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A round-up of Sunday editorials from Alabama's leading newspapers:
The Anniston Star – Missed opportunities for fairness in Calhoun County
Activists' efforts urging the Piedmont City Council to formally ban LGBT discrimination have failed. Their brief flurry of political activity in that northern Calhoun County locale is, apparently, over. They presented their case. Residents' opposition was immense. The council took no vote.
That's unfortunate. Piedmont, a small city in a mostly rural part of Alabama, missed an opportunity to send a message of equality and fairness.
Anniston may be the activists' next stop.
There's no guarantee, but the co-president of the local PFLAG chapter told The Star this week that its members have discussed their options for Calhoun County, which includes seeking a city more receptive to codifying the legal rights of gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
"Anniston, I think, is gonna be our best demographic," PFLAG's Sterling Fiering said.
Compared to Piedmont, Anniston is larger and more diverse, though that hardly proves the county's biggest city wouldn't have a similar reaction. Anniston's religious conservatives who share views in line with those voiced in Piedmont might also protest a move to become a more LGBT-friendly community through a discrimination ban.
The wildcard, if you will, would be the reaction of Anniston Mayor Vaughn Stewart and the Anniston City Council. Regardless of residents' opinions, the council would be the ultimate test of any effort to import a discrimination ban into the city.
The Birmingham News – 'Black Like Who?' panel, exhibit prove hip-hop is part of the American experience
It's an undeniable fact – hip-hop culture has been permanently woven into America's tapestry.
What was once considered rebellious fringe music is now simply a piece of the American story.
Need proof? Well, numbers don't lie: Last week "Straight Outta Compton," F. Gary Gray's biopic about rap pioneers NWA, grossed $60.2 million opening weekend, becoming the fifth-highest grossing August opener for any film in history. It's currently hovering at about $80.2 million worldwide.
With the eyes and ears of the nation tuned into sounds of hip-hop culture, the Birmingham Museum of Art's latest exhibit provides perfect synergy: Hip-Hop You Don't Stop, a daylong celebration of hip-hop's impact and influence, begins Saturday, Aug. 22 at noon. Dance instruction, lectures, a screening of the film "Style Wars," and of course, lots of music will coincide the museum's current exhibition, "Black Like Who?: Exploring Race and Representation."
The exhibit shatters stereotypes that tend t fence hip-hop into one segment of our population. "Black Like Who?" masterfully combines the works of black and white artists, from Gilbert Gaul's Civil War depictions of the early 20thcentury to Iona Rozeal Brown's unique blend of hip-hop culture with 19th-century Japanese art.
The exhibit defies conventions and embraces diversity – the stories it tells are integral to both hip-hop and American culture at large.
We got a head start on those stories Friday evening.
The Decatur Daily – Around the state
Montgomery Advertiser on General Fund budget, educational funding:
There's much to lament about the Legislature's failure during the special session to produce a workable General Fund budget to pay for critical state services.
But at least the Republican supermajority wasn't able to raid the state's separate Education Trust Fund in a maneuver to avoid the hard work of good fiscal governance.
Not that they didn't try, with a number of faulty proposals to divert education dollars to other areas.
As the Advertiser's Brian Lyman reported, both chambers looked at moving $225 million in use tax dollars from the ETF to the General Fund. Senate leaders said they'd find a way to replace the money next year.
We've heard that one before.
The idea of the transfer is not without merit. Gov. Robert Bentley included it in his proposals for shoring up the General Fund during the regular session. But he paired it with new revenue measures to replace the lost funds for schools.
Good for House Ways and Means Education chairman Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa, who helped stall the irresponsible bill by opposing any plan that doesn't come with a replacement method.
The fight isn't over yet, however.
You can bet on similar attempts in the second special session. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, doesn't believe restoring the loss to the ETF is a priority, perhaps because he wants to increase pressure on other lawmakers to support his gambling proposals.
That's a risky political game he's playing with Alabama's students.
State Superintendent Tommy Bice warned taking the money from the ETF without replacing it could force the education department into proration, with harsh across-the-board cuts to schools.
Advocates for education in the Legislature must refuse to pass any transfer of use taxes until a reliable revenue back-fill source is identified.
Dothan Eagle on open government:
One of the basic tenets of our representational government is the concept of inclusion for members of the public. The business conducted by those appointed or elected to governmental bodies is expected to be open for public scrutiny. Deliberations and votes are to be made in public meetings that have been adequately announced and advertised to the public at large.
The product of the work these governmental entities produce is to be available to anyone who wants to examine it.
There are few exceptions, but generally speaking, the Open Meetings and Open Records laws of Alabama ensure the people of our state have access to meetings and documents, and assurance deliberations of matters of public interest are not conducted in private.
The intent is crystal clear, but the execution often is muddied.
Earlier this year, the Alabama Legislature considered legislation that would tighten language in the law, which contained a loophole that could be interpreted to allow secret meetings between two or more members of a board, but less than a quorum.
That's responsible government. However, in the otherwise fruitless special session that recently ended, the Legislature passed a measure that would allow members of public boards to phone in their votes to public meetings in which a quorum is present.
That would mean a school board member who could not physically attend a meeting could cast a vote via telephone or videoconference in a public meeting. That would make participating in government more convenient for an official who could not attend.
But this knife cuts both ways; it could be abused by officials who simply don't want to bother to attend, or could lead to situations in which deliberation that should be public takes place over telephone conversations that cannot be heard by anyone except those participating in the call.
It's a slippery slope, and one best avoided.
Dothan Eagle – Questioning travel requests is sound fiscal policy
With another round of high-dollar travel requests before them this week, three Dothan city commissioners stalled rather than rubber-stamping the measure.
District 4 Commissioner John Ferguson, District 5 Commissioner Beth Kenward and District 6 Commissioner Hamp Baxley all voted against the requests, which range from a Fire Apparatus Conference in Pennsylvania at no cost to the city, to a trip to Orange Beach for the Alabama Municipal Court Clerks and Magistrates Association Annual Conference at a total cost of $4,028 for four travelers, the Eagle reported Wednesday.
The travel was approved by a quorum of ayes from the remaining members of the commission and Mayor Mike Schmitz. The hitch wasn't about any particular request, as all seemed reasonable and routine.
However, the dissenting commissioners deserve commendation for raising questions about the necessity and value of all the travel requested for city workers. It's possible that some of the training could be done online through web seminars, one commissioner said.
"Sometimes I don't think we are getting the information we need to have to be able to make an informed decision," Kenward said.
It's refreshing to see such diligence among commissioners with regard to the expenditure of public funds, particularly during a time in which the city is facing large bills for infrastructure improvements and commissioners are considering fee hikes to offset those costs.
It may well be that each travel request is worth every nickel. But by requiring more detail and justification of the expense, the commission would show sound fiscal stewardship.
The Enterprise Ledger – Golf has never been in better hands than right now
Talk about your breath of fresh air. The bad boys (not all, mind you) from our four major team sports (NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL), and of course our bad girl goalie from our USA soccer squad, were shown how good people act over the weekend at the final major golf championship of the year.
Australian Jason Day edged Texan Jordan Speith for his first major. Day is 27, Speith 22. If this is how spoiled rich kids act, I hope my daughters meet a fellow just like either one of these guys.
When the "class in sports" videos begin appearing, these two should have starring roles.
Speith is the greatest golfer on the planet now that Tiger Woods has simply disappeared from competition. And Day is one of those rare birds that makes you pull for him even if he's battling an American. He is that good a guy.
Speith and Day, along with Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Billy Horshel and Paul Casey, will make the 2016 PGA Tour among the greatest ever to watch from a competition standpoint.
I wondered if Tiger had been so good that his demise would hurt the game, but along comes the likes of young guns from Northern Ireland (McIlroy), Texas (Speith), and Australia (Day) to help make as competitive – and likeable – a field as the PGA has ever produced.
I was told of a story over the weekend regarding a friend who had known someone pretty well, only to find out after the fact of the friend's highly checkered past. His friend's life of lies and mayhem had finally caught up with him, and his new home was going to be a well-guarded cell with about 30 minutes of exercise each day.
TimesDaily – Strong schools create strong communities
Tax dollars spent on local K-12 education provide enormous returns for taxpayers.
The most important benefit is found in the opportunities a well-funded school system provide to children.
The recent adoption of ACT Aspire testing provides a grim reminder almost all Alabama schools — even the strongest north Alabama schools — are struggling to prepare their students for the competitive world they will face when they are on their own. Proficiency levels in core subjects like reading, writing and math need dramatic improvement in local school systems just to allow our children to enter college or the workforce without being at a disadvantage. And our goal, of course, is to send our children into the world with an advantage.
While citizens with family members in public schools enjoy the most direct benefits from an education system that adequately prepares children for college or career, the entire community benefits. The quality of tomorrow's labor force is tied directly to the quality of today's schools. The pool of citizens from which we will choose tomorrow's community leaders are being educated today in our schools. The success or failure of entrepreneurs we hope will transform our future economy depends in significant part on whether our schools are teaching them fundamental skills today.
So when school officials ask residents to approve a tax increase to improve the quality of education, it's not a request that should divide parents of school-age children from other taxpayers. Everybody who cares about the community and its future has reason to be an advocate for better schools.
Throwing money at a problem does not solve it, a lesson taxpayers have learned at high cost when funding federal programs. Local schools, however, are intensely accountable to those they serve. Every concerned parent monitors their progress. Elected officials control their expenditures. Standardized tests measure how subject-matter proficiency compares to students across the nation, and how it progresses from year to year.
If improving the education of the children was the sole benefit of funding public schools, it would be a good investment. The incidental benefits of increased funding of education, however, are also compelling.
When seeking to recruit new companies, economic developers focus on schools. When seeking to attract new residents, realtors show their clients the schools. More than any other factor over which residents have control, schools are a selling point for a community.
When it comes to the value of schools as a recruitment tool, modern, innovative schools have an importance that is independent of educational goals. An executive looking at a rundown school assumes, rightly or wrongly, that the community places a low value on education. This makes the community less attractive as a site for expansion because it is less appealing to employees and because it suggests the community is not aggressive in training its future workforce.
The Gadsden Times – FDA needs to regulate e-cigarettes
As we have repeatedly stated in this space, we are no fans of expanding government as a general rule, especially when it comes to federal oversight of issues better left to states.
However, a couple of recent studies have shown that a federal partnership with states is, in some cases, a needed course of action.
Those studies relate to teens, smoking and electronic cigarettes — a combination we find problematic.
There is no federal law banning the use or sale of e-cigarettes to minors, but at least 45 states, including Alabama, regulate their sale.
Use of e-cigarettes commonly is referred to as "vaping" because the battery-operated units turn liquid nicotine into vapor that is inhaled. The devices were created as an alternative to traditional tobacco products and do not contain the chemicals and tars of burning tobacco. In fact, Public Health England, a government agency, published an independent review last week describing e-cigarettes as effective tools to help people quit smoking traditional cigarettes. The U.K. health agency is one of the first governmental organizations to endorse the devices.
American agencies have not followed suit.
The Huntsville Times – Trump is a big deal for Mobile. Reckon he'll buy us a bridge?
The City of Mobile went from 1 to 35k in about 6.9 minutes for Donald Trump.
Trump's initial Mobile event was expected to draw about a thousand folks in a downtown hotel. Now, he'll be rock-starring in front of at least 35,000 in Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
The Donald blessed Mobile with his first Southern campaign stop for good reason: He's a smart businessman.
Trump is kind of a big deal right now. And so is Mobile.
If and when Trump wins the GOP nomination, this Mobile event will be a pivotal moment.
Positioned strategically between Florida, Mississippi and New Orleans, Mobile is the epicenter of the Gulf Coast. The Port City anchors the economy and votes of the Deep South's reddest state. Lotta bang for your bombastic buck down here.
Trump is hotter than August asphalt on Airport Blvd. Friday night, Mobile will be hosting the country's biggest political pep rally.
5 things to know about Ladd-Peebles before going to see Donald Trump
Trump didn't know he needed Mobile, but since Mobile has risen to the occasion … now he does.
If and when Donald Trump wins the GOP nomination, this Mobile event will be a pivotal moment.
Maybe we can convince The Donald to buy us a new bridge.
I'll be wading through the masses at the Friday Trumpfest with my sketchbook and iPhone, drawing, taking names and live tweeting … or trying to. Look for the #TrumpinMobile hashtag.
Press-Register –Request for Auburn: Tell Freedom From Religion Foundation to take a flying leap
There's a new report out from the Freedom From Religion Foundation that takes aim at the chaplaincy program at 25 universities, including the University of Alabama and Auburn University.
"Chaplains regularly lead the teams in prayer, conduct chapel services, and more," the Freedom From Religion Foundation said in a new release. "These religious activities are not voluntary, as the universities claim." The foundation goes on to cite its report, saying "student athletes are uniquely susceptible to coercion from coaches. Players have educational, financial and career reasons to obey their coach, whatever he asks."
The group, which claims a membership of 22,700, has compiled an exhaustive report detailing why chaplains – even though they are not paid by the university – don't belong in public institution setting. The foundation isn't asking for the chaplaincy program to be better defined: it's asking for it to be eliminated.
The argument doesn't center on if such programs are effective or if they help many young people who face tremendous pressures. Instead, the foundation's argument is this simple: Religion – specifically Christianity because that's about the only religion the group targets – doesn't belong in any public setting.
Whether participation is optional, whether public money is used or whether it's school-sponsored, this group doesn't care. If there is a reference to religion, it has to go.
Oh yeah, the Constitution
There's a problem with that, of course. It's called the Constitution. Here's the First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Here's what that this says to me: We don't want laws requiring people to be a part of any religion. At the same time, we don't need regulations that prohibit the free exercise of anyone's religion. If a particular university wants to allow a chaplain to be part of its sports program, then that's free exercise of religion. If a player wants to be a part of a chaplain's programs, that's fine. Should there be consequences for players that don't take part? Of course not. But outlawing the program is just as ridiculous as requiring everyone one in a football jersey to join in.
Montgomery Advertiser – Of course Trump's bigotry plays well in Ala.
Donald Trump is popular in Alabama.
That should not come as a surprise to anyone. Nor should it be worth mentioning that Trump had to move his Friday visit to Mobile from a small arena to a large football stadium.
Of course he is and of course he did.
Trump is a loud-mouthed, egotistical bigot. And we are a state that has always been enamored by the loud-mouthed, egotistical bigot. They rank third on our Most Admired list, just behind Really Good Football Player and Average Football Player.
But Trump is different from those other ordinary, political bigots.
He's not just a guy who insults an entire nationality with ignorant stereotypes and misinformation. He's not just a guy who says insulting and degrading things to women. And he's not just a guy who has based his plans for public office on a simple-minded view of the world that could best be summed up by the phrase, "Hey, other countries, go f*** yourself!"
Trump is all of that and he's rich.
Filthy rich. Billionaire rich.
He is the manifestation of every attribute that today's GOP seems to hold dear: boorish, egomaniacal, unashamed, hypocritical, callous and wealthy.
Trump is to today's conservative voter what a Kardashian is to today's 20-something.
The dream.
Opelika-Auburn News –Making Auburn better
On May 5, 1998, the Auburn City Council adopted a long-range plan for the city called Auburn 2020.
"Seven committees consisting of approximately 200 citizen volunteers, elected officials, and city staff spent much time and effort toward creating comprehensive reports that address the areas of education, growth and development, intergovernmental relations, transportation, utilities and technology, family and community, and public safety," a city resolution signed by then-Mayor Jan Dempsey said. "These seven reports outline detailed strategies and goals to guide the decisions of the City Council aimed at making Auburn a better community through citizen involvement."
Auburn has accomplished many of the "22 Goals for 2020," which are listed on the city's website along with the plan. Some of the goals include:
> Continue strong community financial support of the Auburn City Schools with the goal of retaining the reputation as one of the outstanding public school systems in the Southeast.
> Establish a community network of sidewalks and bicycle trails that will allow all citizens to use alternative modes of transportation.
> Construct a senior citizens center to house expanded programs for Auburn's seniors and a teen center for afternoon and evening recreation for Auburn teenagers.
Auburn 2020 has served the city well, and CompPlan 2030, adopted by the City Council in October 2011, provides goals, objectives and policies on areas such as future land use, natural systems, transportation, parks and recreation, public safety and historic preservation, through 2030.
That plan is designed to be evaluated and updated every five years.
It may be time for Auburn leaders to update both plans to help address the city's remarkable growth.
Auburn is one of the most desirable cities in which to live in Alabama, as evidenced by population, commercial and industrial gains. Thousands of residents enjoy "The Loveliest Village" because it is not a big city, yet enjoys many amenities that larger cities do not have.
The Tuscaloosa News – Athletes should get realistic treatment
Given the federal government's inclination to overreach, it was refreshing to see the National Labor Relations Board block college football players from forming a union.
Unfortunately, the NLRB stopped short of saying that college athletes are not employees, and union organizers took heart from the omission. The federal government's labor regulators offered a mealy mouthed rationale about the chaos that could result from union and non-union teams sharing the playing field while having different standards for players. Of course, by not settling the issue definitively, the board left open the possibility for the chaos its members feared.
Athletes are no more employees than are students attending college on academic scholarships. They are rewarded with tuition, room and board and a few other trinkets for their athletic talents, just as students on academic scholarships are rewarded for their intellectual prowess. If athletes are receiving further remuneration from their schools (or the schools' boosters, for that matter) it is in violation of NCAA rules. And unless they are declaring their income and paying taxes on it, they aren't involved in a standard employment agreement.
While some might snicker at the idea that the free college education offered in return for playing is an athlete's reward, it is not
inconsequential. Trivializing the privilege of walking out the door with a degree debt-free is an insult to every tuition-paying student and parent. Athletes who choose to waste the opportunity that ordinary students pay so dearly for have only themselves to blame if they don't make the most of it and wind up poor and uneducated.


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This map shows a development that was heavily damaged by the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego County. Houses marked in orange burned down.
The movement of the fire front is indicated by the red arrow. Based on the concept of defensible space, houses 1 and 2 should not have burned down because they were hundreds of feet away from the actual fire. They burned because embers ignited the roof of one which in turn ignited its neighbor.
Creating a "Defensible Space" Around Your Home: The Difference Between Rational Action and OverreactionDense and flammable vegetation needs to be removed from the area immediately around a home in order to reduce the risk of structural ignition during a wildfire. The question is how to properly do so without causing additional problems. The basic rule is to eliminate flammable materials (fire-prone vegetation, wood stacks, wood decking, patio furniture, umbrellas, etc.) from within 30 feet of the home. Then for structures near wildland open space, an additional 70 feet should be modified in such a way as to remove dead wood from shrubbery, thin and trim trees and shrubs (lower limbs removed), and prevent the growth of weedy grasses. Maintaining a modified canopy of vegetation to shade the groundis important to reduce weed growth.The basic rule of thumb is to reduce the level of vegetation within 70 foot zone so that 50% of the ground remains covered by a vegetative canopy.Unfortunately the term "clearance" is frequently used when referring to this 100 foot zone, leading people to think all vegetation must be removed down to bare soil. This is why the city of San Diego Fire and Rescue Department has replaced the word "clearance" to "thinning" when referring to vegetation management around homes and the new California defensible space law has changed the way vegetation management should be viewed (see below). Officials in the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) are continually trying to help citizens understand that clearance doesn't mean the removal of all native plants. Bare soil clearance not only unnecessarily compromises large amounts of native wildlands and increases erosion, but will lead to the growth of weeds in the now disturbed soil. These weeds are considered "flashy fuels" which actually increase fire risk because they ignite so easily.
How to Properly Manage VegetationThis document from the San Diego City Fire Department provides one reasonable plan to reduce fire risk around your home WITHOUT unnecessary, excessive clearing. It shows an excellent diagram of what an area looks like after proper thinning.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Mid-Atlantic Area's Deck Restoration Experts!
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Shotgun Template
by MrSmiles
2013-06-30 07:36:14
This is a Multi-Layered and Multi Sub-Layered Shotgun Template that I made for a game idea I had. Having Multiple Layers is good when using filters and blurs since then you can hide layers you don't need to see while working on other elements of your graphic. It makes a HUGE difference in how responsive Inkscape becomes.
Tags: game elements, gun, shotgun, shotty, template, weapons,
Safe for Work? Yes


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|Double bed (1)
|Single bed (2)
|Iron and ironing table
|Hair dryer
|Linens and towels
|Coffee maker
|Air conditioning
|Disabled access
|Coffee maker
We loved the apartment! It was in a perfect location for us with restaurants close by and short walking distance to Notre Dame and many other places. The beds were comfortable and it was neat and clean. The rental company was easy to work with, very professional and responsive. We would definitely stay there again. The only possible negative is the lack of A/C but it was not an issue for us because the weather was mild...they do have fans and you can open the windows for airflow.
The apartment is in such a lively "quartier", right between the Place Saint Michel and St Germain des Près ! Rue St André des Arts becomes rue de Buci after a very short walk, which is full of cafés and markets. The apartment was just the right size for 4 adults and has been updated with new furnishings which made it very comfortable. The beds are more comfortable than those that we have at home and we slept extremely well, which was our highest priority in finding a flat. We were glad, however, that the windows are well insulated, as the bar patrons who spill out into the street can be noisy. With the windows closed, we didn't hear them at all. We would book this apartment again!
Overall was a good stay .........
Airbnb : 4/5
Exactly as advertised. Great place, perfect location! Would def stay here again.
Airbnb : 5/5 except propreté 4/5
The location of this apartment is fantastic, right in the middle of everything. This is really what you are paying for. But the apartment was also very comfortable, with up-to-date appliances including a washer and dryer inside the apartment. Plenty of storage space and comfortable bedrooms. Generally very quiet. The bedrooms are away from the street side. Markets very close by. Also some nice shopping opportunities down the street to the east. Plenty of nearby restaurants. Surprisingly, the only thing missing was a bread knife, which we were able to purchase at a nearby store. Overall very pleasant home during our 9 days in Paris.
Loved the property. Perfect for family of four. Beds, bathrooms, kitchen, sitting area all very comfortable and functional and modern/updated. Close to many attractions (Within 20 minutes walking distance from Louvre, Notre Dame, Latin Quarter, Musee D'Orsay) and decent bistros and cafes are right outside the door, though most of them are populated by tourists. On weekends it can get a little noisy at night if windows are opened. Perfect launching point for excursions around city. As for apartment itself, recommend adding a lip to master shower as water doesn't drain like it should and a couple of waste baskets in the bathrooms wouldn't hurt, but this place has everything a visiting family or a few friends need for a non-hotel stay in the city.
A small apartment with the latest amenities and 2 confortable full bathrooms, which is rare in Paris. The place is in a perfect location : restaurants everywhere, C'Bio small supermarket across the street, Ban Thai Spa on Rue Dauphine close by, shops everywhere, ... we felt at home as a Parisian! We do have to mention that bars right at entrance are loud, luckily the windows on street close tightly and all is ready for a good night's sleep in white crisp bed linens! A la prochaine et merci!
Airbnb : 5/5
Really charming space, more than enough room for family of 4. The neighborhood is amazing (of course), we were minutes from metro and cabs. Lots of great food all around. Apartment had some very nice touches. Bathrooms were modern and looked recently remodeled. We had a large bottle of water waitin for us at check in, which was a very nice thought. Would definitely stay here again.
Airbnb : 5/5 except : qualité-prix
This is an absolutely exquisite apartment in the perfect location for seeing Paris--it's in walking distance to most of the major sights, with amazing food and drink right out the front door and a grocery store nearby--and yet despite all the bars and restaurants so close, the rooms were nice and quiet at night! There were four of us (me, my fiance, and my parents) and the place was the perfect size for us, with the 2 baths being a big plus. The place was spotlessly clean when we arrived and the water and champagne were such a nice touch. We had an amazing time on our trip and the apartment was a big part of that. We would definitely stay here again if we ever return.
Airbnb : 5/5
This apartment was the perfect size for our family of four and close to everything! There are many restaurants and shops nearby, a small grocery store right across the street, and you can walk to most of Paris's famous landmarks. There's also a Metro stop about a block away. It's a lively area, but if you close the windows it's pretty quiet. The apartment was very clean and the beds were comfy!
Airbnb : 5/5 except qualité prix 4/5
The location was amazing, right in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Pres. If you like the hustle and bustle then this is the place for you. Great restaurants and cafes surround you. There is no AC so if you keep the windows open you will hear some street noise but it didn't bother us...and when the windows are closed you don't hear a thing. I had to make a call to Celia because we could not open a bedroom window and I mentioned it was rather warm trying to sleep with the window closed. While we were out for the day, she not only had the window fixed but placed a stand up fan in each bedroom...wow, great service! The apartment was an easy walk to Norte Dame, the Louvre and several other attractions. We had a wonderful time and would definitely stay here again.
Airbnb : 5/5 except Qualité prix : 4/5
Thank you so much for an extraordinary accommodation, lovely, elegant space and excellent location .
Airbnb : 5/5
Wonderfull apartment in the heart of St Germain , has all the facilities you require and super handy for anywhere you wish to go
Airbnb : 5/5
The apartment was clean, comfortable and had plenty of room for our family of four. It's right in the heart of the Latin Quarter, so lots of shops and restaurants within steps. There is an Irish pub directly below the apartment, so you should be aware of that, which is only an issue if the windows are open. We loved that there were two full bathrooms. And the beds were very comfortable. There is also a washer/dryer right in the apartment.
Appartement très propre, bien situé. Très bonne communication et réactivité. Je recommande +++
The process was easy, the property is very, very nice! It is exceptionally well appointed, clean, comfortable beds and in a great location. I would stay here again.
Wonderful apartment in the very heart of 6eme arrondissement. I would definitely recommend it - super clean, roomy, quiet at night (despite the windows are facing a narrow busy street), helpful host's team. Great location with lots of cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and shops.
Airbnb : 5/5 except : communication & qualité-prix
This is very nice apartment in the heart of Saint Germaine. The amenities were great, the apartment was sparkling clean, and it is close to fabulous shopping, restaurants and nightlife. It has a washer and dryer, comfortable beds and very nice, updated bathrooms. We would definitely stay here again.
Airbnb : 5/5 except communication & qualit" prix 4/5


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Ecuador tours
boat builders
Amazing wooden boats made by Ecuadorian hands, now you are able to go and see the boats in the inside, and not only that we will tell you about how they are being built while you enjoy the view from this nice boats.
Living in Manta Ecuador is so great.
Ecuador tours
Tours in Ecuador; One of the best places in the world to visit. 2013, this is the year when Ecuador was discovered by the world as a good place for retiring. Ecuador and its slogan, "live life" brings to you a new way of living, Ecuadorians work hard however they know how to enjoy simple things like going to the beach with family and friends, things that for others would be a luxury for Ecuadorians would be just the usual.
Ecuadorian government has encouraged and economically supported new ideas concerning customer service, in order to improve tourism in Ecuador, now you will be able to find nice hotels, high class cuisine and restaurants, all this mixed with their own culture, which makes it even better and more interesting, as well there are a lot of companies that have Ecuador in their aim as a place to invest and we can perceive all this influence already, Russia, EEUU, Canada, China, and others have already invested in Ecuador, however Ecuador is a country that is concerned for preserving its nature and wild life, so this will be limited. Ecuador knows how to live life, that's for sure.


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Sheila Chandra Can't Sing, But She Can Unclutter Your Life.
Have you wondered whatever happened to Sheila Chandra? From 1982 to 1996 her voice was ubiquitous on Echoes and elsewhere. We first heard her with the group Monsoon, whose hit song, "Ever So Lonely" still remains a powerful slice of Indian-Pop. Then she made a string of increasingly experimental solo albums, using her voice as an instrument. Her album, Quiet remains a masterpiece of multi-tracked vocalese. Chandra came to her greatest renown and artistic achievement with a string of albums on Peter Gabriel's Real World label, beginning with Weaving My Ancestors Voices. Chandra merged global traditions from India to Ireland into intoxicating, layered vocal songs that seemed to come from deep in your own subconscious.
Sadly, Sheila had throat problems after a 1992 operation and by 2010 she had stopped singing altogether and for a longtime, she wasn't even speaking. When I last saw her socially, she was hand-writing out her answers to my questions. It is described on her website like this:
Developed vocal stamina issues after an emergency operation in 1992 to save her sight as a clumsy intubation during the procedure scarred her vocal chords. Then developed Burning Mouth Syndrome in 2009 for which there is no known cause or cure. The result of these two conditions together is pain that lasts for hours or days if she speaks or sings.
Communicates largely by email, instant messenger, text and handwritten notes, although she has developed RSI from relying on written communication so heavily. Despite the pain, she does speak sometimes to ensure that her vocal mechanism does not completely atrophy. Describes the condition as being "like having a really bad PAYG mobile with hardly any credit on it" and plans the amount of time she talks around the amount of pain she thinks she can bear that day/week. On the upside, she can now write notes really, really fast.
But Sheila Chandra's brilliant mind has turned to other endeavors. She's become something of a guru of the Neatness Movement and has written two well-received books, Banish Clutter Forever – How the Toothbrush Principle Will Change Your Life, published in 2010 and Organizing for Creative People: How to Channel the Chaos of Creativity into Career Success in 2017.
You can hear Sheila talking, and I mean actually talking, about her work in a recent podcast of Penguin Living.


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Interactive Classroom
The Interactive Classroom Working Group (ICWG) set up in 2013 is one of four current European Schoolnet working groups. The aim of the Interactive Classroom Working Group is to enable Ministries of Education to explore common areas of concern, share experience, and address policy challenges related to the integration of a wide range of technologies in classrooms and their impact on teaching and learning.
Currently ten Ministries of Education are involved in the working group (Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey), and also working closely with policy makers from regional education authorities in the FCL Regio project.
Annual focus areas
- 2010-2012: Interactive whiteboards
- 2015: Pedagogical use of mobile devices and K-12 cloud services
- 2016-2017: Personalised learning
- 2017: Designing learning spaces
- 2017-2018: FabLabs and Makerspaces
Publications and resources
- Guidelines on Exploring and Adapting Learning Spaces in Schools (December 2017)
- Bring Your Own Device for Schools: Technical Advice for School Leaders and IT Administrators (October 2017), including four pocket guides:
- Teacher professional development resources on personalising learning (September 2017)
- BYOD Bring Your Own Device - A guide for school leaders (October 2015)
- ICWG pedagogical videos (2014, 2015)
- Top 10 tips for buying and installing interactive whiteboards [October 2012]: CZ | DE | FR
- Guidelines for Small Scale IWB Procurements [July 2011]: CZ
- IWB Procurement Guidelines report [January 2011]
- Making the most of your interactive whiteboard (a shorter version of the guidelines) [September 2010]: CZ | DE | PT | IT
- Guidelines for Effective School/Classroom use of IWBs [July 2010]
Contact us
Postal and visiting address
EUN Partnership / Future Classroom Lab
Rue de Trèves 61
B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
See map here / Foursquare
Newsletter subscription
The newsletter includes news from the Future Classroom Lab, Interactive Classroom Working Group and related EU-funded projects such as ITELab. Click here to subscribe >>


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Bandera Electric Cooperative was selected to design and procure a solar and energy storage solution for Totota, Liberia. The selection was done by NRECA(National Rural Electric Cooperative).
Totota is a rural community with a population of approximately 6400. It is also home to workshops, government offices, clinics, mosques, restaurants, stores, schools and churches.
Most households rely on dry cell batteries, candles and lanterns despite the town's status as a regional trading center. Even so a small number of the residents purchase electric service from people who own small generators.
BEC Solar
In addition a subsidiary of Bandera Electric Cooperative, BEC Solar designed and procured a stand-alone energy solution. The device will provide power to about 400 houses and businesses in Totota.
It includes a Lithium-ion battery storage solution capable of providing kWh of energy, 220 solar panels and also a back up diesel Generator. A local electric cooperative will own the power system.
Miguel Rivera is the Renewable Energy Program Manager for BEC Solar. He says that Totota lacks the infrastructure and resources. He also says it needs to sustain a reliable and effective power generation system.
Beyond The Grid projects
Implementing several Beyond The Grid projects in rural Liberia is ongoing. The NRECA is handling the project for the US. The US Agency is the USAID.
BTG is part of the US Government's Power Africa initiative, with the goal to spur stability and economic development by delivering reliable, predominantly renewable electricity to Liberia's rural towns.
The goal of the US Government's Power Africa initiative is to spur stability and economic development . This will be happen by delivering reliable renewable electricity to Liberia's rural towns. Beyond The Grid (BTG) is part of the US Government's Power Africa initiative.
Also read: Liberia's Energy Sector Gets German Boost
Mr. Dan Waddle is the NRECA international Senior Vice President. According to him, the team at Bandera Electric Cooperative understands the challenges they are facing . That is the challenge in providing reliable electricity access to remote areas in Liberia.
He says that having an American electric cooperative helps them to provide a reliable and affordable energy solution to another Cooperative in Liberia.


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Dr Kerstin Lehnert Chair
Short Bio
Last comments
Kerstin Lehnert is Director of the Interdisciplinary Earth Data Alliance IEDA, a data facility that provides services for data preservation, data access, data publication, and data analysis to the geoscience community. Her efforts focus on the development of community-driven data infrastructures and scientific collections and samples. She holds a PhD in Petrology/Geochemistry.


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Interested in Being a Volunteer? Join Us!
Join any aspect of our Board Roles and their teams so they can call on you when needed and you can help when available! This gives you extreme flexibility with an amazing opportunity to keep advocating and changing lives!
Here is a list of our Teams and what we are about at Conceivable Dreams, we hope you reach out to us to join one and start making a difference in your life and the lives of so many.
- Funding Team – Source out funding and donations to help us continue our great work and make sure we are continued prominent name and leader within our communities.
- Lobbying Team – Meet with your local and federal government representatives to discuss our advocacy platforms. Mainly the funding of IVF within Ontario and assisting other provinces and territories gaining similar funding, to other community related issues as well.
- Events Team – Design, create, source and promote various events so we can bring our community together, spread the word and increase funding along with knowledge surrounding the struggles of growing a family.
- Research Team – Help source, organize and utilize data sources from all areas available to educate and further our reach and knowledge to expand our voices and maintain educated platforms and resources.
- Media Team – Live television, radio and paper media outlets often request patient member views and experiences for stories. We have made huge strides and successes by being available, maintaining our open platform, staying positive and optimistic while firm on the facts and our goals/rights we are continuously advocating for.
- Social Team – Call to actions and presence make all the difference in gaining members, spreading our advocacy and voices along with telling our stories. We reach so many who often have such a different view, or none at all and can't support us and our advocacy without the exposure. Work alongside our amazing manager and reach so many people on such an important issue.
- Website Team – Having a place our members can go to with update information is so very important to us and our work. Joining this team you will be able to help so many by updating our pages for them and answering questions. We also welcome bloggers and content for our pages and need members who can be collaborative with other advocacies and their sites as well.
- Education Team – Get in the know! By developing and pushing education on all aspects of infertility and creating families in Ontario we can really change the future of so many. Whether they are young, working, physicians or employers we need voices from people who can articulate valid information in many different ways to all people.
- Clinics Team – Each clinic and contact are different. We need members to periodically drop in to maintain relationships, see what issues or successes patients and clinics are experiencing while making ourselves and what we do open for those currently struggling.
Volunteer Today!
Use the form below to sign up as a volunteer.


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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today released a report looking at the use of arbitration agreements in consumer financial products, finding that roughly nine out of 10 clauses allow banks to prevent consumers from participating in class actions, and that almost no consumers actually use arbitration to resolve financial disputes.
While tens of millions of people are subject to arbitration clauses in their credit card, checking account, payday loan and prepaid card agreements, the agency found that consumers filed an average of just 300 disputes in these markets each year between 2010 and 2012 with the American Arbitration Association.
During that same time period, consumers filed more than 3,000 federal court cases about credit card issues alone, including more than 400 class actions.
Since July 2009, more than 13 million class members made claims or received payments for class actions involving credit cards, deposit accounts, or payday loans, and 3,605 individuals opted out, according to the CFPB.
"At most, only a handful of these individuals who opted out chose instead to file an arbitration claim," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray, according to remarks he is set to deliver today in Dallas. "One significant takeaway from these various points is that few consumers use arbitration at all, at least when compared to the number of consumers involved in lawsuits and class actions."
Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB was charged by Congress with conducting a study on arbitration agreements in consumer financial products. This is the first phase of the study. When the process is complete, the CFPB may adopt regulations that "prohibit or impose conditions or limitations" on the use of arbitration agreements if it finds such measures to be "in the public interest and for the protection of consumers" and such findings "are consistent" with the agency's study.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness and the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform in a Dec. 11 letter to the CFPB complained that the agency "has not informed the public of the topics it is studying and it has not solicited information regarding those topics."
The Chamber said that "prohibiting or regulating arbitration will harm consumers more than it would benefit them…Arbitration is at least as likely, and often more likely, than litigation in court to result in positive outcomes for consumers, as empirical studies repeatedly have shown." The CFPB's 168-page study found that larger institutions are more likely than community banks or credit unions to include an arbitration clause in consumer contracts. "That raises interesting questions about why smaller institutions and credit unions do not use arbitration clauses as frequently in these markets," Cordray said.
The study also found that arbitration clauses were particularly confusing. The clauses "were almost always more complex and written at a more demanding grade level of readability than the other parts of the contracts we studied," Cordray said. "In fact, in every case, the rest of the credit card contract scored better in terms of readability than did its arbitration clause considered alone."
While many arbitration clauses allow the parties to pursue low-level disputes in small claims court rather than arbitration, the CFPB found that almost no consumers actually did so. The agency identified 870 credit card cases brought by consumers in small claims court against large credit card issuers—but more than 41,000 cases brought by banks against consumers.
In the second phase of the study, Cordray said the CFPB will consider questions such as whether consumers are "aware of the terms of arbitration clauses; whether they make assumptions about their legal rights under the terms of these clauses; and whether they factor the existence of these clauses into their decision-making process about obtaining or using particular consumer financial products and services."
The final report will be submitted to Congress.


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Click City, Episode 69: Time to meet the new roommate
Beth crashed on her top bunk, the bottoms of her feet raw and burning from walking from Fisherman's Wharf to A T 101. She was upset about breaking up with Roger, but what else with him was possible? She'd dragged him into this disaster, and now it sounded like he was being followed, too.
The day was warm, but she pulled the comforter over herself, shivering. She hadn't liked the way Roger had been interrogating her. And those photos! It made her feel like she was on trial for something, with him telling her to come clean and shoving the envelope across the table. It was a side of him she hadn't seen.
Beth wasn't sure whether she should mention any of this to her fellow hackers. First, the paranoid Austin would just accuse her of breaking the hostel's secrecy pact and blabbing to Roger. Second, revealing the existence of Roger's photos would ultimately expose her escorting activities. Besides, Beth thought, if she stayed away from Roger, the goons in the SUV would also stay away from him. Why make things more complicated?
She heard the door open, and Peyton's footsteps. She could always tell it was Peyton by the easy pace of his steps, the sound they made on the creaking floor. She threw the comforter over her head. It had been so long since they'd really talked. Peyton had been distant since she'd started dating Roger. They didn't even collaborate on their projects anymore. Then he'd gone on a bender, hitting sex clubs and God knew what else. And all in the middle of the drone crisis from hell. She felt more alone than ever.
"Are you sick?" Peyton asked.
"I'm fine," Beth said.
"Can you take the blanket off your face?" Peyton asked.
Beth pulled down the cover. He was standing by her ladder.
"What's up?" Peyton asked, and he sounded so much like the old Peyton.
"Roger and I broke up," Beth said.
"Oh, God, I'm sorry," Peyton said, extending his hand out to her.
Beth propped herself on her elbows. "They're following him now," she said, surprised that she was so easily making this revelation. But there was something so trusting in Peyton's voice.
"OK ..." He was calm. "Tell me what's going on."
"Whoever is stalking us is now stalking him, and I dragged him into it," Beth said.
"You didn't drag him into anything."
"I really think all of this is my fault," Beth said. "You can't mention this to the others."
"How could it be your fault?" Peyton asked. "And I'm not mentioning it to the others. You and I have to stick together no matter what, right?"
Beth felt tears in her eyes. "But I might have put us at risk." She was so tempted to tell him about the escorting. It would feel so good to tell him.
"I'd never believe that," Peyton said. "You've had us all pretty jealous dating Roger Martin, but that guy's not getting us in trouble."
"Is that why you weren't talking to me?" Beth asked. "You were jealous?"
"You were the one not talking to me!" Peyton said. "Sometimes you just disappear. I mean, you might be here physically, but you're just a black box to me. It drives me nuts."
Sometimes she felt that Peyton wanted their friendship to be more, which she thought would ruin everything - then at other times not. He confused her. Now that Roger was gone, Peyton was the only person she considered a good friend, along with perhaps, weirdly, her online guy, Private Idaho. But that wasn't real - it was just at the fringe of her imagination.
Since she'd started escorting, she had cut off her old friends. The break had been subtle and unintentional, starting with her just telling them less and less, fearing she would accidentally say the wrong thing. The escorting had cost her - in more ways than she realized.
"I've missed you," Beth said.
"I've missed you, too."
Roger couldn't concentrate on Andy Stevens prepping him for his Forbes interview about his company's soon-to-be-released game, "After Midnight."
"OK, let's practice that again!" Andy said from across his home office desk. "Is 'After Midnight's' leading lady, Shalimar, still going to be wearing her rubber dress?" she asked, with a playful smile.
Roger frowned. Andy was so perky it made his head hurt. He could not summon the energy to answer. He was still thinking about Beth. What had gone so wrong at Clock Bar?
"Is something the matter?" Andy asked, cocking her head, and Roger stared at those interesting paintbrush ends of her hair. "Should we reschedule your interview? You don't seem yourself."
"Beth's run off," Roger said.
"What happened?"
Roger knew she was being a little familiar as his proposed PR agent, but he actually appreciated the question. And she was right - he was in no state to be giving such an important interview.
"I don't know," Roger said. "Whenever I try to help her, she just runs away. I shouldn't chase her anymore. I don't know what to do."
"The problem is, there is no right answer," she said. "Remember when I told you not to consult with anyone about what to wear to the Rock?"
"I was rejected by the Rock."
"But you'll never know the real reason," Andy said. "And you put your best self forward - and you were comfortable. That's what you need to do in this case, too. You just have to trust yourself."
There was a knock at the door of Beth's and Peyton's room.
"Come in!" Beth called. She was already feeling better that she and Peyton were close again.
Noah, wearing his Defcon cap, flew in. There was a guy with him, lingering in the doorway.
"Hey, guys," Noah said. "I want you to meet our new roommate."
"Hi," Beth said, and Peyton said hello. The guy was buffed and swarthy and good looking. He looked a little familiar. Beth still couldn't believe they were getting a roommate at a time like this.
"I'm Richard," he said, with a charming, blazing white smile. "But friends call me Rico."
Saturday: Rico finds an ally at the hacker hostel.
Click City, which concludes in July, runs Wednesdays and Saturdays in Datebook.
To read Click City online, go to www.sfgate.com/clickcity.
Summary: Beth and Peyton live with fellow hackers at the A T 101 hostel in the Mission. For weeks, they have been dealing with a strange SUV, a drone and a bug planted in their home. The mysterious surveillance operation has also targeted computer titan Roger Martin, a development that has caused a rift between Beth and Roger. Now, Beth is about to tell Peyton about the breakup - and get another unexpected surprise.
Heather Stallings is a Bay Area writer. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Melbourne, Victoria, Australie
Our home is comfortable, clean, and spacious. It has a large kitchen with adjoining family/lounge room. The house overlooks the golf course on one side and...
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mars 2006
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We are located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. We have a three bedroom house with large outside yard. We are on the doorstep of the Dandenongs (Mountains) which offers beautiful walks, restuarants, scenery, wildlife and much more. We have cockatoos, rosellas and a fat posum that visit our back porch on a daily basis.
We are a married couple, Kristen (30) and Shaun(32) and we have a nine month old baby who is lovely.I am currently taking some time off from work/studying welfare. We are interested in living overseas for approximatly 1year, but we are flexible. Shaun is an upholsterer and he would like to continue working while overseas, so their needs to be employment for him. We would need some notice on moving as we have a small baby and it takes a bit to get organised. We have two well trained cats named Frank and Thomas and would love for them to be well looked after while we are away, and we are happy to look after someone elses animals in return.We are open to going anywhere in the world, we have freinds and family in both England and Malta. We like to go camping, do gardening and work on cars(Shaun). When we get time we like to go to the movies or relax with friends for dinner.
Upwey is a quiet suburb of Melbourne. It is an easy 50minutes by car or train to Melbourne central. The train station is a 5minute walk from our home. It has lovely cafes/restuarants, art galleries. Close to local cinemas, swim centres, gyms, shopping centres, many outdoor activities or a great environment to sit back and relax in.
Our home is comfortable, clean, and spacious. It has a large kitchen with adjoining family/lounge room. The house overlooks the golf course on one side and...
We have completed 9 successful exchanges whilst living in suburban Melbourne. We are now only 2 blocks to the central mall and 2 blocks to the main train...
Our apartment is in a beautiful heritage building in the Paris end of Melbourne. We are close to many of Melbourne's theatres and to China Town.


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The Practicality of Pessimism: Stoicism as a Productivity System
The Practicality of Pessimism
Could defining your fears be more important than defining your goals?
This is a recent 5-minute presentation Tim Ferriss gave at a Google Ignite program.
He discusses the two most effective productivity techniques he has found since 2004, both borrowed from Stoicism.
It includes personal usage examples, as well as several from Seneca and Cato.
The audio is quite low, so you'll need to up the volume.


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Workforce Planning: The overall process of ensuring an organisation has the right people with the right skills at the right time to achieve desired business outcomes.
Workforce planning is grounded in its contribution to organisational performance. It provides business leaders with a way to align the workforce with the business plan, and address current and future workforce issues. Workforce planning has topped the wish list of HR executives for years, but it has consistently been one of the most difficult programmes to launch by HR. Human Interest finds it essential to focus on these aspects to position their client's for success.
According to Janko Kotzé, Organisational Psychologist and Founder of Human Interest, strategic business plans create direction and a foundation for informing people and skill requirements. The goals, objectives, strategies, and performance measures within the business plan should highlight the key workforce priorities and requirements. Strategic workforce planning is the essential link between business needs and the people strategy, driving the decisions that must be made today to create the competitive advantage leaders desire in the future.
Workforce planning requires leadership, commitment, and cooperation. Workforce planning specialists, like those at Human Interest, can help ensure all parties work together to ensure success, says Kotzé.
Getting Workforce Planning right requires a smart balance of technology tools, scenario planning, analytics and strategic insight. HR either needs to have a seat at the strategy table or be kept informed about important business initiatives at their inception.
The goal is to align long-term workforce needs with long-term strategic goals. Senior business leaders typically develop three-year strategic plans; HR and Talent Acquisition need to forecast workforce demands against this projection, identify challenges and ensure that needs are met. Since strategic plans are not static, this process must be dynamic. The evaluation of skill sets in relation to growth initiatives must be continuous.
Companies struggle with strategic workforce planning for a variety of reasons, from an inability to collect meaningful data to a lack of credibility and acceptance with the executive team. Too often it is seen as yet another HR process, being done for HR alone.
Article by Human Interest


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I have a love/hate relationship with the Facebook app on my mobile phone. I often delete/download every few days as it's a great source of distraction for me. It's an oxymoron, being a social marketer but there you go.
I noticed something this morning – Facebook is imitating one of the features Snapchat has – disappearing posts. Snapchat's pioneering features are quickly repurposed in Instagram as they introduced 'Live Video' and disappearing messages after 24hrs recently and are we really surprised that Facebook is doing the same thing too? Don't forget Whatsapp and their 'Status' feature.
As reported on eMarketer, Facebook is taking the rising threat from Snapchat seriously. It's reported that "a March 2017 survey conducted by LendEdu found that more than half of college students in the US said they checked their Snapchat notifications first, compared with 27% who checked Instagram first and 13% who said the same of Facebook." – eMarketer
While these are predominantly US-centric numbers, I have a good feeling this phenomenon translate on a global platform too.
The data provided by the joint efforts of WeAreSocial and Hootsuite below shows the distribution of Facebook users to be the highest and rising between 16-26.
Here's the list of platform and number of MAU on key global platforms.
Ignore Facebook-related social platforms (Facebook, Messenger, Whatsapp, Instagram) and China's social platform, the competition that is closest to Facebook are Twitter and Snapchat, with the full capability to revolutionise themselves once they have had enough of the internet giant.
Snapchat does not publish its numbers publicly but ask any millennial on the street, chances are, they utilise and peruse both Snapchat AND Facebook.
Attracting and sustaining a younger audience is key for Facebook's future. Sustaining the time spend on the platform must be on one of Zuckerberg's list as sources from a variety of data suggests that Facebook is losing its appeal with the young.
On a local level, this means I just have one more platform to repurpose my content and show my content to. It bodes well for brands and clients who can maximise the brand's potential across all the platforms.
As for now, I will keep an eye on the penetration and see Snapchat's next move. I wonder what they have up their sleeves.


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Do you like Bubbles Invasion? Share it with your friends.
URL of the game
Link with image
Post the game on your website
Bubbles Invasion - shoot marbles out of a spaceship to remove the groups of marbles of the same color from the game field.
Current year (antispam)
No games have been played yet.


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This surely will the best IPL Patch ever made. Do let us know if you liked our IPL 7 Patch? Do provide us your feedbacks in the commentbox below!
Download Pepsi IPL 7 patch for EA Sports Cricket 07
- Download here Pepsi IPL 7 Patch Part 1 (50 Mbs)
- Download here Pepsi IPL 7 Patch Part 2 (50 Mbs)
- Download here Pepsi IPL 7 Patch Part 3 (50 Mbs)
- Download here Pepsi IPL 7 Patch Part 4 (50 Mbs)
- Download here Pepsi IPL 7 Patch Part 5 (50 Mbs)
- Download here Pepsi IPL 7 Patch Part 6 (14 Mbs)
TOTAL PATCH SIZE: 264 MBs (All Parts needs to be downloaded). Once downloaded all 6 rar files, extract it using Win RAR or 7Zip software.
- Auto Exit / Crash Fix Download Update v1 (Optional: Install it if your game auto exit/crash)
- Menu Selection Bar Fix Download here
How to install Pepsi IPL 7 patch for Cricket 07?
You must have EA Sports Cricket 07 Full PC Game Installed. Just download all the parts from the links given above. After downloading all 6 parts, extract it and install it as mentioned below. There are three folders included in this patch.
- Game Files
Copy all the files from "Game Files" folder and paste them to Cricket 07 Folder. Which contains Cricket07.exe, Data, Audio and Supports folders. (This)
- My Documents
This folder contains "EA SPORTS(TM) Cricket 07" folder. Copy it and paste it in your My Documents. Replace existing files/folders, if it asks.
- Desktop
This folder contains new modified Cricket07.exe. Copy it to your PC Desktop or any folder of your choice. Run it for launching the game. It will ask you first time for your Cricket 07 root directory. (means where is cricket07 installed in your pc)
Game Auto Exit Error?
If your game auto exits, then it is because, your PC is not capable to handle the high quality graphics. Don't be disappointed. Here is an update to reduce graphics quality. Download it and extract all the files in Cricket 07 Folder. (This is your -> Cricket 07 folder/Root directory)
- Auto Exit / Crash Fix Download Update V1 (Extract all the files in Cricket 07 Root directory)
How to play Pepsi IPL 7 patch for Cricket 07?
- After you have installed the patch. Now Launch the game.
- After Launching the game, Load the roster "IPL7.ROS" in My Cricket -> Load/Save -> Load -> IPL7.ROS
- Now in main menu, go to Games Modes -> Domestic -> England/India Domestic -> Pepsi Indian Premier League
- Set the Fixtures as: 2006 and overs as: 20
- Select user team and start playing!
Pepsi IPL 7 patch Features:
- LATEST kits assigned correctly for ALL the IPL teams (8).
- All IPL team logos added (HD)
- All IPL stadiums modified and created!
- Roster with real names + transfers updated!
- HD Pitchads, stumps and outfields!
- All new faces added and realistically assigned!
- Genuine fixtures – the reality and the game, there's no discrimination!
IPL Music!
- 256 HD BATS correctly assigned to the players who own their bat!
- Realistic gameplay – no hitting sixes every ball
A² Studios - Development Team
- Addy (Stadiums, Outfields, Pitchad & LED Stumps)
- AC (Logos & Overlay Menu)
- Ahad (Faces, Menu & Misc)
- Muzammil (Roster & Faces Assign)
- Sathish (Overlay & Faces)
- Shaharyar (Fixtures, Text Edit & Misc)
- Shailesh Kumar (Kits, Menu & License Screen)
- Charu (Faces & Gameplay Patch)
- Rahul (Camera Angles)
- Nabeel (Ranchi Stadium & Replay Patch) (K2B STUDIOS)
- Abbh for Cricket 07 Modified EXE


text:
University of Miami LLM
- University of Miami LLM Programs
- International Law LLM
- Tax Law LLM
- Real Property Development LLM
- Estate Planning LLM
- Ocean and Coastal Law LLM
- University of Miami LLM Admission
- University of Miami LLM Tuition
- University of Miami LLM Scholarships
- University of Miami LLM Employment
- University of Miami LLM Contact
University of Miami LLM Programs
The University of Miami, School of Law offers five Master of Laws (LLM) programs. International students are given a two-week orientation program to help them understand U.S. law and have the ability to transfer to a JD program should that help them meet their career goals. The five LLM programs available at University of Miami School of Law are:
- International Law LLM: The International Law LLM provides students with the legal background necessary to understand and manage problems arising from international law issues. Within the program there are four areas of specialization:
- U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers: Students engage in comparative study of the U.S. legal system with their home country's. The program is available to lawyers who hold a JD from a U.S. law school or an equivalent law degree from the home country of international attorneys who hope to practice in the U.S., learn more about the U.S. legal system, or learn about international law outside their own countries. Students have a degree of flexibility within the program, with only two courses required: Introduction to U.S. Law and Legal Research and Writing, and the rest chosen with the help of the Program Director, who serves as academic advisor as well. Transferring to the JD program and sitting for the bar are also possible.
- International Arbitration: Both U.S. and foreign attorneys can enroll in this program, which also has specialty in Latin America course offerings.
- Inter-American Law: This program allows students to focus their study on Latin America, and prepares them for business dealings with Latin American clients or clients dealing with that area. Many courses are offered in Spanish.
- International Law: Students study areas of international law including environmental issues, international trade, business, and investment, and human rights protection.
The completion of 24 credits with a minimum average of 2.3 is required for the degree.
- Tax Law LLM The Tax Law LLM allows students to pursue a full range of tax law specialties through either a full-time or part-time program. A total of 24 credits, with 12 being from required courses and 12 being from electives, are required to complete the degree. Students are able to focus on U.S. or international tax laws, offering a wide range of opportunities, including an International Taxation Concentration and a new LLM in Taxation of Cross-Border Investment recently instituted by the University of Miami Law School. For the International Taxation Concentration, students must take 8 credits with an average of at least 2.5. JD students can combine the degree to get a dual JD/LLM in Tax, or a triple JD/MBA/LLM in Tax.
- Real Property Development LLM The Real Property Development LLM is available to students on campus or online either full- or part-time and was created for attorneys working in the real estate field. Students gain an overview of areas in the field including tax law, construction law, finance, land acquisition, residential and commercial development, closings, negotiation, planning, drafting, and landlord tenant. There is a joint JD/LLM option as well. Students must complete 30 credit hours with a minimum 2.5 average, and are required to complete an internship and participate in construction site visits throughout the year.
- Estate Planning LLM The Estate Planning LLM is currently the only full-time LLM program in the United States dedicated to estate planning. The program includes tax law courses allowing practitioners to more fully understand how taxes play into estate planning.
- Ocean and Coastal Law LLM The Ocean and Coastal Law LLM prepares attorneys to understand the complex issues surrounding domestic and international use of the marine environment. The university's unique location allows students to take full advantage of learning about the marine environment. The completion of a total of 24 credits with a minimum 2.3 average is required for the degree. Courses in admiralty law, coastal law, international law, as well as Law of the Sea and a Law of the Sea seminar are required.
University of Miami LLM Admission
The University of Miami, School of Law conducts admissions decisions on a rolling basis. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as space does fill up and the priority deadline is May 1. Foreign law students are accepted for admission for the fall semester only, whereas U.S. law graduated may be accepted for spring admission as well.
All students are required to submit the following items for consideration for admission to the University of Miami, School of Law:
- Application form, submitted through the online application system
- $50 Application fee
- Statement of purpose
- Undergraduate and law school transcripts and notarized copy of diploma
- Two letters of recommendation
- Scholarship request form and research assistant form
International applicants must also submit:
- TOEFL scores (minimum 580 paper-based, 237 computer-based, or 92 Internet-based) or TOEFL waiver
- Statement of Financial Responsibility and Verification of Sponsorship
U.S. law school graduates must also submit an LSDAS report and LSAT score.
University of Miami LLM Tuition
University of Miami LLM tuition differs by program. It is best to check each program website for updated information.
University of Miami LLM Scholarships
Applicants to the University of Miami LLM Program may be eligible for partial Dean's Scholarships and Scholarships from Alumni & Friends. For more information about scholarships, visit our LLM Scholarships page.
University of Miami LLM Employment
The Office of Career Services of the University of Miami Law School has many resources to help students navigate all parts of the job search process from resumes and cover letters, to interviews and callbacks, to accepting, rejecting, and negotiating offers, and coordinates online job postings, resume referrals for employers, on-campus interviews.
University of Miami LLM Contact
University of Miami School of Law
Office of Admissions & Recruiting
P.O. Box 248087
Coral Gables, FL 33124-8087
Telephone: (305) 284-6746
Fax: (305) 284-3084
Email the University of Miami School of Law: email@example.com


text:
This blog is dedicated with love to my missing daughter, Michaela Joy Garecht. Michaela was kidnapped on November 19, 1988, at the age of nine, and she is still missing. I will never stop looking for her. I will never stop loving her.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Love and Fear
That statement kept coming back to me during the week, like there was something in it for me to figure out, and it finally dawned on me that maybe that prayer hadn't been answered because maybe I don't really want answers. It is, after all, an established fact that every single time it seemed as though I might find out that you were dead, when the lead fell through I did not feel any disappointment that the case did not get solved. I just felt pure relief that it wasn't true.
I have to tell you also that there is another feeling I have recognized lately. People have asked me a number of times if I felt guilty over what happened to you, like maybe I shouldn't have let you go to the store that day. And I have always said no, I don't. I honestly don't think I did anything wrong by allowing my daughter, who was almost ten years old, go two blocks to the neighborhood market with a friend.
But on a deeper level, I have come to see that I do feel guilty, terribly, horribly guilty and unworthy. I have also said that yes, life goes on, and it should, and I am pretty sure you would have wanted that for me as I would have wanted it for you. Yet deep down inside I feel guilty for every moment of life I have enjoyed since you have been gone. I feel guilty for every minute that I spent doing something else besides looking for you, reaching out to you. I have talked before about how children who have been kidnapped, or even who have run away, are often reluctant to come home because they feel ashamed and unworthy because of what they have had to endure. Well, that is probably no match for the feelings of shame and unworthiness I feel for not having found you, for not having saved you.
The human mind and heart are such complex things. So often we have no idea what is really going on in them. So often we have no idea why we do the things we do. One thing seems completely unrelated to another, and yet they are not.
Just know, Michaela, wherever you are, that I love you. There has never been a human being on the earth who was more loved, more adored, more wanted, than you were ... than you are. I know that we will see each other again, one way or another, here or there. And in that day, the love we have for each other will be so bright it will forever burn away the shame, the fear, the sorrow, and we will know that we are worthy of that love.
God bless you, baby girl. I love you forever.
12 comments:
- AnonymousMarch 17, 2014 at 9:03 PM
It was so nice to see a blog update and view your supportive facebook friends comments .I sooooooooo wish you the very best.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 17, 2014 at 10:37 PM
Even though our circumstances are very different I identify with the experience you expressed of feeling" guilty, terribly, horribly guilty and unworthy". The onion peel layers of guilt for me were subtle & deeply imbedded. It took a long time for me to notice that I substituted Food for Faith—Pills for Prayer—etc. My healing began when I called out to "The God my soul remembers"ReplyDelete
Thxs for sharing your life experiences.Replies
- AnonymousMarch 19, 2014 at 8:45 AM
Some have found "The Life Recovery" Bible a helpful bridge—I still treasure my copy…It Features:Delete
• "New Living Translation
• Recovery Notes—Placed throughout the Bible text, these notes pinpoint passages and thoughts important to recovery
• Twelve Step Devotionals—A reading chain of 84 Bible-based devotionals tied to the Twelve Steps of recovery and placed throughout the Bible text
• Serenity Prayer Devotionals—Based on the Serenity Prayer, these devotionals provide an excellent More than 50 Bible-based devotionals create an excellent guide to recovery
• Recovery Profiles—Key Bible characters are profiled and important recovery lessons are drawn from their lives
• Recovery Reflections—Topically arranged recovery reflections pinpoint specific Scripture passages at the end of most Bible books
• Recovery Themes—Prominent recovery themes are discussed at the openings of various Bible books ……"
• http://www.amazon.com/Life-Recovery-Bible-Personal-Size/dp/1414316267
- AnonymousMarch 28, 2014 at 10:13 AM
"One Day At a Time" [Live] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhUvFqOY00IDelete
- AnonymousMarch 18, 2014 at 1:02 AM
"May the Good Lord Bless and Keep you" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU1imF3OFiMReplyDelete
- MeredithMarch 18, 2014 at 7:10 PM
When Michaela was kidnapped, clearly more than one life was stolen. You were robbed of the ability to enjoy moments in a state of complete happiness, without feeling guilty that Michaela might be out there waiting to be rescued, without fear that she might somehow misinterpret you being happy as not missing her. Just as you want Michaela to be happy wherever she is, you have to believe she would want the same for you and try your hardest not to hate yourself for it. It is a grueling task and is much easier said than done I'm sure. Life is so precious and we only get so many moments with each other, and we must take advantage of them. Having Michaela in your life taught you just that. It is completely understandable that you might feel guilty for enjoying life when you have no idea what kind of life, if any, Michaela has had over the years. But really, what is the alternative? Reading your blog for so long, I think you understand that it's not realistic to spend your time traveling to other countries, spending every waking hour looking aimlessly for her.... even though emotionally and with your heart that is what you want to do. I hope that if she is out there, Michaela will have the opportunity, strength, and courage to find you. Just like many things in life, all you can do is continue to reach out and keep the door open, and just hope she will grab your hand and walk through that door one day. Thank you for sharing your life and your thoughts with everyone. You are an amazing person.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 19, 2014 at 8:43 PM
Thank you Sharon for being honest about the guilt you feel. I've read that even parents who have lost children to disease feel guilty. It's clear to me, as on some level it is to you, that you have nothing to feel guilty about, but that doesn't change the way we are - to feel ultimate responsibility for our children, even when what happens to them is beyond our control. Losing a child (God forbid) is the second worst thing imaginable. The worst is, once you've known them, to never have had them at all. I can imagine the joy you feel when you look at photos of Michaela, and I know that despite all the pain, you wouldn't give up a single moment that you had her. And I can imagine that there are moments when the years since the day you last saw her just disappear. There are some things in life we don't get over. We just keep getting through them. My heart goes out to you Sharon. I hope that on some level it gives you strength.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 20, 2014 at 5:10 PM
Sharon, I know guilt has played a huge part in Michaela's disappearance. I know you feel responsible. I believe this is a normal reaction. As parents, we always feel guilty when something happens to our children. People can try to comfort you and tell you not to feel this way but I know you still do. Try to remember that it is not your fault. It is not anybody's fault but the man who took her. I know you are thinking If Only I.......... You cannot blame yourself. As a good parent you were trying to let Michaela grow by giving her some freedom to do things on her own. All children need this in order to become responsible adults. You let her go to the market out of love and caring. You wanted her to be happy. I bet she was beaming that day getting to go to the store alone with her friend. I am sure she does NOT blame you in any way. I am also sure she knows that you would never stop looking for her or loving her. It was out of your hands. Just like when a child gets a terrible disease. The parent has no control over it and it is the same when a child is kidnapped. You did nothing wrong but to Love your little girl unconditionally. I so understand how and why you feel the way that you do. You had no way of knowing what was going to happen that day. You are not responsible.ReplyDelete
I have a son who was born with many medical issues. I, too, felt guilty, thinking what I did something to make him sick. What did I eat or drink, etc. In reality, I did nothing wrong. I took care of myself and did all the right things just like you did. Tomorrow my son is having surgery. I am so worried. He has been through so much.
I have followed Michaela's story for many, many years. Each time I sign on here I hope to see good news. News that you have found your precious girl.
No one can know what you are going through or have been through. I remember I lost my little girl once in a shopping mall. She was only 4. I was holding her hand and she pulled away and got lost in the crowd. I finally found her. She went to see Santa Claus. I thought I would die. I know how frightened I was. I can't even imagine how you feel.
You will get your answer one day and I hope it is the one you have been waiting so long for. Michaela wouldn't want you to be sad. Try to be as happy as you can be. You gave her a good life and she seemed like such a happy little girl. Life is so cruel sometimes. Keep writing here even if you say things over and over again. If it makes you feel better then it is worth it. Take Care, Nancy
I think most of us feel guilty when something tragic happens because it gives us some small sense of control over the event - if only I had done this, maybe it wouldn't have happened. I guess it seems easier than the truth which is there was nothing we could do and bad things sometimes happen to good people for no reason. Much harder to live with that I think, and so we blame ourselves for doing/not doing something instead. Which of course is also very difficult to live with. Love to you and Michaela as always xxReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 24, 2014 at 8:24 AM
Sharon, Check out the picture of Lloyd Lee Welch who is a prime suspect in the Lyon sisters disappearance. He does resemble the composite and also has many acne scars. He was known to travel the country as he was a carnival worker.ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousMarch 24, 2014 at 7:39 PM
SHARON ,I know the pain is with you all the time yet I am sorry to hear of your magnified deep yearning, stabbing of the heart sorrow & profound missing of your beloved dear daughter this morning.(3/24 blog) I pray you feel better soon..Delete
ANNOYN, Concern matters! Unfortunately Lloyd Lee Welch was BORN IN 1956—eerie similarities (acne-blue eyes-height-hair length) however do not fit Michaela's kidnapper estimated age. When Welch's long haired mug shot pic (link below) was taken in 1977 he was 21 yrs old --He would have been 32 in 1988—. http://www.wtop.com/emedia/wtop/32/3260/326003.jpg?filter=wtop_picgallery
- AnonymousMarch 29, 2014 at 3:46 PM
No one knows how old Michaela's kidnapper was. The only witness was a child. He could have definitely been 32 years of age.Delete


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Irin Sumanenkova
Irin SumanenkovaHugh Jackman
Irin SumanenkovaA breadwinner. A hunter. A warrior.
Irin SumanenkovaVan Helsing. Who's hunting whom?
Irin SumanenkovaLight of Hope
Irin SumanenkovaTo The Peak!
Irin SumanenkovaAiry mountains of China
Irin SumanenkovaFrance mountains at sunset.
Irin SumanenkovaThe Peacekeeper.
Irin SumanenkovaAgony of storm will never hide the Sun!
Irin SumanenkovaCitadel
Irin SumanenkovaMount Matterhorn at sunset.
Irin SumanenkovaForest in winter
Irin SumanenkovaDream of Kyiv
Irin SumanenkovaCreation Power
Irin SumanenkovaThinking about life
Irin SumanenkovaSomewhere in the Indian jungle...
Irin SumanenkovaWhere are you going? Let's play!
Irin SumanenkovaHappy childhood
Irin SumanenkovaSoul of the pine forest
Irin SumanenkovaHappiness in the garden
Irin SumanenkovaThe illustration by the novel "Notre-Dame-de-Paris" by Victor Hugo - "The arrest of Quasimodo"
Irin SumanenkovaThe illustration by the novel "Notre-Dame-de-Paris" by Victor Hugo - "Arrest"
Irin SumanenkovaAlarming morning in Ghent. The left part of the triptych "The age of cathedrals"
Irin SumanenkovaThe Coutances's sun of harmony. The central part of the triptych "The age of cathedrals"
Irin SumanenkovaAn evening in Salisbury. The right part of the triptych "The age of cathedrals"
Irin SumanenkovaA morning. Lviv
Irin SumanenkovaNo way back!
Irin SumanenkovaThe War
Irin SumanenkovaCover to the poetry book "Through the Looking Glass" dy Alexandra Vasilenko
Irin SumanenkovaMilady
Irin SumanenkovaRescue and save
Irin SumanenkovaTutanhamon
Irin SumanenkovaThe illustration to the novel "Notre-Dame-de-Paris" by Victor Hugo - "Defence of the cathedrale
Irin SumanenkovaGuys, what about me?!
Irin SumanenkovaCute kitten in the air!
Irin SumanenkovaThe illustration to the G. Tutunnik story"The steppe fairy tale
Irin SumanenkovaThe portrait of Frollo.
Irin SumanenkovaThe way of the human spirit
Irin SumanenkovaThrough the chimeras - to the skies!
Irin SumanenkovaContra spem spero!
Irin SumanenkovaVenice-soul or What we know about her?
Irin SumanenkovaOrchids at the sunrise..
Irin SumanenkovaIn a gold of Peru shines the emerald alive!
Irin SumanenkovaThe hummingbird's flight near the Angel fall...
Irin SumanenkovaSummer. Wheat
Irin SumanenkovaThe golden domes of Kyiv.
Irin SumanenkovaRoses and tulips.
Irin SumanenkovaLillies and orchids
Irin SumanenkovaSpring and Summer.
Irin SumanenkovaThe illustration to the novel "Siveryane" by D. Mishenko - "To the Light!"
Irin SumanenkovaAmong the April's snow I dream about summer...
Irin SumanenkovaThe illustration to the poetry "Goddess Kali" by Mirra Lohvitskaya (XIXst.)
Irin SumanenkovaThe illustration to the poetry "The Gates of the Eternity" by Mirra Lohvitskaya (XIXst.)
Irin SumanenkovaHow can I climb there?
Irin SumanenkovaPlaing!
Irin SumanenkovaLacky is turning around.