text:
Driving is a complex task and requires the use and coordination of various skills.
|Four main types of driver distraction
|the things you see
|the things you hear
|the things you do with your hands
|the things you think about
Any lapse in concentration increases the risk of the vehicle being involved in a crash. To anticipate and avoid hazards on the road, drivers must give driving their full attention at all times.
Even so, drivers still engage in activities that distract their attention from the driving task. These include using mobile phones, eating, drinking, smoking, conversing with passengers, using audio equipment, and responding to distractions caused by children or other passengers. There are also distractions outside the vehicle such as roadside advertising that take the drivers' attention away from the task of driving.
Inattention is an issue in both rural and metropolitan areas, for all age ranges and for both males and females. Research shows that distractions can cause:
Research has also found that for younger drivers, having passengers in the vehicle is a distraction and coupled with peer pressure can increase the risk of a crash.
Today there is an increasing number of in-vehicle information, communication and entertainment systems including portable or in car DVD players. Driver distraction is likely to escalate as a road safety issue in the future.
Avoid the temptation of doing other tasks and getting distracted while you are driving. Remember who's driving the vehicle. Taking your eyes off of the road or diverting your attention even for just a few seconds can be fatal.
Fatigue is when you are tired and caused by a lack of sleep. Inattention is when you are distracted from the task of driving by other factors such as talking, eating and listening to the radio.
A person must not drive a vehicle without due care or attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons on the road.
The driver of a vehicle (except an emergency vehicle or police vehicle) must not use a mobile phone while the vehicle is moving, or is stationary but not parked, unless the driver is exempt from this rule under another law of this jurisdiction. This does not apply to a driver using a mobile phone that is secured in a mounting affixed to the vehicle or is remotely operated by means of a device affixed to the vehicle or worn by the driver in the manner intended by the manufacturer and the phone is not being held by the driver.
A person must not drive a vehicle without due care or attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road. The maximum court imposed penalty for driving without due care is $2,500.
In case of an aggravated offence, that is if:
the driver will be disqualified for a minimum period of 6 months. A period of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months may also apply.
If detected driving while using a hand held mobile phone you will be liable for fine and three demerit points against your licence.
Motorists are advised that a new red light and speed camera will be activated at the Globe Derby Drive/Port Wakefield Road intersection, Globe Derby Park, on Wednesday, 8 January.
Motorists are advised that two new red light and speed cameras have been activated at high-priority locations near schools.
Pedestrian safety is set to be improved at a busy wombat crossing in front of the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club, with construction underway on a $128,000 safety upgrade.
Road surfacing works will be undertaken on Ayliffes Road, St Marys this weekend, as part of the Darlington Upgrade Project.


text:
Error when posting riprep image to RIS server
When I post a Riprep image to my RIS Server, I get the following message while files are being copied to the server:
C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication
DataMicrosoftNetworkDownloaderqmgr0.dat (and qmgr1.dat) could not be copied because of a sharing violation.
Do you know why this is happening?
This is the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, which is what Automatic Updates uses to download updates to the computer. What's probably happening is that you're configuring Automatic Update before running Riprep. When you run Riprep, Automatic Update has this file locked, so Riprep can't copy it. Nor would you want it to.
The better solution is not to configure Automatic Update on the image. Instead, configure Automatic Update using Group Policy. See this Microsoft article for more information about configuring Automatic Update using policies.
Dig Deeper on Windows client management
Related Q&A from Jerry Honeycutt
Server reporting a 6008 error in the system log
I can't get into CMOS setup because I forgot my password
Is there a way to share a master category list in Outlook?
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
XM Investment Research Desk: The dollar index, a broad gauge of dollar strength, was standing moderately higher on the day in late European session trading with dollar / yen up on the day and not far from the day's high of 112.49 – a one-and-a-half-month high for the pair. The markets are likely to experience dollar volatility as the Federal Reserve will complete its two-day policy meeting later today. It is widely anticipated that the central bank will keep interest rates unchanged, so investors will be focusing on guidance for a June rate hike. The odds for a June rate increase materializing are currently at 63.8% based on CME Group 30-Day Fed Fund futures prices.
Regarding US data, the US private sector added 177,000 jobs in April according to the ADP jobs report, surpassing expectations by 2,000 but posting its slowest job growth since October last year. Additions during March were downwardly revised to 255,000 from the previous 263,000. Dollar / yen initially fell after the release of the data but quickly rebounded to more than make up for the loss. The non-farm payrolls report, which includes private as well as public employment, will be released on Friday.
In other US releases later in the day, the ISM non-manufacturing PMI figure for April was released at 57.5, topping analysts' forecasts at 55.8 and March's respective number at 55.2. This marks the eighty-eighth straight month of growth for the service sector. Versus the yen, the greenback gained after the release of the data to reach an intraday high of 112.49.
The Eurozone preliminary flash GDP estimates for the first quarter of the year came in line with projections. Specifically, the numbers showed GDP expanding by 1.7% year-on-year while growth during the fourth quarter of 2016 was upwardly revised to 1.8% from 1.7% before. On a quarterly basis, economic growth stood at 0.5%, the same pace is in the previous quarter. For comparison purposes, the Eurozone first quarter annualized growth rate is at 1.8% with the respective number for the US standing at 0.7%.
Other Eurozone data pertained to producer prices for the month of March. On a monthly basis, prices declined 0.3%, faring worse than projections of a 0.1% decline. During February, prices remained flat month-on-month. Annual data showed producer prices increasing 3.9% in March. This was below expectations of a 4.1% rise and the 4.5% recorded in the previous month. The market reaction to producer price data, which were released alongside the aforementioned GDP figures, was mild. Euro / dollar experienced a minor fall as the data hit the markets but was quick to recover on those losses. The pair was last slightly down from the day's open and above the 1.09 handle.
Turning to the UK construction PMI number for April, it came in at the four-month high of 53.1, beating estimates for a reading of 52.0 and the 52.2 from the previous month. This builds on the momentum from yesterday's strong manufacturing PMI figure while the PMI for the services sector, by far the largest contributor to UK GDP, will be released tomorrow. Sterling barely gained relative to the dollar and the euro on the upbeat number as Brexit talks and the likelihood that negotiations to leave the European Union will be difficult -especially after this past Saturday's summit by the remaining EU member states- seem to be outweighing positive data releases. Pound / dollar was down on the day as well as marginally below the 1.29 level, while euro / pound was up on the margin from the day's open of 0.8444 during late European session trading.
Closing with oil, the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) weekly report showed US crude oil inventories falling far less than expected. As a result, WTI crude oil fell below the day's open after previously trading above it to post a new one-month low of $47.32 a barrel. Brent crude was also last down half a percent on the day, trading at $50.23 a barrel.


text:
Expansion 6 brings the Rise of the Runelords Adventure path to a climactic conclusion.
The new release includes stubs for all the new cards and some extra code to cope with special set up requirements. This is automatically handled for you when you pick a scenario. Don't forget to load the Rise-of-the-Runelords-6.o8d box file along with your saved campaign box.
The Leng Device location is automatically created with 12 "timer" tokens on it. At the end of any turn where a player ends at this location, manually roll a d4 and then drag timer counters off the card and onto the table (where they will disappear).


text:
This mechanical locking device can be installed on hydraulic fittings in the workshop or on the back of a vessel. A range of sizes ensures that there is a V-SECURE product to suit most hydraulic coupling sizes.
Hydraulic connectors are renowned for developing leaks due to the residual torsion in the jumper hose or the 'kick' when a hose is subject to pressure pulses (for example, in choke control lines) causing the female swivel nut to slacken off.
The V-SECURE provides a robust mechanical clamping solution which prevents hydraulic fittings from slackening-off once installed.


text:
Winter Family Weekend
A great family getaway adventure over President's Day Weekend – visit our Calendar of Events for dates, details and registration info
Wonder, adventure and discovery for the whole family !
Why not celebrate the wonders of winter by spending time with your family in the north woods, and making memories that last a lifetime!
You'll find our accommodations are perfect for a weekend of adventure, relaxation and retreat. Each spacious room in either Crosby or Lowry Lodge has bunk style beds and sleep up to 6 or 8 people. Our meals have a reputation of their own and have become known as the best in the area. Delicious, healthy, wholesome meals, each carefully prepared with creativity and taste, are served in our large dining room with beautiful stone fireplace and wonderful views of the woods and lake.
Your accommodations will include a private room for each family. Crosby Lodge rooms (filled first) have private baths; Lowry Lodge rooms have shared baths.


text:
from the upcoming and untitled book about Northwest Missouri
Life in St. Joseph, Missouri 1940s-1950s
By Larry Flinchpaugh of St. Joseph, Missouri
I really never thought much about it until I began to write about my childhood experiences, but I now realize what a wonderful, full life I have had growing up in St. Joseph, Missouri. At 73 years old, I can't do all the things I used to do as a youngster, but still have fond memories of my childhood that can never be taken away from me.
St. Joseph was about the right size of town to grow up in, not too big and not too small. If St. Joe didn't have what you wanted, Kansas City was only 50 miles away. The first TV stations were in Kansas City: WDAF Channel 4, KCMO Channel 5, and KMBC Channel 9. St. Joseph's KFEQ, now KQ TV, didn't start broadcasting until about 1953.
I can't really remember when I first heard about a TV, but I do remember daydreaming about it while listening to Captain Midnight, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, The Green Hornet, and Sky King on the radio. We would all sit on the floor facing the large Zenith radio looking directly into the speaker as if we could see pictures of what was happening. Actually, the pictures painted in our minds by the sounds coming from the radio were as good as a real live picture, maybe even better.
Television was actually invented before WWII but wasn't produced in large numbers until after the war in the 1950s. My family didn't buy one until 1953 because they were fairly expensive. Our first television was a table model Raytheon, costing almost $250. You could buy a nice, used automobile for $250. Before getting a TV of our own, all the kids in the neighborhood would gather about four o'clock in the afternoon at the Stapleton's house in the 2600 block of Duncan Street to watch the small, 10-inch, round, black and white TV. They had several chairs arranged in the dining room like a small theatre. The TV shows did not start until five o'clock so we would just sit there and stare at the Indian test pattern until the shows started.
The picture was so snowy that all the lights had to be turned off so you could see a picture. The first programs I remember were the Kukla, Fran and Ollie puppet show and a comedian and dancer named Pinky Lee. Each afternoon they would show an old theatre movie serial, which would always end with something like a cowboy, tied to a barrel in a mineshaft and then there would be a huge explosion. You had to tune in the next day to see if he really died or somehow miraculously escaped. He always managed to survive. The Howdy Doody show with Buffalo Bob, Clarabell The Clown, Princess Summerfallwinterspring, and Mr. Fluster and Mr. Buster were on the air from 1947 to 1960.
The first TV screens were very small with many being only ten to 12 inches. Someone got the bright idea to mount a large 15-inch magnifier glass on a moveable frame. This would be placed in front of the small screen to magnify it. It worked perfectly, but also magnified all the snow and interference, which tended to cancel out any benefit of a larger screen. Another company had the bright idea of giving you the illusion of a colored TV picture. The dime stores sold a piece of plastic film that had blue at the top, orange in the center, and green at the bottom. You would attach this to the TV screen and you had colored TV for only 69 cents. Well, not actually. It didn't look too bad when watching a ball game because the sky was blue, the faces were orange, and the field was green. However, other programs looked rather stupid with this color arrangement.
We never even imagined a VCR to record moving pictures. Everyone knew pictures had to be recorded on film and never even dreamed about them being recorded on an electronic tape.
Some people in the 1940s didn't have a telephone and if they did, it was usually a party line phone. Each house shared the line with three or four other people. You had to be careful and try not to dial or talk when another person was talking. I would get in trouble when my mother would catch me listening to someone else's conversation. One would sometimes need to call a person who had no phone by calling the person's neighbor who would then walk to that person's home and ask him to come to the phone.
I didn't think of my family as rich, but we did have all that we needed. Most people had only one car and the wife stayed home. The middle class people could survive at that time with only one parent working. If my mother and I needed to go somewhere, we would ride the bus. If I got sick, the doctor would come to the house. Our house was heated by a large coal furnace in the basement. The Artesian Ice and Coal Company would deliver coal in the winter and ice in the summer for the iceboxes. I think most people in my neighborhood had an electric refrigerator, which, to make it confusing, was also referred to as an icebox. Those with an icebox would place a card in the window that had either 25, 50, 75, or 100 showing at the top of the card. This was an ingenious way of keeping the iceman from making extra trips to the house to ask how much ice you wanted. Children would follow the ice truck to beg for a piece of ice, just for the fun of it.
I remember my dad filling the furnace with coal just before we would go to bed so the house would remain warm all night. Sometimes he would get too much coal in the furnace and the house would get so hot we would have to open the windows in the middle of the winter with snow dripping down the windowsill. There were no thermostats on the coal furnace.
When I was about 16 years old, three of my friends and I discovered a cave in the bluffs above Water Works Road next to the Missouri River. The cave opening was large enough you could have driven a truck into it, except it was full of water. Not wanting the water to deter our exploring, we went back to town and bought four old inner tubes and scrounged up some boards to make a raft. After assembling the crude raft, we began slowly paddling deep into the cave. It started getting scary because the further we got in, the smaller the entrance looked, and our small flashlights weren't helping much. One of my buddies said, "Do you think we are the first to explore this cave?" I replied, after looking at the ceiling of the cave, "I don't think so, there are light wires attached to the ceiling." About that time, the inner tubes separated and the boards fell off our raft. We were splashing around trying to hold on to the tubes, hoping that we would not meet up with any water moccasins in the water. Eventually we floated out the opposite side of the bluff. Later we found out that this had been an old rock quarry. I never told my parents about what a stupid and dangerous thing we had done.
In 1951, the Federal Communication Commission introduced the "Novice" class ham radio license that required the applicant to take a written exam and show proficiency in sending and receiving Morse code at five words per minute. Shortly thereafter, I took the test and passed it, getting my first call letters: WN0RXO. Today, 60 years later, I still have the original call letters, but it is now W0RXO because I had upgraded to a General class license.
The Novice class license only allowed me to communicate by Morse code and, if you wanted to use voice, you had to upgrade to a General class license, which I did a few years later. My first transmitter was built from a kit where all the parts had to be mounted on a metal chassis and then you had to solder wires connecting everything per the schematic diagram provided.
Shortly after getting my ham license, I heard a cricket in my basement that sounded exactly like he was sending a Morse code message. I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and pencil and started writing down the letters. He was chirping so fast I just wrote down the letters as fast as I could and thought I could separate them into words later. Finally, he stopped and I started analyzing the message to see if he had been sending any words. You know maybe God was sending me a message or some alien intelligence was trying to communicate with me through the cricket. I wasn't completely disappointed. As it turned out, the cricket wasn't saying anything intelligent, but he was repeating the same message over and over. Even that I thought was very interesting.
You don't realize at the time how much you have learned from your parents. One morning on a crowded bus, an obviously poor, elderly, black woman got on and there was nowhere for her to sit. Remember those were the days when many ignorant people harbored racial prejudices, not only against the Negroes, but against anyone different from themselves. My mother had me get up and give her my seat. I didn't think much about it at the time, but what a wonderful gift my mother gave me that morning to teach me to respect everyone, no matter their race or station in life. To this day, I have never been burdened with prejudices against any race, rich, or poor, thanks to my loving and caring mother.
In the 1960s, I went to the library to check out a book on genealogy. The librarian directed me to a book section at the rear of the library. Halfway down the aisle, for no apparent reason, I suddenly stopped and turned to my left to see a book directly in front of me. I couldn't believe it. The book was, "The Book of Woodcraft." This was a copy of a book that my father had given me from his childhood library in the 1940s. The book had first been printed in the late 1800s and was the precursor of the Boy Scouts' handbook. How was this possible? I hadn't even thought about this book for years. I was a little shaken until I realized what had just happened. Our senses record everything around us and only those things that have meaning trigger our conscious mind and get our attention. I used this concept later in scanning genealogy census records on a microfiche reader looking for the name "Flinchpaugh." Even though I wasn't consciously reading every name out of hundreds, the name "Flinchpaugh" actually would jump off the screen.
Several years ago, I was studying religion and asked one of our group leaders what was the difference between prayer and meditation? I assumed what I was doing was prayer and what the hippie weirdoes were doing was meditation. She said, "Oh no. Prayer is when you talk to God and meditation is when you listen." This won't mean much to some people, but to me it was one of those "Ah ha" moments. I realized that I had been praying but had not been listening.
Seven years ago when I returned home to St. Joe from California to retire, people would ask, "Why in the world would you move from the excitement in California to Missouri?" I would reply, "For a better quality of life and to be around my friends and relatives that I grew up with."


text:
Original design worked mano. Laton plated copper, oxidized, polished and lacquered.
The 'Bada' necklace belongs to the series of jewellery with industrial inspiration. Two spheres and a mesh hold together, by means of cables, a multitude of metal threads. Below a geometrical surface are aligned various chains that evoke part of a mechanism. The neck is made of snake chain, whilst the tassels are made of square chain and is formed by tiny arabesques. Technique: Brass coated with silver. Oxidised, polished and lacquered. Original design crafted by hand in Spain.


text:
My sister, my Sophie
Favourite photos of my beautiful gentle sister Sophie…
Sophie as a wee baby (then affectionately know as Miss Yellow!).
All the gang! Me second from left, Soph extreme right.
Me and Soph do our best to destroy her dad's Japanese rock garden…
Oh boy, all that destruction is exhausting…thank goodness for
pillows sisters!
What can I say, together we redefine cute…!
Bella & Sophie star in…Vizsla Wars…coming to a backyard near you!! Grrrrr!!!
Sophie = luxury dog pillow.
Chill out time – me at front collapsed, Soph behind.
Our first beach trip! YAY – Soph flies in front, I follow.
Mmmmm…chicken dinner!
"That's the biggest vizsla I've ever seen!"
Sophie's place – grass, creek, mud = a recipe for FUN!
"You're feeling very sleepy….on the count of 5 you will no longer have a cupcake addiction"
Sophie at our place…
Sophie's place, rainy day…
My beautiful sis on her first birthday…(L – R Sophie, Dougal, me, Gigi).
2 Responses to "My sister, my Sophie"
This is so beautiful, so sad, and evokes such happy and proud memories in us of Sophie and all the fun times she had with you and your Mum and Dad – it has been an honour to have you and your parents as Sophie's and our friends
Vale, Sophie, you will be sadly missed.


text:
New coffee house opening at Point Ruston and locals will recognize the name
In the last year, Anthem Coffee and Tea opened stores in Old Town and University Place. It also announced its plans to open in the Stadium neighborhood.
Here comes another Anthem. This summer, the company expects to open a coffee house and cafe in the space formerly occupied by Dolce Si, the Sicilian Bakery. That bakery closed in March at the retail-residential development that straddles the Tacoma and Ruston city lines.
Co-owner Bryan Reynolds said he's hoping to open at Point Ruston by the end of June, which will precede the opening of the company's Stadium neighborhood location. Reynolds expects the Stadium store to open in July, if all goes as planned.
Currently, all house-made food for the Anthem cafes is made at its Puyallup location, which was the company's first store. It opened in 2011.
Reynolds said he plans to move the central baking operations from Puyallup to the Point Ruston space.
"We'll just be gaining about four times the space and kitchen equipment that will increase the efficiency of our operation," said Reynolds.
The menu and format will be the same formula as the other Anthem locations. The focus is on coffee and tea by day, with wine and beer also served. The cafe menu features light fare, such as breakfast sandwiches and vegan hash in the morning and flatbreads and sandwiches for lunch and dinner.
Reynolds operates the cafes with his parents, Janie and Larry Reynolds and his wife, Alicia Reynolds.
Anthem Coffee Featured in TNT
Friday, July 06, 2018 at 9:00 am
Sue Kidd: 253-597-8270, @tntdiner


text:
The world is saturated with anxiety and uncertainty and for many, the reasonable response is fear. We can thank God that our hope is not built on reason alone. Christians know that happiness is an empty pursuit. Happiness is based on happenings, but peace is the joyous realization that all is well, regardless of circumstance. The Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
In his beautiful poem "Peace", Henry Vaughan wrote
My Soul, there is a country,
Far beyond the stars,
Where stands a wingéd sentry
All skillful in the wars.
There above noise and danger
Sweet peace sits crown'd with smiles,
And one born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.
He is thy gracious friend
And (O my Soul awake!)
Did in pure love descend
To die here for thy sake.
If thou canst get but thither,
There grows the flower of peace,
The rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress and thy ease.
Leave then thy foolish ranges;
For none can thee secure,
But one who never changes,
Thy God, thy life, thy cure.
The Incarnation of God the Word in the Infant of Bethlehem sets in motion a sequence of events that leads to the Crucifixion and, beyond it, to the opening up of a new possibility for human life, the heavenly life characterized by peace, love, and constancy. In this poem, Henry Vaughan paints a vision of a country guarded by "beauteous files" of angels, under the command of the one born in a manger, who risked all for love of human beings.
Born in Wales of a Welsh family and probably bilingual, Henry Vaughan wrote his poetry primarily in English. He was a layman and a physician but well educated in matters of theology, perhaps partly through having a brother who was a priest in the Church of England. Much of Vaughan's poetry was written during the Commonwealth, when the Book of Common Prayer and other aspects of Anglican observance (e.g., Christmas) were suppressed; and he was very hostile to the then-dominant Puritanism. But his great model was George Herbert, and Herbert's example helped prevent polemics from taking central place in Vaughan's poetry. Like Herbert, he is one of the great masters of English verse.
Further Reading:
In George Herbert's "The Sacrifice" the O Vos Omnes hymn is developed with Christ drawing a contrast between himself and Barabbas: "And a seditious murderer he was: / But I the Prince of Peace; peace that doth passe / All understanding, more than heav'n doth glasse" (117-19; cf. Ruskin, Unto This Last, chap. 3). Herbert's poem "Peace" makes the point that the "Prince of Peace" himself had no peace: "He sweetly liv'd; yet sweetnesse did not save / His life from foes" (25-26), and that he won peace for others at the expense of his own struggle and death (cf. A Priest to the Temple, chap. 34). In Vaughan's "Peace" the poet speaks of a peace which is not to be found in this life, but in "a Countrie / Far beyond the stars," sentiments echoed in an early 20th-cent. American sonnet by Joyce Kilmer, written while the author was soldiering in France during World War I ("The Peacemaker"). Aldous Huxley thinks hints of such peace can be derived from art: "Even from the perfection of minor masterpieces—certain sonnets of Mallarmé, for instance, certain Chinese ceramics—we can derive illuminating hints about the 'something far more deeply interfused,' about 'the peace of God that passeth understanding'" (Ends and Means, chap. 14; cf. Wordsworth, "Tintern Abbey," 96). In Black Boy Richard Wright tells of an unsuccessful application of the traditional interpretation in the home of his grandmother: "Granny bore the standard for God, but she was always fighting. The peace that passes understanding never dwelt with us." Recalling the prophetic promise that in the days of the Messiah peace shall flow "as a river" (Isa. 48:18; 53:5), Margaret Avison writes that "Word has arrived that / peace will brim up, will come / 'like a river and the / glory … like a flowing stream'"—an unprecedented, unimagined grace ("Stone's Secret," 20-22).
See also this from Francis Greenwood Peabody, "The Peace-Makers," The Harvard Theological Review XII, no. 1 (1919): 51–52.
When the momentous news of an armistice in the world-war stirred vociferous multitudes to turbulent rejoicing, they were thrilled by the one overwhelming thought that peace, at last, had come. The war was at an end, and it must be the last of wars. A huge wave of grateful surprise surged up from the common level of national life and broke into a foam of high emotion. The thought of millions flashed across the sea by the wireless telegraphy of the spirit to those who on land and water and in the air had borne the part of America in the great adventure; and this message of thanksgiving could find no better words than the ancient Beatitude: "Blessed are the Peace-Makers, for they shall be called the children of God."
As the tumult and the shouting die, however, one is led to ask himself whether there was not something premature in this unmeasured self-congratulation. Was the war over when the fighting was done? Was the cessation of bloodshed, however longed-for and welcome, the assurance of an epoch of peace? Were there not enemies still left to meet, and battles to win, as threatening as on the plains of Flanders or the mountains of Italy? Should not one recall Milton's great words in his sonnet to Cromwell:
"Much remains
To conquer still; Peace hath her victories
No less renowned than war; new foes arise,
Threatening to bind our souls"?
Sources & Resources
Art: Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks (1834)
Trained as a sign, coach, and ornamental painter, Hicks painted over a hundred versions of his now-famous Peaceable Kingdom between 1820 and his death. His artistic endeavors provided modest support for his activities as a Quaker preacher in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The theme of this painting, drawn from chapter 11 of Isaiah, was undoubtedly attractive to Hicks and fellow Quakers not only for its appealing imagery but also for its message of peace: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." Into many versions, including the Worcester painting, Hicks incorporated a vignette of William Penn's treaty with the Indians, an image he adapted from a popular painting by Benjamin West (q.v.). Hicks may have viewed parallels in the two parts of the composition, inasmuch as Penn, who had introduced Quakerism into Pennsylvania, had also brought about a measure of the peaceable kingdom on earth.
References: http://www.worcesterart.org
Literature: Peace by Henry Vaughan: The Complete Poems. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1981.
Eisenbeis, W. Die Wurzel ŠLM im Altes Testaments (BZAW 113 [1969]); Hammer, P. L. Shalom in the New Testament (1973); Harris, D. J. Shalom! The Biblical Concept of Peace (1970); Macquarrie, John H. The Concept of Peace (1973); Montefiore, C. G., and H. Loewe, eds. Rabbinic Anthology (rpt. 1974), 530-38; White, H. C. Shalom in the Old Testament (1973); Wiseman, D. J. "Shalom." VT 32 (1982), 311-26.


text:
Sean Taylor murder was a botched robbery: The Washington Post is a reporting that Sean Taylor's murder was simply a case of a robbery gone wrong. The suspects thought he was out of town and didn't expect anyone to be home.
posted by Mike McD to football at 09:07 AM - 52 comments
A Spofi favorite ... Chris is back with his take on the draft: Wish he didn't go eight months between posts.
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 03:13 PM - 7 comments
"if I see this guy Bill Simmons, oh, it's gonna be a problem with me and him" : LOL ... Isiah threatens the Sports Guy.
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 05:35 PM - 12 comments
Iverson ... Greatest little man ever?: This may be the first Iverson hagiography.
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 04:20 PM - 52 comments
Shaquille O'Neal: finds a way to make me feel bad for hating him (version 2.0)
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 08:16 AM - 20 comments
The Big Dilema.: Heat fans. Would you do it? Two years at $30 million? Lakers fans. Which superstar would you rather have now?
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 07:43 AM - 12 comments
Bill Simmons says Kobe needs to embrace the Dark Side: I say right on.
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 01:25 PM - 7 comments
USA Olympic Basketball = Iverson's team: With Bibby, McGrady, Jesus Shuttleworth, Kidd, Garnett, Malone, K-Mart, Kobe, Vinsanity, Elton, and Shaq dropping out, Duncan and Iverson are the last men standing. Which means this is my man Iverson's team. Iverson's Olympic team. How unexpected is that?
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 09:17 PM - 12 comments
Milicic: They're lucky I broke my mitt, God. I was about to tomahawk some sh!t like my name was Sitting Bull: For all the Spofites who were wondering what was up with Darko last night? Brian Cook broke Darko's hand.
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 08:52 PM - 15 comments
When you just have to know ...: the PF who set that devestating pick in the 1991 Duke-Georgia Tech game. Yep, that was Malcolm Mackey. Wow!!! Charlie Board's ACC Stats Archive. This also confirms my memory of Rodney Monroe as one of the greatest players to come through the ACC.
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 04:23 PM - 3 comments
Brain Typing. Who becomes a superstar?: Dr. Jonathan Niednagel says that he can predict athletic success based on which 1 of 16 brain types an athlete has. According to Niednagel, Lebon is an ESFP (Jul 28), the same type as Magic Johnson. So get ready for Magic's penchant for flashy passes and ability to involve teamates but don't expect Michael's thinking assasin persona. You can read about the brain types here and some interesting amateur interpretations here.
posted by Mike McD to general at 06:33 PM - 8 comments
Can a coach give a player heart?: Lamar Odom says that the Heat will help him realize his potential. Can any coach provide the heart that a player lacks? Can Riley help Odom realize his potential? Does anyone else remember the game winners that Odom hit at URI, that Odom was the early leader for ROY over Brand and Francis back in 99', the way that Odom took over the Rookie/Soph game in 99' scoring every big bucket? Odom was one of a handful of guys who could take care of bizzness at crunch time; T-Mac's equal back in High School. What happened? How good can he be in Miami? How good (or bad) will he be in Miami?
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 03:27 PM - 11 comments
Shockey calls Parcells "the homo".: I have to admit, I can't help but laugh when pro athletes start busting out kindergarten insults. Not because it's cool; because it's funny to see grown men act like five year olds. Reminds me of Stephon Marbury's tirade that the Knicks would never, ever, ever win a championship with Charlie Ward. What are your favorite sports outbursts?
posted by Mike McD to football at 09:51 AM - 26 comments
Doesn't sound good for Kobe Bryant.: Trying to mislead the police. Physical trauma around the vaginal area. Visible signs of physical injury. Are opinions on Sportsfilter changing? If Kobe goes to jail would this be the most unexpected, astounding fall from grace in sports history? Will Bryant be able to play at all this year? What would the media circus be like?
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 04:50 PM - 45 comments
What's wrong with Big Dog? : I've watched Glen Robinson for nine years now and I like the way he plays. He's got a lethal mid range game, the kind of game announcers are always lamenting has dissappeared from the NBA. He shoots free throws well, he gets a couple of boards, and he's good for a block every once in a while. But why doesn't he seem to help his teams? This is a guy who was drafted before J. Kidd and G. Hill. Has he turned out to be a better pick than Grant Hill?
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 03:05 PM - 11 comments
The curse of Duke: Jay Williams pro career may be over after one season. Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, Jay Williams ... it's getting kind of spooky. Is Duke cursed? If you had a kid with pro potential would you let them go to Duke?
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 12:31 PM - 17 comments
Allen Iverson and Kenyon Martin need to lose 'thug' image.: At least if they want to win a championship instead of the latest shoe contract. That's what Gregg Easterbrook writes in his latest Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Agree or disagree?
posted by Mike McD to basketball at 08:27 AM - 17 comments


text:
|Oh, the things you learn from the top rail...
It's spring.
The time of new growth.
And baby animals.
Farm kids are exposed to the mating habits of animals early in life.
They just don't always understand what they are seeing . . .
I was sitting on the top rail of the corral fence with my Dad.
Some cows, and a few bulls, just brought in from the nether pastures, were milling about below us.
Suddenly, one bull reared up.
Right onto the rear quarters of a cow.
I stared at them.
The bull slid down.
And another took his place.
Really weird.
After three or four re-enactments of the same scenario, I turned to my dad.
"Daddy." Indicating the bull. "What is that cow doing?"
|Where did YOU think they came from?
Dad got a bit red-faced.
This was the fifties. Sex hadn't been invented yet.
"Erm. Well . . . he's resting his feet."
"Oh." Yeah. I was fairly easy to fob off in those days.
Today's kids are also educated.
At least as well.
Case in point . . .
My friend raised rabbits.
Beautiful, lop-eared, gentle, soft, furry rabbits.
And by raised, I mean hutches in the back yard, carefully and successfully monitored.
With the help – or at least close scrutiny - of her children.
Babies (kittens or kits) came with amazing regularity.
These are rabbits we're talking about, after all.
One day, a school friend asked the daughter where the baby rabbits come from.
"From the mommy," she said, knowledgeably.
"Oh," said the friend. "How does that happen?"
"Well," the daughter said, "The daddy rabbit gets on the mommy rabbit and shakes her!"
We've come so far.
|What can I say but CUTE!


text:
SoundSpot :: Packs
SoundSpot Sample Packs
|Pack Name
|Release Date
|play queue
|Rio Lorenzo - Serum Trance 1
|Trance, Presets / Patches
We're proud to announce that Rio Lorenzo has returned with another release on SoundSpot with the ultimate preset pack for trance, progressive and electronic music producers. Rio has worked with a plethora of headline artists over the years and has created unique sounds for many of them. With his vast array of experience in sound design, he's the obvious choice for producers worldwide, looking to take their sound to the next level. The pack contains 50 expertly designed presets for the infamous Serum Synthesiser. Each preset has been painstakingly crafted to mimic the sound of pure analogue hardware and will instantly give your track a professional shine. When Rio creates a preset bank we take notice, as his attention to detail is unrivaled and all of his work includes cleverly routed patches that use all 4 Macros, to ensure users have a fluid experience, allowing them to easily tweak the presets to gain a unique sound of their own. Along with the presets, Rio has also included 50 midi files to help spark your inspiration and speed up your work flow. But it doesn't end there! He's also added audio stems for those of you wanting a quick solution to get your project going in the right direction. The preset pack contains: • 15 x Bass Presets • 15 x Lead Presets • 15 x FX Presets • 10 x Pads Presets • 10 x Plucks Presets • 53 x Midi Files • 2 x VIRUS Wavetables • 65 x Wav Files *Other genres that this package may be useful in: • Electro House • House • EDM • Progressive House
|play queue
|Progressive FX
|Trance, Progressive House
So you've you've nearly finished your latest progressive masterpiece and all that's left to do is get those risers and other FX in place to make the track come to life. Well we've got just the pack for you. Progressive FX contains over 350MB of professionally produced samples including: • Atmosphere Risers • Downfilters • Drum Fills • Rise Ups • Snare Rolls • Vocal Rise Ups These samples will give any track a helping hand transitioning between elements, giving your track a more professional finish. This pack is a must have in any producers arsenal and can be used across the board in multiple genres. 350MB of professionally produced 24Bit Wav samples at 128 BPM. *Other Genres that this package may be useful in: • Sound FX • EDM
|play queue
|Holbrook & Skykeeper Progressive-Trance Construction Kits, Vol. 1
|Trance, MIDI
This release comes courtesy of Holbrook & Skykeeper and features no less than 10 progressive trance construction kits, perfectly crafted to help inspire you in your latest progressive production. The guys have gained traction in the dance music world recently with their original tracks and remixes seeing support from global superstars such as Markus Schulz, Paul Oakenfold, Paul Van Dyk, Omnia, Fisherman & Hawkins, Giuseppe Ottaviani, RAM, Alex M.O.R.P.H., Ruben de Ronde and M.I.K.E, to name but a few. Each kit is broken down into highly usable stems & MIDI files, allowing you to chop audio to your hearts content, or play around with the midi melodies and use your own synth presets. The pack is a massive 843MB unzipped & contains the highest quality sounds that the guys are becoming so well known for and even includes 1 shots making the kits a highly usable tool in your production arsenal. Download contains 10 construction kits ranging from 130bpm to 132bpm. All kits are 100% Royalty Free and can be used freely in your productions. Download size 843MB unzipped.
|play queue
|Laniakea Progressive Trance Template 1
|Trance, Progressive House
Laniakea has been producing under the radar for quite some time, working with world renowned labels & helping them to achieve the high quality music production of this day and age. This FL Studio template contains a full track from start to finish, allowing you to answer all of those burning production questions about how to achieve great sound quality, space in the mix, EQ, routing and more. The Progressive Trance production in this FL Studio template is second to none and comes loaded with all the audio samples used in the final track, so you really can hit the ground running from the second you fire up FL Studio. The synthesis elements of the template have been created using one of the worlds most powerful and popular software synthesizers – Xfer Records SERUM. Due to SERUM'S unique way of dragging and dropping modulation, it won't be long before you're tweaking away at the synth presets and producing something completely unique of your own. Product requirements FL Studio version 10.0.9 or above. Xfer Records SERUM plugin v1.04 or above. Download contains: • FL Studio Project File • 37 Samples • Custom presets loaded into Serum • 128 BPM • 84.2Mb Unzipped *Other Genres that this package may be useful in: • EDM
|play queue
|Perfect Progressive, Vol. 1
|Trance, Progressive House
Introducing Perfect Progressive Vol.1 The pack contains 15 construction kits, perfectly crafted in the ever popular progressive style. This pack is an absolute must for any aspiring or professional producers arsenal! Perfect Progressive Vol.1 is packed with over 600mb of content including loops & midi files, allowing you to put your own spin on these awesome melodies. 15 Construction Kits: • A Day Without You Kit 128 bpm C# • Abstraction Kit 128 bpm F# • Armada Kit 128 bpm G# • Dissolved Kit 128 bpm D# • Heavens Kit 128 bpm F • Heavens Pad Kit 128 bpm F • Horizon Kit 128 bpm A • Missing You Kit 128 bpm A# • Olympia Kit 128 bpm G • Seaside Kit 128 bpm A • Skywalker Kit 128 bpm A# • Snowflakes Kit 132 bpm G • The Voice Of Eternity Kit 128 bpm F# • Who Are You Kit 128 bpm G • Wrath Kit 128 bpm F# *Other Genres that this package may be useful in: • MIDI
|play queue
|JDakk & French - The Bounce
|Progressive House, Electro House
After years of international touring and a couple of million frequent flyer miles, JDakk & French are undoubtedly two of the freshest DJ's & Producers to emerge in today's EDM scene though have been in the industry for years! Having previously been hailed for their excellent production work, including official remixes for world-renowned artists like Boy George, they display a remarkable versatility enabling them to play in small, intimate clubs to life-size festivals. Their marathon DJ sets capture their unique character, while their blend of styles, unique bootlegs & turntablism lie in perfect harmony, accentuating the unmistakable beat of the percussions. Their new, perfected sound is conductive to dedicated dance music fanatics and fledgling EDM ears, creating an experience that is enjoyable for listeners from all musical backgrounds. Now you can create tracks with the same bounce and drive that the guys do with this pack. The pack contains 573 Files Of Drum loops, one shots,melody loops, fx and percussion. Includes midi files for melodies plus Sylenth 1 & Spire synth presets. Everything you need to produce your next hit. Specifications: - 573 Files - 40 Claps (20 Short, 20 Regular) - 60 Hi Hats (30 Closed, 30 Open) - 20 Crashes, 20 Rides - 20 Drum loops divided into multiple separated stems (100 Loops in total) - 20 Fills (10 Short, 10 Long) - 20 FX (10 Impacts, 10 Risers) - 40 Kicks - 59 Bass Loops (5 Full octave packs) - 20 Drops Loops with Sidechain, 20 Drop Loops without Sidechain + MIDI - 10 Melody Loops + MIDI - 40 Percussion - 20 Presets for Spire, 20 Presets for Sylenth1 (Banks as well as solo presets) - 30 Snares
|play queue
|Redhead Roman - Total EDM
|Progressive House, Electro House
Joining us for an exclusive release is none other than Redhead Roman. Roman has been the driving force between many sample packs over the years and has more recently been collaborating with the mighty Austin Leeds who has worked with a plethora of dance musics finest including the legend that is Paul Van Dyk. The pack contains everything you need to get that professional sound from your production. Over 500MB Of Drum loops, one shots, melody loops, fx and percussion. Includes midi files for melodies plus Sylenth 1, Spire and Serum synth presets. Specifications: • 670 Files • 20 Big Snares • 30 Claps • 100 Cymbals (30 Open Hi Hats, 30 Closed Hi Hats, 20 Rides, 20 Crashes) • 20 Drum Loops - each divided into 4 individual stems • 5 folders of Fat tuned big room kicks - each folder contains full octave of samples of the current kick • 20 Fills • 30 FX (20 Impacts, 10 Risers) • 50 Kicks • 40 Medodies - 40 WAV + 40 MIDI Loops (20 Melody, • 20 Drops) • 70 Percussion (20 Fat, 50 Snappy) • 20 Sylenth1, 20 Spire, 10 Serum presets (divided into separated presets as well as complete banks) • 30 Snares • 10 Vocal loops
|play queue
|Rio Lorenzo Progressive Trance 1
|Trance, MIDI
Over 600MB Of Drum loops, one shots, bass loops, melody loops, fx and percussion. Includes midi files for melody and bass and Sylenth 1 & Spire synth presets. Specifications: 530 Files: 604MB • 20 Bass Loops (With and without sidechain) - 40 Files + 20 MIDI • 10 Big Snares • 30 Claps • 20 Rides, 20 Open Hi Hats, 20 Closed Hi Hats, 15 Crashes • 20 Drum Loops - divided into 3 versions - Full, No Kick, Top Loop - 60 Files • 20 Fills • 10 Impacts, 10 Risers • 50 Kicks • 20 Melody Loops - divided into multiple versions - 75 files + 20 MIDI • 40 Percussion • 30 Snares • 20 Sylenth1 Presets • 20 Spire Presets
|play queue
|The Guru Project Future House, Vol. 1
|House, Progressive House
500MB Of Drum loops, one shots, bass loops, melody loops, fx and percussion. Includes midi files for melody and bass and Sylenth 1 & Spire synth presets. Specifications: • 530 files • 30 Bass loops, 30 Bass loops with Sidechain, 30 MIDI • 20 Melody Loops, 20 Melody Loops with Sidechain, 20 MIDI • 30 CLaps • 10 Crashes • 20 Full Drum Loops divided into stems - 80 drum loops • 20 Fills • 20 FX - 10 Impacts, 10 Risers • 40 Hi Hats - 20 Open, 20 Closed • 40 Kicks • 40 Percussion • 20 Rides • 40 Snares • 20 Spire Presets • 20 Sylenth1 Presets • 10 Toms *Other Genres that this package may be useful in: • MIDI • Presets / Patches • Tech House


text:
Making Music Make Money – Royalty Free & Library Music Production
Before I get into this too much I wanted to mention that I'm just talking about personal experience in this blog post and you can take from it what you may. It's not meant to be a 'one size fits all' type of thing that will appeal to everyone, and that everyone who reads this will suddenly make money from their work. This is a blog post about selling royalty free music online. Just that statement alone will drive off a bunch of traffic, which is fine. To each their own. For me the importance of all of this in the end is that I get to write the music I want to write, and I want to be paid for it. It seems like a dream but for many it's a reality and they are making a decent living doing just that.
I'm at a point right now where I'm making money every day from my music and sound effects. That's a good feeling. To know that I can drive the amount of income I make based on the output of my work. Now don't get me wrong, this production music thing is totally a numbers game. The more music you have out there the better the chance you have at making it. But I'm talking about a massive amount of music. I read an interview once with a composer who wrote for reality television and his output was roughly 70-80 new pieces of music a month! That's a lot of music. I think if you can get to one piece of finished (mixed and mastered) music a day you'll be in a good spot.
Not all royalty free music sites are created equal. I only use two currently, and they are AudioJungle and Pond5. AudioJungle though seems to be the better of the two and should be where you focus your attention if you're looking to quit your day job and write music for a living.
Now you're probably thinking 'Hey, don't you write music for games for a living?!'? Well, yes and no. I write music and create sound effects for games, yes. But there are some points where 'for a living' doesn't really cut it. The industry is cluttered and finding steady work is difficult even for veterans these days. We need to exhaust all avenues of income available to us if this is really what we want to do… that is, create things as a career.
Anyway, back to AudioJungle. They work on a tiered system where if you're an exclusive artist (you don't sell the music you submit to them anywhere else but you still own the rights to it) you make 50% of the sale up to a certain point. The more you sell the more your royalty percentage goes up, to a maximum of 70% of the selling price. Not bad. AudioJungle sets the selling point of your tracks, and there are numerous different licenses users can buy from the site. Based on a song two minutes and over, the licenses are 'Music Standard License' ($18), 'Music Broadcast (1 million)' ($36), 'Music Mass Reproduction' ($72), 'Music Broadcast (10 million)' ($144), and 'Music Broadcast & Film' ($306). So you can see the potential for the money you can make based on the type of production people are looking to place your music in.
You'll find controversy within the composing community with regards to sites likeAudioJungle that don't allow you to register the tracks you submit to them with your PRO (Performing Rights Agency). While I can understand how some people may be upset I would guess that these are the people really struggling to make a living composing music, or seeing their current clients jump ship on them in order to license cheaper music from these sites. I mean, yeah things are getting crazy out there but I don't necessarily agree sites like AudioJungle are a 'race to the bottom' for us composers. Ask the guy who sold over a million dollars worth of his music on AudioJungle and I'm sure he's not going to complain about not registering it with his PRO. Pond5 on the other hand allows you to register all your works that you upload to them. But I don't make nearly as many sales from them as I do with AudioJungle. One of the benefits of Pond5 though is that they have a 50/50 split on the items you sell without having to be exclusive to them. Which is nice because it frees you up to license those tracks in many other places. So it's a tough call when trying to figure out where to send my music once I write it.
Another point for AudioJungle though is that they have a very strict approval system and they don't just allow anything that people upload into their library. You'll usually wait about 4-5 days after you upload something to them to see if your track has been accepted or not. And I really like this because it keeps the overall quality of the music in their library up while making you a better composer in the long run because you'll need to be doing your best work at all times. But you can always send your tracks over to Pond5 that AudioJunglerejects and still make money off of them.
What kind of income can you expect from AudioJungle in the long run? Well if you look at profiles you'll see that people are awarded badges depending on how well they're doing on the site. These badges can give you an idea of how much money that person has made as well. The coveted 'Elite Author' badge means the author has sold over $75,000 worth of music/sound effects (before the royalty cut). So at the bare minimum at a 50% rate (though at Elite I believe you're making 70%) that's $37,500. Though like I said it's most likely a lot more than that. Not bad at all for something you already enjoy doing.
Let's look at the current number one selling track on AudioJungle:
This track has been sold 8791 times! Now assuming all sales were at the $18 license and his royalty rate is 50%, that's $79,119 for one song! But as you can see with all the different licensing options and your royalty rate increased based on overall performance, chances are this song brought in a lot more money than that.All issues aside with royalty free music, you can't argue those numbers are enough to at least make you consider giving it a shot! Sure maybe things were easier 5-10 years ago and maybe the money on AudioJungle was flowing a lot faster than it is now because of the flooded composer market. But from my own experience alone I can say that I've made money faster by selling my music on AudioJungle than I have anywhere else up to this point in my career. It couldn't hurt to send them a few tracks in your back catalogue collecting dust to see if you can generate an extra income stream from them!In a future post I'll discuss what type of music sells best on AudioJungle and how to structure your tracks to get them accepted. In the meantime you can visit AudioJungle and Pond5 from the links below:
Thanks for reading!


text:
User:Thulsey/Character Tables
From Guild Wars Wiki
|Character Name
Let's write a little something here and see what happens...
- Basically just fill in what you need for your character as per the following
{{User:Thulsey/Character Tables | name=Your Character's Name | campaign=Where the character is from | profession=How your character kills things (Capitalize first letter! HAS to be a way around that!) | text=What do you want to say about him or her? | photo=User You Image Name.jpg | width=the width of the whole box. It defaults to 200, but you may have problems if you have long character names... }}
- And that's pretty much it...
- This is a work-in-progress and plans are in place to work out things like
line-height, table-cell spacing, and some font styling. As a result, it's recommended to use an image with a maximum width of 150px, with a height no greater than 400px. If you use more than one Character Table, you should probably make sure all images are the same resolution and size. (This may change in the future to allow for more dynamic things to be done and not all of it to be mandatory to include. Give me time!)
- Please let me know on my Talk Page if you use this so I can make sure not to break it if I change something... And I would love to hear any feedback or suggestions you have, as well.
Example here.


text:
An award-winning city like Corvallis demands nothing but the best. In Corvallis, you have the best views and some of the best schools, so why shouldn't you have the best home? Put the finishing touch on your home with College Pro window cleaning, and take care of the one chore everybody need to do but absolutely nobody wants to deal with. College Pro Corvallis is here to do your dirty work so you can get back to enjoying your incredible city.
College Pro is dedicated to improving Corvallis one window at a time. Cleaning windows does so much more than create a more beautiful home. Here at College Pro, our business model is centered on having a positive repercussion in the community. Our window cleaners come from nearby universities and community colleges, and the jobs we give them directly help them finance their higher education. As an independently owned and operated franchise, the money College Pro Corvallis earns largely remains within the Corvallis community. Rather than hire a large corporate painting service, hiring College Pro ensures that your hard earned money goes back into the Corvallis community, creating a stronger business environment for all of us. More importantly, College Pro gives eager young entrepreneurs their first taste of running a business—something that will serve them well as they start their own Corvallis businesses in the years to come.
Our satisfied customers can't stop talking about how pleased they are with our window cleaning services. In fact, College Pro has managed to achieve a 97% customer referral rate. When you hear about our Corvallis window cleaning services from your neighbors and friends, you know that you can trust them to recommend great services. If you're ready to experience just how clean your windows can be—without doing any of the dirty work—contact College Pro Corvallis to schedule a free window washing estimate today.
Learn more about College Pro Corvallis
Great work/franchise owner!
CJ was very personable
Monday-Friday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm EST


text:
First time in Germany: Car becomes mobile delivery address for parcels
In May 2015 DHL Parcel, Amazon and Audi will team up to launch a Germany-wide pilot project for car drop delivery.
- DHL Parcel, Amazon and Audi join forces to launch unique pilot project for car drop delivery in Germany
- Parcels delivered conveniently to your car regardless of where it is
Bonn - In May 2015 DHL Parcel, Amazon and Audi will team up to launch a Germany-wide pilot project for a brand new service that will allow car owners to use their cars as mobile delivery addresses for their parcel shipments. The three project partners have developed and tested their unique solution for car trunk delivery the past several months to ensure high security standards for both merchandise and automobiles. For the customer, the service is designed to be simple, transparent and easily manageable at all stages of the process - from order placement on Amazon.de, parcel transport by DHL, to delivery to the trunk of their Audi.
"As an innovation leader in the parcel industry, we continually work with our partners to develop innovative solutions for the ever-growing number of parcel customers, and to set new trends," says Jürgen Gerdes, Board Member for the Post - eCommerce - Parcel division at Deutsche Post DHL Group. "This pilot project for car trunk delivery for private customers is unique in the German parcel industry; it demonstrates once again our market and innovation leadership as well as our commitment to parcel delivery services tailored more and more to the individual needs of our customers."
Test stage of the pilot in the greater area of Munich
DHL Parcel, Amazon and Audi plan to conduct their joint pilot project over the course of several months in the greater area of Munich, during which selected customers will have the chance to test the new delivery solution. Customers taking part in the early stage of the pilot will be registered by Audi.
Using a specially developed smart phone app, the DHL delivery agent receives the exact location of the car as well as access to the vehicle's trunk. After the deliverymen have placed the item in the trunk and closed its door, the car is then locked automatically. DHL receives confirmation via the app and the car owner is informed of the successful delivery via email.
Using the car as a mobile delivery address is an especially attractive alternative for commuters. Whether parked in the company parking lot or at a Park & Ride lot, the postman can use the app to locate the automobile and place the item securely in the trunk of the car. Along with its Packstation, parcel box, and preferred location solutions, this latest innovation from DHL Parcel - a first on the German market to date - further expands DHL's extensive offering of delivery options designed to meet the daily needs and requirements of its increasingly mobile customers.


text:
As Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel, 30, stepped into his skis on the summit of 28,251-foot K2, he was alone except for the drone, operated by his brother Bartek down at base camp. He had arrived on the summit of the world's second tallest mountain—and arguably the most deadly—without the use of supplemental oxygen. His skis, designed by a friend, included the initials of his parents, his three sisters, and his seven brothers. Meanwhile a stealth support team with radios and a telescope helped him navigate the weather, seracs, crevasses, avalanche risks, and snowfields on his historic descent. In six hours, Andrzej became the first person to ski from the summit to base camp of K2 on July 22, 2018.
The entire descent is captured by drone, bringing this singular achievement to the masses. "I was a little bit impatient while waiting for the drone to come back after a battery change, but at the same time I knew that it won't happen again," recalls Andrzej, who first attempted the feat a year ago, but had to abandon due to dangerous conditions.
"Skiing K2 is something which I've been long wondering who and when, not if," says ski mountaineer Kit DesLauriers, the first person to ski the tallest peaks on each continent. "With Andrzej's oxygen-free ascent, as well as his attempt and retreat last year due to dangerous conditions, he accomplished his K2 ski descent in a style to be admired. The bar has been reset and that is always a good thing."
"This ranks right up there in the greatest ski mountaineering descents ever done," say Skiing Hall of Famer Chris Davenport.
Now back home in Poland, we caught up with Andrzej about some of the details around his incredible ski descent.
You were alone at the summit when you stepped into your skis on the summit of K2?
Andrzej Bargiel: Yes, I was there alone, as long as we don't consider my brother's drone as a company. 🙂
He flew with his drone to that altitude once I reached the summit, made impressive shots of me at the top of K2, and landed with the drone behind my back. Apart from that I was there alone. There were other climbers ascending that day but I left Camp 4 late enough to reach the summit once they were already proceeding with their descents.
What were you thinking in that moment? What did you see?
Andrzej Bargiel: I guess it was a little bit different than for most of other climbers. I wasn't euphoric about being at the top of K2. Neither I felt fulfilled nor relieved. I knew I had to be fully concentrated as my real challenge was just about to begin. Standing there at the top of K2 was just an intermediate goal.
To be honest when I reached the summit, I just made a few photos and videos and started to prepare for the descent. Of course the views were breathtaking and I was looking around, but at the same time I had to be really concentrated on not losing my skis while stepping into them. Besides the weather forecast was not that optimistic for the rest of the day so I had to proceed with my descent almost right away.
What were some of the obstacles you encountered on the descent? Did you have any close calls?
Andrzej Bargiel: Well, first of all, in the upper parts on the Abruzzi route there were members of few commercial expeditions operating there, and I had to be really careful to not put them in danger, such as by triggering an avalanche. There was a big avalanche risk. I was planning the exact way of descent while I was climbing up but still had to be very careful about that.
Messner Traverse was also a very risky part. Last year, during the first K2 Ski Challenge expedition, we saw a massive avalanche caused by one of the seracs. I knew I would do my best to pass this area quickly as possible. But being there even for 30 seconds is putting a person in a terrible danger. Literally something can happen at any time.
In the lower part on Kukuczka-Piotrowski route, the snow was heavy and I had to trigger little avalanches to make this snowfall before I could descend safely in those parts.
Why didn't you have a ski partner for the descent?
You had to be in perfect shape at the top. It's extremely hard for most of the people to even reach the summit of this mountain. From my perspective, putting my feet at the top was just a halfway though. I needed to be strong and conscious enough to start the ski descent in extremely demanding conditions.
It's hard to find someone who will be willing to go skiing with you on K2. I worked a lot and for a long time to be able to go there and to proceed with the K2 Ski Challenge safely. Besides I feel good and safe when I'm alone. When I'm with somebody else, I feel worried about this person. It somehow takes away all the joy and kills my focus on the goal which is crucial in that particular moment.
— Andrzej Bargiel
Was it fun? Or how would you describe it?
Andrzej Bargiel: Definitely there was a huge satisfaction after the descent because it was a really demanding project. I was realizing a precisely set plan so it was different from spontaneous freeride. But it was definitely interesting. At some point I just had this feeling that I was controlling the situation. I skied toward the middle of the mountainside and moved away from all the climbers from other expeditions. It was fun to be able to do that and have your own descent route over there which is not the same as the ascending routes of the climbers.
How long did it take to ski from summit to base camp?
Andrzej Bargiel: It took me about six hours to get to the Base Camp. Due to low visibility I had to wait for over an hour at Camp IV for the weather to get clearer. I also stopped for a while at Camp 3 to check on Janusz's condition. Generally I was waiting at some points for my brother, Bartek, to change the battery in his drone. Our goal was to record this descent as we plan to make a documentary movie covering last year's and this year's expeditions. I was a little bit impatient while waiting for the drone to come back, but at the same time I knew that it won't happen again. That here we are, this is happening now and if we want to have documentation of it, I just have to wait at some points.
Why did you want to do this ski descent, which has been fatal for others?
Andrzej Bargiel: First of all, I'm a skier and my Hic Sunt Leones project is all about skiing down the highest peaks of the world. At the beginning I was focused on other 8,000-meter peaks. But then years ago while I was completing my Broad Peak Ski Challenge, I looked at K2 from the perspective of Broad Peak mountain, and it appeared to me that the ski descent from K2 is actually possible. So I started to think about it and decided to make attempt to do it. That attempt started last year, but that expedition wasn't successful for me due to unpredictable weather and health problems of some of my team members.
In terms of fatality, lots of people die in other circumstances too, as doing sport activities is generally associated with risk. But I wasn't thinking about it. I just knew that it's possible. If you're prepared well enough and the conditions are appropriate, then you can do it safely. I didn't think that I will be putting my life at risk in order to do it. If something was doubtful and the conditions were uncertain, like during last year's expedition, we just stopped the whole project.
Why did you choose to use no supplemental oxygen and no Sherpa/mountain worker support from Camp 3 to the summit?
Andrzej Bargiel: In terms of HAPS that were supporting me, they were supposed to have supplemental oxygen and be in good condition in case of emergency situation. That was their main task during summit push and descent. In case if I twisted my ankle for example, they were supposed to be ready to go for rescue.
I train a lot to be well prepared for physical activity at higher altitudes. I never use supplemental oxygen during my ascents and descents as I'm athlete, and in my opinion using supplemental oxygen is like cheating your body and altitude.
Have you climbed, skied other 8,000-meter peaks?
Andrzej Bargiel: Yes I did. The Hic Sunt Leones project started in 2013 with the Shishapangma Ski Challenge. Then Manaslu and Broad Peak expeditions followed in the next years. I summited and made ski descents from all of those summits. Actually I was the first person in the world to ski down from Broad Peak.
What were three important things in your gear kit?
Andrzej Bargiel: My skis for sure. They were specially designed. My friend Sebastian Litner made a graphic on all five pairs of skis that I took with me to Pakistan. The ones I chose for the descent had initials of my parents and three brothers and seven sisters. I was sure that they will give me strength during the ski descent from K2.
The second thing were my shoes. I use French, Pierre Gignoux homemade shoes. I'm really happy with them.
I used also neoprene overboots and electric heaters.
And the last thing is special suit which is always specially designed by Pajak for my expeditions. It is not that big and warm as the Himalayan suits and works perfectly for me.
What gear/tech helped you pull off the descent? A telescope, radios, drones?
Andrzej Bargiel: We were using radios, which is crucial for safety reasons and made it possible to discuss with the rest of the team weather conditions, current weather forecasts, and simply stay in touch.
The second thing was the GPS tracker which sent my current location and on special website people could follow my summit push and progress with the descent.
We also had telescope which helped the team in the Base Camp in navigating me in terms of avoiding crevasses, etc. And, of course, a drone, which accompanied me in the descent.
Tell us about your team for this mission. How did their support help you?
Andrzej Bargiel: My team was divided into two groups. There was the core expedition team that beside me comprised four members from Poland. There was Janusz Go??b, my climbing partner and a very experienced mountaineer who was accompanying me in the upper parts in fixing ropes. Also on the team was my brother Bartek, our drone operator, Piotr Pawlus, cinematographer, Marek Ogie?, photographer, and a team of four experienced HAPS.
Because the team was small, all the members were engaged in different activities. During the descent Marek, Piotrek, and Bartek were giving me updates, checking on weather with different people in Poland, and navigating me through telescope in the lower parts of the mountain. Micha? Pyka in Poland was providing weather forecasts, which was very helpful. Those forecasts helped us in choosing the best moment for summit push and descent.
And there were people organising the whole expedition in Poland, staying in touch with media, partners, and sponsors, and helping us from there in all possible matters. Not to mention my trainer Piotr Sadowski and Robert Szymczak, who prepared first aid kits for the expedition.
Tell us about your brother Bartek. Do you climb/ski together a lot?
Andrzej Bargiel: Yes, we do, as much as it is possible. I was attracting him to sports. He was living with me and was attending sport school. I was also supporting him as athlete as he was taking part in ski mountaineering competitions. Then he started filming and operating drones. It is really great that he can accompany me in my expeditions and has a really big input in that.
What will you do next?
Andrzej Bargiel: Right now I'm not thinking about it. I need to rest and spend some time with my family and friends. The winter is coming so there will be plenty of opportunities to travel and search for the best possible conditions for training. We will be definitely making films from those trips.
And once I set myself new goal, I probably won't announce it until the very last moment. The thing is I need time, space, and concentration on trainings.


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Hi There! Is this Your First Time?
Did you know if you Register you have access to free search tools including the ability to save listings and property searches? Did you know that you can bypass the search altogether and have listings sent directly to your email address? Check out our how-to page for more info.
- Price$1,099,000
- Acres1.93
W Orange Blossom Trl, Apopka
Two acres of land zoned C-1 Commercial on the massive corner of US 441 Orange Blossom Trail (34,000 AADT) and Toll Road 451 (13,000 AADT) less than a quarter mile from the new intersection of Toll Road 429 (23,000 AADT) and US 441 as the 429 continues to loop north toward the Wekiva Parkway, ultimately completing the northwest portion of Orlando's outer loop expressway. This prime corner spot is one of the most sought-after sites for hotel, gas station, fast food or other retail/commercial uses. This integral interchange on the continued expansion path of the 429/414/451 expansion is directly in the path that will soon bring all North Lake County and northwest Orange County to downtown Orlando and the attractions. Additional adjacent two-acre sites available.
Essential Information
- Price$1,099,000
- Bathrooms0.00
- Acres1.93
- TypeLand
- Sub-TypeUnimproved Land
- StatusActive
- UtilitiesElectricity Available, Other, Sewer Available
Additional Information
- Days on Market1502
- ZoningC-1
Community Information
- AddressW Orange Blossom Trl
- AreaApopka
- CityApopka
- CountyOrange County
- StateFL
- Zip Code32712
- Lot DescriptionOne + to Two Acres
Listing Details
- Listing OfficeStirling International Real Es
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Listing information last updated on January 29th, 2020 at 9:00am EST.


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Education for Job Advancement
Turn on the news at any time during the day or night and you're sure to hear a newscaster talking about the high cost of attending college, the fact that schools across the United States are continually increasing their tuition rates by large percentages, and that students are graduating with college degrees along with tens of thousands of dollars of student loan debt.
These news stories are all negative, but in case you never realized it: The news THRIVES on reporting negative information! Anything that is deemed downbeat, pessimistic or damaging is always going to be the first story to be reported at the top of the news hour or to be placed on the front page of the newspaper. Why? Because negative and "scary" information is what grabs the attention of viewers or readers. And, today's news is all about grabbing your attention, right?!
Who Makes More?
Based on your own personal knowledge, and not looking at any of the published statistics, who do you think earns more (on average)? An individual with a high school diploma or a person with a college degree? If you answered "a college degree," you are correct.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics:
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, education pays.
The BLS's website contains a published chart that can be viewed by the public. This chart compares a person's educational level to the unemployment rate and to the person's median weekly earnings potential.
The BLS's chart clearly shows:
As the education level goes up, the unemployment rate for that sector goes down.
As the education level goes up, the earning potential for that sector goes up.
The United State's Census Bureau:
One of the reasons the United States spends time and money on conducting a census every 10 years is to gather important and pertinent information about American citizens. Some of the questions on the census form ask about education and household income. Based on recent findings, the Census Bureau's website contains a public document that confirms the relationship between people's education level and their annual earnings.
According to the report published by the Census Bureau, a people's level of education correlates positively with their annual earnings. A chart within this document shows that the higher the education, the higher the annual earnings.
In fact, the report published by the Census Bureau also lists the median total lifetime dollars earned by those with high school diplomas, associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, and higher-level degrees. The statistics are staggering: A person with a high school diploma has a median lifetime earning potential of approximately $1.3 million dollars, but a person with a bachelor's degree has a median lifetime earning potential of approximately $2.3 million dollars. For those with master's degrees and doctoral degrees, the median lifetime earning potential numbers are even higher.
A College Degree is More than a Piece of Paper
The purpose of enrolling in a degree program is to gain an education. But that is not the only reason that college degrees are beneficial. It is true that students enrolled in school will learn the skills they need to complete specific jobs. However, attending college also requires students to develop the following proficiencies:
The ability to study.
The ability to find information in a library.
The ability to arrive on time and attend scheduled classes.
The ability to give oral and written presentations.
The ability to work in a group successfully.
The ability to deal with conflicts that may arise as a result of differing opinions on how to complete a project.
The ability to fill out forms.
The ability to read and understand complex information
These competencies, in addition to others that are acquired while in college, are not specifically related to the student's major, but they are skills that are developed as a consequence of being enrolled in school. Such skills will help individuals succeed and thrive when they enter the workforce.
When the Unemployment Rate is High Employers Pick Educated Candidates
In an economy with a high unemployment rate, every job opening receives dozens (if not hundreds) of applications. Many applicants are not just qualified for the position – they are OVER-qualified for the position. Some employers shy away from hiring over-qualified or over-educated people for low-level jobs, but many employers are happy to hire college graduates for jobs that require only a high school diploma. If for no other reason, however, a college degree on a resume looks good and is likely to qualify a person for more employment opportunities.
In a poor economy, employers know they have the upper hand when it comes to selecting people they want to interview. For any job, most employers are likely to choose an eager college graduate before they would choose a high school graduate. The mere fact that an undergraduate degree was earned is proof that the job applicant is hard-working.
Does an Education Equal a Guaranteed Promotion at Work?
Nothing in life is guaranteed, and a college degree does not necessarily mean you will eventually be in charge of the company that currently employs you. Take a look at Bill Gates, one of the founders of Microsoft Corporation. Mr. Gates dropped out of college to launch one of the most successful businesses that has ever existed. However, Bill Gates' story is unique. The bottom line is that earning a college degree does not guarantee a job or a promotion, but it does open doors for people wanting to work in respectable professions and it increases people's chances for professional success.
Return to the article library>>>
Written by Melanie Fischer, Career & Job Expert who has been writing professionally for over 10 years.


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Brothers and Sisters, Talofa! This week was awesome! I had a baptism back in my last area in West Valley which was great, and I was able to go! It was great to attend that! It was April who was the single mom that we were meet with back in the Hunter South Stake. Elder Bingham also had a baptism in his last area which we were able to go to as well which was awesome! This week we also had interviews with President Palmar which was awesome! It's always good to talk to him! The next transfer is coming up and there will be a lot of new missionaries so a lot of new areas will be opening up. So everyone is excited for that! It's hard to believe that this transfer is half way over! It's going by fast!
We also had a funny experience this week. One of our senior couples set up a lesson with some Samoan Seven Day Adventist missionaries! So that was crazy, but it went well. They had a lot of questions and one of them used to be a member, but is now less active. The other nonmember one liked what we said and it made sense to him. So hopefully one day he makes contact again with missionaries! We gave them our number if they ever had more questions. But it was a fun little experience that happen this week! We ate a great lunch that was prepared afterward which was awesome, too!
The mission has been awesome! I love every second of it! It's been a huge testimony builder. It's weird now being one of the older missionaries in the mission! It goes by too fast! I'm the oldest in the district! Haha! The second oldest came out last September and everyone else came out in 2017! Lol! But it's great! I love it! I hope everyone has a great week! I love all of y'all!
Elder Bowie
Samoan Wards
Salt Lake City West Mission


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building use agreement
Rules for renters
- The maximum number of people using said school or facility shall be within the occupancy limits of the area, including the designated parking, which should be within the local fire codes, and Licensee agrees to the same.
- Licensee shall defend, save, hold harmless and indemnify Licensor from any and all claims for the loss, damage or injury to any person or property from Licensee's use of the said school or facility.
- Licensee shall, within ten (10) days prior to the use of facilities, pay the charges as determined in accordance with the attached Schedule of Rates and Charges, upon receipt of invoice for Licensee's use of said school or facility, including a reasonable charge to cover utility, maintenance, and replacement costs.
- In the sole discretion of Licensor, Licensee will be required to present evidence of liability insurance, in such amount and form, as required by Licensor, within five (5) days of execution of this agreement; and, in accordance with the Building and Grounds: Non-School Use of LSD Facilities Other than Schools, non-profit organizations are required to produce their 501(C)3 status. Licensee shall be responsible for any and all loss, damage or injury that might be the result of Licensee's activities being conducted at said school or facility. Licensee will possess a liability insurance policy with minimum limits of one million dollars ($1000,000.00). Licensee will add Laconia School District as an additional insured to the liability insurance policy whenever licensee is using Laconia School District property. Licensor reserves the right, in the event of a failure to provide evidence of insurance, to cancel this use agreement.
- Licensee agrees to be responsible for all costs, attorney's fees and expenses incurred by Licensor in enforcing its rights pursuant to this use agreement, or in pursuing all available remedies which may be allowed herein or at law in equity.
- Licensor reserves the right to cancel this use agreement at any time for any reason including a conflict with use for school purposes or a determination that licensee's use of school facility is inappropriate.
- Licensee must notify Licensor at the time this agreement is signed if there will be any reasonable accommodations needed by a person(s) with a disability.
- LICENSEE SHALL NOT PAY ANY SCHOOL EMPLOYEE DIRECTLY. Licensee shall pay security, custodial and or other personnel cost upon receipt to Licensor. Check or money orders shall be made payable to Laconia School District.
- School program will have priority over any outside usage of building.
- Use of lighted athletic fields must end by 10:00 p.m.
- Outside organizations may not sublease school facilities to other organizations or individuals, or transfer or assign their use agreement to anyone.
- School facilities shall not be used for anything other than use(s) approved in the Usage Agreement.
- A school custodian, and/or other district employee as designated by the principal, must be present during the activity or event. School employees are not permitted to give their building keys to an outside organization.
- Signs, banners, permits, etc., may not be erected on school property unless the permission of the Principal or designee is obtained in advance and only if such displays do not deface school property.
- When schools are closed because of inclement weather, all facilities use is cancelled