text: ABOUTConcierge Club connects Los Angeles visitors with half-price tickets to local theatre playing in close proximity to their hotel. The productions that are participating will admit any hotel guest for half-price.To make a formal reservation for a performance, contact the producing theatre's box office. In order to receive half-price, you must present a validated Club card, available at hotel Concierge desks.Ask in the hotel lobby if they are a participant in Concierge Club. If not, ask them to join! It's free for them and saves you money!Subscribe to our list for updates on this program!


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PASADENA, Calif. (November 22, 2013) – The Tournament of Roses has selected Cheryl Cecchetto, James Folsom and René van Rems to be float judges for the 125th Rose Parade® presented by Honda. Twenty-four of the 46 floral masterpieces entered in the parade will receive awards in a variety of categories and specifications. Judges' scores will be based on criteria such as creative design, floral craftsmanship, artistic merit, computerized animation, thematic interpretation, floral and color presentation and dramatic impact. Cecchetto, Folsom and van Rems were selected by the Tournament's Judging Committee, chaired by Richard De Jesu. Tournament of Roses President Scott Jenkins announces the winning floats the morning of January 1, 2014.
"Rose Parade floats are designed, built and decorated by teams who put heart and soul into each unique presentation," said De Jesu. "Our esteemed panel of judges looks at each float through a creative lens and identifies those elements that are most entertaining to viewers. All three judges bring a diverse set of skills that complement each other's knowledge in their profession."
About the 2014 Rose Parade Float Judges
Cheryl Cecchetto is the president and owner of Sequoia Productions. She produces, directs and designs illustrious events and consults with distinguished clients in the fields of design, live entertainment, food and wine.
She has been the sole producer, director and designer to the Academy Awards® Governors Ball for 25 years, the Emmy® Awards Governors Ball for 16 years and Australia's G'DAY USA events for 10 years.
She has been featured on "Good Morning America," "The Today Show," CNN, E! Entertainment, "FOX News," "CBS News," "ABC On The Red Carpet" and "Access Hollywood." Her events and designs have been written about in countless publications including The Los Angeles Times, In Style, The Robb Report, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Vanity Fair and People magazine.
Cecchetto is a highly sought after speaker at industry events around the world. She recently served as the international keynote speaker for the MiceCon 2013 conference in the Philippines, ISES Toronto's Ignite Business Event Expo in Toronto, Ontario and the Sydney Event Showcase and Australian Business Events Expo in Sydney, Australia.
James Folsom is the Marge and Sherm Telleen/Marion and Earl Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens at The Huntington. He first began his career at the Gardens in 1984 as the assistant curator and after gradually moving up the ladder as curator, became the director in 1991. As such, Folsom is responsible for managing staff, landscapes, collections and programming. He also oversees maintenance and improvements to the grounds and promotes horticulture, research and interpretation.
Folsom sets the pace and motivates the staff and volunteers who: welcome more than 500,000 visitors to the Gardens each year, care for and cultivate everything from plants to displays, conduct classes, tours and workshops and make the Gardens an important community asset.
His passion for botany stems from an intrigue of the importance of plants on earth and the overall beauty of their elements; such as, cellular structure and seed germination. Folsom finds gardening a creative and satisfying pursuit and enjoys educating the community about both plants and gardening.
Folsom received his bachelor's degree in botany from Auburn University in 1972, his master's in biology from Vanderbilt University in 1979, and his doctorate in botany from University of Texas in 1987. In 2001 he became a certified arborist from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
René van Rems is an award-winning floral designer, keynote speaker, instructor and author. Born in Amsterdam, van Rems was educated in the entire spectrum of floriculture at the world-famous Floral Institute in Holland prior to moving to the United States.
He is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) and the National Speakers Association (NSA) and has served as the director of promotions for the California Cut Flower Commission for 10 years, conducting masterful stage programs across the nation for California's flower industry.
He has been featured on ABC, NBC, Fox TV, KPBS and Home and Garden Television showcasing European influence on trends in American floral design. Van Rems was awarded the Francis Jones Poetker Award from the American Horticulture Society. He was also the recipient of the Los Angeles Flower Market's first René van Rems Award for excellence in design education.
Van Rems has published two books: "René's Bouquets – A Guide To Euro-Style Hand-Tied Bouquets" (2008) and "René's Bouquets for Brides" (2011).
– See more at: http://www.tournamentofroses.com/News/NewsDetail/tabid/132/article/201830/TOURNAMENT-OF-ROSES-ANNOUNCES-2014-FLOAT-JUDGES.aspx#sthash.fkS7Mz7H.dpuf

subset: commoncrawl


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- Greece goes back to the polls
- A guide to the 2015 Greek election results
- Is Europe's far right heading for power?-Greece
The Greek economy, a consistent issue over the last five years, has experienced dramatic change through the past few months. Since the ascension of SYRIZA to government in 2015, the policy of Greece in relation to Europe has changed dramatically.
The lack of money not earmarked for debt payments has meant that SYRIZA, a radical-left party, has been unable to fulfil its promises to increase public spending. Despite this, the new government led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has adopted a more confrontational attitude to the European authorities, and has requested that the terms of the bailouts be loosened.
This attitude meant that a new bailout settlement, which would be required before June 30, 2015, would be harder to get. A bailout would be necessary by this time in order to allow Greece to pay their € 1.5 billion (AUD $2.2 billion) repayment to the International Monetary Fund: failing to pay back this would put Greece significantly in arrears with the IMF, a first for a developed country. It would also mean that it would be hard for Greece to stay in the Eurozone.
In the months before the deadlines, multiple summits of European and Greek politicians failed to meet an agreement, with Tsipras and Greek Finance Minister Yannis Varoufakis wanting no cuts to Greece, and European politicians wanting more cuts.
On June 25, the European Union offered a proposal to the Greek government. In exchange for an extension of the bailout, and the guarantee of the IMF payment, Greece would broaden their value-added tax (Goods and Services Tax, to Australians) top rate of 23% to increase restaurants, hotels, and catering. A limited set of goods would be covered by a 13% rate, such as water, electricity and basic foods, and a super-reduced rate of 6% would be introduced for books, theatre performances, and medical supplies.
Pension contributions would also be increased, and grants designed to increase government funds to less well-off pensioners would be phased out. The full text of the proposal can be found here.
This deal offered a dilemma to Tsipras. On the one hand, if he accepted it, he would be accused of selling out to the EU. On the other, if he did not, he would be acccused of unilaterally pulling Greece out of the Eurozone, a fairly unpopular move.
So, what was the solution? On June 27th, a mere three days before the payment was due, Tsipras announced the solution: a referendum on the proposal. The next day, Parliament passed the referendum law; it received support from the far-right Golden Dawn party, as well as the governing parties of SYRIZA and Independent Greeks. However, it was opposed by the Communist Party, the liberal To Potami (The River) party, the centre-right New Democracy party, and the centre-left Panhellinic Socialist Movement (PASOK) party.
The date for the referendum was set for the fifth of July, only seven days after the bill was passed. The intention of this was apparently so the European Union could extend their bailout to cover the repayment due on the 30th.
So, what are Greeks being asked?
|The referendum ballot paper. (Source-Greek government website)
The exact question, as translated by the BBC, is this.
Should the plan of agreement be accepted, which was submitted by the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund in the Eurogroup (meeting of European finance ministers) of 25/06/2015, and comprises of two parts, which constitutes their unified proposal.
The first document is entitled "Reforms for completion of the Common Programme and beyond", and the second "Preliminary Debt Sustainability Analysis".
I can only assume it sounds better in Greek.
Now, this is quite a long question for the proposal on offer. Those who have read the documents will know when they were presented and who presented them, and those who haven't won't know about the referendum anyway.
The question seems unnecessarily detailed, and I can't see that asking whether voters simply approve of the documents in question would be any less helpful.
This seems somewhat suspicious. The ideal outcome for SYRIZA, who wrote the question, is a no vote. If voters don't understand the question, they are likely to vote 'No', as they quite reasonably don't want to vote for something they don't understand.
Issues with the ballot paper
Other than the overly long question, another issue with the referendum is the placing of the Yes and No boxes. For those who can't read Greek, the box for No is placed above the box for Yes.
Now, Greece's last referendum was in 1974, on whether Greece should be a republic or a monarchy. As far as I can tell, this referendum used a system where voters were given an envelope, and then went into the voting booth, where there were a stack of cards reading 'Yes', and a stack of cards reading 'No'. They took one card, put it in the envelope, and put the envelope in the ballot box.
So, there seems to be no Greek practice for how referendums are held. However, on a ballot paper designed by a government interested in a certain outcome, it certainly seems suspicious that the outcome the government wants is on top.
It seems especially suspicious considering that standard practice in referendums is usually to have 'Yes' first.
|Not an exact copy of the Scottish independence referendum ballot, but certainly the yes and no were in that order (Source: Scottish Government)
|Irish marriage equality referendum ballot paper (Source: The Journal.ie)
Now, this doesn't have to be attributable to malice. But it certainly seems rather odd, and it certainly has attracted attention.
The time period
The referendum is being held at fairly short notice. While it seems possible that Tsipras is being reasonable by not asking the European Union to extend the bailout over a long campaign period, the fact is that the European Union did refuse to extend the bailout at all. This means that a long campaign period, in order to discuss the issues more thoroughly, would be more popular.
Now, some might say that Tsipras isn't to blame here. After all, he might have thought that the European Union would offer an extension, and they wouldn't want too long an extension. However, it is surely a dramatic breakdown in communication when Tsipras is unable to run the concept of a referendum past the European authorities.
The government has provided a website, with details of the agreements. However, simply looking at the front page, it's clearly slanted in favour of the No campaign, with Prime Minister Tsipras , a supporter of the No campaign, receiving multiple slots with which to make his statements.
Is a referendum a good idea?
In theory, allowing Greek voters to choose their future, and whether they support the bailout, isn't a bad idea. However, this referendum has not provided enough time for voters to properly scrutinise it, and the government seems to have slanted the playing field in favour of their preferred option.


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NY Pension.JPG
Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
(Photo by File)
By Freeman Klopott, Bloomberg
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, pressed by critics including Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, dropped a plan meant to give pension-cost certainty to local officials that may have left the system unable to pay benefits.
An alternative measure agreed to by Cuomo, DiNapoli and lawmakers supplements a way that pensions can choose to defer some payments, allowed by the comptroller since 2010. The new method was included in an accord reached March 20 on a $136.5 billion budget. Lawmakers may begin voting on the spending plan as soon as Saturday.
"It is my job to protect the 1 million members of the retirement system, and all New York taxpayers, from irresponsible actions and fiscal gimmicks," DiNapoli, a Democrat, said Thursday in a statement. He had said that Cuomo's plan could have left the $150.6 billion system unable to pay benefits because it limited his ability to raise payment rates if market outcomes fell short of predictions.
Local elected officials, including Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, attacked fellow Democrat Cuomo, 55, after he introduced his January budget proposal with a so-called pension smoothing plan. It also provided lower employer costs for the first five years. Miner said the changes would only put off dealing with rising retiree costs confronting cities like hers.
Municipalities from Providence, Rhode Island, to San Diego have worked to rein in those retirement costs. The new measure in the New York budget accord, coupled with the previously permitted deferral mechanism, is meant to ease the effects of rising pension expenses and a 2 percent annual cap on property- tax increases, DiNapoli said.
"Many cities in the state are desperate to relieve some of this pressure and it appears they have a choice of picking which plan suits them," Howard Cure, director of municipal-bond research in New York at Evercore Wealth Management LLC, said by e-mail. His firm oversees about $4.5 billion.
The added mechanism lets participants defer part of their payments, making them over a longer time and at a different interest rate than the current system allows. It would be available to local governments outside New York City, as well as school districts and cooperative educational services. It also would be open to public hospitals in Erie, Nassau and Westchester counties.
Participants in the new program can defer part of their annual pension contributions and pay the amount plus interest over 12 years, according to DiNapoli's office. The borrowing cost would be the equivalent of the yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes plus 1 percentage point.
"It seems that they are getting some relief by delaying the payments and assuming a rate of return that may not materialize," Cure said.
Once in the new program, public employers won't be allowed to leave, under the agreement.
"Local governments must fully weigh the long-term consequences of this new program before electing to participate," DiNapoli said in the statement.
Under the existing method, deferred payments are spread over 10 years with interest at a rate set by the comptroller, currently 3 percent. In fiscal 2013, 137 local governments deferred $368 million through the program, according to Eric Sumberg, a DiNapoli spokesman, and state budget documents.
The comptroller sets the rates paid into pension funds by local public employers in New York. From fiscal 2010 to 2014, the average of what they owe on every dollar that police and fire department employees earn rose to almost 29 percent from 15 percent, and to 21 percent from 7.4 percent for other workers, according to statements on DiNapoli's website.
Employer payments have climbed to offset pension investment losses during the worst financial crisis since the Depression. The deferral programs are designed to make the payment amounts more consistent over time and to lower costs in the short-term. Recovering markets are expected to ease fiscal pressures, leading to a leveling off or reduction in payment rates.
The state has one of the nation's best-funded retirement plans, with about 94 percent of assets needed to pay projected obligations in 2011, fourth-highest, according to Bloomberg Rankings data.
Cuomo wanted to let cities and towns restrain growth in the pension contributions they make for most employees for 25 years, starting at 12 percent of wages.
The governor's January proposal also would have let governments cash in on savings from a pension overhaul he pushed through last year, raising to 63 from 62 the age at which a new employee can retire with full benefits. Yet those cost reductions won't show up until the next generation of public workers are hired.
With Cuomo's proposal dropped, the new mechanism "looks more like what they're doing right now," David Hitchcock, the primary New York analyst for Standard & Poor's, said by telephone. "They're already amortizing investment losses from during the financial crisis and this is similar."
Morris Peters, a spokesman for Cuomo's budget division, didn't respond to an e-mail requesting comment on the changes.
The new program wouldn't be open to the state, and localities that join it wouldn't be allowed to take part in the 2010 system. The 2010 option requires them to choose to stay in each year.


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by Reb Akiva @ Mystical Paths
As noted by Shirat Devorah, Rabbi Moshe Yess passed away today (or yesterday?) Many remember Rabbi Yess as a Chabad chossid who became a musical contemporary of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, advancing religious Jewish music into a contemporary pop style. This early generation of contemporary Jewish musicians didn't become "big stars", the market for their product simply wasn't big enough. They were lucky if they could even make a living.
However, about 20 years ago Rabbi Yess left the music scene after receiving a reply from the Lubavitcher Rebbe indicating he should use his influence to spread the goals of bringing Moshiach and the Geulah (and referring to him as rabbi, from which he accepted the title along with the task).
With the departure of the Rebbe from our physical presence, Rabbi Yess spent his time as a Geulah researcher – similar to some of the writings of this blog (and certainly it's early years). He spent time correlating modern events to biblical prophecies and tying the two back to writings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He was a committed Chabad Meshichist, but not one who went around shouting Yechi but rather did the research to back up his beliefs with halachic, talmudic, and kabbalistic sources. We corresponded on such things a number of times.
As he left his music behind he started Messiah Watch International, where he published his findings, research and beliefs. As a web site it's a generation 1 technology poorly organized mess. But the research was and is worth paying attention to for geulah watchers. With his passing who knows how long the site will continue to exist.
He was a fellow traveler, an elder, on the road and will be missed.
His site presents a session of Rabbi Yess discussing Geulah signs on the Coast-to-Coast late night radio show in the US (known for discussing odd events of all sorts). Here's that program (38 minutes, English)…
And here's an example of his music from the past…


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Who is the Artist/Organization? Dan Hendrick
Date of the Event? May 19, 2013
Where is the event taking place? MoMA PS1 VW2 Rockaway Dome, Shore Front Parkway between Beach 94-95 Streets, Rockaway Beach, Queens
Website: http://www.gifttool.com/
Come and celebrate Jamaica Bay while contributing to the efforts to protect it!
This fundraiser to help complete the first-ever feature documentary film on Jamaica Bay will be held at the VW Dome 2, MoMA Ps1's new temporary geodesic dome in Rockaway Beach.
Jamaica Bay is along the Atlantic Flyway and is home to a vibrant ecosystem that includes more than 325 species of bird and 100 types of fish. The bay's health has been seriously compromised by development, sewage pollution, dredging, and other stressors, but is making a comeback. Funds raised will help complete the film and raise awareness of this precious natural resource. Meet the filmmakers, get a sneak peek at the trailer, and enjoy music, local food, and a great time with the Jamaica Bay family.
Suggested donation levels are $50, $100 and $250, but all are welcome – please contribute what you can.
We are proud to have Queens Council on the Arts support for this effort.


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Government of Maharashtra has established a State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET CELL). "Commissioner, State CET Cell' is the Competent Authority to conduct the on-line MAH-MBA/MMS CET for admission to various MBA colleges in Maharashtra.MAH-MBA/MMS-CET-2020 is scheduled for 14th and 15th March 2020. The CET is conducted for the admission to first year of two year full time post graduate degree courses in Management namely Master of Business Administration (MBA)/ Master of Management Studies (MMS).
The institutes which qualify for the admission process as per these rules are:
- Approved by the Government of Maharashtra.
- Recognized by the Government of Maharashtra.
- Affiliated to any one of the Non Agricultural Universities in Maharashtra state.
Following are the types of Institutes in the Maharashtra state covered by these rules –
- All Government Management Institutes
- All University Departments of Management
- All University Managed Management Institutes
- All Un-aided Management Education Institutes covered as per the provision in Section 10 of Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Fees) Act, 2015.
Eligibility Criteria :
Passed with minimum of 50% marks in aggregate or equivalent CGPA (45% in case of candidates of backward class categories and Persons With Disability belonging to Maharashtra State only) in any Bachelor's degree(minimum 3 years duration)OR
Appeared for the final year examination of any Bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years duration.
Important Dates:
|Schedule for MAH-MBA/MMS-CET-2020
|Important Events
|Commencement of on-line registration of application
|Closure of registration of application
|Closure of editing application details
|Last date for printing application
|on-line fee payment
|10/01/2020 to 15/02/2020
|Issue of Hall Tickets through login of successfully registered candidates
|01/03/2020 onwards
|Date of on-line MAH-MBA/MMS-CET-2020
|14/03/2020 and 15/03/2020
|Declaration of result of the MAH-MBA/MMS-CET-2020 on the website
Pattern of CET :
- MAH-MBA/MMS-CET is was conducted in the ONLINE mode. Using standardized equi-percentile method, scores across sessions will be normalized.
- Multiple choice objective type questions with five answer choices
- Areas to be tested - Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical / Abstract Reasoning.
- 200 questions to be answered in one hundred and fifty minutes.
- The test consists of Quantitative Aptitude, Test of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, and Test of Logical and Abstract Reasoning.
- Each question has five answer choices. There are no negative marks for wrong answers.
About MAH MBA/MMS CET
- Logical / Abstract Reasoning This would include the questions to measures how quickly and accurately a candidate can think. This test may have questions based on figures and diagrams and also questions on verbal reasoning.
- Quantitative Aptitude This would include the questions to know how fast and accurate a candidate can work with numbers, do numerical calculations understand various arithmetic problems involving ratio and proportion, percentage, etc. This test also helps to measure his/her power of quantitative reasoning, interpretation of tables, common graphs and charts.
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension This section would include passages with questions based on their contents to test a candidate's comprehension. His English Language ability would be tested through questions on grammar, vocabulary, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms, comprehension of passages etc. An aspirant's English language ability would be tested through questions on (1) understanding of the contents of the passage and (2) choice of appropriate words, phrases, expressions and similar language skills.
|No of Questions
|Marks per question
|Maximum Marks
|Total Marks
|Logical Reasoning
|Abstract Reasoning
|Quantitative Aptitude
|Verbal Ability/ Reading Comprehension
Each question has five answer choices. There are no negative marks for wrong answers.
Click here for the analysis of the previous years' MAH MBA/MMS CET papers
Some of the popular colleges that take candidates for their MBA courses through MAH-MBA/MMS-CET are:
- Jamanalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies,Mumbai.
- Sydenham Institute of Management Studies&Research & Entrepreneurship Education(SIMSREE), Mumbai.
- Somaiya Institute of Management Studies&Research, Mumbai.
- Prin. L. N Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, Mumbai.
- Department of Management Sciences (PUMBA), University of Pune.
- Department of Management Studies, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon Department of Commerce & Management, Shivaji University, Kolhapur.
Complete details about the MAH-MBA/MMS-CET can be obtained here.
- Study material: Every year, T.I.M.E. revises its study material and guides its students to take the right approach to succeed in the Exam. The Research and Development team at T.I.M.E which has top class faculty members with more than 20 years of experience prepares the study material. The study material consists of the following:
- Study Material Booklets:In these booklets the basic concepts of each topic of the subject are given with examples. These are followed by exercises.
- Handouts:The handouts are discussed in the classroom to impart the basic knowledge of the subject to the students.
- On-line & paper Based Test papers:The test papers are prepared with questions covering all the basic concepts. Tests are provided both in paper based and online mode. Paper based tests are conducted in the classroom, while the online tests can be taken at home. The tests are useful to the students for practice
- On-line mock test papers:The Mock test papers consist of questions from all the test areas. These tests are prepared to give the students the real feel of the exam.
- Classroom coaching: The classroom coaching has three modules – Basic Module, Individual Test Papers, workshops and full length Mock Test Papers.
- Basic Module: In this module, the basic concepts are taught to the students. The classes are designed such that the teaching of the concepts progresses from the absolute basic level to the level of MAH-CET.
- Individual Test Papers: Once the basic concepts are taught, individual test papers are conducted at the end of each chapter/topic. The tests are followed by the discussions on the paper in the classroom. These sessions help to reinforce the concepts that have already been discussed.
- Workshops: Workshops help students pay more attention to the recent models of questions and revision of basic concepts once again.
- Full Length Mock Papers: These tests are conducted on the completion of the entire syllabus. The test papers are followed by discussions with the faculty members. Various strategies and methods of successfully approaching the exam are discussed.


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Art Attacks attended the opening of Gauntlet Gallery's "ReDiscovery", an art show inspired by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. To celebrate the release of Daft Punk's first album in eight years, Gauntlet Gallery will feature works by over 40 painters, sculptors , digital and screen print artists, each of whom has created an … Continue reading ReDiscovery: Daft Punk Inspired Art Show
We visited Context Art Miami this year at Art Basel Miami 2012 and bumped into Jen of Varnish Fine Art from San Francisco. California. Jen talks to us about being a vender at Context this year and her thoughts on the fair and it's bold work. Context was an incredible experience and brought some of … Continue reading GALLERY SPOTLIGHT – Varnish Fine Art of San Francisco, CA
We followed our friends at SNAP ORLANDO to the Mr. Brainwash party in celebration of his show at Art Basel Miami 2012 – LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
The SNAP! Orlando crew let us tag along with them to meet up with World Famous Light Painter Vicki DaSilva at Miami Beach during Art Basel 2012. Vicki let us role cameras as she created one of her signature light painting live on the beach.
We caught up with Ken Harman from Spoke Art Gallery in San Francisco to talk about his gallery's first time showing at Art Basel Miami 2012 and his featured artists.
During Art Basel Miami 2012 Art Attacks talked with Thinkspace's Andrew Hosner about their show at SCOPE Art Fair and one of the featured artists Brian M. Viveros.
Art Attacks presents a tour of some of the street art at the Wynwood Walls this year during Art Basel Miami 2012. If you want to be tagged in the video please contact us with your name and we will annotate you into the video during your mural appearance. Great job to all … Continue reading Video Tour of Wynwood Walls Miami 2012
Join Artist Andrew Spear and Art Attacks as they take in some of the nightlife and spectacular galleries at Art Basel Miami 2011.
Join Andrew Spear and Art attacks as they tour some of the major gallery spots at Art Basel Miami 2011.
Art Attacks caught up with Wynwwod Local, Photographer Sid Hoeltzell as he took us through his photography studio and a tour of the famous Wynwood Walls of Art Basel.


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I Can Barely Take Care of Myself
Tales From A Happy Life Without KidsBook - 2013 | 1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.
From the critics
Community Activity
CommentAdd a Comment
This is a very funny read. I recommend it for those who don't want kids and for those who know others who don't want kids!
Comedian Jen Kirkman certainly doesn't identify as the "mom" type though according to family, friends and strangers, she'll change her mind...definitely...any day now.
"I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales from a Happy Life Without Kids" mostly eschews details about Kirkman's career and treads very lightly when mentioning her gory divorce yet manages to give readers solid insight into the author's personality. Her musings about a mom-dominated world will put smiles on like-minded women's faces: rolling her eyes at parents who don't think "adults only" signs apply to them, wondering if new moms can talk about anything but diapers and taking offence at pointed questions about reproduction.
Kirkman manages to describe these frustrating encounters without coming across as bitter and does not express a hatred of children; rather, she disdains the lifestyle trappings of the moms she encounters. She thinks motherhood suits many people...other people. Her reasonable outlook makes the book eminently digestible; charming and cringe-worthy tales convince us that Kirkman suits producing books much better than producing babies.
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Anytime you want to purchase property, *especially* commercial property, you need to have money down (or as lenders call it, "skin in the game"). There's literally property out there that could make a profit with a 100% loan on it, but that doesn't mean you are going to be able to ever find it. Depending on the buyer and property type/conditions, you are going to need 30%+ down payment.
I know this question was asked a short time ago but I thought I should answer it anyways. 100% financing can be accomplished if you have a lender who allows mezzanine financing to 100%. For example, our private fund offer commercial bridge financing to 90% and will allow a mezzanine 2nd as long as it is from a 3rd party lender. I would be happy to forward our guidelines to you. Akali (954)496-5351 firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Try out the warm ups above on the specific day. Go through each exercise slow and controlled, really focusing on doing each rep properly so you can prep your body for your bad ass workout! Do as many reps as you need to depending on how your body feels. Some days you may feel more stiff than others, so warm up the slightest bit longer to really get your blood pumping.
If this article helped you please leave a comment and contact me with any questions!
Tags: at home workout, pre workout, quick workouts, warm up, warming up, workout


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Reconciliation Statement Meaning In Telugu Hindi Bank Malayalam English Marathi Kannada Tamil Accounts Urdu Accounting And Indian Taxation 15 Brs With
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As Stated , accomplishing a bank reconciliation is crucial for the fact of the accounting records as well as the firm's fiscal statements. A bank reconciliation is done to a gap in the bank's balance to an fiscal statements. Bank reconciliation is simply one of the types of reconciliation that happen within an business' , and critical to be thorough accurate as you possibly can. It's essential to do bank reconciliation to such scenarios. Bank reconciliation is a substantial process for the financial of of business . Now's bank reconciliations are an instrument may help both companies and individuals determine the of accounts ledgers and bank accounts.
The template is adequate that you Utilize your company. Further, you are able to a Financial institution reconciliation template out of various Free of charge. A reconciliation template can Absolutely make it to be Simpler reconcile your efficiently. Reconciliation Template Back in Excel The approach to locating precisely the of Template you are going to need is currently trying to find it.
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Worksheet Alterations are stored whenever you complete the reconciliation, and will appear to the following month's worksheet in the event you never delete them. The crucial alterations must be manufactured in the publication, or reported on the bank if needed, or time differences to aid with prospective reconciliations. , it's to of such if the quantity of prospective is immaterial to depict a good of a provider's and its financial . Adjustments to lessen the cash balance will probably need a charge to Cash and a debit another account.


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Our founders mother had knee surgery last week. She was her mothers caregiver during her recovery. She is doing great and better than expected. "Why?" Because of her fitness level going into surgery. First, we want to thank Renee Meyst, her trainer and our very own North County Regional Coordinator aka Fit-X Fitness Water Fitness Guru for the work she has done with our founder's mother. She came out of anesthesia very quickly and very alert. The raves regarding her fitness began in the recovery room and continued in the recovery ward. She was sent home after just 2 nights. Both physical therapists who have made home visits are amazed at her ROM and mobility. Our founder's mother was and always will be an active person, but she like all of us, needed the right guidance and recipe for fitness. So thank you Renee and thank you to all of you for getting SoCal moving. You make life better!
If you have a story that "Makes a Case for Fitness" please share it with us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we will publish it.
Stayed tuned next week to hear our Office Manager, Chenayle Gatewood's Case for Fitness


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External Advisory Council
The BME External Advisory Council comprises alumni, business leaders, and academic leaders who provide a high level of volunteer service to the Program, College, and University. The Council's primarily role is to help shape and evaluate the strategic direction of the BME program. In carrying out their role, members help inform and support the work of the Chair, faculty, and staff. They serve as a sounding board for the Chair and provide advice to ensure that the BME program maintains the highest standards of excellence. In addition, they more widely publicize the activities and accomplishments of the program to students, alumni, donors, employers, professionals and others.
As part of its annual meeting in the fall, the BMEAC reviews the progress of the previous year and presents its findings, highlighting major successes and challenges facing the BME program to the Dean of the College of Engineering.
Council Members – 2015
Council Member at 2014 Annual Meeting (L to R): Linda Myrick, Jack Kramer, Bruce Robertson, Michael Axe, Helen Stimson, John Flynn, Dawn Elliott, Michele Marcolongo. Not Pictured: Devon Bond
- Michael J. Axe, MD
Adjunct professor in Physical Therapy
University of Delaware
Board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and partner
First State Orthopaedics
- Michele S. Marcolongo, PhD ME'86
Senior associate vice provost
Translational research
Drexel University
- Helen Stimson (Chair)
President, Delaware BioScience Association
Retired VP, Agilent Technologies, Inc.


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BlackRock, Inc., BlackRock Founders Scholarship, Application Deadline, BTT Gateway Job ID 7617
Sun, November 17, 2013
A scholarship program for undergraduate students who identify as Black, Hispanic, Native American, LGBT, or disabled and have demonstrated leadership in creating and sustaining diverse, inclusive communities.
Win a merit award of $12,500 and gain hands-on experience with a paid BlackRock internship.
BlackRock was founded 25 years ago by eight entrepreneurs who wanted to start a very different company. Today, we've become the world's largest investment manager—with almost $4 trillion under management and many of the largest companies and governments around the globe turning to us with their biggest financial challenges.
We're looking for the future leaders of BlackRock who can help us take on those challenges and shape the next 25 years.
Learn more:
See BTT Gateway Job ID 7617. Application Deadline 11/17


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What's working in mass-market automotive
12 min read
WARC Category Intelligence, September 2019
What else does this article talk about?
- Automakers & marques
- Global
Interested in seeing what other marketing challenges WARC covers?
WARC's coverage is unrivalled – grouping articles, case studies and research around 100 different marketing topics, arranged across 11 themes.
What do I get with WARC?
- 65,000+ articles covering the full spectrum of marketing communications.
- Including over 12,000 effectiveness case studies revealing the campaign strategies of the world's leading brands to help maximize ROI.
- Best practice guides that explain the how and why of marketing challenges to stay ahead of the ever-changing marketing landscape.
- Marketing intelligence, trend reports, brand profiles and event reports to give your brand clear competitive advantage.


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Nouriel Roubini is the most prominent economist to warn that a double-dip recession would be a distinct possibility if economic policy-makers return to policy normalization to quickly. Now, Stephen Roach, head of Morgan Stanley Asia, is making similar arguments.
Roach was on Bloomberg Radio's show Bloomberg Surveillance with Tom Keene and Ken Pruitt yesterday, where he had a wide-ranging discussion about the global economy, China, Japan, government stimulus, and a host of other issues.
Some memorable quotes:
- China: "Late last year the Chinese economy came to a full stop and the government embarked on a massive investment and bank lending stimulus that I think is worrisome and not sustainable."
- Japan: "The key premise I think that needs to occur in Japan as well as the rest of Asia is the need to really put a lot of emphasis on internal private consumption."
- The Fed: "I am really critical of the idea that we can blame America's problems on the so-called surplus savings glut primarily from China."
- The U.S.: It looks like the worst of the downturn is behind us."
- Banks: "The financial crisis itself is far from over. A lot of financial institutions will continue to find their earnings and their lending capacity impaired."
The downside risks and double-dip that Roach points to for the U.S. and global economy should not be taken as a 'base-case' scenario but rather a possible outcome to avoid through the appropriate economic policy response. I should note that the same risks were present on a lesser scale after the Technology & Telecom bubble-induced recession in 2001, and Roach warned of these risks at the time.
He has a lot more to say. The audio is below and runs about 12 and 1/2 minutes. Enjoy.
Click for Audio
Originally published at Credit Writedowns and reproduced here with the author's permission.


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The History Channel : Renewable Energy , Natural Environment Homes : Going Green Living – Solar Power , Wind , Biofuel & More : 2 Pack
In the young 21st Century, two realizations are dawning on the world's population: we are hopelessly dependent on petroleum, which is only going to get more expensive; and global warming, caused mainly by our burning of fossil fuels, will impact civilization in ways that we're only beginning to grasp. Stepping in to fight both of these massive problems are the rapidly evolving technologies that harness renewable energy. We will see how air, water, earth, and fire are transformed into clean, reliable sources of heat, electricity, and even automobile fuel. We'll take an in-depth look at the most proven and reliable sources: solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, and tidal power. From the experimental to the tried-and-true, renewable energy sources are overflowing with potential… just waiting to be exploited on a massive scale. And unlike fossil fuels, they'll always be there. //Inspired by the popular home décor magazine, this episode of the A&E television series focuses on how the lines between the interiors and exteriors can sometimes be crossed or combined. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL shows that, if carried out correctly, there is no reason the inside of a home cannot be as lush and fragrant as the outside. First, there is a look inside the home of Seattle architect James Cutler. As a staunch environmentalist, Cutler designed his home using recycled wood and other natural products. The same concept was used in the home of designer Nick Berman, whose house was constructed using almost all natural materials. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL heads inside a water tower turned into an environmentally friendly home. There is also a discussion of some of the best natural products to accessorize a home, including bamboo flooring and art from famed environmental painter Dodd Holdsapple and natural sculptor Sally Trout.


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My husband is in the middle of serving a five-year prison sentence. We have a nine-year-old son, and we've sold our home and everything else of value just to get by and pay off debts. I've managed to pay off almost everything, but we still have about $20,000 in debt from credit cards and a car note. Our rent is $375 a month, and the car payment is $400. He was making about $100,000 a year before he was incarcerated, and the only income we have now is my monthly disability check of $1,478. Should I file Chapter 13 bankruptcy?
Dear Samantha,
I'm really sorry you and your family have been put through all this. You've endured a real mess the last few years, and I know you've fought like crazy to keep things afloat the entire time.
First, there's no reason for you to file bankruptcy. Chapter 13 is a payment plan, and right now you can't make payments, keep your lights on, and feed your child. The credit card companies can wait. I'm not going to beat you up over those last two debts, especially after all the stuff you've been through and done, but there's no way a car payment fits into your life, kiddo. You need a little $1,000, paid-for car, not a car payment. You can't raise a nine-year-old on $1,478 a month when more than half of that goes out the door for rent and a car payment.
I want to get you back on solid ground so you can start growing again. I don't have a magic wand that will turn $1,400 into $14,000, but I do want to pierce through your pain and love you enough to help you realize that you need to look at the figures and do some math. You're not stupid, Samantha. You're an amazingly courageous person. But you do need to sell that stupid car!


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1. Who needs hair transplantation?
Baldness is a common problem these days. In males it is graded into seven stages (Hamilton-Norwood Scale) depending on the extent of hair loss and into three stages in females(Ludwig). Hair loss and baldness are caused by various factors such as hormonal changes, genetics and even environmental factors. People who suffer from hair loss or baldness look so much older and this can result in low self-esteem and depression. Also with hair transplantation, you can start to enjoy various hairstyles that show your forehead.
Male pattern Hair Loss- Seven Stages
Female Pattern Hair Loss- Three Stages
2. What are the options in hair transplantation?
There are two types of hair transplant surgeries: hair restoration surgery and hairline correction surgery. The former treats people who suffer from hair loss and the latter treats people who wish to reconfigure their hairline. Although the surgery procedure involves the same expertise, the design process is different.
3. What are the types of hair transplantation?
Hair transplantation is one of the commonly performed cosmetic procedures. Generally there are two well accepted methods of hair transplant, FUT (Strip) method and FUE (Follicular unit extraction). Both these methods have their pros and cons.
The choice of either procedure depends on various factors including hair density, scarring tendency and extent of baldness. Both the procedures are done on day care basis under local anaesthesia. The procedure can last up to 8-10hrs depending on the individual client.


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Ratings and Key Data
This product met all purity standards but recorded 2/6 key vitamins whose label claim variance exceeds 15%. Vitamin A stood out as the worst offense–measuring at nearly 22% over its claim.
Label Accuracy
Product Purity
Nutritional Value
Ingredient Safety
Projected Efficacy
- Analytical Tests 16
- Serving Size 2 Caplets
- Price/Serving $0.31
- Vitamin A/Serving 6070 IU
- Vitamin D/Serving 1460 IU (as D3/cholecalciferol)
- Calcium/Serving 235.1mg
- Zinc/Serving 25.7mg
- Watchlist Ingredients Caramel Color
- Purity Tests Pass (heavy metal content below 1 PPM)


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Sun Moon LakeTo if you come、By all means embark on cruise ships、
We recommend to enjoy spectacular views of the Lake.
Become a starting point for a boatWater company Ferry PierThe、Crowded with many tourists.
Water company Ferry PierThe cruise ship tickets to buy at the ticket office。
Many cruise shipsWater company、Syuanguang Temple、ITA ThaoThe order around the pier、Enjoy sightseeing and then disembark at each pier、
Water company Ferry PierThe course comes back, and.
Sun Moon Lake boatOf tickets、1Day rides in300TWD (Japan 1080 yen)And at a cheap price、
Water company、Syuanguang Temple、ITA ThaoThe hop on and off at three berths would be free。
Got a ticket for unlimited rides、Arms will press the timestamp of the free passes!
This time "The LALU"The PR ManagerJennie KuoTo introduce、
Taiwan government.The volunteer staffCynthia Liu.
In Japan, could you please guide! Xie Xie、Nishiki-Kasumi-San!
Water company Ferry PierThe area is filled、Tianjin Center found many shops and cafes.
Water company Ferry PierThe cross anchored at Pier、Let's embark!
From the pier、And seen many ships at the majestic view from the pier is great!
On the right hand red and yellow colorful boat!
Aboard the ship、Feet carefully because the crew and boats.
On the Board、The announcement of the Mandarin Chinese will be implemented、
We will charge Japan GuideCynthia LiuIs it of a guide。
Cynthia LiuMr. a、At your age of 69-year-old be 70 years old next year.、
Look his age of 50-somethings, but look like!
Cynthia LiuAnd I, and retired last year as had been a pharmacist、
Now it's about 3 days a week、Has been volunteering as a guide in Japan is very good at is great!
There's speed than you think、Comfortable slip will wind the cheek!
Blink of an eyeWater company Ferry PierThe after!
Hotel "The LALU"Can also be viewed from the Lake side!
"Lalu Island"
Lake in the sky was deep blue and light blue colors are very beautiful、
Clean and cool waves splash!
In this airy presence is by all means invite you!
"Lalu Island"InSyuanguang TempleFor a berthing place until、
Is a scenic time of approximately 10 minutes。
Syuanguang TempleAndCI en-Lai TowerTo go and get off here!
Syuanguang TempleOf from a berthing place、ITA Thao, Ferry PierTo and is a departure.
While many cruise ships pass、
Tourists who have been on board falling out smiling, will greet you.
WeITA ThaoThe landing at anchorage、
Sun Moon LakeContinue to the vantage point overlooking the ropeway.


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Our family's attempt to present one thing very clever, or two things moderately clever, or three things very dull indeed...
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Radon Mitigation System Cost Breakdown
The components of the system that are specific to radon systems were purchased online since they could be found cheaper there or were not available at all locally. I made my best attempt at achieving the lowest overall cost, which meant I spent a little extra on some of my items in order to save on shipping.
Fantech HP190 radon fan: $120
Rubber connectors: $18
Exhaust cap: $33
Condensate bypass kit: $17
U-tube manometer: $22
Shipping & tax on online items: $36
All of the rest of the items were found locally.
4" PVC Sch 40 pipe, elbows and couplings: $77
Roof flashing: $6
14/2 romex wire: $12
15 amp breaker: $6
Hanging strap, concrete mix, glue: $6
Tools: $40
Tax: $12
All materials total: $405
I didn't keep track of my time spent on the project, but with muliple trips in and out of the attic, concrete hole cutting done the cheap way, and roof flashing work done in the dark, I probably spent close to 30 hours to complete everything. I'm told a contractor would probably charge about $1,200 for the type of system I installed, but as I mentioned in my first post, I prefer to do this kind of project myself. My conclusion: I think this kind of project is well withing the skill level of most DIYers; a bit of planning and testing ahead of time can streamline the project; and like most home projects, there is an opportunity to save a little money.
Related posts:
Radon Mitigation System Installation
Radon Mitigation System Testing
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
First mowing of the year
Sunday, April 10, 2011
You know it's spring...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Heard today...
Friday, April 8, 2011
Heard this evening...
"The more you learn, the more humble you should be."
- Kevin Swanson, speaking at the American Vision Midwest Conference at Providence Church in Morton, Illinois
Mr. Swanson's lecture emphasized the book of Proverbs as the foundation for any education as it is dedicated to inculcating wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. One doesn't have to look far to see the lessons of Proverbs lived out in society around us. When commenting about how the leaders of some churches in Colorado have embraced the homosexual movement there, Mr. Swanson quoted Proverbs 28:4a, "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked...." "Do you know how America got to be the way it is?" he asked, "America forsook the law!"
Come join us on Saturday for more challenging teaching from God's word.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Radon Mitigation System Testing
I next moved the tester to the other side of the basement, and recorded the 1.1 pCi/L average (shown above) over a three-day test. Those two tests were enough to convince me that the mitigation system was adequate to keep our home below our 4 pCi/L goal. Armed with this handy device, gathering data was so easy I felt compelled to measure more areas of the house. Upstairs, in our living room, the tester surprised me by reporting a concentration of 1.8 pCi/L after two days, which was higher than any of our readings in the basement. I let the tester continue to run for several more days, over which time the tester found the radon concentration continually dropping such that the average dropped to 1.3 pCi/L before I reset the tester and moved it into our bedroom. A reading of 1.1 pCi/L after two days satisfied my curiosity for that room.
Why was the radon concentration higher upstairs than in the basement? Since the house was closed up quite a bit between the time the system started operating, and the upstairs testing commenced, the sub-slab system may have removed more radon from the basement than was removed by the natural ventilation of the house upstairs. We had never tested the upstairs prior to installing the mitigation system, but one would expect the radon concentration there to be lower than the level in the basement without active mitigation.
We purchased our tester from Radon at Tahoe through Amazon.com, as they were one of many stores on the internet selling the item for $129.95, including free shipping. Now that I'm confident we've got our radon problem licked, I'm willing to let my local readers borrow this tool to check the radon levels in their homes. Let me know in the comments section or by email if you're interested.
Thanks for visiting!
Related posts:
Radon Mitigation System Installation
Radon Mitigation System Cost Breakdown


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There are several ways to get from Chiang Mai to Laos; all have their advantages and disadvantages. Below are the most popular options to help you choose based on how much time you have and where you wish to start your visit to Laos.
Getting From Chiang Mai to Laos by Plane
You basically have two choices for flying into Laos: Vientiane (airport code: VTE) or Luang Prabang (airport code: LPQ). Flying into the capital city of Vientiane is typically cheaper, however, you'll have a long, mountainous bus ride to endure if your eventual goal is to see Luang Prabang.
You can also find cheap flights to Udon Thani in Thailand, then take the shuttle directly from the airport to Nong Khai and across the Friendship Bridge into Laos.
Visa on arrival facilities are available in the airports at Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
From Chiang Mai to Laos by Bus
If taking a two-day boat doesn't suit you, minivans run overnight from Chiang Mai to Vientiane in Laos; the journey takes around 14 hours. Prices vary widely between travel agencies and guesthouses in Chiang Mai; shop around for the best deal.
You'll depart Chiang Mai at around 7 p.m. and will arrive at the border around 6 a.m. Some travel agencies serve you a very simple breakfast in the morning while you complete the Laos immigration forms to expedite crossing the border.
Crossing the Border
After being stamped out of Thailand, you will board your minivan to be driven across the Friendship Bridge to Laos immigration. You'll be asked for a single passport photo and a fee to process your visa on arrival. Visa prices are listed in US dollars, however, the fee can be paid in Thai baht, or euros. If possible, pay in US dollars to receive the best rate; you will probably receive any change in Thai baht.
Visa fees and restrictions change frequently. U.S. citizens can check with the U.S. State Department's Laos page for up-to-date entry requirements.
Scam Alert: Ignore any agency or individual asking for money to help you with the Laos visa-on-arrival paperwork. The forms can be completed easily enough at the border without assistance. Don't worry too much about specific information such as the address of your first guesthouse or a contact in Laos. As long as you pay the processing fee, you most likely will not be denied entry based upon paperwork discrepancies.
You can pay drivers in Thai baht until you get a chance to take Laos kip -- the local currency -- from an ATM. If you get the chance, check out the bizarre-but-interesting Buddha Park in Vientiane just after crossing the border.
Going to the Thai Embassy
As many people take the minivan from Chiang Mai to Laos on visa runs to apply for longer stays in Thailand, your ride will actually terminate in front of the Thai embassy.
If you intend to return to Thailand after Laos, remember that you will only receive a two-week visa when crossing overland if you do not fly in or apply for a longer visa at the Thai embassy in Vientiane.
Tip: Ignore anyone set up in front of the Thai embassy offering to process your visa, help you with the forms, or to make photocopies; all can be done yourself once you are inside the embassy.
Getting From the Thai Embassy to Vientiane
You will need to arrange onward transportation from the Thai embassy into the city. Ignore the overpriced offers from drivers waiting outside of the embassy. Negotiate with your driver before getting inside: You can get a taxi for less than 100 Thai baht to Rue Francois Ngin -- the traveler's area in Vientiane.
From Chiang Mai to Laos by Boat
You have three choices for getting from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang by boat: slow boat, fast boat, or luxury cruise. Boats depart from the border town of Huay Xai in Laos and travel along the Mekong River to Luang Prabang.
To take one of the boats to Luang Prabang, you'll first have to get to Chiang Khong in Northern Thailand, clear Thai immigration, then cross the river to Huay Xai where you will be stamped into Laos. Boats depart early in the morning, so you'll most likely have to do an overnight in Chiang Khong then leave for Laos the next morning. Travel agencies in Chiang Mai will combine all necessary transportation into a single package when you book.
Slow Boats to Laos
The most popular and inexpensive option, the slow boats from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang take two full days and an overnight in the not-so-pleasant village of Pak Beng. While you will get to enjoy river and village scenery as you ply along the Mekong River, the slow boats are less than luxurious. You'll be stuck with the same group of travelers crammed onto an overloaded boat, so a little luck is necessary for a good experience. Many travelers -- both locals and foreigners -- use the boat as an excuse to party for two days.
Arrive early to secure a better spot on the boat -- preferably away from the loud engines. Take plenty of snacks with you; food on the boat is of lower quality and relatively expensive. You can purchase takeaway lunches in Pak Beng for the second half of the journey.
Fast Boats to Laos
The infamous 'fast boat' from Thailand to Luang Prabang is a loud, bone-rattling, potentially dangerous experience that you may never forget. While incredibly chaotic and uncomfortable, the roaring speedboats cut the two-day journey down to only six or eight hours, depending on the water level! Drivers expertly dodge rocks and whirlpools, however, the visible wreckage of other speedboats along the way is less than assuring.
You'll be provided with a life jacket and crash helmet as you sit on a wooden bench in the narrow canoe. Waterproof your bags and valuables as rain and spray from the river typically drench everything. You'll need sunscreen -- the boats are not covered -- and earplugs to protect your ears from the deafening engine.
Luxury Cruises
Several new companies now offer luxurious alternatives to the typical slow boats. While the journey still requires two full days and an overnight in Pak Beng, you'll enjoy a far more comfortable ride and better food. Luxury boats are the most expensive option for getting from Chiang Mai to Laos.


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Fiction, Romance, Historical, Medieval
A Tale of Thorns and Honey
by Kate O'Donnell
A Welsh Chieftain's Daughter, An English Warlord, And A Love That Defies Their World › › › It is the year 1277, and the fiercely brave Enith ab Owen must leave Wales and all she loves to go to King Edward of England as guarantee to the peace of ...
A Space of Possibility by Kira Van Deusen
"Faraj" is a Farsi word meaning an opening, a blessing, a space of possibility. Ābtin journeys for a whole year, across deserts and mountains to the sea. The young Zoroastrian hopes to come to terms with his harsh father and his own ambivalence ...


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It's widely understood that promoting a product or service with stunning animated marketing videos can make or break a business. In today's competitive business landscape, well-executed video marketing is now the gold standard.
MotionDen is the world's best video marketing software, built for businesses & professionals who care about growth.
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Power up your marketing campaigns with any our hundreds of studio-quality animated video templates. New videos added daily, because we believe that you shouldn't have to choose between quality and quantity.
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Kevin Richard
Brand & Marketing Director, Alto Pharmacy
You know how important online video marketing is, but you probably don't know all of the benefits that it comes with.
First and foremost, it goes without saying that online marketing videos boost conversions and increase sales throughout your marketing funnels, but it gets better. On top of driving sales, branded videos even help you build trust and create long-term relationships with your customers. At MotionDen, we strongly believe that you shouldn't have to choose between building brand equity and converting your traffic. Our video marketing templates are designed to deliver, no matter the goal.
Lastly, an engaging video is the best possible way to fully showcase your product or your business. See, there's no other method of delivering content that practically spoon-feeds audiences in the same way that video does.
Securing a successful marketing campaign doesn't have to be as tough as it sounds. The only thing you need to do is add MotionDen's video marketing software to your marketing toolkit. Let us do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on taking the credit.
Online marketing videos are often perceived to be annoying & pushy sales videos, but things don't necessarily have to be that way. Truth be told, there are more than twelve different popular marketing video ideas which can all be applied to your business or product. By using our video maker software, you get the chance to make whichever style video suits you the best.
Some of the video content types include:
These are otherwise known as ''linear video ads'' and can essentially play before, during, or at the end of an online video. In most cases, they are rather short (play for about 30 seconds) and take over the whole video player space.
Explainer videos are short & animated videos used to describe your product or a business. The goal is to engage viewers in compelling ways by presenting your topic with fun cartoon characters. Explainer videos sometimes include voice-overs, which help explain your topic to viewers. As the name suggests, the main purpose of this type of video is to wrap the product (or your business) in a positive light. Due to their short and concise nature, promotional videos simplify the process of reaching customers and getting them to buy from you.
Known as ''Kinetic Typography'', these animated text videos display fun & catchy animated text throughout your video. They use various animation techniques to expand, shrink, bounce, grow, and change the sentences you put on your video! Typography videos are an excellent way to present your new business idea. Short on time? Typography videos are among the quickest videos to make.
Depending on the platform, a social media video can have different formats. For example, in order to post a video on Instagram, you would have to optimize it to meet their specific format requirements. That's the very reason why they are rather short (30 seconds to 1 minute long). You can use them to target a specific type of audience in order to tell a short story or present something in a timely manner.
These videos are amongst the most authoritative content types that exist. See, the format of an infographic is more technical & fact-driven than anything else, as they typically incorporate factual statements & data which makes them more trustworthy and reliable than their other video style counterparts.
Corporate videos are not often intended for the general public. See, companies usually use corporate-style videos to target specific high-ticket audiences such as stakeholders and other growing businesses. In some cases, a corporate video can be directed towards internal employees & staff as well.
Have a mobile app? Using a mobile app promotional videos can help boost your app's popularity from within the app store and even social media. These videos showcase everything about your mobile app to potential users.
Coming in all shapes and sizes, there are several types of video presentations available to you, which one you choose often depends on your use-case. Video presentations are basically the big brother to static slideshow presentations since they present your topic in a fluent, fun, and animated way.
As mentioned before, social media platforms have specific format requirements for their videos. Facebook is no different in that regard. Since it's the most dominant platform currently on the internet, advertising on Facebook is likely to offer the best results.
Anyone who knows how to use the internet has at some point in time watched a YouTube video. Thousands and thousands of people are posting videos on YouTube daily. So, why shouldn't you? MotionDen's YouTube video maker helps you create high-impact and engaging YouTube videos.
Video commercials on the web are basically the same as the ones you see on TV, the only difference being that they're now online. This type of content is the most general way of promoting anything through video.
As you can see, there's quite a variety of marketing video styles to choose from. No matter which of them you choose to make, just know that our video marketing software can make it look as professional as it can get.
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Upload your custom music, change the colors, change the text and more. Our marketing video maker is not only simple, but feature-rich too.
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Alaska, Mount McKinley
At approximately mid day on May 20, 1992, Soo Yang Yung (29), Sung Tak Hong (26) and Seong Jong Jin (25) from Korea were killed while attempting to descend the Orient Express route on Mount McKinley. The three fell several thousand feet to the 15,800 foot level. On May 23, the three victims were extricated from the 15,800 foot location by the NPS contract LAMA helicopter and transported to the Kahiltna basecamp. From here they were flown to Talkeetna.
A Fantasy Ridge guided party led by Chip Faurot was camped near the three at several of these locations. Faurot commented that he noticed the Koreans "were not comfortable on the terrain, especially exposed off camber ice." Faurot observed Hong fall several times while ascending Fantasy Ridges fixed line at 12,800 feet. After several days of stormy weather, the three moved to 15,200 feet. The Koreans had plans to traverse down to the 14,200 foot camp on the West Buttress from their camp at 14,800 feet, but unfortunately found they were in the wrong place. On this same day, the three other members that were ascending the West Buttress made an attempt to meet up with the three on the Rib in order to give a hand assisting the Rib team down to the West Buttress route. It appears the three Rib climbers were not certain where they were on the route as discrepancies were discovered. Their reported locations were often 1000 feet off of what they told their West Buttress party compared to what was observed by Faurot. The three on the Rib indicated they were at 17,200 feet when actually they were at 15,200 feet. From May 14 through May 16, they encountered strong winds which kept them tent bound. By May 16, they reported two to three days of food left. The weather improved on the 27th where the three ascended to 16,200 feet. They took a rest day on the 18th where their West Buttress team suffered a serious crevasse collapse forcing the evacuation of one of their members. At an 0800 radio call on May 19, the Rib team indicated they would be making an attempt for the summit this day. Due to the circumstances with the accident the night before, the West Buttress team requested that the Rib team descend back to the 14,200 foot camp on the West Buttress. The Rib team declined and indicated they would try for the summit and hoped to be on top by 1600.
A group of NOLS instructors left for the summit on the same day as the Koreans. Willie Peabody of the NOLS group passed the Koreans at 16,500 feet on the 19th. The Koreans, like the NOLS group, had full packs and were planning on carrying everything to the plateau (19,500 feet), then descending the West Buttress. The NOLS group reached the plateau and encountered extremely cold and windy conditions with poor visibility. They descended the West Buttress after seeing the Koreans for the last time at 17,900 feet on the West Bib.
The West Buttress Koreans received no communication from the Bib team until 1000 on the 20th. On this call they reported that they had not reached the summit and were in a snow cave because of very strong winds. Their tent was damaged, they were out of food and indicated that they would be descending down to the 14,200 foot camp this day. This was the last communication with the Bib team. Since they were last seen at 17,900 feet, their camp was most likely high on the West Bib in a very exposed area.
This descent route is no easy escape route even in good weather without heavy packs. The trio succumbed as a result of making the same fatal mistake that has taken a dozen other climbers in the last 20 years. (Source: Roger Robinson, Mountaineering Banger, Denali National Park)


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There isn't a single person I know who didn't have some sort of self-image struggle growing up. Whether it was strife at home, a missing parent, bullies at school, or worse situations, everyone at some time has had questions about their worth as a person.
I remember running home from school, tears streaming down, internalizing some comment from another kid at school. My mother's first question would always be, "Who told you that?"
It was invariably someone who most likely had issues of their own, but I never saw it that way. The words hurt and I didn't understand why others would say such things.
The one hurt that stuck with me through the years was the repeated phrase, "You're ugly." Every time I let it fester inside, and every time my mother would ask, "Who told you that you were ugly?" She always tried her best to wipe away the pain, but after a while I learned to believe the "ugly" mantra about myself.
Once I started believing it, I acted differently. My self-confidence plummeted, my attitude towards life changed and I began to seek ways to make myself prettier…at least in my own eyes. That began the life-long struggle concerning my self-image.
Of course, last autumn, losing my hair certainly didn't help. All the old "ugly" feelings came back. All the pain filled my head, swarming my insides as well.
While reading the Tanach, the Hebrew version of the Old Testament, I was suddenly struck by what happened with Adam and Eve after they ate the apple. I loved the book's commentary about how God called to the man and woman in the garden. God already knew exactly where they were, but He called out in order to enter into conversation with Adam and invite him to repentance.
But what hit me hard was God's next question, "Who told you that you are naked?" (Tanach 3:11, also the same verse in the Christian version.)
The same words I had heard from my mother, "Who told you…," came back smacking me in the face. I had never recognized these same words were uttered by God.
And both times they meant the same thing.
The serpent was determined to tell Adam and Eve that they were not enough—that they needed to eat the forbidden fruit to be more like God. They didn't recognize that they had been made in the image and likeness of God. Nor did they recognize the serpent's jealousy of them. They needed to be more…
So original sin came from the original lie.
In that moment I was able to see the truth. My mom would tell me that perhaps someone was jealous of me (I couldn't imagine why), or that they were struggling at home and therefore lashed out at school. Even as an adult, rejection triggered those whispers that it was happening because I was ugly.
Now I see the truth.
Time to let go of the lie I've held so close to my heart for most of my life. Time to remember that God made me in His image and that the serpent who has whispered the lie of ugliness to me my entire life is wrong.
No longer shall I believe the original lie.
Whatever your lie is?
No longer should you believe it either.


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Dr. Brad Manning
Licensed Psychologist
Therapeutic Counseling
At Manning Psychological Services the approach to therapy is one which focuses on helping individuals better understand, and learn how to change, problematic feelings and behaviors. By providing support in making lifestyle changes, and insights into how thoughts, feelings and behaviors are all related, Dr. Manning helps clients to effectively address the difficulties which have led them to counseling. However, as every individual and situation is unique, the therapeutic goal and counseling techniques utilized are specifically tailored for each client.
Regardless of the concern which has brought an individual to counseling, at Manning Psychological Services the therapeutic process is always conducted in a caring and supportive environment. It is within such an atmosphere that you, or your child, can feel comfortable in working through the present concern.
Many individuals can benefit from therapeutic counseling services. Research has shown that counseling can be an effective means for helping to improve a variety of emotional, behavioral, and educational concerns. At Manning Psychological Services individual counseling is available for older children, adolescents, and adults.
Counseling is typically conducted during individual sessions, with meetings lasting between 45 and 50 minutes.
In addition to providing assessments and individual therapy, Manning Psychological Services is available to provide consultation to parents and organizations who are struggling to understand and meet the unique needs of children and/or individuals with disabilities. Consultation is process which allows parents, educators, and other professionals the opportunity to meet and discuss specific concerns with a psychologist. The goal of this process is to provide a parent or professional with a better understanding of the problems they are faced with, and to develop strategies for managing these difficulties.


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If you're like me, you're considerably pessimistic regarding the fate of the world. You see no silver linings in the mushroom clouds of our future.
If you're not like me, I commend you. I'd like to be your friend. I need more optimism in my life. If Barack Obama becoming the first ray of light we've seen in eight years doesn't warm my proverbial soul, what will?
I'm just doomed to forlornness, I suppose.
You've noticed, I presume, in glancing over local and national newspapers, how easily these recent countless hopes of change have turned into empty hallelujahs.
There is a chance that you don't consider the recent barrage of "Obama-Obama" chants via opinion and op-ed articles anything but agreeable.
And, surely, I can empathize with Bob Herbert, as you must have last week. I do wish those great figures were here. But it's easy to go from praising to hoping to faith to wishing.
My concern is that Obama will become a kind of idol, hung low on silver chains, held tightly in our palms, spoken and whimpered of quietly in prayer.
I fear Obama will go the way of dreams. In its grandeur, we limp our limbs a little, stop worrying a little.
We have come a long way, braved the seemingly interminable rivers of time and lives, but we cannot rest now. Civil rights have not yet been secured, nor even for black Americans.
Still, today, you ask someone to bet on a black kid from Chicago raised on food-stamps by a single mother having a good chance of becoming president of the United States and they'll laugh.
We have to admit to ourselves that Obama became president in large part because the nation saw him as the best cut-man available. He knew just the right amount of coagulant to last us the fight.
The issues are deeper than race. And so are the scars. The expression of an age's angst varies from the one preceding.
I tend to align more with Herbert's recent article, "More Than Charisma," in which he stated that Obama's methods are deeper than taut verbiage and energizing optimism. He expects a great deal out of the people.
The age-old conservatism the Bush administration personified and rectified has not subsided in the matter of the years Obama has been becoming president, nor in the days after his inauguration. The Bush administration got us good, and most of us turned the other cheek.
Though I wish Martin Luther King, Jr. were here, I wish more that he were not turning in his grave.I can almost hear him chanting now: "and what about our gay sisters and brothers? Our homeless and uneducated? Our disenfranchised women? Our foreign nations? Where the ties that bind?"


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This article is a translation from the original one in Spanish, Vim como editor de codigo Python, published in April 2013.
This is an article that I've always wanted to write: "Vim as Python IDE". Two years ago I had a Vim configuration that I thought that was just right for this, even a half-written article. But while I was polishing the config and finishing the article, a bunch of similar articles appeared in the internet and after reading them I realized something: many of them were already obsolete at the time they were published. And I say this because many of them employed plugins that were outdated by the emerge of other fresh and more powerful. In fact in the last two years, the Vim environment has evolved too much that from all the plugins that I used in those days (and the ones pending to test), currently I'm using only 10% of them, the rest are new ones. And this "race" to provide new and more powerful features for Vim continues nowadays, with some great tools.
On the other hand, as one is adding plugins and "tuning" his config, there comes a time when you don't know where and what is already mapped, even no remember at all the plugins at features available for you, and which you implemented with so much effort and time.
My configuration
Given these two premises I had the idea of kill two birds with one stone: Document my Vim setup. What I'm trying with this is that should work for me as sort of cheat-sheet to remember all that I had available in my config, and at the same time to have a coherent mapping and avoid duplicates (at least is the idea). By the other hand, it works also to demonstrate all the Vim's potential to edit Python code and compete with almost any IDE, but with all the advantages of the unique Vim's way.
The idea is to have a continuously updated document with respect to my current setup, What better article than this, an always updated one?
This is the link to this doc,
README.md, included in my dotfiles
English is not my mother tongue, so maybe the article (and the doc) can be full of grammatical mistakes due to my poor English. Sorry for that, I did my best.


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Emily was a student at the Ivey School where she was in her final year of the Bachelor of Arts program. She had joined Lalani, O'Hagan & John where she worked on accounts. This work experience made her realize that accounting was not the career she wanted to pursue. She decided that she would work for a professional company. She choose investment banking and consulting as her career choice. She decided that she should meet someone who knows about this career to guide her through. She asked her classmates, who were experienced in these fields about their jobs, she needed to decide her career's progression.
1- Judging by their respective hiring, training, staffing, evaluation and compensation systems, what do you think the competitive priorities of Morton & Associates and Berkes Jackson are? That is how does each firm rank staff development, profitability, client satisfaction and employee satisfaction?
2- What are your competitive priorities? Ignoring the industry, which of the two firms would you like to work for? Why?
3- As Emily Holland-Power, would you have other questions for Eric Wong and Jeff Borins that would help you to make better decisions about where to work?


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Local media quoted Ghandour as saying that any decision other than the permanent lifting of the sanctions is "illogical and unacceptable," saying Sudan has met all commitments towards Washington.
After the 21-year sanctions are lifted, Sudan will become an active partner of the United States in achieving security in the region, and the lifting of sanctions will also benefit peoples of the two countries, Ghandour added.
The United Nations said in a statement Monday that there has been a marked improvement in Sudan's humanitarian access over the past six months, saying it was looking forward to a positive decision of lifting the US economic sanctions on Sudan.
Sudan has been on the US list of "state sponsors of terrorism" since 1993.
Former US President Barack Obama issued a decision on Jan. 13 to cancel two executive orders imposing economic sanctions on Sudan.
Reports must be presented by July 12, indicating that the country is committed to certain terms including combating terrorism and fulfilling its commitments to ceasing hostilities at conflict zones, therefore to fully lift the sanctions on Sudan.


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Property Management Services in London
A property needs to be regularly and carefully maintained. When problems occur, and they no doubt will, we need to be on hand to act.
The key is understanding the root of the problem, which avoids wasted time and money. We have seen a variety of issues in such a broad variety of properties that this is second nature to us. So the landlord can rely on us to keep a watchful eye on their property safe in the knowledge that their interests are perfectly represented.
Tenants are paying customers and need a level of service – we offer that service. This ensures the tenancy runs smoothly and disagreements are minimised.
Lastly, the investment needs to deliver for the landlord. This requires the property to be constantly upgraded. We will plan renovation and modernisation with our clients for a improved and lasting rental yield.
Our mission statement explained
Be hands-on, be a problem solver, be nice.
Our business is as much about people management as it is property management. We're a service industry and the people we serve are landlords and tenants.
We do have a tricky path to tread because we ultimately act for and are paid by our client – the landlord, but act as a middleman between a landlord and tenant, who often have a different opinion on what should be done and what is reasonable. They are on different sides of a contract. We also have to take an objective position sometimes and advise on the legal requirements of both parties and act as a mediator in the case of a dispute.
Most property contractual arrangements attract representations for both sides. But unless a tenant is being relocated by a corporation who has appointed a relocation agent – the tenant isn't represented.
So this a difficult position for us. We're pulled in two directions sometimes.
There is a culture that exists in agency where property managers are treated with disdain and used as a scape goat. If the landlord wants to be gracious – the property manager is vicariously seen as gracious. If the landlord doesn't want to give the tenant what he or she is asking for – the property manager is seen as difficult and obstructive. Equally if the tenant asks for too much, is combative or irresponsible – again the property manager can be the target in the eyes of the landlord for not handling the situation better.
We accept that given our position, we are going to struggle to to be liked by everyone all the time. But our challenge is to reduce the % of all that deal with us who hold a negative view to the absolute minimum. So how to we tackle this?
Number 1; Be hands-on
Our slogan plastered on all our jackets and polo shirts is 'Hands-on Property Management'. We like to meet landlords face to face, we like to meet tenants face to face. We see the properties regularly. We get stuck in and get our hands dirty. This improves our relationships with both parties – and both see us as personable, reasonable and responsible people. It takes the heat out of most situations. It's much worse if you're dealing with a faceless entity over email. We get involved physically too. We're not standing back at arm's length and waiting for other people to do the problem solving for us. Which leads me to –
Point 2; Be a problem solver
It seems an obvious point, but there is traditionally too much beating around the bush and worrying about red tape or process. And this can escalate quickly and lead to bad feeling and frustration on all sides. We talk between ourselves in the office, and we discuss what is going to solve a problem, make an action plan and get on with it. This often involves us going way above the call of duty – going out after hours and doing some emergency fixing, taking portable heaters to a flat, doing some extra last minute cleaning etc. If we have an issue we stop and ask ourselves – are solving the problem or are we delaying it? The quicker and more efficiently we solve a problem, the less complaints there are and the more the business grows. The greater we are respected by our landlords and tenants, and the more patient they will be with us. This takes sacrifice – but there is reward and satisfaction in that.
Number 3 – be nice.
All too easily forgotten but crucial. You can be firm, you can object, you can disagree. But do it whilst being nice. That is all.
For rental properties, we charge 6%+VAT of the rent. If you have a portfolio of properties, we are happy to discuss a package deal.
For short let management, we will normally agree a fixed management fee per booking dependent on the size of the property.
For block management or estate management, please call us to discuss your exact requirements and the property in question.
We have a dedicated client account and property management software that allows us to carefully track income and expenditure.
We will provide you with statements and invoices for your tax returns and chase rent on your behalf.
The law is changing all the time and landlords are a target of more and more scrupulous legal requirements.
It is our job to keep abreast with the latest industry updates manage in accordance with the law and RICS guidelines and make sure you're informed and covered.
Co-ordinating tenants, contractors, access, keys and billing is not a challenge to be underestimated.
It's a big part of the hassle factor of management. We do all of this for you.
If you're busy, abroad or simply want to focus on other more enjoyable things, management will be beneficial to you.
Managing a property requires large actions and small actions; it's the small ones that get missed by landlords or estate agents. Simply popping by to look at a problem, topping up boiler pressure, replacing a carbon monoxide alarm, unblocking a fridge drain, filling that hole. Without these important touches, the property deteriorates and small problems can become expensive ones.
Self-managing does not necessarily save money as it takes time, experience and diligence. It can also be stressful – often at the worst moment!
As a landlord you need to be available to attend to issues 24/7 – for modern, discerning tenants it's not good enough for the property to be managed from a distance.
If you're not absolutely sure that you can identify the cause of an issue quickly, it's best to get someone else to do it.
Acara Management was formed in 2013 because of the need for a higher quality of management service for landlords.
Many landlords use estate agents for management once their property is rented, but find the property does not receive the care and attention needed to maintain and improve it properly, and in turn keep the tenants or the landlord happy.
This is because management is hard work! Typically, estate agents won't visit the property and instead do everything from their desks. This hugely restricts the quality of the service they can offer.
A desk-bound property manager often has to rely on somebody else to diagnose the problem. If this is a tenant, mistakes can easily occur. If it's a contractor, that's a call-out the landlord has had to pay for.
We diagnose problems ourselves as part of the service, allowing us to solve a problem cost effectively. If we can solve the problem ourselves and save the landlord a call out, we do. It does not always need a plumber to unblock a sink, a gas engineer to top up a boiler, or an electrician to reset a switch.


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KENSINGTON residents say regeneration plans are being undermined by plans to close local post offices.
Three post offices in Kensington are included in the national Post Office plan to modernise services.
The Holt Road office has already closed, Low Hill has been relocated outside Kensington, and a decision on Edge Lane post office has yet to be made.
Slogans have been daubed across the boarded up windows of the Low Hill post office and residents say they sum up the frustration of many people in the area.
They claim local services are being stripped away, while rengeneration chiefs promise them a new Kensington.
Bob Wright, 70, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said: "I'm not surprised at the graffiti.
"People here are fed up with the almost constant talk of regeneration while our community services are shut or taken away.
"We are told all these great things are going to happen, but all people like me can see is another post office closure or relocation which means pensioners have to travel further to get basic services."
Father-of-two Paul Fell, 32, said: "You can ask round here about regeneration and you'll get the same answer. Where is it?
"Whoever did that graffiti was really just summing up how people feel. Why are we losing these services if we're supposed to be getting all this regeneration?"
City councillors say residents are right to feel frustrated.
Kensington's Cllr Richard Marbrow said: "There is no doubt post office closures are bad for regeneration. We need them to maintain a community."
Cllr Frank Doran said: "Post offices are an integral part of the community, especially in an area where a large proportion of people receive benefits.
"It is also a place where people meet and it is a crying shame they have been allowed to close in so many regeneration areas."
Labour leader Joe Anderson said: "Kensington is improving but not fast enough.
"People are right to feel frustrated but the post office closures are part of a national plan to modernise the service. There are problems with regeneration beyond that."
A spokesman for Kensington Regeneration said: "We are not happy about the post office closures and have have written to them to voice our concerns."
And a spokesman for the Post Office said: "Many post offices cannot be supported. These measures are part of a national plan to modernise the service ."