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Content – Why So Much Of It Is Garbage Or Irrelevant!
B&T's regular columnist, contrarian and rabble-rouser, Robert Strohfeldt from Strohfeldt Consulting, is back with his first column for 2017. Here he has a stab at the crap content inundating all our lives and tips to make sure yours finds its audience…
That an industry has grown from nothing out of such an incredibly broad term is remarkable. Content covers everything from movies to live sport and accountants' newsletters to POS merchandising. To say you are a "content" company is like saying you help people – anything from a tour guide to a cardiothoracic surgeon.
Leaving out content such as movies, TV programming, streaming and the like, it is estimated that over 90 per cent of the content produced is not viewed.
We know that people are both time poor and have never had so many "content" options. A good friend, who is a Professor of market research, recently said to me, "Marketers take their products way more seriously than consumers do."
For marketers, their products and brands are their life for 40, 50 or whatever number of hours they spend a week working. Consumers, unless it is a high-cost purchase, give only a few moments thought to most purchases they make (and many are are simply habitual).
This fixation has been the case since I first joined an ad agency in 1983. We used to joke that clients think consumers sit around in their lounge rooms just waiting for their ad to come on TV.
I always get a chuckle when people, who were not around in the 80s and 90s, earnestly tell me how everything has changed today. No argument that the landscape has changed dramatically, but the fundamentals of consumer behaviour remain unchanged. Consumers have been getting continuously "smarter" since commerce first began and as a result, more demanding.
For example, customer service is no more highly regarded now than it was in, say, 1910. It is just that now the customer has much higher expectations. The same with product quality, ease/availability of purchase, after sales service, "always on" etc. It is the expectations that have changed – technology has allowed for great improvements across the board.
Recently I dug out the notes from a retail workshop I created in 1997 – some 20 years ago. Here are some the key points highlighted:
- Past 20 years has seen rapid secularisation of society.
- General community rejection of establishment institutions
- Rapid shifts in the English language in acceptance if street talk.
- Shift from established, externally defined sources of authority and meaning to the individual and hypothesised legitimacy of viewpoint.
- Described as Post Modernism.
- Evident in Australia. "New Age" rejection of traditional values and science and acceptance of alternative values and medicine e.g. immunisation debate. (Yep, the luddites were around 20 years ago, trying to link immunisation to autism. The Iron Curtain came down in 1989. Millennials have no experience and hence recollection of the oppression and dreadful living standards of all countries oppressed under the yolk of Socialism/Marxism and are agitating for its return).
- Post Modernism coincides with the shift from the industrial to the information eras. Twenty years ago, all information was seen as "useful". The written word was highly regarded, almost sacrosanct. Today, large volumes of useless information must be sifted through to find value. (The amount of useless information on the Internet was an issue even in 1997. Alternative facts?)
- Result for the marketer has been the emergence of "The Super Consumer"
- Not sold to, they buy
- Proactive and demanding
- Armed with product knowledge
- Shop comparatively, but not only on price i.e. health, not tested on animals, ethical investments, political correctness etc
- Seven points of consumer driven marketing:
- Product quality
- Customer focus
- Link brand with broader social values
- Work with the consumer
- Give something back to the consumer
- Be honest
- Respect consumer IQ
Those of us who have been in this business a long time (called experience), find it simultaneously amusing and frustrating to note the regurgitation of points we have been making for a couple of decades being referred to as "new".
The "changes" are not in base consumer behaviour, rather the result of technology providing greatly enhanced quality and consumer knowledge, resulting in much higher level of expectations. For example, consumers are far more health conscious, though the primary drivers are still self- preservation and ego.
Social media was not around in 1997. It is responsible for most of the more ludicrous assumptions that have become entrenched, as the following quote from a recent article demonstrates:
Instagram stories do not need to be shot professionally. They vanish in 24 hours. They humanise brands and forge a deeper connection between social audiences and brands. Instagram Stories can also be a great way for brands to experiment with different kinds of content and see what works before investing marketing dollars in that idea.
Humanise brands and forge a deeper social connection? What next? Take a Big Mac out on a date? Discuss the state of the economy with your new Nikes? It is bad enough that people are now treating animals as if they have the same emotions and feelings as people – called anthropomorphism, as we see with the science challenged Vegans. But treating inanimate objects as if they are people crosses the line into outright craziness.
Consumers do not want "relationships" with brands, rather brands they can trust. It is the absurd notion of relationships that has been responsible for much of the growth of the content industry. (Marriage is the closest relationship we have outside of blood relatives. Yet around 40 per cent of marriages end in divorce!).
On numerous occasions, I have read content producers say what they do is NOT advertising. But times are changing. Another quote from a major Content player:"If Comedy Central can produce ads that are genuinely funny and shareable, they'll be able to get reach and engagement—the two primary KPIs of any ad campaign," said Kevin Delie, the director of publisher development at TripleLift, a software platform for native programmatic ads. "For brands, this means the campaign gets attention, which is everything. For the network, they may be able to save TV revenue that is at risk."
This shows a distinct lack of understanding of advertising.
- This is a media KPI, not creative. It goes without saying that if your target doesn't see your advertising it is not going to be effective. Hardly an epiphany.
- Really? What about relevance, branding and communicating WIIFM (what's in it for me)? Advertising history is littered with campaigns that "engaged" but failed miserably due to being off strategy. It takes more than an engaging piece of communication to make effective advertising.
- Native advertising. Called "advertorials" (been around a long, long time) and involves some level of deceit. For those who cannot come up with relevant and impactful advertising. Certain irony in this – we say the consumer is continuously getting smarter, yet we try and fool them.
With the proliferation of media options, advertisers must now take a far more integrated approach to their communications. Rather than try and cover all possibilities, advertisers should be focusing on the combination of options that gives them the greatest reach and impact. Having as many people in your social media team as the number of people who read your posts is not an effective approach to budget optimisation.
The role of advertising is to sell, not to entertain. With so much competition for attention boring ads don't cut it. But neither do entertaining pieces that do nothing to stimulate purchase.
When I was working on Toyota in the late 1980s, the acronym AIDA was used to describe the desired response from advertising:
A – Attention
I – Interest
D – Desire

subset: commoncrawl


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July 2013 To-Do List: Coastal & Tropical South
Tropical storm season is with us through November. Secure container grown plants and trees and remove any diseased branches from trees. Slightly reduce the umbrellas of trees and open up their internal air flow to help protect them during high winds. Unfortunately, ongoing weeding is the featured task for the following few months. Survey your garden daily for signs of insects or disease. Worms missing? No worries! They have gone deeply underground to stay cool.
Vegetables, Herbs and Fruits
• Prune tropical fruit trees after the harvest has been completed. Keep up with removing fallen fruit.
• Harvest your cucumbers, melons and beans. Keep plants picked clean to keep them producing.
• Prepare to harvest corn and the last of the tomatoes this month. You may be able to extend the tomatoes' growing season by pruning them to 12 inches. Keep them watered and mulched well. They will not set new fruit while the temperatures are this warm, but you may have some success in the fall with a new flush of vegetables from this original stock.
• Transplant celery and sweet potatoes.
• Begin starting seedlings indoors for your fall vegetable garden, keeping the soil moist until the seeds germinate. Provide seedlings with at least 6 hours of sunlight or artificial light, fertilizing once a week with a water soluble fertilizer.
• Deadheading spent flowers promotes continuous blooming in most annuals and perennials.
• Continue to sow seeds of cosmos, globe amaranth, lisianthus, marigolds and sunflowers. They will grow quickly if kept watered, blooming in late summer.
• Cut back long lived annuals (coreopsis, gaillardia and vinca) for abundant new flowering.
• Higher temperatures and humidity bring the threat of powdery mildew. This often is a problem for zinnias and sunflowers. To help prevent this, water from below, mulch heavily (to reduce splashing of spores from the ground) and remove infected leaves.
• Prune jasmine after they bloom.
• China roses are the toughest types of antique roses for the Coastal/Tropical South. A repeat bloomer throughout the year, the flowers are small and short lived, but the sheer abundance of blooms is a great delight. Red, pink, and white are the primary colors of the China class.
• Feed your Angel trumpets a liquid compost tea or fish emulsion. They are heavy feeders.
• Prune cassia trees, royal poincianas and bougainvilleas after they bloom.
• If there are dead or damaged limbs and branches on your evergreen shrubs and trees, prune them out. If entire branches have died back due to disease or insects, remove the debris from the area immediately and do not compost any of it. Consider spraying large cuts with a fungicide/insecticide combination.
• If older shrubs have not been fertilized this year, use the fall-feeding formula of your choice on them as well. Wait until August to fertilize young shrubs.
• This is a good time to consider applying a pre-emergent weed killer just prior to a heavy rain.
• Dethatch Bermuda grasses every 2-3 years. (Dethatching removes the build-up of dead material from the base of grass plants. This build-up reduces airflow and water reaching the roots.) Many growers suggest fertilizing and deep watering following dethatching. If your turf develops silver or gray spots, brown patches or black rings, suspect fungus. The fungus is often associated with overwatering, either by rain or irrigation.
Image: Shutterstock/hans.sleger


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Thomas Mutch born 1815 in the parish of Nigg, Kincardine christened 3 April 1815 in the parish of Nigg, Kincardine - died 11 May 1900 at 29 Stoneywood in the parish of Newhills
~ His father was James Mutch [J11]
~ Spouse Elizabeth Will born 5 April 1814 in the parish of Bervie, Kincardine - died 13 March 1889 in the parish of Old Machar
They married 13 June 1840 in the parish of Old Machar
Her father was Arthur Will and her mother was Jean Thomson. Arthur was born 1778 and died before 1855, Jean was born 1779 and died 1864.
~ Children were:
Last updated: Sunday, 19th February 2017
Webmaster's notes:
Nancy Loe is related to daughter Mary and has provided the additional material for this family and the link to James + Esther Nicol [J11] as Thomas' parents. See under J11 for a copy of the full information she provided on this family.
I have found Thomas' death registration on the Scotland's People website. This confirms his parents and lists him as a retired fireman.
John Cowie sent details of son Alexander, his marriage to Elizabeth Cowie and their family.
Nancy Loe has since done more research on the information she was provided with for this family and has written the following:
"...I find no evidence of the phantom Jane, with whom he (Alexander) supposedly fathered a daughter, Jane in 1861. I did find an illegitimate Jane Mutch b. in Oct 1860 in St. Nicholas, who is the daughter of Ann Mutch. Alexander had an older sister, Ann, but I suppose there is no way to prove this is our Ann for certain, but I think it's more logical than Alexander as the father."
This seems likely as a Jane Ann Mutch is living with her Grandparents Thomas and Elisabeth in the 1871 census.
Nancy Loe has revisited this family and decided that the information on a son George born February 1851 in Old Machar is incorrect.
I have removed his record from the database.


text: Professional Development for Educators Inspiring educators to reimagine learning. Contact Us Learn With Us Discovery Education's dynamic professional development strengthens teacher effectiveness, empowers school leaders, and increases student engagement. STEM Fuel a cultural shift around STEM or STEAM teaching and learning. Literacy Revolutionize literacy instruction with interactive, engaging opportunities. Going Digital Engage in thoughtful exploration of strategies, resources, and methods to target today's digital learners. Teacher Leadership Develop Teacher Leaders to scale systemic improvement. Leading Change Strengthen instructional leadership practices to nurture a culture of excellence. Science Foster inquiry-based instruction to build scientific thinking as well as conceptual understanding. Social Studies Infuse strategies that encourage students to read, write, and think like a historian. Math Engage all students in deep thinking, modeling, and application of mathematical concepts. Discovery Education has teamed up with Wilkes University to give teachers the tools to thrive in the 21st-century classroom. Learn More Featured Learning Experiences Digital Leader Corps Digital Leader Corps is a multiyear system for professional development and leadership employed to fuel an innovative change movement. This program has been intentionally designed to empower and grow Teacher Leaders as they drive system transformation, build a culture of continuous improvement, and maximize impact on student learning. STEM Foundations A variety of professional development experiences that provide foundational support around STEM teaching and learning within a district, cohort, or school. STEMformation A three-year system for professional development and leadership designed to build and sustain a culture of STEM teaching and learning, which includes robust STEM professional development, ongoing job-embedded coaching, and administrative leadership. This comprehensive partnership will engage key stakeholders to create a shared STEM vision; develop educators and administrators; cultivate inquiry-based, transdisciplinary instruction; and prepare our future workforce. STEM Leader Corps Create a sustainable, more effective model for building capacity. STEM Leader Corps is a four-year system for professional development and leadership intentionally designed to scale and sustain a culture of STEM teaching and learning. STEM Academy Grow your instructional strength and expand your thinking around STEM. Academies provide one day of immersive professional development at no cost to support educators and leaders in effectively implementing STEM. National Events Discovery Education understands the role vibrant professional development communities play in supporting educators. To help facilitate learning events that work with your schedule, we host in-person, virtual, and blended events, all offered at no cost for community members at all levels. Explore the Events Calendar Previous Slide Next Slide Dr. Bruce Borchers Oak Ridge Schools, TN "By integrating Discovery Education's Science Techbook, along with robust professional development from their cadre of subject matter experts, we have seen measurable progress toward our ultimate goal of providing students the critical skills they will need to be successful not only in STEM, but in any field of their choosing."


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Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Toilet Paper Roll Misting
10 comments:
neato! awesome tut, i shall try it when i run out of a roll :) awesome scrap page!ReplyDelete
I have a tendency to hoard toilet paper rolls too. My husband just can't understand this. I keep thinking I'm going to turn them into napkin rings but I love this technique!ReplyDelete
Cool idea! LindaCReplyDelete
That's a pretty cool technique!!ReplyDelete
I love that as scrappers we look at everything with new eyes... I love this technique and will definately give it a go... TFSReplyDelete
VERY cool!!ReplyDelete
So COOL!ReplyDelete
I love circles!
Better hoard all the tp rolls you can, they are starting to sell it without the tube so in the future there will be no more. Very cool look.ReplyDelete
LOL, love a good repurpose! Great lo!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousApril 20, 2011 at 11:19 AM
That's so funny...i've been saving those rolls for yrs...mostly for the elementary school kids to use, but now i can try this. Thanks for the inspiration!ReplyDelete


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MUNICH, Germany, 10 Sept. 2012.Bombardier Aerospace personnel are demonstrating the company's CSeries aircraft flight deck and cabin demonstrators (interactive, full-scale mock-ups), with Augsburg Airways GmbH in Hangar 3 at Munich Airport until 24 Sept. 2012.
The demonstrators have travelled across Europe, from the Farnborough International Airshow to a roadshow in Riga, Latvia, where they were on display for airBaltic, a new CSeriesaircraft customer.
Steven Aliment, vice president of sales for Europe, Russia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), describes the event as an opportunity to "experience first-hand the CSeries aircraft cabin and flight deck.
"The enthusiasm shown for this aircraft has been very impressive," Aliment says. "Many of our customers such as Lufthansa and airBaltic, as well as potential customers and their crews have previously visited the CSeries aircraft mock-up to get a better sense and feel for the newest standard in cabin comfort and the most technologically advanced flight deck."
Follow Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter.


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So it's back again! This week we had a bit of extra money so we bought some extras (ice cream, yogurt raisins and spreadable cheese) but for the main part we easily stayed under $50
As always here are some wonderful printables to help you menu plan:
Weekly Menu with Grocery List
Monthly Menu with Grocery List
Freezer Cooking Packet
Daily Planner & Menu Planner Packet
Here are some links from previous menu plans:
$50 a Week Menu Plan
Week One Menu Plan
Week Two Menu Plan
B: eggs & toast
L: leftovers
D: BBQ Chicken, mac and cheese, green beans I cook up 4-6 chicken breasts in the crockpot (recipe) I then use these for the bbq chicken (bbq on the side), grilled chicken and the chicken and rice, I just reheat it.
B: Protein Shake (for me) Josh doesn't normally eat breakfast so I don't normally factor him in.
L: Grilled chicken salad Aldi sells a bag of three Romaine lettuce heads for about $3! Score!
D: Chicken and rice I just use a chicken box of rice.
B: Cereal
L: Flatbread Pizza [homemade sauce (recipe)] The flatbread I cannot find at aldi so when I make my kroger run for turkey I pick up flatbread!
D: Meatloaf, baked potato and green beans
B: Protein Shake
L: Turkey Sandwich and serving amount of chips
D: Homemade Tuna Helper (recipe) We both agreed that this is something we probably won't try again, but I'll post the recipe because it wasn't terrible just not a favorite!
B: Protein Shake
L: Cheese quesidilla
D: Chili with tortilla chips I'm going to give you the price breakdown:
2 lb ground turkey $1.96 per pound = $3.92
2 16oz cans tomato sauce $0.69 per can = $1.38
1 can organic dark red kidney beans $1.00 per can
2 packets hot chili mix $1.00 per packet = $2.00
Servings = 8 = $1.16 per serving
B: Protein Shake I LOVE my protein powder, when mixed with milk tastes like a Wendy's frosty!
L: Flatbread pizza For the flatbread pizza I use the homemade sauce, four pepperonis, a slice of mozzarella cheese (to control portion size) and bake at 400 for 7 minutes
D: Tacos with refried beans
B: cereal
L: Leftovers
D: Frozen pizza
**For all these meals I substituted ground beef for ground turkey. We found ground turkey for $1.69 a pound (in 1 pound rolls) at Aldi! I was shocked!
Please let me know if you like the serving size price break down!
Pins I'm excited about:
An amazing quote "the greatest prison people live in, is the fear of what other people think."
A workout shirt I NEED
Easy stuffed crust pizza bites, these look so yummy!!
This amazingly yummy sounding and looking cheesy potato soup!
This DIY new look organizer! I have a ton of these around my house so I want this so bad!


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Lawns: Good Watering Practices
"Many US cities and some states, even in the Northeast, report that 50% of residential water use goes to lawns and landscapes," says Amy Vickers, author, Handbook of Water Use and Conservation (WaterPlow Press), "Over 75% of the river drainage basins assessed in Massachusetts are classified as 'flow stressed,' meaning they suffer from low flows and other types of hydrologic impairments, e.g., water withdrawals that exceed replenishment. The increasing prevalence of automatic irrigation systems and private irrigation wells is one of the main culprits behind these freshwater flow losses."
There are many possible steps individuals can take to reduce their water use while maintaining a beautiful yard. Most of these are very simple and can make a big difference in preventing wasteful watering. These techniques often have additional benefits to the health of your plants.
- When watering, do so only in the morning to reduce evaporative losses and to prevent fungal growth
- Set automatic sprinklers, if any, to run only once per week to encourage deep roots and discourage weed germination and fungus.
- Turn off automatic sprinklers and only water when lawn and plants need it. This would depend on weather conditions, plant types, soil condition and regional water conservation requirements (such as watering bans).
- Water only new grass and plants, wean young plants off watering, and allow mature grass and plants to go dormant during dry spells
- Reduce the area of your lawn by planting perennial gardens, meadows or woodlands
- Choose drought tolerant species when planting
- Add compost and organic matter to soil to improve water retention
- Cover bare soil with mulch or compost or plantings to reduce evaporation
- Collect water in rain barrels for outside watering use during dry spells
As we begin to think in environmentally-friendly ways, a good rule of thumb is "water only when needed." An established organic lawn has an extensive root system, enabling it to find food and water even when it is dry. Such an enhanced root system will enable the lawn to survive many a dry spell. During plant establishment, provide water as needed for the first season. Then wean the plants off water as soon as possible. A new lawn should be "syringe watered" with many light waterings until the new lawn is mowed several times. Then withhold water. The same goes for other types of plants. Water frequently to get the plant established, then water only during extended dry periods or drought.
How will you know if the plant has enough water, especially during a drought? Set up a rain gauge to measure rainfall, then plan to supplement with additional watering only as necessary. A empty tuna can tucked in an out-of-view spot makes a good homemade rain gauge to collect the one inch of water per week that is the maximum amount needed. One inch of overhead watering (from Mother Nature or you) will effectively soak six inches down to the root zone of your lawn and plantings. You can easily check to see if the top six inches of soil is moist by using a long, narrow trowel. Avoid frequent shallow watering that does not penetrate to this six-inch depth, as this practice encourages surface root development, Japanese beetle grub infestation, fungus and root rot.
During periods of drought, a soaker hose system can be a lifesaver for beds and borders. It will deliver water directly to the root zone where plants need it the most. Systems can be connected to timers to help those who travel.
With automatic overhead irrigation systems, be sure to install a sensor that will turn on the system only during dry periods. Never let your system run every day, rain or shine, as it will waste a tremendous amount of water. Water only in the early morning, as necessary, so that moisture can quickly dry on plant leaves. Avoid watering in the middle of the day, when evaporation loss is greatest and much water is wasted. Overhead watering should also be avoided in the evening, when cooler night temperatures inhibit drying, often leading to fungal diseases.
Mulching at the proper depth conserves moisture and is a control aid for disease, insect damage and weeds. Mulch the entire perennial, vegetable or herb bed with one to two inches of shredded leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, buckwheat or cocoa hulls. Wood chips, shredded leaves or finely-ground bark mulches are an ideal mulch at a two to four inch depth around trees and shrubs. However, do not allow the mulch to touch the bark.
Finally, if you really want to save water, plant drought-tolerant species that don't need watering. Many perennials and herbs with silver leaves fall into this category. As an added bonus, their soft color complements both bright, bold colors and the quieter hues.
By Priscilla Williams, Michael Nadeau and Sarah Little
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The nature of mankind does not change, which perhaps is one reason why the lives of the early Christians are so relevant to our lives today. With the exception of Mary, the mother of Jesus, we are all born in a state of original sin, which without baptism and the grace of God, would leave us incapable of overcoming our innate human weaknesses and sinfulness. The life of St Abraham, sometimes known as 'St Abraham the Poor' or 'the Good', and that of his niece St Mary, sometimes known as 'St Mary the Harlot', was set in the 4th century AD, but the purpose and reality of their lives applies equally to the world of the 21st century.
'St Abraham was born at Chidana, in Mespotamia, near Edessa, in about 300AD, of wealthy and noble parents, who after giving him a most virtuous education, were desirous of engaging him in the married state. In compliance with their inclinations, Abraham took to wife a pious and noble virgin; but earnestly desiring to live and die in the state of holy virginity, as soon as the marriage ceremony and feast were over, having made known his resolution to his new bride, he secretly withdrew to a cell two miles from the city of Edessa, where after a search of seventeen days, his friends found him at prayer. By earnest entreaties he obtained their consent, and after their departure walled up the door of his cell, leaving only a little window, through which he received what was necessary for his subsistence. He spent his whole time in prayer, praising God and imploring his mercy. He was possessed of no earthly goods other than a cloak and a piece of sackcloth which he wore, and a little vessel out of which he both ate and drank. Ten years after he withdrew from the world, on the death of his parents, he inherited their great estates, but commissioned a virtuous friend to distribute the revenues in alms deeds. Many resorted to him for spiritual advice, whom he exceedingly comforted and edified by his holy discourses.
A large country town in the diocese of Edessa remained till that time, addicted to idolatory, and its inhabitants had loaded with injuries and outrages all the holy monks and others who had attempted to preach the gospel to them. The bishop at length cast his eye on Abraham, ordained him priest, though much against his will, and sent him to preach the faith to those obstinate infidels. He wept all the way as he went, and with great earnestness repeated this prayer: "Most merciful God, look down on my weakness; assist me with Thy grace, that Thy name may be glorified. Despise not the works of Thy own hands." At the sight of the town, reeking with the impious rites of idolatory, he redoubled the torrents of his tears; but found the citizens resolutely determined not to hear him speak. Nevertheless, he continued to pray and weep among them without intermission, and though he was often beaten and ill-treated, and thrice banished by them, he always returned with the same zeal. After three years the infidels were overcome by his meekness and patience, and being touched by an extraordinary grace, all demanded baptism. He stayed one year longer with them to instruct them in the faith; and on their being supplied with priests and other ministers, he returned to his cell
His brother dying soon after his return thither, left an only daughter called Mary, whom the saint undertook to train up in a religious life. For this purpose he placed her in a cell near his own, where, by the help of his instruction, she became eminent for her piety and penance. After some twenty years, the evil one began to wax violent against her, laying down his wonted snares; for let him once have her webbed in his net, and he could strike grief and anxiety into the holy man and separate at least some part of his mind from God.'
'Now a certain monk, but a monk in profession only, was in the habit of journeying often to visit the old man, under colour of edification. But gazing on that blessed creature through the window, he began to long to speak with her, for wanton lust had kindled his heart like a fire.
For a great while he laid in ambush about her, so that a whole year went by before he had enervated her imagination by the softness of his words. But at last she opened the window of her cell and came out to him: and forthwith he debauched and defiled her with evil and lust.
But when the deed of shame was done, her heart trembled: and tearing the hair shrift that clothed her, she began beating her face with her hands, and in her sorrow would have sought death. Weighed down with anguish she could see no harbour wherein she might tarry and take thought: swayed to and fro on shifting tides of imagination, she wept that she was no longer what she had been, and her speech was broken with wailing.
"From this time forward," she said, "I feel as one who has died. I have lost my days and my travail of abstinence, and my tears and prayers and vigils are brought to nothing: I have angered my God, and have destroyed myself. Sorrow upon me, with every spring of tears! I have bowed down that saint my uncle, with grief most bitter: shame has gone over my soul: I am become the devil's mock. Why should such as I live on? Sorrow upon me, what have I done? ………
Where shall I flee to hide? Where can I find a pit wherein to throw myself? Where was my uncle's teaching, and the counsels of Ephraem his friend, that would urge me to abide in my virginity and keep my soul unsullied for the immortal Bridegroom? For thy Bridegroom, they would say, is holy and jealous. Sorrow upon me …… Better to go away to some other country where there is no one who could know me, for I am nought but a dead woman now, and there is no hope left to me any more."
So she rose, and made her way to another city, and changing the garb of her youth, took refuge in a certain brothel.
'Now at the time that ruin thus befell the maid, a vision came to the holy man in his sleep. For he saw a huge and monstrous dragon, most foul in its aspect and strongly hissing: it seemed to issue from a certain spot and come up to his cell, and there it found a dove and gulped it down, and again returned to its den.
Wakening in heavy sadness, he began bitterly to weep, for he judged that Satan had roused up a persecution against the Church of God and that many were turned from the truth, or that some schism had been begotten in holy Church.
Falling on his knees, he prayed to God, saying, "Thou that art God foreseeing all things, Lover of men, Thou knowest what this vision may mean."
Again after two days he saw the same dragon come in like fashion to his cell, and it laid its head under its paws and burst asunder: but that dove which it had devoured was found alive in its belly: and he reached out his hand and took it alive.
Waking from sleep, he called that blessed maid once and again, thinking that she was in her cell. "What ails thee, Mary my daughter," said he, for thus was she called, "that for two days thou hast not opened thy mouth in praise to God?" But when there was no answer, and since for two days he had not heard her singing as she was wont to do, he understood that his vision must surely touch her close.
Then he sighed and wept sore. "Sorrow upon me," he said," for a cruel wolf has stolen my lamb, my daughter is made captive." And lifting up his voice, "Christ," he said weeping, "Saviour of the world, send Mary my lamb back to me again, and restore her to the fold of life, that my old age go not in sorrow from the world. Despise not my beseechings, Lord, but be swift to send Thy grace, to cast her forth unharmed from the dragon's mouth."
Now the two days which he saw in the vision were measured by the passage of two years, wherein his niece led a wanton life, as in the belly of that monstrous dragon: but through all that time the saint not once relaxed his mind by day or night from entreating God for her.
So then, it was two years before he discovered where she was and how she lived: and he asked a singular good friend of his to go to the place and find out all he could. The friend set out, and coming again he told him all the truth, and how he himself had seen her.
At the old man's asking, he brought him a military habit, and a horse to ride.
So he opened his door, and dressed himself in military garb, and set a great hat upon his head, so as to cover his face: but he also took a gold piece with him, and got up on the horse, and made all haste upon the road. Even as one desirous of spying out a country or a city will put on the garb of its inhabitants lest he be recognised: so did the blessed Abraham make use of the garb of the enemy to put him to rout.
Come now, brothers beloved, and marvel at this second Abraham. The first Abraham went forth to do battle with the Kings, and smote them and brought back his nephew Lot: but this second Abraham went forth to do battle with the Evil One, and having vanquished him, bring home again his niece in a greater triumph.
So then, arrived at the town, he stepped aside into the tavern, and with anxious eyes he sat looking about him,glancing this way and that in hopes to see her. The hours went by, and still no chance of seeing her appeared: and finally he spoke jestingly to the innkeeper. "They tell me, friend," said he,"that thou hast a very fine wench: if it were agreeable to thee, I should like well to see her."
The innkeeper regarded the hoary head, the old frame bowed with its weight of years, and in no hope that this desire for a sight of her was prompted by lechery, made reply that it was indeed as he had heard: that she was an uncommon handsome lass. And indeed Mary in beauty of body was fair, well-nigh beyond aught that nature demandeth.
The old man asked her name, and was told they called her Mary. Then, with merry countenance, "Come now," said he, "bring her in and show her to me, and let me have a fine supper for her this day." So they called her: but when she came in and the good old man saw her in her harlot's dress, his whole body well nigh dissolved in grief. Yet he hid the bitterness of his soul behind a cheerful countenance, and checked by force of his manhood the starting tears, for fear that the girl might recognise him and take flight.
So as they sat and drank their wine, the great old man began to jest with her. The girl rose and put her arms about his neck, and kissed him. And as she did so she smelt the fragrance of austerity that his lean body breathed, and remembered the days when she too had lived austere: and as if a spear had pierced her soul, she gave a great moan and began to weep: and not able to endure the pain in her heart, she broke out into words, "Woe's me, that am alone unhappy!"
The innkeeper was dumbfounded. "What ails thee, mistress Mary," said he, "to burst out all of a sudden into this sore lamenting? It is two years today that thou hast been here, and no one ever heard a sigh from thee or a sad word: indeed I know not what has come over thee."
"I had been happy," said the girl, "if three years ago I had died."
At this, the good old man, afraid that she might recognise him, spoke to her genially enough. "Now, now!" said he, "here am I come to make merry, art going to begin the tale of thy sins?"
Marvellous is the ordering of Thy mercy, O God most high! Thinkest thou the maid did not say in her heart, How comes it that this old man's look is so like my uncle's? But Thou, that are alone the lover of men, from whom all good wisdom comes, Thou didst order it that she could not recognise him and flee in shame. It would indeed be past belief, were it not that the tears of Thy servant her uncle, had come before Thee, so that Thou didst deign out of impossibility to make the possible.
So then, the good old man produced the gold piece he had brought with him and gave it to the innkeeper. "Now, friend," said he, "make us a right good supper, so that I may make merry with the lass for I am come a very long journey for love of her."
O wisdom as of God! O wise understanding of the spirit! O memorable discretion in salvation! Throughout fifty years of abstinence he had never tasted bread: and now without a falter eats meat to save a lost soul. The company of the holy angels, rejoicing over the discretion of the blessed man, were mazed at that which he ate and drank, light-hearted and nothing doubting, to deliver a soul sunken in the mire.
O wisdom and understanding of the wise! O discrimination of the discerning! Come, marvel at this madness, this reversal, when an upright and wise and discreet and prudent man is made a reckless fool to snatch a soul from the jaws of a lion, and set free a captive bound and thrust away from its chains and its dark prison-house.
When they had feasted, they went to the girl's room. The old man took her hand, then taking the hat from his head and his voice breaking into weeping, "Mary, my daughter," said he, "dost thou not know me?"
What shall I call thee, O good servant of Christ, I know not. Shall I say that thou art continent or incontinent, wise or foolish, discreet or reckless? But all these things thou hast done to the praise and glory of Christ, this long journey of many halting places, this eating of flesh and drinking of wine, this turning aside to a brothel, to save a lost soul. While for our part, if we have to say but one useful word to our neighbour, we look forward to it all with sore distress.
" My heart, was it not I that brought thee up? What has come to thee, my child? Who was it destroyed thee? Where is that angel's garb thou didst wear, my daughter?
Where is thy continence, thy tears, thy vigils, thy bed on the ground? How didst thou fall from heaven's height into this pit, my daughter? Why, when thou didst sin, didst thou not tell me? Why didst thou not come to me there and then? And indeed I would have done thy penance for thee, and my dear Ephraem too. Why didst thou act like this? Why didst thou desert me, and bring me into this intolerable sorrow? For who is without sin, save God Himself?"
This and much else he said: but all the while she stayed in his hands, motionless as a stone. Fear and shame had filled her full.
And again the old man began, weeping, "Mary, child, wilt thou not speak to me, half of my heart? Was it not because of thee, my child, that I came here? Upon me be this sin, O my daughter. It is I that shall answer for thee to God at the Day of Judgement. It is I that shall give satisfaction to God for this sin."
And until midnight he sought to comfort her, with such words as these, encouraging her with many tears. Little by little she took courage, and at last she spoke to him, weeping, "I cannot," she said, "look on your face for shame. And how can I pour out a prayer to God, so foul as I am with the mud of this uncleanness?"
Then said the holy man, "Upon me be thy guilt, my daughter: at my hand shall God requite this sin: do but listen to me, and come, let us go home. For look you, there is our dear Ephraem grieving sore for thee, and for ever pleading with God for thee. Be not mistrustful, daughter, of the mercy of God; let thy sins be as mountains, His mercy towers above His every creature. We read that an unclean woman came to Him that was clean, and she did not soil Him, but was herself made clean by Him: she washed the Lord's feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair.
"If a spark can set on fire the sea, then can thy sins stain his whiteness: it is no new thing to fall in the mire, but it is an evil thing to lie there fallen. Bravely return again to that place from whence thou camest: the Enemy mocked thee falling, but he shall know thee stronger in thy rising. Have pity, I pray thee, on my old age: grieve for the travail of my white head: rise up, I implore thee, and come with me home. Fear not: mortal man is apt to slip: but if he be swift to fall, swift is he to rise again with the succour of God who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be healed and live."
Then she said, "If you are sure that I can do penance and that God will accept my atonement, behold I shall come as you bid me: go before and I shall follow your goodness and kiss the track of your feet, you that have so grieved for me, that you would draw me out of this cesspit. And laying her head at his feet, she wept all night, saying, "What shall I render to Thee for all this, O Lord my God?"
When dawn had come, the blessed Abraham said to her, "Rise up, daughter, and let us go home to our cell." And answering him, she said, "I have a little gold here, and some clothes, what would you have me do with them?" But the blessed Abraham made answer, "Leave all those things here, for they were earned from the Evil One."
And they rose up and went away. And he set her upon his horse and led it, going before, even as the good shepherd, when he has found his lost sheep, carries it with joy upon his shoulder: and so the blessed Abraham, with joy in his heart, journeyed along the road with his niece.
And when he had come home, he set her in the cell which had been his own, and himself remained in the other. And she, clad in her hair shift, did there abide in humility of soul and in tears from the heart and the eyes, disciplining herself with vigils and stern travail of abstinence, in quiet and modesty, unweariedly calling upon God, bewailing her sin but with sure hope of pardon, with supplication so moving that no man, even were he without bowels of compassion, could hear her sorrowful crying and not be stirred.
For who so hard-hearted as to know her weeping, and himself not weep? And who but gave God thanks for the true repentance of her heart? Indeed her repentance, compared with such prayers as ours, surpassed all measure of grief. So urgently did she pray God to pardon the thing she had done that she obtained from on high, a sign that her penitence was accepted.
And God the compassionate, Who will have no man perish but that all should come to repentance, so accepted her atonement, that after three full years He restored health to many at her prayer. For crowds flocked to her, and she would pray to God for their healing, and it was granted her.
And the holy Abraham, after living for another ten years in this life, and seeing her blessed penitence, and giving glory to God, rested in peace in the seventieth year of his age. During his sickness prior to death, it seemed that almost the whole city and country flocked to receive his benediction; and after his death everyone strove to procure some part of his clothing for themselves, and many sick were cured by touching these relics.
Mary lived on another five years, yet more devoutly ruling her life, and persevering night and day in prayer to God, with lamentations
and tears. But when the hour of her sleeping came, wherein she was taken up from this life, all that saw her gave glory to God, for the splendour of her face. "Her countenance appeared to us", says St Ephraem, "so shining, that we understood that choirs of angels had attended at her passage out of this life into a better."
N.B. St Ephraem (ca. 306 – 373 AD), Syriac deacon of Edessa, and prolific Syriac-language hymnographer and theologian of the 4th century. Particularly honoured by the Syriac Christians, he wrote a wide variety of hymns, poems and sermons in verse, as well as prose biblical exegesis. These were works of practical theology for the edification of the church in troubled times. He was a contemporary and friend of both St Abraham and his niece St Mary, and to him is attributed the above account of St Abraham's mission.
With acknowledgement to 'Butler's Lives of the Saints', Virtue & Co.1949; also 'The Desert Fathers', edited by Helen Waddell, published Collins 1936.
O Mary, refuge of sinners and comfort of the afflicted, pray for us, and guide and protect our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.


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Order: Guide to Becoming A 'Healing Parent'
Nurturing and dependable relationships are the building blocks of healthy childhood development.
Our Treatment
We are leaders in providing attachment disorder and trauma therapy for families, couples and individual adults
Adult/Couples Therapy
Though there are many similarities in the human experience, we all have unique qualities and problems. You are an important part of the treatment team. We develop a customized program to meet an individual's and/or couple's needs through an ongoing blend of assessments and interventions.
The primary goal of treatment is positive change — new choices, perspectives, options, behaviors, coping strategies and relationships. We explore areas such as anger management, conflict resolution, communication skills and improved self-image.
Family Therapy
Parents often tell us traditional psychotherapeutic approaches have not been effective with their severely attachment-disordered children, who lack the trust and ability to form a working alliance basic to success in therapy. Our family-systems approach and use of Corrective Attachment Therapy focus on assessing and changing relationship patterns.
Dr. Terry Levy offers therapists Life Script: a free tool for starting discussions about family-of-origin issues.
Outpatient Therapy
For more than 30 years, our practice has provided outpatient therapy to the people of Evergreen, Colo., and surrounding Colorado communities. Our team offers outpatient therapy in individual and group settings. Our services help adults, couples, children and families.
We are experts in treating substance abuse, trauma, school issues, parenting, problem solving, anxiety, depression and family issues — especially in blended families.
Intensive Outpatient Program
World-recognized psychologists Terry Levy and Michael Orlans originally developed this treatment format to provide help for children and families needing specialized services unavailable where they live. For more than 20 years, families and couples have traveled to Evergreen from every region of the United States and from other countries to receive therapy for attachment-related trauma.
Professional Training
Terry Levy, Ph.D., B.C.F.E. is an internationally respected teacher, trainer and clinician with an expertise in the treatment of trauma and attachment disorders in children, teens, adults and couples. Throughout the year, he offers training for mental health and social service professionals from his home base at the Evergreen Psychotherapy Center in Evergreen, Colo.; and at seminars hosted across the United States and around the world.
Your Most Important New Year's Resolution? Self-Care
As the new year gets underway, resolutions and fresh starts are on many people's minds. Practicing better eating, exercise and financial habits are frequently in the mix of changes we want to make. But what about better self-care when it comes to your mental and...
The Evergreen Experience
Over more than 30 years of building Evergreen Psychotherapy Center to be an internationally recognized practice with expertise in the treatment of attachment and trauma issues, we have worked with thousands of children and adults. We have also collaborated with...
Experiential Change and Healing: Transformative relationships and interventions
As we discussed in the first blog of this series on Experiential Change and Healing, research shows the critical impact of negative early childhood experiences such as trauma, abuse or abandonment on everything from brain development to an individual's ability to...


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WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com
"As another storm threatens the Gulf Coast, I'm praying for the safety of all those in Hurricane Ike's path, and urge everyone to heed the warnings of local authorities and seek safer ground immediately. Those who choose to stay are putting not only themselves at risk, but the emergency personnel working to ensure their safety. Now is the time to help those who want to leave but aren't able to – and once the storm passes, we must work to provide swift relief wherever it is needed," said Senator Barack Obama.
I've been to Houston many times and know it doesn't take much for it to flood.
Everybody stay safe.
Update from Matt: If you want to see how the local news is reporting this, this site is streaming 3 Houston affiliates. (I could only get it to work with IE, not Firefox).
At left is the water level in Galveston. The red line is the observed water level. The dip is due to low tide at 10:44 PM local time. High tide is at 3:19 AM. I would guess that at some point this measurement device will just fail.
Sat AM update: Ike jogged north at the last minute, and made landfall just north of Galveston, which luckily kept the maximum storm surge lower then expected:


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At age 38 I am NOT supposed to be getting stronger and better, according the naysayers and the "experts" that is. In fact, even if you are younger OR older than me, you likely hear from everyone else... all the "experts", that you shouldn't do this or should do that.... bla bla bla I've been training since 1989 and have been training others literally since my high school days, when friends would call me so I could meet them at the gym and train them. I wanna share some hard hitting lessons … [Read more...]
Upper Body Blast & Training Mental Toughness
This blog post and video will fire you up to crush an upper body workout and to start attacking your training the same way ya gotta attack life. I seriously see NO other way to be, whether it's life OR lifting. This style of training keeps my mind in check, pushes me mentally and physically, reminds me that I CAN kick ass and go BIG, regardless of what is happening the world. The gym is a place of sanctuary. In life, to succeed at anything, ya gotta be TOUGH. That is why I train for Strength, … [Read more...]
You Are Better Than That
People have gotten infected by the lazy virus, as my friend Mark "Smelly" Bell calls it. ha ha YOU are better than that. Everyday, you MUST aim to get better by at least 1%. That shyt adds up, bruthas & ladies. When you make a mistake, get back up, learn from it, correct it and move onward & upward. LIVE The Code..... [youtube width="640" height="360"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT8aYrBr4oc[/youtube] Would love to hear about lessons you've learned in your life & how you … [Read more...]
Being a GREAT Strength Coach, Gratitude & Upper Body Blastin'
First off, BIG thanks to Dan Gibson for hooking me up with a kick ass shirt and a HUGE congrats to him for his success. I LOVE hearing success stories from Dudes who've rolled through my Underground Strength Coach Cert. As you can see, I believe in constant education, regardless of whether or not you're a Strength Coach or simply an active lifter chasing greater strength, muscle, speed and overall BadAss-ness (is that even a word!!??). I ranted before about contacting coaches through NJ, … [Read more...]
15 World Class Bench Press Tips from a BEAST
Let's recap the 14 Bench Press tips from Mark "Smelly" Bell, who holds a BIG 854 lb person best in the Bench Press. 1) When training for speed you will typically be around 40-60% of your max effort, although Mark has seen success with powerlifters using as low as 30% 2) The key to your dynamic work is exactly that, being FAST / EXPLOSIVE! If you're not moving the bar fast then you need to lighten the weight. 3) Don't mistake being fast and under control for fast and sloppy in technique. … [Read more...]
Power-Bodybuilding Workouts
Above, Roger Estep - 1 of the Pioneers of The Power - Bodybuilding Method ___________________ After laying low on training the past month, going minimalist style with low volume & frequency plus chowing down on lots of food lately, I'm gonna put good use to these calories. I felt my body was needing a break coupled with a super hectic work schedule, listening to my body is crucial to staying healthy. My appetite is finally back and my motivation is that of a run away freight train. I … [Read more...]
Return of The Golden Era Bodybuilding Workout
Golden Era bodybuilding is a far cry from many of the bodybuilding methods of today. A focus on free weights, heavy lifting, hard work on the basics and no fads. No fad diets or fad workouts. The bodybuilders from the 70s and prior never questioned if the basics of squats, deadlifts, rows and the like were good enough or not. Today, everyone wants the short cut, the new fad and the easy way. Easy workouts produce weak minds and weak bodies. … [Read more...]
Full Body FREAK Strength Workout, Part II
Let's finish off the Full Body FREAK Strength Workout with some bodyweight circuit training using chains, shall we? Check it out below: Three Rounds of chins, dips and squats. I used 20 lb chains and increased by one chain each set, 20, 40 and 60 lbs total. Finished the night off with ab work and glute ham raises..... lots of glute ham raises! Drop a comment with your thoughts or questions BEASTS! Peace! Lead from the Front! --Z-- PS: Chains are non rust and freaking awesome, get em' from … [Read more...]
Upper Body Workout for Breakfast
On most Sunday Mornings I wake up before the entire house starts moving. I get dressed, brush teeth and head to The Underground. Sunday morning workouts keep me ahead of the pack, keep my edge and allow me to train and do something extra while the rest of the world is still sleeping. The Military Press is a GREAT way to start your day, especially on a Sunday morning. Locking heavy weights overhead forces your entire body to work overtime. Want REAL "core strength"? Lock heavy weights overhead … [Read more...]
How to Kick Ass, Get STRONGER & Get JACKED in a 1 Car Garage Gym
I remember I was 25 or so, and decided to stop training at the local gym. I was finishing Graduate school which was an hour drive each way. Graduate school was wiping me out in addition to working full time, studying my ass off and trying to train in a hard core gym. Hard core gyms were dead..... Somehow, someway, people in the mid 90s began thinking that being Strong & Jacked was not a cool thing. I swear to you this is NO lie. Magazines came out for this specific look and many gym … [Read more...]


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Hello Friends,
Come out on the second Saturday of the month at Portland Brew East 1921 Eastland Avenue, Nashville, TN for another night of words. We are encouraging folks to come early for sign-up and visit with other lovers of spoken word. We start promptly at 6:30, sign-up at 5:30. We finish up by 8:30.
If you need inspiration to write, try our theme: DANGER!
Poetry in the Brew is pleased and honored to announce an icon, The Queen of Nashville Poetry, Navita Gunter as the special guest host for September 8, 2012.
When the lights come on
And the make-up comes off
Will you still want me?
When you discover that my
Feet are large and I have
Hammer toes.
Will you still want me?
When my waist line starts
To expand
And my hair starts to
Turn gray
Will you still want me?
When I have loss my bloom
Of youth
And my wrinkle's start to
Will you still want me?
When my HEALTH is
Less thank perfect
And my memory
Starts to fade
Will you still want me?
Something just hit the door running
I guess I have my answer…..
Navita "Queen of Nashville Poetry"
"Healing the Woman from the Inside Out"
Nashville is a city of community leaders in action. Most of those leaders are women on divinely inspired missions. They are determined to fight for causes that impact not only our city and region but our country. One of those leaders is Navita Gunter. Ms. Gunter has been a warrior on the battle field in the fight against cancer in the Nashville community. She educates women to take charge of their health and to be strong advocates for cancer awareness. Ms. Gunter uses her personal battle with cancer as a catalyst for her mission to educate women to be survivors by early detection.
Ms. Gunter is a cervical cancer survivor. She currently works PT/FT for the department of Revenue with the state of Tennessee. She is the founder of the Cervical Cancer Coalition of Tennessee and was first to give a "voice" to this very devastating disease that even to today no woman wants to talk about freely. Navita is also a poet and writer and has used these tools to educated and increase awareness to women, especially African American women in the community about HPV and cervical cancer which in turn reduce cancer incidence and mortality.


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The public right-of-way is crucial to fostering Play Everywhere and kid-friendly cities. Streets and sidewalks—and, by extension, the pathways, alleys and staircases that bisect city blocks—form the faces and front (or back) doors of our communities. These are the places where we interact and conduct the business of daily life, and where kids come into contact with, learn from and learn how to navigate the adult world. Reclaiming streets, sidewalks and mid-block connections as places for play brings kids front and center in our communities, while serving as a reminder to the broader community that cities are places for kids, too.
Streets, sidewalks and other public rights-of-way offer myriad spaces and opportunities for play. To visualize the range of opportunities for Play Everywhere, it is useful to focus on each of the individual zones and spaces that comprise a street, sidewalk and city block.
Though streets serve as places for vehicular traffic, there are numerous opportunities to reclaim portions of "street space"—the space between the curbs—for play. Cities and communities can:
Each of the many zones and spaces that comprise the streetscape, from the sidewalks themselves to the edges of the streetscape adjacent to the streets and buildings, offers opportunities for play. Cities can integrate playful experiences into streetscapes by:
Along city streets, many leftover spaces—the afterthoughts of buildings and transportation infrastructure—are overlooked or avoided, yet offer untapped potential for play. Some spaces, such as blank and windowless building façades, walls and fences, are simply uninviting or overlooked. Others, such as the spaces underneath bridges, may function as both physical and psychological barriers between neighborhoods because they appear secluded, unattractive and unsafe. Opportunities for reclaiming such "in-between" spaces include:
On some city blocks, a variety of mid-block passages, including service alleys, mid-block pathways and staircases, serve important functions for municipal utilities and services, while connecting people and vehicles more efficiently to their destinations. Yet these spaces are often afterthoughts and hidden from public view because they are not pleasant to navigate. With some imagination, however, these mid-block spaces also have the potential to knit together city blocks by serving as community gathering places, spaces where kids can play without coming into contact with the traffic from adjacent streets and fun routes for walking and bicycling. By taking advantage of mid-block passages, cities can:


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American Colors
With deep roots in the apparel industry, husband and wife team Shannon and Alex Lehr sought out to create a collection of classic silhouettes in the finest quality materials available, exclusively made in the United States.
Founded in 1997 by fashion legend, Henry Lehr, American Colors has always stood for incredible comfort and quality. Our evolution has taken us from the world of garment dyeing to focusing on the most sustainable and organic yarn dyed fabrics from Japan.


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By CAROLINE LOBSINGER
Staff writer
SANDPOINT � The future is up and running at the Jeff Jones Town Square.
After unexpected complications hindered Solar Roadway�s first pilot project when it launched Jeff Jones Town Square site in October, the Brusaws said the problems with lamination of its solar road panels spurred improvements and the panels are now even better than before.
�It�s really nice that we got them in because we wanted to go ahead and do that for Sandpoint, because everybody is waiting and we wanted to be able to get them in in time for everyone to see that snow prevention feature,� said company co-founder Julie Brusaw.
�I was a little gun-shy but we turned them on and they all came up,� added Scott Brusaw.
That didn�t stop them from checking on them frequently during the first few days after the successful installation, the pair admitted.
�We keep going down there to see if there�s anything wrong,� said Julie Brusaw.
�Nope, it�s working,� Scott Brusaw said, finishing the thought as both laughed.
The successful installation in mid-February follows the heartbreak of October�s problems when the start-up�s lamination machine took longer than expected. Done under extreme pressure to remove all air bubbles and hermetically seal the panels to make them weatherproof, instead it damaged the panel�s circuit boards.
At first it was thought the process was taking longer than expected because of the number of panels being cured. It wasn�t until after the cycle, they learned what really had happened � one of the oven�s three heating elements and one of its blowers had shut off. That caused uneven heating and lengthened the heat cycle to 14 hours � more than twice the normal heating time. As a result, the panels were under high heat and extreme vacuum the entire time, Scott Brusaw said.
�We learned our vacuum machine is so strong it tore the circuit boards apart,� Scott Brusaw told the Daily Bee, adding the damage meant only a fourth of the panels worked and some were damaged to the point where they didn�t work at all. After October�s disappointment, Solar Roadways crews went to work and redesigned the circuit boards to handle extreme pressure.
�We put in a couple of layers of redundancies to make sure it could not pull apart and that took a couple of tries,� added Julie Brusaw. �We tried a couple of different things until we found the right solution because we wanted to make sure if that machine went haywire again, the panels wouldn�t be destroyed like they were.�
So many improvements and updates were made to the panels, they garnered a new model number � SR 3.1. To see them in � and working as they should and as they always knew they would � is exciting and gratifying, the Brusaws said.
The next step, they said, is working to acquire funding for mass manufacturing. They�re working with a real estate agent for land to build a facility and exploring different options for funding, from traditional models to franchises and everything in between. It�s a matter of determining what is right for them and their company as well as the planet and the country.
While the problems during the initial installation were a �really expensive lesson,� the Brusaws said they are grateful for what they�ve learned and are thrilled all 30 panels are working exactly as expected � even when the town square was buried under a 2- to 3-foot blanket of snow.
When they arrived at the square, police tape marked off the pilot project from the rest of the square and a tent covered the work area. Again, it took crews most of the night to install the panels since they must be bolted down and bolted to each other.
�We were going to install them the week before but that�s when we got that real clobbering of snow,� Julie Brusaw said, adding that while they waited a bit for conditions to improve, it was still icy, snowy and cold.
�We wanted to get them in while it was still winter so we could, especially kind of perfect during this horrible winter, be able to showcase what these can do for the world. I keep using the hashtag #DisruptWinter � someone came up with that on Twitter and I thought, �Oh, that�s a good hashtag.� Someone said you�re going to #DisruptWinter and so I said, �Yeah, take out all the pain and leave all the beauty of it.�
Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at email@example.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.


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Student Experience Valerie // UI/UX Design by The New York Code + Design Academy
At UI/UX you're actually doing research and tests (…) This part I missed in my previous education. I'm flabbergasted about how cool the UI/UX course is!
What was your motivation to start this course?
I studied Styling at Academy Artemis: great, but what next? To make the next step towards a job you need some kind of specialisation, which I did not feel like having. That's where BSSA comes in great. At Artemis you learn working in concepts, based on your feelings and intuition: Basically, you're creating things on assumptions. At UI/UX you're actually doing research on your target group and test your ideas: that what you want and need to know when designing things. This part I missed in my previous education. I'm flabbergasted on how cool the UI/UX course is!
How were your first two weeks at the UI/UX course?
In our first weeks we got insights into the design process of a UI/UX designer. Basically a company comes up to you with a problem. As a designer you do research on the client and their target audience. We learned all sorts of interview techniques to really get to the core of the actual problem. When you finally know what that is, you define it and analyse it more. After researching you try to come up with solutions, you make prototypes which you test and iterate them to the final design is there.
Can you tell us about the project you're working on right now?
We're now working on a design 'Sprint'. Sprint is a term used in product development, which is a period of time where specific work has to be completed. We put what we learned in the first week into practice, by going through the whole design process based on a company's problem. My group is actually working on a real case for BSSA. It's great to apply the theory we just learned and being able to get feedback and more information from our client. At the end of the Sprint, we'll present our ideas. In future weeks we will be focused on, for example, learning Sketch. It's a design tool for web applications and websites. I'm excited about that!
What do you think is the most valuable thing you're learning?
There's a lot of focus on pitching our ideas. A lot of times it is not even a big presentation, but just telling your problem, ideas or questions in public will keep you sharp and focused on the things that matter in your design process. I can see pitching is super valuable: later on, standing in front of a client, you have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas.
Getting interested in the UI/UX course? Get all the information you need, by applying for our Info Night here!


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Update #1 for Summer 2012Uncategorized September 6th, 2012
It seems like just yesterday that the girls left for Calgary in the last week of June while I held down the fort at TRU. When the girls came back, we headed to Fereral Way (July 9-16) so we could shop (well the girls shopped, I drank beer back in the motel room 😉 and also take a day trip to Mt St Helens. After we got back, Rachel and I decided to head to Lac Le Jeune camping, Sundee and Sarah stayed home as Sarah wasn't feeling well.
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12220 101 Street, Edmonton
Courtesy Of Matteo Saccomanno Of Re/Max Select.
RF3 zoned 50' x 150' lot located in the desirable neighbourhood of Westwood on a prime tree lined street. The lot is ready for redevelopment or subdivision. Perfect option for a side x side duplex or 2 skinnies – the new bylaw means legal basement suites are an option! Excellent investment opportunity as it is in walking distance to NAIT. Easy access to public transit downtown, LRT, Grant MacEwan & University. Highly desirable location for rental properties or for families who want to live in the area!
Back Lane, Fenced, Public Swimming Pool, Public Transportation, Schools, Shopping Nearby, Subdividable Lot
Listing information last updated on January 22nd, 2020 at 10:46pm MST.


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In Praise Of La Bella Lingua
I sincerely hope the story I'm about to relate is apocryphal. I can't vouch for its verity because I found it on a site called Faking News.
Seems there was an incident at a popular vegetarian restaurant in Mumbai in which the cook, busy checking social media rather than tending his pots and pans, burned a patron's order of fried rice. Naturally, the customer was quite upset, refusing to eat the ruined food and threatening to sue the restaurant. A quick thinking manager defused the situation. "My presence of mind kicked in," he said. "So I renamed the dish to Risotto Tonato. A fancy sounding Italian name and within seconds the situation took a u-turn. From screaming at our cook, the customer started praising him for a wonderful dish." Allegedly, the customer not only bought the story and consumed the faux-Italian offering, he also gave the restaurant a five-star rating.
Okay. Not sure I believe it, but it does lend credence to my longtime assertion that everything sounds better in Italian.
Here in the US, a certain "Italian" chain place once made a big hoopty-doo about a new addition to their menu, something they touted as "Piatto di Pollo." Ah, piatto di pollo. Piatto di pollo. It just sort of rolls off the tongue, doesn't it. What could be more Italian than an exotic dish called "Piatto di Pollo?" You want to know what it means? It means "chicken dish." Yeah. Plain ol' "chicken dish." You've got to admit, it sounds better in Italian. And even if the food turns out to be bad, "il cibo succhia" sounds a lot better than "the food sucks."
I think few would deny that Italian is one of the most beautiful, lyrical languages on the planet. It is la bella lingua; the language of music and of art, of love and romance. Some people even get all swoony when they hear someone speaking English with an Italian accent. Come to think of it, Rudolph Valentino never spoke a word onscreen and women fell at his feet. Guess the Italian accent was implied in the title cards.
"I love you" sounds nice in English, but ti amo or ti voglio bene are practically guaranteed to melt the heart, while "baciami" literally invites a kiss. Even less inspiring words sound better in Italian. Doesn't spazzatura sound more appealing than "garbage?" And "dirty words" certainly sounds less offensive in Italian: "sporco parole."
Speaking of dirty words, I sometimes have fun cursing at people or situations in Italian. Not long ago, something had me pissed off and I expressed myself with a colorful Italian phrase or two. Somebody nearby asked me what I had said. I told them. They looked kind of shocked and said, "Wow! It sure sounded nice in Italian."
Reminds me of a story I was told by one of my high school teachers. Mr. Erikson had served in the US Army in Korea. Bunking with a Greek buddy, he picked up a few of those "colorful phrases" himself. And on occasion, he would let one fly. Well, one day he was entering the classroom burdened down with a load of papers. The load shifted and the papers hit the floor and scattered. Justifiably upset, I suppose, Mr. Erikson resorted to his vocabulary of Greek curses. That's when he heard a startled gasp from the back of the room. And as he looked into the wide eyes of student Michael Stavrakos, he made a mental note to himself to be more perspicacious regarding his use of Greek in the future. You just watch; someday I'm going to call somebody "un rompicoglioni" and there's gonna be a shocked Italian in the room. (Probably not too shocked; "rompicoglioni" just means "pain in the ass".)
With around sixty million native speakers, Italian ranks down around nineteenth among the world's spoken languages. But a recent survey reveals that Italian ranks fourth among the world's most studied languages, right after English, Spanish, and French. Such study is hardly a new phenomenon. Writing in 1511, Florentine playwright Giovan Battista Gelli observed, "In our present times, many diverse people of intelligence and refinement, outside Italy no less than within Italy, devote much effort and study to learning and speaking our language for no reason but love." What's more, in many circles nowadays Italian rivals French as the language of culture and refinement.
Another interesting development comes out of a Pew Research study conducted last year (2016). Researchers asked Italians which factors they considered "important for being truly Italian". Surprisingly, only about half of the respondents thought sharing national culture and traditions was a key factor. Fewer than half, just forty-two percent, felt that being born in Italy was "very important" to national identity. But a substantial six in ten Italians believed that learning the Italian language was the most crucial factor and the most critical element to "being Italian".
Italian doesn't even need twenty-six letters to express all that fluid beauty; there are only twenty-one letters in the Italian alphabet. The letters j, k, w, x and y don't exist in Italian, except for in "foreign" words like "jeans." J and k occasionally pop up in some regional dialects, but they are lacking in "official" Italian. And speaking of official, besides being the obvious official language of Italy, Italian is also an official language in Switzerland, Vatican City, San Marino, the European Union, and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. It's also a minority language in Slovenia, Croatia, and Brazil. And there are more than a million Italian speakers in the United States.
In case you were mildly curious, the longest "regular" word in Italian is precipitevolissimevolmente. Meaning "very quickly" it clocks in at twenty-six letters. There are a few specialized medical terms that are longer, but that's generally regarded as the longest word anybody might use in conversation. Although I'm not sure I know anybody who ever has. By the way, the longest word in English is a medical mouthful; "Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis" has forty-five letters and refers to a lung disease.
And you know how nothing in English rhymes with "orange?" Italian has one of those unrhymable words, too. It's the Italian word for "liver," fegato. Unlike other Italian words that end in "-egato," the accent in fegato is on the first syllable, rendering it pretty much impossible to rhyme.
Of course, a big part of the Italian language is expressed not through words but through gestures. You know the old joke: "How do you silence an Italian? Tie his hands." But that's a topic for another day.
For today, try to add a little Italian to your life. Walk into the office and announce a cheery "buongiorno!" Say "grazie" instead of "thank you." Call your significant other "mi amore". Stop by Chick-fil-A at lunch and order un panino di pollo. So what if people think you're pazzo? According to the survey I mentioned earlier, you'll be well on your way to being a true Italian.
Ciao for now.


text: At 03:25 PM 2/8/2002, Andreas Mohr wrote: >If Wine wasn't there at all, then the vendor of such a package would >have to create *everything* from scratch. And would probably not be able to do so. So, we'd all be worse off as a result. It's truly wonderful to have a base of publicly available, truly free software upon which everyone can try to build things (and, if they need to invest money in building them, sell the results when they're done). If it weren't for the BSD TCP/IP stack, for example, there would not be an Internet. It's only because virtually every operating system -- commercial and non-commercial -- could integrate parts of BSD freely that we're able to have this conversation today. (Come to think of it, WINE probably wouldn't exist either.) --Brett


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Deleted from the manuscript or new additions. They look much nicer if you click on them to enlarge.
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Eye fixation patterns in reading and skimming. Adapted from Rayner and Costelhano Scholarpedia article.
Chapter 6
p. 106: The two sides of the linguistic coin. Hearing–>phonology–>speaking.
Design of Morrison et al.'s enrollment cutoff study.


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Photo: Flikr
Anthony Scaramucci is the founder of fund of funds, SkyBridge Capital. Simon Lack, an investment advisor, is the founder of SL Advisors. Recently, these men have realised that they disagree very passionately about something.That 'something' is whether or not it is profitable to invest in a diverse portfolio of hedge funds.
The argument has been unfolding on our site (thrilling for us). Lack says hedge fund diversification this is a stupid idea. Scaramucci, conversely, thinks that Lack's view is "cherry picking at its worst."
Sounds like a healthy argument to us. Especially this part, from Scaramucci's writing on the topic:
Finally, the cynic in me reads beyond the catchy headlines to see that Mr. Lack's firm manages all of$8 million, a number I'm sure he would like increase with all this newfound attention he is getting. Here's the best part… his firm offers a long/short equity strategy.
Pretty fierce.Word is, though, that Scaramucci wants to debate the topic with Lack and settle things once and for all (or for now) and that Lack has declined.
Fair enough, that's his perogative. But if Lack changes his mind about debating, we'd like to volunteer to host. Sounds like it would be rigorous.
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Industry News
Nordfab Ducting Expands Manufacturing Production in U.K.
Nordfab Ducting has expanded it manufacturing and production capacity at its facility in Leeds, England, that will allow the company to provide faster delivery on a wider range of products to customers in the United Kingdom. To promote the expanded capacity and introduce Nordfab products to...comment
Lanxess to Acquire Chemical Businesses in India and China
Specialty chemicals group Lanxess AG is underpinning its long-term growth strategy in the BRIC countries with two acquisitions in Asia. Lanxess subsidiary Lanxess India Private Ltd will acquire the chemical businesses and assets of stock market-listed Indian company Gwalior Chemical Industries...comment
New Manual Material Handling Safety Video/DVD Available
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million workers suffer back injuries every year and three out of four injuries occur while workers are lifting. Summit Training Source introduces Manual Material Handling Safety to train employees on the best safety practices to use while...comment
Martin Engineering Publishes Fourth Edition of FOUNDATIONS Book
Martin Engineering, a leading international supplier of systems and services to improve the handling of bulk materials, has released the fourth edition of its FOUNDATIONS Book, the seminal work on improving belt conveyors by controlling fugitive material. Subtitled "The Practical Resource...comment
QComp Technologies Signs Babush Material Handling Systems as Newest Authorized Distributor
QComp Technologies Inc., a leading robotics integrator, has announced that it has signed Babush Material Handling Systems of Sussex, WI as its newest distributor of palletizing equipment. As QComp's newest authorized distributor, Babush will add the QComp Compact Lean Palletizer (CLP) to its...comment
Intertek and SEI Partner for Testing and Certification of Fall Protection Equipment
Intertek, a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification, has announced that it has been selected as the independent testing laboratory by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) to provide testing for the SEI Fall Protection Certification Program to ANSI/ASSE and CAN/CSA standard...comment
Spiroflow Systems Ships Its Tallest Conveyor Ever
Spiroflow Systems Inc. has shipped a 30-ft-tall vertical mobile aero-mechanical conveyor (AMC), the tallest custom mobile unit ever manufactured by the company, to RATH Refractories Inc. in Milledgeville, GA. The AMC is in the process of being installed at where...comment
Basics of Fine Size Reduction Webinar Offered
Part two of Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems' "Basics of Size Reduction" Webinar will take place June 30 at 2:00 p.m. EDT and focus on selecting the best mechanism for desired size range and material. The Webinar will be a brief presentation on the basic principles of size...comment
AFS to Host Fourth Bi-Annual Emissions Solutions in Transportation Conference
The American Filtration & Separations Society is hosting its fourth Bi-Annual Emissions Solutions in Transportation Conference in Ann Arbor, MI, October 6-8, 2009. The Conference has two separate tracks with short courses Monday, October 5 dealing with the basics of air and liquid filtration as...comment
U.S. Chemical Production Rises for Second Consecutive Month
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC), as measured by a three-month moving average, U.S. chemical production rose by 0.1% in April, following a 0.6% gain in March. Chemical production rose in five of seven regions during April. To smooth month-to-month fluctuations, the chemical...comment


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LDN Muscle co-founders Tom and James Exton's marketing tips
The Plusnet Pioneers and fitness entrepreneurs reveal the marketing strategies that helped them build a global fitness brand with more than 200,000 followers – and how you can too
Co-founders of LDN Muscle (LDNM), Tom and James Exton, have shared the unique marketing insights that helped them organically grow their online fitness brand from a blog into a global business with hundreds of thousands of followers.
The pair are ambassadors for Plusnet Pioneers – a joint programme between business broadband and phone provider Plusnet and Startups.co.uk to help entrepreneurs overcome the challenges they face in funding and marketing to reach their potential.
Alongside the Exton brothers, Plusnet Pioneers 2018 has sourced the expertise of innocent drinks and JamJar Investments co-founder Richard Reed, Mush co-founders Katie Massie-Taylor and Sarah Hesz, and Social Chain co-founder Steven Bartlett.
Discussing the marketing strategies that have brought them success, the twins say you should find out which platform works best for you by testing key social media channels.
As your business grows, this may change depending on the needs of your business. Explore the benefits of different social media platforms for your company.
Tom and James also advise investing at least 10% of your business revenue into your marketing budget, directing money towards whichever platform is delivering the greatest return on investment.
However, they recommend not splashing out on marketing from the outset as "you don't have to spend on social media straight away to get a return". Make the most of the free opportunities social media offers your business before investing in a paid strategy when you start to earn.
Finally, you should have a clear marketing message and establish what your brand is offering consumers that other brands aren't. This will help you to build a loyal base of followers and customers.
The Plusnet Pioneers campaign aims to inspire, inform, and support the millions of small businesses that make up the backbone of the UK's economy. You can find out more information about business broadband and phone provider Plusnet here.


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Other farms and foods will be added as time draws nearer to sitting down at the table.
If you are a farm or producer in our area and would like to be considered for participation, we would love to hear from you!
Our 2019 Farms and Food Artisans
...these are the contributions that are the backgone of our delicious meal
our chefs craft into an outstanding menu like no other
and our gratitude is abundant.
Lumpy's Ice Cream
Wake Forest, NC
Duplin Winery
Rose Hill, NC
Wine Authorities
Durham, NC
Lakeview Pecans
Bailey, NC
Rock of Ages Winery
Durham, NC
Michael's Showside Grill
Spring Hope, NC
Meadow Lane Farm
Louisburg, NC
Fisher Pumpkin Farm
Chapel Hill, NC
Red Hawk Farm
Hurdle Mills, NC
Durham CoOp
Durham, NC
TOPO Distillery
Red Oak, NC
Ice Occasions
Raleigh, NC


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The challenge.
Boost is a firmly established brand in the energy drinks market. But they wanted to hit the next level of success with their full product family. Becoming known for more than their core Energy product and a brand that plays a role in consumers' lives.
Following a three-way competitive pitch, we won the business and got cracking. Our research identified a gap in the market – an opportunity for Boost to own a territory of empowerment.
We wanted to invite people to take charge of their day. This came to life in a new brand mantra – 'Never miss a beat'.
From here we established a voice and identity for each product – Energy, Protein and Sport. Giving each product a defined reason to buy, supported by clear benefits. This helped to differentiate each drink while making them relevant to the broad audience of everyday consumers.
With everything in place, we created Boost's biggest ever campaign. Taking them nationwide with their first ever TV ad.
No one has ever captured the essence of the Boost brand so accurately. Intermarketing has been invaluable in developing and producing all our creative comms. They have pushed our thinking with an approach that's bold yet real in order to connect with our target audience.
Our energetic new brand identity and inspirational creative has secured Boost's rein as the No.1 soft drink in Northern Ireland – keeping Coke off the top spot.
And following the TV ad, a surge in sales has taken them from the No.3 to the No.2 energy drink in the UK.
This included spots on ITV's summer smash Love Island, maximising reach amongst core consumers and getting the brand in front of 50% of the UK population.


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Why Is There No GPU In Task Manager In Windows 10
If you haven't heard yet, the Task Manager in Windows 10 will start showing you GPU performance in the Fall Creators Update. Task Manager has been a part of Windows for a long time but it's never supported GPUs. A GPU is an integral component in a PC so it makes little sense for Windows to not show you how well it's performing. This shortcoming is finally going to be fixed in the Fall Creators Update. All you need to do to view GPU performance in the Task Manager is update to the Fall Creators Update when it arrives. If you're already on the Fall Creators Update via the Windows Insider program but there is no GPU in task manager, then we've got some bad news for you.
This new feature supports both on-board and dedicated GPUs but there is one catch. Your chip's driver must support WDDM version 2.0 or above. If your GPU's driver doesn't support WDDM version 2.0 or above, you simply cannot view your GPU performance in the task manager.
If there is no GPU in the Task Manager in Windows 10, try the following.
Check WDDM 2.0 Support
Open the run dialog box via the Win+R keyboard shortcut. Type in Dxdiag.exe and tap the Enter key. If you see a prompt of any sort on you screen, click 'Yes' on it.
When the dxdiag tool opens, go to the Display tab. In the Drivers section, look for Driver Model. If it doesn't say WDDM 2.0, or anything above 2.0, then your driver is not compatible with this new feature.
Update Driver
Although it's a long shot, you can try checking for a driver update. Perhaps your chipset is compatible with the new feature and it's just the driver that needs to be updated. Once the Fall Creators Update rolls out later this year, wait a few months to see if your chip manufacturer releases a driver update for your particular model.
Chip manufacturers have in the past released driver updates after a major Windows 10 update so this isn't a long shot. We should warn you though that as per Microsoft, about 70% of Windows 10 systems are compatible with this new feature. If your system is particularly old, the driver update may not help.
Third Party Tools
As mentioned earlier, this is the first version of Windows that will show GPU performance in the task manager. Users on the other hand have needed this information for ages so naturally, there are third-party apps available for just this purpose. If your system is too old for the new default feature, look for a third-party GPU performance measuring tool.


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While Courtney worries about the important stuff relating to our trip to Talladega I am left to concern myself with more entertaining pursuits. My top priority: fitting in with the local inhabitants of Alabama. Some things that we need to do are obvious:
- Display NASCAR themed flags.
- Wear nothing related to Barack Obama.
- No beer in green bottles (or bottles at all for that matter).
We bought Coors Light cans and we already have Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart flags, so we're good there. What was still missing were some subtle signs that we are down with the Jesus and redneck extracurricular activities.
Solution #1: We are bringing our totally awesome "I Love Jesus, but I drink a little" beer can coozies.
Solution #2: I built a washers octagon set (popular backyard activity in Alabama).
Let me know if you think of something else that will raise my street cred ... too bad we haven't made a Camp Bacon flag yet. :)


text: Share SHARE PRINT Is your insurer Brexit-proof? 18 February 2019 Work with your construction insurance broker to ensure coverage even if there's a no-deal Brexit Not all developer and contractor insurance providers will be legislation-compliant on 29 March 2019, when the UK is scheduled to leave the EU. Adequate construction insurance coverage is crucial for contractors, developers and owners. To ensure they are covered effectively, insureds are advised to be proactive. How financial services are affected by a no-deal Brexit The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 has been enacted for the purpose of transferring certain EU law, including relating to Financial Services, to the UK statute book on the date the UK exits from the EU (currently scheduled to take place on 29 March 2019). However, that Act is not all encompassing and, in a 'no deal' scenario, the position of UK firms in relation to the EU will, in many cases, be determined by a combination of the relevant member state rules together with any applicable EU rules in relation to third countries (being countries outside of the EEA – which the UK will become on exit) at that time. The UK will also, in turn, generally default to treating EEA states and EEA firms largely as it does other third countries and their firms. However, the government has confirmed that certain legislation (as to which see below) will be introduced to help minimise disruption to financial contracts, including insurance contracts. Brexit: Construction insurance coverage and the law In order to obtain the most effective coverage, insureds should be aware of the following. Construction insurance brokers can clarify how the following legislative changes affect developers' and contractors' insurance. Temporary Permissions Regime (TPR) The TPR has been introduced by the UK to enable EEA firms currently passporting into the UK to continue operating in the UK for up to three years after exit, while they apply for full third country branch authorisation from UK regulators. This means that EEA-based firms which currently passport into the UK can, if they apply under the TPR, continue to conduct both new and existing regulated business within the UK if the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019 without any transition period in place. Firms will need to notify the FCA whether they wish to enter the TPR. The notification window closes at the end of 28 March 2019; firms that have not submitted a notification will not be able to use the TPR. Firms that do not notify the FCA that they wish to use the TPR may, where they meet the relevant conditions, be subject to the proposed new financial services contracts regime (see below). Details of firms and investment funds with temporary permission under the TPR will be shown on the FS Register. Financial Services Contracts Regime The government recently published draft legislation for the post-Brexit financial services contracts regime (FSCR). This draft legislation will be relevant where EEA firms which currently passport into the UK to conduct a regulated activity here (such as broking or underwriting insurance) fail to notify the FCA that they wish to enter the TPR or do not secure authorisation under the TPR, but still have regulated business in the UK to run off following the UK's departure from the EU. This is because the proposed FSCR will in effect provide EEA firms with the right to manage such run-off for a limited period. Under the draft legislation, the FSCR will be time-limited depending on the type of regulated activity being performed: as currently drafted, it is anticipated to apply for a maximum of 15 years for insurance contracts. However, it is possible that HM Treasury will extend the stipulated periods, if necessary. Firms benefitting from the FSCR will be required to remain authorised in their home state and must notify the FCA if their authorisation is cancelled or varied. The draft FSCR rules provide permission solely for the performance of pre-existing contracts. Although the drafting is not entirely clear, our expectation is that this includes permission for variations to those contracts such as period extensions and changes in sums insured. Reciprocal Temporary Permissions As we get closer to 29 March 2019, there is evidence slowly emerging that some EU states are considering legislation of their own to allow UK firms to continue to service existing policies issued in other EU states. However, this is likely to be restricted to policies incepted prior to Brexit. Contractors, developers and owners: What to do if your insurer is not yet Brexit compliant Where it is identified that an insurer may not be Brexit-proof, ensure your broker is doing the following: Talking to the affected insurer about: Their plans for future underwriting Whether they have any obligations under any applicable Brexit continuity clause or similar provision. Talk to an expert For further information please contact Andrew Thornton, Construction, Senior Partner on +44 (0)20 7528 4489 or email email@example.com YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN Get in touch with our specialist team > Read more specialist insights >