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American Association Adopts Extra Inning Tie-Break Rule For 2015ST. PAUL, MN October 14, 2014
ST. PAUL, MN (October 14, 2014) – The St. Paul Saints made history in 2014 becoming the first team to win an extra inning game played under new rules adopted by the Can-Am League when the team traveled east for 10 days. The extra inning rule, which puts a runner at second base to start the inning once a game reaches the 11th, will be adopted by the American Association in 2015.
Starting in the 11th inning, the player in the batting order immediately preceding that inning's leadoff hitter will be placed on second base. The inning will otherwise proceed as usual, with each team getting a turn at bat.
Should the player starting the inning on second base eventually score, it will count in the statistics as a run for the player and an RBI for the batter who drove him in (if applicable), but will not count towards the pitcher's earned-run average.
American Association commissioner Miles Wolff commented, "This rule was very well-received in the Can-Am League last year, and we're looking forward to using this innovation in the American Association."
Similar rules are also in effect for most international competitions, including during the World Baseball Classic and the IBAF World Championships.
The Saints and Quebec Capitales were the first teams to partake in the international tiebreaking rule on June 2. With the game tied at five in the 11th Angelo Songco started at second. The Saints elected to bunt with Carlos Escobar, who reached on a single. Joey Becker gave the Saints a 6-5 lead with an RBI double and Devin Thaut followed with a three-run homer to make it 9-5.
The Capitales, trailing by four, did not bunt with the runner at second, received a one walk to Matt Helms and with two outs Mike Provencher doubled home a pair to make it 9-7. Dan Sattler struck out Jonathan Malo to end the game giving the Saints the historic victory.


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Multivariable Mathematics II (Honors)
Inverse function theorem and manifolds, integration in several variables, the change of variables theorem. Differential forms, line integrals, surface integrals, and Stokes's Theorem; applications to physics. Eigenvalues, eigenvectors, spectral theorem, and applications.
Credit Hours:
MATH 3500 or MATH3500H and permission of Honors
Duplicate Credit:
Not open to students with credit in MATH 2270 or MATH 2500 or MATH 3510
Course Type:

subset: commoncrawl


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Healer and author, Dr. Saul Shaye performs healing in person and via long-distance for professional athletes--he has worked on over 70 professional football players and coaches, as well as Major League Baseball players. Dr. Shaye also works with interested individuals as well as their pets.
America 's Healer Dr. Saul Shaye is an all-together uniquely gifted individual. He has lectured over 500 times in the USA and in 7 foreign countries. He has treated thousands worldwide in addition to numerous pro-athletes, their coaches, and families. There are hundreds of healing miracles documented to date as a result of Dr. Shaye's healing gift, and he always gives the glory to God. Half of the healings Dr. Shaye has performed has been over the phone, as distance doesn't matter. He has done long-distance healing sessions as far away as Thailand.
After surviving a near fatal motorcycle accident at age 20, Dr. Saul Shaye's life took an abrupt turn. He left his home in Brooklyn , New York , and moved to Monroe , Louisiana , where he earned his undergraduate degree and worked on his Masters in vertebrate zoology at Northeast Louisiana University.
In 1973, while Dr. Shaye was working on his doctorate in chiropractic in Iowa , he attended a workshop on psychic diagnosis, intent on disproving the technique. After attending the workshop, Dr. Shaye found to his surprise that he, too, could read and diagnose by sensing energy fields. This led him to read the Edgar Cayce Book, "There Is A River," at which time he became convinced of the existence of spirit. Spiritual matters then became the most important part of his life and his knowledge of reading energy fields has grown with the years. In 1980, through dreams and inner guidance, he discovered that he was a conduit for Spirit to work through, sending healing without physical contact. He has learned from spiritual sensitives that he is channeling a form of spiritual energy which is seen by some psychics as a golden light flowing from his hands and surrounding the patient's body during diagnosis and treatment. The energy affects the etheric body, which transforms and heals the physical body. He has been able to send healing to help people and animals with a host of different symptoms and ailments.
Dreams have also played a major part in the unfolding of Dr. Shaye's spiritual abilities. He has recorded over 16,000 of his dreams since 1975. Dreams have shown him how to manipulate energy fields in several different ways, with each new step appearing when he was ready to receive it.
Dr. Saul Shaye has written articles on healing, health, and dreams and has been an avid sports participant in track, weight lifting, body building and karate. He is a popular keynote speaker. Beginning in January 2015, Dr. Shaye will be once again accepting speaking engagements and doing private healing sessions at New Thought churches (he has spoken at 300 different New Thought churches since 1990) and other interested organizations and churches.
Over 45,000 paper copies of Dr. Shaye's "The Little Book of Miracles" have been distributed worldwide.
Cover Art by Elan Sunstar Hawaii


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Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters Queenstown specialise in many areas of commercial and industrial helicopter work. Our pilots all have extensive experience in the following areas.
- Lifting – Longlining, Cargo nets, Mountain bikes racks, Heliski pods,
- Coastal & Alpine Heli transportation – personnel, supplies, equipment.
- Agriculture – Frost protection, Drying Orchard Fruit, Mustering
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- Search & Rescue – Alpine Rescue & Recovery, Medical transfers.
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- Powerline Surveys
Coupled with modern equipment and 1000s of hours of flying in mountainous terrain, Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters Queenstown have got your commerical needs covered.
Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters were previously part of the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust which provides search and rescue and air ambulance services within the Southern region.


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As if lured by the Greek sirens, he entered the innermost chamber, the pistil of the rose. There it was again, the enigmatic notes echoed far off into the distance. In front of him, a light shone upon a grand piano, a memento of the opera singer's former glory. He carefully approached the pedestal, the grease and oil indicative of mechanical parts oozed from its crevices. With the deafening sound, the vestige sprang to life as if it had received the signal it had been waiting for all these years. The music hits its crescendo in full stride. As if to pay homage to Aquarela do Brasil, the camera falls back to reveal green pastures and rose-tinted bushes replacing the scrap metal present only a moment ago. A voice can be heard, "I love you, Carlos!" Thus, he was doomed.
Although I was completely unaware of it, I had just been exposed to Satoshi Kon for the first time. Magnetic Rose is a brilliant short film directed by 4°c founder Koji Morimoto (consequently another first exposure) as part of Katsuhiro Otomo's Memories anthology. Kon, an aspiring manga artist turned animator, wrote the screenplay. At the time, I was about as much a fan of anime as a clueless casual who resolved to watch random things when curiosity struck. Little did I know of writers or even directors for that matter. Eventually, I learned of the name Satoshi Kon. It was later still, when I began to actually pay attention to his work, that I realized this was the man responsible for some of my favorite titles. By then, however, his time had already been drawing to a close. "Well shit," I thought as I happened upon the ANN article dated August 24th 2010 (then only a month old). Since that day, a number of internet denizens have written their own little tributes and eulogies reflecting upon Satoshi Kon's life and works. As if anything more needs to be said about the guy, here's one more for the record books. My personal late-as-hell tribute and salute to Satoshi Kon.
Before his rise to prominence, Satoshi Kon was most likely a nerd. At the very least, he was an anime and manga enthusiast. Back then, you either tuned into MBS and watched family oriented shows such as Chie the Brat. Or you were cool and edgy enough to switch to YTV and catch the latest Space Battleship Yamato. Satoshi Kon was cool and edgy.
He began pursuing a career as a manga artist after drawing inspiration from Katsuhiro Otomo's Domu, a short but visually stunning science fiction manga that served as the precursor to Akira. Otomo's visual aesthetic became a huge influence on Kon's own art style which carried over as both of them made the transition to animation. The two would eventually form a lasting partnership throughout the 90s beginning with Roujin Z. Hiroyuki Kitakubo directs the 1991 straight-to-video feature. Otomo pens the script while Kon himself was in charge of art design. Satoshi Kon continued serving as scriptwriter on such projects as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (1993) and Memories (1995), the latter of which saw him reunite once again with Otomo. For many years, he honed his skills in preparation for his directing career.
When asked in an interview how he came to be an anime director, Satoshi Kon replied that he simply wanted to "have a go" at it. For most of the 90s, Kon had worked primarily with design, scripts, or animation, but never all three at the same time. He finally got his chance in 1997 when he signed on to direct Perfect Blue. Thus began his illustrious career with Studio Madhouse spanning 12 years. During this time, he directed four animated movies and one television show. He had won numerous awards and honors both in Japan and internationally. Millennium Actress was even considered for an Oscar nomination, but was passed over in favor of children-oriented features (Finding Nemo would eventually win Best Animated Feature that year). He was slated to direct his fifth film when tragedy struck in the form of pancreatic cancer. He died before finishing The Dream Machine, his career having been cut short by at least two decades.
Looking back on these 12 amazing years, it's difficult to do them justice. Satoshi Kon's works are widely regarded to be a form of high brow entertainment, often times tinted with bits of humor, surrealism, or romantic irony. But what makes his movies unique? What exactly did he bring to the table?
A recurrent and highly recognizable theme in Satoshi Kon's works is, of course, the dream. I've always been fascinated by dreams. On-screen, dreams are a simple yet effective way to communicate a number of details. Granted, the dream sequence is nothing new. On the contrary, dreams and flashbacks have become so well endowed in modern cinema and television that it has more or less become par for the course for most directors. When done well, a dream sequence becomes a powerful tool. Satoshi Kon's masterful handling of the dream sequence was exactly what drew many of us into his movies and kept us captivated throughout. When done poorly, the results are rather uninspiring. Externalizing internal conflict becomes easy when all one needs to do is utilize the ever-reliable dream sequence. The issue arises when these sequences become predictable and formulaic, as they often are. Character falls asleep, que the music, wavy lines or some other indication as the screen shifts to off-color tone, the story moves along until the sequence has served it's purpose, character wakes up. Now admittedly, it works. Some of my favorite movies have utilized this pattern to great success (e.g. Oldboy). But at the end of the day, it's still a pattern which runs the risk of becoming overused.
Satoshi Kon breaks this mold by melding three separate worlds into one: the conscious, the subconscious, and the hyperconscious. In Perfect Blue, Mima leaves her pop-idol group to pursue a career as an actor. Not long after, she becomes tormented by a mysterious figure resembling her past persona. As she pushes forward with her career, the lines between real and unreal begin to blur to the point that the two are indistinguishable. What follows is pure confusion. A TV producer is murdered. Jump cut to a scene within a scene where Mima's character enacts a murder on-set. Yet another cut, this time Mima murders someone in what appears to be the real world. Cut to her waking up in bed. We think it was a nightmare, a reenactment of her TV role. This is not a dream where we merely gaze inward as spectators. Like Mima, we are desperately trying to figure out what's happening. Why is it that after she wakes up, she finds blood-stained clothes in the closet? These cuts become more frequent as the film reaches its climax, but never once does the narrative pause to wait. We are dreaming in a hyperconscious state of mind. No fade cuts or toned indications that we've entered the dream world. Under Satoshi Kon, the real, the dream, and the fantastical all come together as one. The heroine is never allowed a moment's sanctuary from the chaos and neither are we. The final montage leading up to the film's conclusion is a scene for the ages.
I had always imagined Perfect Blue taking viewers by storm when it first came out more than a decade ago. People would go into the theater uncertain of what to expect and leave just plain uncertain of everything. Here was a film which marked the debut of some young director whom no one knew anything about. While Magnetic Rose was an abstruse and mysterious, almost calm hallucination of sorts, Perfect Blue set the stage beautifully before plunging the viewer into pulse-pounding psycho-thriller pandemonium for the better half of 80 minutes. There really was no telling what would happen.
Some critics have likened Kon's style to that of Alfred Hitchcock. I'm not quite sold on that, although the similarities are certainly present. The famous British and later Hollywood director, responsible for numerous classics such as Rebecca, Psycho, and North by Northwest, began challenging the boundaries of film and cinematography as far back as the silent era. A master of suspense, Hitchcock's movies from half-a-century ago are very cerebral in nature. In thrillers such as Vertigo and Spellbound, the viewer's perception of the narrative plays a huge role in driving its suspense (much like in Perfect Blue). In particular, Spellbound had a dream sequence designed by Spanish wide-eyed nutcase Salvador Dali.
Until recently, however, I've always thought of Hitchcock as a misogynistic bastard (in a good way). Even after film noir popularized the femme fatale, women in Hitchcock's world were always secondary to men. If the heroine caused the hero any pain or trouble, it was always out of some dutiful or pure gesture. Heroines are often times unaware of the hero's plight and rarely do they act on their own accord or have their own agendas. Much of this was by way of popular sentiment at the time. Just like how Satoshi Kon's emphasis on the female performer is reflective of contemporary Japanese culture. But unlike the profile king, Satoshi Kon would often times interweave small criticisms addressing the social issues presented in his stories. It almost seemed as if Kon was able to take more liberties given the nature of his films, whereas Hitchcock was constantly hounded by producers and censors to "give audiences what they want." Spoiler alert! The hero in Rebecca gets the girl even though he's a supposed murderer. The hero in Suspicion gets the girl, partly because he's Cary Grant, and partly due to a last second ass-pull that sees the car make a sudden U-turn instead of going straight like it was supposed to. And don't get me started on Foreign Correspondent. The heroine is less than ten minutes on-screen before the hero proclaims his love and the two begin to kiss! The movie is two hours long and you couldn't find time for a little character development? Alas, 'tis the power of suave 1940's American news reporters, empowering a nation on the brink of world war.
Otaku extraordinaire Susan Napier writes that Satoshi Kon and Alfred Hitchcock are similar not because they both create thrillers, but because they both share a "fascination with notions of spectatorship, perception, and the 'dynamics of identification and identity,' usually mediated through an overt use of the gaze and how these notions revolve around the complex positioning of women in their films." I guess you have to be a film aficionado to notice these things.
On the other hand, you don't have to be a film expert to notice the presence of another figure whose style of storytelling permeates much of Satoshi Kon's movies: Terry Gilliam. Unlike Hitchcock, Gilliam is Kon's contemporary. Perhaps most widely known as the Yank in Monty Python, he pursued a career directing movies after the troupe disbanded in the late 70s. He is also one of the few people I can safely say I liked better as a live action filmmaker than as an animator. Though the two never worked together, they both shared the same interests and were fans of each other's works. Kon has cited Gilliam, in particular the Trilogy of Imagination, as one of his most important influences. On the other side, Gilliam has listed both Perfect Blue and Paprika in his top 50 animated films of all time.
"I really want to encourage a kind of fantasy, a kind of magic. I love the term magic realism, whoever invented it. I do actually like it because it says certain things. It's about expanding how you see the world. I think we live in an age where we're just hammered, hammered to think this is what the world is. Television's saying, everything's saying 'That's the world.' And it's not the world. The world is a million possible things."
— Terry Gilliam, March 2003
Terry Gilliam and Satoshi Kon were both harbingers of "magic realism." In Kon's own words, "a feeling of starting from the realistic, with which fantasy is then mixed, and finally finishing with pure fantasy." The Trilogy of Imagination is Gilliam's first thematic film trilogy (discounting Monty Python of course). It is composed of Time Bandits (1981), Brazil (1985), and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). In all three of these movies, the imagination is allowed to run wild. Brazil is particularly fascinating as it is, in essence, a satirical portrayal of Orwellian society. The unidentified dystopian city, while not as visually striking as Bladerunner's, still manages to impress with its sci-fi noir aesthetic reminiscent of Fritz Lang's Metropolis and later Dark City as well. Our protagonist Sam Lowry's impassioned dreams of flight and fantasy are often times substituted in favor of the dull, dreary, and later dangerous occurrences in the "real world." Once again, the lines between real and unreal begin to blur.
We see bits and pieces of this in Satoshi Kon's debut film Perfect Blue, but if you ask me, it was Millennium Actress that really bridged the pipes as Harry Tuttle might say. Meant in part to be a look back on Japanese history and the golden age of film, Kon infuses reality and fiction once again as the film recounts the life of actor Chiyoko Fujiwara. Told as a "story-within-a-story," the film takes us all the way back to the 1930s to recount a story spanning more than half a century's worth of time. Chiyoko's flashbacks are often presented as scenes from within her films. One scene she may be a Sengoku-period princess, the next she is a World War II survivor. These scenes serve to embody her real life as she chases her lost love through the years. In keeping with the style of magic realism, Satoshi Kon conceives an ending that is pure imagination, keeping the dream going for Chiyoko and us viewers as well. The same style even carries over to Tokyo Godfathers, when during its ending sequence, the Tokyo backdrop seemingly comes to life.
Then there was Paranoia Agent.
If Konesque were a word, its definition would be Paranoia Agent. Satoshi Kon's brief foray into television began after cuts and rewrites left him with an abundance of unused material from his previous movies. Following Tokyo Godfathers, either Studio Madhouse or Kon himself decided to put said material to good use. This resulted in a wide juxtaposition of ideas inspired by all of his works up until that point.
Paranoia Agent is a little bit of everything. At times, it resembles Perfect Blue in its horrific and sinister portrayal of fear. Like Millennium Actress, its narrative is fragmented almost as if the characters are merely components in something greater. Similar to how Chiyoko is characterized by her roles in different films, the "city" in Paranoia Agent is shaped by each of its inhabitants. It's almost as if each individual character takes a back seat to the entity known as society. Through it all, the series is not without its fair share of humor and heart-warm. The "suicide family" for instance seems to have been lifted straight from the characters Gin, Hana, and Miyuki from Tokyo Godfathers. Amidst all the intrigue, mystery, and suspense, Paranoia Agent manages to be funny, almost pythonesque in a way. Much of the humor is dark, as expected from a man who has blogged about Flying Circus. You could replace the character who takes the Maromi-chan anime tape from the incompetent delivery man with John Cleese and the entire episode would have instantly turned into a Monty Python sketch. Also, as a method of social commentary, Kon employs the use of satire extremely well. Corporatism, consumerism, and the mass media all appear on the chopping block.
Gilliam themes are certainly present, in particular that of escapism. Described as the "ages of man," Gilliam's Trilogy of Imagination depicts the desire to escape an ordered society from various age perspectives. Time Bandits depicts this struggle as as it pertains to children. Brazil depicts the very same struggle as it pertains to a middle-aged salary-man. Baron Munchausen depicts the same struggle yet again through the eyes of an elderly gentlemen. Whether it is the ace middle-school kid, the teenage character designer, the middle-aged detective, or the crazy geezer, all the characters of Paranoia Agent share the same desire to "escape." Satoshi Kon designed the character "Shonen Bat" specifically for this purpose. Literally, an agent acting as society's crutch for escapism.
If there is one baseless claim I want to make about Satoshi Kon, it's that he was a happy man. His movies may have been though-provoking, self-reflective, and self-critical, but at the end of the day, they always ended happily. At the very least, they were hopeful. This is one aspect that I'm thankful he didn't copy from Gilliam. In a way, I think Brazil parallels Magnetic Rose by posing the bleak "what if?" As Sam Lowry resolves to escape Gilliam's dystopian world mentally, he succumbs to Eva's song. But Sam was not given a choice, unlike Heintz. In the end, Heintz accepts, by his own accord, the hand fate had dealt him. He dies with a smile on his face. I want to believe that Satoshi Kon felt the same way.
Japan did not lose just another prolific director that day, it lost one of anime's finest proprietors. A man who knew his audience, but wasn't afraid to test them. A proud flag bearer for animation and its many capabilities. While still hospitalized, Satoshi Kon expressed concern over the unfinished state of The Dream Machine. Muyumara-san, president of Madhouse, assured Kon that they would continue the project no matter what, to which he broke into tears. Since then, financial troubles have halted production, which show no signs of resuming anytime soon.
As we wait and hope, I'm reminded of a similar situation Terry Gilliam faced when Heath Ledger's untimely death brought a halt to Parnassus. It seemed for a while that, like so many projects before it, the work, sweat, and blood poured would all be for naught. Thankfully, this was not the case as the efforts of actors, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell combined to fill in for the late actor. The product was meant less for profit than as a dedication to Ledger. A final tribute and gift to a fellow actor, visionary, and friend.
In Satoshi Kon's final film Paprika, the middle-aged salary-man, whom we've come to know so well across all of his works, realizes in the end that it's okay to delve into the world of dreams and fantasy once in a while.
Perhaps it is there that one more happy ending is not out of reach.


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Lake Chapala Restaurant Guide
From his start in 1980 as a busboy, to attaining his objective of opening his personal restaurant in 2000, Steven has considered himself enormously lucky to be able to turn his talent & craft into a successful work life. We anticipate to hear complaints about this ranking, not just due to the fact any list of this sort is subjective to a degree, no matter how a lot of authorities weigh in, but also simply because we have not integrated any of the doubtless excellent restaurants in, say, Providence, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, the Twin Cities, Santa Fe, Phoenix, San Diego — or any of the hundreds of smaller sized towns across the U.S. where very good cooking is practiced and skillfully run dining rooms are pleasing devoted clienteles.
If you already have a good thought of exactly where you'd like to visit, list out the locations you'd like to see, then you can perform on mapping out how to get there and how a lot of days you can price range into each place. Excellent job providing us lots of information on the hot chocolates to go. It just turned warm here and this genuinely tends to make me want hot chocolate I want to go in my pajamas so I pick a good drive-thru. For a much more classic brunch, La Luna's provides an incredible spread of something you can envision.
Come to NYC and appreciate it like locals 🙂 Thanks for reading my hub and I'm glad that you liked it. The snowy scene in the 1st 1 is from my backyard final winter and it reminds me that winter and all the excellent things that come with it, is on its way. As we explain on our 'Eating out' page (link under), you can expect to consume a very good 2-three course meal with wine for about €30 per person.
We're excited about our 2016 list of America's greatest restaurants (you can view the complete list on the next page if you'd prefer not to commit time with our slideshow). Though hours of operation may possibly vary by place, most Portillo's restaurants open for service at ten:30 a.m. I located this immensely useful when I worked in retail. Rick Bayless' Mexican haven, including Xoco on the corner, is a Chicago institution spawning spinoffs about the globe of south of the border fare from street food to high end. Head to this enormous complex in Chinatown square for perhaps the ideal dim sum in Chicago.
An eye-catching small restaurant in Campo San Barnaba, in Dorsoduro, Oniga has a cosy interior (complete with ageing pet dog) and some outdoors tables. This cult favourite British-inspired gastropub has a considerably far better beer choice and the fish and chips are almost as great as across the pond, and the burger is simply one particular of the very best in Chicago. That cheesesteak wasn't just the ideal issue I ate last week it was nearly as great as the ones I utilized to make.


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1. Doodle. Zentangles can be a fun and relaxing way to keep those creative muscles active, while still allowing yourself a vacation from your usual work routine. Doodling is also a great on-the-go activity for those long plane or car rides!
2. Hunt for Inspiration! Inspiration abounds EVERYWHERE! Stay attuned to the art and events around you--maybe you'll come across an idea for your newest work!
3. Drawing Games If you are part of a game-playing family (as I am), you might play games that include an art-making component (such as Cranium, Pictionary, Scrutineyes).
4. Thinking Putty I recently came across "Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty," which is a great way to keep your hands and creative mind busy while traveling!
6. Paint on-the-go! Sakura makes a fantastic travel-size watercolor set with a self-watering paintbrush. I love using mine as a way to continue my painting practice while on vacation!


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Sparkling dispatches about Parisian culture and history from an Australian biographer and film critic who is a longtime City of Light resident.
"All Paris stories are to some extent stories of love," writes Baxter (A Pound of Paper, 2003, etc.), who combines chapters featuring the city's golden modern age (the 1920s and '30s) with material about his permanent move to Paris in 1990 with wife-to-be Marie-Dominique. Twenty-seven brief chapters chart his diverse, erratic interests and the progression of his deepening love affair with the city. In the '60s, "French" meant "sexy" to the youthful author, as he recalls in "Why Paris?" By 1969, he had sailed for Europe, turning his back on the modest Australian success of his film After Proust because, he jokes, "I just couldn't bear listening one more time to someone pronounce 'Proust' as 'Prowst.' " Living in France, he learned how to drink and eat, or at least how to order in style ("The Food of Love"). But sex occupies more of the text than cuisine, beginning with "The Market in Meat," which notes that brothels and the gratification of curious fetishes became an important attraction of Paris during the modern era, then lists some of the more infamous clubs that catered to "special tastes." French voyeurism is the subject of "The Sexual Restaurant," and "Sacred Monsters" provides a loose-rolling overview of the sexual revolution sparked by the 1959 publication of the erotic paperback Emmanuelle. Baxter's acquaintance with an American expatriate writer he calls Hugo ("The Man Who Knew") allowed him access to thrilling archives and personalities that unlocked the city of vice. Meanwhile, Marie-Do got pregnant and gave birth; the couple acquired a family dwelling in the provinces; and the author could finally call his adoptive country home.
Captivated readers will hope that Baxter's "long conversation" with Paris, still going strong after 14 years, never ends.


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Jacob Zuma is not your average African leader
Jacob Zuma has suffered criticisms over the years as South Africa's economic woes worsen. But the president will not push his luck when his second term ends in 2019.
The 73-year-old said South Africa shouldn't change its constitution to enable a sitting president to stand for a third term in office.
"We are very clear about the two terms," he told Bloomberg in an interview at his residence in Pretoria. "The issue does not arise at all. I think it is very healthy for us here in South Africa that we don't stay forever."
Zuma's statement may sound strange to some, as history shows that an average African leader stays in power for as long as possible. Zuma's fellow Southern African, Robert Mugabe has been president of Zimbabwe since 1987. Last year, it took violent protests to force Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore out of office as he attempted to change the nation's constitution to allow him to extend his 27-year rule. Others have been more subtle, following a democratic process to extend their rule.
The Republic of Congo voted this month to change its constitution, allowing President Denis Sassou-Nguesso to run for a third successive term in a referendum disputed by opposition parties. Rwanda is also planning a referendum on whether to change its law to allow Paul Kagame to contest elections again.
But Zuma said: "To change the constitution, that has been a problem because once you have got a constitution and an understanding, you need to implement it. We should not, as presidents, turn against those decisions and the constitution. That's what we think is not acceptable."
The South African president explained that while the limitation on presidential terms has been widely accepted as a general idea to introduce democracy in Africa, the extension of those terms is acceptable when done through democratic processes.
"Countries move the way they want," he said. "There are countries recently that have gone to a referendum, the people have said: 'we still want this man, we think this man is still useful.' It's a democratic decision that is taken."
However, such democratic decision to extend Zuma's stay as South Africa's president is very unlikely as his party the African National Congress (ANC) is losing membership in the country.
"Membership has dropped due to negative perceptions of the party," Zuma told party delegates at a meeting near Johannesburg earlier in October.
"We must recognize that our majority has not been growing," Zuma stressed, adding that party membership had shrunk 20 percent from one million in 2012 due to the state of the economy which has led to criticism that the ANC was a "self-serving organization."
"The ANC needs to work harder to reverse the public perception that it is soft on corruption and that it is a corrupt organization," he told he party members.
South Africa holds elections for the National Assembly and provincial legislatures every five years. Municipal councils elections follow two years later. The President is elected by the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, and is usually the leader of the largest party.
The ruling African National Congress has governed South Africa since the end of white-minority rule in 1994. The party, which won 62 percent of the vote in national elections, last year, is due to elect a successor to Zuma in two years. While the South African constitution restricts the number of terms the country's president can serve, the ANC's rules have no limits for the party leader.
"We are all guided by the ANC — it is the ANC that decides what happens to us as individuals," Zuma said. "The ANC must take its time, it has its own processes wherein that matter will become clearer."
The leading candidates to take over from Zuma are the ANC's deputy leader and national deputy president, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairwoman of the African Union Commission and the president's ex-wife. Others include party chairwoman Baleka Mbete and treasurer Zweli Mkhize.


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The Law Shop is now closed. Please click here to find out more.
The Law Shop is now closed. Please click here to find out more.
Enrolling in a company pension scheme is a good way to prepare for your future, particularly if your scheme allows for your employer to contribute to it.
While each company is likely to have a different pension scheme in place, there are two main kinds of company pension which are 'salary related' or 'money purchase' schemes.
In a salary related scheme, the amount of pension that you get is based on your salary and the number of years that you worked for the company.
In a money purchase scheme, the amount of pension that you get is based on the amount of the contributions that you and your employer have made into your pension and how well this money was invested. When you want to claim your pension, the fund that you have saved is used to buy an annuity, which provides you with a lifetime income.
Before you decide to join your company pension scheme you should find out how much you will have to pay into it and the contributions that your employer will make. Most company pensions require you to make contributions to them based on a percentage of your salary. You may also be able to get extra benefits if you make additional voluntary contributions into your scheme. One of the advantages of a company pension scheme is that you pay less tax, as your employer takes your pension contributions straight from your earnings before they deduct tax. You still have to pay national insurance contributions however, as these will go toward your eligibility for a state pension.
After 1989, if you were a member of a company pension scheme, you would have been restricted on the amount that you could pay into it. From April 2006 the rules changed meaning that you can put however much money you like into any number of different pension schemes. There is also no age limit; you can start saving for your pension at any time. You can also get tax relief on all your contributions of up to 100% of your earnings as long as you stay under the annual allowance.
Any savings that you make above the annual allowance and your lifetime allowance will be taxable. Allowances will be restricted if you become unemployed and wish to continue to contribute toward your pension.
You company pension may contract you out of building up an additional state pension. You should talk to your pensions administrator to find out if this affects you. You have the option to opt out of this if you wish.
Your pension scheme administrator will be able to tell you at what age you will be able to start claiming your pension. Different pension schemes will have different rules about when you can start to claim.
If you require it, your pension scheme administrator should also be able to provide you with a pensions forecast which will detail:
Most company pension schemes will now allow you to claim your pension and continue to work at the same time.
By law your employer should offer you access to some kind of pension plan.
The majority of company pension schemes are made up of contributions made by you and your employer. Despite this you may want to increase the value of your pension to give you and your family added security or you have started saving your pension at a late age.
A way in which you can do this is by making additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) into your pension fund. The extra contributions are taken directly from your salary.
There are several advantages to making AVCs to your company pension scheme:
Since April 2006 some companies no longer offer the option of making AVCs as there are now a wider range of options for making extra contributions to your company pension fund.
The type of company pension scheme that you are in will have an effect on how your AVCs will work for you.
If you are a member of a final salary scheme, the basic amount of pension that you will get is based on your final year's salary and the number of years that you worked for your employer. In this type of scheme, the way your AVCs work can vary, they may contribute toward extra years or may go towards other benefits. You should get in contact with your pensions administrator to find out about your specific scheme.
When you decide to claim your pension, the fund that you have built up, including all your AVCs, will go towards buying an annuity which will provide you with an income for life.
If you die before you claim your pension, the majority of company pension schemes will repay your AVCs along with any interest that they have earned. You should check with your pensions administrator to find out the rules of your scheme.
A free standing AVC (FSAVC) is different from a normal AVC in that you have to arrange them and pay them into a scheme run by a financial institution, such as a bank. The advantages of FSAVCs are that if you decide to change jobs or are made redundant, you can continue to pay into the scheme when you have a new employer. FSAVCs also offer a greater range of investment options. The downside to FSAVCs is that you will have to pay larger administration costs.
The amount of pension that you receive is determined by the amount of contributions that have been made by you and your employer into your fund. It will then be based on how well the money was then invested.
Each member of a money purchase scheme has a separate pension fund. While the amount that you may receive may decrease slightly if the investment was not successful, the only way that a money purchase scheme could run out of money is through fraud of theft. The Pensions Protection Fund may be able to compensate you if this happens.
The amount that you receive from a final salary scheme is based on your salary and the number of years that you have been a member of the scheme. Every person who is a member of a final salary scheme will be paid from one pension fund.
In a final salary scheme, money may run out if the money that your company needs to pay out is more than the amount that they have invested. If this happens, the scheme is likely to have a compensation system put in place to help its members.
A pension fund cannot be put toward bailing out a company which has gone insolvent. There is a chance that your company may owe their pension scheme providers, who are likely to have 'unsecured creditor' status. There are creditors who fall below unsecured status.
With final salary pension schemes, if a company goes bankrupt, they are now classed as a debt to the company. This offers more protection to people who are members of final salary schemes, as it allows the trustees of the pension fund to chase the employer for any shortfall in the pension fund as if it were a credited debt.
If the shortfall is not returned, you will receive a smaller pension. You may be able to get compensation from The Pension Protection Fund or the Financial Assistance Scheme.
If you are a member of a final salary scheme you will be protected by The Pension Protection Fund. They will pay you compensation based on the amount that you have lost out on when your company went into administration.
If your scheme meets the PPF regulations they will provide you with a regular payment. If you reached retirement age before your company went insolvent, you will get 100% of your pension in compensation. If you are under retirement age then you will receive up to 90% of your total pension fund in compensation. This is subject to the maximum of £26,935.70 per year.
If your pension fund was affected negatively by fraud, the Fraud Compensation Fund may be able to provide you with compensation.
If you are a member of a defined benefit scheme and you have suffered a loss on your pension due to your company winding up after the January 1997 and the introduction of the PPF, you may be eligible for help from the FAS if:
If you fit these and other specifications, the FAS may be able to pay you up to 90% of your expected pension in compensation.
Trustees are in charge of making sure that your final salary scheme does not run out of money. If it looks as if this will happen, they can choose to do one of the following:
Your employer or the trustees of your pension scheme may also decide to wind up the scheme. This means that they will use the assets for its member's benefits. If the company remains in business they will have to provide some kind of pension for its employees.
Final salary company pensions are based on your salary and the number of years that you have worked for your employer and been a member of the scheme. Your final salary pension may be frozen or closed if it runs out of money.
Your company pension scheme will run out of money if the investments it made are worth less than the amount that it has to pay out now or the amount that it is going to have to pay out in the future, including all the employees' contributions so far.
The trustees of your pension scheme are in charge of making sure that your pension does not run out of money. If it does run out of money, they can choose to do one of the following:
If you are member of a company scheme that has become closed to new members, it is unlikely to affect your pension.
If you are new to the company you can ask your employer if they provide access to another scheme, such as:
If your employer offers group personal pension plans or stakeholder pensions, they will not be required to make contributions towards your pension fund. If your employer offers any of these pensions, it is likely that you will receive less benefits than those who are members of the final salary scheme. You should talk to your pension administrator to find out more.
If the trustees of your pension scheme decide to freeze it, new members will not be able to join and you will no longer be able to contribute into the pension fund. You should be told of the benefits that you have already built up and given access to another company pension scheme.
Your pension could have been wound up because:
If your scheme is wound up it means it will cease to exist. You should be informed as to why the scheme is being wound up and what will happen to your money.
If you die within 5 years of claiming your pension, you are likely to be covered by a guarantee, which should pay the person you have nominated the balance of the guarantee period. Some schemes also offer, in the event of your death, to transfer your pension to your husband, wife or civil partner and give them an income for the rest of their life.
Certain schemes also offer this to couples who are not married, but this is not the norm, so if this is an option that you are interested in, you should seek financial advice about which scheme would suit your circumstances.
You should talk to your pension administrator to find out what the rules are surrounding a pension for your partner if you die. Most salary related schemes will provide about half to two thirds of your pension to your surviving partner.
In a money purchase scheme, you can request the amount of your pension fund that will be given to your surviving partner when you die. The maximum for this is two-thirds of what would have been provided for you if you claimed your pension.
The amount of pension that will be payable to a surviving partner will depend on what you agreed on when you retired if there is no guarantee in your pension scheme. When you retire you will be asked if you wish to provide a survivor's pension if you die. If you choose to provide a survivor's pension, it may affect the amount of pension you will receive. You should get in contact with your company pension administrator to find out more about rules on survivor's pensions in your scheme.
If you die before you retire, what happens to your pension fund will depend on the rules of your scheme. You should talk to your pension administrator to find out what will happen in these circumstances.
When you sign up for your company pension, you will be asked to fill in an 'expression of wish' form. This will detail who you wish any lump sums to be paid out to in the event of your death. You should make sure that you keep the form up to date in case your circumstances change.


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Dedicated to Excellence
Northwest Plastic Surgery Associates, PLLC is one of Western Montana's premier plastic and reconstructive surgery centers, specializing in all aspects of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. Stephen P. Hardy, M.D. and his experienced staff share an uncompromising commitment to the highest standard of patient care. We offer a safe, welcoming environment where all clients are completely educated about what to expect and are guaranteed confidentiality and individual attention.
We invite you to learn more about Northwest Plastic Surgery Associates. If you would like to contact our Missoula surgical center, please use the email form on this page. Dr. Hardy would be happy to meet with you during a consultation.
"It's Wonderful to Know I'm Going to Make Somebody Feel Better..."
Dr. Stephen P. Hardy is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has been serving the Missoula community for nearly 20 years. He makes patient safety and high-quality treatment his priorities. Dr. Hardy's philosophy is to treat you as he would his own family.
Meet Dr. Stephen Hardy
With over 25 years of experience and Ivy League training at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Hardy is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has a national reputation for excellence. The winner of numerous awards for his surgical performance and clinical teaching contributions, Dr. Hardy is proud to bring his vast experience to the Rocky Mountain region. We have a convenient satellite office in Whitefish with additional satellite offices opening soon in Helena, and Bozeman.
Dr. Stephen Hardy is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, Northwest Society of Plastic Surgery, American Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association, Plastic Surgery Education Foundation, Cleft Palate Foundation, and the Montana Medical Association.
A Comprehensive RANGE OF PROCEDURES
Patients will have the confidence and comfort of knowing that their procedures are performed in a certified surgery center outfitted with rigorously tested equipment determined to be the best and most effective technology available, including the most comprehensive laser treatment center in the Western Montana region. Furthermore, we offer the most comprehensive training and array of services regionally available.
These procedures range from pediatric reconstruction, post-mastectomy or cancer reconstruction, and trauma and burn reconstruction to elective cosmetic surgery procedures such as liposuction and breast augmentation. Along with the cosmetic and reconstructive surgical options at Northwest Plastic Surgery Associates, we have a complete menu of non-invasive treatments, including individualized skin evaluation using the Visia® system, facials, and a full line of laser treatments such as laser hair removal and laser vein treatment.
We also offer a full line of mineral make-up and medical skin care products. In addition, we offer specialized skin care vitamins and medical vitamin therapy for pre- and post-surgery that help to ensure that our patients will be thrilled to share their outcome with family and friends.
"We Wanted the Patient to Feel Warm and Welcomed..."
Undergo Your Procedure in a Soothing, Relaxing Environment
One of the first things our patients notice upon entering our specially designed facility is a soothing and relaxing environment influenced by the ancient principles of Asian tranquility. Here, our patients are expertly cared for as our professional and skilled staff accompany them on an individually realized and guided journey to bring their inner beauty to the surface.
Valuing a surgical philosophy that recognizes each patient as unique, we are committed to walking each patient through his or her transformative experience. Because our training is based on an emphasis of the reconstruction of form and function, each and every one of our patients receives a completely individualized assessment and plan. Additionally, we provide specialized counseling so that each patient understands that he or she is not just another procedure off an assembly line, but rather a valued member of our Northwest Plastic Surgery Associates family.
Incredible Results FROM A WORLD-CLASS SURGEON
Exclusive Pricing Available to VIP Members
Researching the lowest treatment costs can be a frustrating process. We also believe each of our patients, regardless of their budget, deserves to pamper themselves. This is why we created our VIP program. Membership fees are applied to your patient account and can be used for any of our products or services.
Discounts include $10 per unit of BOTOX® Cosmetic, 15 percent off dermal fillers and other non-surgical procedures, 10 percent off skincare and vitamins, 20 percent off makeup, and more. Members will not only benefit from the lowest prices in the area, but also have access to VIP events throughout the year. These events will offer an exclusive look at new products and techniques.


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You will not see it marked on any map, nor will you find anyone willing to take you there should they happen to know its location, for though the promise of untold riches features within the many stories associated with this most mythical of places, so to do those of Abarath, the terrible creature said to stand guard over the subterranean labyrinth that goes by the name of Filey's Motte.
During my travels I had heard countless stories of careless souls who in their earnest to find their fortune enter the Motte never to be heard from again. No doubt you grow weary of hearing such a tale rehashed and repeated ad infinitum, so allow me to present a different version of this popular yarn, one that I can recount with a degree of clarity untouched by the ravages of time.
It was 1964. I was twenty one, foolish and headstrong. My friend Albert and I had taken to the roads that summer, driving across the country in a bid to leave the pressures of university life far behind us. Albert was a bookish sort and he had taken it upon himself to mark out a series of places that he thought would be interesting to visit. We saw historic monuments, quaint English villages and countless other remnants of our country's rich heritage. It was Filey's Motte that was to be our last stop.
Albert explained how he had stumbled across an interesting legend whilst researching one of his more arcane texts earlier that term. It told of a subterranean labyrinth which at its heart contained wealth beyond all measure. Worryingly, the text also spoke of an unholy guardian that keeps a constant vigil over the labyrinth. Further research yielded several possible locations of the Motte but little more in the way of insight as to its content.
It was the final location on our list of places to visit that proved to be the most telling, for the villagers of (name omitted) came forth with an abundance of information regarding the Motte. The tongues in the village tavern once suitably loosened with ale began to wag and warn of the folly of our plan. Though none could point to the exact origin of the Motte, all in attendance agreed that it predated local records and several argued that the Saxons and the Celts were aware of the Motte. One gentleman who wished to remain anonymous said that the site was once used for Pagan worship and the beast that was contained within was imprisoned by a brotherhood of Warlocks whose lineage had long since faded to dust. With our interests piqued, we decided to head to the site come sunrise.
We searched the area which we believed contained Filey's Motte for many hours before finally locating the hole in the ground which would grant us access. A quick inspection under torchlight revealed a narrow slipway which angled steeply downwards before disappearing into the gloom. It was clear that we would need to leave our bags behind and that this was not to be our exit point. Though I would not admit to it at the time I felt a choking sense of dread as I positioned myself above the entrance. Not wishing Albert to sense my unease I ushered him to follow before disappearing below ground.
The slipway was smooth and my descent rapid. I have no idea just how far the shaft burrowed beneath the surface but it took nearly a full minute for the passageway to level itself out. It was cold this far below ground, a cold that I have never felt before nor since. A quick recce of the area whilst I awaited Albert's arrival revealed that I was stood in a small antechamber. The beginning of the labyrinth lay before me. Once Albert had acquainted himself with his surroundings (alas, his torch did not survive the descent intact,) we began our exploration.
Labyrinth fails to describe the splendid complexity of what lay within Filey's Motte. I had often wondered why there was no map in existence that detailed the layout of the Motte, but upon seeing the maze for myself, with its countless passageways which were situated at various heights and seemed to twist and turn upon themselves in the most unnatural fashion, I began to understand why. To plot every possible route would take several lifetimes alone and with the beastly Abarath upon your trail, the inconceivable quickly becomes the impossible.
Yet the further we travelled the more curious our surroundings became. The tunnels which we navigated began to take on an organic look and at times I saw the walls begin to pulse. The air grew thick the deeper we ventured and a heavy odour that I can only describe as rotted meat hung all around. Little did we know that we were not only deep within the bowels of Filey's Motte.
After countless hours of backtracking and dead ends it was with a heavy heart that I admitted our misfortune. We were lost. All sense of direction had long since been swallowed by the darkness and the disorientation provided by the Motte. Albert (God rest his soul,) took this admission badly and began to kick up an awful fuss and nothing I could say would placate him. Our surroundings seemed to react to his outburst and though I pleaded with him to cease he continued unabated, much to his misfortune.
I remarked earlier how organic our environment appeared and the reason for this was soon apparent. Albert and his outbreak had disturbed Abarath, and though all who enter the Motte hope not to encounter him, this is an impossibility. For Abarath is Filey's Motte. Albert and I, like countless explorers before were crawling through the very innards of a monster. Our chamber rapidly began to fill with a noxious fluid that immediately proceeded to dissolve our shoes. Albert, oblivious to the peril that he was now in disappeared deeper into the darkness, alas before I could continue after him a large fleshy barrier sealed itself between us. That was the last that I heard of him, save for his hellish screams.
Realising the danger that I was now in I somehow plucked up the will to retrace my steps. I lost my flashlight at one point and fumbled in the dark for an ungodly amount of time. My palms were reduced to bone as were the soles of my feet due to the liquids that poured from the walls and ceiling, yet still I drove forwards. A fervour gripped me the likes of which I have never encountered since, simply put, it was the will to live that kept me moving.
Hours later, weary and bloodied I emerged from the Motte to find myself amongst the ruins of burial mound. It was here that I slept until I fortune granted that I be found.
I never did find the treasure of Filey's Motte but I do believe I know what it entails. I have embraced every day of my life anew since my ill-fated journey to that place and though I lost a dear friend that day, I for one feel like the richest man on Earth.
Did you enjoy my story? Please let me know what you think by leaving a review! Thanks, FatherDarknessWrite a Review


text: Hi guys! Happy bank holiday Monday in doors! Yes it's been bucketing it down all day long. Well I thought I will share how I keep my energy levels up. In general I have quite low energy levels so I always look for ways to boost it. I have had acupuncture 15 times in the past and my acupuncturist told me that we are all born with a certain amount of energy levels and acupuncture can help to balance it but it can't add any more and he said I seem to not have much naturally well I do not know if it's true or not but I always try to boost it up in different ways. Occasionally, when I feel low on energy days like today I put some Energy and Vigour massage oil on my wrists or a little bit on my neck or I rub it in my soles of feet if I am using it in the evening.I use a tiny amount of oil at the time and it's lasting me what seems to be very long time. It has really light sent doesn't feel heavy on the skin. I feel like I am giving something extra to myself and that always very helps.


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Taking a stand for good health
By Art Carey
The newspaper business has its excitement, but it's awfully sedentary. I sit when I interview people. I sit when I transcribe notes. I sit when I write. In a typical day, I sit in front of a computer six to eight hours.
My colleagues – and millions of other Americans – do likewise, making us prime candidates for "sitting disease" and its associated ailments – obesity, diabetes, stroke, heart attack, arthritis, cancer, and depression.
I've tried to fight back. I commute to the Word Mill by bike. I run at lunchtime. Throughout the day, I drop to the floor and do push-ups. Better than nothing, but still not enough to halt the deleterious effects of prolonged sitting.
In short, chairs are hazardous to your health. We were made to spend our days upright, to move and use our bodies. In the course of their hunting and foraging, our primordial ancestors covered the distance of a marathon and more every day. Your body's components – brain, heart, muscles, joints, circulatory, digestive and lymphatic systems – all function better when stimulated by movement.
Read the full article here.


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FREE printable weather word searches and weather worksheets
There are three different styles of word searches and two of each style. One has the words at the bottom for students to find in the puzzle. The second style has just pictures at the bottom and students have to find the words in the puzzle. The third style has a picture and spot for students to write the words.
Click on the printer icon at the top right and select the page you'd like to print. Print out as many copies as you'll need or make photocopies as necessary.
|End User License Agreement: You are free to download any resource from this site as an end user and MES-English.com grants you an End User License with the following restrictions: You may not redistribute, copy, modify, transfer, transmit, repackage, charge for or sell any of the materials from this site. You may use photocopies or printouts for distribution to your students. MES reserves the right to terminate or make changes to this agreement for any reason and without notice.
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I tend to avoid petroleum products, but I recently bought this petroleum jelly because I read that it was a good laxative for cats. You rub a bit on their fur, they lick it off, and it goes right through them. Vaseline is one of those trade names that has become synonymous with its product […]
Tag Archives: Vaseline
Posted in prompts Also tagged cats, hairballs, laxative, moisturizer, petroleum jelly Comments closed


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Prepare yourselves, One Direction fans: another former band member has gone solo.
Niall Horan has released a new song (and video!) and it's really great.
The former One Directioner sent a tweet to fans this morning informing them that he had written a song and recorded it in a studio.
Titled "This Town," the acoustic jam is a love ballad, slightly reminiscent of 1D's "Little Things." The accompanied black-and-white video showcases Horan singing and playing the guitar.
It was recorded at Capital Studios live and in one take, according to the video text.
—Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial) September 29, 2016
There was speculation Wednesday night that Niall was releasing a song after a tweet from Radio Disney announced the news and then was swiflty deleted. But now it's here for all of your listening glory.
And even though people may have thought Zayn Malik — who left the famous boy band in 2015 — or Harry Styles would have been the most successful former band members in their solo endeavors, One Direction fans are already loving Horan's new hit.
—Tiffany Taylor (@_tiffanytaylor) September 29, 2016
—Sofia|-/ (@LmfaoSofia) September 29, 2016
—Sydney (@sydney_styles14) September 29, 2016
—beth (@mangosurflouis) September 29, 2016
Part of the reason fans (like me) love Horan is that we watched him grow from the kid who auditioned for the "X-Factor" into a full-fledged musician. "This Town" is a cute love song that makes your heart full when listening to it. The simple melody is easy to sing along to, and the acoustic accompaniment is the perfect way to round out Niall's sweet sound while also appealing to One Direction's massive fan base.
We're swooning.
So step aside Zayn, Niall is here.


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Rare Video of Long Haired Sumatran Rhinoceros and Her Adorable Calf Released
A rare video of the endangered long haired Sumatran Rhinoceros and her calf has found its way on YouTube.
There are only 100 animals left in the wild and in captivity.
This video was taken by Ph.D Rasmus Gren Havmøller in Indonesia in the Summer of 2015.
The Sumatran Rhinoceros has already been declared extinct in Malaysia.
The baby rhinoceros was just so cute! I really hope that both mother and calf survive.
Press play to watch the video below.


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Chocking Procedures: A Step-by-Step Guide for Maximizing Safety
In 2016, the U.S. mining industry saw fatal accidents claim the lives of 20 workers, according to this MSHA report. These tragedies highlight the need for mining safety equipment, such as wheel chocks. Wheel chocks are effective safety devices when used properly. However, wheel chocking procedures are not always as straightforward as they may seem. There are several key aspects of proper chocking that may not be obvious to every user. We've outlined the most important things to take note of while using our wheel chocks, to ensure maximum safety for both workers and equipment. It is the responsibility of the end user to make the final determination about proper chocking of a vehicle under the circumstances presented. You cannot simply test a pair of wheel chocks with a specific vehicle on a specified grade and broadly assume that the wheel chocks will hold the same truck every time. Countless combinations of conditions exist and this must be considered when selecting the most appropriate wheel chock for each application. Thorough testing must be completed at each location to ensure that specific wheel chocks will meet their specific chocking requirements.
Here are the combinations of conditions must be considered for safe, proper chocking procedures:
- Tire size
- Smaller tires require smaller chocks, while larger tires require larger chocks. To determine which chock your vehicle needs, click here to view our chock reference guide.
- Gross vehicle weight
- Heavier vehicles require larger chocks than lighter vehicles. Gross vehicle weight can be found along the Y-axis of the chock reference guide.
- Level or grade of the ground surface
- Chocks need to be positioned in different ways depending on if the ground is level or not. Ensuring that the chocking configuration is correct based on surface grade is paramount for proper chocking. To view a diagram detailing the different chocking configurations, click here.
- Radial Tires vs. Bias-Ply Tires
- Radial tires by design deflect more than bias-ply tires. While this flexibility allows the vehicle to move more smoothly, it also allows the tire to wrap around the wheel chock, which reduces the chocks effectiveness. To combat this, vehicles with radial tires should be chocked with wheel chocks that are larger than what the reference guide recommends.
- Tire pressure variance due to environment
- It is important to monitor tire pressure, especially in harsh environments. Improperly inflated tires can lead to chocking failures.
- Condition of the ground
- Whether the ground is firm, soft, wet, dry, icy, or frozen is a key determination in the type of chock to use. For frozen or icy terrain, choose a chock with a cleated bottom. For severely wet or muddy terrain, multiple chocks may be necessary to ensure safe chocking.
The second key to proper chocking is the actual positioning of the chocks themselves. When chocking a vehicle, always follow these simple rules to ensure maximum efficiency and safety.
- Always ensure the chock is centered and squared with the tire.
- Position the chock snuggly against the tire tread.
- Always use wheel chocks in pairs.
- Wheel chocks must be positioned downhill and below the vehicle's center of gravity.
- On a downhill grade, position the chocks in front of the front wheels.
- On an uphill grade, position the chocks behind the rear wheels.
- On a level grade, position the chocks on the front and back of a single wheel.
For a detailed diagram of how to properly position a chock, click here. In addition to the following proper chocking procedures, it is important to consider the material of the chock. For more information on different chock materials, click here.
Monster Motion Safety offers a wide range of wheel chocks, ranging from small to large models. Whether you drive a pickup truck or a haul truck, proper chocking is important and safety cannot be a compromise. To view our full line of high-quality chocking solutions, click here.


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Jump to navigation Jump to search
Ragman may refer to:
|Look up ragman in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- the Rag-and-bone man
- Ragman (comics), a fictional DC Comics mystic vigilante
- The Ragman's Daughter, a 1972 film
- The Ragman's Son, the first autobiography by actor Kirk Douglas
- Ragman Rolls, the collection of instruments by which the nobility and gentry of Scotland subscribed allegiance to King Edward I of England
- Răgman village, Poiana Câmpina Commune, Prahova County, Romania
See also[edit]
| disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Ragman.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.


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192.168.1.225-IP Router Password, Login, Username Settings
What is 192.168.1.225
192.168.1.225 is a private IP Address, which is often used by broadband router and modem manufacturers to enable a user to access the device. This IP Address is to be entered in the Address bar of the web browser running on a computer, which is attached to the device. Through this, the user can change the settings of the device as per his requirements and needs.
What is a Private Network and Private IP Address
Early network design, when global end-to-end connectivity was envisioned for communications with all Internet hosts, intended that IP addresses be uniquely assigned to a particular computer or device. However, it was found that this was not always necessary as private networks developed and public address space needed to be conserved.
Computers not connected to the Internet, such as factory machines, routers and other networking rquipments that communicate only with each other via TCP/IP, need not have globally-unique IP addresses. Three ranges of IPv4 addresses for private networks have been reserved. These addresses are not routed on the Internet and thus their use need not be coordinated with an IP address registry.
Today, when needed, such private networks typically connect to the Internet through network address translation (NAT).
|IANA-reserved private IPv4 network ranges
|No. of addresses
|24-bit Block (/8 prefix, 1 × A)
|20-bit Block (/12 prefix, 16 × B)
|16-bit Block (/16 prefix, 256 × C)
192.168.1.225-IP Router Password, Login, Username Settings
Given below is a compiled list of the some of the most popular brands of the networking devices and broadband router alongwith the default IP address fabricated withing their firmware, their default passwords and username details. Please feel free to check if your router is listed in this list.


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DAVAO CITY, Philippines--Nine houses were destroyed while nine others were damaged when strong waves hit a coastal village here on Saturday night.
The waves also displaced at least 77 families in Barangay (village) 76-A in Bucana District.
Celso Tizon, village chairman, said houses near the shore were destroyed when strong waves suddenly hit the village at around 7 p.m. Saturday.
He said three persons were hurt when wooden house materials fell on them.
The city government has provided relief and food assistance to those displaced.
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Mangroves move inland as seas rise
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Tax the rich. Stop transit cuts. Stop the war. For marchers on this Martin Luther King holiday, it was pick your protest.
More than 100 people took to the streets of Chicago Monday to make their voices heard on a number of topics ranging from gay rights to transportation funding.
The idea that binds them together: more money needs to be spent on public services.
"Enough is enough," said event organizer Joleen Kirshenmen. "We need to start investing our money in things that matter instead of wasting it on corporate bailouts."
The march comes in advance of a reduction in Chicago Transit Authority service, which is set to take effect next month. TransitChicago.com has a detailed list of all the bus and rail service changes.
From the post on NoCTACuts.net:
Over 1,000 bus drivers are being threatened with layoffs. CTA service cuts will affect 18 percent of bus service and 9 percent of train service, mostly in working and poor communities.
The peaceful march made its way from CTA headquarters to Boeing headquarters end at the Thompson Center with a rally.
The protest was organized by Public Workers Unite! and endorsed by NoCTAcuts.org, AFSCME Local 2858, Caucus of Rank & File Educators, Jobs with Justice, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, ANSWER Chicago, Socialist Alternative, the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Solidarity.
Facebook: No CTA Cuts Chicago


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Tag Archives: Homemade
The Little Mermaid – Sebastian Costume
I have to say, this year's Halloween costumes really stumped me. First it was Ariel's tail, and now Sebastian's eyes. I think I got pretty close and as I like to say… "it's good enough" haha. Here's the only nonblurry … Continue reading
The Little Mermaid – Ariel Costume
Halloween costumes have sort of become a tradition for me to do in our family. I've made a dinosaur, frog, witch, dorothy, goddess, little red riding hood, wolf and I assisted in making a tinker bell costume. I've most likely … Continue reading


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I've been busy making these for #lutonalternativemarket..
I've been busy making these for #lutonalternativemarket..
..A couple of weeks ago we went to the Northampton Alternative Bring and Buy market,. which was brilliant. I sold a lot of art, and I came home with some amazing little beasts from Spooky Doof creations and Pins and Needles
Here are a few of the bits I sold..
Anyway it went so well and was so much fun that we decided to do our own version in Luton on 3rd December.. still a couple of stalls available..
I read a post recently about copic pens, and looking into them I was really excited – professional illustrators alcohol based felt pens that you can do a solid block of colour with and blend like inks.
I looked on amazon and they were about £5 each. There was a kit of about 400 of them that cost £1600! eek. I decided it would be an expensive habit and I shouldn't get any.
Then today i wandered into "the works" (which is a discount stationers and bookshop) and found that they had something very similar available for 99p per pen! The joy!
Here they are if anyone else wants to get some:
Sketch from photo, using a dip pen and Quink black ink, shaded with a fine paintbrush and the same ink, diluted.
I was frustrated none of my paintings seemed to be working out this afternoon but I managed this just before I went to bed. Despite the best effort of the cat, who loves ink and brushes.
The eagle eyed might notice I've signed it "bekki" which is my actual, you know, name 🙂
I drew these with idea of adding gold leaf to them as highlights – but gold leaf is a lot harder to use than I expected! I was expecting it to rub on like letraset but you need to glue it on and it's so fragile .. I can't imagine being able to neatly draw starts etc at this scale. I've bought some gold ink instead but it hasn't arrived yet!


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It's called the invisible war wound, and for good reason: Unlike injuries to the limbs, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) don't always appear right away, and you certainly can't see them with the naked eye. But the consequences of TBIs can be very debilitating, ranging from headaches and mood swings to seizures and severe cognitive problems.
A new study published May 15 suggests that TBIs may even increase one's risk of committing suicide. In an online report recently released in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers found an increased incidence of suicidal thoughts or behaviors among military study subjects who've suffered multiple TBIs, compared to those with no TBIs or a single TBI. Researchers also found that the more TBIs they've had in their lifetimes, the more severe their symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other concussive effects.
Their conclusion? "Suicide risk is higher among military personnel with more lifetime TBIs, even after controlling for clinical symptom severity. Results suggest that multiple TBIs, which are common among military personnel, may contribute to increased risk for suicide."
The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, which tracks the number of TBI incidences that occur anywhere U.S. forces are located, report that there have been 266,810 cases of TBIs between the years 2000 and 2012.
One of the researchers, Craig J. Bryan, reported to PBS Frontline that the accumulation of TBIs for soldiers aren't just limited to time spent in war zones; many military personnel may enter service having already unknowingly suffered concussions, perhaps in sports or during basic training.
What Causes Traumatic Brain Injuries
Despite what you might think, blunt force to the head isn't the only cause of TBIs. In war zones, an explosion or blast can create a sudden increase in air pressure followed immediately by a decrease in pressure. This shock wave can pass through helmets and damage brain cells and circuits, even though there's no direct impact to the skull.
Another cause of TBIs, particularly on the battlefield: When a person is thrown to the ground or against a solid object, like a wall or vehicle, the brain continues to move in the direction of the force even though the body stops. This causes the brain to hit the insides of the skull, possibly producing what's essentially a brain bruise, or interior cerebral contusion.
Symptoms and Treatment
Symptoms of TBI can be mild, severe or somewhere in between. They include dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), trouble concentrating, tiredness or sleep problems, weakness or numbness in the limbs, nausea and/or convulsions. Because there's such a wide range, diagnosis can be a challenge, especially when symptoms are similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, another health issue closely linked to being in military service.
Of course, the best way to treat TBIs is to receive immediate medical attention as soon as the injury occurs. But even if weeks or months have passed, people are able to receive rehabilitation and therapy (speech, physical and/or occupational) with good results.
More information on TBI symptoms, treatment options and research can be found at:
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Brain Injury Association of America
- Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
There's little doubt that TBIs are a growing problem with a profound effect on not just our sons and daughters on the battlefield, but on how we take care of our soldiers long after they've served their country. If you know a returning soldier who seems to have difficulties adjusting – both mentally and/or physically – to civilian life, I recommend turning to a neurologist or specialist.
Mind your health,
Dr. Keith Black


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Some areas of AAO.org are temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to restore access.
Ophthalmologist practice is seeking a BC/BE Comprehensive Ophthalmologist to join this busy private practice. This well established practice has 38 year history and needs a highly motivated, well trained surgical Ophthalmologist for continued growth. The position offers an excellent guaranteed base salary, a generous production incentive and exceptional benefits within a very aggressive partnership track.
The practice is located in the beautiful Northwestern Suburbs of Chicago.
Medical Professionals
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How accountable care organizations can succeed: One provider's lesson
Dean Health System essentially has been an accountable care organization for years. Several factors, including EHR interoperability, data analytics and charm school, drive savings.
BURLINGTON, Mass. -- Health care reform touts accountable care organizations -- collaborative groups of providers sharing patient data in interoperable systems -- as the best setup for improved care coordination and efficiency. To many it seems to be a new, if not radical concept. For Madison, Wis.-based Dean Health System, however, it has been the status quo for several years.
"We're across the chasm, looking back, at this point," Dr. Craig Samitt, president and CEO, told the audience at last week's Massachusetts Health Data Consortium's HIT11 conference.
Dean Health consists of more than 500 doctors in 60 facilities. In addition, it runs Dean Health Insurance, Wisconsin's largest health maintenance organization, and a pharmacy benefit management company, Navitus Health Solutions LLC. Lastly, it has partnered with a hospital, run by St. Louis-based SSM Health Care, since 1912.
Several years ago, Dean Health reached a crossroads, Samitt said. Half its provider business came from within, while half came from Medicare and other fee-for-service payers. "It was killing us trying to navigate through this schizophrenia," he said.
Rather than focus on the inefficiency of treating readmission and illness, Dean Health opted to focus on value through specialty services, laboratory testing and preventive medicine. This shift required several changes, Samitt said:
- Dean Health aligned its strategic plan by scheduling at least three weekly meetings for the CEOs of the hospital, payer and health system.
- Through data benchmarking -- based on internal and external guidelines and best practices -- Dean Health was able to "unbundle and understand the variance of care within the organization."
- To that end, clinical data analytics and other technology have driven innovation in a way that Dean Health is beyond federal meaningful use criteria and aims to achieve optimal use, Samitt said. (All system affiliates have been using the same electronic health record software for several years.)
- Contrary to the prevailing notion of the accountable care organization offering bundled payments to everyone involved in a patient's care, Dean Health found it needed to unbundle payments, giving the hospital, the primary physician and specialists their fair share. To do this, the organization has determined set formulas for unbundling payments.
- Finally, Dean Health implemented a program that Samitt dubbed "charm school," in which young physicians shadow experienced ones to learn how to improve service and increase patient loyalty.
We're across the chasm, looking back, at this point.
Dr. Craig Samitt, president and CEO, Dean Health System
Overall, this shift has driven an emphasis on growth, efficiency, quality and service, to the extent that Dean Health's physicians eventually will be paid based on these factors rather than on patient volume, Samitt said.
Other strategies for "bending the cost curve" include favoring generic prescriptions; prescribing 90-day supplies of medications for chronic conditions; and improving treatment options. This last strategy has reduced the need for certain patients to undergo such procedures as joint replacements. The medication savings are measurable and substantial, Samitt said: A 1% increase in generic prescriptions, for example, saves Dean Health $1.6 million a year.
In a sense, Samitt concluded, accountable care organizations simply represent managed care all over again. "We should take the opportunity to do it right," he said.
Let us know what you think about the story; email Brian Eastwood, Site Editor.


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Discovering Self through The Mahabharata
Inner Work through Yoga
In this paper I have tried to articulate the similarities that I see in the processes of Identity formation, the processes of role taking and the Yogic texts as I understand them. The interpretation of the Yoga Sutras and Sankya Karika that I have used in this paper are drawn from the oral tradition of Yogacharya T. Krishnamacharya. They are an English rendition of his expressions in Tamil. The teaching was carried on over a period of about 10 years mostly through individual classes.
India at an Inflexion Point
India is at an inflexion point. An old civilization is coming to terms with modernity. At Sumedhas Academy for Human Context (www.sumedhas.org) we have been examining the nature and processes of the Indian Psyche with deep interest. As India takes steps towards development, it draws energy from its psyche and impacts it in many significant ways. We have used the frame work developed by Ashok Malhotra (one of the founders of Sumedhas) which is based on the Gravesian insights..
Organization Identity Profiles
The paper seeks to throw light on the differing organization profiles of New Economy and Old Economy businesses of India that the tools vividly map, and ways in which the unraveling of the profile offers the organization significant cues for inquiry and new directions for action. While the purpose here is not to detail the design elements of the tools themselves, or their psychometric properties, one hopes that the reader will find sufficient information on the tools to apprehend the thrust of the main plot without getting sidetracked by doubts about the robustness of the tools themselves.
Charlie Hebdo, God and Earth Spirituality
This paper was written as a preparation to a 3-day 'Research and Contemplation' dialogue on Earth Spirituality conducted by Sumedhas,Academy for Human Context at the Fire Flies Ashram. The first part of the paper outlines a framework through which the idea of Earth Spirituality can be examined; it uses the recent spate of hate killings to illustrate the idea.The second part of the paper reflects upon the experience of the Dialogue.
Understanding the Koodam
Koodam and Sangha are spaces have energized communities and were the primary indigenous form of Governance till they were replaced by Colonial structures. In many places they are still operational, though their centrality is not recognized by the Governmental structures. This paper discusses how these cultural memories were reawakened and deployed in solving chronic problems of Governance.
VUCA and the HR / OD Practitioner
In our work with people we (Consulting team of FLAME TAOKnoware) focus on the hidden parts of the proverbial ice berg- the meaning making processes of people. In laboratory learning contexts the superficial layers of thought-action give way to an understanding of feeling- thought. We often come across a deep conflict between the identity processes of the individual and their role taking modalities. This conflict is rooted in the idea that one must suppress ones own natural ways of feeling and thinking, and adopt ways that are appropriate to a "professional" context. We have spoken about these conflicts at length in some of our papers and blogs.


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With all the choices for financial institutions out there, why pick SELCO?
Our members aren't just customers, they're owners. This means when you join SELCO, you get a voice in how we do business. Our members elect volunteer leaders from the community to guide our development and keep our professional standards high.
Our commitment isn't to stockholders—it's to you. As a not-for-profit consumer cooperative, we return our profits to our member-owners in the form of better rates, lower (and fewer) fees, a higher return on deposits, and personalized service.
We began in 1936 when local teachers and school employees pooled their funds together in a shoebox to help each other through tough times. When one member needed a loan, the others stepped in. We've been doing business this way ever since. Through ongoing partnerships with local nonprofits and schools, we continue to reinvest in our shared community.
With 24/7 online access, you can manage your accounts anytime you want. Through Shared Branching, you can access your money at 5,000+ credit union branches and nearly 30,000 ATMs coast to coast (and beyond). And with mobile banking, mobile wallets, and free apps, wherever you are, we're there, too.
Membership is open to anyone who lives or works in any of the 27 Oregon counties we serve.
You may also be eligible if:
Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. Generally, you will need:


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We asked respondents four questions about how they organized their social media activities and the impact of that decision:
- Whether they were centralized or decentralized
- Which function or individual controlled the activities (if any)
- How effective their organizational structure for social media was
- Whether they would reorganize these activities by the end of 2014
The responses show big differences across the four regions. But viewed on a global basis, by far the most common approach for organizing social media activities is centralizing them at the parent company (rather than in the divisions). That approach was taken by 47% of the respondents we surveyed. However, North American respondents were much more likely to do this: 54% did, as against only 35% in Latin America, 40% in Europe and 41% in Asia-Pacific. Those regions were more likely than North American respondents to centralize social media in each division, in one group or function per division. And they were more likely to decentralize them by division – but keep them coordinated. In contrast, 11% of North American respondents decentralize social media by function in every division and do not coordinate the activities. That only happens in 6% to 7% of respondents in the three other regions. (See Exhibits II-22 and 23)
Exhibit II-22: How Social Media Activities are Organized (Globally)
Exhibit II-23: How Social Media Activities are Organized (by Region)
Having social media centralized at either the parent company or in a division is the most common structure – exhibited by between 66% and 74% of the respondents (depending on the region) and 69% overall. It offers economies that just can't be gained when functions control their own social media activities. The respondents that centralized social media will spend an average of $16.3 million each on it this year. In contrast, those that decentralized their social media activities will spend about 50% more: $24.5 million. (See Exhibit II-24)
Exhibit II-24: How Centralization and Decentralization of Social Media Affects Spending
The responses to the second question on this issue of organization show how much central control of social media is exercised by the marketing function – especially in North American companies. Around the globe, marketing is more likely to control social media than any other function: 35% of our total respondents said marketing controls it, whereas 'multiple business functions' control it in 13% of respondents, and the CIO/CTO had control in 12%. Viewed another way, the customer-facing functions of marketing, sales and customer service controlled social media in 45% of respondents. A function that wasn't controlled by these three departments (IT, a separate social media group, a chief digital or customer experience officer) controlled social media in 35% of respondents. (See Exhibit II-25)
Exhibit II-25: Who Controls Social Media? More Often Than Other Functions, It's Marketing
At the regional level, a major discrepancy exists between the way North American companies control social media and how the other three regions control it. In 54% of the North American respondents, customer-facing functions control social media. That's only the case with 40% of European and 38% of Asia-Pacific respondents. And it's much lower in Latin America, where only about one-quarter of respondents say marketing, sales or service owns social media. (See Exhibit II-26)
In fact, in Europe, about as many respondents say that a 'neutral' function (one that it isn't marketing, sales or service) is just as likely to control social media: IT, a social media group, a chief digital officer or a chief customer experience officer. These functions are even more likely to control social media in Asia-Pacific companies (47% of respondents) and Latin America (63%).
Exhibit II-26: Who Controls Social Media Depends on the Region
All to say that the control of social media as a marketing tool is most pronounced in North American companies – and least pronounced in Latin America and Europe. Domination of the social media discussion by marketing limits social media's reach (and thus potential), especially when viewed in the context of the 15 possible goals of social media discussed earlier.
The answers to our third question about the organizational structure of social media activities reveals that only a minority of companies are satisfied with their current structure. Only 42% of all respondents termed their structure 'highly effective' or 'effective.' A greater percentage (58%) called it 'somewhat effective', 'slightly' or 'not at all effective'. (See Exhibit II-27)
Exhibit II-27: Effectiveness of Respondents' Structure for Social Media
Some regions were happier than others with their structure:
- 55% of Latin American and 58% of Asia-Pacific respondents saw their structure as effective/highly effective
- But only 38% of European respondents and 35% of North American respondents said it was effective/highly effective
Asked whether they would reorganize their social media activities by the end of 2014, the majority (51%) said that was likely. Only 15% said it wasn't likely, and 34% weren't sure. (See Exhibit II-28)
Exhibit II-28: Whether Respondents Will Reorganize Social Media
- North American and European respondents were equally likely to reorganize social media by the end of next year (45% of respondents in both cases).
- But curiously, 63% of Asia-Pacific and 72% of Latin American respondents said they would likely reorganize social activities as well – even though a greater percentage of them saw the current structure as effective.
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Case Study: Why it is Not Easy for Functions Beyond Marketing and Service to Harness Social Media