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So, I am running Serpent's Skull. I might jot down a few things that might come in handy for other DMs, as I discover them. These notes will contain spoilers for players, but I know my guys will be reading this so I'll restrict the spoilers to stuff that has already happened in our game. Nevertheless, guys, perusing this stuff may take a little of the magic away. Your choice.
One of the issues with the game material is that certain stuff is scattered around the various source documents. The wandering monster rules are in the bestiary, the NPC rules are in the "Shipwrecked!" supplement, and so on. It's a bit of a challenge pulling it together.
If you are running the game:
Track the game state
You will need a piece of paper on which to keep the game "state".
- NPCs
Each NPC has a morale and an attitude, and each NPC and player may have a campsite "role".
- Morale:
- panicked, frightened, shaken, normal, hopeful. Starting morale is "shaken".
- Attitude:
- hostile, unfriendly, indifferent, friendly, helpful. Staring morale is as per the notes for each NPC.
- Role:
- guard, defender, entertainer, hunter, medic. To fill a "role", the NPC or player must be busy doing that the entire day. No role for the NPC until made "Indifferent", and roles available are as per the notes.
- Monsters
- The Island has a limited amount of certain monsters – track them. I suspect that the number of monsters is important with regard to XP available on the Island. You can't grind to 20th level on Smuggler's Shiv.
- Calendar
- Keep a calendar and keep track of how many days it's been. Log events like monster kills – perhaps 10M, 10D, 10E, 10N for morning, day, evening and night of day 10. This is particularly important for timed events. I was considering also using this calendar to work out when high tide and low tide are. On earth, high and low tide happen twice each day, and the time moves around the clock once a month, so morning high-tide becomes morning low-tide after one week.
Daily routine
The daily routine is:
- Sunup: wandering monster check, NPC state check. Is the party moving camp, or is the party exploring from a base?
- Midday: wandering monster check, possible heat chack
- Sundown: wandering monster check, disease exposure check. Check to set up camp, if necessary.
- Midnight: wandering monster check
- Wandering monster check is: 15%, -5% per guard. Remember that "Defender"s do free damage.
- NPC morale check is DC 15 Will. +2 per entertainer. Failure by 5 worsens the state.
- NPC attitude check is a diplomacy roll, modified by morale (+2, 0, 0, -2, -4) and circumstance.
- Camp. if the party is on the move, then they need to leave enough time in the afternoon to set up camp. If the survival roll is bad and they need more hours of daylight than they have budgeted for, then no camp that night.
- Disease exposure: 25%. -15% for having a decent camp, -5 for each medic. I take disease exposure to mean "chance of being bitten by something carrying something during the night".
- Heat. "Strenuous activity" during the hot part of the day triggers a fort save. This includes a fight at the midday wandering monster encounter. It should probably also include attempting to bush-bash through jungle at around midday. DC 15 on the hour, +1 for each consecutive hour (the hot part of the day is 3 hours), 1d4 nonlethal. Odd – I would have thought that the character becomes fatigued, but the penalties for exhaustion are pretty steep. (Note that Jask can prepare Endure Elements).
I suppose the best bet would simply be to keep the calendar as a spreadsheet. Columns are:
- Day #
- High/Low tide – advance by 2 hours a day to keep it simple. So 2/8 means high tide at 2am/pm, low at 8 am/pm.
- NPC State – Two columns per npc.
- Role – one column for each PC and NPC. Roles have to be the entire day, so if a PC is adventuring, then they are not doing a campsite role that day.
- Disease incubation, other conditions. Probably just one column, unless it gets complicated.
- Encounters. Four columns.
- Todo. For timed/scheduled events.
Overland movement
Players, seriously – resist the temptation to click on the DM map. This is not a "takes the magic away" issue, it's a "ruins the module" issue.
This caused me a great deal of angst.
By some weird combination of mouse-clicks, I managed to extract the terrain layer of the map in the PDF without all the markup. So
what I eventually did was to get the map into the Gimp and use "filters/distorts/mosaic" to chop it up into hexes. The hexes are about 1/2 a mile from center to center by the scale on the map. According to the module, the players move 1 mile every 2 hours bush-bashing through jungle, and you have a chance to notice a special feature if you are within half a mile. So my players can move 4 hexes per day-quadrant. 8 per day … but that leaves no time to set up camp.
In the wreck of the Jeniveve, the players found a map of Smuggler's Shiv, but it was only a blurry outline which (for some reason) had been blown up to a3 size. The players get a blurry outline of the island, I get a rather more detailed map, and the two have a matching hex grid overlaid. The players indicate on their map where they are moving, and I compare it to mine to see what they might have stumbled across.
I have just now "hexified" the map by drawing out rivers, paths, borders and so on. The island border, rivers, and cliffs go either along a boundary or through the middle of a hex.The paths go from the center of one hex to the center of another. This should make it as little easier to work out what to do with these terrain features. I've been ignoring them up till now, trying to get a handle on things. Now I can definitely say "to get from this hex to that hex will take an extra 1/2 hour and involve a swim check." 1/2 hour seems mechanically do-able. It means you can get there and get back with one extra hour of travel time. Characters don't know this until they come to the river or cliff, of course.
So, although ugly looking, this hexification turns "Well, ok – it's a map, I suppose. Definitely a drawing of an island." into a campaign hex map that can be played. This is a reasonably common problem in Paizo materials, I have to say: stat blocks split over pages, crucial crunch buried inside paragraphs of colour text. With the pirate treasure thing, I had to piece together that it was 10 ft down to the plug, 40 ft to the water, and then 10 ft down: a total of 60 ft. Those measurements were scattered around the shop. The module described in detail the story behind the treasure, but that's not a lot of use if there's no in-game way to tell it to your players. All you can do is tell them out-of-game after the encounter is done.
I like handouts. There's nothing worse than having to read out blocks of colour text – physical handouts mean you can give something to the players and let them argue it over while you lean back and relax.
I bought myself a laminator a while ago. The handouts in the campaign materials are printed out and laminated. I also did the same to those "dream" things that clue the players into what's the deal with Ieana and the Captain. They have met captain Kinkarian – some nice artwork there worth printing off, too. Pretty much any picture in the PDF is worth printing and giving to the players at an appropriate time. The alternative is awkwardly showing them the page of the module. Handing out the artwork from the modules is as important as having the right minis to hand. Sure – you can play without it. But it just lends the session a little zing.
I was going to write up some stuff on dealing with new players, but meh – I'll do it next time.


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The Committee Meetings are generally held monthly on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. This may vary due to our race schedule so keep signed in to the notifications on the PCRA Facebook Page to get the latest updates.
All committee meeting are open to all members so come along and help out and/or voice your opinion. Volunteers for the many positions are always welcome.

subset: commoncrawl


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Federal Employees May Still See Pay Raise from Congress
Following President Donald Trump's announcement that he would zero-out previously planned pay increases and locality pay adjustments for federal employees in 2019 -- a proposal that drew widespread and bipartisan criticism from the Hill and a diverse array of governance and employee groups – signs from Congress indicate the matter might not yet be settled.
Erich Wagner at Government Executive writes that, "As lawmakers on Capitol Hill negotiate what should be included in a minibus spending package for the Interior and Environment, Agriculture, Financial Services and other agencies beginning this week, they appear to be facing a close decision on whether civilian federal employees should receive a raise next year."
The House and Senate have passed spending bills for federal agencies, but the differences between the versions are slated to be worked out in conference committee.
"By the end of last week, both chambers had announced the lawmakers appointed to the conference committee," Wagner writes. "All senators, Republican and Democrat, voted for the Senate version of the bill, including a pay raise, while nearly half of House conferees have expressed support for the Senate plan."
Both Republicans and Democrats alike have spoken out in support of the 1.9 percent pay increase included in the Senate plan, with Federal News Radio's Nicole Ogrysko noting that "more than 180 House Democrats and Republicans at this point have either written to President Donald Trump and asked him to reconsider his plans to freeze pay or have written to congressional leadership in pursuit of a 1.9 percent pay raise for civilian employees in 2019."
"It is hard to think of another group of Americans that has been asked to give more to reduce the national deficit," the six House Democrats selected to negotiate the spending bill wrote in a letter. "We cannot continue to pretend to balance our budget on the backs of the people who process our Social Security checks, keep our airports secure, fight forest fires, promote public health and protect our homeland."
Likewise, Republican Congressmen Tom Cole and Scott Taylor joined 21 other Republican representatives on a letter asking the president to reconsider.
"While we applaud efforts to be fiscally responsible, these scheduled pay raises are overdue for our hardworking federal employees and provide incentives to recruit and retain a strong federal workforce," the representatives wrote. "We urge you to reconsider cancelling the federal civilian employee pay raise set to go into effect January 2019. Our federal civilian workforce deserves this pay raise."
Posted in Featured News


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Hotels in Wilmington
46 Accommodations in Wilmington
Hotel BallastWilmington 3.9 km from city centre 1241 reviews
With a stay at Hilton Wilmington Riverside, you'll be centrally located in Wilmington, steps from The Cotton Exchange and minutes from...
Hampton Inn Wilmington-University Area Smith Creek StationWilmington 5 km from city centre 542 reviews
With a stay at Hampton Inn Wilmington-University Area/Smith Creek Station in Wilmington, you'll be close to University of North Carolina...
Hotel Comfort Inn University WilmingtonWilmington 4.2 km from city centre 17 reviews
Comfort Inn Executive Center is equally convenient to those here on business and those here for pleasure
Hotel Sleep Inn WilmingtonWilmington 4.2 km from city centre 71 reviews
This impressive hotel flaunts a low-rise, stuccoed building. It houses immaculate and well equipped guestrooms. Offering an exciting...
Hotel Best Western Plus Coastline InnWilmington 4.2 km from city centre 618 reviews
Hotel guests will be within walking distance to shopping and exploring the Riverwalk. North Carolina beaches are only twenty minutes...
Hotel Hampton Inn & Suites Wilmington Wrightsville BeachWilmington 8.1 km from city centre 745 reviews
Hampton Inn and Suites Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach awaits your arrival to enjoy many amenities and experience the local attractions
Hotel Hampton Inn Wilmington-Medical ParkWilmington 2.8 km from city centre 557 reviews
With a stay at Hampton Inn Wilmington Medical Park in Wilmington, you'll be convenient to Legion Stadium and Cameron Art Museum. This...
Hotel Best Western Plus Wilmington/Wrightsville BeachWilmington 4.5 km from city centre 453 reviews
With a stay at Best Western Plus University Inn in Wilmington, you'll be near the airport and close to University of North Carolina at...
Hotel Mainstay Suites WilmingtonWilmington 4.2 km from city centre 98 reviews
Whether you are in Wilmington for work or play, stay at WILMINGTON''S MAINSTAY SUITES HOTEL! Spacious suites with full kitchens welcome...
Hotel Residence Inn Wilmington LandfallWilmington 7.8 km from city centre 201 reviews
When you stay at Residence Inn by Marriott Wilmington Landfall in Wilmington, you'll be near the airport and convenient to Mayfaire Town...
Hotel Quality InnWilmington 3.4 km from city centre 147 reviews
Centrally located within 5 miles of beaches, historic downtown and campuses. Several restaurants within walking distance. Deluxe...
Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Wilmington Mayfaire Town CenterWilmington 7.5 km from city centre 1083 reviews
Located in Wilmington, Hilton Garden Inn Wilmington Mayfaire Town Center is connected to a shopping center and convenient to Mayfaire...
Hotel Comfort Suites WilmingtonWilmington 3.4 km from city centre 148 reviews
Centrally located in Wilmington, Comfort Suites Wilmington is convenient to University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Jungle Rapids...
Hotel Holiday Inn Wilmington - Market St.Wilmington 3.6 km from city centre 0 reviews
Featuring a modern indoor pool facility and an on-site restaurant, this Holiday Inn is 5 miles from the Wilmington International Airport....
Hotel Fairfield Inn & Suites Wilmington Wrightsville BeachWilmington 5.2 km from city centre 394 reviews
With a stay at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Wilmington in Wilmington, you'll be convenient to University of North Carolina at...
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Wilmington University CentreWilmington 4.2 km from city centre 266 reviews
Our Wilmington, NC Hotel Is Conveniently Located Between Wrightsville Beach And Historic Wilmington The Holiday Inn E
Accommodations in WilmingtonEnjoy your stay in Wilmington. Make your visit to Wilmington an unforgettable experience by staying in the hotel you deserve. Still don´t know where to stay? At Destinia we offer you a wide variety of hotels in Wilmington, United States, so you can choose the one that´s right for you, depending on your expectations and your budget. There are numerous hotels in Wilmington that are ideal for a business trip, a family holiday, a weekend getaway or an outing with friends in Wilmington. No matter the reason for your trip, at Destinia, you´ll find the greatest variety of hotels and hostels, always at the best prices, guaranteed. Are you looking for a deluxe hotel in Wilmington city centre with a spa, Internet access or a pool? Perhaps a hotel that accepts pets or that has a child-care centre? We have that, too. Why not give our hotel finder a try? It´s quick, simple and the most effective way to find the best lodging in this part of United States. Whether you need a single-occupancy room, double-occupancy room or even a suite, with Destinia´s search engine, you´ll always find the best deals, so all you´ll have to worry about is packing your bags and enjoying your trip to Wilmington.
Hotels near Wilmington
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text: NutraPonics Canada Corporation Listing Category: Vegetable FarmListing Tags: indoor vertical farm Profile We are the largest indoor vertical aquaponic farm in Canada, located in Strathcona County. Related Map No Records FoundSorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again. Google Map Not LoadedSorry, unable to load Google Maps API. Driving Walking Bicycling Public Transport Miles Kilometers


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Today I made an ant farm.
Here is what I used:
* a glass jar with metal lid
*dirt(from back yard)
*a little water
*a little sugar
*a little crushed crackers
*stick pin
1. First fill you glass jar with dirt.
2. Second, replace the lid and poke very small holes in the lid with stick pin.
3. Third, open the lid and put a little water, sugar and crushed crackers in.
4. Fourth, find ants in your back yard and carefully put them into your jar.
Now I am watching them eat their food. So far they have only eaten the sugar. It will be fun to watch them burrow into the dirt to make their tunnels. I tried this before but I had some cheap plastic covering the top of the jar and they got out and my Mom freaked out, and we all got ant bitten. If you try this at home leave me a comment on how it goes. Audios! Amigos!
{Also at www.theharrodfamily.com} A blog about our fairly large family and our journey through life. I will post about things we learn and the fun we have while following Christ. Come along with us!
Friday, September 30, 2011
How to Combat Boils!
Boils are infections in the hair follicle that have pus pockets under them. They can be small or they can be very large six inches or more. By the herbalist community, they are thought to be outward manifestations of a inward problem. The problem being, toxins or bad bacteria.
To begin with you should think very seriously about what you are putting into your body and what needs to be removed from your diet. Removing white sugar and anything that has it in it like candy, kool-aid sweetened fruit drinks, sodas, ect. will be a start. Learn to check labels for sugar and corn syrup as though you were allergic to it! Then you need to replace what you took out with something good and tasty; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good oils such as coconut oil, olive oil and flax. Don't forget to have your 8 glasses of purified or RO water with a pinch of sea salt on the tongue every second glass (sea salt is good if balanced with water) this is very important!
While you are working on your diet you need to apply a topical cream that will pull out the toxins from the boil and help to bring it to a head. Then you can move on to the bowel and the blood; cleansing, purifying and replacing with good flora.
Here is the program that was most recommended from the Herbalist in Natures Sunshine:
Black ointment applied several times a day directly to the area. you can also put a band aide large or small over that to protect clothing.
LBS-II to clean out the bowel
Probiotic-11 to replace the bad bacteria with good. (Flora)
To order these helpful products you can find them at www.naturessunshine.com Please when ordering mention my name Jenifer Harrod so that this blog can continue to be provided.
If this has helped you please send it to someone else and subscribe to this blog.
Certified Herbalist
Jenifer Harrod
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Spleen!
Recently my brother had his spleen removed and I was wondering what herbs would be good for him. IT seems that natural purifiers and cleansers are what is best. Here are the most recommended ones from Natures Sunshine.
Liquid Chlorophyll 1/4 to 1/2 cup a day
Oregon Grape
Lymph Drainage and Dandelion
Other suggested toxin removers:
Activated Charcoal
Bentonite Clay
Find these and other great products for natural health at:
www.naturessunshine.com Please mention my name when you order, we are a family business!
Jenifer Harrod
Certified Herbalist
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Web Sites Loty Likes!
Loty especially likes playing on starfall. It teaches him his abc's how to read and even a few math problems. Its very colorful and has cute music and characters.
He also like Edheads which is a game for kids to practice surgery.
Loty just turned 3 years old this past Sunday and is learning so much.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Homemaking on the Homestead: Blog Giveaway!!!!
I really like this blog!
Homemaking on the Homestead: Blog Giveaway!!!!: It's time for another blog giveaway!! My friend Cathie ( www.cathiebryk.myshaklee.com ) asked if she could host another giveaway of her aw...
Homemaking on the Homestead: Blog Giveaway!!!!: It's time for another blog giveaway!! My friend Cathie ( www.cathiebryk.myshaklee.com ) asked if she could host another giveaway of her aw...
Friday, September 16, 2011
Guest Blog!
Today I wanted to share this blog because the girl is so cute and she looks like she knows how to share the joys of baking.
Feminine Farmgirl: Old Fashioned Cinnamon Buns: This semester I am studying healthy eating, which is great, except it interferes with my regular baking habits and makes me feel a tad bit g...
Feminine Farmgirl: Old Fashioned Cinnamon Buns: This semester I am studying healthy eating, which is great, except it interferes with my regular baking habits and makes me feel a tad bit g...
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Ice Cream in a Tupperware!
The kids needed to learn that just because we were having a tough time with money didn't mean that we were destitute of a good ol fashioned good time. So I remembered an old book I read had spoken of iced desert.
Iced Dessert:
Oatmilk for the base
2 Sweetened chocolate squares melted in a little water(use whatever you have)
about two large scoops of peanutbutter melted in a little water
mix it all together with a blender or mixer I used a hand held beverage blender.
Then place your tuooerware into the freezer. If you start this one meal ahead of time then it is a great dessert or a snack. Ours was a little slushy but the kids didn't mind at all. I just crushed it all up with an awl you could use an ice pick or knife as well. Have a Blessed Day!
Zeke's Music
Daniel Prayed
Where the soul of man never dies
Where the soul of man never dies
Beans, Rice and Oats!
Here are the winning recipes so far.
Meatless meat loaf:
bean flour or drained and smashed with a fork beans
bread crumbs/oats
can of corn
garlic salt
beef bullion or soy sauce
kidney beans
water if needed
egg if you have it or want it
tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomato paste or picante sauce on top
Bean Patties: (beanie burgers)
bean flour (make sure you have sprouted four or add a little pinch of baking soda)
beef or chicken bullion
garlic salt
fajita seasoning
a little water
oil for frying
Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken Nuggets: (with beans)
4 cups or more of cooked beans with not much water in them
1 can of spegghetti sauce
1 can of carrots
seasoning of your choice
2 cups of flour stirred in
dredge in flour and form into patties or nuggets
fry in a hot pan on about 7 on my stove, for a minute on each side or until golden brown on each side
Bread with mixed flours:
Preheat to 400 degrees
2 c. white flour
1 c. bean flour
1 c. oats or oat flour
1 c. carrots and sweet potatoes or just one or even some applesauce
4 tsp. yeast plus (half cup of water and one piece of smashed sweet potato for foaming of yeast)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 to 1 1/2 tsp of sea salt
plus a little water to mix it easily with wooden spoon. (not runny though)
Mix all together and let rise as far as it will go in two bread pans with plastic over it near warm heat not hot and cook for 14 or 15 minutes on 400 degrees
I have also used about a cup of the bean flour to thicken up soup. Beans have great nutrition lots of good protein and that also helps when you are trying to balance your sugars. I suspect you can just smash up beans real good and add some water to make it real mushy and that will work instead of flour if you don't have a mill. It works with oatmeal you can just make some on the stove or in the microwave and add it to your regular flour. With the oats you can add them as is.
Oat milk:
Cup of oatmeal or oat flour and water to cover about a cup. Cook with salt and add to a blender with some water. Also add vanilla and warm honey water for taste or whatever you wish. This is also good for a smoothie base. Oats are really good for the heart!
Rice milk:
1 c. warm or hot rice
tsp. of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick (if you like cinnamon)
4 cups hot water
1 tsp. vanilla (omit this if you are not using it for a sweet or to drink)
1/3 cup of honey or to your taste preference (omit if adding to a savory dish)
Add ingredients to your blender and puree for about 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Let it stand for 30 minutes or more up to several hours. Then without shaking the rice milk into container. If you are not wanting to wait then you need to pour it through s cheesecloth. this makes 4 to 4 and a half cups.
Enjoy and pass the info along.
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Dr. Anna Wooten
Dr. Anna I. Wooten was born Anna Ivanovna Shatalova in Moscow, Russia, back when it was still the USSR. She never truly harbored ambitions of becoming a medical doctor until after she had graduated high school. During the late 80's, she found herself living in a destabilizing country alone with her mother, and decided to take her fate into her own hands. After much rigorous study, she was accepted into the First Moscow State Medical Institute. Around the same time, she began dating an American soldier who had moved to Moscow after being discharged following his service in Berlin during the Cold War.
They decided to be married here in the United States before returning back to Moscow for her to continue her education, which was somewhat disrupted by the birth of her first child, Anastasia. Upon discovering their second pregnancy many months later, the couple decided to move to the United States permanently to be closer to his family (and to have access to better medical care). Their second child, a son, was born in North Carolina. After a few years of family life, Anna decided to continue pursuing her career, and was accepted into the Brody School of Medicine in Greenville, NC.
Many years of learning English and hard studying paid off, as upon her 2000 graduation from medical school, Anna was accepted into a surgical residency program in Pittsburgh, PA. Her family relocated again, this time to Pittsburgh. Her residency was split into two parts: five years of training in general surgery, followed by two years focused specifically on plastic & reconstructive surgery. In 2007, Dr. Wooten graduated from the UPMC Department of Plastic Surgery, one of the finest programs in the nation, and went directly into private practice.
In 2008, Dr. Wooten opened the doors to Beleza Plastic Surgery Pittsburgh, and has grown it into the flourishing practice it is today. In her rare moments off, Dr. Wooten enjoys exercising, going for long walks with her friends, and traveling.


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This is the more durable version of the original Kong classic. For true power chewers. The Kong classic is nearly indestructibly durable, and should be good for most dogs, so if the Extreme is more durable than THAT...
Try it out and let us know.
She can still tear it to pieces, but it is a little harder for her to do.
These are great. I put biscuits in them, He does not chew them to bits in days and He loves the way they bounce. I throw them in the dish washer when they get really skanky.
We have gone though so many kongs with my pits, they are gone within a week, but this new extreme kong is great! It lasts about a month and my girls get a lot of energy out by chewing on it!
My Dogs can tear off peices, however if there is a "Treat" inside he is more worried about getting the treat out...Hours and Hours of Fun and a way to get rid of some energy for our Buddie.
3(I Enjoy watching them play with the Kongs!!
So far he hasn't torn it apart but he chews the junk out of it.
Though my dog doesn't destroy any of her toys, the Kong is actually one of her least favorites, unless it is filled with something. All of ours look brand new, and we have MANY!
My favorite thing to do is fill them with all kinds of goodies (chicken broth, green beans, chicken, baby food, beef liver, etc.) and then freeze it! Talk about hysterical watching the dogs try to get what is inside. Plus, it is great for a mental workout too, trying to figure out how to get the yummies out!
There is also a blue Kong out there, usually only available online or through your vet's office that will actually glow in the stomach of your dog on x-rays! That way the vet can see where and what may be causing a blockage in your dog's GI tract, since Kong pieces can get stuck. Just keep an eye on how your dog is destroying the Kong!
My pup loves her kong toy, when i put a treat inside she gets a little confused as to how to get it out and will just lick and lick and lick, its funny because out of all the toys we've bought her, her favorite is this bone my mom got from a piece of meat at work, its lasted her FOREVER and she'll do anything for it, kinda like when you buy your kid something really nice for christmas and they just play with the box instead.
the best toy for strong jaws money can buy! i have not found anything to last as long as the extreme Kong. my boys favorite toy.


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Chef's Hamper
The Chef's Hamper is full of the most useful and effective kitchen tools we could find. We've tested many a kitchen gadget at Balgove and we think these are the very best of their kind. Prep, cook or bake whatever you fancy with this assortment of our favourite tools of the trade. A truly lovely gift for your favourite chef or aspiring cook.
Paring Knife
High Heat Spoonula
Bench Scraper
Pastry Brush
Cake Tester
Weck Glass Jar, 340ml
Crail Pottery - Small Bowl
Balgove Larder Tea Towel
Household Cloth
Kitchen Sponge
Classic 14" wicker hamper
Price includes assembly, fill, sash and gift tag.
Please note: Product substitutions may occur depending on stock and availability.


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What's nearby Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage?
For those of you who are coming to stay at Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage, we have compiled a small list of what we think are the best places to go and off-the-beaten-track things to do…
Because after all, there is no such a thing as a dull day in the lovely area of Swiss Cottage!!
Trendy Stuff
Camden Lock Market London's most popular open-air market area with stalls, shops, pubs and restaurants.
Shops & Cafés We are spoilt for choice when it comes to places to have some tea & cake or a informal meal -DITTO for independent shops and boutiques (an almost extinct breed).
West Hampstead (Ideal for budget dining options)
Belsize Park (Same as above plus their coffee shops and its posh cinema)
Hampstead Village (Coffee Shops, boutiques and the Heath..)
The O2 Centre (Pretty much everything you will need)
Farmers' Markets Fresh supply of local produce meat, veg, fruit, cheese and much more. Ideal for super tasty breakfast and lunch on the go..
Swiss Cottage Farmers' Market (Wednesdays 10am -3pm)
West Hampstead Farmers' Market (Saturdays 10am -2pm)
Parliament Hill Farmers' Market (Saturdays 10am -2pm)
Our favourite nearby (within walking distance!) venues
Vue Cinema Finchley Road
Odeon Swiss Cottage
Everyman Cinema Hampstead
Everyman Cinema Belsize Park
The Freud Museum
Camden Arts Centre
Hampstead Museum
Keats House
Kenwood House
Fenton House & Garden
Nature, Etc.
Hampstead Heath
ZSL London Zoo
Primrose Hill
Regents Park
Kentish Town City Farm


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Toured Ontario Schools April to May 2016
For Grades K to 3
Based on the book by Chieri Uegaki & Qin Leng (Kids Can Press)
Adapted for the stage by Jessica Carmichael
Hana Hashimoto has signed up to play violin for a talent show at her school. Problem is- she just started lessons. Her brother thinks she'll be a disaster! Inspired by her Grandfather in Japan, Hana practices every day leading up to the big show. The Talent Show arrives and Hana is overcome with nerves. She calls upon the connection to her Grandfather and her own imagination to help.
Perseverance, Self-Expression & Identity, Imagination, Intergenerational Relationships, Friendship, Social Studies, Music
Watch the Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin Promotional Video!


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Perhaps no one has a true sense of what amortization means more than Pratt and Whitney did once upon a time. When it comes to turboprop aircraft sales, someone was betting long at Pratt.
Sure your accountant will tell you what it means for your jet or turboprop vs. an expense, but how about someone who amortized a really big number over a long period of time? Well… the PT 6 is that story.


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ACO IT: Channel opportunities in accountable care organizations
Healthcare-oriented solution providers looking to expand business will find opportunity in the area of ACO IT.
The rise of accountable care organizations in the U.S. offers new opportunities for channel partners in a healthcare vertical already brimming with IT activity.
ACOs, as they are called, exist at the center of a nationwide effort to improve healthcare quality and control costs. The groups pull together primary care physicians, specialists, hospitals and other providers with the goal of improving care coordination for a patient population. The focus is generally on chronically ill patients.
The number of ACOs has expanded rapidly since the Department of Health and Human Services established rules governing the organizations in October 2011. By January of this year, more than 100 Medicare-focused ACOs had been established, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers the government's ACO initiative. Private-sector ACOs have also taken off in recent months. Leavitt Partners, a healthcare industry research firm in Salt Lake City, reported in February that 428 ACOs -- including government-backed and privately sponsored organizations -- exist in 49 states.
So what is the ACO IT angle? ACOs are effectively start-ups and often require a range of technology solutions. Consulting services play a role as well, as ACOs look for advice on how to organize participants along collaborative lines.
Jordan Battani, managing director of Computer Sciences Corp.'s Global Institute for Emerging Health Practices, said an ACO may have to orchestrate care providers as diverse as skilled nursing facilities and outpatient clinics.
"They all have to become part of this ... collaborative, coordinated model of care delivery," she said. "This requires a fundamental change in the way providers of care organize themselves," she said.
Structuring the ACO
ACOs may be structured along different lines. Typically, the first task at hand for a new group involves defining the organizational boundaries and relationships among entities. An ACO's structure will shape workflow patterns and technology decisions down the line.
More ACO IT resources
Is increased technology the key to ACO care delivery?
CMIO breaks down HIT challenges for provider ACO participation
EHRs don't quite have clinical decision support for ACO participation
One distinction is between government and private-sector ACOs. Organizations that operate under CMS rules focus on improving the quality of care for Medicare patients. ACOs that succeed in boosting care and cutting costs -- through the elimination of duplicative services, for example -- can share in the resulting savings. In the private-sector scenario, providers may contract with a commercial health plan, agreeing to meet certain quality criteria. Shared savings or other financial incentives could be in the mix.
Alan Gilbert, managing partner for Health Catalyst Systems LLC, a healthcare consulting firm based in Haworth, N.J., said the ACOs he has worked with seem to have different ownership structures. Some, he noted, are wholly run by physicians, while others involve an alliance between physicians and a health system.
Health Catalyst Systems recently landed a project with an ACO in the latter category. Hackensack Alliance Accountable Care Organization, which consists of Hackensack University Medical Center and its affiliated physicians, selected Health Catalyst Systems to provide advisory consulting, as well as software and workflow algorithms for care coordination.
The company's ACO approach, dubbed Technology Enabled Active Management (TEAM) of Care, starts with the creation of a care team and then defines rules for various care activities. The rules are embedded in a care coordination workflow engine, which translates the rules into follow-up actions for members of the care team. A rule might prompt a doctor to schedule an HbA1c blood sugar test, for instance.
ACO IT layers
Once an ACO addresses the basic organizational issues, it can move on to IT. Electronic health records (EHRs) represent a foundational piece of ACO technology. EHRs provide the patient information ACOs need to coordinate care. The organizations launching now build upon an earlier federal initiative: CMS' "meaningful use" program. That program, which debuted in 2011 and runs through 2016, provides financial incentives to hospitals and doctors who adopt EHR technology.
'Meaningful use has really increased the availability of EHRs," Battani said. "If we had been trying to [create ACOs] five years ago, it would be a very different story."
With EHR systems maintaining patient records, the next step becomes sharing that data among coordinated care providers. That task calls for ACOs to pull together disparate systems, as participants tend to use EHR systems from different vendors.
"That is a huge problem for ACOs," said Nicole Bradberry, CEO of the recently formed Florida Association of ACOs (FLAACOs). "Picking the best integration partner or integration technology is one of the biggest problems to solve."
FLAACOs launched in April to promote collaboration among the state's ACOs. More than a dozen ACOs are currently operating in Florida, according to the organization.
Bradberry isn't alone in identifying the technology integration issue.
Every care community "is pretty much guaranteed to have electronic medical [record systems from multiple vendors]," added David Leach, vice president for Global Solution Consulting at Santa Clara, Calif.-based Orion Health Inc., which provides healthcare integration solutions.
Health information exchange (HIE) systems can play a pivotal role here, healthcare specialists say. HIE software translates among the incompatible EHR systems, providing bi-directional communication. An ACO needs to either acquire an HIE solution or build its own using an integration engine, Leach explained.
HIE software providers include eClinicalWorks, Epic Systems Corp., Health Catalyst Systems, Medicity, OptumInsight and Orion Health.
HIEs can help navigate mismatched EHRs, but they also serve as an ACO's central data source. An enterprise master patient index often features as a core HIE component, housing data on the patients treated within a given coordinated care community.
Health Catalyst Systems' care coordination solution platform, for example, offers a bi-directional HIE capability that includes a master patient index along with interface engines and semantic mapping. Leach also cited the master patient index as an HIE component.
"What we are seeing is organizations using HIE as a necessary building block of ACOs and for one primary reason: It has the data," Leach said.
Channel partners pursuing the HIE layer of ACO technology will find a shifting technology market. Health plans have been investing in HIE software in recent years, Battani noted. Medicity, for instance, is now a subsidiary of Aetna, while OptumInsight -- formerly Axolotl -- is associated with UnitedHealth Group.
The mode of HIE deployment has changed as well. The initial wave of HIE rollouts a decade ago often involved public exchanges spanning entire states or regions within states. HIEs supporting ACOs, however, tend to be local rather than regional, Battani explained.
ACO IT and analytics
Channel executives said most ACOs are still grappling with integration and HIE issues. Accordingly, that's where solution providers are seeing most of the customer demand for consulting and implementation services. But their current work could lead to an additional wave of projects. HIE systems, once in place, will pull in clinical data from a variety of sources. The next step: helping ACOs make the best use of that data.
"You have to be able to manipulate all the data and produce actionable information," Battani said. "What you don't want to do is turn on this firehose and hit the ER doc with 10,000 disparate pieces of information."
Analytics and a big data strategy provide the tools ACOs need to offer actionable insights at the point of care, Battani noted.
Leach said analytics tools, at the basic level, will help ACOs identify at-risk patients. The next stage will involve using analytics to compare an individual's medical history with historical data across the patient population, he added. The analysis of population data will enable clinicians to observe patterns and make recommendations.
Orion Health provides some analytics capabilities, but it partners with Caradigm, a Microsoft and GE Healthcare company, for more advanced features. In March, the companies announced the integration of Orion's HIE system with Caradigm's analytics solution, the Caradigm Intelligence Platform.
Under the agreement, Orion Health also will serve as a referral partner for the Caradigm Intelligence Platform, while Caradigm will resell Orion Health HIE. Joint customers are expected to include ACOs.
Battani said the emergence of ACOs has become a focus of activity in the healthcare field.
"Almost everything that's going on in healthcare right now has something to do with this," she said.
Next Steps
Read a story about the channel opportunities around container tech.


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What is User Acceptance Testing?
This type of testing is normally abbreviated to UAT. This testing is usually carried out by representatives of the business, thus being known as a user. This testing is to ensure that the application supports the business process. A good example is a customer database. The business may have a requirement to be able to update customer addresses, however the application may restrict update to supervisor type users only. While technically the functionality may be working correctly, it does not meet the user requirements. User acceptance testing is best managed through test management tools such as HP's Quality Centre or through products such as T-Plan Professional.
We are a Software, System and Application Testing Service provider.


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November 8, 2017 3:19 PM
What Last Night Means for Georgia
Ralph Northam(D) won Virginia last night in overwhelming fashion over Ed Gillespie(R). Polls had the race close. Progressive groups like Democracy for America had pulled their support, saying he was too moderate. National pundits were talking about how he couldn't motivate the voters Democrats need to win. And yet he won by 10%. It's a


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We hope you like our new look website which is designed to give us a more modern approach to the Café culture in Aberdeen. The site is now compatible with modern tablets and smart phones to allow you to keep in touch while on the move.
Welcome to our What's On Blog
Dec 18, 2015 | What's On | 0 comments


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Streaming is now available for the first two of our 2015 Intergraph CADWorx & Analysis Solutions webinars covering Intergraph PV Elite, CADWorx and CAESAR II!
CADWorx/CAESAR II Bi-directional Link
This means that you no longer have to download each webinar to watch them. Now, not only will you be able to stream these webinars to your Windows PC, but also to Mac OS, iOS and Android devices. Over the coming months, in addition to our future webinars, we will be enabling streaming for past webinars.
Let me have your feedback as to how this is working out for you.
Vornel Walker
VP, Marketing


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A NEW group of children are the stars of Channel 4's The Secret Life of Four-Year-Olds which returns for another season.
The flagship show is now in its sixth series, and the first episode follows Iris, Kiera, Archie, Max, Arthur and Na'Shae and their classmates as they embark on new adventures.
The first episode focuses on technology, and despite not being old enough for school the children have four laptops, five tablets and five games consoles between them.
As well as all the usual fall-outs, games and friendships, the new group of children are masters of technology, with the youngsters already naming Fortnite as one of their favourite games to play.
Most parents will sympathise with the struggle of tearing their children away from screens, whether it's phones or tablets.
Kiera admits she asks for "another five minutes" when her mum tells her she's had enough, while another reveals they got an iPad for Christmas, and if they had to choose between playing on a tablet or drawing – they all choose tech.
Revealing exactly what they love, Na'shae says she can: "Watch Netflix on it and it has games."
And Kiera adds: "I can play games, watch YouTube, and then I put in the charger, all by myself I don't need any help."
In a little experiment on the show, three girls, Iris, Na'shae and Kiera, are given tablets to play with.
Watched by Dr Elizabeth Kilby, and Dr Hannah Critchlow, the latter says: "We know what four-year-old's love imaginative play, and it's important for their development.
"But when young children are given access to a tablet, how's it going to affect their behaviour and the way they interact with each other?
"In the UK recently it's been estimated recently that between 30 to 40 per cent of children of this age have their own tablet."
The room falls silent as the trio are immediately engrossed in their games.
Dr Elizabeth says: "I've never seen the classroom this quiet and this still. We're normally used to children running around and playing with things."
After around 20 minutes, teacher Kate walks into the room carrying a tray of marshmallows, squirty cream, chocolate and sprinkles, to see how the kids will react.
Surprisingly, none of them look away from their screens.
Dr Elizabeth says: "They haven't even looked up actually; they haven't acknowledged Kate has entered the room.
"Time after time we have seen children of this age not be able to resist the lure of a sweet treat.
"I think this is a classic example of what parents are worried about when it comes to tech.
"It becomes all-absorbing and nothing is drawing these children away."
Even when teacher Kate takes away the tech, the trio comment on how much they'd like them back.
They're so distracted by even the thought of the tablets, it takes them a while to notice the sugar selection.
Dr Hannah says: "It's striking to see just how captivated the girls are by their tablets. But with the technology removed from the room, will we see a change in their behaviour."
"The smell of the chocolate and the marshmallow must be wafting towards them."
Finally, the sweets are spotted, and the children troop over for a sugary hit.
Dr Elizabeth notes: "It's fascinating to see the difference, because the girls are interacting and communicating, and none of that happened when they had the tech.
"You can't help but think they must be gaining more skills, more developmental advantages from this kind of social and physical play."
The Secret Life of Four Year Olds air tonight on Channel 4 at 8pm.
Last year the sister show followed two 'in love' kids decide to get MARRIED in The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds.
And a mum revealed her and two kids haven't washed our hair for a YEAR – and our locks are less dry, knotty and oily.
And here are 12 ways to break your children's screen addiction as technology and gaming wrecks sleep.


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More than the sounds of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, The Lord on high is mighty. Psalm 93:4
You Are Loved
I passed a church sign on my way to work. It said, "Welcome – you are loved." Hmmm! Is it appropriate to say of someone you have never seen or met, "I love you?" Don't misunderstand me. I know we Christians are supposed love everyone. We know that. But, to the non-believers who drive past the church sign, how do they receive that impersonal affection? The implication is that we already love you, even though you are a faceless person in a sea of people. It reminds me of getting valentine's cards in the 4th grade that didn't have my name on it or the person's name who gave it. Here is your obligatory expression of love given to you by someone. I would rather see a sign that reads, "You are welcome! We are a loving and accepting … [Read More...]
The Parable of the Fruitful Church
Jesus explained His parable of the sower found in Matthew 13. The seed is the word of the kingdom and the soil is the hearts of men. The seed that fell along the side of the road represented anyone who hears the word and does not understand it. There was nothing of the heart that received the word. The seed that fell on rocky ground represented those who hear the word and rejoice in it but there is only temporary interest. When times get tough they fall away. The seed that fell on ground full of thorns represented those who hear the word and seem to be firmly planted but there is never any fruit because the world has greater hold on their heart. The seed that fell on good soil represented those who hear and understand and their life … [Read More...]
Boston Bombing
I receive periodic emails from The Presidential Prayer Team, an organization whose stated mission is "encouraging, inspiring and practicing PRAYER on behalf of our President, nation's leaders and our troops" 1 Timothy 2:1-2. I enjoy reading their recommendations and the reminder they are for me to pray for those people and issues. You will note, at www.presidentialprayerteam.com, the caption under their logo reads, "GOD-COUNTRY-FAMILY." On April 15th PPT sent an email call to prayer in response to news of the Boston Marathon bombing. Now, I'm going to be a bit overcritical of their initial prayer recommendations, but I hope it is received as constructive criticism. I like their order of prayer focus: "GOD-COUNTRY-FAMILY." It is … [Read More...]
Rick Warren's son
After Pastor Rick Warren's son committed suicide recently, Rick Tweeted: "Someone on the internet sold Matthew an unregistered gun. I pray he seeks God's forgiveness. I forgive him. Matthew 6:15" I am certain Rick has had many other responses to his son's death which were biblically sound and appropriately Christian. I only wish this immediate social media wording hadn't been so much like the focus of the news media and political pundits. He implied the guilt of the gun seller and focused the attention on illegal gun sales instead of providing an answer to a question on the minds of every person who has ever lost a loved one to suicide. "Is your son now condemned for eternity?" Rick Warren may have answered that question by now, but the … [Read More...]
Pocket Scripture
What a great idea! A website called bibleparent.com provides Bible verses on strips that can be printed from the site. The idea is to cut the verses apart and place them in locations each day for your children to find, i.e. lunch box, near computers, inside reading materials, etc.. An article in the April edition of the AFA Journal tells about the ministry of Christian Child Care Coalition and its website. "CCCC created Pocket Scriptures as an extension of the group's belief that carrying God's written Word - even a little piece of it - with you everywhere you go is a practice that reinforces the importance and the power of the Word present in the believer's life." Surrounding ourselves and our family members with The Word is important, … [Read More...]


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While at a 2009 Startup Weekend in Boston, Organizer Josh Bob witnessed the momentum and excitement instigated by a "Twitter Hashtag Battle" that went on between a few simultaneous events. The next year, at an Organizer Summit, when discussing the effectiveness of the Hashtag Battle, Josh Bob and a group of Organizers came up with the raw, initial concept of "Global Startup Battle." The Organizers hoped that, eventually, the energy and global aspect of the SW community as captured by the simple Hashtag Battle could be duplicated on a larger scale. Just two years since the original concept, Global Startup Battle is now the largest entrepreneurial competition in the world.
This year's Global Startup Battle is kicking off Friday, November 9th with events taking place in more than 130 cities during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). Global Startup Battle has the potential to enable thousands of new startups from Kansas City to Croatia and Milwaukee to Ethiopia to be formed worldwide.
"The stakes are higher than ever this year – Global Startup Battle has more than doubled in size from 67 events in 2011," says Marc Nager, CEO of Startup Weekend. "With registrations at an all-time high, startup communities around the world can expect a surge of founding teams and innovative ideas."
One week following GEW, beginning Nov. 21, the winning teams from each event will have 24 hours, 15 words and 90 seconds to create a video to pitch their startup. Once all the videos are posted, voting will open up globally allowing anyone around the world to cast their vote for his or her favorite startup, resulting in 15 top teams. Finally, a panel of judges including Brad Feld of the Foundry Group, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, TaskRabbit founder Leah Busque, prominent fund manager Chris Hollod and actress/serial entrepreneur Jesse Draper, will decide which team is left standing. The winning startup team will be announced the first week of December.
Last year's Global Startup Battle champion, AfterShip, launched a service for e-commerce merchants and buyers that provides live notifications for customers and gives merchants the opportunity to personalize their shipments with up-to-date messages that bolster customer service capabilities.
This year's victor will receive a prize package worth more than $50,000, including:
● A trip to Rio De Janeiro for Global Entrepreneurship Congress – Sponsored by Global Entrepreneurship Week
● A trip to San Francisco to tour Googleplex and meet with founders, mentors, and investors – Sponsored by Google
● $5,000 in-kind PR Launch Package – Sponsored by Geben Communication
● $5,000 worth of Design Services – Sponsored by Btrax
● $5,000 Incorporation and Legal Package – Sponsored by Cooley LLP.
● $20,000 in Google Cloud Credit – Sponsored by Google
● And more to be announced
There will only be one Global Startup Battle champion, but this year's GSB events aim to turn out over 1,200 new startups all around the world – a victory that everyone benefits from.


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Author(s): Michael Robotham
My name is Piper Hadley and I went missing on the last Saturday of the summer holidays three years ago. When Piper and her friend Tash disappeared, there was a huge police search, but they were never found. Now Tash, reaching breaking point at the abuse their captor has inflicted on them, has escaped, promising to come back for Piper. Clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin and his stalwart companion, ex-cop Vincent Ruiz, force the police to re-open the case after Joe is called in to assess the possible killer of a couple in their own home and finds a connection to the missing girls. But they are racing against time to save Piper from someone with an evil, calculating and twisted mind.
The chilling new psychological thriller -- a truly gripping read from one of the most brilliant crime authors of today
Long-listed for Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award 2013.
Unbearably tense and nail-biting Irish Independent I read it in two sittings, which felt like one too many Val McDermid
Before writing full-time Michael Robotham was an investigative journalist in Britain, Australia and the US. He is the pseudonymous author of ten best-selling non-fiction titles, involving prominent figures in the military, the arts, sport and science. He lives in Sydney with his wife and three daughters.


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There's no place like home. We could all agree on that, including those who are diagnosed with Dementia. Dementia is the only and most common cause of disability in Australians aged 65 years old and above. The disability burden on families alone could be damaging emotionally and financially.
Dementia patients, whether they're disabled or able-bodied, wouldn't have aged care services if it's not performed in their homes. According to an April 2015 study by Boston University, Dementia patients who receive aged care services including hospice care in their homes are more likely to be satisfied.
Best Benefits of Aged Care at Home
The best thing you can do for an aged Dementia patient is to put them in the place where they were once well and alert. Putting them in a home care might help them feel that they are home—that they still have a home. Unlike with nursing homes where family ties might get weakened, home care opens more access to family and personal, low-costing services like grooming or hospice.
Also, with home care, there is less disorientation and alienation to a Dementia patient who might wander around. Home routines are easier to modify because the patient is usually the only one who adjusts to it.
Better Private Home Care Packages
The government's involvement in developing home care for aged clients is significant. A study by the Western Michigan University in 2008 about the impact of policy on benefit use echoes this. They found that government policies indeed shape the agencies' approach to delivering health care services to their clients.
Previously in Australia, it was just the approved and government funded agencies that can provide aged care at home. The good news is that last February 27, 2017, Australian Department of Health has recently implemented the increasing of package opportunities and loosening of eligibility restrictions in clients who need aged care in their homes. This is an advantage, especially to children of Dementia-diagnosed clients who want to live separately but nearly to their parents and monitor them regularly. Since clients can change their home care provider anytime because of the latest implementation, moving closer to their children in a new city and finding a new provider would be easy.


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So, in case you didn't know, Young Living offers so much more than just essential oils. They also offer every kind of product you could need around your house, including cleaning products, skin care, food products, and more. You should take a few minutes and scroll through the website at youngliving.com to see the range of things available.
I LOVE this Einkorn Granola! It's so yummy. It's a combo of naturally sourced grains, nuts, berries and seeds and has chewy, dried wolfberries. It is sweetened by the combination of wolfberries, cranberries, cacao nibs and coconut sugar, balanced by hearty sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, and pecans, with just the right amount of sea salt.
In the Young Living Holiday Catalog this year, you can get this Einkorn Granola gift set. It comes with two bags of granola and two of these awesome bowl mugs. It's a perfect gift for someone on your list this year, or for yourself. The bowls were perfect for the soup we had for dinner the other day.
Check it out!
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Growing up
I grew up with my grand mother. It has a very strong bearing on my world view today. A lot of people believe I am very conservative. You can't find me in a nite club or at night parties. You won't see me where people are fighting or having a violent argument. You will never see me in a beer parlour. My grand mother was a very strong Christian. Her name is Imaguelo Ifake who lives in Ohodua, Esan South East LGA. I come from Urowa, a small village near Emu. My grand father was the king of my place so I am from the royal family.
Fond memories of granny
My father is an only child of my grand mother before she remarried to another man. I was sent to her to keep her company. So I ended up living with her. I didn't really know that my own mother was there until I had grown up. Because of living with my granny, I do not drink, neither do I smoke. I have never tasted any of those things in my life. But it does not make those who take them sinners.
Majority of my friends smoke and drink alcohol. In those good old days, my granny would wake me up in the middle of the night when I may have engaged in a quarrel earlier on in the day time and warn me to remember the son of whom I was. She tells me 'your father is in Lagos and had entrusted you to me so don't quarrel with anyone' Each time I want to take certain decisions, the voice rings in my subconscious. She told folk tales to instil good moral and discipline, I remember one particular day, I was assigned to go to evening service. I saw my friends playing so I was enticed to play one or two sets before trudging along. From one set, I did a second, to the third. Before, I knew it, the time was 7.30p.m. The service was over. I started crying because it was a major offence. When she came home, I couldn't face her. Yet she didn't talk about it. She gave me my food and all I needed. I was shocked because even while I was eating, I was still expecting the whip. She woke me up in the middle of the night and told me a parable about a very religious man who went to church every time. But one day he didn't go to church. According to her, it was that very day the man didn't go to church that Christ came and took others away. He was not there. I prayed to God that night to postpone the evil day so I could atone for my sins. So ever since, I have never missed the church, I was seven years old then.
Lawyer or Artiste?
I had always wanted to be a lawyer. I only stumbled on theatre arts, it was by sheer accident you won't believe it. I had actually missed going to the University because I was waiting to study law. I rejected a mass communication admission. Even though I had been a lover of literary studies.
It was when I attended Prof. Bode Osoyin's writer's resort which held monthly at Ijoko, Ota in 1992 that my life and destiny was changed. The special guest for that year's resort was the late renowned environmentalist, Ken Saro Wiwa whose books I had read earlier. We were organised as an amateur play house. As a shy person, I didn't want to be part of it as I didn't find it funny. They encouraged me to try since everyone knew we were not professional. After everything, Ken Saro Wiwa said he loved my acting and believed I could do well if I pursued a career in dramatic arts. He advised that I take some training. I told him I wanted to be a lawyer. But he insisted I go to University of Port Harcourt for a certificate course after which I should move on because the academic year had already started. I went to Port Harcourt to start the certificate course. I didn't leave. I had to do the degree course.
Ken Saro Wiwa
He was a mentor, a father and all I could think of in my academic pursuit. The relationship I shared with him made me participate in all his public demonstrations. My love for his writings increased, I attended his declaration of the Ogoni bill of rights. My regret now is that he is not here anymore to see how fully grown the seed he planted has grown. The government of that time did the nation and the world of literary art a very big harm. They had done a generation of Nigerian scholar a whole lot of intellectual harm by the dastardly killing of that man. I believe that posterity will forever hold that judgement.
After graduation
After the certificate course in 1993, and my graduation with a degree in 1999, at the same University of Port Harcourt, I came to Lagos. I was very lucky to have a childhood friend who was ready to assist. I am talking of Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun. He made me his assistant director in his productions. The very first movie I did with him as an assistant director was in 2000. But I did production management job for his comedy in 1997, before I graduated. In 2000, we were involved in an epic for Louis Merchandise. We also did Last Burial for Kas Vid. The success of Last Burial together with divine blessings of God made the public to recognise my activities.
Last Burial
In all sincerity, I have lost count of the number of movies I have done since I got involved. I have worked with almost all the big names in the industry as actor and directors. It is one thing to have the training and it is quite another to see it practically. I have worked with Andy Amenechi, Chika Onu, Fred Amata etc.
Nigeria movie industry
Since the industry started and since I got involved, I can see that we have moved towards progress tremendously. Technologically as well, we are still moving on. But we are not there yet. The professional directors even laugh at their old jobs. People are getting more conscious of the quality of their production. No one wants his or her name to be associated with mediocrity. The costumiers, the make- up artists, directors of photography etc. There is serious conscious competition going on. No one wants to be left behind. This is the zeal which makes some of us want to compare Nollywood with Hollywood, that if given the desired funds and condition, we would go far.
But I worry about the copy -cat syndcome. Every one does same story in slightly different ways and with different artistes. Everyone wants to do a movie. Nigerians are crazy about stardom so every half baked production must be shown . This is one of the same reasons which has made reality shows popular in Nigeria. Some one who cannot even make one simple sentence wants to act and so they all fall victims to the several reality show organiser some of whom are not real.
Reality shows are the offshoot of the desperation of those who want to be stars in Nigeria.
This is a character I played in a movie titled Sinners in the House by Isaac Izoya and directed by Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen. Since that movie, most people who see me call me Suraju. However, I don't see myself as a comedian, I am an actor through and through. However if I have acted some comedy movies successfully, I should be credited with that. I have a problem with a comedian who cannot dropthe character of a comedy movie and move on. I see Charles Inojie as a very serious person who could hold his own anytime. I see him as somebody who can make intelligent contributions in intellectual discourse. I wonder when I see people clowning in the course of serious discussion . I don't like to be seen as clowning at all times. I have successfully managed to retain the serious part of my life. I don't like the bastardisation of the word comedian so for Sinners in the House, the story idea happened in my house. It all started like a joke and turned out very well later. We had a workshop with my classmate Michael Ogundu visiting from Port Harcourt. He did the screen play while I wrote my own lines on set.
What Next?
Movies and theatre have really given me exposure which I do not know if law would have done. The kind of accolade I receive from people is overwhelming. It gives me the interest to try and put my people's name in the spotlight at any slightest opportunity. I hope to get involved in polities to attract development to my people.
Movies Directed: Spirit of life, Inheritance, Johnny Just Come, Police Recruit, Two Bad Boys, Cat and Rat, Inheritance, Reggae Boys,


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Dr Tero Ojanpera is chief technology officer and an executive vice president of Nokia, the market-leading mobile phone manufacturer. I met him at the company's headquarters in Espoo, Finland, and asked him for his thoughts on the future of the mobile industry.
What are the biggest things in mobile right now?
I would say that now internet on mobile is what's happening. In the mobile phone market there's a lot of fashion; but with multimedia computers, the functionality is everything. There is a need not only embrace what is there, but also to build platforms.
Doesn't an open software platform make it harder to sell new phones? After all, that's still Nokia's ultimate aim.
We still recognise that the main part our business is selling hardware. However, there are lots of things that drive the upgrade cycle - and that can include features which software can use. Software is a big focus right now. Now we are truly seeing the advantage of creating open platforms. In the enterprise market that's going to be big, but also in the consumer market too.
But can you make enough money from this approach?
The business models are all still in development: right now it's about enabling content creators. But we have seen that early adopters - maybe 200 million of them worldwide - is the target group. They'll show the way.
Haven't we already heard everything about mobile internet?
Well, first time around it was 2001 or 2002 when we started to talk about this. Only now are things starting to actually happen. In some ways we can claim that we've seen it all - that the technology isn't new. But actually, something like GPS is only just migrating into the mass market. And if most devices were location sensitive then there are all kinds of possibilities.
So that's what you were predicting five years ago. What do you think will be happening five years in the future?
I think there will be a blending of the virtual and the physical worlds; blending web presence and adding location - these are the things. We have said we're looking at acquisitions to help this, and we're looking as we speak... but I would still highlight the openness; that's the only way to build success on the internet.
But now we are putting web servers into the phone. It is one of those things that radically changes the picture; your device is now a node in the internet. Now you're saying it's a fully distributed platform - that will change everything.


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The company is a highly acclaimed Manufacturer, Supplier and Rubber Soaker Hose Exporter. The Rubber Soaker/Irrigation Hose is used for watering small beds on the level ground, and it can be used for temporary watering of transplanted shrubs and trees as well. Each roller of the Sprinkler Soaker Hose can be of 10-100 meters and every 20" container can have around 50000-70000 meters and for the 40" containers, the limit goes up to 100000-130000 meters.
We manufacture Rubber Soaker Hose from recycled rubber tyres in a manner that causes no harm to the environment. We ensure to supply these superior quality Rubber Soaker Hoses to you at your doorstep within stipulated time period. The Soaker Hoses can be ordered in bulk to avail heavy discounts.
Additional Information
|Min. Order Quantity
|70,000 Meter
|Payment Terms
|Delivery Time
|5 weeks
|Packaging Details
Green Environment Tyre Recycle
P.o. Box 28827, Abu Dhabi, UAE, , Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Phone : +971-2-5634434
Fax : +971-2-5634190


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The TU is a small organisation with limited funding and high demand for services. We have 5 paid staff positions, and operate an admin internship program with only very limited opportunities for other volunteer work.
Vacancies are advertised through a range of forums and networks including Facebook. If there is a vacancy it will be listed below:
Information for Applicants
The Organisation: The Tenants' Union ACT (TUACT) is a small community legal centre specialising in ACT tenancy law, assisting people renting their homes in the ACT. TUACT is funded through ACT Justice and Community Safety Directorate, funds are from interest on bonds lodged with the Office of Rental Bonds.
Location: Ground Floor, 21 Barry Drive, Turner ACT
The Application Process
Please apply in writing to The President, Tenants' Union ACT, PO Box 8, Civic Square ACT 2608.
E-mail your application to email@example.com
Applications: The Tenants' Union does not use application forms. You must apply in writing for the position, addressing the selection criteria.
Selection Criteria: The Tenants' Union provides applicants with selection criteria that are essential points upon which we make our decision to short-list and interview.
If you do not address the selection criteria, you will not be considered for the position. Selection criteria must be addressed separately to your cover letter.
You should include a CV/resumé, setting out your personal details (name, address and contact details), education, previous positions and experience, and two/three referees (names, addresses and contact details).
Acknowledgement of Applications: The Tenants' Union does not acknowledge receipt of applications or notify an applicant if they have not been shortlisted, unless requested to do so.
Copies of degrees, diplomas etc: It is not necessary to include these with your application.
Selection Committee: The Management Committee of the Tenants' Union appoints a selection committee as required. Usually the selection committee consists of 3 members including a Committee representative, a staff representative and an external representative (usually from a similar organisation or a person with particular expertise in the relevant field.) The selection committee shortlists applications, conducts interviews, checks references and makes a decision and reports that decision to the Committee.
Short Listing: The Selection Committee will make arrangements to interview short listed applicants.
Interviews: Interviews will be held within 10 days of the closing date for applications. Local applicants will be interviewed in person. Interstate applicants will generally be interviewed by telephone.
Selection: The questions to be asked will be based on the job description and selection criteria. In some cases prior to the interview applicants may be supplied with additional materials to address at the interview.
All selection is based on proven experience, qualifications and/or training and the applicant's potential to most efficiently and effectively undertake the responsibilities of the position.
Final Selection: The successful applicant will be contacted by telephone and sent a written offer of appointment. Unsuccessful applicants who have been interviewed will be notified in writing.
Employment Contract: The successful applicant will be sent a letter of appointment, a draft employment contract and a copy of the Job Description.
Working at the TU
Personal Qualities for all Staff:
- A commitment to social justice principles
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- An understanding of and commitment to confidentiality and professional practice
- An ability to work autonomously, manage own workload and prioritise tasks
- A willingness to take direction and a capacity to incorporate feedback in work
- Commitment to work flexibly within a small team and help others in the office when necessary, including maintaining the office environment
- A sense of humour
- A commitment to a safe workplace through compliance with TUACT's workplace health and safety policies and procedures.
Flexible working hours: The Tenants' Union ACT is able to offer staff a reasonable level of flexibility as to working hours including opportunities for study leave and attendance at relevant conferences and forums. Staff are also required to contribute fully to the organisations activities. This may include working some evenings and extended hours from time to time for Committee meetings and conferences.
Award Classification: Community Sector Multiple Enterprise Agreement 2014 – 2018 (ACT).
Probation: Employees are engaged on a probation basis for three months
EEO: The Tenants' Union ACT is an equal opportunity employer and staff are expected to initiate and/or comply with current equal opportunity principles.
Orientation: The successful applicant will be provided with an orientation program during their first two weeks of employment. New employees will be expected to familiarise themselves with all relevant Tenants' Union policies and procedures.
For more information see the rest of the website, including our Annual Reports
Tenants' Union ACT publishes this website as a free service to the public. Please note that the information on this site is only relevant to renters in the ACT.
This website provides information about the law designed to help users understand their legal rights and obligations. However legal information is not the same as legal advice (the application of law to an individual's specific circumstances). Although we make all efforts to ensure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult the Tenants Advice Service for advice specific to your circumstances. You are also free to consult an independent solicitor for a second opinion.
Please note that this website is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for specific legal advice or opinions and the transmission of this information is NOT intended to create a solicitor-client relationship between the Tenants' Union ACT and members of the public.
Tenants' Union ACT makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currency, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Please also note when the page was last updated, as the law may have changed.


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|Biosphere Reserve Information
|General Description
The Veracruzano Coral Reef System National Park (NPVRS) is located in the State of Veracruz, opposite the municipalities of Veracruz, Boca del Río and Alvarado, at an altitude of 0 metres above the sea level, at the geographic coordinates of 19ş 02' 16" and 19ş 15' 32" of North latitude (N) and 95ş 46' 55" and 96ş11'45" of West longitude (W); with a total surface of approximately 52,238 hectares and around 2.7 km at its wider side measured from the coast to open sea, in the continental shelf (Fig. 1). NPVRS borders to the Northwest (NW) with "Lobos-Tuxpan Coral Reef System" located in front of the Lagoon of Tamiahua and Tuxpan, Ver. and to the East (E) with the "Campeche and Yucatán Coral Reef System" (Gutiérrez et al., 1993).
It is composed by 23 coral reefs which are classified according to their location, into two groups:
GROUP I (SOUTH AREA): Anegada de Afuera; Santiaguillo ; Anegadilla ; Topatillo ; Cabezo, Baliza Norte ; Cabezo, Baliza Sur ; En medio ; Rizo ; Chopas ; Polo ; Blanca ; Giote ; Punta Coyol.
GROUP II (NORTH AREA): Ingeniero; Sacrificios; Pájaros; Verde y Paducah; Anegada de Adentro; Blanquilla, Baliza Norte; Blanquilla, Baliza Sur; Galleguilla; Gallega; Punta Gorda; Hornos.
In this area, artisan fisheries is one economic activity on which several sectors of the population depend, ecotourism activities offered by population of the coast adjacent to the Veracruzano Coral Reef System, all this under one management programme created with the participation of several social groups: fisheries cooperatives, tourism sector, educational and research institutions.
|Major ecosystem type
|Coral reef
|Major habitats & land cover types
|Coral Reef, seagrass and mangrove.
|19ş 02' 16" - 19ş 15' 32" latitude N and 95ş 46' 55"- 96ş11'45" longitude W
|Area (hectares)
|Core area(s)
|5, 115.239
|Buffer zone(s)
|52, 232, 976.20
|Transition area(s) when given
|Altitude (metres above sea level)
|Year designated
|Administrative authorities
|Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas
|Brief description
The first important researches developed in the Veracruzano Coral Reef System were carried out by Heilprin (1891) scientific studies that reports eleven coral species for this system; Alexander Von Humboldt's political essay about the "Nova Espańa" describes how the port inhabitants of Veracruz used mucar stone of madreporic origin to build their houses. Subsequently, a growing number of several scientific researches in this zone has been carried out. Amongst these, we can mention those undetaken by: Moore (1958), Kornicker et. al. (1959), Emery (1963), Rannefel (1972), Jordan (1980), Castańares and Soto (1982), Yedid (1982) among others. It is important to note that not until 30 years ago and only after Emery´s research in 1963 who studied the geology, the topography and the sediments of this area, researches were renewed. Currently, a monitoring of coral reef species as well as research projects are being carried out by several universities. This area is under monitoring and permanent surveillance by the national park rangers.
|Specific variables...
|Abiotic factors, climate, contaminants, geomorphology, heavy metals, physical oceanography/oceans, siltation/sedimentation.
|Algae, alien/invasive/exotic/introduced species, benthos, biodiversity, biology, birds, coastal/marine, community studies/communities, conservation, coral reefs, degraded areas, ecology, ecosystem assessment, endemic species, fauna, fishes, flora, invertebrates/insects/spiders, island systems/islands, mammals, microorganisms, migrating populations/migration, perturbations/resilience/vulnerability, pests/diseases, plankton, plants, rare/endangered/threatened species, reptiles, restoration/rehabilitation/redevelopment, species inventorying/inventory, vegetation studies/plant cover, wildlife.
|Capacity building, economic studies, economically important species, fishery/fisheries, indicators of sustainability, modelling, resource use, social/socio-economic aspects.
|Integrated monitoring
|Education and public awareness, geographic information system/gis, impact and risk studies/environmental impact, management issues, mapping, planning and zoning measures/zonation.
|Contact address
Elvira Carvajal Hinojosa
Juan de Grijalva n° 78 Esq. Colon. Col. Reforma
|Web site
|Last updated: 08/03/2011


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Work Smarter, Not Harder
According to this Inc. article from 2016, an average worker is only productive for about 3 hours out of the 8 hour work day. THREE HOURS!!
Despite the amount of time we spend trying to be more productive, we should focus instead on being efficient and effective. We've heard the typical tips for productivity time and time again: delegate, prioritize, get sleep, etc. That's why, in this Thrive in Five, we're focusing on the nontraditional tips to help you complete your work in the smartest way, not the hardest one.
Do you want to get inspiring and growth-oriented messages to fuel your learning and be your best self? Click below to get the bi-weekly Thrive in Five messages sent directly to your inbox!
Nontraditional Tips for Being Effective
Our goal in this Thrive, besides to make you more effective, is to blow your mind, so why not start off with a bang?
Tip 1: Procrastinate
That's right. We said it! Think about it… You have a week to complete a task. How long does it take you to do it? Now think about how long it takes you to complete a task that's due in less than a day. Way less time, right? This ideology is called Parkinson's Law: tasks expand to the time allotted. Now, does this mean you should always wait until the last minute to do something? No, but you should give yourself shorter deadlines or a specific amount of time to work on something. It will provide a sense of urgency and light a fire under your butt, and you'll be amazed at how quickly you can crank out work!
Tip 2: Go Home When You're Behind
Research has shown time and time again that your capacity to be productive ends at 55 hours a week. Working that extra 5 hours when you're behind will make you no more productive. Go home, rest up, and come back ready to re-engage instead of trying to catch up all in one day.
Tip 3: Expand Your Definition of "Work"
A lot of people define "work" as what they do to make a living, but if you're spending time and energy on other things outside of your "day job," that's work, too! For example, if you work 50 hours a week and then coach your kid's soccer team for 5 hours a week and then spend 6 hours at the gym every week, you're "working" 61 hours a week! You need to make sure you account for all the other activities you're dedicating energy to outside of your "day job" to make sure you're not setting yourself up to burn out.
Tip 4: Don't Multitask
Ok, ok… so if you read these Thrives regularly, this is an old tip, but it's an important one! Our brains are not designed to switch quickly from task to task or to do more than one thing at one time. The rule of thumb is to work on one thing for at least 20 minutes before switching to the next task. That includes taking a quick phone call, checking an email that just came in, grabbing a snack, or taking a bathroom break. If you decide to work on something, do that something until you're either done or have worked on it for 20 minutes.
Tip 5: Know Yourself and Commit!
This one might seem obvious, but if you know little tips to make you more motivated, commit to them! For example, if you know working in public makes you more motivate because you like the idea of others seeing you as a hard worker, then go work in a coffee shop! If you know you need familiarity and structure to work, then have a dedicated home office to work or make yourself go into the office. If a change of scenery sparks focus and motivation for you, move your work to a different desk or different location altogether. Need quiet? Book a conference room by yourself and close the door. Work better with collaboration? Ask someone to bounce ideas around with you. Work better when you write versus type? Find a pad of paper or a whiteboard. We think you get the idea!
Apply the Five!
Luckily for us, MindTools has a plethora of self-assessments, one of which is about productivity! The areas they focus on are not exactly aligned with the tips we list above, but this self-assessment will give you a good baseline measurement of how productive you are and where you can improve.
Once you take the assessment, develop a game plan working on one area of improvement at a time. We might sound like a broken record, but change is a process and improving one thing at a time will help you reach your end goal of "working smarter" faster!
Learn How Evans Thrives!
What better way to inspire you to thrive than to hear about real people making it happen? And what better way to learn about Evans than to make those real people Evans employees and partners?
Meet Margit Jochmann!
In hindsight, this is something I should have focused long ago, but it was not until our family expanded that it finally clicked.The challenge: I love what I do, so pairing that with my tendency to perfect things often led to long hours in the past. With that also came never ending to do lists. I didn't really mind, as the extra time spent was on activities that I enjoy, but, that's not a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
With a little one in the picture, there are naturally boundaries as to how much time is available, and thus came the quest to transform myself to work smarter, not harder. Ultimately, I also want to be good role model for our little one, so I wanted to figure this out.
To maintain my wellness and focus, I practice the following:
- Prioritizing: I keep my to do lists for the day lean and mean by focusing on the 3 to 5 most urgent, important, and challenging tasks for that day. I also try to make sure that one of those tasks is tied to a long-term goal to ensure that the day's activities have a good mix of my various responsibilities.
- Reducing distractions: When I need to focus on a task, I turn off all notifications for a while. Using the "working offline" function in Outlook can also be great stress relief.
- Resting the mind: I prioritize breaks to refresh my mind and focus. Staying seated in front of my laptop for hours is just not a good approach.
- Letting go: I try to accept the 80/20 principle and that 100% is not always what is needed – I have to recognize when to let perfectionism go. I also try to remind myself that I don't have to do it all. Granted, having a fabulous team to work with also makes this much easier!
- Focus on me: "Me time" has become very important to recharge. Whether I'm going for a run, enjoying the sun, or relaxing with a glass of wine (soon again!), I carve out time and make it a priority. The sense of renewal promotes my personal wellness, allowing my whole self to thrive and be more present.
These tips have helped me to accomplish more, and I also feel much better about it. It's definitely a journey, though, and I'm sure it will take continued practice to stay at it!
Until Next Time…
Evans' Talent Engagement Team
(Kaitlin Hurley and Nicole Anderson)
(This image was adapted from a commonly shared internet image.)


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Hey there fellow hive-workers,
I have been a bit busy of late on some other writing gigs and that equates to fewer DUFL's for you to read. Apologies for that, to hopefully make up for the lack of schadenfreude in your lives I'm going to share a video that some friends and I recently made. We all felt that filtering our Internet simply wasn't going far enough – so here is a further solution.