that allows users to conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the CMOS or a separate file, giving users freedom to share and distribute their favorite overclocking settings. ASUS overclocking tools Precision Tweaker 2 Super-fine Adjustments to Help Create a Brand New O.C Record!Allows the user to adjust the NB Voltage, FSB termination Voltage, CPU PLL Voltage and the DRAM Voltage in 0.02v steps to finetune voltages to achieve the most precise setting for the ultimate customized overclocking configuration. ASUS Crystal Sound AI Audio 2Unique Home Theather Technology on BoardAI Audio 2 creates a virtual center channel that expands the overall sound field without introducing a picket fencing effect. Preserving the dialogue or solo performances with downmixing from multichannels will allow you to experience true-to-life high quality audio. Noise Filter Eliminate background noise while recording This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises like computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates it in the incoming audio stream while recording. Other Innovative Features MyLogo3Personalize your system with customizable boot logo You can convert your favorite photo into a 256-color boot logo for a more colorful and vivid image on your screen. Interface Features SATA on the Go This motherboard supports the next-generation hard drives based on the Serial ATA (SATA) 3Gb/s storage specification, delivering enhanced scalability and doubling the bus bandwidth for high-speed data retrieval and saves. The external SATA port located at the back I/O provides smart setup and hot-plug functions. Easily backup photos, videos and other entertainment contents on external devices. Dual RAIDThe Intel ICH9R chipsets incorporate Six Serial ATA connectors with high performance RAID functions in RAID 0, 1, 10 and 5. The JMicron controller provides another two Serial ATA connectors for RAID 0, 1, and JBOD functions. This motherboard is the ideal solution to enhance hard disk performance and data back up protection without the cost of add-on cards. Dual Gigabit LANThe integrated dual Gigabit LAN design allows a PC to serve as a network gateway for managing traffic between two separate networks. This capability ensures rapid transfer of data from WAN to LAN without any added arbitration or latency. IEEE 1394a interfaceIEEE 1394a interface provides high speed digital interface for audio/video appliances such as digital television, digital video camcorders, storage peripherals & other PC portable devices. High Definition AudioEnjoy high-end sound system on your PC! The onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Definition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output, jack-sensing feature, retasking functions and multi-streaming technology that simultaneously sends different audio streams to different destinations. You can now talk to your partners on the headphone while playing a multi-channel network games. All of these are done on one computer. S/PDIF-out on Back I/O PortThis motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via coaxial and optical S/PDIF-out (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) jacks. It allows to transfer digital audio without converting to analog format and keeps the best signal quality. RoHS & Operation System GreenASUS The motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union's Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line with the ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and recyclable products and packaging to safeguard consumers' health while minimizing the impact on the environment.


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Question for all you MotoGP fanatics on here...........know who this guy is?
Leon Camier
Here's another pic......
That's right! Last night Ryan McAllister hit me up for a group of us to hit the track for a little SM riding. We had a awesome group of guys and girl riders and we had a BLAST! My buddy Sebastiao and Leon was tearing it up out there! It was cool to see a local AMA rider and Britains MotoGP rider getting busy. Ryan and Sara and the rest of the crew was a awesome group to hang & ride with. Was a Bad Ass Night for sure!!!
Klem Ulaga, Jon Mullins, Sebastiao Ferreira, Leon Camier, Vaclav Burger, Sara Probert, Ryan McCallister & Nicholas Altamura


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Hey Y'all. We're looking at new delay technology in a serious way.
I know what I want in a delay, but I'm curious as to what you want. This is a digital adventure, so no need for the "I want a bucket brigade 8 second reverse delay with expression and CV for everything and seven colors of smoke."
Things I will most certainly NOT go without:
Tap tempo
Modulation of some sort
Things I am very much looking to add: CV controls wherever possible.


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Power bricks! They're cumbersome. They're heavy. They're ugly. Until the Cooler Master USNA 95 walks into your life, a sleek 95W power adaptor that looks to be just a bit bigger than a deck of cards.
The USNA 95 works specifically with notebooks of the Acer, Asus, Gateway, HP, Lenovo and Samsung varieties - with nine different tips to choose from - but also has a USB port for powering iPods, mobile phones and whatever other small gadgets you stuff in your messenger bag.
It's listed as 90 per cent efficient, which isn't too shabby.
And while there's no price listed yet, I'm sure it's going to cost less than your next chiropractor visit. [SlashGear]
Update: Eagle-eyed reader Sajid notes that the USNA 95 is for sale now at Fry's for $US70.


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I was pleased with the other products I had bought from the Shu Art of Hair range but found the Silk Bloom shampoo a bit heavy to use every day. This time I bought the Moisture Velvet shampoo (£22.50), which is enriched with Camelia oil. It's wonderfully moisturising, leaving my hair really soft and not as heavy as the Silk Bloom.
I do feel that my hair in stronger and I have less breakage since using the Shu range, when I went back to the hairdressers I had two of the hairdressers and the girl washing my hair make comments on the strength of my hair, but not sure if that was genuine or that they were hoping I would buy more stuff, hard to tell sometimes!
Here are the ingredients
I bought this from a Sean Hanna salon but notice that Look fantastic have started selling the range. http://www.lookfantastic.com/hair/shu-uemura-art-of-hair I'm very tempted by the Paddle brush but they had run out in the Salon, although £39 is probably a bit much to pay for a hair brush......maybe.....
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Moisture Velvet Shampoo
Labels: shu uemura
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Attempts to rein in microblogs like Sina Weibo are a huge part of China's sophisticated information control strategy these days. However, news reports last week serve as a reminder that propaganda authorities also rely on methods that are more old school.
Censors recently cut the China section from The Economist magazine, online magazine Tea Leaf Nation, which specializes in Chinese social media, reports. Not from the web, but from the copies on sale in Shanghai airport. With scissors. Nor is that an isolated incident. In 2009 we reported on copies of the National Geographic sold with pages of a China feature glued shut. Tea Leaf Nation shares other anecdotes gathered on social media: "I subscribe to the Asia edition of Time. Articles on China are torn out and issues with covers about China are just not distributed," one says, according to Tea Leaf Nation's translation.
In other offline censorship news, CCTV News last week broadcast a story on Michelangelo's David, but pixelated the statue's genitals to shield viewers from "a negative [emotional] impact," according to Beijing-based media blog Danwei.
Finally, China's State Administration of Radio Film and Television, or SARFT, is stepping up regulations on "micro films," China's audio-visual equivalent of microblogs, according to Hong Kong University-based China Media Project. The regulations state that all online programming will be subject to pre-approval before broadcast, although it is not clear how that would be enforced, the project said. The media project describes the films as "features and documentaries filmed on mobile phones and distributed to potentially mass audiences through social media." As one online commenter pointed out, in the project's translation: "SARFT still wants to approve [films] one at a time. Apparently, they're not afraid of dying of exhaustion."
These apparently disparate incidents have more in common with highly technical censorship than you might think. Take The Economist: "The issues I see in our provincial library and local library all have the China section," one online commentator wrote, according to Tea Leaf Nation's translation. In other words, just as Sina is held responsible for user content, distributors of print media interpret censorship guidelines for themselves, with widely different results. CCTV producers make their own decisions regarding what's appropriate to broadcast. And the new micro film regulations "explicitly hold distributors of online video programming responsible for violations of propaganda discipline," the China Media Project reports.
Responses from China in these articles reveal another common thread: No one takes them too seriously. Fair enough--censors wielding glue sticks in a digital age are more comical than terrifying. But there is an important takeaway, nonetheless.
China's censors are not one, uniform entity. Their diversity is one of the keys to China's continuing control of information, despite highly engaged communities of online activists and journalists. It's easy to think of the Great Firewall as monolithic. The reality--a network of government employees, companies, and individual citizens tasked with managing news and information sharing--is more permeable, but ultimately more successful.


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Doripenem injection is used to treat serious infections of the urinary tract, kidney, and abdomen that are caused by bacteria. Doripenem injection is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat pneumonia that developed in people who were on a ventilator in a hospital. Doripenem injection is in a class of medications called carbapenem antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria.
Antibiotics such as doripenem injection will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Taking antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.
Doripenem injection comes as a liquid to be injected intravenously (into a vein). It is usually given every 8 hours. The length of your treatment depends on the type of infection being treated. After your condition improves, your doctor may switch you to another antibiotic that you can take by mouth to complete your treatment. You may receive doripenem injection in a hospital or you may administer the medication at home. If you are using doripenem injection at home, use it at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use doripenem injection exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
You should begin to feel better during the first few days of treatment with doripenem injection. If your symptoms do not improve or get worse, call your doctor.
Use doripenem injection until you finish the prescription, even if you feel better. If you stop using doripenem injection too soon or skip doses, your infection may not be completely treated and the bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Before using doripenem injection,
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
Use the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not use a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Doripenem injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
Doripenem may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online ( Web Site ) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at Web Site. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your body's response to doripenem injection.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. If you still have symptoms of infection after you finish doripenem injection, talk to your doctor.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.
Selected Revisions: September 15, 2016.


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Amid their bitter divorce and custody battle, Dennis Hoppers wife, Victoria, is wishing her ailing husband well as he is set to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"Dennis has had a long and amazing career. He well deserves this honor. I hope he has a wonderful day," Victoria said in an exclusive statement to Access Hollywood on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, it was announced that Dennis – the star of such classic films as "Easy Rider," "Hoosiers" "Apocalypse Now" and "Rebel Without A Cause" — would be enshrined on the Walk of Fame during a ceremony to be held on Friday.
Despite the well wishes from Victoria, it comes during a dramatic time in the actor's personal life.
Dennis continues to battle prostate cancer, however, his health has gotten so bad that earlier this week, his attorney revealedin court papers that the actor is terminally ill and is now unable to undergo chemotherapy.
In addition, his attorney said Dennis' condition is so severe, he would be unable to be questioned by his wife's lawyer in a deposition related to their heated divorce battle.
Dennis, 73, and Victoria, 42, have been locked in a bitter feud since the actor filed to end the couple's nearly 14-year marriage in January.
The couple has a daughter, Galen, 6, and while Dennis asked for joint physical and legal custody of the youngster in his filing, Victoria has asked for primary custody. She's asked for Dennis to just be given visitation rights, according to a three-page divorce filing previously obtained by Access.
In February, the star filed a declaration saying he was undergoing promising chemotherapy treatments and remained hopeful "that this treatment will be successful so that I may soon resume the full enjoyment of my life and work."
Dennis and Victoria Hopper have agreed to stay 10 feet away from each other while the divorce is ongoing. She has stated in court filings that the actor filed for divorce to cut her out of her inheritance, a claim Dennis has denied.
The case is scheduled for a court hearing on April 5.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: From 'Easy Rider' To 'Speed': It's Dennis Hopper
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Divorce! Break-Ups! Hollywood's Most Famous Former Couples
PLAY IT NOW: Dennis Hopper Raves About 'E-Ring' & Lifelong Passion For Photography (May 16, 2005)
PLAY IT NOW: 2009 CineVegas Awards
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Dennis Hopper - Divorces - Movies - Celebrities


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Solar Intelligence Service - North AmericaGain a competitive edge with trusted intelligence on the full North American solar PV supply chain. This service features two proprietary market trackers – one that details the market by system and installation type, and another that captures all downstream solar projects and the companies involved with them.Subscribers Only
Solar Market Tracker - North AmericaOctober 16, 2019The Solar Market Tracker - North America provides forecasts and analysis for installed PV capacity in the United States and Canada at a country and state/province level. The tracker is updated at least quarterly to provide the most up-to-date projections for each market based on the latest policy changes and market developments.Subscribers Only
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Exemption of bifacial cell technology from Section 201 measures to accelerate switch from mono to bifacial cell lines outside of China and drive demand in the United StatesJune 17, 2019On 13 June 2019, United States Federal trade authorities ruled that bifacial solar modules will be exempt from Section 201 tariffs, as outlined in a notice from the Office of the United States Trade Representative. The ruling will dramatically increase demand for bifacial solar modules in the United States due to the opportunity of avoiding tariff rates of 15% to 25% through February 2022, in addition to the benefits of higher efficiencies and energy yields associated with such products. IHS Markit expects that demand for bifacial modules in the United States will be primarily served by manufacturing lines across Southeast Asia, as products shipped from China will still face antidumping and Section 301 tariffs that will make them less competitive.Subscribers Only
PG&E's bankruptcy will generate significant uncertainty for solar and energy storage in the United StatesJanuary 31, 2019On 29 January 2019, investor owned utility (IOU) Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) filed for bankruptcy as it contends with claims of fault related to recent wildfires in Northern California. As of 2017, PG&E was the second largest utility in California in terms of bundled retail electricity sales and within the top ten across the United States. At this time, investors and spectators appear confident that PG&E will re-emerge from bankruptcy, but in exactly what form is unclear. PG&E expects the bankruptcy process to last approximately two years.Subscribers Only
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Energy storage established as a key component of New Jersey's clean energy agenda with a 2 GW targetMay 24, 2018On 23 May, 2018 New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law A3723/S2314. The bill makes New Jersey the fifth state to adopt an energy storage target. Representing another milestone to the energy storage industry in the United States, creating further momentum across the East Coast following Massachusetts and New York. The New Jersey target is set at 2 GW of energy storage to be deployed by 2030 with an interim target of 600 MW by 2021.Subscribers Only
Declining PPA prices under the shadow of the Section 201 Trade Case in the United StatesJanuary 22, 2018In the second half of 2017, a number of utility-scale PV solar projects were awarded contracts with record low PPA prices for the US market. The decline of PPA prices has been primarily driven by continued technology and manufacturing innovation across the value chain. What is striking about the announced prices for these utility-scale plants is the timeline in which these deals have been made. Despite the strategies developers may have for their projects, success may ultimately depend on how stringent the remedies for the trade case will be.Subscribers Only
5 questions for the Section 201 trade case - IHS Markit Q&AOctober 30, 2017On October 31st, the United States International Trade Commission is set to vote on a trade policy to remedy injuries that have been experienced by domestic solar PV cell and module manufacturers due to foreign competition. But ahead of this, IHS Markit has outlined some of the pressing questions that market players may have.
Blattner Energy and other leading diversified EPC firms capture market share in the United StatesMarch 20, 2017The US market installed over 15 gigawatts-dc (GWdc) of photovoltaics (PV) in 2016, a record breaking amount for the market, over 80% of which was accounted for by non-residential installations. The top 5 EPCs captured nearly 50% (~48%) of the total non-residential PV market in 2016. Aside from First Solar, the top 5 EPC companies were primarily characterized as diversified firms that do not have an exclusive focus on solar.Subscribers Only
Utility-scale PV Projects Cost Analysis Report - 2016October 28, 2016This report reviews current and future cost trends for utility-scale PV in China, United States, India, France and Japan, including analysis of LCOE.Subscribers Only
Top Three Megawatt-Scale PV Operations and Maintenance Providers Captured 44 Percent of the North American Market in 2015June 28, 2016IHS Technology analysis and commentary follows from the IHS Solar EPC and O&M Providers Report - North America - 2016, which is part of IHS North America Solar Intelligence Service.
Single-Axis Tracker Market in North America Doubled in 2015 -- Reaching $1.2 BillionJune 08, 2016IHS Technology analysis and commentary follows from the IHS PV Structural Balance of System - North America report, which is part of IHS North America Solar Intelligence Service.
Solar Installations to Rise 20 Percent in 2014, Thanks to Strong Fourth QuarterOctober 08, 2014Global photovoltaic (PV) solar installations will rise to 45.4 gigawatts (GW) in 2014, with 32 percent of this total, or 14.4 GW, coming in the fourth quarter, according to IHS Technology (NYSE: IHS).
Solar Microinverter and Power Optimizer Market to Break $1 Billion Barrier in 2018September 18, 2014The market for global photovoltaic (PV) solar microinverters and power optimizers is forecast to more than triple in the coming years, rising to more than $1 billion in 2018, as both established and new regions increase their adoption of the emerging technology, according to IHS Technology (NYSE: IHS).


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All the boys from One Direction are taking a couple...
The not so good type87071328
- by linlee_buggg
- Rating:
- Published: 27 Nov 2015
- Updated: 7 Dec 2015
- Status: In Progress
Masie was about 16 when she moved back to her home town. Her family left for her fathers new job when she was 3. Now it was different. She made friends with 2 girls; Kira and Alyssa. Who keeps her from trouble including luke hemmings and calum hood.
**trigger warning around the end **
**trigger warning around the end **
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Another Day: Peering into the Creative Genius of Brian Wilson
How does one of the most highly regarded pop musicians in the history of the recorded song still manage a successful career some 46 years after his first single scaled the charts?
"By being inspired to want to make someone happy," Brian Wilson responds in a matter-of-fact tone.
Wilson is a rejuvenated, roadready musician with energy to burn when EQ interviews him on a sunny L.A. day. Clearly, this wasn't always the case. The legendary figure— best known for his contributions to the Beach Boys during their peak years, writing, producing, singing, and playing bass on masterpieces such as "Good Vibrations," "I Get Around," "Surfin' Safari," and "California Girls"— was near mad and a total recluse for two decades. From approximately 1968 until 1988, Wilson was entrenched in a battle with drugs and a variety of mental illnesses. An infamous '70s Rolling Stone cover story depicted an overweight Wilson wrapped in a multicolored terrycloth robe, wandering the halls of a local allnight pharmacy, and rumors of Wilson being diagnosed with schizophrenia and treated for a drug-induced stroke saturated the media. It appeared Wilson was destined to become just another casualty of the rock-and-roll lifestyle—not at all unlike Pink Floyd's founder, the late Syd Barrett.
With the help of family, friends, and more than a few therapists, Wilson eventually reclaimed his mind and his music, re-entering the world as a solo artist with 1988's BrianWilson. A series of albums of varying quality and commercial success appeared between 1990 and 2004, culminating in Wilson's full embrace of the album that almost never was—SMiLE. Assisted by pop provocateurs the Wondermints, wife Melinda, and longtime engineer Mark Linett, Wilson tackled the unfinished SMiLE project—an album that was conceived 37 years earlier, and was considered a catalyst in Wilson's ensuing mental breakdown. The resulting release was a tremendous success, hitting the Billboard charts at #13, garnering Wilson his first Grammy, and proving to the world that he still had the goods to create the glistening pop music found therein.
It's four years later and Wilson has returned with That Lucky Old Sun, a full-length homage to all things Los Angeles. Back in the Wilson camp is long-time collaborator Van Dyke Parks (the man responsible for the entirety of SMiLE's lyrics), engineer Linett, and Wilson's faithful 11-piece backing band, including multi-instrumentalist/coproducer Scott Bennett and the Wondermints' Darian Sahanaja. Emboldened by SMiLE's rapturous universal welcome and several successful tours—and surrounded by what amounts to a loving family of familiar musicians, orchestral arrangers, producers and engineers— the 65-year-old Wilson has created what is arguably his best album since Pet Sounds. With songs such as "Oxygen" and "Midnight's Another Day," Wilson recaptures the magic of Surf's Up and Pet Sounds with ambitious sonic experimentation. And tracks like "Good Kind of Love" and "Going Home" find Wilson singing with a confidence and clarity not evident since his youth, turning out the kind of sun 'n' fun-loving ditties that made him a household name in the first place. That Lucky Old Sun even references the gorgeous lost Beach Boy's track, "Can't Wait Too Long"—a classic example of Wilson's musical prowess and vocal genius.
After the premier of That Lucky Old Sun at London's Royal Festival Hall over a year ago, EQ decided to paint an explicit picture of how one of the world's first and foremost musician/producers tackles the album-making process. This story isn't about Wilson and his crew's miking techniques, or tracing signal paths on a track-by-track basis—it's about exploring the creative process of one of the most mysterious, misunderstood, and unmistakable artists alive.
Known to be elusive even after his recovery, securing an interview with the former Beach Boy was challenging. But we caught up with him at Capitol Records HQ in Los Angeles for a very brief interview. It immediately became obvious that there would be no lengthy explanations. Instead, what we got was a candid look at the self-perceived simplicity of Wilson's creative process.
What inspired you to write a concept album about L.A.?
I didn't write the concept; I came up with "That Lucky Old Sun" theme song. The concept came from Van Dyke Parks, who wrote the lyrics for the narration about L.A.
Why did you want to cover "That Lucky Old Sun"?
I liked it. I thought it was a good African-American spiritual song to do.
The record is very upbeat. Did you feel emboldened coming off the success of SMiLE?
We were riding the crest of the SMiLE album, but we weren't sure if it was going to be better or worse than SMiLE. Now, I think it is better.
I can see why. It is a rock and roll album that is also very orchestral. Scott Bennett said you worked out the songs at his home studio. Did you arrive with the songs fully fleshed out, or did you work them out at his studio?
I wrote the songs. Then, when I got to Scott's studio, he and I played around with the arrangements.
Did you enjoy working in Pro Tools?
I don't know much about working in Pro Tools, but it seems to work pretty good.
You didn't find the process faster or slower than how you used to work?
A little slower, but it was more efficient.
What sparks a song like "Good Kind of Love" or "Oxygen"?
The chord pattern comes first, then the melody, and then the lyrics.
I've read that you would hear the entire production of a song in your head before you entered the studio. Did it work the same way with That Lucky Old Sun?
No. I hear it as we go.
Do you prefer the digital way of recording to the old days of analog?
Yes, because you can make pitch correction a lot better.
Are you tough on vocalists when you arrange their parts?
Yes, because I want them to be right. I want them to be good.
Is it difficult for the background vocalists to grasp your concepts?
No, not really. I go to the piano and sing and play each part for each person. Then, they record as a group. It usually takes from two to 20 takes for them to get it. It varies from song to song. I can't remember which song took the most takes. I sing some of the bass parts on the album, too.
Scott Bennett mentioned that one of your trademarks is that the bass vocal part is very atypical.
Well, the singers get it very quickly.
There are no breaks between songs. What determined that?
My wife and Scott Bennett and Darian Sahanaja all teamed up to sequence the album. They are responsible for that.
What inspired "Oxygen"? It seems very autobiographical. . . .
It is the story of my life. I laid around and didn't do anything and was lazy. One day, I started exercising and I started eating right, and getting better sleep at night—stuff like that.
What inspired the melody for "Oxygen"?
What inspired the melody? Nothing. I just came up with it. I usually try out ideas on a synthesizer— a Yamaha.
That and "Midnight's Another Day" are both very frank and honest. Where did you find the strength to put those feelings in song?
I needed to express myself so I just did it.
What inspired your original stacked vocal harmonies in the Beach Boys?
Ah, a bunch of different influences. I couldn't even mention them all to you. Bach, for sure.
What music are you listening to now?
I listen to my own stuff, the Beatles, and a station called KTRH-FM 101 in Los Angeles. I listen to "oldies but goodies" all day.
Do you have a favorite song on the album??
I think "Oxygen" is my favorite song on the album, because it is about myself. They are all about me, but that was more about me than any of the others.
Multi-instrumentalist/co-producer Scott Bennett played a large role in the creation of That Lucky Old Sun, sharing songwriting and production credits for recording Wilson's initial Pro Tools sessions in a small home studio in Los Angeles. Throughout the summer of 2006, he and Wilson spent countless hours building and refining songs, as well as laying down scratch vocal tracks—many of which appear on the final version of the album.
Tell us about the genesis of That Lucky Old Sun.
This record began as a bunch of demos recorded in the bedroom of my house. Brian would call me and want to come over and record. I have a small setup based around Pro Tools LE running on an Apple G4. Besides a Kurzweil K2000, a Yamaha Motif, a PreSonus Digimax FS, a Røde NTK, a Gibson acoustic guitar, and the Yamaha HS50Ms, I pretty much have nothing. But because of my background doing commercial sessions, I could work fast, and that's why Brian wanted to work with me. It wasn't about gear, it was about getting stuff down fast, because Brian is real impatient. Back in the day, he could get all the guys in a room and hear the songs as they were happening, rather than using a click and some guide tracks. That's what he was used to. Early on, he became very frustrated with recording into Pro Tools. He said, "Scott, you've got to be kidding me with the tediousness of this process." But Brian was also knocked out that the tracks could sound so good in such a small space. He said, "This studio is better than Ocean Way!" For him, there was ultimately less pressure. It was just us experimenting.
Brian mentioned that he likes Antares Auto-Tune. Did you use the program a lot in the demo sessions?
There was no auto-tuning of Brian's vocals—we only fixed a few words here and there. He was impressed that we could change things like that. Brian would typically say, "Gimme a click." Then, he would start pounding on the Kurzweil. He would invariably dial up the Honky Tonk preset, because he likes that fat key sound. We would pound out a tune, and then add a guide vocal. Nine times out of ten, he did great vocal parts. There are a lot of final vocals on the album that came from my home studio, including "Good Kind of Love," "Midnight's Another Day," and "Morning Beat." A bunch of tracks were built out of composite vocal tracks, but that's because Brian doesn't have any consistency to his mic technique when he is singing. He is usually reading a lyric page, or looking away from the mic, so it can be tricky to get his vocals balanced.
One would think his technique would be better. After all, he is Brian Wilson, the vocal genius.
But in the '60s, Brian was not a close-mic singer. They used to just gather around a mic and sing. If the bass vocal part wasn't loud enough, they got that singer right up on the mic. Brian sang some beautiful lead vocals back in the day, but he was also an incredible vocal arranger. If he thought somebody was the right voice, he would have him sing it. Brian is like Dylan now—he won't take ten days to get a vocal track.
Tell me more about how you two wrote songs in your studio?
I never knew what the day would bring. Brian might show up and say, "Let's do 'Proud Mary' today." We did 19 songs at my house—ten of which appear on the record. We also did "Something Tells Me I'm Into Something Good," which didn't make it. There were quite a few guest performers who ended up coming by. Brian would say, "This song reminds me of Carole King. I'll call her to see if she will come over." And the next day, Carole King would be at my door. I actually had Carole King in my apartment duetting with Brian on a song that may end up being a bonus track. Tommy Morgan—who played harmonica on Pet Sounds—came over to play on "Going Home." Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night also sang on a couple of tracks. It was just this magical summer of us cranking stuff out. Brian was really on fire with lots of specific ideas. On "California Role," he dictated that exact drum beat. He is a very underrated rhythmic brain. He hears drums orchestrally, so you get a lot of interesting patterns—like those rhythms in "Good Vibrations." Because of Phil Spector's influence Brian is way into the "big boom."
Did he leave all the engineering to you?
Yes—though he would dictate his wishes. He would ask for more bottom out of a tom, for example. I must say that he is very aware of the vocals. These were just demos, so I would mess around with the songs later, because when Brian was here it was all about working fast. On "Mexican Girl" Brian laid down the keyboard and the vocal, and then he left. He let me stack percussion and trumpet and handclaps and guitar. He really liked it.
A snippet of an old Beach Boys' song, "Can't Wait Too Long," appears on That Lucky Old Sun. That is some really beautiful, classic Brian Wilson vocal arranging.
It's a C chord moving from a low to a high octave. The main uppermidrange part begins on the seventh, then it's about those C chords. It's a classic Brian sensibility of where to place the vocals. The basic harmony is a I-III-V progression, and we all move together—though Brian will experiment with people moving at different times. He tends to really be into sevenths and sixes—things that "rub" in a nice way.
What is it about Brian's approach to creating music in the studio that you find most strange?
I think it's the fact that cymbals annoy him. If you want that kind of highend percussive information, Brian tends to want to hear it from a tambourine or a shaker. That, and he always wants the drums to be more thuddy.
As Brian Wilson's right hand man, Mark Linett began working with Brian on his first solo album, Brian Wilson, which was released in 1988. He has been involved in various Beach Boys reissues, such as The Pet Sounds Sessions box set, which earned him a Grammy nomination in 1998, as well as Wilson's Smile album, for which Linett received a Grammy nomination for best engineered recording.
After working so closely with Brian Wilson on so many albums over the years, what would you say is his current perspective on the recording process?
Brian stopped worrying about the technical process when serious multitrack recording came in. Like a lot of people from that era, when it went from three to four tracks cut live in the studio to bigger track counts and layering and overdubbing, Brian stayed with the arranging and producing mode, and he left the engineering side to other people. Brian always knows what he wants to hear, but he still talks about recording in terms of tracks. He has no need or interest in knowing the intricacies of Pro Tools, and why should he? He doesn't like looking at a computer screen all day.
So at this point, he leaves it up to you?
Brian knows about flying vocals in, and how easy that is to do. That would never have been conceived of ten years ago, much less 40. He just approaches it from the artistic standpoint. It's more about the convenience now. We don't have to tell him we just ran out of tracks so we have to stop and make a slave or do a punch again.
Did Brian discuss with you the overall sonic sense he wanted for That Lucky Old Sun?
Not on this one. He did that pretty extensively when we recorded SMiLE.
What exactly did Brian want to hear on SMiLE?
We conceptualized doing it the way it was recorded in the '60s. We did multitrack, but we put everybody in the same room [Studio One] at Sunset Sound, where Brian recorded some of the original SMiLE and Pet Sounds sessions. Brian felt like that room was an integral part of that piece, and that it would be better to cut it that way, rather than try to make it sound like that after the fact with extra reverb and the like. We even cut the strings and horns live, though they were in an isolation booth.
What does Brian listen for while his band is tracking?
A good take—and any obvious blunders. Some arrangement changes were made on the floor. This is something they had already played live as a 36-minute suite of songs at London's Royal Festival Hall. Although this music had been performed, and we actually already recorded a live version at that point, once you get in the studio, things tend to change. SMiLE and That Lucky Old Sun were both put on their legs before we went in the studio. That is why we could cut this so quick. Everyone knew their parts.
There are moments on That Lucky Old Sun that recall Pet Sounds and other classic Beach Boys' records. Did Brian want a similar production sound?
The concept was to make the album slightly drier-sounding and more modern. Less reverb seems to be equated with a more-modern sound than the traditional Brian Wilson sound, but the finished mix sounds good.
The new album is arranged like a suite with no breaks between tracks. How did you record with that in mind?
The songs are distinct, and there aren't any segues, per se, except for the narration. But you can split it all up pretty easily. In a couple of cases, the band played the first couple of bars of the next section. The arrangement of the pieces we already knew—how these things connected timing-wise and arrangement-wise. The whole thing was arranged in demo form close to what was ultimately recorded. Then, the players learned to record it as one piece of music. By the time it got to the studio, all the pre-work was done—which is why it only took us two days to record the basic tracks.
I spoke with [drummer] Todd Sucherman, who mentioned that Brian would offer ideas that wouldn't seem to work in theory, but worked great in application.
That is something Brian is renowned for. One story has it that Brian was doing a session in the '60s with 15 guys, and he dictated a chord to the players, and somebody said, "Brian, that doesn't fit with the root." Brian said, "When I add the vocals it will." If you want a wonderful example of that, go to disc five of the Good Vibrations box, and listen to the backing track of "I Get Around." Understand that when that basic track was cut nobody was singing, and Brian had the whole conception of the record with the vocals in his head. On the second "Round, round, get around, I get around" before the vamp, you'll hear a chord you won't expect, and no one plays that chord live. It is a very odd chord, but it works perfectly with the vocals. It blew my mind that he had a bunch of musicians play that track knowing in his head what it would sound like with the vocals, but without hearing it. That's an amazing piece of work.
Is that reflected at all in the way Brian works now?
Yes, you get that sense. If Brian is doing his own backgrounds—as on the demos—he will build up a vocal stack equivalent to what he would do with his current band, or like he did with the Beach Boys. It's like he's a tape recorder, and you are just playing it back. Brian will lay down the first part, double and triple it, and then do the second part the same way. He will have the harmony structure in his head, and he will simply nail the parts. If others are doing the backgrounds, he directs each person—he has it all figured it out.
How does Brian like to record his vocals?
It's usually just him and me. We'll do a couple of takes, and once we get a take we think is pretty much there, we might do a little comping, and then go back and check different lines in different verses. I don't really get too many comments from him about the sound of his voice. We've used a variety of mics over the years. For this, it was pretty much a Neumann M49—though I've used a U67 a lot. He doesn't seem to mind which mic we use. One of the things that Chuck Britz—who did most of the recordings from the '60s—used to talk about was that he would record Brian's lead vocal on the equivalent of a Shure SM57. I can tell listening to the old recordings when that is happening, or when he is using an old Neumann U47, because you can hear a lot of wind blast. That didn't concern them in those days, because anything below 50Hz was chopped off the record in mastering.
What would you say is Brian's basic vocal tonality?
As he has aged, his voice has gotten a bit lower. When he was younger, he could hit ridiculous notes with his falsetto. He tailors his voice now toward a more mature sound. I record his vocals pretty much flat—usually through a custom Universal Audio 610 preamp. There is very limited EQ on that, so I will sometimes add low end—although I don't like to add EQ when I record. One of the advantages of high-resolution digital recording is that you don't have to worry so much about signal-to-noise. Back in the day, you had to be more conscious of putting something to tape because you weren't going to be able to process it much in the end. Now, we have a lot more flexibility in terms of EQ and compression. I tend to record Brian more with compression than with EQ. I don't want to over-EQ his vocals, because I know it will be a different sound by the time we add everything else.
How many background vocalists did Brian have you record for That Lucky Old Sun?
We set up a quad pattern—four sets of baffles together so the seven vocalists could sing facing each other on their own mic. Almost everything is doubled.
What personal changes have you seen in Brian, as far as being a recording musician, over the course of the years?
Brian has had a troubled life. But I have to say he has become so much happier and grounded and independent since I first met him. One of the biggest things was when he finished SMiLE. Everyone has been talking about this album for 40 years, obsessing about the album that never was. But Brian had also been carrying that around with him all this time, and it was a major turning point for him when he was finally able to finish that piece of music.
We mixed SMiLE in three sections. Brian is not somebody to sit around and watch digital paint dry. Darian Sahanaja was involved, and when we got each section together we would have Brian come down, play him the whole thing to get his changes, and then he would take a CD home. When we had done that the third time, I said, "Brian, that's it. That's SMiLE completed." It's not an exaggeration to say that when he realized SMiLE was finally finished, Darian and I literally saw something change in him.
It's interesting to think of somebody like Brian who isn't like most of us. Most of us are programmed to follow the mantra of "This too shall pass." Most of us can get over death or a disability, and it makes sense, because it's what we have to do to survive. But Brian isn't able to put things aside. A disappointment like SMiLE wasn't something of which he could say, "Okay, it didn't work, I will go on to something else." Brian did great work after that, but SMiLE haunted him for all those years.
So the change I've seen is in his level of confidence and happiness that he finally completed something that was so important to him. That was the peak of his art at that point of time. Up to that point in 1967, making and recording music was the joy of Brian's life. SMiLE began that way, but by the end it was a horribly painful experience for him to work on, and that is why he dumped it rather than allow it to completely destroy him. And he suffered for it. It took Brian a long time to come back from that. Finishing SMiLE was a big deal for him personally. He realized this thing that had been hanging there for 40 years was now finished. He completed what he started in 1967, and now he's moving on.


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Zurich Sights
From the northern tip of the Zürichsee, the Limmat River starts its brief journey to the Aare and, ultimately, to the Rhine—and it neatly bisects Zürich at the starting gate. The city is crisscrossed by lovely, low bridges. On the left bank are the Altstadt, the grander, genteel pedestrian zone of the old medieval center; the Zürich Hauptbahnhof, the main train station; and Bahnhofplatz, a
major urban crossroads and the beginning of the world-famous luxury shopping street Bahnhofstrasse. The right bank constitutes the livelier old section, divided into the Oberdorf (Upper Village) toward Bellevue, and the Niederdorf (Lower Village), from Marktgasse to Central and along Niederdorfstrasse, which buzzes on weekends. Most streets between Central and Bellevue are pedestrian-only zones, as is the Limmatquai from the Rudolf-Brun-Brücke to the Münsterbrücke.
Similar to the arrondissement system in Paris, Zürich is officially divided into a dozen numbered Kreises (districts), which spiral out clockwise from the center of the city. Kreis 1, covering the historic core, includes the Altstadt, Oberdorf, and Niederdorf. Zürich West is part of Kreis 5. Most areas in the city are commonly known by their Kreis, and a Kreis number is generally the most helpful in giving directions.
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