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The Victory Is His
By Sarah McClatchey
Those who know me will know that I am a very strong willed and independent person.
I always have a plan. I even have a plan on how to plan. NOTHING can take me by surprise, NOTHING!!! I have a plan A, B, C, D, in fact my plans take in the whole alphabet. I have everything under control. Well that was until Tuesday 17th June.
That day started as any other day. I headed off to work, the sun was shining, summer was on it's way, and I was going on holidays the next morning. What wouldn't be great about that day? EVERYTHING was under control, until 6pm that evening.
I was downstairs packing for holidays, asking mum's opinion on outfits. We were laughing and enjoying each other's company, when all of a sudden out of nowhere this uncontrollable wave of emotion flooded over me. I use the word wave because I felt like I was about to drown. All of these emotions were washing over me trying to take me under. I couldn't breath, I was sobbing, shaking and over thinking. It was dark, it was scary, it was unknown but worst of all it was uncontrollable. I couldn't get my thoughts straight. One minute I was thinking of death, next I was imaging my greatest fears, then I was convinced God had left me, He didn't love me, He hadn't saved me. Everything I believed in was now up for questioning, nothing made sense, everything was mixed up. All my plans were slipping away. Fear had gripped me, uncontrollable fear.
You may be thinking it was only a moment, we all go through periods like that but sure it only lasts a moment, after that life goes back to normal, everything becomes clear again. But it didn't. This moment turned into 4 months. After the second month I was exhausted, I had no fight left. My sleeping patterns were up the left, my stomach was in knots, I couldn't eat due to fear of choking and not being able to sallow. This was now not only affecting my mental health but also my physical health. I was back and forth to the doctors, they were running tests, giving medication but NOTHING was helping. I hated the very thought of leaving the house, and every time I had to, it was an emotional and spiritual battle, one that I couldn't keep fighting. On some days fear looked like it was winning, the enemy looked like he was winning.
In work, in church, in my ministries, in Asda; everywhere I went confusion, fear and deception followed me. I just wanted to shut myself away. I didn't feel safe, not even in church and what if my mask slipped, what if someone noticed there was something wrong. I couldn't show my weakness, especially in church. I could not get rid of this darkness that seemed to be moving in. I came to God many times, broken, hurting and not understanding why. He seemed distant at times but then there were times I sat in awe of His presence, He reminded me of His love for me, that He still had a plan and that even though things to me seemed out of control He was still on the throne and very much in control.
I was still fighting but I wasn't gaining any ground, or so it seemed. I had so many questions, why was God allowing this to happen? Why did it seem that the enemy was winning? Why had God not stepped in by now and saved the day?
Then one day as I was bringing this all to God again He spoke. The walls did not shake, there was no lightening and this did not all disappear, but He spoke, "Sarah how do you expect me to give you the victory when you are fighting a battle I have already won?" You see the enemy may have thought he was winning in my life, at times I thought he was winning, but what I had not realised is that it was already won. Jesus won the victory over all that was happening in those 4 months. He won it once and for all on the cross, but instead of me standing still and watching the salvation of the Lord I took the battle into my own hands. That day I realised that I had been living and praying all wrong. I have never been in control; it has always been HIM. He is the one who holds my life in His hands. Instead of pleading with God to take this away, instead of giving the enemy ground, I should have been asking God to show me what He was teaching me. I should have been saying "God you have permitted this season for a reason, show me how you are making me like Jesus." Instead of entertaining the lies and deception I should have been standing and claiming the truth, "There is no fear in love, perfect love casts out all fear, I am chosen, I am accepted, I am covered, I am protected."
Do I still have days where my thoughts and emotions seem out of control? YES!! But have these days got easier to deal with now due to knowing and living in the truth? YES!!
Church we need to know and claim the truth He speaks over our lives. No more listening to lies of the enemy, no entertaining him, no more giving him ground that just does not belong to him. You are a child of God, forgiven, accepted, and bought with a price. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. He is the mighty Victor and He has fought your battle already and won! No more living in defeat but living in the victory that He has called you too. His death and resurrection was enough. Let's stop living as if it wasn't.
Today whatever the battle, step back and remember He has won already, you're job is to stand on His truth and claim your victory. Remember that your past is forgiven, your future is secure and the present is yours to live.


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Anchor is a new social media platform where the discussion happens completely in audio recordings. Users get 2 minutes to introduce their topic and then anyone listening can respond with a 1 minute recording. It's sort of a mix between blogging, twitter, and podcasting. Here's my first go, I'd love to hear what you think. Let's make some waves!
Educational Technology: A jump into the deep end
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Friday, February 19, 2016
Sharing a video from your Google Drive
Posted by Unknown at 4:37 AM No comments:
Labels: Drive, Google, Google for Education, Professional Development
Monday, December 14, 2015
Minecraft for Reading Comprehension Research Study Results
I've finally completed my research paper and case study of using Minecraft to develop reading comprehension. I had a great time conducting the study and was quite pleased with the impact the activity had on the students. Although the p value did not determine that the intervention was statistically significant, most likely due to the small sample size, the students in the class that used Minecraft on average scored 10% higher on a 15 point comprehension test than the students from the class that used a traditional sequence of events graphic organizer to retell the story.
The most important factor that I saw when observing the students using Minecraft was their engagement level. The entire class was immediately engrossed in the task from the word go. They intuitively organized themselves divying up tasks, communicating progress, and researching actual building in Johannesburg. No one asked them to do this. They did it because they were interested and wanted to make it the best that they could.
The most important factor that I saw when observing the students using Minecraft was their engagement level. The entire class was immediately engrossed in the task from the word go. They intuitively organized themselves divying up tasks, communicating progress, and researching actual building in Johannesburg. No one asked them to do this. They did it because they were interested and wanted to make it the best that they could.
Here is a part of a group's retelling of the Journey to Jo'Burg short novel that they read using Minecraft.
If you would like to read the whole report here is the link.
If you would like to read the whole report here is the link.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
App of the Week: Minecraft, It's Uses in Education Part 3
In PYP 7 (Grade 4) the students have been studying Materials and their varying properties. They have been testing different materials and categorizing them in many ways. They also had the opportunity to test the "digital" materials that are found in Minecraft. They tested and recorded their findings on different objects and types of materials translucence, opaqueness, flammability, hardness, and whether it was a liquid or a solid.
For hardness the students created a measure of how many times the avatar needed to hit an item before it broke. The students tested Grass, Stone, Nether Black, TNT, Emerald, Bedrock, Obsidian, and a pig. From the chart we can see that, in the game, Bedrock is unbreakable and that Obsidian is the next hardest substance they came across.
Let's keep looking for more educational applications for Minecraft!
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
App of the Week: Minecraft, It's Uses in Education Part 2
I've recently been conducting the study for my master's research project, I will be posting the findings of that soon, but I thought I'd share a bit now.
The students have been using Minecraft to recreate the settings from the book Journey to Jo'Burg, that they have recently read as a class, and then use those settings to retell the story. The project aims to develop the students' reading comprehension. The book tells the story of a brother and sister who travel from their village to the city of Johannesburg during the time of Apartheid. Their baby sister had become very ill and they needed to go tell their mother who lived and worked in the city.
It was very impressive to see how quickly the students organized themselves, doling out building responsibilities and then speaking roles. As the teacher I did not have to motivate them or pull them along in any way. They were off and going. Since we only had a limited time I had to stop them, do their displeasure, from completing every detail they found in the book.
One of the boys immediately got on Google and searched for images of Johannesburg buildings in order to recreate the city accurately.
The students loved this project and developed a lot more than just their reading comprehension skills.
Here are some of the other scenes that they created from the story.
|Barn on the orange farm they slept in on the first night
|Overview of the entire journey
|Johannesburg with 'pink house' where the mother worked
|Working train station where the police raid asking for everyone's passes
|Hospital with a long line where they take the sick baby
|Orange farm
|Soweto arial view
App of the Week: Minecraft, It's Uses in Education Part 1
Minecraft is one of the, if not the most popular Apps/Software on the market at the moment. The game use simple graphic building blocks for players to use to create whole new worlds. Minecraft is a "Sandbox" game, which means that players can interact with the environment to create their own experience.
Utilizing the game's open, creative aspect and the amount of engagement that students pour into the activities when they are use Minecraft, there is huge educational potential to impact learning. Here are a few examples of how we have been using Minecraft with our students.
In Art the students have been focussing on 'perspective' and in particular 'vanishing point perspective', like that in which Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper was painted in. The students studied the painting and discussed how all the lines of perspective converge to a single point, in this case Jesus is centered at that point, and the windows in the background are smaller than the people in the foreground demonstrating depth.
The students then were asked to draw a room using 'vanishing point perspective'
|Student 1
|Student 2
|Student 3
Minecraft also happens to be built wholly around 'vanishing point perspective'. The center of the screen is always the point where all lines of perspective converge, making some things seem far away (smaller) and others closer (larger). For the activity using Minecraft the students were asked to recreate The Last Supper with certain specifications.
Finally the students were given the task to draw the corridor. Here are those same three students from the initial room drawings, corridor drawings.
|Student 1
|Student 2
|Student 3
Monday, October 19, 2015
APP of the WEEK: Prodigy Math Game
Prodigy is a game that I have been using with my own kids for about a year now and I have been super pleased with, but up until now it has only been accessible through the website. Prodigy has now come out with an App for the iPad that works both online and off, which is a huge bonus.
The game itself has the student create an avatar and traverse a magical land, meeting different guides who give them various tasks to complete. During these adventures, the students have to complete math problems to battle the creatures they encounter.
As a teacher I can set up my class view their progress and any areas of difficulty. I can assign "homework" for my students to "complete". What's great about this is that the students don't even realize that they are doing an assignment. The math content that I assign, say "addition of three digit numbers with carrying over", is woven directly into the game. Once they have completed the specific math problems assigned Prodigy gives them problems from other areas of math at their level.
They game is very engaging and kids, as far as I've seen, play much more after their assigned "homework".
Posted by Unknown at 6:44 AM 1 comment:
Labels: App of the Week, Educational Technology, Resorcerer
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subset: commoncrawl


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Above: Timo, native Maori Robert Parata and Shane performing the Haka.
It's over 40 years since two mothers from Bantry, Mrs Peggy Lynch and the late Mrs Mary O'Grady sat down one morning over a cup of tea and started the journey to creating CoAction West Cork, which provides quality services to support children and adults with an intellectual disability and autism.
Since its inception, CoAction West Cork has assisted so many individuals to find and nurture their gifts and talents, discover the joy of learning, reach their full potential and develop their own futures.
Mary O'Brien meets some exceptional people at the Rehabilitation Training programme in Bantry.
The Rehabilitation Training (RT) programme run by CoAction at St. Goban's Further Education and Training Centre in Bantry provides three years of training for people on completing their school education. Participants in the programme receive skill training in various areas and take classes in life skills, personal development, literacy, art and crafts, social and recreation and computer studies.
After completing the RT programme, Gordon Moxley from Drimoleague, has continued with his art studies at CoAction. Gordon has painted prolifically since childhood and is never happier than when he has a paintbrush to hand. Although with no formal artistic training, Gordon's work echoes the symbols and imagery of ancient cultures. "I like painting, I'm happy when I paint," he says. Now working on a weekly one-to-one basis for the past year with artist Tom Welds, Gordon's work is reaching new heights. Tom has introduced Gordon to the work of other artists and provided him with a space to paint and Gordon has had the opportunity to exhibit his work at the West Cork Art Centre in Skibbereen and at Organico Gallery in Bantry. Gordon sold 12 pieces of work at the exhibition in Bantry. He is one of the featured artists in the Christmas exhibition at Organico.
"With many artists, the mind can get in the way of the work. Gordon appears to be remarkably free of that problem," says Tom. "He works as if each piece he's working on is the last thing he's going to do in his life. In other words, he paints and draws straight from…well, where? The heart? The soul? Certainly not the mind. And he works fast, with a kind of inner force that I can only observe and envy."
Sharon is the assistant instructor on the RT programme, which runs from 9am to 4.30, Monday to Friday. "We cover everything from horticulture to life skills like cooking and personal finance to employment skills like computers and CV preparation and providing work experience in different areas," she says. "Some of our students have been accepted on a Contemporary Living course at UCC. The Certificate in Contemporary Living seeks to support individuals with intellectual disabilities in developing core skills required for participation in contemporary society and to do so in a way which promotes lifelong learning and inclusion in a third level environment.
Timo and Shane are participating in the RT programme. Both lads are passionate about sports and jumped at the chance last year to learn the Haka from Robert Parata, a native Maori. Shane and Timo gave a powerful performance of the Haka to the Bantry centre. Shane is also a big fan of Liverpool and when he's not keeping fit, Timo enjoys listening to Robbie Williams and Michael Jackson.
Nothing ever goes to waste at the Outline workshop in Bantry town, a CoAction group where participants are always busy upcycling or restoring to create wonderful unique creations. Under the guidance of group leader Nobby, everything from furniture to fairy houses has been skillfully produced. "It doesn't matter how outlandish the idea, we just go for it," he says. "Our most precious resource here is having the time to look into the potential of objects and how they can be used." Old lawnmowers, bits of engines — everything is reused in the creative process. Some of the projects have included creating signs for the Drimoleague Walks group and at present a sculpture in conjunction with the Coomhola Borlin Men's Group. "The sculpture is being made out of window frames and car hub caps," says Nobby.
"It's a real organic way of working and everyone has found their niche," says Nobby. "Some enjoy the metal work, while others prefer painting or finishing work."
For more information on the services provided by CoAction visit www.coaction.ie.


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Gluten-free Diets
19th Century Diet
One way to go gluten-free that is easy on your wallet and easy on your brain is to eat as if you're living in the 19th century. That is, eat no packaged food and don't eat at restaurants. Eat only whole foods that are cooked in your home. Eat plain vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, and rice. These foods are naturally gluten-free. Ideally, no gluten-containing foods would be prepared in your home during this time to avoid contamination of the food you eat.
20th Century Diet
If you can't see going without packaged foods, you've got a lot of reading ahead of you. You'll need to scrutinize lists of ingredients for any of the taboo grains or flours. You'll often find wheat or flour listed.
Assume nothing! Read all ingredient lists. One would think that Rice Chex cereal would be safe. But when you read the ingredients, you find it contains barley malt extract - not safe.
Beware of hidden gluten. Flavorings, colorings, and other additives may contain gluten. When checking ingredients, follow the rule: "Don't know? Don't eat."
Gluten that is part of the packaging isn't listed in the ingredients. For example, chewing gum wrappers may be dusted with flour.
For long lists of foods you can and can't eat, get books about celiac disease, or check out the Web sites listed below (search the keywords "celiac," "gluten," or "gastrointestinal"). You'll be surprised and perhaps overwhelmed at the number of foods and additives that you can't eat (caramel color, communion wafers, curry powder). You might then decide to go back to the 19th century, or skip down to the 21st century.
21st Century Diet
Go to a specialty foods store and start cruising the aisles. You'll find many foods labeled gluten-free. Some gluten-free foods have even found their way to mainstream grocery store shelves. (Foods from outside the United States labeled gluten-free may contain a small amount of gluten, so stick with foods made in America.)
If you eat a lot of pasta, you're in luck. Rice pasta tastes very much like wheat pasta. Potato-rice pasta is passable, though a bit mushy. Don't get quinoa-corn pasta; quinoa may not be entirely safe for someone with celiac disease.
Bread lovers don't have it as easy. Gluten is an elastic protein that gives bread its structure. Gluten-free breads are dense and heavy. Our advice: Don't eat bread for the first week or so. Then the beans-on-a-camping-trip phenomenon will set in. By the second or third week, you'll be craving any bread, and gluten-free breads might not seem so bad. Actually, Ener-G Tapioca Loaf makes good French toast.
If you're a nut for cookies and start to feel deprived, try Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies. They have so much chocolate you'll barely notice they're gluten- and dairy-free.
Web Resources for Diabetes and Celiac Disease
No Matter Which Century
Keep lactose low. The damage to the intestine in celiac disease often leads to lactose intolerance, which means you aren't able to digest the type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products. The symptoms are diarrhea and gas.
Keep your lactose consumption low or nonexistent during this trial. If you want to keep consuming milk and milk products, you can buy lactose-reduced milk (in the dairy case next to all the other milk), lactase drops (add the drops to regular milk), or over-the-counter lactase caplets or chews (in your grocery store or pharmacy, near other digestive aids).
Consider less variety. Consider eating the same thing frequently, for example, gluten-free pancakes every morning. (Arrowhead Mills makes a good gluten-free pancake mix.) One, you'll soon learn how your blood sugar levels are going to be affected by the new foods. (Check your blood sugars often during your gluten-free trial.) Two, if it turns out you are not sensitive to gluten, you won't have a bunch of partially-used gluten-free foods left over at the end of your experiment.
Pay attention to carb counts. Read the Nutrition Facts labels to get carb counts. Don't assume a sandwich made with gluten-free bread has the same amount of carbohydrate as one made with your usual bread.
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol made from grain (beer, for example) contains gluten. Consider avoiding alcohol during this trial. Alcohol can have unexpected effects on your blood sugar levels, and you'll have enough going on during this trial as it is.
Feeling Better?
It may take two to four weeks of a strict gluten-free diet before you start to feel better, though some people feel better within days. After you feel better, don't "challenge" your body by eating a large amount of wheat to see what happens. If you do have celiac disease, you could end up sicker than you were before.
As soon as you start to feel better, see your doctor and get a referral to a gastroenterologist. Blood tests that show whether you react to gluten may now be negative, because you've been off gluten. If you wait too long and your small intestine starts to heal, a biopsy may not be as clear cut as if you had seen a doctor while you were still eating gluten, so don't delay seeing a doctor.
Taken from the October 2001 issue of Diabetes Forecast. Written by Marie McCarren, a writer and editor in Arnold, Md. Jean Guest, MS, RD, a graduate research assistant at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, provided invaluable assistance with this article.
Source: American Diabetes Association


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Rockbox mail archiveSubject: Re: Plugged in Car-charger - smoke out of my box - no charging
From: Fred Maxwell (rockbox_at_anti-spam.org)
Date: 2004-03-16
blaou wrote:
> after I broke my old car-charger for my Archos Recorder, I bought a new
So what voltage had you selected?
> After I plugged it into my Archos, Smoke
That's never a good sign.
> Now it is actually still working - but charging the batteries does not
I hope that you have had enough sense to stop using the car adapter as
> Can this be fixed?
Probably, provided the parts are available (which they probably are).
> Is it this "soldering the charging circuit"-something
Probably not.
> Is there maybe a description for it or
Mechanic? No. You need to find someone who services electronics, like
Page was last modified "Jan 10 2012" The Rockbox Crew


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The IMF Launches "Global Housing Watch"Posted: June 15, 2014 Filed under: Housing | Tags: bubble, Housing, IMF, International Monetary Fund Leave a comment
Housing prices are on the march again across the globe, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is concerned. In response, the IMF has launched a site it calls the "Global Housing Watch."
Here is the introduction:
"Housing is an essential sector of every country's economy, but it has also been a source of instability for financial institutions and countries. Understanding the drivers of house price cycles, and how to moderate these cycles, is important for economic stability.
The new indicators are an important step in assembling country-level data on housing trends in one location, allowing for more transparent cross-country and historical comparisons. The hope is to prompt actions by policymakers to moderate housing cycles."
Housing has been a natural beneficiary of loose monetary policies. The irony or dilemma in extremely expensive countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Australia is that overall inflation readings are low. Accordingly central banks are maintaining extremely accomodative monetary policies in these countries. Thus, the traditional brakes for the housing market, higher rates and tighter monetary policy, are absent and nowhere on the horizon. It is no accident that the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England are now talking more loudly about using macroprudential policies to contain housing markets and enforce standard of financial stability. Here are the related recommendations coming from the IMF:
"We do have a set of policy tools that can help – sometimes these are referred to as "Mip-Map-Mop." Microprudential (Mip) policies look at an individual bank's balance sheet, for example to determine if it is making too many real estate loans. But it could be that the individual banks are doing what seems healthy for them, but what the banking system as a whole is doing needs results in an unhealthy growth in lending.
So, in addition, macroprudential regulations (Map), operating at the level of the financial sector as a whole, come into play. The most commonly used measures cap how much individuals may borrow relative to their income. These prudential measures are being increasingly used by countries to prevent an unsustainable build-up in debt.
Finally, there is the monetary policy (Mop) that involves the central bank raising interest rates if they want to cool off the housing sector. This can be tricky, because sometimes the economy is weak but the housing sector is booming, and raising the interest rate can harm the overall economy.
So, basically, we need to share experience across countries, to look at trends, use our judgment, and apply policies that that may help prevent problems in the housing sector.""
I will be keeping an eye on this website and the twitter hastag #HousingWatch. I expect some revealing and fascinating data to flow through here. Here are the charts posted on the site showing the relative valuations of housing across the globe. I highly encourage the reader to go directly to the website and browse for yourself. I also hope to write some pieces covering the housing markets in the UK, Canada, and Australia in particular in coming weeks and months.
Note well that the U.S. is NOT in bubble territory (in the aggregate)….
KB Home faces rising input costsPosted: July 16, 2012 Filed under: Housing | Tags: Housing, KB Home, KBH Leave a comment
In its latest earnings report, KB Home (KBH) reported rising input costs. Prices for labor, material, and land are all on the increase. In "KB Home 'On Offense' As Its Housing Markets And Pricing Power Strengthen", I reported the following, including quotes from the Seeking Alpha transcript:
"While KBH is bullish about its business, it is wary about its costs. Costs increased about $1,200 a house, but KBH was able to offset that with pricing. I was a bit surprised that business is strong enough that KBH can actually wield some pricing power, passing on increased costs to its customers. Here is how KBH described the source of the cost increases and their likely impact:
'We are starting to experience higher costs for labor and direct construction materials such as lumber, concrete and drywall. Through the end of the second quarter, the impact of these higher costs has been offset by sales price increases, which we have implemented in a majority of our communities during the first 6 months of the year. We believe incremental price increases can continue to offset any further cost increases for the remainder of 2012, which should not result in margin erosion but maybe a headwind in relation to our margin expansion plans.'
Moreover, land prices are also on the rise. KBH says that land sellers were the first to detect the improvement in the housing market and they are now able to exert some pricing power:
'While there's no question the housing markets are getting better, the land sellers figured it out first. So land prices are going up every bit as fast, if not faster, than home prices are.'
These are signs that the housing market is finally starting a sustained recovery, starting in select markets. For more details on earnings for KBH see "KB Home 'On Offense' As Its Housing Markets And Pricing Power Strengthen."
The costs of raising children in the U.S. continue to climbPosted: June 17, 2012 Filed under: clothing, Economy, Education, Entertainment, Health care, Housing | Tags: children, income, USDA 2 Comments
On June 14th, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its 2011 cost estimates for raising children in the U.S. (see "A Child Born in 2011 Will Cost $234,900 to Raise According to USDA Report"). According to this report, the average cost of raising a child in the U.S. rose 3.5% from 2010 and rose 22.5% from 1960 (in 2011 dollars), the first year these data were collected. (Note the USDA cautions that its methodology has changed over the years so comparisons between now and 1960 are not "precisely comparable). The share of expenditures has changed dramatically in certain categories like child care and education, food, and health care. The following chart is from the end of the publication (click image for a larger view), and it demonstrates the big differences in how children are raised now versus 50 years ago:
The amount families spend on children varies greatly based on household income, so these averages hide even more interesting stories. For example:
"A family earning less than $59,410 per year can expect to spend a total of $169,080 (in 2011 dollars) on a child from birth through high school. Similarly, middle-income parents with an income between $59,410 and $102,870 can expect to spend $234,900; and a family earning more than $102,870 can expect to spend $389,670."
It is clear from the report that the costs increase according to income because of choices families make. Thus, it is not quite accurate to say child-rearing gets more expensive with income. Instead, families tend to choose to spend more on their children the more income at their disposal.
Read/download the full report here.
Euro-flight to London Should Further Pressure Property PricesPosted: May 14, 2012 Filed under: Housing, United Kingdom | Tags: currency, euro, London, real estate Leave a comment
Reuters reports that Greeks and Spaniards trying to escape economic and currency woes in their native countries are running to London in increasing numbers. The wealthier of these immigrants are snapping up property in London in attempt to protect their assets. The (average?) price for prime central London properties has increased by 44% over the last three years. Prices in London as a whole have increased at half that rate.
For more details and stories from specific immigrants see "Euro zone turmoil boosts London property stampede."
Million-dollar homes appreciating in Silicon ValleyPosted: June 15, 2011 Filed under: bidding wars, High Tech, Housing | Tags: housing prices, IPO, Silicon Valley Leave a comment
In "IPOs Boost Demand for Silicon Valley Mansions", Bloomberg attributes the robust housing market in Silicon Valley to the increasing numbers of instant millionaires benefiting from IPOs. The price gains are startling given the second-dip recession that has descended upon so many other neighborhoods across America (for the latest see "US Housing Crisis Is Now Worse Than Great Depression.")
"The real estate gains in the valley, located primarily in the San Jose metropolitan area, are mostly occurring in towns where million-dollar values are already the norm. The median price in Cupertino gained 12 percent last month from May 2010 to $1.08 million, and values in Saratoga rose 4.7 percent to $1.62 million, according to San Diego-based DataQuick…
…The median price of single-family houses sold in Palo Alto, home of Facebook Inc., climbed 20 percent in May from a year earlier to $1.63 million, the biggest jump since 2008, according to preliminary figures from research company DataQuick. In Mountain View, the base of LinkedIn Corp., prices rose 3.1 percent to $957,500, the ninth year-over-year gain in 12 months."
Vancouver Housing Keeps On SoaringPosted: May 17, 2011 Filed under: bidding wars, Canada, China, Housing | Tags: housing prices, real estate, Vancouver Leave a comment
In "Homes: Chinese Buyers Make Vancouver Pricier Than NYC", Bloomberg provides a startling and illuminating account of the dynamics in Vancouver's over-heated real estate market. The statistics are absolutely astounding. Here is a sample:
"Sales of detached homes, townhouses and condominiums in metropolitan Vancouver jumped 70 percent in February from January, to 3,097 units from 1,819, and were up 25 percent from a year earlier, according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. In March, sales climbed 32 percent from February, to just shy of a record for the month of 4,371 transactions set in 2004. Sales increased by 80 percent from two years ago."
"In 2010, Vancouver had the third-highest housing costs among English-speaking cities worldwide, according to Canada's Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Only Hong Kong and Sydney, another magnet of Asian immigration, were more expensive. Vancouver's median home price of C$602,000 ($618,000) was 9.5 times the annual median household income of C$63,100, the group said in a study released Jan. 24. Canada had a 4.6 national multiple, making it 'seriously unaffordable,' while the U.S. at 3.3 was 'moderately unaffordable,' the study showed. To be affordable, the multiple must be 3 or less."
The rest of the article explains how buyers from China are helping to drive prices in Vancouver as they escape property restrictions back home. Given three waves of Chinese buyers have descended upon Vancouver since 1990, market participants must feel like everything is normal. As an outsider, this market seems to have all the classic markers of a bubble. As long as the money keeps flowing, the market will remain inflated…


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Tomorrow's my birthday. Hold off on the confetti and party poppers, I'm not really one for celebrating the day of my birth. In fact I usually find the whole day a bit of a shitter on my mental health.
I never used to be like this. I was fully in the 'BIRTHDAY MONTH' team. Throughout September my Facebook memories are an embarrassing reminder of how much I used to demand attention, presents, and multiple celebrations. Now I'd rather people just ignore it (which many will because I haven't told them it's coming up and it's too late to send cards now suckers!).


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The Scarlet Mormon (Papilio deiphobus rumanzovia), is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family. The Scarlet Mormon Butterfly is black with bright red markings and it is found in the Philippines
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There is none. Part of what makes the commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence for perjury so transparently corrupt is Bush's long and remarkable record as Texas governor of denying clemency to almost anyone, and the contempt he expressed for even the process of reviewing appeals for mercy from death row. These were not white-collar criminals threatened by 30 months of jailtime. These were often individuals with very few resources facing the direst sentence imaginable: the death penalty. The massive discrepancy between the brusqueness with which Bush dismissed their pleas for mercy and the hours of careful study he cites in relieving Libby of inconvenience is proof positive to my mind of this president's reflexive sense of privilege, and profound moral and ethical corruption.This needs correction on one point, however. Libby wasn't just convicted of perjury. He was convicted of obstruction of justice.
The record as a whole is one of a human being utterly indifferent to the fate of others, especially those without money, connections or political value. The number of people George W. Bush sent to their deaths without a second's thought is higher than any living governor in the United States. And yet it took a perjury conviction of a white, wealthy, connected apparatchik to awaken the president's sensitivity to injustice.
Unbelievers Undisturbed
14 hours ago


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Yes I'm still playing with the art style.
I'm not one of those folk who hates modern Simpsons, but I'm not one to call it 'consistent'. I think they're still funny, certainly, but not as 'breakthrough' as before. As Doctor Who reinvents itself with new faces, House throws in a chance of settings and Futurama just always appears 'fresh' thanks to the environment itself… The Simpsons is a relic. It was born in the heart of popular culture to which all descending art forms now owe themselves to. Imagine my surprise then when I saw The Simpsons Movie and thought it not 'funny' like its modern TV brother but absolutely 'hilarious' like its golden days.
Whether or not nostalgia goggles have something to do with my perception of quality is up for debate, but it's kind of not an excuse when your show is decades old. Viewing the film a lot older myself allows me to feel, for the first time, that this is about as modern as The Simpsons can get. The social media, political and other modern commentary bits of the modern show just don't fit together nicely for me; whereas the olden day commentary in the olden show I now 'get' thanks to me being a bit older and (just a bit) smarter. It's weird how my mind works.
The Simpsons Movie turned out to be a welcomed surprise then, a genuinely hilarious film. It's not perfect by any means; the environmentalism and staunch liberal political attitudes underlying the piece sort of suppress some of the humorous notes. It's an otherwise oddly sentimental affair with visual gags and other symbols cropping up to point back throughout the show's history. The now infamous Spider-Pig seems to be a set-piece all in himself… or herself… I'm not sure which gender the bacon is. What I feel, however, is at the core of the movie and (where it fails) is Homer Simpson.
I'm one of those few people in the world to despise Bart as a character. I do not find him endearing and I don't even chirp if something emotionally engaging happens with his character. The other characters, however, I more than emotionally connect with – I will admit crying to 'You Are Lisa Simpson' – and the show's secondary characters all seem to be filled with such exciting backstories and histories. What I find more compelling, however, is the exploration of the show's central characters. Grandpa and Homer being the key examples. It goes back in time to a bygone age of hippies and freedom for Homer and into the 'Great Generation' for Grandpa.
The film brushes over these histories and instead focuses on a secure narrative that deals with various levels of 'the plot'. Springfield's environmentalism puts them under a dome (stolen from Stephen King no doubt), Lisa falls in love, Bart finds a truer father figure in Flanders and Marge breaks off from Homer. All of their 'break ups' in the past seem really… minuscule compared to what happens here. The journey afterwards is really a visual treat too, really reminding me of the episode where Homer takes part in the 'chilli-off' and realizes Marge is his true 'soul-mate'… or something. There was a fox and stuff.
Still, the overriding drive of the film is Homer's idiocy. It's pretty much ripped from head-to-toe from the television version, and it works I guess. There's some space that could've been used for some interesting movement of characters that could be a lot more worthwhile than 'homer is dum lol' (politically: how Lisa's liberal prissiness could evolve into hatred of her father which sparks his self-resentment which, in turn, leads to Homer rescuing the town and thus himself). It works, nonetheless, but it feels at times the entire film hinges on the show rather than makes a name for itself.
Then again, this is a film which utterly surpasses its modern day brethren. The show, as of the last five years or so, is scooping the bottom of the golden barrel. I still chuckle, but I have yet to laugh. Know what I mean? I will always love The Simpsons for that nostalgia-goggle donning feeling I get when I indulge in younger episodes. I will always love it for dipping back into history and seeing political and culture figures now gone from our present day folklore. If you want a real treat, watch the episode where Michael Jackson guest stars. It's an utter treat and absolutely heart-wrenching now.


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What makes people so scared of spiders? Is it their appearance? Is it a fear of being bitten? Or is it just that someone said that spiders are bad and that you should not get near them.
Well here is a close-up of Palystes superciliosus, a common rain spider of the Huntsman spiders of South Africa. Believe it or not, this spider was so placid and probably would not have harmed a fly!
Here is a link to some more information on these spiders:
Here is the rest of this beautiful spider. They are pretty harmless, but the bite can be painful due to the size of the fangs (chelicerae) and the venom they possess, which is not medically significant in humans. They normally won't bite unless stressed or threatend, but will probably warn you by raising its front legs. Awesome spiders.
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HME Business Intelligence: Exploring Automated Tools that can Increase Productivity and Profitability
Whether your HME business is new or you've been in business for years, you are well aware of the tight margins in the HME industry involving competitive bidding, denied or stalled claims, and the growing amount of audits. It is crucial to understand that every dollar counts, and that providers must search for ways to grow their business and reduce costs. Looking internally at your business processes is the first place to start. If your business relies on manual reporting practices, this not only takes valuable hours each week, but could also be misleading in tracking your business performance using static data.
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Tadeusz Kościuszko
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The English used in this article may not be easy for everybody to understand.
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko ([ta'deuʃ koɕ'ʨuʃko] ; 1746 – 1817) was a Polish, Lithuanian and Belarussian national hero, general and a leader of the Kościuszko Uprising (which bears his name) against the Russian Empire. Tadeusz was born in February 1746 on the Polish-Lithuanian border. He fought in the American Revolutionary War as a colonel in the Continental Army on the side of Washington. Because of his service he was brevetted by the Continental Congress to the rank of Brigadier General in 1783, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States that same year. He died in Solothurn, Switzerland on October 15, 1817 due to a stroke.


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The Management leads the Secretariat. It drafts business for the Board of Trustees and implements the latter's decisions. It consists of the director and the heads of the individual sectors. Management members are elected by the Board of Trustees.
Philippe Bischof
Jérôme Benoit
Deputy Director
Andreas Moos
Head of Funding and Cultural Promotion
Murielle Perritaz
Head of Programmes
Sabina Schwarzenbach
Head of Communications


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Self-driving cars may take a while to arrive, but the self-driving suitcase is here now.
Some of the technologies used in autonomous cars have been adapted for products unveiled at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, to help travellers with their hefty baggage.
The "robot suitcase" from California-based startup Travelmate can be controlled with a smartphone app and can roll alongside its owner at speeds up to 11km/h, navigating around obstacles.
"This is really a robot which follows you around," said Travelmate president Maximillian Kovtun.
Travelmate designed the device to roll at a pace that matches that of the user, or it can be directed with the smartphone app in the same manner as a drone.
Priced at about $1 100, it is slated to roll out in February for the United States market, and later in Europe and Japan.
A competing offering from ForwardX, a Chinese startup with offices in California, is designed to be used with facial recognition, with no need for a smartphone application.
"It uses computer vision and a driving algorithm to have a clear path," said founder Nicholas Chee.
The ForwardX suitcase also has gesture control technology and can be immobilised to protect against theft.
Chee said he expects the launch in mid-2018 at a price under $1 000.
Both Travelmate and ForwardX say their devices comply with US safety regulations because their lithium-ion batteries, banned in checked luggage, can be removed.
Also shown at the electronics expo was an auto-following suitcase from China-based 90FUN, which is already available in the Chinese market and is soon coming to the US. It uses self-balancing technology from personal transport-maker Segway.
And finally, for the weariest of travellers is a luggage product called the Modobag, which lacks artificial intelligence but offers a sizeable perk instead: it's a ride-on suitcase that can carry its owner along with their clothes. — AFP


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I have been hanging out in Bellingham with Luke Tanaka, trying to ski at Baker…. but the snow is not so good right now (I feel bad for Olympic Organizers right now). My friend John Love took us out for a booze cruise in Bellingham Bay, and it was just the event to take our minds off the lack of snow.
It was super warm on the water and the sun was out, I bundled up a bit because at our brisk pace of 8 knots we got a bit of wind on theeee decks.
To be honest I did not think a boat ride was going to be an activity I was going to be taking part in during my Winter. I am gonna go get on some powder real quick because I am getting stoked seeing Wiley out there destroying.Last time I was here this thing was burning Diesel and keeping the parking lot clear, this time mother nature is taking care of that. Heel Click over Open Waters Binoculars are a must while on a boat Patriot Act Bandana Where am I? on a boat? Fin
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Furnace Repair in Boulder
Emergency Furnace Repair in Boulder, Colorado
Winters in Boulder, CO, require optimized heating systems and efficient furnace operations. If you're experiencing a broken, malfunctioning, or sub-optimal furnace performance, it's not just uncomfortable, it can create a dangerous environment. We can help with your furnace repair!
Our furnace repair in Boulder, CO is not only fast, efficient, and professional, but it can also help keep you safe from dangerous carbon monoxide poisoning. Our knowledgeable furnace repair technicians offer years of experience to get your furnace up and running, delivering safe, comfortable heat during a Boulder, CO winter.
We take your furnace repair seriously! With Meyers, you can count on a highly experienced team to deliver comprehensive service and fast furnace repair. For furnace repair, you can expect:
- Evaluation of the overall heating system and furnace condition
- Thorough testing of furnace, thermostat, electricity supply, and wiring
- Identification and diagnosis of furnace, component or system fault
- Detail a cost estimate for repair or other furnace recommendations
- Furnace repair to ensure heating is working safely and efficiently
- Maintenance services are available to extend the furnace life
Also, Meyers Heating & Air Conditioning technicians can advise whether your furnace is unsafe or not repairable and provide free guidance and consultation on furnace installation of a new furnace or heating system.
The Meyers Heating & Air Conditioning furnace repair team is available for furnace maintenance, repair, replacement or emergency services. We service the entire Boulder, Superior, Louisville, Lafayette, and Erie, CO, areas to provide furnace repair services fast!
We are the local heating and air conditioning service company you can trust!
- Licensed and insured
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If you're looking for furnace repair or furnace installation, contact us! At Meyers Heating & Air Conditioning, we've set the standard in Boulder, Colorado for over 55 years!
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Specials & Rebates
Meyers Heating & Air Conditioning is an authorized and registered contractor partner with Xcel Energy to offer you access to some excellent incentives and rebates.


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On Friday's "Real Time" on HBO, host Bill Maher interviewed Ayaan Hirsi Ali about liberals and why they insist upon defending Islam, particularly when some Islamic nations are overwhelmingly in favor of the oppression of women.
"We know Sharia law is popular in many more countries than you even named. When i have liberals on this show one of the big arguments is well, you're painting with a broad brush," Maher said. "Of course Saudi Arabia is backwards but what about Indonesia and Turkey and Jordan? Well, I looked up Turkey and Indonesia and Jordan and here are some of the statistics here. Sharia law, 72 percent of Indonesians favor it. Jordan –71 percent. Stoning of adulterers in Indonesia – 48 percent popular, Jordan — 67 percent. Death for leaving Islam. Jordan, 82 percent. These are their bastions of freedom and democracy. How do we get liberals and some of them are people I really used to respect — how do we get them to understand that we're the liberals in this debate? The people that are facing, shining a light on oppression and demanding that it will end – how can that not be the liberal cause? What do you say to liberals?"
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor


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2X4: Four Other Things to Put In Ice Cube Trays
On a hot day, there's nothing better than an ice-filled beverage.
But the weather is cooling off, so let's see what else we can do with that piece of plastic living in your freezer. Here are four of our favorite things to put in ice cube trays (besides water):
Herbs. Like all good things, fresh herbs do come to an end (they have a shorter shelf-life than you realize). But, there is a way to preserve them so they can be used for delicious, fresh-tasting meals year-round. All you need is an ice cube tray and a little bit of olive oil! You could use water, but preserving herbs in oil reduces the risk of browning and freezer burn. Divide the herbs you want to preserve in the tray and then top them off with oil. Pop that baby in the freezer, and use your olive-oil cubes whenever a recipe calls for them!
Pocket Stuff. If you've ever accidentally included a pen in your laundry cycle and ruined a favorite shirt, you understand the importance of a pre-cycle pocket check. Instead of ruining clothes or losing coins in the washer, keep an ice cube tray in the laundry room. Before you throw those pants in the machine, empty the pockets and toss the contents in the ice cube tray. You'll be surprised by what you save!
Jewelry. It's fun to have variety, but it can be almost impossible to keep track of your entire collection of earrings. Next time you need a specific pair of gold sparklers, grab them from an organized ice cube tray instead of digging through a massive jewelry box. If you're a little anal about your bling, you can even organize them by metal and color within the tray! If you don't love the look of an ice cube tray on your dresser or desk, keep it in a drawer or give it a coat of bright spray paint.
IKEA Parts. IKEA is awesome. Where else can you leave with a bed, a new lamp and delicious meatballs for less than it costs to fill up your gas tank? It's basically highway robbery, but it does come with a cost: time. Make furniture-assembly go faster by organizing your tools in an ice cube tray while you work. That way, you'll be able to put part "B" in piece "D" without embarking on a search-and-rescue mission along your carpet!


text: In the Mississippi Senate run off, the GOP establishment with dirty tricks, race baiting and bribing, managed to squeak out a victory over tea party challenger Chris McDaniel. In their effort to protect the fossil Thad Cochran at any cost, they may have caused a permanent schism between the republican party's moderate and conservative wings. Sarah Palin on Sean Hannity was asked if a third party is necessary after what took place in the Magnolia state. Her thoughts are on the minds of most conservatives. That is, how much longer can a party survive when the leadership is constantly acting to undermine its own base? As usual, the left and the media had a holy field day with the GOP's Pyrrhic victory. Words like "extremist" and "fringe" have replaced "racist" when used by old media to label conservatives.


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Importance of Hydration in Performance
Getting enough fluid is good for your body. The American Council on Exercise recommends that athletes hydrate while exercising, as well as both pre- and post-workout to replace fluids lost through sweat. The human body is made up of approximately 60% water; it's no surprise that proper hydration is crucial to a variety of essential functions that can impact athletic performance.
Exactly how does hydration affect your performance?
- Fluid helps to regulate body temperature.
- Fluid helps to regulate blood pressure.
- Fluid helps in the movement and transport of essential energy nutrients.
Get adequate amounts of water to prevent dehydration
- Pre-workout
Drink 17 to 20 fl oz of water two to three hours before exercise
Drink 8 fl oz of fluid 20 to 30 minutes before exercise
- During workout
Drink 7 to 10 ounces of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise
- Post-workout
Drink an additional 8 ounces of fluid 30 minutes after exercise
Drink 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise
For more information, go to ACEfitness.org


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Issaquah Electricians
For over 60 years, Lander Electric has served Issaquah with electrical services including new, repair, and custom electrical contracting. When you call Lander Electric, our state certified electricians will be there to resolve your electrical issues. If you have an emergency or late night electrical issue, your Issaquah electrician will be there. No matter how large or small the problem, our electricians are here to give great service and quality to our customers.
Our service area includes Issaquah and all of King County.
With licensed & bonded electricians, you know you can trust LANDER ELECTRIC for ALL of your Issaquah electrical needs!
Monday - Friday
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Includes repair and new work within existing homes and offices and smaller remodels.
Our electricians offer a wide variety of services to our customers.
- Switches
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We Serve King County and the Eastside!
I want to commend the electrician that you sent to my home. He replaced my electrical panel and when the inspector came to inspect the work he commented that it was "Up to Lander's usual fine standard".
I will continue to do business with Lander anytime I need electrical work because of the electrician's attitude and superior work.
Dawn – Issaquah, WA


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The type of 'gift for him' that you want all depends on knowing a few things:
Is there a space in the calendar, or a weekend free, that would be the ideal time for springing a surprise city break on him? Or is there a beach break not too far away that would provide a perfectly chilled out escape? Or even an adrenalin-packed adventure? Groupon users have been embracing our travel deals to head off on exciting weekends all over Australia, get last-minute city breaks for two and even experience new activities you wouldn't have imagined of ever doing before – skydiving anyone?
While F45 classes or rock climbing might be ideal for your boyfriend, you might not want the same deal for your dad, who would prefer to perfect his swing with golf lessons or golf resort escape instead. We aim to provide a good range of gifts for guys in this section of the site, and give gift inspiration that will hopefully compliment who you're buying for.
Why you should get a gift for him at Groupon….
We have a massive range of gifts for guys – no matter what their taste - and update our website daily to give you the best gifts possible. The gift ideas you'll see on this page are great if you're thinking a wardrobe update would be nice; whether it's helping the stylish man in your life to get his own bespoke two-piece suit tailor made or snagging a great pair of sunglasses for less than half price before heading on holiday.
And that's even before we mention getting to scuba dive, drive a sports car or going for a spot of 'glamping'. It all depends on who you're buying for.
What Groupon gifts would be ideal for my boyfriend?
Even if you're in a hurry, there is no need to buy some uninspiring toiletries when we have plenty of gifts for your man, that are sure to put a smile on his dial.
Does he love craft beer? Then take him out for some craft beer tasting at a local trendy brewery. Or what about a cocktail master class or cooking class for two?
You can help update his grooming regime with some of our unisex Health & Beauty items. We have deals on shaving kits, haircare, electric toothbrushes and more - but be careful, these gifts could have you competing over who gets to use the bathroom mirror first.
Groupon gifts that are prefect for your dad…
Your dad deserves only the best and getting him a memorable present that will blow everyone else's out of the water is simple with Groupon. Surprise him with a day trip to a spa and watch him indulge in the luxury of having a back massage or face mask on (as long as you promise not to take any pictures). Or for the more 'blokey' dads, we've got beer glasses, sports and outdoor supplies and Brazilian BBQ deals galore!
When your hubby needs a special present…
There could be no bigger birthday surprise than handing him his passport and telling him that you're going off on an adventure. Our Travel Collection has some of the most exciting escapes and city breaks that you'll see anywhere online. Surprise your hubby with trip to Vietnam or China, or for something a little more close to home, a Great Ocean Road day trip (from Melbourne) or a city break like never before. Just keep an eye out for the latest travel gifts we have on this page.
And if he's a bit of a home improvement enthusiast, take a look at some of the offers we have on Home & Garden items, with reductions on hardware, storage, lighting and a huge range of items for your garden or backyard.
What are some of the most popular gifts for him that Groupon users love?
Right now, our most popular gifts for guys include:
Sports & Outdoor – From fitness trackers to Asics footwear, camping gear and gym equipment, we've got the lot for the adventurous man in your life!
Electronics – Keep your guy at the forefront of technology with all the latest gadgets and gizmos at a fraction of the normal cost. Everything from projectors and chargers to drones, LCD TVs, GoPro accessories and more!
Drinks – Help Dad create the ultimate home bar. We're always offering a selection of fine wines, beers and bar accessories, perfect for the entertainer!
I'm looking for a gift for him that is a little closer to home…
Our local deals can help you to "make life less boring". We have great deals such as helicopter flights, jet boat rides, surfing lessons, and even whisky tasting if there's one nearby. These 'days out' deals are a great chance to try something a little out of the ordinary and exciting.
When you want a gift for him that's a little bit different…
It's always a good idea to check in the Events section for Groupon when looking for unique gift ideas. Maybe you want to sign your fitness-mad friend up for a Tough Mudder challenge, or tickets to the latest concert or sporting event. We're always updating this page with the most exciting gifts you'll find online.
Have any affordable gifts that will be great for him?
If you have a certain price in mind that you would like to try to stick to, we have loads of deals that are just right for you. A lot of our Men's Fashion deals are available from just $25 and can give any man's wardrobe a much needed update. We also have a special Affordable Gifts section of the site if you want to bag a really good bargain for a present.


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Bill Ackman's holdings in Valeant Pharmaceuticals cost him $321 million in a single day.
Shares of the drugmaker fell more than 18% yesterday, the biggest decline since October, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
T. Rowe Price Group Inc. had a one-day drop of about $324 million, and William Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management gave up $321 million.
The company's biggest owner, investment firm Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb, lost an estimated $525 million after the price collapse.
Those loss estimates assume that all three company's are carrying the same number of shares they listed in their most recent regulatory filings.
The company's share price fell apart after it withdrew a financial forecast, delayed the release of fourth-quarter results, and confirmed a probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Valeant shares are down nearly 75% since August and 35% in 2016.
Shares at the company are down more than 5% at 12:05 PM EST on Tuesday.
The pharmaceuticals giant has come under fire for its rapidly rising drug prices, accounting and distribution practices.
The company announced on Sunday night that Chief Executive Officer Michael Pearson would give up his chairman title and return after a two-month medical leave.
"We are delighted that Mike's health has recovered and he has returned as CEO so that he can now work on behalf of the company and shareholders," Ackman said in a statement Monday to CNBC.
Ackman believes all controversies surrounding the company will be resolved "in short term."


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Myofascial Integration Massage is a comprehensive treatment technique that incorporates the use of several modalities including muscle tissue mobilization, myofascial release, flexibility programs, muscle energy techniques, psychological counseling and the integrative use of Restorative ExerciseTM in a unique combination to restore a person to their ideal three dimensional orientation, allowing the body to function at its peak physiological state. This intense program can sometimes bring to the surface unresolved emotional or psychological trauma that often causes physiological dysfunction, and with it discovery and release, allows the body to reorganize, change, and improve its function in a state of improved consciousness. This whole body approach allows the patient to access multiple avenues of physiological restoration and produces more consistent and effective results and often the patient is enabled to take quantum leaps in improved pain free function and biomechanical freedom.
MIM treatment is an individualized treatment plan examining the unique conditions and symptoms of the individual. MIM has the ultimate goal of restoring to the patient their maximum three-dimensional relationship to gravity and range of biomechanical movement. As a certified Restorative Exercise SpecialistTM, I also instruct my clients wtih exercises that help to maintain proper body alignment and movement. This is a unique method of body mechanics designed by Katy Bowman has inhanced my practice. This allows me to offer a total health package for massage and fitness. Relax, Renew, Restore, Re~eduate your body today~
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Our History
A Dutch IT outsourcing company with numerous international clients and delivery centers in thre...28 December 2016
We would be happy to welcome an experienced Java Developer to our international team.Find out more
Symphony Solutions is a cloud transformation company headquartered in Amsterdam, with offices in the Netherlands, US, Ukraine, Macedonia, and Poland. Symphony Solutions recently celebrated 10 years of continuous service, and we attract many people with our open, welcoming culture and Dutch-inspired environment.
At Symphony Solutions we believe that this kind of organizational culture is the optimal environment to attract and retain the best talents, fully develop them and leverage their potential. We have a unique employee selection process where colleagues choose colleagues. Such an approach eliminates possible conflicts and ensures honest and transparent relationships with clients and within the team. Symphony Solutions is a company that strives to be the Best Price/Performance and the easiest to do business with.


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2018 South Puget Sound Habitat Women's Build Week day 2, sponsored by Lowe's , Harbor Wholesale Foods and others, filled the day with teamwork, dirt, sweat, sawdust and well more dirt specifically thrown at the photographer to create an awesome team photo. I love when people are willing to participate in fun photos, a favorite from this day was exactly that photo, after much moving of soil I felt something fun was needed, throwing something towards the photographer, dirt!
Some interior and the last two outside walls were raised and of course the sod all the sod you can imagine began.
To order photos visit this site: https://shannapaxton.smugmug.com/2018-SPS-Womens-Build-Shanna-Paxton-Photography/


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Loops of Fury
As you might be aware – Flickr launched video, and amongst much praise for it's simple, clear implementation there's been quite a lot of hoo-ha from us wonderful, grateful users, some of whom are afraid the addition of video will lower the tone of the service to that of others, that allow you a tube, if you will.
Part of the differentiating design of Flickr video is that only clips of a maximum 90 seconds duration are possible. In fact, Flickr themselves refer to them as 'long photos'.
Matt Webb has a wonderful set building at the moment of 11 second video clips. One of them is a mesmerising shot of waves breaking on a beach, that I've seen him use to hypnotise his audience as the opening slide of his talks.
So – this led me to wonder if another differentiating design constraint could be set: what if all videos looped automatically as default?
Wouldn't they then really be long photos?
I'd love to be able to loop the clip posted above, so that you can just see the little door-closing system they've erected at Flat White over and over to your hearts content.
A loop would be a captured action or situation rather than a narrative, where the duration of the loop is set but the loop goes on forever so you can study the layers, the detail, the figure and the ground in the same way you can a photo.
A bottled system not a short story.
Think about all the tiny clips you've played again and again on the internet just to see one aspect, one moment, act out – a goal or a dramatic chipmunk.
Not stories, but toy moments.
Think about those moving photos imagined in cheesy science fiction films or Harry Potter movies.
Tiny loops of video perhaps are the real long photos…


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Applications are open for Fall 2018! Are you interested in testing and keeping Step2 toys? Apply to become a Step2 Toy Tester! If you're selected, you'll be able to choose the toy and will be asked to test it for two weeks. Then, you'll need to complete an online review and submit photos within 14 days.
You must apply by July 17th and applicants will be notified on July 27th.


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Soul, Body, and Augustine's and Machiavelli's Views on Human Nature
Machiavelli insists that he sees men as they really are rather than we might wish men to be (XV, p. 62). Augustine also depicts how men actually live in the City of God. How are Augustine's and Machiavelli's understandings of human nature similar to and different from each other? How does these differences affect their political philosophy? Augustine and Machiavelli are similar in their pessimistic views toward human nature, looking at human self-love and self-interested, full of evil, cruelty, betrayal, violence and war. Yet the two views are different fundamentally. Augustine thinks that men are not evil by nature but by their choice of disobedience to God, but Machiavelli believes that men are naturally sinful. For Augustine, love of self rather than God is driven by soul, by placing self ahead of God. By contrast, Machiavelli thinks that evil is maintained by self-interest, which is due to the insatiable lust of body.
However, They both acknowledge that moral obligations do exist in human beings. Because of their different views of the cause of evil, Augustine and Machiavelli achieve their peace in different ways.
In order to compare the philosophy of the two thinkers, we need to examine their views. Augustine claims that "no one is evil by nature" (p. 590) because all people are created by God in His own image, and God is by no means evil, nor will He make anything evil. One is evil because of some fault, namely, living according to man instead of God. Moreover, contrary to many classical philosophical thoughts, Augustine thinks that of the two parts of self, soul and body (p. 206), soul is the cause of evil. It is not the flesh of body that makes people sin, but...


text: Tŷ Admiral is our newly built home, based in the centre of Cardiff and close to both train stations, the St David's shopping centre, and plenty of restaurants and delis. The state of the art building has 'chill out' and kitchen areas on every floor, as well as showers and a 'get ready' room. There is also a multi-denominational prayer room and we even have a roof-top terrace! As our HQ, Ty Admiral houses every department and is at the centre of everything we do. An exciting and buzzing atmosphere will welcome you from day one and with plenty of team activities going on you will feel at home in no time.


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Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb trailer features Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Ricky Gervais (Video)
When we lost Robin Williams to suicide earlier this year, Robin Williams thankfully left a handful of not-yet-released projects for our enjoyment even after his death. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, wherein he reprises his role as President Theodore Roosevelt, is one of those projects. Secret of the Tomb, the third in the Night at the Museum franchise, hits theaters Dec. 19, but Twentieth Century Fox justRead more


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A Michigan Moving Company
For more than 10 years, locally owned and operated Same Day Movers LLC has been transporting customers' possessions safely and securely. Our moving company is fully licensed and insured, and our skilled staff treats your property with respect. We're dedicated to customer satisfaction, and that means we work hard to make sure your experience working with us is excellent.
"When I first started my business I wanted to change the industry by providing moves same day and last minute, today I still have the same concept!!"
Our movers can assist you with every phase of your move from packing your possessions to transporting them to your new location. When you choose to work with us, you have the advantage of:
- Flexible appointment hours
- Same-day and emergency services
- Courteous and efficient moving crews
- Same-Day Service Available
- Over 10 Years Of Experience
- Locally Owned & Operated
- Efficient Moving Crews
- Respectful Of Your Property & Possessions
- Reliable & Dependable
- Prompt & On-Time
- Competitive Pricing
- Emergency Moving Services
Same Day Movers of Michigan has been changing the moving industry for many past years. A company that' was started by an 18 year old, fresh out of high school has now grown. Mohamed Sallah, the owner and CEO of SDM started the company without a truck. He was renting trucks as they were needed. Now, the company has a lot of trucks and more than 12 employees,
Mohamed was born in west Africa he moved here to have a better life and be able to provide for his parents at a young age, so when he saw an opportunity to start his own business he took advantage of it. Mohamed said "My goal is to grow this business, help people out, provide the best service and gain each customers repeat or referral" Same Day Movers has been growing really fast because they proved professionalism and dedication with each move in which they complete.


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The investment plans created at Graham Capital Advisors maximize the financial potential of each individual client to turn their goals for the future into reality. David Graham is the renowned retirement advisor known as "The Retirement Guy" and the founder of Graham Capital Advisors. He is one of only two Certified Master Estate Planners in the state of Florida and also the host of several financial radio shows including the highest rated live financial show "Guaranteeing Your Retirement," which is broadcast Sundays on Newsradio WFLA 970 and weekdays on Impact Radio 1250 WHNZ.
The investment, financial and retirement advisor team at Graham Capital Advisors work together to offer our clients the most personalized investment plans in the industry. Our portfolio of services includes the following and more:
Our investment platform at Graham Capital Advisors is more extensive than other firms' platforms throughout the area. Our platform includes investment opportunities in private funds in addition to traditional investments in stocks, mutual funds, corporate bonds, government bonds and other security investments.
Every retirement advisor and other financial planner at Graham Capital Advisors creates investment strategies and individualized investment plans that are in the best interest of each client's current financial situation, goals and future needs. Our legal staff works with a retirement planner to protect clients and ensure their future stability by evaluating and setting up related financial legal documents such as revocable trusts, health directives and more.
We offer complimentary consultations with a retirement planner, wealth manager or one of our other financial planners to investors in Brandon, Largo, Treasure Island, Pinellas Park, Carrollwood and the surrounding cities who are interested in investment plans that are focused on helping to secure your financial future. These consultations provide investors the opportunity to ask questions about our investment philosophy and also provides our advisors with the personal information that is needed to create the best strategies for successful investments. Contact a courteous associate and schedule a consultation today!


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I love the Sandisk USB flash memory sticks. They are the best. The fact that they are made retractable and without the need for a cap of any kind makes them the best. Unfortunately, they bundle/format them with the annoying U3 Launchpad application for Windows which I have no use for. So, the first thing I do is remove it. Initially, I was doing low-level formats on the device on OS X, then Linux, but nothing worked unless you get this.
Download the Launchpad Removal Tool and run it in Windows to nuke the U3 garbage. It gets rid of the CD emulation stuff, and the separate partition and just makes it a nice USB memory stick.


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We want to take this opportunity to thank all of you, the readers of Older Mommy Still Yummy for making this past blogging year so much fun for us! Whether you glance through an article or read every word, comment or not, enter a contest or drop by for a recipe; we are so thankful you have taken the time from your busy day to visit with us and our blog. Honestly, it means so much and gives us such enjoyment. We are taking a few days away from blogging to recharge our batteries and spend … [Read more...]
A Homemade Hot Chocolate Tradition
For many of us, Christmas is a blend of past and present experiences. The sights, sounds, smells and memories of the season often trigger an avalanche of emotions that take you back to the Christmases of yesteryear. For some it's the aroma of those special cookies baking, you know the recipe I mean, the one that's been part of your holiday since childhood! For others, it may be the smell of freshly cut cedar or the careful unwrapping of that special ornament that has been in your family for … [Read more...]
Wishing You a Happy Victoria Day, Here's to the Queen!
Queen Victoria By Alexander Bassano - Scanned from the book The National Portrait Gallery History of the Kings and Queens of England by David Williamson, ISBN 1855142287, p. 153., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6640482 The Victoria Day weekend signals the unofficial beginning of summer in Canada. Yes, we are well aware that the season doesn't officially start for another month but for we northerners, when the weather becomes warm enough to haul out the … [Read more...]
Happy Saint Patrick's Day
Ireland ~ Photo credit: autumnal fires via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND "May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead." Anonymous ~ Irish toast Saint Patrick's Day is the one day of the year everyone either is or wants to be, Irish. And why not! I mean really, it looks like so much fun. Who doesn't want to spend time with friends telling Irish stories, singing Irish songs and raising a glass or two to..well.. you decide. Whether it's the religious … [Read more...]
35 Amazing Christmas Treats You Will Love to Make
One of my favourite activities during the Christmas holidays is baking. Back when I was first married, my mom and I started a tradition of getting together for a day long baking session. At the end of the day we each had tins full of cookies, squares and other holiday treats! Early in the morning, I would put on a big pot of coffee and apple cider, haul out some baking supplies, clear counter space and pop in some Christmas tunes. My mom would arrive at my house early in the morning with … [Read more...]


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NEW YORK, Jan 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said pharmaceutical companies are "getting away with murder" in the prices that they charge the government for medicines, and promised that would change.
Trump has made few public comments about drug pricing since he was elected but his campaign platform had included allowing the Medicare healthcare program to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, which the law currently prohibits.
The comments knocked down shares of biotech and pharmaceutical makers by about 2 percent.
"We are going to start bidding. We are going to save billions of dollars over time," Trump said. (Reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)


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I'm totally addicted to reading. So in 2016, I'm going to definitely UP my recommended reading posts (aren't you oh.so.excited?? lol). Please feel free to share your favorite books and why.
I've said this before, I'm a HUGE fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson, so I thought I'd share his reading list. It is slightly flawed – absolutely NO diversity, but at least they're all free. 🙂
- The Bible (public library; free ebook), to learn that it's easier to be told by others what to think and believe than it is to think for yourself
- The System of the World (public library; free ebook) by Isaac Newton, to learn that the universe is a knowable place
- On the Origin of Species (public library; free ebook) by Charles Darwin, to learn of our kinship with all other life on Earth
- Gulliver's Travels (public library; free ebook) by Jonathan Swift, to learn, among other satirical lessons, that most of the time humans are Yahoos
- The Age of Reason (public library; free ebook) by Thomas Paine, to learn how the power of rational thought is the primary source of freedom in the world
- The Wealth of Nations (public library; free ebook) by Adam Smith, to learn that capitalism is an economy of greed, a force of nature unto itself
- The Art of War (public library; free ebook) by Sun Tzu, to learn that the act of killing fellow humans can be raised to an art
- The Prince (public library; free ebook) by Machiavelli, to learn that people not in power will do all they can to acquire it, and people in power will do all they can to keep it


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Some Thoughts for the Weekend
You might have expected another photo from my travels into the Baltics. I am sorry, but I have to disappoint you for now (There are still a few to come later).
I am afraid but this post is going to get a bit unusual. Don't worry, nothing geeky or rude, or crazy. Just – unusual.
You see, I am on vacations – for two and a half weeks. Today the first half of these long awaited vacations is over. Besides this the month of July is coming to an end. Both of this makes me stop my usual blogging routine of putting photos up to Flickr and presenting them here on my blog. I sit back and think about time – how fast it goes by, and, most of all, how I used the time.
You must know that I am often thinking that I don't use the time efficiently, that I could have done more with the time given to me each day. So I decided to write a journal for each of my vacation days. I did a bit of a review today. I did not ask the journal how many activities I managed to put into the free time, but what kind of activities. And I must say, I am rather satisfied with myself:
- I helped a friend of mine to get into the internet, and she's happy with it.
- I managed to select the proper birthday present for her.
- I managed to clean one of my balconies, something I had been planning for months.
- I enjoyed the warm weather having lunch outside in the restaurant round the corner – felt the pleasant air and the soft summer wind on my skin and in my hair.
- I kept on discovering Squidoo and I am still full of the motivation to learn more about it.
And – most of all – I am enjoying the freedom to do or not do so something!
What is your feeling about time and how you use it?
The Beauty of Water
I must admit: I love water – be it the waves of the sea rolling in, a majestic river, a lake or a small pond like this one. I can look at water for a long time, and it makes me feel alive and makes me quiet at the same time.
And I love the different shades of blue water: the greenish-blue of lakes surrounded by mountains or by trees; the silvery blue of the sea. I love the beautiy of water.
A Cathedral in Ruins – Tartu, Estonia
The last part of my travel to the Baltic countries led into Estonia. The first Estonian city we visited was Tartu, a city known for its academic tradition. The University Academia Gustaviana was founded in 1632 and is one of the oldest in Northwestern Europe.
The University still forms the character of the city – you can see a lot of young people sitting in the various cafés and restaurants, or simply on the lawns around the cathedral hill.
The photo above was taken on the cathedral hill which is dominated by the ruins of a 13th century cathedral. It may sound strange, but walking in a cathedral where the roof is lacking gives one a special feeling of the greatness of those old buildings and it makes one feel quite humble…
Taking Photos – a Means to re-live your Travels
At the moment I am writing this blog post I have uploaded another bunch of photos to my Flickr account. I am using Vista now, and its image gallery program (or is it called photo gallery in English – I've only got the German name for it), is showing me the date when the picture was taken. On my left side beneath my laptop I've got my diary open – I had sometimes forced myself to write down each day where I had gone to and what we had visited.
And so, by looking at my diary and looking at the photos on my computer and preparing them for Flickr, I re-live the week I had been away to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Three countries in one week – that's pretty much to take in. I am so glad that I had bought a bigger memory card for my camera. So I could take pictures without selecting while being away. I do the selecting now – and it's part of the process of re-living the one week of travel.
Art Nouveau House in Riga
Riga, the capital of Latvia, is famous for its Art Nouveau houses. Art Nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art, that had its peak at the turn of the 20th century. There is a very informative article about it on Wikipedia.
However reading about it and looking at it are different things. I walked from one house in Riga to the next one, taking in the beauty and trying to capture it with my camera. Latvia is a very poor country, and it is astonishing how many houses they have restored up to now (many of them are still in a sorry state, though).
Rundale Palace
Rundale Palace is one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Latvia. We had a guided tour through the different rooms of the palace – the white dance hall, the galleries, the small cabinets with Chinese and Japanese porcelain collections. Although Latvia is a poor country it managed to reconstruct most of the palace which was put in ruins during World War II.
Rundale Palace has a big park attached to it. It is a typical baroque park with strict geometric forms. I sat down on one of the benches, bathing my eyes in the green colour of the lawn and the trees. For one short instance I thought I could see one of those 18th century princes and princesses clad in beautiful clothes walking by.
But this moment went by and I found myself in the present again…
A Forum I like to go to
I have quite some experiences with Online Forums (Fora?). You ask a question, and then you're told to
- either read the f* manual
- go through the forum's history in order to get a question to your answer (which would take you days, because there's no SEARCH function and you have to read hundreds of posts).
Or, if you are lucky, your question is answered, but in such a way that you simply cannot understand it. You and the person who wrote the answer seem to live in two different worlds. Meh!
So I am rather cautious with forums. But there is one which is very helpful and informative: it is the forum (actually there are more than one) put up by Barbara Ling over at:
They focus on Internet Marketing, but you can also participate in such entertaining channels as "Personal Ramblings" or an "Off topic channel".
The Forum I very much like to visit is "Squidoo Marketing". In the beginning of June I produced my first Squidoo lens, introduced it in the Forum, asking for comments and hints. The feedback I got there was very helpful and encouraging. I am working on my second lens now. It is not yet in a state to be introduced to the public, but I hope that next weekend I will have produced something which I can show to the people in the forum.
So I can only recommend the Virtual Coach forums – come and have a look!


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FIFTY years ago this month, more than a thousand predominantly young, predominantly white volunteers arrived in Mississippi to help local blacks register to vote. "Freedom Summer" is remembered as both a high point of interracial democratic activism and a low point in racial violence, most notably in the brutal murder of three civil rights workers, two of whom were white.
Yet Freedom Summer was also a historical hinge point — a pivotal moment that helped fracture the civil rights movement's tenuous unity and spur black political radicalism. In many ways the divisions that manifested themselves in 1964 are still with us today, and any attempt to build new interracial coalitions will have to first wrestle with their legacy.
White veterans of Freedom Summer recall the time as a life-changing event in their personal involvement in the movement, the apotheosis of their vision for biracial, harmonious activism. And the experience did inspire many students to stay in the state afterward and work for groups like the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (also known as the S.N.C.C.). Others, most notably the free-speech activist and Berkeley student Mario Savio, took lessons learned that summer back to their own campuses, seeding the fledgling student movements that would grow to a revolutionary fervor by the end of the decade.
But many black activists saw things quite differently. Not that they didn't appreciate the voter-registration work being done. But whereas whites tended to see that as an end in itself, a strike against the white power structure in Mississippi, blacks tended to see activism in Mississippi as a means toward a larger goal of confronting racism on a national scale — a path that would take them from the Delta to the Democratic National Convention, held that summer in Atlantic City.
The vehicle for reaching that goal was the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, an independently organized project led by the sharecropper turned activist Fannie Lou Hamer. With the newly registered black voters as its base, the party planned to challenge the "regular," all-white Democratic state delegation at the convention, and dare the national party — and President Lyndon B. Johnson — to deny them.
One of the key figures behind the party was Stokely Carmichael (who later changed his name to Kwame Ture). As part of Freedom Summer, he led interracial groups of student volunteers from Greenwood, Miss., which served as a base for the S.N.C.C.'s sprawling efforts throughout the Delta, one of America's poorest and most racially segregated regions. But he also spent parts of the summer organizing the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a tedious process made even more difficult by harassment, cross burnings and the constant threat of violent reprisals.
That summer shaped Carmichael, long before he became a household name and a synonym for black radicalism. In 1964, at just 23 years old, he had set himself up as an ambassador of sorts, hosting the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., coordinating with veteran local activists and recruiting the most promising white volunteers to continue on after the summer.
But Freedom Summer ultimately broke Carmichael's heart. Yes, voters were registered by the thousands. But as many white volunteers headed home, their spirits lifted by the experience, Carmichael, Hamer and the rest headed to New Jersey, to see if all that work would pay off.
It didn't. Thanks to the personal intervention of President Johnson — through the Minnesota senator Hubert H. Humphrey, a close ally of the civil rights movement — the convention leadership thwarted the Mississippi Democratic Freedom Party's demands. The discussion between black activists and their liberal allies devolved into a screaming match over a proposed compromise to give the activists two at-large convention seats — which they rejected.
The behavior of the S.N.C.C.'s white liberal allies at the convention helped to sour the black activists' support for interracial political alliances. White liberals interpreted the rejected offer as the sort of necessary, if unpleasant, compromise that formed the bedrock of democratic politics. Blacks, most potently Carmichael, viewed the proceedings as an enormous betrayal of the very ideal — one person, one vote — that they had gambled their lives on in Mississippi.
The black radical politics of the 1960s and subsequent decades had roots long before 1964. But it was amplified by the events of that summer, precisely at the moment when a new generation of young activists and intellectuals like Carmichael were coming into their own, and those events sent them in a direction far beyond the nonviolent political vision outlined by King a year earlier during the March on Washington.
Instead of biracial politics as an end in itself, power, through local political organizing outside of either major political party, would be Carmichael's mantra over the next two years. It was in Mississippi in 1966 that he unleashed his controversial call for "black power."
The emergence of black radicalism in the late 1960s, and the rift in the biracial coalition, is often interpreted as a product of the movement's shift from the Jim Crow South to the urban North. But the experience in Mississippi and Atlantic City demonstrates how much more complicated the story really is.
It also captures one of the difficulties in forming and maintaining biracial coalitions, as true today as it was 50 years ago: White and black activists will often see the same situation very differently.
But above all, that experience shows why the white version of Freedom Summer — local and minority politics mediated through major political parties — was inadequate. Instead, the grass roots had to accumulate its own power, which 50 years later remains Freedom Summer's most enduring legacy.